Chapter 35: Jealous?

“Miss.” The man beside Yan Ruyu supported her, but she violently shoved him away: “Get lost!”

She stumbled to her feet and hurried home. Remembering her disrespect towards Su Mu earlier, Yan Ruyu regretted it so much her insides turned green. She immediately slapped herself.

“You, why did you provoke her? You’ve gotten us into big trouble now!” Liu Cui’s heart sank upon hearing Yan Ruyu’s account of what happened.

In the past, when Su Mu was still a son-in-law, they often disrespected her, mocking her with words and even withholding the treatment due to a master. Now that Su Mu had become a Juren and the future magistrate of Juancheng, would there be any good days ahead for them as father and daughter?

Yan Ruyu anxiously said: “Father, what should we do now? I’m so afraid Su Mu will take revenge. I never expected her to have such ability, passing the provincial exam in one go. Now many families outside are trying to curry favor with her.”

“Of course people want to curry favor with her. She passed the provincial exam, has limitless prospects, and will become the magistrate in the future. In Juancheng, she’ll be all-powerful. Let’s think about how to save ourselves first!” Liu Cui regretted their past targeting of Su Mu immensely.

“The young mistress passed the provincial exam? Is this true?” Ling Hua, carrying pastries for Yan Zhujun, was passing through the garden when he heard Liu Cui’s wailing and harsh scolding of Yan Ruyu.

Curious, he moved a bit closer, and unexpectedly heard the news of Su Mu passing the exam from Liu Cui’s mouth.

Liu Cui saw Ling Hua as if seeing a savior, tugging at his sleeve while weeping bitterly: “Ling Hua, you’ve come at the right time. Quickly take me to see my sister-in-law. Didn’t she save Su Mu’s life before? Please beg her to be magnanimous and spare us, a widowed father and orphaned daughter.”

Ling Hua hurriedly said: “Don’t panic first. Are you sure Su Mu really passed the provincial exam?”

Yan Ruyu said: “When I was coming back, I heard gongs and drums outside. The imperial messenger said she ranked first in the Cloud City provincial exam.”

Hearing this, Ling Hua was greatly shocked. Passing the provincial exam was already difficult enough, but to rank first meant she was definitely material for the imperial exam. A small place like Juancheng might not be able to contain her.

He felt extremely fortunate that he had persuaded Yan Zhujun not to completely fall out with Su Mu at that time. Otherwise, with Su Mu’s current status, if she were to be just a little ruthless, the Yan family’s glory would cease to exist, and he, as a servant, would have to follow them into destitution.

However, along with his relief, Ling Hua also felt quite regretful. If Yan Jiyue hadn’t been so fickle back then, not satisfied with what he had and coveting more, he would now be the illustrious husband of a Juren. Even the magistrate’s husband would have to treat him with courtesy, not to mention the Yan mansion, which would naturally become the most prestigious among Juancheng’s elite.

But now all these benefits had fallen to that foreign man.

Ling Hua was both relieved that he had helped the Yan family avoid a disaster and envious of Xie Yi’s good fortune.

He knew the young mistress’s character well – gentle, courteous, and not frivolous. Xie Yi had known her when she was still unknown. Now that she had made it big, even if she didn’t make him the primary husband, it was highly possible he could become a secondary spouse.

Ling Hua sighed inwardly: Such is fate. He and his brother Ling Jing didn’t have such good fortune, so they were destined to be servants for life.

“Ling Hua, why are you just standing there? Hurry and take me to see my sister-in-law!” Liu Cui said anxiously.

Ling Hua came back to his senses and smiled slightly: “Alright, please follow me.”

“Good, good, good.” Liu Cui nodded repeatedly, clearly already seeing Yan Zhujun as her last lifeline.

But Ling Hua, who knew Yan Zhujun’s nature well, was as clear as a bright mirror in his heart. Now that Su Mu had become a Juren, Yan Zhujun naturally wouldn’t dare to target her anymore.

Could she possibly stand up for the Liu father and daughter? Impossible. To protect herself, she would definitely expel the Yan family father and daughter.

Unfortunately, this foolish father and daughter still thought they had found their savior.

*

Su Mu returned home, finally managing to send away the crowds who had come to congratulate her and bring gifts. As soon as the door closed, the noisy courtyard instantly became quiet.

“Congratulations, Sister Mu, on becoming the top scholar.” Xie Yi stood tall by the door, a light white robe making him look like jade amidst stones and pines amidst cypresses. Even the somewhat closed-off and humble room seemed different because of him.

Su Mu smiled and stepped forward to take his hand: “I’ve heard too many congratulations. Why are you being so formal with me?”

Xie Yi pursed his lips, his eyes smiling, but the smile carried a faint, hidden worry. However, he concealed it well, and Su Mu didn’t notice.

“Sister Mu, what should we do with all these gifts people have sent?” Xie Yi looked at the gifts piled on the ground.

Su Mu said: “Let’s bring them in and check. Return the ones that are too valuable, and we can keep the ordinary ones.”

Every place has its own rules for survival. If water is too clear, it has no fish. If she deliberately kept her distance from the great families right after passing the provincial exam, maintaining a lofty and aloof persona, she would easily be isolated.

Xie Yi nodded and carried all the gifts piled on the ground into the house. He looked around and found that there were many precious items like ginseng and bird’s nest among them. Any of these could easily sell for over a hundred taels of silver.

And these were only considered mid-range among the pile of gifts. The most valuable was a red coral sent by one family, its price immeasurable.

“This won’t do, it’s too valuable. Xiao Yi, help me see which family sent this. I’ll return it tomorrow,” Su Mu said immediately upon seeing the red coral.

Xie Yi looked at the gift list. It was from the Xu family in the north of the city.

“I heard that Madam Su has just divorced the young master of the Yan family. Are you currently betrothed? I have an elder brother who is beautiful in appearance and, most importantly, gentle, virtuous, and understanding, unlike Yan Jiyue…”

Xie Yi instantly recalled the words of that woman pulling Su Mu aside. The same prestigious family background as Yan Jiyue, the same beauty as Yan Jiyue, and even the gentleness that was the only thing Xie Yi had over Yan Jiyue – the young master of the Xu family in the north of the city had it all.

The light in his eyes dimmed again. The higher Su Mu rose, the more men would flock around her, each more talented and extraordinary than the last. One day, they would fill her inner courtyard. Would there still be a place for him then?

Looking at Su Mu’s back as she crouched down to sort through the gifts, slender yet straight, the sash at her waist trailing down with her skirt, meandering alluringly like a wave of cold snow, her long hair falling like a waterfall, like mist over the sea, blurring his eyes. It also shrouded his heart with the fear of impending abandonment.

Xie Yi bit his lip hard, the pain bringing clarity through his jealousy.

Sister Mu was so good, she naturally deserved to be matched with an excellent man. Before, there were no men around her, and he had taken advantage of the situation. He was just a lowly male servant, and with no male master in the house, he had usurped the nest, deluding himself into thinking he had become a master… He didn’t even have the right to be jealous.

He clenched his fists tightly, swallowing the bitter water of jealousy bit by bit.

“It’s from Miss Xu. She said she would invite you to a banquet in a few days… and also said she wanted to betroth her brother to you.” Xie Yi lowered his eyes, and even though he tried his best to compose himself, his voice was still cold and dull, clearly very unhappy.

Su Mu turned around, her hand resting on the chair, looking at Xie Yi with slightly curved eyes and a faint smile.

Xie Yi lowered his head under her gaze, remaining silent.

Suddenly, he felt a warmth on his chin. A slender finger lifted his chin, and he met Su Mu’s gentle and bright eyes: “Are you unhappy… or jealous?”