After finishing breakfast, Shen Yao Xing dutifully led him around the mansion according to procedure, like a tour guide. She even had to tell him clearly about every flower, how many times a day it should be watered.

Seeing the young man’s attentive listening expression, Shen Yao Xing spoke with increasing enthusiasm, saying what she knew and making up what she didn’t know.

From afar, the two looked like a loving couple, affectionate and inseparable. This should have been a beautiful scene, but falling into Song Si Nian’s eyes, it was especially glaring.

He watched the two talking and laughing from afar, his tightly clenched fist alternating between blue and white.

The servant boy beside him had an envious expression, “The young man beside the young miss is really handsome. This servant heard that guests arrived early at the mansion today. It must be this young master.”

Song Si Nian’s handsome face turned slightly cold. He glanced faintly at the servant boy, “Since when have you become so meddlesome?”

Sensing his master’s displeasure, the servant boy hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to say more.

Song Si Nian’s gaze turned back to the two in the distance. His fingers forcefully plucked some leaves from the roadside plants. His feet moved slightly as he slowly walked over.

“There are quite a few carp raised in this pond. They were all imported from foreign lands. If you like them, I can give you a few.”

Shen Yao Xing raised her chin. Once she got into this tour guide setting, she forgot who the other person was.

Jiang Ming Yue looked at her, his eyes full of enchantment. Seeing the young woman wanted to give him something, the corners of his lips instantly raised, “Mm, I like them.”

“Then I’ll have someone pack them up and send them to your mansion in a few days…”

“Zhao Zhao?”

The newcomer broke the harmonious atmosphere between the two. Shen Yao Xing was slightly stunned. She tilted her head to look at the person slowly walking over behind the young man, and raised a smile as she called out: “Big brother!”

The smile on Jiang Ming Yue’s lips gradually faded. He stared at the young woman’s unsparing smile, with terrifying jealousy churning in his heart.

He slowly turned his head, his icy eyes looking at the newcomer.

Song Si Nian discreetly sized up the young man with a glance, as if he hadn’t noticed him, and talked to the young woman on his own, “Why didn’t you come report your safe return to big brother when you came back yesterday?”

His clear and mellow voice carried a hint of reproach.

Shen Yao Xing explained, “It was already dark when I got back yesterday. I was planning to come tell you today.”

Song Si Nian pressed his lips together, his eyes full of nothing but the young woman’s figure, “I also wanted to know of Zhao Zhao’s safety as soon as possible.”

Shen Yao Xing felt a bit moved, “Don’t worry, big brother. Next time, no matter how late it is, I’ll report my safety to you.”

Song Si Nian smiled. Only then did his gaze move to the silent young man, “And this is?”

“Oh, this is Young Master Ming Yue.” Shen Yao Xing introduced him, and then introduced to Jiang Ming Yue: “This is my big brother, Song Si Nian.”

She forgot that Jiang Ming Yue had seen Song Si Nian before. It was just that Song Si Nian hadn’t seen him. He was well aware of what dirty thoughts this person had.

Song Si Nian, being deeply secluded in the inner chambers, naturally hadn’t heard of Young Master Ming Yue’s beautiful reputation. He only felt that this person’s appearance was truly too alluring. With such a captivating face, no wonder it made Zhao Zhao, who usually avoided men, converse with him so happily.

Especially those eyes, which seemed able to see through people’s hearts, cold and sharp.

Song Si Nian’s lips curled into a friendly smile as he nodded slightly to the young man. The latter coldly looked down on him with a slightly mocking expression.

“I’ve long heard that the Shen family’s eldest son is well-educated and cultured, even more handsome and refined, with the bearing of a pine tree. He’s the object that the young ladies of the capital eagerly pursue for marriage. It seems this is indeed not false.”

Shen Yao Xing looked at the person beside her in surprise. When did this person learn to say such flattering words?

But why did it sound a bit sarcastic?

Song Si Nian met his gaze and pulled out an extremely faint smile, “Not at all. In terms of appearance, I fall far short compared to Young Master Ming Yue.”

Jiang Ming Yue laughed very softly. He slightly raised his chin. Originally already half a head taller, now he had an even more condescending feeling of looking down from above. He contemptuously looked as if he was looking at an ant, “It’s not just appearance that falls far short.”

His voice was as light as a sigh. Shen Yao Xing, who was talking to a servant delivering a message on the other side, didn’t hear it. She said a few words to the servant and came back to tell the young man: “My mother wants me to go over for a bit. You can go sit in that pavilion over there for a while. I’ll be back soon.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.” In an instant, Jiang Ming Yue seemed to have become a different person, his gaze entwined.

Even after the young woman’s figure disappeared, he couldn’t take back his gaze for a long time.

“How did Young Master Ming Yue become acquainted with Zhao Zhao?”

The annoying voice caused Jiang Ming Yue’s beautiful eyes to narrow slightly. He looked at the young man slowly and deliberately, his thin lips curling up, “Ah, about that, we hit it off at first sight initially. Later we got to know each other, and now we’ve finally gotten our wish.”

Jiang Ming Yue didn’t hide his greedy thoughts towards the young woman at all. Seeing the young man’s expression gradually become unsightly, the murderous intent in his heart grew increasingly heavy.

Song Si Nian’s lips turned slightly pale. He lowered his eyes, “Zhao Zhao’s heart yearns for freedom, which is why she has left the capital again and again. Her mother is also indulgent towards her, because she knows that after Zhao Zhao tires of playing outside, she will finally realize that only the capital is suitable for her. Young Master Ming Yue is a person of the jianghu. The jianghu and the imperial court are divided into two paths. You two are not suitable.”

“Oh?” Jiang Ming Yue looked at him and raised the corners of his lips, the malice in his eyes almost becoming tangible, “I’m not suitable, but could it be that Young Master Song is suitable? I wonder how Madam Shen would react if she knew of Young Master Song’s such dirty thoughts.”

The servant boy standing not far away almost lowered his head to the ground, trying hard to minimize his presence.

Song Si Nian pressed his lips together and said no more.

Jiang Ming Yue was going mad with jealousy in his heart. Especially hearing that sentence about being unsuitable made him want to draw his sword and kill this shameless scum.

His long narrow eyes narrowed slightly. Seeming to think of something, he curled his lips again, “Oh right, I forgot to tell Young Master Song, Zhao Zhao long ago promised to take me as her husband. I think in a few more days we’ll be able to set a date with Madam Shen.”

The faint smile on Song Si Nian’s lips could no longer be maintained. The color drained from his face, his eyes full of disbelief, “Impossible!”

Jiang Ming Yue, “If Young Master Song doesn’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Song Si Nian’s breathing became slightly hurried. His hand under his sleeve was clenched blue-white. He looked at the ground in a daze, suddenly raising his hand as if to grab the young man’s wide sleeve, but was easily avoided. He stumbled back a step, which from afar looked as if he had been pushed by the person beside him.

Just as his whole body was about to fall into the pond, his wrist was suddenly grasped.

The servant boy’s startled cry didn’t even have time to come out before it was forcibly stifled.

The young man’s hand moved incredibly fast, grasping his hand almost the instant the person fell backwards.

Jiang Ming Yue looked down condescendingly at the pale-faced person, slowly pulling him back from the edge. His eyes were icy cold, his voice low and gentle, “Young Master Song should be more careful. The weather has turned cold. If you fall in, you might not be able to climb back out.”

Just as he finished speaking, light footsteps sounded from behind. Shen Yao Xing looked at this scene in confusion, “Big brother, what’s wrong?”

Song Si Nian kept his head lowered, not letting anyone see his expression.

Jiang Ming Yue turned back with a smile to explain, “Just now I was talking to Young Master Song about our marriage. Young Master Song seemed very surprised and almost fell into the pond.”

“…Oh.” Although it was rather sudden, there was no need to be that shocked.

Seeing the young woman’s acknowledgment, Song Si Nian felt his heart ache even more intensely. His vision blurred, and he could barely stand steady.

He didn’t dare raise his head, fearing she would notice the change in his expression. He raised his hand to let the servant boy beside him support him, and left without a word.

Shen Yao Xing frowned as she watched him walk away, a worried look between her brows, “Big brother’s health seems to be getting worse and worse…”

Jiang Ming Yue very much disliked her worrying about other people like this. Suppressing his annoyance, he raised his hand to pinch her not-yet-completely-gone baby fat cheeks, diverting her attention, “Did Madam Shen call you over just now for something urgent?”

Shen Yao Xing gave him a resentful look, swatting away his mischievous hand, “It wasn’t anything urgent. She just wants me to go to the palace with her. You should go back first. I’ll come find you when I’m free.”

“Come find me as soon as you leave the palace.” His tone brooked no refusal.

Shen Yao Xing found that this person was really getting more and more difficult to deal with… Although he had never been easy to deal with.