Chapter 46: Arrogant with Favor

The night wind was chilly and icy. Shu Qin and Rou Shu stood in the outer courtyard, shivering from the cold.

“Why has the Second Young Miss been inside for so long and still hasn’t come out?” Rou Shu rubbed her arms and asked tremblingly, “Do you think the Second Young Miss has forgotten about us? She wouldn’t make us stand in the outer courtyard all night, would she?”

Shu Qin looked at the window flickering with candlelight, her tone bitter: “Maybe she really has. Didn’t you see how the Second Young Miss looked at that little slut Chi Mei? Ever since she saw Chi Mei, her eyes couldn’t contain anyone else. Maybe they’re warming the brocade curtains and spending the spring night together right now. How would she remember whether we live or die?”

Rou Shu lowered her head grievously, a strong smell of jealousy spreading in the outer courtyard: “How can this Chi Mei be so lucky! It’s one thing to be born so beautiful, but to easily win the Second Young Miss’s favor as well? We serve the Second Young Miss day and night, but have never been looked at differently by her! It’s truly enviable!”

Shu Qin spoke dejectedly: “Envy is useless. You’d better think about how to protect yourself.”

“What do you mean?” Rou Shu asked.

Shu Qin said: “Haven’t you mocked and ridiculed Chi Mei before? Stood by coldly when he was bullied? Now that that little slut Chi Mei is favored, won’t he take revenge for all the humiliation he suffered before?”

Rou Shu covered her mouth, saying fearfully: “That can’t be, right? I-I only cursed him a few times behind his back. He-he wouldn’t hold such a grudge, would he?”

Shu Qin lowered her head, sighing heavily: “Who knows? Now we can only hope Chi Mei directs all his resentment towards Wen Hua.”

A gust of cold wind blew, dispersing Shu Qin’s heavy sigh of worry, blowing to the tightly closed window of the warm room. A small cool breeze crept in through the window crack, the sandalwood incense dispersing like a light mist. A corner of the golden silk curtain embroidered with crab apple flowers was lifted, revealing the warm red spring scene inside.

Chi Mei pillowed on Jiang Yang’s arm, his thick black hair scattered and entangled. Under the expensive and gorgeous silk quilt, his skin was as smooth as jade. Jiang Yang’s fingers lingered and caressed his thighs.

“…Mmm, A’Yang…” Chi Mei blushed, letting out a soft and fragile moan in her arms.

Jiang Yang smiled slightly, pulling up the silk quilt to cover his fair body. Although the stupid fish’s tail was gone, transformed into human legs, it had to be said that the explosive power still maintained the basic standard of fish. The big dick – also hadn’t shrunk. The surging passion was like an erupting volcano. The union of fish and water was intense and thorough, almost breaking the bed.

“Are you tired? Then rest,” Jiang Yang said gently.

Chi Mei shook his head. His eyes were still red and swollen from crying earlier. He wrapped his arms around Jiang Yang’s neck, refusing to let go like a child throwing a tantrum: “I don’t want to sleep. I’ve finally found you. I can’t believe this is real. My heart is pounding, I can’t sleep at all.”

Jiang Yang laughed silently and hugged him into her arms: “Alright, then tell me, how did you get these legs?”

Chi Mei pursed his lips. His legs under the quilt wrapped around her waist like water snakes. His tone was smiling with a hint of coyness: “Chun Jian taught me. He secretly researched forbidden techniques to become human back then. He knew I wanted to come ashore to find you, so he taught me.”

Jiang Yang was a bit puzzled: “He was so kind?”

A hint of gloom flashed in Chi Mei’s eyes: “A’Yang, Chun Jian is dead.”

“Chun Jian originally wanted to keep me on the island to take care of his children, but I insisted on finding you. He couldn’t persuade me, and the two children weren’t familiar with me and didn’t want me to take care of them. So he compromised and was willing to teach me the forbidden technique to come ashore and find you, but on the condition that I help him kill that heartless woman, Xu San Niang.”

A hint of melancholy welled up in Jiang Yang’s heart. Although she didn’t have much of a relationship with Chun Jian, thinking about it, Chun Jian’s life was truly pitiful.

He was originally a carefree merman in the sea, fell in love with a human fisherwoman, was deceived in body and heart, even had his merman pearl taken away. With not long to live, he was also expelled from his clan, using his remaining seven years to raise two children on an isolated island, cut off from the world. In the end, he died with resentment and unwillingness towards Xu San Niang.

Jiang Yang sighed: “Since this is Chun Jian’s last wish, let’s help him fulfill it.”

Deceiving someone’s feelings was one thing, but even taking away their merman pearl? Stripping away the facade of love, it was simply murder for money. Xu San Niang should receive the punishment she deserves.

“But A’Yang, do you know where Xu San Niang is?” Chi Mei asked, “Only after I came to land did I realize how vast human territory is, and how many people share the same name. I have no idea who is the Xu San Niang that harmed Chun Jian.”

“No matter, I can investigate,” Jiang Yang said. “Finding a fisherwoman between 20-30 years old in a small fishing village isn’t a difficult task.”

With the Jiang family’s wealth and power, to find a person, they would turn the place upside down if necessary.

“A’Yang, you’re amazing.” Chi Mei’s eyes, red and swollen from crying, were filled with watery starlight. “Then A’Yang, I… I will always stay by your side, right?”

Jiang Yang smiled: “Of course, where else would you want to go?”

“That’s great, I knew they were all lying to me. A’Yang, you’re sincere to me, you really will marry me.” Chi Mei began to burrow into Jiang Yang’s arms.

Jiang Yang lowered her eyelids, propping herself up to sit. The brocade quilt slipped down, revealing dense hickeys on her neck.

“Chi Mei, I can’t marry you now,” Jiang Yang said in a low voice, somewhat guilty.

Chi Mei’s pupils suddenly constricted, the smile on his face instantly fading, replaced by indescribable disappointment and sadness. He curled up in the corner of the bed wrapped in the quilt, revealing a pair of red, swollen, resentful eyes: “Why? Didn’t you say I would always stay by your side?”

“That’s right, but I can’t marry you now. I can’t give you the position of primary husband. I can only let you be my… bed-warming attendant in my residence for now.”

In great families, marrying someone of equal status was an insurmountable mountain. Even with Jiang Qingzhou’s formidable power, she still had to marry the eldest son of a famous clan in Lingnan. As a prodigal, of course she was willing to marry Chi Mei, but the problem was that Liu shi and her mother would never agree. Instead, they would resent Chi Mei for it, thinking he was a disaster that had bewitched her mind. They would definitely find ways to torment him to death to make way for the future primary husband.

She feared that too much doting love would bring fatal disaster to this stupid fish.

Chi Mei’s eyes wavered, and he asked, “What is a bed-warming attendant?”

“It’s a man I haven’t officially married,” Jiang Yang thought that only this way could Chi Mei be as insignificant as a courtesan from outside in Liu shi’s eyes. Then she would let Chi Mei get pregnant early, ruin a few marriage proposals herself, and when she was older, Liu shi would have to agree to the request to officially recognize Chi Mei for the sake of the child.

Marrying a man with no family background as the primary husband would also allay Jiang Qingzhou’s concerns. Although she had appeared unrestrained and romantic on the surface these years, she had privately saved quite a bit of money and acquired many fields and manors. When the sisters divided the family property in the future, she would take Chi Mei and leave Changnin County to live a leisurely life, occasionally going out to sea to take Chi Mei back to visit his family. The days would be no less carefree than now.

Chi Mei’s misty eyes flickered slightly, and he asked timidly, “A man you haven’t officially married is still your man and can still live with you, right?”

Jiang Yang nodded: “Right.”

Chi Mei suddenly threw off the tightly wrapped quilt and pounced into her arms like a joyful little sparrow, his tone cheerful and elated: “That’s good then! As long as I can stay by your side and be your man, it’s fine! Whether it’s official or not doesn’t matter! We merfolk don’t care about these things!”

Jiang Yang clenched her fist tightly, looking at the light and satisfied smile in his eyes. Her palm had unknowingly become very wet. Stupid fish, truly a stupid fish.

—

The next day, when the sun was high, Shu Qin and Rou Shu had been standing in the outer courtyard all night, blown by the cold wind for an entire night, waiting until their legs were numb and their heads dizzy.

Just when Rou Shu felt she was about to collapse, Shu Qin tugged at her sleeve and said in a low voice, “The Second Young Miss is coming out.”

Rou Shu quickly stood up straight and looked towards the moon gate.

Jiang Yang wore a light white embroidered purple lotus cloud silk robe, her piled black hair simply inserted with a swaying amethyst hairpin. Standing beside her was Chi Mei, wearing a deep red robe with a dark red waist belt of piled silk and gold patterns, covered with a cloak embroidered with intertwining peonies and golden cranes. His long hair was as dark as ink, his eyebrows and eyes more alluring than peonies, yet without a trace of worldliness, his gaze as cold as white tea. Standing together with Jiang Yang, even the scenery in Huixue Residence lost its color.

The rough servants were all stunned by Chi Mei’s beauty nurtured by Jiang Yang, but Rou Shu and Shu Qin were on high alert. Not only were they not amazed by Chi Mei’s beauty, but they felt he was like an arrogant and coquettish slut beside a befuddled ruler.

It seemed this Chi Mei was truly favored.

The two couldn’t help but feel nervous for themselves.

“Greetings to the Second Young Miss,” Shu Qin spoke first.

“This lowly servant greets the Second Young Miss and Young Master Chi Mei,” Rou Shu immediately said with a fawning attitude.

Hearing Rou Shu’s flattery, Chi Mei’s lips curled slightly, seeming somewhat pleased and joyful.

The rough servants also reacted, kneeling to greet Jiang Yang.

Jiang Yang raised her hand: “You may rise.”

“Second Young Miss, today’s breakfast is ready. Shall this lowly servant attend to you and Young Master Chi Mei’s meal?” Shu Qin eagerly came forward to serve.

Slap—

Shu Qin’s hand was slapped by Chi Mei, crisp and loud. Shu Qin’s arm immediately turned red.

“I’ll eat with A’Yang. We don’t need you to serve,” Chi Mei said.

“…Yes.” Shu Qin was startled. A’Yang? In just one night, this little slut was so favored that he could address the Second Young Miss so intimately? What skill!

However, it seemed Chi Mei had no intention of punishing him and Rou Shu. Shu Qin breathed a slight sigh of relief, grateful that he hadn’t bullied him in front of his face back then.

“Then this lowly servant will withdraw first,” Shu Qin probed.

Jiang Yang scooped a spoon of Zhenjun porridge and nodded: “You may all withdraw.”

Shu Qin and Rou Shu exchanged a glance, both leaving together, their eyes filled with relief at having escaped disaster.

But just as the two stepped out of the main gate of Huixue Residence, they saw Steward Zou, who had been waiting outside, staring at them with eyes like cold ice. Seeing the two come out, Steward Zou angrily rebuked: “You two useless things, wasting the opportunity to serve closely, yet can’t even properly attend to the Second Young Miss’s meals and daily life.”

“Please forgive us, Steward. We will definitely serve the Second Young Miss more carefully in the future,” the two quickly knelt down to admit their mistake.

“There is no future!” Steward Zou’s small eyes narrowed as he said, “If you can’t serve the Second Young Miss well, what use are you? Our Jiang manor has no place for such clumsy servants. Pack your things and get out now!”

“No, please, Steward, give us another chance! We’re willing to do rough work too, please! Please!” Rou Shu and Shu Qin quickly kowtowed, but no matter how much they kowtowed until their foreheads were covered in blood, it was of no use. Steward Zou left without looking back.

*

“I’ve dismissed the people who bullied you. Are you happy now?” Jiang Yang asked in a low voice as she drank Zhenjun porridge.

“Happy! Now I’m someone with backing too! Let’s see who dares to call me a little slut again. They all think I can’t hear when they curse me behind my back, but my ears are sharp!” Chi Mei took a big bite of crispy yellow bamboo shoots, shaking his head, his eyebrows brimming with smug satisfaction.

“With me here from now on, no one will bully you again.”

“I know, A’Yang is the person who treats me the best,” Chi Mei said without hesitation.

Jiang Yang looked at Chi Mei, her gaze gaining a hint of heat.

Chi Mei chewed lightly on the crispy yellow bamboo shoots, a glossy oil stain on his thin lips. He looked down at the porridge in front of him, then at the one in front of Jiang Yang, and said softly, “A’Yang, the porridge in your bowl looks very delicious.”

“Our porridge is the same.”

“But yours looks tastier than mine. Will you feed me?”

“…”

“Please?”

“…Open your mouth!”

“Ah—”