Pei Cheng actually
He did not notice Jiang Linzhi eating the salted cake; his attention had been completely drawn away by Jiang Yanzhi.
Jiang Linzhi picked up a cup of hot tea, took a sip, frowned, and took another sip.
Seeing that Jiang Yanzhi was still burying his head in practicing his handwriting, Pei Cheng did not disturb him. But just as he turned to leave, Pei Cheng’s sharp eyes noticed something.
An unfamiliar jade pendant hung around Jiang Yanzhi’s neck.
Pei Cheng remembered that before going out this morning, there had been no unfamiliar jade pendant hanging around Jiang Yanzhi’s neck.
Pei Cheng did not understand jade, but the jade pendant hanging around Jiang Yanzhi’s neck was obviously worth a great deal. Most importantly, compared with the piece of jade Third Master Jiang had given him last night, this unfamiliar jade pendant was likely no cheaper—only more expensive.
But…
Pei Cheng glanced imperceptibly at Jiang Linzhi, a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, impossible to tell what it meant.
So this was all the magnanimity the Second Master of the Jiang family had.
Jiang Linzhi suddenly turned his head and said, “Is something the matter?”
Pei Cheng had not expected Jiang Linzhi to suddenly speak to him. He froze, then guessed that it was probably because he had been staring at Jiang Linzhi just now that the other had noticed.
Thinking this, Pei Cheng said, “Yanzhi’s jade pendant was given by the Second Master, right? A jade pendant this precious—wouldn’t it be a bit inappropriate for a child to wear it?”
Jiang Linzhi pressed his lips together. At first, he truly had not thought so much about it, but since the jade pendant had already been given away, it was impossible to ask for it back, so he said, “It is merely a jade pendant; there is no need to take it so much to heart.”
Pei Cheng changed the subject. “The piece of jade Third Master gave Yanzhi last night—won’t it be too conspicuous in the back courtyard?”
Jiang Linzhi frowned. Although the piece of jade Third Brother had given Jiang Yanzhi last night was not valuable, it was indeed too conspicuous in the Jiang family’s back courtyard. Especially in the Jiang family at this current time, it was even more likely to provoke the jealousy and hatred of certain people.
He, Jiang Linzhi, was not afraid of those filthy matters coming to his door, but Jiang Yanzhi was still a little child who had no way to protect himself. If Jiang Yanzhi were to be targeted by others because of this matter, then the loss would outweigh the gain.
“If this matter drags on too long, it will be bad for everyone.” Seeing that Jiang Linzhi had not spoken for a long while, Pei Cheng suddenly grew anxious and hurriedly added another sentence.
Jiang Linzhi gave Pei Cheng an indifferent glance and said, “I will handle this matter.”
Pei Cheng’s lips moved. He wanted to say something more, but Jiang Linzhi’s last words blocked him completely, and he could only close his mouth helplessly.
Jiang Linzhi would not joke about such a matter, so he might as well wait for Jiang Linzhi to resolve it.
But deep in Pei Cheng’s heart, there was always a trace of unease, a feeling that something was wrong.
And what happened next confirmed that Pei Cheng’s unease had been justified.
Something had happened to Jiang Yanzhi.
It had not even been a full day since Third Master Jiang gave him that piece of jade.
Pei Cheng had not seen the specifics of what happened. He had just woken from his afternoon nap and had not yet had time to look for Jiang Yanzhi when he saw a servant run into the room in a panic, saying, “Something has happened to Jiang Yanzhi!”
When Pei Cheng heard the news, he was first stunned, then shot to his feet with a rush. “What did you say!”
The servant who had come to report was so frightened by Pei Cheng’s appearance that he trembled, then stammered, “The young master cousin and Young Master Yanzhi got into a dispute in the front courtyard, and the two started fighting. The servants could not stop them… Later, later Young Master Yanzhi accidentally fell into the lake himself.”
The flames around Pei Cheng instantly shot up high.
How could that little stutterer Jiang Yanzhi possibly get into a dispute with anyone!
