Jiang Linzhi's features were handsome. If not for the faint, elusive chill that always lingered between his brows, he could still be considered a rare handsome man.
Perhaps because he spent years indoors recuperating, Jiang Linzhi's complexion was on the pale side; together with the cold sternness that perpetually haunted his brow, it always made others feel uneasy.
Pei Cheng's gaze met Jiang Linzhi's. The latter said nothing, yet Pei Cheng suddenly felt a thick wave of discomfort.
It felt like being watched by a venomous snake lurking in the dark, making a chill rise unbidden.
Jiang Linzhi withdrew his gaze and said, "I already know about the matters in the side courtyard. From now on, you and Yanzhi stay here. Do not worry about the rest."
Pei Cheng's heart pounded violently, but his expression remained calm. He nodded toward the other and said, "Yes, Second Master."
Perhaps the Second Master of the Jiang family was not as mediocre as he appeared.
Avoiding Pei Cheng's probing gaze, Jiang Linzhi lowered his eyes.
The young servant, who had been reducing his presence from beginning to end, stepped forward and said respectfully, "Second Master has just taken his medicine and now needs quiet rest. If Madam has no other business, please return first."
Nodding coldly, Pei Cheng casually beckoned to Jiang Yanzhi. The little one came trotting over eagerly and looked up at Pei Cheng with wide, pleading eyes.
Meeting the little one's eyes, Pei Cheng understood for the first time what it meant for one's heart to soften into a puddle.
Another young servant came over to guide Pei Cheng and his son, leading them to their new lodging.
When only Jiang Linzhi and the servant who had first spoken up remained in the room, Jiang Linzhi, who had barely spoken all along, said, "Go investigate whether Pei Cheng's return to the main residence was at the Pei family's behest."
"Yes, Second Master."
After answering, the young servant cautiously glanced toward the door, then lowered his voice and said, "Second Master, your illness today came too suddenly. If Eldest Master discovers it, I fear…"
Jiang Linzhi closed his eyes. Though he was handsome, the cold aura accumulated over years had long made people reflexively ignore his looks and fear only his unpredictable temperament.
The young servant was naturally no exception.
Jiang Linzhi did not rebuke the servant for overstepping, but neither did he acknowledge it. After a long while, he said indifferently, "If Elder Brother notices anything, then replace the servants in this courtyard again."
Clearly understanding the meaning hidden behind Jiang Linzhi's words, the young servant did not dare say anything more. He hurriedly answered again and rose to leave the room.
Meanwhile.
Pei Cheng and Jiang Yanzhi were arranged to stay in the empty courtyard next door, right beside Jiang Linzhi's. The two courtyards were extremely close.
Perhaps because Jiang Linzhi was not well regarded by the Jiang family, or perhaps because he was ill year-round, his courtyard was located near the back mountain. It was very quiet, but more than that, it was remote. And after living here for a long time, it also made one feel inexplicably lonely.
Pei Cheng felt nothing much about it.
Because compared with the side residence he had lived in before, this courtyard was better.
Jiang Yanzhi was taken by a servant to take a bath. When he appeared again, he had changed into a green jacket and looked… even uglier.
Pei Cheng turned his eyes away, unable to bear looking directly. He himself was not bad-looking, and Jiang Linzhi was not ugly either, so why was Jiang Yanzhi not good-looking? Jiang Yanzhi leaned dejectedly by the door, both hands clutching the hem of his clothes. He knew he had been disliked.
Pei Cheng crouched down, frowned, and patted the green jacket on Jiang Yanzhi. He gave a cold glance at the two maids who had just helped him bathe and change clothes, and said, "Who put these clothes on him?"
The maids' faces went pale. They hurriedly knelt on the ground and said in unison, "Spare us, Madam. This jacket was sent by the Eldest Young Madam. She said it was a new garment left over from Young Master Qi'er the year before last and told us to put it on Young Master Yanzhi. It has nothing to do with us."
Pei Cheng ignored the two maids. He patted Jiang Yanzhi's bottom himself, signaled for him to extend his arms, and then took off the green jacket he was wearing.
Jiang Yanzhi, face flushed red, exposed his bottom for Pei Cheng to inspect.
Pei Cheng took off his own cape, wrapped it around Jiang Yanzhi, then scooped the little one up and turned back into the room, leaving only one sentence behind: "Return all the clothes Young Master Qi'er sent, exactly as they are."
The two maids trembled and said, "This… we are afraid the Eldest Young Madam will blame us."
Pei Cheng's steps paused, and a trace of ruthlessness flashed between his brows. They feared Hu Xiayun's anger, but not his?
The people in this main residence truly disgusted him.
He clapped his hands, and two young servants soon entered from outside. Before they could salute, they heard Pei Cheng order coldly, "Throw all the clothes the Eldest Young Madam just sent, along with these two maids, into the Eldest Young Madam's courtyard. Then bring me a new set of clothes."
The young servants exchanged bitter smiles. Neither dared offend Pei Cheng, so each grabbed a maid and hurried away.
Jiang Yanzhi curled up in Pei Cheng's cape, his eyes bright, looking at Pei Cheng as if at an omnipotent deity.
Meeting Jiang Yanzhi's gaze, Pei Cheng felt no smugness, only simple heartache.
If he had not neglected Jiang Yanzhi so badly, the servants in the side courtyard would not have climbed over their master's head and tyrannized him, still less would Jiang Yanzhi at such a young age have had to endure hardships that should never have belonged to him.
He patted Jiang Yanzhi's head. "You are the master; they are servants. Letting servants climb over your head is absolutely not allowed. Do you understand what I mean?"
Jiang Yanzhi looked at Pei Cheng in confusion.
Pei Cheng patted his head again and sighed again.
He was already not good-looking, and now he was this slow. Who on earth did he take after?
Jiang Yanzhi did not know Pei Cheng's thoughts. He only wholeheartedly savored this rare fatherly love, his heart sweet and delighted.
Before long, the young servants brought over new clothes that had been bought in a hurry. Right after that, the two maids who had just been sent to Hu Xiayun's courtyard returned with haughty looks on their faces.
Pei Cheng raised an eyebrow, placed a slice of meat in Jiang Yanzhi's bowl while the boy was still eating with his head down, then set down his bowl and chopsticks and said, "You see your master and still do not kneel? Is this how Hu Xiayun manages the servants in the inner courtyard?"
The maids were instantly put back in their place. They knelt unwillingly, and when Pei Cheng did not tell them to rise for a long time, they had no choice but to remain kneeling and say, "The Old Madam requests the Second Young Madam and Young Master Yanzhi to make a trip to the West Garden."
The Old Madam?
That person, whom even Hu Xiayun feared somewhat, was actually looking for him at this time. This was truly…
Pei Cheng pulled back his wandering thoughts and said, "How did the Old Madam know that I brought Yanzhi back?"
The maid lowered her head and said quietly, "The Old Madam came to see Young Master Qi'er, so that is how she knew."
Jiang Yanzhi put down his bowl and chopsticks. After Pei Cheng looked over, he pressed his lips together and, for the first time, spoke up on his own: "I have eaten my fill." Pei Cheng smiled. "Then good, let's go."
Both maids breathed a sigh of relief.
Pei Cheng lowered his eyes, concealing the hatred that kept flickering in their depths.
If Hu Xiayun was the one he disliked most, then for that Jiang family matriarch, he had only disgust left.
Deep, deep disgust.
