Chapter 14

Xu Lianqiao had just seen a piece of cyan-colored silk. She liked it a lot. She asked the one who made her dress and found out that there was only one piece of that color left.

She rarely wanted something, but she felt like she could get it this time.

It is exactly because you can get something in the past that you will regret it even more when you lose it.

Seeing Ah Qiao’s sad expression, Ning Yuan felt very sorry for her.

His serious expression, which had appeared when he saw someone he didn’t want to see, softened as he looked at her.

He understood the conflict between Ah Qiao and Wei Jue and why she wanted to avoid her. But because he knew this, he felt even more sorry for Ah Qiao.

Ning Yuan raised his hand and opened a corner of the curtain in front of the carriage. He said to the coachman in a deep voice:

“Go back to the clothing store.”

The coachman, who was driving the carriage, scratched his head. He didn’t know what had gotten into the prince today. First, he had them stop, then they left, and now they were going back…

Going back?

Xu Lianqiao lifted her head, her eyes full of confusion.

“Really?”

Thinking that Wei Jue might be gone, a sense of hope suddenly rose in her heart.

Then the piece of cloth she liked should still be there, since Wei Jue had chosen the cloth before her.

Ning Yuan noticed the joy in her eyes, and a thought grew like a vine in his heart.

— He wanted to give her the respect that no one dared to take away, and he wanted her to no longer be a victim that others could throw away at will.

No one could bully her or look down on her.

The Xu family couldn’t do it, and the Jiang family and the Wei family couldn’t either.

Ning Yuan nodded to her and said softly: “Really, whatever you like, I will buy it for you.”

Xu Lianqiao was stunned. She didn’t expect such words from Jiang Huai, and she was a little overwhelmed. She shifted her body to the left.

She didn’t know why, but she blurted out:

“Have you brought enough money?”

After saying that, she felt foolish, as if Jiang Huai ever needed to worry about money when he went out, or had to keep track of expenses wherever he went.

Seeing Ah Qiao’s silly look, the last trace of gloom on Ning Yuan’s face disappeared.

He laughed softly: “Then please show mercy, girl.”

Hearing Jiang Huai call her “girl” with a smile, and seeing his teasing face, Xu Lianqiao felt her heart beat faster.

Today’s Jiang Huai looked very much like that person.

The same playful smile, the same sincerity toward others.

A ripple of emotion stirred in her heart.

She missed him a little…

She didn’t know if he was doing well or not.

_

Sure enough, after they reentered the store, Xu Lianqiao didn’t see Wei Jue’s figure and couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

She was even happier when she saw that the piece of fabric was still placed neatly on top.

“Shopkeeper, I’d like to see this one.”

Ning Yuan, who was standing by, naturally saw the happiness in Xu Lianqiao’s eyes. He looked at the piece of fabric she liked.

That elegant blue would look wonderful on her.

“Shopkeeper, how much does this piece of cloth cost?”

Xu Lianqiao liked the color of this piece very much, but when she touched it, she felt a chill.

It was silk, so it must be expensive…

Sure enough, after hearing the shopkeeper’s price, Xu Lianqiao quietly withdrew her hand.

Sixteen taels…

It was too expensive…

Just a piece of cloth costs sixteen taels, and with tailoring, it would be twenty taels.

She couldn’t help but gasp.

Just for a piece of clothing… It was a lot.

Just as Xu Lianqiao was about to turn around and tell Jiang Huai that they should leave, a familiar, graceful female voice came from behind:

“Shopkeeper, I want this piece of fabric.”

It was Wei Jue. Why was she back?

Xu Lianqiao didn’t dare to look back. She slowly moved to the side, hoping to leave without anyone noticing.

Ah, but Jiang Huai was still next to her.

Unexpectedly, just as she stepped to the side, “Jiang Huai” actually grabbed her arm.

He smiled and said to the shopkeeper, “We want this piece of cloth.”

Then Ning Yuan placed twenty taels of silver on the counter.

Xu Lianqiao turned her head in surprise and met “Jiang Huai’s” smiling eyes.

This was twenty taels.

She felt a little distressed. No, very distressed.

She turned her head, and although only the side of her face was visible, Wei Jue could still see her clearly.

It was Xu Lianqiao’s face.

Wei Jue tried her best to hide the disgust on her face. She had been curious about who the woman next to Jiang Huai was, and she hadn’t expected it to be Xu Lianqiao.

She had seen Jiang Huai’s attitude toward Xu Lianqiao. Not only did he not care for her, but more importantly, he seemed disgusted by her.

She originally thought that Jiang Huai, being a flirt, would be sympathetic to a beautiful woman like Xu Lianqiao. But the reality was completely the opposite.

“I also like this piece of fabric. I wonder if Prince Jiang can give it to me?”

Wei Jue asked, feeling confident.

She remembered that more than half a year ago, she went to the Jiang Mansion for a banquet. She had casually complimented the hairpin on Xu Lianqiao’s head, and Jiang Huai had immediately taken it off and given it to her.

She felt a rush of happiness when she recalled Xu Lianqiao’s confused expression at that time.

So, she was sure Jiang Huai would do the same this time.

But when she glanced at Xu Lianqiao with a smug look, she heard Jiang Huai casually refuse:

“No.”

There were no other words.

Xu Lianqiao looked at “Jiang Huai” in a daze. She thought he wouldn’t refuse, just like before…

But he had refused.

Seeing Ah Qiao looking at him blankly, Ning Yuan felt a strange discomfort.

Was Jiang Huai really that handsome?

After the shopkeeper cut the fabric for the clothing and wrapped the remaining fabric, Ning Yuan directly took the piece of cloth and pushed it into Xu Lianqiao’s arms.

The roll just covered her vision.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

Unexpectedly, as they walked by Wei Jue, they overheard her say:

“It turns out this piece of cloth costs twenty taels…”

“Sure enough, it suits your status.”

Who is she, Wei Jue? She was the legitimate daughter of the Yongchang Marquis Mansion. She didn’t like this kind of fabric at all. She was just buying it for Lianqiao.

Xu Lianqiao hugged the fabric a little tighter.

It’s expensive, okay.

Before she could respond, she heard Jiang Huai coldly say:

“Twenty taels is the three-month ration for a farmer’s family of four. Today, the emperor is concerned about the people’s hardships, and… I have ordered all officials to be diligent and thrifty. Forgive my boldness, but I wonder how much your Lord, the Minister of Household Affairs, allocates for Miss Wei in a month.”

Looking at Jiang Huai’s cold eyes, Wei Jue was startled and couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine.

Jiang Huai’s words were sharp.

Before she could react, Jiang Huai had already pulled Xu Lianqiao away.

Xu Lianqiao, this matter isn’t over yet.

_

“Aren’t you tired?”

Ning Yuan couldn’t help but ask when he saw her holding the fabric the whole way.

Only then did Xu Lianqiao realize that she had been holding it all along.

She was a little tired.

So, she carefully set it aside.

Xu Lianqiao looked up and saw “Jiang Huai” looking straight at her. Still feeling uncomfortable, she turned sideways.

After seeing Wei Jue today, some memories she had pushed aside started surfacing again.

Seeing Ah Qiao like this, Ning Yuan couldn’t help but think of something that had happened eight years ago.

_

That day, Ah Qiao was feeling very down.

She was confused, and after asking around, she learned that the entire Wei family had gone to the Reclining Buddha Temple on Mifu Mountain to pray for blessings.

Wei Jiangrong’s stepmother is Ah Qiao’s biological mother.

It’s hard to believe that a ten-year-old girl doesn’t miss her mother.

Of course, Ah Qiao is no different.

Later, when he wanted to make Ah Qiao feel better but couldn’t find her, he discovered that Ah Qiao had secretly gone to the temple’s backyard to see her mother.

He couldn’t help but feel worried for Ah Qiao. If her biological mother truly cared about her, how could she have abandoned her and remarried?

Sure enough, when he looked over, he saw Ah Qiao’s mother holding Wei Jue tightly in her arms, while Ah Qiao stood alone.

A small figure.

No one comforted her; everyone blamed Ah Qiao for Wei Jue’s fall, including her biological mother.

The situation was that Wei Jue had found Ah Qiao hiding behind a rockery and, when trying to pull her out, had fallen.

Wei Jue had a maid with her, so she wasn’t hurt at all.

But Ah Qiao had injured her forehead because of the push.

Even so, Ah Qiao’s biological mother still defended her stepdaughter.

She didn’t care about Ah Qiao’s feelings at all.

Maybe that’s why Ah Qiao didn’t want to conflict with Wei Jue.

Perhaps she didn’t want to experience that feeling of helplessness again.

Thinking about this, Ning Yuan looked at Xu Lianqiao with concern.

He wondered if Ah Qiao was remembering that painful past.

Her eyes were now slightly red.

“If you want to cry, then cry.”

Crying might make you feel better.

Xu Lianqiao felt uncomfortable; she was very upset.

But she gently wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

“I didn’t want to cry, it’s just the wind,” she said. “If I wanted to cry, it wouldn’t be in front of Jiang Huai.”

But she was so disappointed that the tears just came.

How embarrassing.

“I’m fine, I’m just sleepy…”

Before she could finish speaking, she was pulled into a hug.

She pushed him away reflexively, but his arms held her firmly.

“They aren’t worth it.”

If the dam breaks, it cannot hold back the flood.

Unable to hold back any longer, Xu Lianqiao cried.

But since they were still in the carriage, she could only sob quietly.

She couldn’t help but wonder:

Why hadn’t Jiang Huai been this kind to her when they first married?

Why had the one person who was kind to her and stood up for her left without a word?

Why is she not important to anyone? Why can anyone just abandon her?

Why is she always overlooked?

_

When Xu Lianqiao woke up, it was already dark, and she found herself lying on the bed.

She quickly sat up in alarm.

She touched the side of the bed…

Thankfully, no one was there.

With a little moonlight, she could see that she was in Cuihu Courtyard.

Carefully getting up in the dark, she lit a candle and drank some water.

Only then did she feel a little calmer.

She patted her face to wake herself up and then remembered that she had been crying and must have fallen asleep…

She must have fallen asleep in Jiang Huai’s arms.

She regretted trusting him.

How could she trust Jiang Huai?!

Trust…?

She hadn’t felt that way in a long time.

But the last time she trusted someone, he had left without a trace.

Would she ever trust anyone again?

She sat back down on the bed, her mind filled with conflicting thoughts.

But just as she was lost in them, Xu Lianqiao noticed a bowl of lotus seed soup beside her bed.