Chapter 13

Jiang Yu: ?

She was clearly complimenting him, yet he said he needed to learn. Was it her wording that was off, or was it his comprehension skills?

Since she believed Jiang Zhe was smarter than her, she ultimately decided that her words might have been ambiguous.

She clarified, “No, I mean, you take better photos than many men!”

However, this was Jiang Zhe’s first time taking pictures for a girl. Previously, he had little interest in photography, so the idea of receiving praise without effort made him think she was merely trying to save face for him.

Seeing her so earnestly compliment him, he felt he should respond in kind, so he smiled and said, “Thank you.”

Thank you for her affirmation.

Jiang Yu thought he had taken her compliments to heart, so she dropped the topic and, spotting some food nearby, exclaimed, “Look at all the food! Let’s grab something to eat.”

Jiang Zhe didn’t have anything in particular he wanted to eat, but seeing Jiang Yu’s eagerness, he said, “Let’s take a look.”

The result of their exploration was that Jiang Yu quickly ended up with food in both hands. Jiang Zhe had some food too, but he could only manage one skewer of lamb. He couldn’t handle the greasy, salty food outside, nor the strong taste of lamb, so most of the food was left for Jiang Yu.

Along the way, Jiang Yu noticed he didn’t seem to want to eat anything. She had asked him what he wanted, but Jiang Zhe neither ate nor showed interest in anything. As she continued asking, she felt a bit bored.

Eventually, she decided asking was pointless, so she just ate what she wanted.

What she didn’t expect was to run into someone familiar as they passed by an outdoor bar.

The male lead from the novel, the person the original owner liked—Jiang Zhe’s nephew.

What a coincidence.

Jiang Yu had initially thought that if he didn’t see them, they could just take a detour, but unfortunately, he did spot them.

Lin Sicheng also noticed them and, after a brief moment of surprise, walked over to greet Jiang Zhe. “Uncle.”

Although he disliked Jiang Yu, Lin Sicheng still maintained politeness towards Jiang Zhe.

Though they were around the same age and his mother often criticized Jiang Zhe, Lin Sicheng held a certain admiration for him. Jiang Zhe had been studying for his master’s degree while Lin Sicheng was just starting college, and he had already begun to establish his own company. Many of Jiang Zhe’s impressive works during his college years had become classic examples taught by professors.

Jiang Zhe had never had strong feelings for Lin Sicheng. His relationships with his family were mostly distant, let alone with his nephew. However, that was in the past. Now, he felt a strong aversion toward Lin Sicheng.

He glanced at Jiang Yu behind him and nodded coldly.

Jiang Zhe had never been particularly warm towards Lin Sicheng, but now his indifference had escalated.

Lin Sicheng was a bit confused about what he had done wrong. After pondering for a while, he concluded that Jiang Yu must have said something to Jiang Zhe.

His hatred for her deepened.

Unable to hold back, Lin Sicheng asked Jiang Zhe, “Jiang Yu’s belly looks like it’s about five months along. If that night, you hadn’t had that drink…”

He deliberately brought up that night, hoping to prompt Jiang Zhe’s memory.

But before he could finish, Jiang Zhe’s eyes narrowed, and his voice turned icy. “There’s no need to bring up the past.”

“And she is your aunt.”

Jiang Zhe’s sharp response took Lin Sicheng by surprise, leaving him unable to finish his sentence.

He had thought his uncle must resent her. Yet, it seemed that wasn’t the case. Jiang Zhe was protecting her.

Lin Sicheng felt an overwhelming sense of imbalance. Why was this woman, whom he deemed unworthy, receiving such protection from his uncle? Wasn’t it true that she had treated Jiang Zhe poorly?

Jiang Yu had not wanted to see the male lead. Yes, the original owner had been obsessed with him, but he also had his own issues. Despite the original owner’s repeated confessions, he had rejected her yet still acted ambiguously, chasing after the female lead while enjoying the original owner’s affections and claiming it was all one-sided.

In the original story, a part of the original owner’s breakdown was due to him.

Whenever Lin Sicheng returned to the Jiang family, the original owner would eagerly serve him, and he didn’t seem to think it was wrong to accept that attention. He even believed he was helping Jiang Zhe see the original owner’s true nature. Consequently, the original owner suffered between not getting the male lead’s love and having to bear Jiang Zhe’s child, ultimately leading to her irrational actions.

And the male lead…

As he grew closer to the female lead, he would still be entangled with the second female lead. Clearly, he was a scumbag.

Why such a person would become the male lead in the novel was truly baffling.

However, now that she had become a relative of the male lead, she found the feeling quite satisfying.

Casting a glance at the pitiful Jiang Zhe beside her, Jiang Yu curved her eyes and said, “Oh right, Lin Sicheng, shouldn’t you change how you address me? You should call me ‘aunt.’”

Suddenly being elevated in status, Jiang Yu felt quite pleased.

Lin Sicheng had met Jiang Yu several times after her marriage, but he had never called her aunt. It was as if everyone had forgotten about this matter, and no one had asked her to change how she addressed him. Now that Jiang Yu suddenly prompted him, he was a bit stunned, his eyes filled with confusion.

He wanted to see anger and resentment in her eyes, but there was none. Her clear, beautiful eyes were like calm water, exuding a gentle smile that made her seem like a completely different person.

For some reason, he found it hard to voice the word “aunt.”

Seeing Lin Sicheng’s flustered expression, Jiang Yu felt a sense of triumph. Hah! Who are you to compete with me? I’m your elder!

Thinking of this, she decided to play up her role, acting a bit aggrieved. “What’s wrong? Can’t I ask for a little respect? Or are you dissatisfied that I didn’t give you a red envelope for the name change?”

“I know you deliberately mentioned that night to remind your uncle how terrible I used to be, but Lin Sicheng, I’m not the same person anymore.”

I am now Niohuru^[1]Niohuru (钮钴禄) is a prominent Manchu clan name in Qing Dynasty China. The Niohuru clan was one of the most influential and prestigious clans among the Eight Banners, which were … Continue reading Jiang Yu.

“Yes, I used to like you and even did some bad things, but are you sure you’re innocent? You pretended to reject me while accepting my kindness, making me think you were interested in me. Why did I act impulsively? Wasn’t it because you were accepting my affections while chasing after other girls?”

The wind atop the hill rustled her clothes, and Jiang Yu could see Lin Sicheng’s face darkening. She feared if she continued, she might provoke Jiang Zhe’s silent anger.

Imagining such a scene made her want to laugh.

Suppressing her amusement, she continued her act, gazing affectionately at Jiang Zhe. “But thankfully, I met your uncle later on. I realized that there are such wonderful men in the world. I believe your uncle is much better than you. He’s capable, kind, and more handsome. Looking back, I can’t believe how foolish I was back then.”

Jiang Yu was successfully infuriating Lin Sicheng, whose usually composed demeanor was now thoroughly upset.

What Jiang Yu didn’t realize was that Lin Sicheng had always regarded Jiang Zhe as his idol. She had made him look foolish in front of his idol, and while he was angry, he also felt embarrassed. To maintain his image in front of his uncle, he couldn’t even refute her.

In the end, to stop Jiang Yu from babbling on, he forced a stiff smile and said, “Aunt.”

Then he turned to Jiang Zhe. “Uncle, I have some things to attend to. I’ll head out first.”

He left in a hurry, almost as if he were fleeing.

As soon as she saw him leave in such a panicked manner, Jiang Yu, who had been trying to suppress her laughter, burst out laughing. Jiang Zhe looked at her, his expression a mix of complexity.

After she had laughed enough, Jiang Yu noticed Jiang Zhe staring at her, his dark eyes flickering with something unsaid.

“What’s wrong? Are you unhappy that I made your nephew leave?” she asked, puzzled.

That was not what Jiang Zhe meant. After hesitating for a long time, he finally asked, “Do you really think I’m better?”

Jiang Yu was about to respond when fireworks lit up the night sky above her. Captivated, she turned her gaze toward the brighter display. Seeing more and more people heading in that direction, Jiang Zhe hesitated for only a few seconds before following her.

Indeed, many people had gathered to watch the fireworks, the crowd surging like a tidal wave. However, thanks to Jiang Zhe’s height, Jiang Yu was able to enjoy the display comfortably.

After watching the fireworks to her heart’s content, Jiang Yu finally remembered that he had wanted to say something earlier. “What were you going to tell me just now?”

Jiang Zhe: …

He knew the answer already; she was just trying to provoke Lin Sicheng. It was probably better not to dig deeper into their conversation.

“Nothing, it’s not important,” he replied.

Jiang Yu sensed something odd in his expression. She tried to recall what he had asked earlier, but after being distracted by the fireworks, she couldn’t remember. It probably wasn’t anything significant, so she let it go.