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Upon hearing Lu Man categorize him as part of the male gender, Jiang Zhankui felt proud. He straightened his small chest and lifted his chin, “Humph, women always like flowers or food.”
This petite man was extremely proud, with his head slightly tilted and dressed in a crimson long robe embroidered with peony flowers. This image reminded Lu Man of a rooster strutting around in a flowery attire.
Lu Man couldn’t help but chuckle and remarked, “Men and women are different, so naturally, they like different things.”
Jiang Zhankui was half a head taller than Jiang Jiu, fair and plump, and very robust. These two children didn’t resemble twins at all, it seemed that Jiang Zhankui had taken all the nutrients from Jiang Jiu while they were in their mother’s womb.
Her gaze shifted to Jiang Jiu. Up close, she noticed that Jiang Jiu not only looked frail but also had almost translucent white skin, with visible blue veins under her eyelids.
With a touch of compassion, Lu Man said, “Second Young Miss, your appetite doesn’t seem to be great, right? I can make something called yogurt, which is good for digestion. When I have time, I’ll make some for you to try.”
“Yogurt! Is it like goat’s milk? I don’t like goat’s milk, but Third Brother insists I drink it every day. If I don’t, he gets angry.” complained Jiang Jiu, pursing her lips.
Listening to Jiang Jiu, Lu Man’s impression of Third Young Master Jiang improved slightly. In ancient times, men seldom bothered about domestic affairs, leaving them entirely to women, and many fathers didn’t pay much attention to their young sons and daughters. However, Jiang Zhanwei, as an older brother, cared for his siblings, even planning their daily meals.
Goat’s milk is beneficial for children’s growth and development, but its taste might not be pleasant due to a slightly gamy flavor that many children dislike.
Lu Man explained, “Yogurt is different from goat’s milk. It should taste better. You can add various fruits, almonds, brown sugar, green bean paste, and more to customize the flavor.”
At the mention of these additions, Jiang Jiu licked her lips with a pink tongue, and even Jiang Zhankui couldn’t help but swallow.
His gulp was quite audible, making Jiang Zhankui embarrassed. He glanced at Lu Man and Qichang in the courtyard, recalling his purpose for being there. Tugging at Jiang Jiu, he said, “Sister, let’s not be swayed by her.” Then, looking at Lu Man, he added, “Don’t think that praising Qichang will win us over. My Third Brother still hasn’t returned home because of you. We dislike you.”
This stubborn child! But Lu Man found his comparison to the rooster amusing and chuckled before saying, “Eighth Young Master, your intentions are crystal clear, and I understand. Even though you don’t like me, I still quite like you, Second Young Miss, and Qichang.”
Jiang Zhankui was taken aback by Lu Man’s straightforwardness and scolded, “A woman, speaking so openly about ‘liking’ a man, it’s truly shameless.”
Unfazed, Lu Man cheekily responded, “Alright, I won’t mention liking Eighth Young Master anymore. I’ll just say I like Second Young Miss and Qichang.”
Jiang Jiu thought that her Third Sister-in-law had a good temperament. If Eighth Brother spoke similarly to Eldest Sister-in-law, not only would she get angry, but she might also cry. Moreover, Third Sister-in-law was truly beautiful, even more so than Eldest Sister-in-law, Elder Sister, and the noble ladies who attended the Peony Banquet at the mansion.
In her soft voice, Jiang Jiu said, “Third Sister-in-law, my Third Brother is very kind. He’s handsome, has a good job, and a good temper. Why did you try to hang yourself when you married him?”
“Um…” This question seemed more challenging to answer than a medical problem in her past life. After a moment of thought, Lu Man sighed and replied, “That was a foolish act of mine due to a moment of madness. I won’t do it again in the future. Death is terrifying, no matter how difficult things get, I must strive to live courageously. If someone isn’t afraid of death, what can possibly deter them?”
The mention of hanging seemed to further unsettle Jiang Zhankui. He glared at Lu Man, then pulled Jiang Jiu, saying, “Sister, let’s go.” He shouted towards the courtyard, “Qichang, if you don’t come home now, don’t bother returning.”
After speaking, he walked away with Jiang Jiu, who looked back at Lu Man as they left.
Not wanting to linger any longer, Qichang swiftly followed them. As they walked off, Jiang Jiu’s voice could still be heard, “Eighth Brother, Third Sister-in-law knows she was wrong. She said she won’t do it again…”
Watching them leave, Lu Man called out, “Eighth Young Master, Second Young Miss, Qichang, feel free to drop by whenever you’re free.”
Jiang Zhankui hesitated for a moment and then continued walking forward.
Reflecting on how Jiang Zhanwei treated his younger siblings, Lu Man realized he must be an amiable person. Indeed, kindness, tolerance, humility, and gentleness were the keys for most illegitimate children to survive in grand households. Arrogant ones rarely fared well, usually meeting unfortunate fates.
Feeling a sense of relief, Lu Man remained in the courtyard until the young siblings vanished from sight.
The following day, on the eighth day of the fourth month, Second Master Jiang’s personal attendant, Jiang Gui, finally located Jiang Zhanwei at Duke Qin’s residence and brought him back to Princess Changting’s residence.
As light rain drizzled from the sky, Jiang Zhanwei chose to ride his horse back home instead of taking a carriage, braving the rain. He mentioned that he would change his clothes upon returning to the courtyard before meeting Princess Changting.
Initially, Jiang Gui intended to remind him to see the princess immediately upon returning home. However, sensing that Third Young Master was in a sour mood these days and now exuded an unfamiliar aura that made it difficult to meet his gaze, Jiang Gui decided not to say much.
Jiang Zhanwei first changed his clothes in his study in the outer courtyard and then visited a secluded area in the inner courtyard to see his younger siblings. This area, known as Qingfeng Courtyard, was where Miss Zhou used to live with him until he turned seven and moved to the outer courtyard. After Miss Zhou’s passing, Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu continued to reside there. Initially, there were plans to relocate Jiang Zhankui to another courtyard, but Jiang Zhanwei convinced Jiang Yuanzhao to let them stay together, citing the companionship and ease of care. Jiang Yuanzhao, feeling annoyed upon seeing the three children, reluctantly agreed, suggesting that Jiang Zhankui could move to the outer courtyard once he turned seven.
In the household, young masters would move to the outer courtyard after turning seven, where they would reside until marriage. Only after marriage could they have their own courtyard in the inner section.
Due to the strict rule set by the old Marquis against taking concubines and Second Master’s deep affection for Madam Lin, despite Miss Zhou having children, she never rose to the status of a concubine and remained addressed as “Miss” until her passing.
For many years now, Jiang Zhanwei, whether returning from school or the office, would invariably visit this courtyard first upon entering the inner section.
Located at the western end of the estate, this small courtyard consisted of only seven rooms in total. Besides a small kitchen for boiling water, a cleaning room, and two rooms for servants, the master had only three rooms. The young siblings resided in the east and west rooms, separated by a hall.
Upon entering the courtyard, Qichang rushed over to greet him. Jiang Zhanwei patted its head and walked towards the house.