Chapter 5 : Fainting

“The ‘Yunjiang Mingfu Tea Cup National Tea Artist Selection Contest’ North City Regional Finals has successfully concluded. We thank all the contestants for their wonderful performances, as well as the four judges and the audience both on-site and watching at home…”  

With the host’s emotional closing words, the final of the tea contest came to an end. Several prominent figures sitting in the audience were invited by the organizers to a tea room to enjoy tea.  

“This program has truly been wonderful,” Old Lady Lu said, sighing with admiration, then couldn’t help but express her envy for Grandma Fu. “Your family has really found a good daughter-in-law who knows about tea. I still haven’t asked you, how did Chengze meet such a good girl from Yunjiang?”  

Grandma Fu took a sip of tea and began to explain.  

“Before Qing Shan passed away, I went with him to Yunjiang. At that time, his illness had gotten out of control, so he decided to give up treatment and go to a peaceful place to relax. In Yunjiang, Qing Shan met Yunshu’s father through tea, and they immediately hit it off. Chengze was there to visit his grandfather and happened to meet Yunshu. Seeing that the two were around the same age, Qing Shan made an introduction, and the two of them just started dating.”  

Old Lady Lu sighed, “What a coincidence.”  

Grandma Fu smiled contentedly and then asked, “What about your little grandson’s fiancée? Why isn’t she here?”  

Old Lady Lu waved her hand, “Don’t mind her. Yao Yao is nothing like Yunshu. She’s impatient and doesn’t know anything about tea, yet she insisted on coming with me. Now she must have gone off somewhere to rest.”  

—

After leaving the stage, Jiang Yunshu suddenly felt nauseous again.  

Having skipped breakfast, her stomach was empty, and she could only dry-retch without being able to throw up.  

As she walked out of the bathroom, feeling weak, she planned to go to the lounge, have a snack to settle her stomach, and then join Grandma Fu in the tea room.  

When she arrived at the lounge, she had just sat down when she heard voices from behind the screen.  

“I really don’t understand what’s so special about a tea ceremony that they made a whole show about it. If it weren’t to please the old lady, I wouldn’t have come to this boring competition! By the way, do you know who they invited as a judge?”  

There was a pause, and Jiang Yunshu heard her name, followed by a sneer.  

“She’s just got that tea-like vibe, and because she can make a cup of tea, she’s trying to win the old lady’s favor. I really don’t know what made Fu Chengze like her in the first place. He must have been forced into marrying her by the old lady.”  

Another voice agreed, “It’s obvious she was forced into marriage. Jiang Yunshu and Fu Chengze didn’t marry long before the old man passed away. It must have been for the old man’s peace of mind.”  

“Just the other day, the Lu family held a 100-day banquet for their son and daughter-in-law. Fu Tai brought gifts and attended. I heard Fu Tai say that Jiang Yunshu hadn’t been pregnant yet, which really stressed her out. Before she left, she even asked Aunt Lu for a list of herbs to help her sister-in-law conceive.”  

“With a family like the Fu’s, they care a lot about heirs. They’ve been married for over a year with no children. Could it be that Fu Chengze isn’t interested in her? Maybe he hasn’t even touched her.”  

Jiang Yunshu’s back was turned to the screen, and there was no emotion in her eyes.  

Since marrying Fu Chengze, such rumors and suspicions had never stopped. Her usual response was to ignore them. As long as they didn’t reach her directly, she chose to stay silent.  

Behind the screen, Yan Siyao was gossiping with excitement, completely unaware that Jiang Yunshu was sitting just on the other side of the room, separated by only a screen.  

Yan Siyao continued to upload photos of herself at a trendy café, then resumed her conversation.  

“I know a reporter who got a photo of Fu Chengze picking up a beautiful woman at the airport late at night. They were laughing and talking, then got into the same car together.”  

The woman on the other end of the phone sounded excited. “Is that true? Why hasn’t the photo been released yet?”  

“They’re negotiating terms right now. Once it’s settled, no one will ever see the photo. If it doesn’t work out, the photo will definitely blow up on the trending pages.”  

The woman on the phone half-jokingly, half-mocking, said, “Why don’t we buy the photo and leak it ourselves? I can’t stand how Jiang Yunshu acts so sweet and humble, pretending to be low-key. She’s so disgusting, that tea girl.”  

Yan Siyao sneered, “She’s really pitiful. Her husband doesn’t love her, and she can’t get pregnant. It’s like a rejected concubine in the imperial harem. Oh wait, she was never favored in the first place…”  

Just as she was speaking, the door was knocked. “Ms. Jiang, I found you here.”  

“Mm.” Jiang Yunshu responded.  

Yan Siyao froze for a moment, feeling a chill down her spine. She quickly lowered her voice, “I’ll talk to you later, hang up.”  

Gong Yan, wearing a work badge, approached. “Ms. Jiang, they’d like you for a group photo.”  

Before Jiang Yunshu could respond, Yan Siyao emerged from behind the screen, forcing a smile and stepping forward with a testy tone. “Hello, Yunshu, I’m Lu Shisi’s fiancée. I’m here with Grandma Lu to watch the competition. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  

Jiang Yunshu looked at Yan Siyao’s outstretched hand, her voice calm and indifferent. “I heard everything, no need for the pretense.”  

Yan Siyao’s face immediately changed, and she reluctantly withdrew her hand.  

She hadn’t expected Jiang Yunshu to be so assertive.  

In her mind, Jiang Yunshu should have been the type to pretend she didn’t hear anything and maintain a facade of civility.  

Jiang Yunshu stood up. Despite her slender figure, there was a certain coldness to her presence.  

“I just don’t want to waste energy on these rumors. That doesn’t mean I can’t handle them. Talking one way in front of people and another behind their backs is like being a circus clown. Be more careful with your words in the future, or I’ll make sure you keep quiet.”  

Gong Yan, standing to the side, was struck with admiration. How could anyone say such a deadly thing in such a soft tone?  

Yan Siyao clearly understood the warning in Jiang Yunshu’s words. She stood frozen, her anger rising but unable to express it.  

She knew she couldn’t afford to provoke Jiang Yunshu, especially since Jiang Yunshu was married to Fu Chengze and had the full support of the Fu family. Even if Yan Siyao became Mrs. Lu, she couldn’t afford to directly confront Jiang Yunshu.  

Jiang Yunshu finished speaking and turned to Gong Yan. “Let’s go.”  

“Okay,” Gong Yan gestured for her to follow. “This way, Ms. Jiang.”  

As they left the lounge, Jiang Yunshu suddenly felt dizzy. She took a few more steps, and the world seemed to distort in front of her.  

Gong Yan noticed she had stopped and quickly rushed to support her. “Ms. Jiang, are you okay?”  

Just as she spoke, Jiang Yunshu collapsed into her arms.  

“Ms. Jiang? Ms. Jiang!” Gong Yan quickly pulled out her phone and dialed for an ambulance.