“Are you in a good mood?” Madam Xiao heaved a long sigh. “Fourth Miss, if you knew what happened last night, you wouldn’t say that.”
Jiang Si displayed a look of confusion.
Madam Xiao felt increasingly satisfied inwardly, but her face showed a sorrowful expression. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. “Ah, how can I even tell you this?”
Old Madam Feng impatiently said, “Go back and change your clothes.”
Although she didn’t think much of her second grandson, he was still a male descendant of the third generation in the Earl’s mansion. At this time, having numerous descendants was important, and the more male heirs a family had, the more prosperous it would be.
Moreover, even if Jiang Zhan was incompetent, who could say that his future descendants wouldn’t bring glory to the family name?
Therefore, Old Madam Feng’s mood was not good at all, and she found Jiang Si’s red dress particularly eye-catching.
Jiang Si looked down at herself, puzzled. “Granddaughter doesn’t know what’s inappropriate—”
“Your Second Brother fell into the water last night and is still missing!” Old Madam Feng said discontentedly.
Previously, seeing that the heir of the neighboring Marquis Yongchang seemed quite close to Jiang Si, Old Madam Feng had reassessed her granddaughter’s importance in her heart. She had subsequently hinted multiple times that Jiang Si should frequently socialize with the eldest daughter of the Marquis Yongchang’s family.
However, Jiang Si seemed oblivious and hadn’t visited since the day she returned from the Marquis Yongchang’s mansion.
Although Old Madam Feng still harbored some hope, she grew increasingly dissatisfied with Jiang Si’s lack of astuteness. When the Marquis Yining’s family encountered trouble and implicated Jiang Si, even though Jiang Si’s innocence was eventually proven, Old Madam Feng understood that from then on, this granddaughter would no longer be welcomed by the Marquis Yining’s family. Her regard for Jiang Si had consequently faded even more.
It must be said that Old Madam Feng was a very practical person. When someone’s importance diminished in her heart, her attitude naturally changed accordingly.
Jiang Si widened her eyes slightly, displaying just the right amount of shock, and mumbled, “Is there any news of Second Brother now? Why am I only being told now?”
Madam Xiao, seeing Jiang Si’s devastated expression, felt immensely gratified.
She had never paid much attention to Jiang Si before, but somehow, whenever she confronted this girl recently, she always ended up at a disadvantage. It was truly hard to swallow this frustration.
With her only brother gone, she would lose major support from her natal family. She wanted to see how this girl would remain smug now.
While Madam Xiao thought this way, her face showed utmost concern: “Your father, uncles, and eldest brother rushed to the Golden Water River as soon as they got the news. There’s still no word about your Second Brother. The reason we’re only telling you now is that your father was worried you wouldn’t sleep well if you knew at night. Ah, the love of parents is boundless. If anything happens to your Second Brother, how will your father cope?”
“Does Second Aunt wish for something to happen to my Second Brother?” Jiang Si’s pretty face darkened as she asked coolly.
Madam Xiao’s expression twisted instantly. Displeased, she said, “Fourth Miss, I’ve watched your Second Brother grow up. He’s no different from your eldest brother or third brother to me. How could I wish for something to happen to him? Your words truly disappoint your aunt.”
“Uh.” Jiang Si uttered a single syllable.
Madam Xiao faltered, silently grinding her teeth.
This girl was infuriatingly clever!
Thinking of Jiang Zhan’s fate, Madam Xiao’s anger subsided somewhat. She advised, “Fourth Miss, listen to Old Madam. Go change your clothes quickly.”
Jiang Si smoothed her dress and replied unhurriedly, “I won’t change.”
“Fourth girl!” Old Madam Feng called out discontentedly.
Jiang Si slightly raised her chin. “Grandmother, what clothes do you want your granddaughter to change into? Perhaps you want me to change into a white dress?”
Old Madam Feng was stunned by the question.
Jiang Si’s gaze shifted towards Madam Xiao, and she said with a cold smile, “There’s still no news of my Second Brother, yet the Second Aunt is already urging Grandmother to have me change clothes. What intentions do you harbor? If it were Eldest Brother who fell into the water last night, wouldn’t Second Aunt find it inauspicious to see me wearing plain clothes this morning?”
Hearing Jiang Si use her eldest son as an example, Madam Xiao’s face turned pale with anger. “Fourth Miss, what are you saying? Do you have any respect for me as your aunt at all?”
Third Madam Guo, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but mediate, “Second Sister-in-law, say no more. Second Young Master has met with misfortune, and Fourth Miss is understandably upset.”
Madam Xiao gave a cold laugh but said nothing more.
At this point, there was no need to engage in a war of words with this little minx. After all, it was Jiang Zhan who had died. We’ll see who cries then!
“When I came to pay my respects to Grandmother this morning, I put on this pomegranate-colored skirt and felt joyful, as if something good would happen. I believe this is a good omen, so I won’t change my dress,” Jiang Si said resolutely. She curtsied to Old Madam Feng, “Grandmother, please don’t force your granddaughter.”
“You—” Old Madam Feng was annoyed by Jiang Si’s firm attitude towards her elders, which made her feel a surge of indignation.
Jiang Si waited impassively for Old Madam Feng to lose her temper.
In recent days, Grandmother’s attitude had been somewhat strange, as if she had some thoughts in mind. She couldn’t appear overly weak, lest the other party think she was as pliable as dough.
Everyone in the household seemed to have forgotten that even in her previous life, she had never been the kind of docile and agreeable girl.
“Fine, then let’s wait for news from your father and the others!” Old Madam Feng said, suppressing her anger.
She wouldn’t waste words with a little girl now. Everything would be settled once they had news of her second grandson.
“If something has happened to your Second Brother—”
If they received bad news, she would severely punish this girl.
Jiang Si smiled, “Don’t worry, Grandmother. My Second Brother is a good person, and good people will be rewarded.”
As she spoke, her gaze carelessly swept toward Madam Xiao. “As for those evil people, heaven will deal with them.”
Madam Xiao was fuming inside.
Wasn’t this an obvious insinuation? This little minx was truly detestable!
But after all, she was just a brainless girl. Still believing that good people would be rewarded! Jiang Zhan had been in the water for so long, that his corpse was probably bloated by now.
Madam Guo observed coldly from the sidelines, silently sighing.
Fourth Miss was unwilling to accept the fact that Second Young Master had met with misfortune, preferring to defy Old Madam rather than change her clothes, as if doing so would make everything alright.
Ah, it was truly pitiful and lamentable.
Old Madam Feng couldn’t be bothered to say another word to Jiang Si. She closed her eyes slightly, fingering her prayer beads one by one.
Jiang Si was completely indifferent to everyone’s thoughts. Right now, she only wanted to know how Second Brother was faring under Yu Qi’s “care.”
Jiang Zhan had now awakened, his hangover making his head throb painfully. Seeing the person in front of him, he couldn’t help but rub his eyes. “How is Brother Yu Qi here? I must still be dreaming.”
“Brother, you’re in big trouble,” Yu Jin patted Jiang Zhan’s shoulder heavily.
Jiang Zhan was startled. “Brother Yu Qi, what trouble am I in?”
Yu Jin sighed, “You don’t remember anything from last night?”
Jiang Zhan was momentarily stunned, sinking into recollection.
Last night, he had been drinking with Yang Shengcai and the others. They drank quite a bit, and then Yang Shengcai said he wanted to try something different and bit his ear. He got angry and started fighting, and after that—
Jiang Zhan gently tapped his head.
He couldn’t remember anything that happened after that.
Jiang Zhan looked to Yu Jin for help.
Yu Jin’s expression was extremely grave. “I never imagined that Brother Jiang would be taken advantage of to such an extent, and by a man no less!”
Well, Jiang Zhan’s sleep-talking was indeed quite an advantage.