Jiang Shiran left the imperial palace and looked up at the sky.

The clouds above hung low and heavy, tinged with slate, much like her current oppressed mood.

How irritating—Third Li was celebrating her birthday in supreme happiness, yet it had caused her to work up a bellyful of anger.

The more Jiang Shiran thought about it, the more annoyed she became. She got into the Jiang residence’s carriage waiting outside the palace gates and instructed the driver: “Go to my Thirteenth Brother’s place.”

Since becoming betrothed to Jiang Shiran, Jiang Yuanchao had moved out of Grand Commander Jiang’s residence. His solitary dwelling wasn’t large, but it was clean and tidy, just like the impression Jiang Yuanchao gave people.

Jiang Shiran jumped down from the carriage and walked to the front of the residence. When the gatekeeper saw her, he immediately showed a respectful smile: “Miss, you’re here to see Lord Thirteen?”

Jiang Shiran nodded with reserve and walked inside without needing the gatekeeper to announce her.

“Miss, Lord Thirteen has gone to the office.”

Only then did Jiang Shiran stop, frowning as she thought, murmuring: “Right, it’s nearly the end of the first month—the New Year holiday is over. Father has been staying home recently, so I forgot.”

Knowing Jiang Yuanchao wasn’t home, Jiang Shiran didn’t linger a moment longer. She instructed to go to the office and got back in the carriage.

The carriage stopped at the entrance to the Jinlin Guards’ office. Jiang Shiran went straight to Jiang Yuanchao’s workplace with practiced ease.

“How did Ran Ran come here?” Jiang Yuanchao heard the sound and put down the documents in his hands, looking up.

Jiang Shiran stepped over the threshold and entered, glancing at the thick files stacked on the desk, displeased: “Thirteenth Brother, how do you have so much work to do just after returning to the office?”

Jiang Yuanchao smiled faintly, his tone tolerant: “Precisely because we didn’t come to the office during the New Year, many matters accumulated.”

“I don’t care! Thirteenth Brother, I’m in a bad mood today. Come shopping with me.”

Jiang Yuanchao looked troubled: “Ran Ran, Thirteenth Brother is truly very busy today.”

“No matter how busy, can’t you spare even half a day? Thirteenth Brother, if you don’t accompany me shopping, what will I do when I buy things?”

“Er, why don’t you have Jiang He accompany you?”

Jiang He, standing by the door, looked up at the sky.

He didn’t want to accompany Miss Jiang shopping—he’d rather scrub toilets!

“Thirteenth Brother, are you my fiancé, or is Jiang He my fiancé?”

Jiang He’s legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed, patting his chest with lingering fear.

Miss Jiang’s bad temper was one thing, but why did she have to scare people for no reason?

Jiang Yuanchao knew well Jiang Shiran’s unreasonable temperament and could only stand up: “Then let’s go. But we’ve agreed—I can only accompany you for a short while. I truly have many matters to handle today.”

“Good, good, just a little while.” Jiang Shiran happily linked arms with Jiang Yuanchao.

As long as she could coax Thirteenth Brother out, wouldn’t she be the one calling the shots then?

The New Year atmosphere hadn’t yet faded. Pedestrians on the street wore new clothes and walked at a leisurely pace, most in high spirits.

The shops lining both sides of the street had opened not long ago and seemed somewhat quiet, but Jiang Shiran enthusiastically dragged Jiang Yuanchao from one shop to another. Just as Jiang Yuanchao’s helpless expression was deepening, she pointed to Hundred Flavors House in the distance: “Thirteenth Brother, let’s go eat the mutton soup at Hundred Flavors House.”

Jiang Yuanchao looked distantly at the wine flag of Hundred Flavors House, his thin lips slightly pursed.

Today was Miss Qiao’s birthday—no, it should be Li Zhao’s birthday. He had sent people to investigate and learned that Marquis Champion had arranged to celebrate her birthday with her at Hundred Flavors House.

Thinking of the gift thrown into the bottom of his chest, Jiang Yuanchao smiled self-mockingly in his heart.

She definitely wouldn’t accept the gift he had prepared, and she didn’t want to see him either.

Though he wouldn’t stay far away from her because of this, he also didn’t want to spoil her mood today.

“Let’s go somewhere else. I don’t feel like having mutton soup today.”

Jiang Yuanchao’s refusal surprised Jiang Shiran somewhat. She shook his arm coquettishly: “But I want to eat it. Thirteenth Brother, come with me to eat some.”

Jiang Yuanchao remained unmoved.

Jiang Shiran became annoyed: “Thirteenth Brother, you won’t even fulfill such a small request as eating a bowl of mutton soup. You don’t like me at all, do you?”

Though she didn’t understand much, she knew that if a man truly liked a girl, he would surely be willing to do his utmost to fulfill her requests.

Yet she merely wanted to eat a bowl of mutton soup with her beloved, but Thirteenth Brother was making excuses—

The more Jiang Shiran thought about it, the more panicked she became. She bit her lip: “Or is it that Thirteenth Brother only wants to accompany someone else to eat? Then go accompany her! Anyway, I’m going to eat mutton soup today!”

Saying this, she petulantly released Jiang Yuanchao’s hand and ran toward Hundred Flavors House.

Jiang Yuanchao stood in place, silent for a moment, then shook his head lightly and followed.

“The Heavenly First private room.” Entering Hundred Flavors House, Jiang Shiran instructed the waiter.

The waiter looked troubled: “Miss Jiang, the Heavenly First room has already been reserved. Let me take you to another private room—”

Jiang Shiran directly interrupted the waiter: “How do you do business? Every time I come, I use the Heavenly First room—I’m not used to being elsewhere. How about this: I’ll give you silver. Go ask the guests in the Heavenly First room to give up the room for me.”

“That won’t do. The guests in the Heavenly First room are distinguished—”

Jiang Shiran was furious: “They’re distinguished guests, and I’m not?”

“You’re all distinguished guests! Miss Jiang, this time we really can’t switch. Please just—”

Jiang Shiran directly drew out her whip and lashed the waiter once, sneering: “Move aside. I want to see what kind of distinguished guests are in the Heavenly First room!”

“Ran Ran—” Jiang Yuanchao, who had followed in, saw Jiang Shiran walking toward the Heavenly First room and couldn’t help calling out.

Jiang Shiran paused for a moment, then quickened her pace.

She must not have checked the almanac before going out today—why was everything going wrong? She refused to believe she couldn’t even eat a satisfying bowl of mutton soup!

“Miss, please stop.” Chen Guang, guarding the entrance to the Heavenly First room, reached out to block Jiang Shiran.

Jiang Shiran lashed out with her whip: “Since when does a mere servant dare to block this miss?”

Chen Guang grabbed the whip and pulled hard, then released it.

Jiang Shiran fell backward, tumbling to the ground in embarrassment.

“You dare to fight back?” Jiang Shiran pushed away Jiang Yuanchao, who was helping her up, her face full of rage.

Chen Guang smiled leisurely: “Miss should look clearly—even if I’m a servant, I’m not your servant.”

He was also a military officer with the rank who would be called “General” in the military camp. To fall into the eyes of the beloved daughter of the Jinlin Guards’ commander and be called a mere servant was truly interesting.

“How dare you!”

Chen Guang smiled lazily: “Could the miss speak more gently? It wouldn’t do to disturb our Third Miss’s meal.”

Third Miss? Jiang Shiran was stunned, inexplicably thinking of a name, and then feelings of disgust spread from her heart.

The door creaked open, and Qiao Zhao stood in the doorway looking at Jiang Shiran, her tone flat: “So it’s Miss Jiang.”

“So it’s you… It’s you again!” Jiang Shiran was burning with rage, instinctively raising her whip.

“Ran Ran, stop!” Jiang Yuanchao reached out to grasp the whip in Jiang Shiran’s hand and nodded slightly to Qiao Zhao. “My apologies, Miss Li. We’ll leave now.”