That very afternoon, Butler Chen returned. With him present, no one in the old residence dared to stir up trouble, and Jiang Jiang passed a perfectly peaceful night.
Early the next morning, she got up at dawn. Butler Chen was somewhat puzzled when he saw her.
"Xie Xiao, why not sleep a little longer?"
"I want to visit Grandmother at the sanatorium," Jiang Jiang said, already taking a seat at the dining table.
Butler Chen did not know what he imagined, but the way he looked at her was filled with benevolence. "The old madam will definitely be very happy to see you."
He beamed at Jiang Jiang. "You don't need to worry about what happened yesterday either. The old madam and the eldest young lady will stand up for you."
Jiang Jiang nodded. "Sister Xu'an has already told me."
Butler Chen probably assumed that Jiang Jiang and Ji Xu'an had been in frequent private contact; his smile nearly stretched to his ears.
Jiang Jiang did not explain. She sipped her seafood porridge unhurriedly while listening to Butler Chen methodically arranging tasks for the servants. Only after he finished and returned did she seem to casually ask,
"Uncle Chen, when will little Yuan be coming back?"
Butler Chen did not think much of it. "Second Miss didn't injure her bones, but to be safe, it was decided she'll stay in the hospital for another day of observation. She'll be discharged tomorrow."
Jiang Jiang let out an "oh," her face showing concern. "Will little Yuan be unaccustomed to being alone in the hospital?"
"Second Miss has someone keeping her company. A friend of hers will be visiting," Butler Chen replied.
Jiang Jiang blinked, her gaze pure and clear, as though simply curious about the word itself. "Little Yuan's friend? Is it a close friend from her school days?"
Butler Chen laughed and, in a lowered voice, revealed Ji Heyuan's embarrassment. "Second Miss thinks it's shameful and doesn't want her classmates to know. This friend is someone she met during her graduation trip. I heard she's even a celebrity."
A name flashed through Jiang Jiang's mind at once—Zheng Zhouzhou.
It seemed her guess had been correct. Ji Heyuan was injured, and Zheng Zhouzhou would indeed come to visit her.
Though she thought this, Jiang Jiang's face revealed nothing. She merely followed Butler Chen's words and remarked, "little Yuan must be very close to this friend."
"Isn't that so," Butler Chen nodded.
Second Miss felt ashamed and did not want even her close classmates to know, yet she was willing to let this friend visit her. The closeness of their relationship was evident.
Jiang Jiang had obtained the information she wanted, and a faint smile unconsciously curved her lips. In Butler Chen's eyes, that smile became nothing but concern for Ji Heyuan.
Sigh, Second Miss treated Xie Xiao so poorly, yet Xie Xiao was still willing to put aside past grievances and care about her.
Xie Xiao was indeed a kind and gentle good child.
In comparison, Second Miss was far too immature.
Unaware that Butler Chen's fondness for her had increased yet again, Jiang Jiang finished her meal and went to the sanatorium. She chatted with Old Madam Ji for over an hour, coaxing her into smiling the entire time.
From beginning to end, Jiang Jiang never spoke ill of Ji Heyuan. On the contrary, she even explained things on her behalf. Although Old Madam Ji did not express much, the way she looked at Jiang Jiang grew ever more gentle and benevolent.
After bidding the old madam farewell and walking out of the sanatorium gates, the driver was still waiting in the car. Jiang Jiang sat in the back seat and said softly, "Please take me to see little Yuan."
The car then drove to the hospital entrance.
Jiang Jiang had not told anyone about her plan to come to the hospital. Relying on that innocent-looking face of hers, she easily found out which ward Ji Heyuan was in.
Two bodyguards stood guard at the door. They recognized Jiang Jiang and did not even question her before readily letting her in.
Ji Heyuan's ward was a luxurious VIP suite. Upon entering, there was a partition at the foyer. Decorative items and potted plants were arranged on a wooden display shelf, just high enough to conceal Jiang Jiang completely.
Her footsteps were extremely light, her breathing almost inaudible. She hid entirely behind the shelf.
The two people inside were likely too engrossed in conversation to glance this way even once. They did not notice that another person had entered the room.
Through the gaps between the potted plants, Jiang Jiang could see Ji Heyuan's face clearly. Another person sat with her back to the door. Jiang Jiang could not see her face, but from the silhouette alone, she matched her to the Zheng Zhouzhou from her dream.
It was indeed her.
Jiang Jiang exhaled silently and watched the two women in the ward, her gaze particularly cold.
Ji Heyuan was completely unaware and was chatting excitedly with Zheng Zhouzhou.
Zheng Zhouzhou was a few years older than Ji Heyuan, and her scheming methods were far superior. With just a few sentences, she coaxed Ji Heyuan into revealing everything.
As they chatted, somehow the topic suddenly shifted to Ji Xu'an.
"Little Yuan, I really didn't expect President Ji to actually accept something so absurd," Zheng Zhouzhou remarked in a joking tone. "She doesn't seem like someone who would be fooled by such a clumsy lie."
At the mention of this, Ji Heyuan immediately grew irritated.
"Who knows? My sister might truly have lost her head."
Zheng Zhouzhou smiled, as though casually bringing it up. "You once said President Ji only loves her work. I thought she wouldn't set her sights on anyone."
Ji Heyuan snorted coldly. "Grandmother must have forced her. Otherwise, my sister would never have compromised."
Zheng Zhouzhou's voice lowered. If Jiang Jiang's senses had not far surpassed those of ordinary people, she likely would not have caught the murmured words.
"Yes… she compromised just like that…"
Jiang Jiang instantly sensed something amiss. In that moment, a bold speculation suddenly formed in her mind.
The matter was not difficult to understand. For any ambitious woman, compared to a young and impulsive wealthy heiress who relied entirely on her elder sister's protection, marrying a mature and steady head of the family who held great power and becoming the mistress of the household would naturally be far more tempting.
It was perfectly normal for Zheng Zhouzhou to harbor such thoughts.
What Jiang Jiang pondered was whether, in the story from her dream, Zheng Zhouzhou had harbored the same intentions.
Did she ultimately choose to marry Ji Heyuan because she truly loved her? Or was it because she could not win Ji Xu'an's affection and had no choice but to settle for second best?
Or perhaps, in the story, Ji Xu'an had been too unattainable, and Zheng Zhouzhou had not dared to entertain such thoughts—but now, because Jiang Jiang existed, Zheng Zhouzhou felt that she might have a chance?
Jiang Jiang narrowed her eyes, her gaze fixed on Zheng Zhouzhou's back.
The plot of the story was indeed not absolute. With herself as a variable, everything had changed.
Jiang Jiang thought that she would need to be even more cautious than before. Marrying Ji Xu'an did not guarantee absolute safety, for she could not predict what choice Zheng Zhouzhou might make.
However, as the saying goes, one can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days.
Jiang Jiang liked this world very much and did not wish to meet the fate of a beauty doomed to die young. Therefore… she would have to let this Miss Zheng take the first step ahead.
At that very moment, Zheng Zhouzhou, who was absentmindedly humoring Ji Heyuan, suddenly felt her heart tighten, as though she had been targeted by a predator lurking in the darkness.
She instinctively turned to look behind her. Behind the wooden display shelf was empty. The ward entrance was silent. Only the leaves of the potted plants swayed gently in the breeze.
It must have been her imagination.
—
That evening, Ji Xu'an still did not return to the old residence.
Jiang Jiang seemed not to care. Not only did she refrain from contacting Ji Xu'an, she did not even ask a single question.
As before, she spent most of her time in her room, going downstairs only for meals.
The next morning, Jiang Jiang followed her usual routine and went to the sanatorium to accompany Old Madam Ji. Just as she was preparing to leave, the old madam caught hold of her.
"Little Yuan is being discharged today. Later, Xu'an will bring her here for a meal. Jiang Jiang, stay and join us."
Jiang Jiang sat back down. "Alright."
Before long, footsteps sounded outside the door. Jiang Jiang looked up, and walking at the very front was Ji Xu'an, whom she had not seen for two days.
Ji Xu'an was not surprised to see her there. Not even her gaze changed in the slightest. She gave Jiang Jiang a slight nod as a greeting.
Ji Heyuan's reaction was far more direct. She curled her lip. "Why are you here too?"
Ji Xu'an cast her a sidelong glance. Ji Heyuan seemed as though her vital point had been pinched and immediately deflated.
She did not want to react that way, but every time she saw Xie Xiao, she felt the urge to retort. It was an instinctive response.
Jiang Jiang paid no mind. She did not even look at Ji Heyuan. Instead, she lifted her chin and stared at Ji Xu'an with round, bright almond eyes, calling out softly, "Sister Xu'an."
She paused for several seconds before calling out "little Yuan" in a tone much flatter than before.
The contrast was far too obvious. Even someone as obtuse as Ji Heyuan noticed it, let alone Ji Xu'an.
Ji Xu'an's expression did not change. She responded with a simple hum and calmly sat down on the sofa to the side.
Ji Heyuan shivered and vigorously rubbed the goosebumps on her arms. Shaking her head, she mimicked Jiang Jiang's tone in a mocking, sing-song voice, "Sis～ter～Xu'an～"
Jiang Jiang's cheeks flushed red instantly at the teasing. Half shy and half timid, she stole a glance at Ji Xu'an before quickly lowering her lashes again.
Old Madam Ji watched the scene with interest. Seeing that Ji Heyuan was about to continue her tactless teasing, she cleared her throat sternly, signaling her to stop while she was ahead.
Ji Heyuan huffed twice. Fine, she would stop. Later, when they were away from Grandmother and her sister, she would mock Xie Xiao to her heart's content.
Ji Heyuan sat down beside Ji Xu'an, but she could not sit still for long before wanting to pick a quarrel with Jiang Jiang again.
"Xie Xiao." Ji Heyuan crossed her legs. "I heard you went to the hospital to see me yesterday. Then why didn't you come in?"
The moment those words were spoken, everyone's gaze turned to Jiang Jiang—including Ji Xu'an's.
Those dark eyes were like a deep, unfathomable pool. When they settled on Jiang Jiang, they seemed to carry endless meaning.
Jiang Jiang's heart tightened. For the first time in a long while, she felt nervous again. Even her palms grew damp with sweat.
She had the distinct feeling that Ji Xu'an seemed to have seen something through.
—
Author's Note:
Jiang Jiang: QAQ (Sits upright) (Doesn't dare move)
President Ji: Don't be afraid, wife. (Inner monologue: My wife is so adorable.)
—
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