Chapter 99. Adulterer (part 1)
Both of them walked out of the residence’s doors and headed to the heart of the Ding capital in the horse carriage. Naturally Shen Qiu let a group of guards to follow, making it seemingly very imposing. When they arrived at Zhen Bao Ge (name of the jewellery shop), Shen Miao casually selected a few jewellery. On the contrary, it was Jing Chu Chu who held one and touched another, making the store manager to cast over sidelong glances. In all fairness, Jing Chu Chu was considered good in terms of appearance, and it was especially so that SuZhou females usually have a soft and watery like appearance, which was different from the females in the capital. But this kind of small family attitude discounted her pretty appearance by a lot. After all, one could not get on well in the Ding capital just based on how one looked.
Seeing Jing Chu Chu like this, Shen Miao was also not stingy and paid the money for all those she fancied. Jing Chu Chu naturally felt closer to Shen Miao. When it was nearing noon, Shen Miao said, “Let us eat outside. After selecting the entire afternoon one would feel somewhat hungry. Most likely you have not yet been to Ding capital’s Kuai Huo Luo since ordinary people do not have such a culinary treat.”
Jing Chu Chu looked at the grand entrance of the restaurant and her eyes revealed a longing for it. Today Shen Miao selected jewellery and bought clothes making Jing Chu Chu feel dizzy momentarily, as she had never seen one being this generous. It was because of this that she felt that the Shen family was rich, and had the determined heart to enter the Shen family.
Shen Miao selected the seat by the second floor window and the waiter mentioned a number of dishes before Shen Miao picked a few. Those she ordered were Kuai Huo Lou’s signature dishes which made Jing Chu Chu dazed. It was only after the waiter left that then Shen Miao said to Jing Chu Chu, “Those who patronage here are the wealthy and respectable. Many were all high ranked officials thus one cannot underestimate.”
Jing Chu Chu nodded her head repeatedly.
Shen Miao lightly smiled and picked up the tea to drink, but her hand carelessly trembled and the teacup was overturned onto her body and half the tea in the cup landed on the skirt. Jing Chu Chu jumped in shock, “Fifth Younger Sister?”
“It is of no matter.” Shen Miao waved her hands and stood up, “There is a place here to change and there are some clothes in the horse carriage. I will go now to change and you can wait for me here.” Finishing she called Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang, “Let us go.”
When she left, the Shen residence guards also followed to leave thus Jing Chu Chu quickly shouted, “Fifth Younger Sister, these guards…” She was after all somewhat scared.
“No need to worry. No one will make things difficult for you in broad daylight.” Shen Miao said, “Moreover those who patronage here are the wealthy and respectable and would not do anything.” Her expression was soft but her tone was unquestionable. Jing Chu Chu subconsciously was unable to refute and when she recovered to her senses, Shen Miao had already walked out with a group of guards.
Jing Chu Chu’s expression darkened. Shen Miao would always have an attitude of being high above in front of her, and this kind of attitude made Jing Chu Chu distinctly feel the gap between them and thus felt even more unresigned. Moreover she had heard the people in the Shen residence talking that Shen Miao was previously a stupid and naïve idiot that had no knowledge of the four scholarly arts, but still unreasonably occupied the position of the Di daughter of the Eldest household of the Shen family. Shen Xin and wife also give in to all her whims and wants, that without a second word they would let Shen Miao pick first from the things that His Majesty bestowed. Humans would always be jealous due to comparisons and Jing Chu Chu was crazy with jealousy of Shen Miao at the moment.
She picked up the teacup in front but followed Shen Miao’s action just now and took small sips from it, as if doing it would contract a little of Shen Miao’s air of nobility.
Just at this moment, a group of people walked past her and sat down in the table beside. The person who was leading was a youth that had a gentle and literary appearance clad in rich clothes, and even the clothes of the old servants following were made of fine cloth.
Thinking of Shen Miao’s mention of ‘those who patronage here are the wealthy and respectable’, Jing Chu Chu’s heart moved.
That young person seemed to have noticed her as his gazed moved over. When one could see Jing Chu Chu’s appearance clearly, that pair of eyes could not help but brighten.
Jing Chu Chu wore an off white jaded skirt with her snow like complexion and most importantly her soft and timid look when she saw the person, she quickly lowered her head as if she was frightened. Most of the Ding capital’s females’ actions were magnanimous and proper because they were all living in the Royal capital, so one would rarely see such delicate and affectionate JiangNan female. That young person’s eyes were somewhat fixed on her and the more he looked, the more eager his gaze became, and the lower Jing Chu Chu’s head bent.
As the time slowly elapsed, the dishes had all arrived but Shen Miao did not come over for a long time, leaving Jing Chu Chu alone sitting at the table. It was not alright for her to start eating so she took small sips of the tea and had an appearance of a loss of what to do.
Finally that richly clad gentleman at the next table could no longer tolerate, and sat down across Jing Chu Chu under the watchful eyes of everyone and softly asked, “One see that Young Lady have been sitting alone here waiting for a long time, is it to wait for someone?”
Jing Chu Chu jumped in shock and when she raised her head to look at the other person, her face suddenly blushed and she whispered as she lowered her head, “I… I am waiting for my Biao Younger Sister.”
That gentleman asked in concern, “Why is Young Lady’s Biao Younger Sister not here after so long, and how can one leave Young Lady alone?”
Jing Chu Chu blushed as she shook her head, and she seemed like she wanted to say something but was afraid to speak. Such actions and appearance when landing on other’s eyes was like she was being bullied. The gentleman’s heart felt certain and said, “Since I do not have anything on, why not one accompany Young Lady to wait.”
“No, no need to trouble.” Jing Chu Chu quickly said, “Gentleman need not…”
“It is alright.” That person said with a smile. “It would only be more troublesome if some malicious people come over since you are sitting alone. For me to accompany you, it would be much better.”
His words were soft and he had a gentle smile on his face, making one easily feel comfortable with him. Jing Chu Chu lowered her head and said, “Then many thanks to Gentleman.”
“Young Lady do not look like one from Ding capital.” He asked.
“I… I am a SuZhou person.” Jing Chu Chu said. Both of them started the conversation like this, a sentence back and forth. That youth was especially good in speaking and within a few sentences was able to coax a smile out of Jing Chu Chu. Even though she was shy, one gradually got closer due to that person’s attitude. As the youth spoke about interesting information, as he seemed to have gone to many places and has a generous family background, Jing Chu Chu’s smile got deeper.
In another elegant room in Kuai Huo Lou, one was able to see clearly Jing Chu Chu’s table from afar through a decorative carved window. Bai Lu said, “Biao Young Lady could speak to a strange male for so long.” Her words had the meaning of looking down in contempt.
“That is not an ordinary man.” Shen Miao propped her chin with her hand and lively said.
“Young Lady know that Gentleman?” Shuang Jiang asked curiously and the guards who were in the room were also somewhat surprised. Shen Miao left Jing Chu Chu alone there and changed her seating location seemingly so that Jing Chu Chu would be able to talk to that man. Now with implied meaning behind Shen Miao words, she also knew of that man?
Shen Miao smiled gently but did not speak.
“I say,” At the other end, in one of the rooms in Kuai Huo Lou, Ji Yu Shu’s eyeballs almost wanted to fall out, “Could it be that she knows Sun Cai Nan?”
“Even though Sun Cai Nan is the only Di son of Sun Tian Zheng, he had not entered officialdom and was raised in the residence as a wastrel who only knew about eating, drinking and playing. He did not even go to Guang Wen Tang so how does Shen Miao know of him?” Gao Yang glanced over.
“Could it be that you believe this is a coincidence?” Ji Yu Shu said excitedly, “How is this a coincidence? Even fools can see clearly that Shen Young Lady deliberately let Sun Cai Nan meet her Biao Older Sister that popped out from who knows where.”
“When did I say that this is a coincidence?” Gao Yang snapped his folding fan and put an act of waving it, “But I felt that not only she knew Sun Cai Nan, she was long aware of Sun Cai Nan’s likes. Do not you find it strange?” Gao Yang touched his chin, “Shen Miao an unmarried young lady is even more powerful that your Bai Xiao Sheng. She had the knowledge of the known and unknown. I am really curious if she know things that we do not know about.”
“Refrain from slandering Bai Xiao Sheng.” Ji Yu Shu refuted, “Shen Young Lady is originally not an ordinary person. You and me have been monitoring Shen Young Lady all day long and if Xie Third Older Brother knows about it, he will definitely scold us for being too free.”
“Monitoring her is more interesting than others.” Gao Yang looked outside where Sun Cai Nan was chatting with Jing Chu Chu and asked, “Why not you guess what is her purpose of doing this?”
Ji Yu Shu seriously thought about it, “She want to match make Sun Cai Nan and her Biao Older Sister?”
“When did you see Shen Miao being this kind-hearted.” Gao Yang did not hesitate to pour cold water over him.
“Then what do you say of the matter?” Ji Yu Shu was discouraged.
“The Minister of Personnel… And the Shen family, is there any dealings recently?” Gao Yan pressed the fan against his chin, deep in thought.
Back in Kuai Huo Lou, Jing Chu Chu had spoken to Sun Cai Nan for quite long and the more both of them conversed the more agreeable they became. If someone looked over, one would have thought it was a celestial couple. After a while more, one saw a few Shen residence’s guards walking over to Jing Chu Chu’s side, “Biao Young Lady, Young Lady’s clothes did not fit and she had lost the mood, thus she had foot the bill with the manager and left first. She has entrusted these subordinates to protect Biao Young Lady and send Biao Young Lady back to the residence after Biao Young Lady finished eating.”
Jing Chu Chu was somewhat astonished, “Fifth Younger Sister returned first?”
The guard nodded.
“How could Fifth Shen Young Lady just leave you alone like that?” Sun Cai Nan cried injustice. He had already got to know from Jing Chu Chu’s lips that the one she was waiting for was the Fifth Young Lady of the Shen residence, Shen Miao. Sun Cai Nan did not know much about Shen Miao and only know that she was an idiot who was chasing after Prince Ding. Now from today, it seemed that Shen Miao was not only a stupid idiot, but she also liked to bully others.
He want to be one who had tender and protective feelings for the fairer gender, so how could Jing Chu Chu waste his effort? She immediately hung her head down and said uneasily, “Then I will now head back.”
“Ai. How can this do?” Sun Cai Nan immediately said, “If one were to return now, the entire table of dishes would be wasted. No one had directly disposed of Kuai Hou Lou’s dishes before.” He looked at Jing Chu Chu who seemed to be at a loss and smiled gently, “How about this, if Young Lady does not mind, this one is willing to accompany Young Lady for a meal.” He put up an appearance of a gentleman, “With so many guards around, why not let them send you back after eating?
“This…” Jing Chu Chu was in a somewhat loss.
“Since we have encountered, it meant that you and I are fated. Since fated, one must live up to the fate that the Heavens bestowed.” That Sun Cai Nan had a glib tongue, “For this one to see Young Lady today, one had the feeling of meeting one’s old friend thus one start chatting with Young Lady. Not sure if this one’s suggestion, Young Lady would be willing to accept.”
After hesitating for a while, Jing Chu Chu finally nodded her head hesitantly, “Then… One will follow according to Gentleman.”
Both of them began to truly eat and chat together and far from the compartment, Shen Miao looked upon that pair and a cold smile started to slowly appear on her lips.
She was familiar with Sun Cai Nan. It was this person who made Shen Qiu wear a big green hat in the past life, Shen Qiu was young and hot blooded and dragged his broken leg over and killed this person in a breath. But it was only after one found out that Sun Cai Nan was the only son of the Minister of Personnel. It was because this Sun Cai Nan have neither learning nor skills, he would utilize his mouth and good appearance to hook females everywhere. No matter it was young females or women, he would eat them up as much as possible. Sun Tian Zheng was afraid that the Censors would report on him so he would not let Sun Cai Nan go out normally, thus there was only a few people who knew about Sun Cai Nan.
But in this lifetime, she could recognise Sun Cai Nan even if he turned into ashes.
Sun Cai Nan liked weak and soft JiangNan females the best, else in the previous lifetime he would not be that audacious to sleep with Shen Qiu’s woman.
Shen Miao’s eyes hanged down as she murmured with a voice that only she could hear, “Sun Cai Nan, Jing Chu Chu, Bengong personally pulled your fates together in this lifetime, so one must not disappoint.”
