19 Gu Xin flies into a rage

Lin Rou was momentarily stunned, then immediately smiled and said, "Of course I'm happy. After all, the old Marquis has passed away, and Brother Xin will soon inherit the title. When I marry into the Marquis’s household, I will become the Marchioness."

Jiang Shuwan looked at her with a half-smile, half-sneer. "Cousin, aren’t you celebrating a bit too soon? I recall that Madam Gu said she doesn’t want dubious people entering the household. Even if you manage to enter, you would only be a concubine. I am the main wife of the Marquis’s household. When the time comes, you will have to call me ‘Madam’ and come to pay respects daily."

Her words caused Lin Rou’s expression to change drastically, and her smile froze in place.

Seeing her shift, Jiang Shuwan looked down and sneered softly.

“Madam,” a young servant approached, holding a small dark red box, “this is from the heir of the Pingning Marquisate. It’s a gift for the Yongbo Marquis’s household.”

Lin Rou’s face brightened from gloom to a radiant smile as she stepped forward and snatched the box.

“Isn’t this a gift from the heir to me?” She clutched it eagerly, beaming proudly at Jiang Shuwan. “You see, Cousin, this is a present from Brother Xin. In his heart, I am the one he truly loves, and you’re just an intruder.”

Jiang Shuwan looked at Lin Rou as if she were foolish.

Originally, upon hearing from the servant that Jiang Shuwan had taken the gift sent by the Shen family, Lin Rou had just happened to be in her courtyard and had come over excitedly. She had intended to have Jiang Shuwan return it, but before she could say anything, the Pingning Marquisate sent another gift. This improved Madam Jiang’s mood considerably.

“It seems the heir does care about you after all,” Madam Jiang said, looking at the gift and favoring Lin Rou.

As long as whoever marries into the Pingning Marquisate benefits the Yongbo Marquisate, she would support that person. If Lin Rou won Gu Xin’s favor, the benefits would far surpass those of Jiang Shuwan marrying the deceased Marquis. Madam Jiang did not hesitate to side with Lin Rou.

Jiang Shuwan had long seen through Madam Jiang’s cold-heartedness and pragmatism and was neither disappointed nor angry.

“Miss Cousin, this gift was entrusted by the heir to deliver to the eldest young lady,” the servant said respectfully.

“What did you say?” Lin Rou’s smile cracked.

Jiang Shuwan couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh.

Madam Jiang’s expression also turned sour.

The servant nervously lowered his head and murmured, “It’s not for you. It’s for the eldest young lady.”

Lin Rou, as if holding something filthy, shoved the box back into the servant’s arms and scolded, “If it’s not for me, why did you give it to me? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

The servant quietly defended himself, “I hadn’t had time to say it before you snatched the box.”

Lin Rou glared fiercely at the servant.

***

The attentive servant brought the gift to Jiang Shuwan. “Miss, this is from our heir.”

Jiang Shuwan glanced at the box but did not take it. Instead, she handed the servant some small silver coins. “Take this gift back to the Pingning Marquisate and tell the heir that when I marry into the Pingning household, if he wishes to honor me as a mother, I would be pleased. But there’s no need now, lest others think the heir looks down on our cousin and harbor ill intentions toward me.”

With a faintly mocking smile, she looked at Lin Rou.

Lin Rou’s face darkened with rage. “You—”

Jiang Shuwan cut her off, addressing Madam Jiang, “Grandmother, I still have matters in my courtyard. I’ll take my leave.”

Turning on her heel, she deliberately bumped into Lin Rou as she passed.

Lin Rou staggered but regained her footing. Jiang Shuwan had already walked far ahead. Lin Rou could only glare fiercely at her retreating figure.

“Jiang Shuwan, once I become the Marchioness, I will make you suffer terribly.”

“Aunt Grandmother, look, Cousin just bumped into me and is bullying me like this,” Lin Rou stomped her foot.

“She won’t last long. In a few days, she won’t appear in front of you anymore,” Madam Jiang said coldly, watching Jiang Shuwan’s back.

Lin Rou instantly perked up. “Aunt Grandmother, what do you mean by that?”

“In a few days, the Pingning Marquis’s funeral will be held. She will accompany the Marquis in burial.”

“Ah, really?” Lin Rou’s face was full of surprise.

“Yes. She is a disaster star. Since she refuses to marry the heir, the only way to prevent her from bringing misfortune to our Marquisate is to have her buried with the Marquis.”

Hearing this, a triumphant smile spread across Lin Rou’s face, and much of her anger dissipated.

***

At a teahouse.

A cloth curtain blocked the view outside, creating a quiet and serene environment. Gu Xin picked up a white porcelain cup decorated with pale blue bamboo from the low table and slowly rubbed it.

He smiled to himself at the thought that Jiang Shuwan would surely be delighted to receive the gift he sent and come see him immediately.

In the previous life, Jiang Shuwan had liked him. Whenever he smiled at her, she would do anything willingly. But he disliked her occasional pride, so he never truly cared for her, always toying with her, yet she never got angry.

Now that he had taken the initiative to give her a gift, she should be very happy and come to him right away!

He had planned to book a slightly better restaurant to wait for her but recalled that she would rather marry his deceased father than marry him.

Moreover, because she refused to marry him, his grandmother had punished him to spend a night in the ancestral hall, and today he was finally free.

After some thought, he came to this modest teahouse.

She didn’t deserve a fancy restaurant.

“The heir, someone from the Jiang family is here to deliver a message,” Liu Xu entered hesitantly.

Gu Xin, not noticing at first, stood up with a smile. “Let her in quickly.”

He straightened his clothes.

“Yes, sir.”

Liu Xu lifted the curtain, and a servant entered holding a box.

“Wan’er, you came—” Gu Xin’s words stopped as he looked up to see a servant. His brows knitted. “Why is it you? Where is our young lady?”

The servant respectfully placed the box before him and repeated Jiang Shuwan’s exact words.

Gu Xin’s expression darkened as he glared at the glaringly simple box. He raised his hand and forcefully swept it aside.

With a loud clatter, the box hit the ground, revealing a roughly made soft gauze skirt inside.

The servant was momentarily stunned by the garment.

The material and quality were barely better than that of an ordinary commoner.

That the heir of the Pingning Marquisate would send such a cheap, unimpressive gift to their young lady—he had no shame!

Inwardly, he thought: Luckily, the young lady didn’t accept it; otherwise, it would have damaged her eyes. Originally, he thought the young lady’s words were somewhat excessive, but now they seemed justified.

The servant lowered his head in disdain, then raised it to show respect. “My young lady only instructed me to return the gift to you. She did not come.”

“Leave.” Gu Xin, frustrated, grabbed the teacup from the table and threw it to the ground.

The servant, not wanting to endure more abuse, turned and left to report back to the Jiang household.