High-class Spring Joy

When Chu Jingyu used to sulk with Qingyuan, he would often say, "This is just my nature. I can't say nice things to coax you. If you want to be angry, then be angry."

She's heard it so many times she's sick of it.

Qingyuan's expression remained unchanged: "Yes."

Why was she so calm?

Chu Jingyu frowned as he looked at her, sensing a hint of distance and indifference, even though they were only half a step apart...

This thought made Chu Jingyu feel a little uneasy.

He forcefully suppressed it, then simply flicked his sleeves and led his men away, not even glancing at Qing Yuan behind him.

As Qingyuan watched Chu Jingyu walk away, she habitually rubbed the scars on her wrist.

Chu Jingyu was sickly from childhood. The old lady sought out a miracle doctor everywhere and spent a lot of money to get a prescription. Not only were the medicinal materials expensive, but it also required human blood as a medicine guide every day.

The scars on her wrists are the result of drawing blood every day for the past ten years.

When she needs to calm down, she gets into the habit of touching these scars.

Chu Jingyu's figure was still so tall and imposing. She had been chasing after that figure for many, many years, but now she could no longer catch up.

She rubbed her aching arms and asked the servant she was on good terms with, "Do you know who the young master's distinguished guest is?"

The servant helped Qingyuan retrieve the basin of water, then sighed, "Isn't that the eldest daughter of the Jiang family?"

Qingyuan suddenly realized.

The only person who could make Chu Jingyu so anxious, wishing he could rush out to meet her, is Jiang Qingge.

After all, the person in his painting was Jiang Qingge.

That painting... was a naked portrait painted by Chu Jingyu himself.

To put it bluntly, it was a pornographic picture of him and Jiang Qingge.

Qingyuan only discovered it a month ago.

A month ago, Chu Jingxian committed a capital crime and was imprisoned. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, along with his eldest daughter Jiang Qingge, came to his door and broke off the engagement between Jiang Qingge and the third young master Chu Jingxian.

That day, Chu Jingyu changed his usual gloomy and indifferent demeanor and became exceptionally happy, calling her "Yuan'er Yuan'er" repeatedly.

She was overjoyed, thinking that she had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. When she went to keep watch in his room late that night, she caught the young master drawing erotic pictures while clutching his undergarment. She decided to relieve his pain herself.

Yes, again.

It's quite common for men to be young, energetic, and full of passion when they reach a certain age.

Qingyuan had taken care of Chu Jingyu since he was a child and they grew up together. She had witnessed him drawing erotic pictures while holding a woman's bodice several times before.

She only caught a glimpse of the scene in the painting where a naked man and woman were entangled, and immediately blushed and dared not look any further. She could only make out that the man's face was Chu Jingyu, but she could not make out the woman's face.

Later, as she grew older, her nanny taught her that it was her duty to relieve his pain, but Chu Jingyu never touched her, nor did he ever touch any other woman.

Therefore, when Chu Jingyu explained that it was to protect her innocence and reputation, and that it would be proper to do *that* after he gave her a proper title, Qingyuan believed him without hesitation.

Despite knowing the difference in their social status, she couldn't help but fall deeply in love with him, and even his words expressed a hint of expectation.

But...

One month ago, Chu Jingyu was drawing a picture when Jiang Qingge sent someone to take him away.

The person he had loved for so long invited him to meet right after breaking off their engagement. Chu Jingyu was so happy that he didn't care about anything else and hurriedly changed his clothes before going.

As Qingyuan approached, she saw the face of the naked woman in the picture for the first time. Wasn't that Jiang Qingge, the eldest daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?

The moment she saw it clearly, Qingyuan burst into tears and tightly covered her mouth.

It wasn't for her sake; he simply already had someone else in his heart.

It wasn't that she couldn't accept it; she already knew she wasn't good enough for him, so why would he lie to her?!

Miss Jiang, you should have been...you should have been Chu Jingyu's third sister-in-law!!

"Sister Qingyuan, the young master has already gone far away..."

The servant's voice pulled Qingyuan back to reality.

"Understood."

Qingyuan rubbed her reddened eyes, her heart aching terribly.

She has accepted the facts, but whenever she thinks about it, it still feels like a lump in her throat, a feeling of tightness in her chest, which is really uncomfortable.

-

Qingyuan found an excuse to ask the nanny for half a day off to go home and visit her family.

As soon as he arrived at his doorstep, he bumped into his mother, Li, who looked worried and distressed, as if she had a lot of troubles to deal with.

Qingyuan called out, "Mother!"

Upon seeing Qingyuan, Qingyuan's mother immediately beamed and greeted her warmly, "Ah Yuan, what brings you back today?"

As he spoke, he moved a stool and poured tea, saying, "Come in, make yourself at home."

Li's overly eager attitude gave Qingyuan a bad feeling, and sure enough, she heard Li say:

"Look, they say a mother and daughter are connected at heart. I've been thinking about you these past few days. Ah Yuan must have sensed something, so she came home specifically to bring me some money, right?"

Qingyuan's eyebrows twitched. "Mother? Didn't I just bring back thirty taels of silver before the New Year? After deducting half of it as my dowry, there are still fifteen taels left. Even if my two younger brothers go to school and it costs one tael a month, it's enough for you to live on for a year. And it's only been half a year!"

Upon hearing this, Li's smile vanished: "So you and your mother are calculating things so clearly now, aren't you? You live a life of luxury in the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion every day, how could you know the suffering of us orphans and widows?"

Qingyuan's face also turned cold: "Then why didn't Mother sell her two younger brothers into the Marquis's mansion back then? For an ordinary family of five, one tael of silver a month would be enough for their food and living expenses. Moreover, in the past ten years, I have brought back at least a hundred taels of silver. Mother has never had enough to live on, not even every month or every year. Is she really suffering, or has she been gambling away the money again?!"

Li used to be a gambler, and her younger siblings were all supported by her older sister, Qingyuan.

Six years ago, her older sister was selected to work as an embroiderer in the palace because of her outstanding embroidery skills. She thought that her sister had saved her a way out.

Three years ago, when my sister left the palace again, she was found dead, her body cold and lifeless. It was said that she had accidentally drowned.

When her sister got into trouble, Li was gambling at a casino and someone chopped off her finger because she couldn't pay back her debts. She vowed to turn over a new leaf and never gambled again for three years, which is why Qingyuan believed her a little.

Qingyuan's words were laced with barbs, hitting Li Shi's weak spot immediately. Li Shi's arrogance crumbled: "You think you're all grown up now, that you've become independent and can't be criticized by your mother? Is this how you talk to your mother?!"