Sold immediately after wearing it? I took my family and fled the famine.

She noticed that Jiang Xing barely touched any of the dishes on the table. When he did pick up a bite, he always chose the light and bland ones, staying far away from the sweet ones.

Chu Zhihe put down her chopsticks and spoke with a smile.

"Why isn't Miss Jiang eating? Is the food not to your liking?" Her tone was full of just the right amount of concern. "These are all famous dishes from the capital, and most of them are sweet. If Miss Jiang doesn't like them, I'll ask the cook to make a few savory ones."

"It was my oversight. Miss Jiang is used to simple meals in the village, so she might not be used to these refined dishes. The cuisine in the capital is all about 'refinement,' with rules for everything from ingredient selection to cooking time. It's normal for her not to be used to it."

After all, wild boars can't eat fine chaff. But she didn't say that aloud.

Madam Pei put down her chopsticks, not too hard, but just enough for everyone at the table to hear the crisp sound.

Pei Jingshi also stopped eating, shifting his gaze from the dishes to Chu Zhihe's face for a moment before subtly looking away.

Jiang Xing wasn't annoyed. She glanced down at the table full of sweet and greasy dishes, then looked up at Chu Zhihe's expectant expression, and suddenly laughed.

"Miss Chu is right." She said frankly, "I really can't get used to sweet dishes. The food in the village may be a bit rough, but it's salty and mild, and it's very comforting. Miss Chu, your cook is very skilled, but these dishes are too sweet for me. Miss Chu, you don't need to make anything special. I'll just eat the light dishes."

After she finished speaking, she picked up another piece of stir-fried vegetables with her chopsticks and ate it slowly, looking completely at ease.

It was like punching cotton; not even a sound was heard. Chu Zhihe's smile froze for a moment.

Pei Jingshi lowered his head to drink his soup, and the corners of his mouth curved up almost imperceptibly.

He put down his soup bowl and casually asked, "I remember there are some pickled vegetables in the kitchen from a few days ago, the kind Miss Jiang brought over herself. They're perfect with porridge. Shall we ask them to bring up a plate?"

Madam Pei chimed in, "Yes, those pickled vegetables are very crisp; I've been eating them with my porridge every morning for the past few days."

Everyone at the table knew that the pickled vegetables were a gift from Jiang Xing, and they all understood the meaning behind Pei Jingshi and Madam Pei's back-and-forth: your table full of famous dishes from the capital is not as satisfying as a dish of pickled vegetables.

Chu Zhihe's smile faltered. She lowered her head, stirred the rice in her bowl a couple of times, and said nothing more.

Pei Xiancheng didn't notice the undercurrent. He assumed that Madam Pei and Pei Jingshi were talking about pickled vegetables. He even enthusiastically picked up a piece with his chopsticks, tasted it, and nodded, saying, "It's quite good. I'll have the kitchen pickle more later."

Madam Pei glanced at him, said nothing, and simply wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

The meal was finished in this subtle atmosphere. Xiao Niu ate two bowls of rice and finished all the dishes that Jiang Xing had put on his plate. When he put down his chopsticks, he was still a little reluctant to leave.

Jiang Xing shook his head at him, and he obediently sat down without adding any more.

After the banquet was over, a maid brought out tea.

Chu Zhihe took a sip of tea, then suddenly turned to Jiang Xing with a gentle smile: "Miss Jiang, I ate a bit too much just now and would like to take a walk by the flower pond in the back to digest. Would you be willing to accompany me? I also have some questions I'd like to ask you."

She spoke so intimately, as if she and Jiang Xing were already close friends who got along very well.

Pei Jingshi put down his teacup, and Madam Pei also put down her teacup. Just as she was about to say that she would accompany them, Pei Xiancheng pressed her hand down first: "You are pregnant, and it's dark and the road is slippery. Don't go. Let the young people walk on their own."

Madam Pei glanced at Jiang Xing, still somewhat uneasy, and then glanced at Pei Jingshi.

Jiang Xing stood up and shook her head slightly at Madam Pei, indicating that it was alright. She knew that Chu Zhihe hadn't gained any advantage at the dinner table earlier, so she had something to say to Chu Zhihe by calling her out now.

There's no way to avoid it, so I might as well listen to what she has to say. It's better to make things clear early on to avoid endless trouble later.

She turned to Xiao Niu and said, "Take today's homework to the teacher and ask him if you have any questions. I'll accompany Miss Chu for a walk and be back in a bit."

Little Niu obediently agreed, picked up his book box, and walked toward Pei Jingshi. Pei Jingshi responded and told Little Niu to follow him to the study.

Jiang Xing nodded to him, and he didn't say anything more, taking Xiao Niu to the study.

Chu Zhihe saw this and tightened her grip on the handkerchief.

The two walked along the corridor towards the backyard. As night fell, lanterns were hung under the corridor, their dim light casting dappled shadows on the cobblestone path. The spring night breeze carried a hint of coolness, causing the newly sprouted willow branches along the corridor to sway gently.

Chu Zhihe walked half a step ahead of Jiang Xing, speaking softly the whole way.

After passing the artificial hill and walking along a cobblestone path, you arrive at the pavilion in the middle of the flower bed. The pavilion is surrounded by water on three sides and connected to a covered bridge on the other side. There are not many people at night, only a few koi carp occasionally splashing in the pond.

The lantern light at the end of the covered bridge shone down, illuminating just half of the pavilion, while the other half was shrouded in darkness.

Chu Zhihe entered the pavilion first and sat down on the stone bench. Jiang Xing followed her in and stood by the pavilion pillar without sitting down.

Chu Zhihe looked up at her and smiled, "Miss Jiang, please sit down. Why are you standing?"

"No need," Jiang Xing said. "Miss Chu, you can speak standing up."

Chu Zhihe's smile slowly faded.

That gentle and demure mask seemed to have been peeled off her face, revealing a cold, unyielding face filled with barely suppressed loathing. The light from the night lamp illuminated half of her face, making that somber expression even more pronounced.

"Miss Jiang," she spoke, her voice much lower than before, yet as frosty as if covered by a layer of ice, "I invited you here today because there are a few things I want to make clear to you."

Jiang Xing looked at her but didn't reply.

"Pei Jingshi is my fiancé," Chu Zhihe said, enunciating each word clearly. "Our Chu family and the Pei family are old friends, and this marriage was arranged by our parents. I don't care what your past dealings with him were like, but from now on, I hope you stay away from him."

As she said this, she gave a cold laugh and looked Jiang Xing up and down as if he were a worthless object.

"You're a smart person, you should understand your place. A country girl, growing a few acres of land and selling a few baskets of vegetables, thinks she can climb the social ladder? There are some things in this world that you can't get just by trying."

"With your background, you're only fit to stay in this godforsaken place your whole life. The social standing in the capital isn't as simple as you think. You think you're something special just because you received His Majesty's praise? Let me tell you, in the eyes of true aristocratic families, what you have isn't even good enough to step on their feet."

She slowly stood up, took a step closer to Jiang Xing, lowered her voice, and spoke with a condescending, condescending "kindness": "I advise you to know your place. If you don't, I don't mind showing you the methods of the second young lady of the Chu Marquis's mansion. You should understand that I am someone you can't afford to offend in this lifetime."

After she finished speaking, she slightly raised her chin, waiting for Jiang Xing's reaction. The night breeze blew through the pavilion, lifting a strand of hair from her temple, which, combined with her aloof expression, truly gave her the air of a noble lady from a marquis's mansion.