"I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, only that your birth mother expressed such a wish." Even if An Jiu had intended to boost Chu Dingjiang's image, she couldn't bring herself to lie.
Hua Rongjian knew her well, yet he still snorted coldly, "So whatever he says goes?"
"To be honest, he has no reason to lie to win your favor. Even if there were a blood feud between you, he could bear it." An Jiu replied.
She always prioritized objectivity over tact, and Hua Rongjian, already deeply depressed, flared up at her words. "Since when do you not speak the truth? Fine, I’m just an insignificant ant—he has no reason to care about me. But can you guarantee he didn’t say such things just to preserve his 'good guy' image in your eyes?"
"You think he’s a good person?" An Jiu was genuinely surprised.
"Where is he good?!" Hua Rongjian snapped angrily.
"Even you can see he’s not a good person—it’s not like I’m blind." An Jiu thought he really must be losing his mind, his logic already in disarray. "Then why would he bother maintaining any image at all?"
Hua Rongjian retorted, "I think he’s not a good person because I have a grudge against him. But in your eyes, he might not be bad. If he weren’t good, why would you be with him?"
"He’s been very good to me—does that prove he’s a good person?" An Jiu countered.
Hua Rongjian was left speechless and could only roll his eyes, ignoring her.
An Jiu asked curiously, "How does someone like you even manage the Bounty Board?"
"What kind of person am I?" Hua Rongjian grumbled.
"Childish."
The carriage jolted to a stop, and a servant’s respectful voice came from outside. "Young Master, we’ve arrived."
An Jiu immediately glared at him—such a short distance, and they’d taken a carriage? The time spent getting in and out could have gotten them there faster on foot!
Seeing her displeasure, Hua Rongjian grinned.
Wu Lingyuan had only recently placed third in the imperial examinations and had yet to receive an official post, so he was temporarily staying in a small courtyard next to the Hua residence.
An Jiu noticed that the entire street was lined with grand mansions, making this modest little house stand out. She couldn’t help but wonder.
Hua Rongjian, observing her expression, explained, "Our estate follows a Jiangnan-style garden layout, with no rigid walls separating the courtyards. This small house originally belonged to our family but was later set aside to prevent tutors from accidentally encountering the ladies of the household."
However, after Hua Rongtian’s generation, the family’s numbers dwindled sharply, leaving only one legitimate daughter. They occasionally hired female tutors, and Prime Minister Hua and Hua Rongtian would personally teach her when they had time, so there was no need for male tutors. Thus, the courtyard had been left vacant—until now, when it was given to Wu Lingyuan.
An Jiu remarked, "Rumors are already spreading that Wu Lingyuan placed third because the Hua family rigged the results. And yet you’re letting him live here without even trying to avoid suspicion?"
"If someone wants to investigate, no matter how well I hide it, the truth will come out. Might as well be open about it." Hua Rongjian smiled. "I begged my elder brother to take Lingyuan on as a disciple."
Hua Rongtian had risen to the third rank at a young age, a rare genius in the dynasty. As his disciple, Wu Lingyuan’s sudden success wasn’t so surprising.
While they were talking, the servant had already knocked on the door. Without waiting for an announcement, Hua Rongjian strode inside with An Jiu.
Just past the threshold, they saw Wu Lingyuan hurrying toward them. Spotting Hua Rongjian, he quickly stopped and bowed from a distance.
"Lingyuan, what’s this?" Hua Rongjian strode forward and helped him up.Hua Rongjian had given Wu Lingyuan everything, for which even kneeling in gratitude would not be excessive.
Though he had grown indifferent to many things, the chance to finally put his talents and ambitions to use was something he cherished deeply. He was profoundly grateful to the one who had granted him this opportunity.
Hua Rongjian said, "This is the female benefactor you’ve been talking about all day. How is it that you can’t recognize her now that she’s right in front of you?"
"Ah!" Only then did Wu Lingyuan dare to look at An Jiu.
Earlier, when he saw Hua Rongjian enter with a beautiful woman, he assumed she was someone close to him and thought it improper to stare at a young lady’s face, so he had only glanced from a distance. But now, standing so near, he caught sight of eyes that shimmered like flowing jade. Yet when he looked closer, all he saw were pupils dark as lacquer, cold and shadowed with an aura of killing intent—the fleeting brilliance he had glimpsed was nowhere to be found.
"Benefactor!" Wu Lingyuan snapped out of his daze and bowed deeply once more.
An Jiu glanced down at him. "No need for that. Today, I’ll be collecting both principal and interest."
Her words left no room for refusal.
Hua Rongjian felt a bitter taste on his tongue, his envy toward Chu Dingjiang flaring up again. He knew An Jiu well enough—though her words were often harsh, she wasn’t one to speak carelessly. She had treated Wu Lingyuan’s wonton stall as one of the few places where she could find peace, occasionally stopping by for a bowl of wontons and a brief respite from the world. Rarely did she say anything cutting. But today, she had spoken so decisively precisely because Wu Lingyuan had already chosen his side—he had aligned himself with Hua Rongjian, and Hua Rongjian was Chu Dingjiang’s enemy.
Wu Lingyuan wore a faint smile, warm as a spring breeze. His once-empty blind eyes now held a lively spark, enhancing his presence even more. "If there’s any way I can be of use, Lingyuan will spare no effort."
An Jiu studied his still-serene expression and couldn’t help but ask, "What if I told you to die?"
"You wouldn’t," Wu Lingyuan replied with certainty, as if stating an established fact.
An Jiu didn’t know where his confidence came from, nor did she care to waste time figuring it out. If they had the chance to go to Hejian together in the future, there would be plenty of time to understand him.
Though small, the courtyard was fully equipped—study, guest rooms, and kitchen all present.
The three of them went straight to the study to discuss matters.
Knowing An Jiu wasn’t fond of talking, Hua Rongjian first summarized the situation before turning to her. "Did I miss anything?"
"That’s about it," An Jiu nodded.
"I agree," Wu Lingyuan answered almost without hesitation.
Hua Rongjian reminded him, "Lingyuan, you’re not just doing this out of gratitude, are you?"
"No," Wu Lingyuan exhaled as if relieved. "Given the current circumstances, if I stay in Bianjing, the best I can hope for is a respectable but powerless official post. I’ve been wanting to be stationed near Hejian, but I worried that as a man with no strength to even tie up a chicken, going to such a place might mean never returning. And then, just like that, my benefactor appeared! Truly, she is my destined benefactor."
"Then it’s settled. The rest is up to you," An Jiu said, glancing at Hua Rongjian.
If Wu Lingyuan hadn’t been present, he might have roared—why did she act so entitled?
But on second thought, Wu Lingyuan was the first person he had ever tried to recruit. It was only right that he took responsibility for this matter. Besides, it wasn’t as if he was at a disadvantage."Since we've settled things, let's grab a meal together." Hua Rongjian secretly winked at Wu Lingyuan, signaling him not to tag along.
Wu Lingyuan promptly said, "I really ought to treat our benefactor to a meal, but I have urgent matters to attend to today..."
"How busy can a shelved Tanhua be?" An Jiu remarked icily, then shot Hua Rongjian a sidelong glance. "Making such a fuss over a meal! Acting like a bunch of women."
With that, she turned and walked away.
The first part of her comment was directed at Wu Lingyuan, while the latter half clearly referred to Hua Rongjian's covert signaling. Two sharp verbal daggers found their mark squarely in both men's hearts.
For a moment, both were left speechless, thoroughly silenced.
"Sure, you're the only real man here!" Hua Rongjian grumbled resentfully as he hurried after her.
Wu Lingyuan hesitated briefly before reluctantly following suit. (To be continued...)
PS: The temperature suddenly dropped, and I was forced to endure the cold wind all day yesterday. By the time I got home, I was completely lightheaded. Waking up this morning, my neck felt like it was about to break—my cervical spondylosis is acting up again... This is exactly why I hate winter; one careless moment and my cervical spine can't take it. Everyone, please stay warm.
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