Chapter 138: Two Different Treatments

  I'll update this chapter for now, I have a rehearsal scheduled for this afternoon and a dress rehearsal tonight, time is tight, I don't know when I can code out the next chapter, but as long as I have the opportunity, I will seize the time to code it out and show it to everyone. Thank you for your pink tickets, last day, please give me the remaining pink tickets in your hands.

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  There was no one waiting outside the study, and inside there wasn't any particularly big commotion either. There were only the sounds of chess pieces falling, clearly indicating that the conversation had already ended. Peony raised her hand to lightly knock on the door, thinking she probably already knew the result. If Jiang Changyang hadn't passed He Zhizhong's test, it was impossible for He Zhizhong to be calmly accompanying him playing chess all along.

  He Zhizhong nodded and said, "Come in."

  Peony pushed the door open and saw Jiang Changyang sitting cross-legged on a couch by the window, facing He Zhizhong. From the moment she entered, Jiang Changyang had been gazing at her with a faint smile on his lips. Peony smiled brightly back at him before turning to He Zhizhong: "Dad, Mom asked me to see if you need anything to eat?"

  He Zhizhong gave her a reassuring smile and turned to Jiang Changyang: "Chengfeng, what do you want to eat? Don't be polite."

  Jiang Changyang smiled and said, "Whatever is convenient is fine with me, I'm not picky."

  He Zhizhong said: "If you're not hungry, why don't you stay and have dinner instead? Dan Niang, go tell the kitchen to prepare a good table of wine and dishes."

  Peony looked up at Jiang Changyang, waiting quietly for him to nod. However, Jiang Changyang shook his head and smiled: "Thank you, Uncle Shi, for your kind intentions, but I won't trouble you. Just make something simple to eat."

  He Zhizhong didn't force him either, stroking his beard and saying: "Alright. Since that's the case, Dan Niang, you go to the kitchen and have them make a bowl of wontons like last time and send it over."

  Peony nodded and went to the kitchen. Before long, she had made some dumplings and brought them over herself. She pushed open the door, but only saw Jiang Changyang sitting alone inside. He didn't see any sign of He Zhizhong, so he said: "Where's my father?"

  Jiang Changyang looked up at her: "Shibo said he wanted to show me a treasure and told me to wait."

  Peony let out a soft "oh" and put down the food box, walking forward to pick up the chess pieces on the table. She picked up the white pieces while Jiang Changyang picked up the black ones, with both of them starting from opposite ends of the board and moving slowly towards the middle. As they reached the midpoint, their hands inevitably touched. Peony then stretched her hand out to the right, but Jiang Changyang pretended not to notice and also stretched his hand out to the right.

  After several collisions, his fingertips lightly touched hers, warm and gentle. Peony opened her hand several times, but he followed up again, always staying by her side. Peony quickly withdrew her hand, blushed, and looked up at him.

  Jiang Changyang, on the other hand, was calm and collected, his eyes cast downward as he carefully picked up the black stones, not looking at her, as if what had just happened wasn't intentional, and she was overthinking it. Peony secretly felt deflated, but continued to pick up white stones, this time choosing a spot without any black stones, wanting to see how he would react next.

  But she had just picked up two, and someone's hand followed again, but it was picking up white sesame seeds with her. He still touched her fingertips from time to time, just a light touch, then slid away like a fish.

  She's not a kid, always teasing Peony, slightly annoyed, so she opened her two hands and swept all the remaining chess pieces on the board to one place. Just as she was about to pick them up, Jiang Changyang's two hands gently fell on the back of her hand, saying seriously: "There are still black pieces inside, I'll help you pick them out."

  Although he said that, his hand was stuck to hers like glue and wouldn't move. In an instant, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her palm. It was hot, scorching, and wet. Peony felt as if she had been electrocuted, and her fingertips trembled slightly. Unconsciously, she wanted to pull back, but he reacted quickly and pressed down hard, holding her hand tightly in his. Peony lowered her head and said softly, "Let go."

  Jiang Changyang couldn't help but feel triumphant and excited as he gazed at Peony's bright red face and her eyelashes trembling slightly. He tightly grasped both of Peony's hands, secretly marveling at how small and smooth they were. Although it was already autumn, he felt even hotter than during the hottest summer days. The autumn sun shone through the sky-blue window screens that had not been replaced yet, casting a glow on Peony's face, making her complexion even more radiant, like a peach blossom, with lips as red and luscious as if they were about to drip. He felt an overwhelming urge to reach out his hand and gently touch the fine down on her cheeks, wondering if it was even smoother than silk, but he ultimately didn't dare. Instead, he tightened his grip on her hands and called out softly: "Dan Niang."

  The peony drooped its head and remained silent. Her palm was also a patch of dampness. In the stillness, she could only smell the faint citrus scent emitted by the silver thread balls hanging not far away, could only see the floating dust dancing happily in the sunlight, could only hear her own heartbeat becoming more intense, her breathing sometimes light, sometimes heavy.

  All she could hear was Jiang Changyang whispering in her ear, "Dan Niang, don't be afraid."

  "I'm not afraid of you." Peony felt her face burning like fire and said in a low voice, "Let go quickly, my father is coming."

  Jiang Changyang said softly: "Shibo said he wanted to show me something as precious as his life. I've been waiting, and then you came."

  Peony's heart skipped a beat, does this mean that He Zhizhong has acknowledged him? She raised her eyes and looked at Jiang Changyang: "That's right, my father said that if you dare to tease me, he and my brothers will not let you off easily, no matter who you are."

  Jiang Changyang gazed steadily into her eyes: "I'm not teasing you. I said, I have the ability to do it, and I have the determination to do it. For over a decade, I didn't rely on him, and grew up just fine. In the decades that followed, I won't need to rely on him either, and can live very well. The things you're worried about, leave them to me to resolve. But before that, what I fear is that I may not be able to see you as often as before. Until we reach a final agreement, I won't give anyone any opportunity to bring trouble to your doorstep. However, if you need anything, feel free to have someone find Wu San and tell him... Can you understand?"

  He was far more cautious than she had imagined. Peony fell silent for a moment, then said in a low voice: "So you can't stay for dinner tonight?"

  She wanted him to stay for dinner. This realization made Jiang Changyang's heart flutter, he really wanted to stay, but thinking of what he was about to do, he knew he couldn't: "Dan Niang, those are just formalities..." He reluctantly let go of Peony's hand, took out the wontons that had been soaked in the food box and were a bit mushy, picked one up with chopsticks and put it in his mouth, eating happily: "You see, I've already eaten, isn't this the most real thing? The main thing is, that day will come soon." He Zhitong had already promised him, as long as he could get his parents to make a formal proposal, even if only Mrs. Cen was at home, she would agree to it.

  "Peony looked at him and smiled slightly: 'Jiang Changyang, we haven't known each other for a long time. You don't know many of my temperaments, personalities, and things. Living life isn't as simple as you think it is. Are you sure you won't regret it in the future?'"

  Jiang Changyang heard her words, and his eyebrows rose in delight: "I've thought it through long ago. I've considered the worst possible outcome before speaking up. I'm not someone who makes decisions lightly." He fell silent for a moment: "As for the future, I don't know what will happen, but I think that since it's my own decision, I won't regret it. There's no use saying 'if only' after the fact. Once something is done, one must bear the consequences. Whatever happens, so be it. No need to say more."

  "You're absolutely right, if you don't do it, then don't do it. If you do it, then bear the consequences. There's no need to say more." Peony liked his way of speaking, she raised her head and looked into his eyes: "I once told Mrs. Bai that I wouldn't be a concubine, nor did I like being one. I also don't like being restricted from doing this or that. If we're together, then we should be together. If not, then we should part ways. Are you sure you can accept that?"

  Jiang Changyang had heard Pan Rong's description earlier and was mentally prepared. As for the child, if it really didn't work out, they could just adopt one; it wasn't a big deal. If she was willing to compromise, that wouldn't be the He Mudan he knew. He smiled slightly: "My mother doesn't like concubines either. There are so many shrews in this world, you're not an exception."

  There are so many shrews in this world, one less won't make a difference. A thread of sweetness quickly wrapped around Mudan's heart, and she couldn't help but take the half bowl of wontons from Jiang Changyang's hands: "Don't eat anymore, it's all mushy, I'll have someone remake it for you."

  Jiang Changyang didn't give in: "It's fine, don't waste it." But in his heart, he thought, what a stark contrast in treatment.

  Peony saw him eating with relish, not a hint of difficulty on his face. She couldn't help but think to herself, "I see, he's not one of those refined young masters who dress impeccably and eat delicately." He loved to eat, so let him go ahead and eat - that was the price of being familiar with him.

  While he was eating, Peony sat aside and picked up the chess pieces: "I heard Wu San say that Zi Jue Ma was injured."

  Jiang Changyang's face was somewhat gloomy, and he fiercely bit the last dumpling to pieces: "You coward, you don't dare to vent your temper at people, but only dare to do so in front of a useless beast that can't do anything."

  Peony was silent for a moment, then said: "You were the ones who escorted Duke Zhu and him into the city this morning?"

  Jiang Changyang put down his bowl and sighed, "To be exact, it was to send him into the city to find a doctor. He had his face scratched by branches and was afraid of ruining his face, so he wailed all night, saying that I specifically raised a horse to secretly plot against him, and that the horse took him there. If he wasn't skilled in horsemanship, he would have fallen off and died. And then he blamed me for not immediately bringing people to find him, with ill intentions. He didn't even think about how much face he had, was he worthy of it?"

  "What did Zhu Guogong say?" Who is this person, Peony thought of the four rude Jin Yi Da Han who asked them questions at that time, guessing that it was probably the one who was granted marriage to the lady, and thinking that there would be more unpleasant words said at that time.

  Jiang Changyang smiled and said, "What can I say? He only knows how to wield a whip to discipline those who don't listen. I don't like it when someone puts on airs in front of me, so I'll take this opportunity to send the guest away as well."

  Peony saw him smiling, but his eyebrows were slightly furrowed. He couldn't help but let out a low sigh: "It will all pass eventually. Do you want to eat more? I'll have someone bring you another bowl?"

  Jiang Changyang shook his head and gazed at her reluctantly: "No need, I've stayed long enough in your home today, I must leave."

  [..]

  Great literature.