Chapter 6: She Couldn’t Get Used to the Food

Lady Shen left in a hurry, and Jiang Jin did not get the answer she wanted.

But whether it was said or not, she understood.

If nothing unexpected happened, Mother would not compromise!

She lowered her gaze, walked to the writing desk, picked up a brush, and wrote a letter.

Jiang Jin sealed the letter and handed it to Muyu, the maid who had been assigned to escort her the day before.

“Please deliver this letter to the Zhangshi.”

Muyu took the letter and replied succinctly, “Yes.”

After Muyu left, Furong walked in.

“Miss, you haven’t eaten anything since you woke up. This is porridge I had someone prepare for you. Please have some to tide you over.”

“The main kitchen said it will take another hour before lunch is ready.”

Jiang Jin nodded and took the porridge handed to her by Furong.

As soon as she scooped a spoonful, she noticed that it contained some chopped scallions.

Jiang Jin disliked eating scallions, and although the porridge looked thick, the abalone meat inside was pitifully scarce.

It didn’t seem specially prepared; instead, it looked like leftover scraps.

“Was this bought or…?”

Before Jiang Jin could finish her sentence, Furong realized something was wrong.

She leaned closer, her brows furrowing.

“It was made by the main kitchen! How dare they treat you like this? I’ll go find their head maid and have a good talk with her!”

As she spoke, Furong grew angrier and angrier.

She turned around and was about to leave.

“Furong.”

Jiang Jin called her back.

“Before you go to the main kitchen, did you happen to run into anyone?”

Furong turned around and thought carefully. “At the time, I ran into Madam Lin, who serves the Madam.”

“Yes, she was followed by a young maid carrying a food box.”

As she spoke, she grew puzzled.

“But Madam Lin wasn’t heading toward the Madam’s Xuesong Studio. Instead, she was coming toward the west side.”

After saying this, Furong quickly realized what it meant.

Her fingers clenched, and she looked at Jiang Jin with a pained expression.

No more needed to be said; both of them understood.

The west side was where the Miss and Fifth Miss lived. Since Madam Lin didn’t come to Qinghe Courtyard, she must have gone to Fifth Miss’s courtyard.

And it just so happened that Fifth Miss loved scallions—no matter what dish it was, she would ask the main kitchen to add plenty of scallions.

Jiang Jin smiled bitterly and helplessly, motioning for Furong to take the bowl of porridge away.

It was like this six years ago when she first returned to the capital, and now, six years later, it was still the same…

Back then, she had thought it was because she had been away from home for too long and Fifth Younger Sister was slightly younger.

But now, it seemed it had nothing to do with age. Instead, Mother’s heart had been biased from the very beginning.

Mother had managed the household for over a decade, and those under her were adept at reading her moods.

Whatever attitude Mother showed toward her, the servants naturally followed suit.

These subtle details best reflected people’s hearts.

“Miss, why don’t we go to the Madam and explain this matter?” Furong, noticing Jiang Jin’s low spirits, asked cautiously.

Jiang Jin merely shook her head. “It would be a wasted trip. Fifth Younger Sister fell into the water yesterday, so it’s understandable if the main kitchen favors her.”

“If you go to find the head maid of the main kitchen, she’ll only make excuses, saying she’s busy preparing lunch and doesn’t have time to cook more!”

Furong lowered her head, feeling dejected.

“But lunch from the main kitchen will take another hour…”

Jiang Jin said, “If the main kitchen can’t do it, then we’ll eat outside!”

Furong was stunned for a moment but soon nodded in agreement.

The Miss was right. If they couldn’t eat from the main kitchen, they could still eat outside!

Furong quickly went out and had the coachman prepare the carriage. Before long, she and Jiang Jin left through the rear courtyard.

Sitting in the carriage, Furong still felt somewhat indignant about what had happened earlier.

But at the same time, she also felt a sense of relief.

Relieved that the young lady would no longer foolishly wait…

The carriage stopped at the most famous Songhe Tower in the capital. Jiang Jin put on her veil and asked Furong to take out a large ingot of silver to reserve a private seat by the window.

She had little else, but she certainly had plenty of money.

Back in Jingzhou, her grandmother, fearing she might be short on funds, often supplemented her allowance.

And her aunt, being kind and generous, treated her as if she were her own daughter.

Every aspect of her life was taken care of meticulously. Jewelry, accessories, and banknotes were sent to her as if they cost nothing.

She knew that because she had been frail since childhood and suffered from a heart ailment, they treated her with utmost care, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest harm.

And because she needed to recuperate, she couldn’t live under her parents’ care.

Her aunt and grandmother did everything they could to make up for the love she had missed!

At the time, she thought… that returning to her mother’s side would be the same…

But she had forgotten that her mother didn’t have only one daughter!

Jiang Jin asked Furong to open the window a little wider. She wanted to see more of the outside.

Sitting by the window, she casually gazed at the street below.

Suddenly, as if she had seen something, her fingers clenched tightly, her nails digging into her flesh, yet she felt no pain at all.

“Young lady.”

Furong called out, “The food is all served. Please eat something!”

Only then did Jiang Jin withdraw her gaze.

She picked up her bowl and chopsticks, looking at the table full of delicacies, but they tasted bland to her now.

Furong noticed her unusual mood and quickly asked, “Young lady, what did you see just now?”

Jiang Jin shook her head gently. “I’m fine.”

She ate, bite after bite, stuffing her mouth until it could hold no more.

Furong watched with a pained heart, but since the young lady didn’t want to talk about it, there was nothing else she could do.

She poured tea for Jiang Jin. “Young lady, have some water. Don’t choke.”

Jiang Jin nodded, picked up the teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.

“Cough, cough, cough.” Jiang Jin drank too hastily, choking on the water. For a moment, she felt a sharp ache in her nose.

A few tears welled up in the corners of her eyes from the pain. Jiang Jin wiped them away casually with her sleeve, took a deep breath, and said, “Furong, I’m done eating. Let’s go back!”

As the two reached the door and were about to open it, they heard familiar voices outside.

“Mother, why did you think of taking me out to eat?”

“You little girl, it’s because you fell into the water yesterday and have no appetite today. I brought you out to relax, and you’re still not happy?”

“I’m happy! Jun’er loves Mother the most!”

“By the way, Mother, why didn’t Third Sister come?”

As soon as this question was asked, there was a brief silence.

Furong nervously glanced at Jiang Jin, who appeared calm, seemingly unaffected by the conversation.

But the next moment, the voices outside continued.

“Your Third Sister is in a bad mood. Let her rest well at home!”

The moment the words reached her ears, Jiang Jin faintly heard something shatter.

Her expression froze, then quickly turned bitter.

“Young lady.” Furong tugged at Jiang Jin’s sleeve. “Don’t take it to heart. Perhaps… perhaps Madam will bring some food back for you.”

“Then let’s bring back some signature dishes from Huaihe Tower for Third Sister when we return. She’s in low spirits and surely, like me, doesn’t want to eat the food from the mansion!”

“No need.” Lady Shen refused quickly. “Huaihe Tower serves standard capital cuisine. She wouldn’t be used to it.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jin suddenly let out a bitter laugh.

She raised her hand, placed it on the door, and pushed it open in one swift motion.