Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Wedding Dress I Like Is the One That Shows I Think Highly of You! "Unlawful entry?" Jia Qingcheng naturally knew what this was about, but she pretended to know nothing at all. Seeing that she truly seemed unaware, Pei Wuliang grew even more furious. "Exactly. How could there be a dispute over the residence you gave Mother? You must take responsibility for this!" "And how would you have me take responsibility?" Seeing how agreeable she was being, Pei Wuliang felt quite satisfied. "It's simple—clean up that residence, drive out all those irrelevant people, and put the deed and land title entirely in my mother's name. Then go buy some huanghuali rosewood furniture to furnish the place. My mother enjoys playing mahjong with a few friends, as you well know. Also, the charcoal supply there is running low—prepare more and send it over soon; it'll be needed for the winter." Hearing these unreasonable demands, Jia Qingcheng did not argue but merely said calmly, "Is there anything else?" Pei Wuliang thought for a moment. With such a large residence, there were too few people there, and he couldn't keep sending maids over every time. Why not... "Go to the market and buy a few maidservants as well." "Maidservants?" Jia Qingcheng frowned. "What would you need maidservants for?" Pei Wuliang smiled. "Naturally, to send to the residence outside the city to attend to my mother and the others. There are too few people there—my mother says it feels a bit lonely." Chunyan was about to say, "Stop dreaming, my mistress won't agree to that," but Jia Qingcheng silenced her with a look. She neither agreed nor refused. Seeing her tacit acceptance, Pei Wuliang was quite pleased. "Well then, I'll go check on Jiaojiao. After how you treated her yesterday, she's still speaking up for you. Qingcheng, she really is more sensible than you!" More sensible than her? Then why not ask Song Jiaojiao to handle these thankless, money-draining tasks? Did Pei Wuliang truly take her for a fool to be fleeced? "Alright, I'll take my leave now!" With that, Pei Wuliang flicked his sleeves and prepared to depart, but after a few steps, he suddenly remembered something. "The Cuju attire I asked you to prepare—send it to Jiaojiao right away." Cuju attire? Jia Qingcheng naturally knew that Song Jiaojiao wanted to shine at the Cuju match. Thinking of her past life, her eyes darkened, but she said nothing. Seeing her silence, Pei Wuliang added, "You need to get in touch with Old Hu quickly—don't drag it out too long. My official career needs to be settled soon, lest delays breed trouble. As your future husband, Qingcheng, you should know what to do." Seeing that Jia Qingcheng still remained silent, he took it as her obedient acquiescence and left at ease. But once he was gone, Jia Qingcheng gazed at his retreating figure with a complicated expression, lost in thought... "Miss, after how Pei Wuliang has treated you, are we really going to do all this for him?" "Do it for him?" Jia Qingcheng let out a cold laugh. "Who said anything about doing it for him?" Chunyan: "..." "But you didn't deny it either. Those conditions he listed—didn't you just agree to them?" "I didn't say a word, so naturally I didn't agree. As for buying maidservants..." She paused. "Chunyan, go to the market and find a few sharp-tongued maidservants, then go to the furniture shop south of the city and pick the finest huanghuali furniture—the most expensive ones—and have it all delivered to the Pei residence." Chunyan had no idea what scheme her mistress was cooking up. "Miss, you're really going to buy all that? Why should you!" "Pei Wuliang's demands must naturally be fulfilled. Besides, when business comes knocking, one should make a profit." "Profit? Miss, what do you mean?" Lure the Pei family into spending at her mistress's shops? And in the end, her mistress would become the Pei family's biggest creditor? She said nothing, instead sending Chunyan out first, then summoning the big orange cat... The big orange cat sat down beside her and stretched lazily. Jia Qingcheng reached out and stroked its little head. "You're the one who tore Song Jiaojiao's wedding dress, aren't you?" The big orange cat was delighted, circling around her. Big orange cat: "Meow meow, dried fish, dried fish! Kitty loves dried fish most! Oh my, that flavor is just too delicious!" Jia Qingcheng: "..." "What if I give you four fish to do one more thing for me?" The big orange cat flicked its tail and finally sat down beside her. "Give kitty one first." Jia Qingcheng: "..." What a clever little creature. "Go and see if Prince Chu has woken up yet." Inside Chu Wangfu, security was tight. Prince Chu, Xiao Zhiheng, had been sleeping for a very, very long time—so long he thought he had died. Until, suddenly, something furry brushed lightly across his face... He instinctively reached out to grab it, then snapped his eyes open! "Who's there?" "Meow!" His gaze was as sharp as a blade, which frightened the big orange cat half to death. The cat scurried to hide by the window, trembling as it stared at Xiao Zhiheng... A cat? Xiao Zhiheng didn't know how long he had slept. In his daze, he seemed to hear a woman's voice calling to him by his ear. That voice, like heavenly music, called out deeply. Wake up, wake up... But who was this woman? "Cough, cough!" A sharp pain struck his chest, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood. When he saw a wriggling blood-red worm in the black blood, his face turned pale with shock. "Guards!" Outside the room, the guards immediately opened the door. When they saw Prince Chu sitting up on his own, the guards were stunned, as if witnessing a miracle, their eyes wide as brass bells. "Your Highness, you're awake?" The dying Prince Chu had actually awakened? Were their eyes deceiving them? "Someone, hurry to the palace and report to the Noble Consort. Go quickly!" Xiao Zhiheng had thought he was already dead, but unexpectedly, he had come back to life. Moreover, there was a large orange cat beside him, staring at him intently... The dusk deepened, and the sun set in the west. At the clothing shop in the eastern part of the city, Song Jiaojiao had already changed into a brand-new bridal gown. The gown was as red as fire, making her skin look like congealed cream, and with her delicate oval face, she looked absolutely stunning. "Jiaojiao, you're so beautiful!" Pei Wuliang's eyes were filled with admiration. This was his bride, not the hideous Jia Qingcheng. Even if Jia Qingcheng wore the most beautiful bridal gown, she would still be unbearably ugly. On Song Jiaojiao's forehead was a seductive phoenix tail flower, painted over the spot where she had been injured yesterday. To cover the scar on her forehead, she had painted a bewitching phoenix tail flower. The phoenix tail, paired with her fair complexion, accentuated her alluring charm. "Brother Wuliang, do I look good?" "Of course you do. Shopkeeper, we'll take this one. Wrap it up for this young master!" The shopkeeper hurried over. "Certainly! The young master and miss have excellent taste. This gown is loved by many young ladies. Just look at the craftsmanship and the fabric—both are of the finest quality." "My Jiaojiao deserves nothing but the best. We'll take this one!" "Very well, young master. Please settle the bill over here." "Settle the bill?" Pei Wuliang frowned, thinking he had misheard, and reiterated, "Shopkeeper, it was the eldest miss of the Jia family who sent us to try on the bridal gown. Are you asking us for money?"