Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Jiang Jiang’s Plot Recap (2)
This was a women’s romance novel. Even if it was a strict 1v1 love line, the heroine still needed a few devoted protectors and “blue-faced confidants.” Otherwise, what was the point of being the heroine?
The most infatuated male supporting lead around Chu Yun Yue was Fu Qing Liu—number one “genius scholar” in the capital. At the upcoming spring flower-viewing poetry party, he’d be conquered by the heroine’s talent and start orbiting her like a moth around a lantern.
As for Fu Qing Liu…
Jiang Jiang mentally waved him away.
That guy only knew how to recite poems and pose like a painting, and his emotional intelligence was a tragedy.
She took that flimsy character card and tore it right down the middle.
If Fu Qing Liu had feelings, he’d probably protest, “Do you have any manners?”
And Jiang Jiang would only laugh. “Heh.”
But besides Fu Qing Liu, Chu Yun Yue also had someone far more useful—someone who could actually keep her alive.
A genius assassin.
Chen Jin Ting.
He was the capital’s hidden ace, a top-tier bounty assassin: deadly, cold, and impossible to read.
In the original plot, there was a flashback from Chen Jin Ting. In the spring of Jianping Year Three, he accepted a mission to assassinate an expert living in seclusion in the capital. He succeeded, but he was badly wounded. The night patrol discovered him, chased him, and in the end he collapsed unconscious in a narrow alley behind the Chu residence.
That same night, Chu Yun Yue had planned to sneak out through a side gate to buy snacks. Instead, she “picked up” the unconscious assassin and dragged him back.
Back then, Chu Yun Yue hadn’t fallen into the water. Her past-life soul hadn’t awakened. She looked foolish—but even foolish, she was kind. She hid Chen Jin Ting, found herbs, and treated his injuries.
True goodness really was the heroine’s core setting.
Then Jiang Jiang’s eyes sharpened.
Spring of Jianping Year Three…
Wasn’t it spring of Jianping Year Three right now?
So did that mean Chen Jin Ting was already in the capital?
Before she could chase that thought further, her brother’s voice rang out from outside.
“Jiang Jiang! Come out and help!”
“Oh! Coming!” Jiang Jiang shot to her feet.
She ran into the yard and froze.
Jiang Chao Sheng was supporting a bruised, swollen-faced Li Er Shan—her classmate—who looked like he’d picked a fight with a wall and lost.
“Uh…” Jiang Jiang blinked. “What happened?”
Jiang Chao Sheng snorted. “I told you. Lust is a blade over your head. Er Shan saw some official family’s miss, thought she was pretty, followed her just to stare a little longer, and got beaten up by her guard. Serves him right.”
Apparently, Jiang Chao Sheng had meant to stay with Li Er Shan, but Li Er Shan had sprinted off the moment he spotted the girl. By the time Jiang Chao Sheng found him again, Li Er Shan was already like this.
Luckily, the guard hadn’t hit too hard. Otherwise, what Jiang Chao Sheng dragged home would’ve been a corpse.
Li Er Shan tried to speak. His mouth opened. Nothing came out.
Everything hurt. His face hurt most.
And being seen like this by Jiang Jiang made it worse. Humiliation had its own sharp sting.
“Brother, don’t say that,” Jiang Jiang said, barely holding back a laugh. “We’re all young. We should understand each other. Hot-blooded youth and secret crushes—totally normal.”
She hurried off to fetch wound medicine and styptic powder. Since her brother practiced martial arts, the household always kept these supplies.
Soon, in the Jiang family’s side room, Jiang Chao Sheng was bandaging Li Er Shan with solemn focus.
Jiang Jiang hovered, circling them like a curious cat. Then she asked, casually, “Brother, the results come out in a few days. Are you really not nervous?”
Jiang Chao Sheng paused and looked up. “What—are you afraid I’ll pass and you’ll lose all your money?”
So he did know about the bet with Father.
Father treated him as the Jiang family’s hope.
His sister, on the other hand, seemed to be praying for disaster.
Jiang Jiang’s smile stiffened for a heartbeat. “No—no, I’m nervous for you. I heard lots of students are staying at inns in the capital so they can see the list the moment it’s posted. So…” She blinked, sweet as honey. “How about we go a few days early and stay there for a couple nights?”
“Absolutely not,” Jiang Chao Sheng said at once, finishing the bandage. Then he gave her a slow look. “Inns in the capital aren’t cheap. You little demon girl—are you the one who wants to go play, but you don’t want to spend money, so you’re trying to trick me?”
He sounded confident.
Like he’d solved her entire soul.
Jiang Jiang clutched her chest, wounded. “Brother, you’re my real brother and I’m your real sister. Is that really how you see me?”
Her eyes shimmered like tears were about to gather. “Fine. Good intentions turned into donkey liver. I was even going to pay for the inn myself…”
“It’s settled,” Jiang Chao Sheng said instantly.
Jiang Jiang: shameless scholars.
Li Er Shan, wrapped up like a mummy, looked like he’d already accepted this as normal family behavior. He tried to speak—probably to ask if he could come too.
But he couldn’t.
Because Jiang Chao Sheng, for reasons known only to heaven, had wrapped cloth around Li Er Shan’s mouth as well.
Li Er Shan’s eyes screamed: Brother Jiang, I hurt my face, not my ability to breathe!