Chapter 321

Chapter 321: You Attracted a Rotten Admirer

Chen Ruo Lan didn’t understand, but she knew the opportunity had been completely wasted. Still, she was good at hiding her feelings and putting on a show, so she slowly breathed out and said with apparent sincerity: “That’s great. With Big Brother and Elder Sister-in-law taking the lead, I’m sure Madam Song will forgive Jin’er.”

Jiang Yu Wei nodded, and Lin Jing Xuan, not hearing any hidden resentment in her tone, smiled and said: “Don’t worry. It shouldn’t be anything serious.”

The two of them acted as soon as they spoke, sending people to ready the carriage and prepare the gifts. They would leave as soon as everything was set.

Xiao Qing Xuan considered going along, but then thought of Nuan’er and decided she had better stay and handle other matters. Besides, she knew Jin’er’s true status and was certain Jin’er would be fine. The only real worry was: if Jin’er’s official identity was exposed, how would Big Brother and Elder Sister-in-law react? She glanced at Jiang Yu Chuan.

Jiang Yu Chuan, clearly thinking of the girl’s special identity as well, coughed lightly and stepped forward: “I’ll go along and take a look. I’ve met Commandery Governor Song a few times and spoken with him. I should be of some use.”

Jiang Yu Wei agreed with a nod.

Soon, a carriage loaded with gifts was brought to the manor gate. Yu Zhi Yi walked at the side of Jiang Yu Wei and Lin Jing Xuan. Worried she might commit some small impropriety, they kept reminding her of the etiquette, detail by detail. After finishing, Lin Jing Xuan thought again and, finding nothing missed, added: “Although the commandery governor’s madam holds high rank, our Martial Alliance is no small household either. As long as you aren’t rude, you needn’t be too stiff. In all things, your uncle and I are here.”

Truthfully, if Jin’er hadn’t missed the meeting first, they wouldn’t need to lower their posture at all.

Feeling the care of her elders, Yu Zhi Yi nodded: “Aunt, please be at ease. I won’t cause you any trouble.”

Looking at the junior by her side, Lin Jing Xuan felt a warm pride. Jin’er might have grown up outside, but she was very well-mannered. She believed that if the two sons hadn’t run into danger last night and Jin’er had gone to the appointment, Jin’er would have gotten along well with Madam Song.

Not far away, Chen Xin Yue watched Yu Zhi Yi walking abreast with Jiang Yu Wei and his wife, hatred filling her eyes. [This little wretch came back to steal everything from me!] The one who should have been cherished and valued by everyone in the Martial Alliance was supposed to be Chen Xin Yue. Even Jiang Si Ying, that tight-lipped gourd, wasn’t her match. But ever since the little wretch returned, she had easily captured everyone’s goodwill. Now she was even being personally escorted by the elder couple to the commandery governor’s manor.

It was said Commandery Governor Song had two sons, both unmarried: the elder both scholarly and skilled in arms, the younger gentle and refined-both outstanding in every way. There wasn’t a girl in Tian’an Commandery who didn’t want to marry one of those two young masters. The elder aunt’s trip today was clearly paving the road for the little wretch.

Hateful! [If that little wretch hadn’t come back, those two young masters could have been matched to me and that taciturn Jiang Si Ying.] Now that the little wretch was back, her chance had to be given up.

Beside her, a lively girl who had come to join the Earthly Ranking tournament looked curiously at Jiang Yu Wei, his wife, and Yu Zhi Yi walking together in the distance, and asked: “Miss Chen, is that the recently found Second Miss?”

Chen Xin Yue managed to control her face with great effort and said mildly: “Yes, that’s my second sister.”

The lively girl’s gaze was picky: “She’s pretty, but I wonder how her martial arts are?”

Because neither the welcome banquet nor the later Grand Horse Racing Meet was open to the entire martial world, not everyone had seen Yu Zhi Yi’s face. This spirited miss was one of the many who hadn’t.

Suddenly, the girl’s expression changed. A young, bold-looking man was walking toward them from afar. There was an indescribable noble air about him, different from the rough edge most people of the martial world carried-heroic in bearing and quietly exalted. The girl’s eyes widened, her cheeks flushing; her heart thumped faster, and her hands curled into fists without her noticing.

Chen Xin Yue narrowed her eyes and gave a faint, mocking smile.

By then, the man had already reached the two of them. He didn’t even spare them a glance and was about to pass by.

“Wait!” The lively girl’s mouth moved faster than her thoughts, and she called out.

The man paused, turned his head to them, let his gaze slide off Chen Xin Yue’s face, then looked at the stranger with mild confusion: “Miss, were you calling me?”

The lively girl cleared her throat and forced a calm tone: “Yes, you. Which family’s young master are you? Why haven’t I seen you before?”

The man was the Marquis Wu’an’s heir apparent in disguise. At her question he glanced at Chen Xin Yue again, then said, cool and brief: “Sorry. I’m not any clan’s young master in the martial world-just the Second Miss’s bodyguard.” With that, he ignored the two and strode quickly toward Yu Zhi Yi.

“He… he’s only a bodyguard?” The lively girl’s eyes went round in disbelief.

Chen Xin Yue tucked away her look of watching a show and, with a hint of regret, said: “Miss Wei, it does feel incredible, doesn’t it? I think so too.” She sighed lightly: “This young master returned with my sister and the Second Master. He calls himself my sister’s bodyguard, and these days he truly has stayed by her side, taking orders only from her. He doesn’t even show courtesy to my uncle.”

For a moment, Miss Wei’s face twisted. She had never expected the first stirrings of her heart, in eighteen whole years, would be for a mere bodyguard. What kind of family could a man have if he worked as a bodyguard? People of the martial world might be casual in many things, but marriage wasn’t one of them; they still believed in matching families.

Even if the man she liked was guarding the Martial Alliance’s Second Miss, still-he was of low rank. And yet…

Even if he was “low,” he was a striking, heroic “low.” Other than the Martial Alliance’s few young masters, she had never met a man with such noble presence. Her young heart fell in an instant. She wanted to fly toward him like a moth to a flame.

Yu Zhi Yi glanced at the Marquis Wu’an’s heir apparent and suddenly smiled with amusement. He had come to say a brief goodbye: new clues had appeared at Juxian Manor, and he needed to check them himself. But before he could finish his farewell, he found Yu Zhi Yi watching him with a half-smile. His heart skipped and he asked, low and cautious: “Miss, did something happen?”

Yu Zhi Yi laughed softly and said: “Nothing big-you’ve just attracted a rotten admirer.”