Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 769 - 722: Growing Estrangement, Discovering Secrets (1)

Chapter 769: Chapter 722: Growing Estrangement, Discovering Secrets (1)

Pei Shenyan suddenly grasped Li Yuwen’s hand, nervously asking, "Will Yuwen leave me one day?"

Li Yuwen was taken aback. Why did this man suddenly ask that?

What is he thinking?

She laughed in exasperation, hugging Pei Shenyan and said with a smile, "I won’t leave. You’re different from others." After speaking, she realized her words were not quite right, so she leaned closer to Pei Shenyan’s ear and softly corrected herself, "You’re the first man I’ve taken a liking to. I can’t be bothered to look at anyone else. All my firsts belong to you..."

The first man I’ve seriously looked at, the first hand I’ve held, the first kiss...

Saying such straightforward words to Pei Shenyan in broad daylight, Li Yuwen embarrassedly lowered her head, lips curved in a smile.

Pei Shenyan held her, lightly coughing, "Let’s talk about it more when we get back."

Li Yuwen was stunned, "..." This jerk, teasing her?

Her face flushed. Was he really being serious?

.

Even though Jiang Suyun couldn’t find the Xue Family to confront them, Li Yuwen’s words still made her more cautious.

She no longer listened to Yu Wen Zan wholeheartedly.

When Yu Wen Zan said he didn’t have time to take her home at night and would arrange for two more guards to escort her, for the first time Jiang Suyun didn’t gently accept it but instead said plainly, "Is Brother Zan busy with something else tonight?"

Yu Wen Zan, feeling guilty, awkwardly said, "Elder brother’s wake is ongoing, I need to look after it at night and can’t leave. Father and mother’s health isn’t good either, so I need to take care of them." He held Jiang Suyun’s hand, looking apologetic, "I’m sorry. Once the funeral is over, I’ll spend more time with you, okay?"

Jiang Suyun lightly nodded, "Okay."

After dining at the Yuwen Mansion, Yu Wen Zan indeed arranged for two more guards than yesterday to escort Jiang Suyun home.

Actually, Jiang Suyun’s elder brother was also escorting her.

With the younger sister not yet married, the elder brother was uneasy about her traveling alone at night. He would come to the Yuwen Mansion early every day to handle affairs and take her home after dinner.

Yu Wen Zan stood at the mansion’s gate, sending off the siblings, and reminded the guards to ensure her safe return home.

The capital’s security hadn’t seen any major disturbances in recent years. The Yuwen Family and Jiang Family were just separated by four neighborhoods, walking distance back and forth. Reminding the guards seemed a bit redundant.

Jiang Dalang smiled and said to Jiang Suyun, "Yu Wen Zan cares a lot about you."

Jiang Suyun didn’t say anything, just smiled lightly.

As the carriage left the Yuwen Family, and took a turn at the entrance of the first neighborhood, Jiang Suyun lightly instructed the maid beside her, "Immediately go back and secretly watch the Second Young Master Zan to see if he goes out tonight."

The maid was puzzled, "Miss, why should I follow the Second Young Master?"

"Don’t ask so much. Also, don’t let him notice you." Jiang Suyun ordered the driver to stop, "I left something at the Yuwen Mansion. Let the maid go back to get it, stop the carriage."

The driver stopped.

The maid got off, bowed to Jiang Dalang, and quickly ran back.

Jiang Dalang said, "Little sister, we have to come back tomorrow morning, what does it matter if something is left there?"

"But it’s my sachet, I can’t just throw it around. What if a servant takes it?" Through the curtain, Jiang Suyun gave her brother a sidelong glance.

Jiang Dalang chuckled, "Little sister is absolutely right. Your personal belongings indeed shouldn’t be randomly laid aside."

After returning to the Jiang Mansion, it wasn’t even an hour before her maid returned.

"What happened? Did the Second Young Master Yu Wen go out?" Jiang Suyun immediately asked.

The maid was astonished, "Miss, you’re amazing, you actually guessed that the Second Young Master would go out. As soon as you left, the Second Young Master went out too. He traveled by sedan chair. The bearers didn’t move fast, and I followed by running quietly, eventually seeing him enter a small courtyard."

Jiang Suyun’s mood became chaotic, "Where is this small courtyard?"

The maid replied, "Not too far, it is only five neighborhoods away from the Duke Zhongyi Mansion, but it’s far from our house and in a different direction."

"Take me there." Jiang Suyun stood up.

The maid looked outside the window, "Ah? Miss, it’s already dark, no need to rush now, is there? The Second Young Master is just handling some matters, why should Miss see it?"

But Jiang Suyun insisted, "If you won’t go, I’ll go by myself."

The maid, looking troubled, had to nod, "Alright, we can go. But it’s already nighttime, we must leave quietly and can’t let Master and Madam find out."

The Jiang Family has strict rules, and Grand Tutor Jiang is responsible for overseeing the Emperor’s conduct, naturally ensuring his children don’t behave inappropriately. Once it’s dark, Jiang family members are not allowed to leave for entertainment.

Visiting relatives at night or going on visits requires the company of the eldest brother or older stewards.

No children should go out alone.

Going out secretly frightened the maid, her face going pale with fear.

But unable to resist Jiang Suyun’s threats and soft persuasions, the maid had to agree, "The sooner we go, the sooner we return. We shouldn’t linger outside too long."

"Got it, quickly change your clothes." Jiang Suyun urged.

The two of them pretended to visit the elderly lady’s room and told the other two maids in the courtyard to rest early. They quietly changed into darker-colored clothes, Jiang Suyun donned a dark cloak, and left through the side door with the maid.

They rented a carriage halfway and arrived at the small courtyard the maid had mentioned.

After dismissing the carriage, they hid in the shadows.

"Miss, it is that place." The maid pointed at a small two-entry house across the road and whispered.

Jiang Suyun surveyed the surroundings and realized she had never been to this place.

Yu Wen Zan had told her that all his villas and family shops had already been disclosed to her.

Yes, he had told her everything— except this one?

The two stood in the alley opposite the house for a long time but didn’t see anyone come out from the small courtyard.

The maid whispered, "Miss, let’s go back. There’s no light in the courtyard, maybe the Second Young Master has already left?"

Jiang Suyun’s legs were numb, and she hadn’t seen anyone come out of the courtyard. She nodded dejectedly, "Let’s go back."

But just as she turned around, the courtyard door suddenly opened.

A young woman came out carrying a lantern.

Soon after, a tall man also emerged. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Go inside, it’s chilly outside," the man said softly to the woman.

"Remember to come on time tomorrow night," the young woman gently tugged the man’s hand and said softly.

The man squeezed the woman’s hand and strode forward.

About ten steps away, Jiang Suyun and her maid, standing in the dark, were shocked and speechless.

Jiang Suyun’s legs buckled, and she sank to the ground.

Her maid quickly supported her, dared not to scream, only pulled her up with force.

But Jiang Suyun had already sat on the ground; the maid couldn’t hold her up.

The woman from the opposite small courtyard hadn’t gone back inside yet. She stood at the entrance, holding a lantern, watching the man walk away into the distance.

The weak lantern light illuminated the woman’s face.

It was a familiar face.

Only when the man’s figure completely disappeared around the corner ahead did the woman turn around and enter the courtyard.

The courtyard door closed with a creak, and the small courtyard returned to dead silence.

In the alley opposite the courtyard, Jiang Suyun sat on the ground holding her face, crying.

"Miss, don’t cry. Let’s ask the Second Young Master Yu Wen for an explanation, okay?" the maid was both anxious and scared, not knowing what to do.

Oh God, what did she just see?

The miss’s fiancé came out of another woman’s courtyard.

The two were holding hands, looking very close.

In the dead of night, a man and a woman intimately saying goodbye, who knows what unspeakable things they did before.

The maid was furious for Jiang Suyun.

"Let’s go back!" Jiang Suyun, enduring immense sadness, supported herself on the maid and got up from the ground.

.

Jiang Suyun didn’t know how she got home.

Once inside the house, she said nothing and threw herself on the bed to sleep.

Without washing, she lay stiffly, staring blankly at the canopy above her in the night.

The maid was frightened, went over to gently push her, "Miss, Miss? Please don’t be like this, I’m scared."

"Chunmei, did I just have a dream?" Jiang Suyun weakly asked, "Was it a dream?"

Chunmei began to cry, "Miss, let’s talk to Madam about this."

Jiang Suyun sighed, turned her head, and with red eyes said, "Crying for what? I’m fine." She propped herself up to sit, "Get me some water to wash, I must have been dreaming; everything will be fine after a sleep."

Chunmei didn’t dare to leave, worried that if she did, Jiang Suyun might think poorly of herself.

She called another maid in the courtyard to fetch water while she stayed closely by Jiang Suyun’s side.

Jiang Suyun only seemed dazed when she first entered the room, laid on the bed and silently cried for a while, then, as if nothing had happened, went about undressing and washing as usual.

The other maid, unaware, talked to Jiang Suyun as she normally would.