STT – Chapter 25
by Little PandaShe Was Like a Thief Coveting Someone Else’s Treasure
The car finally drove into a manor villa in the suburbs. Spotting Jiang Huaixi’s car from a distance, the gatekeeper opened the gate and nodded with a smile of greeting. After entering, the car traveled another several dozen meters before pulling into the garage. Dozens of other cars were parked inside, mostly in conservative shades of black and silver-gray. Compared to the rest of the grand Jiang family estate, it was a rare display of understatement.
Lu Zizheng got out of the car and followed Jiang Huaixi outside. Taking a deep breath as she looked out over the sprawling lawn, she gave Jiang Huaixi a self-deprecating smile. “This Granny Lu has finally entered the Grand View Garden1 today. If I make a fool of myself by acting like a country bumpkin along the way, I hope Miss Jiang won’t laugh at me.”
Jiang Huaixi let out a soft laugh. “Even though your attitude when we went to Juzhou back in university left me highly dissatisfied, I’ve always been a magnanimous person and won’t hold a grudge. I certainly won’t act like you did. I’ll fulfill my duties responsibly and be an excellent tour guide.”
Lu Zizheng sighed and shook her head. “Why must you deceive yourself? If you were truly magnanimous, you wouldn’t have remembered this and kept nagging me about it until now.”
Jiang Huaixi helped carry two of the bags and led Lu Zizheng toward the main mansion. Arching an eyebrow, she said, “That was the first time I’d ever left Linzhou to visit another city, so naturally, it left a deep impression.”
Jiang Huaixi spoke casually, but Lu Zizheng was utterly astonished. She had assumed that for someone of Jiang Huaixi’s background, traveling and vacationing since childhood would have been second nature, and she would have known domestic and international tourist spots like the back of her hand. She had figured Jiang Huaixi’s trip to Juzhou was just a whim, and that her curiosity about the city was merely built on making things difficult for her. She had never expected that year would be Jiang Huaixi’s first time traveling. Thinking back on it, that unpleasant experience and her lack of hospitality made Lu Zizheng feel rather embarrassed.
Lu Zizheng hesitated for a moment before offering, “If you’re ever interested, how about I take you around Juzhou again?”
Jiang Huaixi merely glanced back at her and rejected the offer without mercy. “What’s the fun in visiting the same place twice?” At first, she had not known the root of Lu Zizheng’s emotional scars, thinking only of learning more about her. Over the years, she had come to understand that although Juzhou was Lu Zizheng’s hometown, the memories it held for her were more painful than happy. If the first time had been an unintentional offense, how could she ever give herself a second chance to hurt Lu Zizheng?
Unaware of the complex web of thoughts in Jiang Huaixi’s mind, Lu Zizheng felt her chest tighten at such a flat refusal of her kindness. She let out a soft huff and frowned. “Fine, don’t go then. Pretend I never said anything.” Jiang Huaixi possessed absolutely no sentimentality or romantic flair! Juzhou was not a tourist hotspot, but it was her hometown, after all. Its sentimental value far outweighed its recreational appeal.
Jiang Huaixi paused, then continued, “Consider it a trip you owe me. Once it’s convenient after a while, we can go to Fengzhou together.” She remembered when they worked at the campus radio station in university. Lu Zizheng wrote the scripts while she did the broadcasting, and Lu Zizheng had written about the scenery and local customs of Fengzhou time and again. Her yearning for Fengzhou had been plain to see.
Still miffed by Jiang Huaixi’s earlier cold rejection, Lu Zizheng threw her own words back at her. “I’m not going,” she retorted stubbornly. “What’s the fun in some little border town anyway?”
Jiang Huaixi also knitted her brows and casually mimicked her, “Oh? Okay, let’s not go then. Pretend I never said anything.”
Lu Zizheng bit her lip, growing even more annoyed. “Fine, we won’t!” Her petulance was obvious now. She quickened her pace, taking a few large strides until she was walking ahead of Jiang Huaixi.
Jiang Huaixi’s lips curved into a silent smile as she followed at a leisurely, unhurried pace.
Turning a corner onto the path leading to the main mansion, Lu Zizheng could see from a distance that the villa’s heavy doors were wide open. Standing before them was a tall, elegant, and dignified woman, watching her and Jiang Huaixi intently.
Jiang Huaixi introduced quietly, “That’s my mother.”
“Oh,” Lu Zizheng murmured. Feeling a wave of nervousness, she unconsciously slowed her steps.
Noticing this, Jiang Huaixi frowned and earnestly reminded her, “You’ve already spotted my mother, yet you’re deliberately walking so slowly. Hm, she might think you lack manners.”
Lu Zizheng immediately sped up.
Jiang Huaixi added, “My mother believes girls should be gentle and refined, moving with graceful, delicate steps. If you walk so fast, she might not like your posture.”
Lu Zizheng instantly tried to slow down. Her left foot decelerated, but her right foot was moving too fast to check. Losing her balance, she was about to stumble forward.
Quick-eyed and swift-handed, Jiang Huaixi reached out and stabilized her, her face wearing that teasing grin Lu Zizheng knew all too well.
Lu Zizheng slapped Jiang Huaixi’s hand hard and hissed, “You did that on purpose!”
Pulling back her hand in pain, Jiang Huaixi drew in a sharp breath. “Now my mother really saw that. She won’t be happy.”
Lu Zizheng immediately composed herself, offering a natural smile as she strolled calmly forward. “Let her see,” she replied coolly. “If your mother knew what you were up to, she’d agree you deserved a beating too.”
Jiang Huaixi rubbed the back of her hand, her eyes filled with amusement. Heh, it seemed she was no longer so nervous and apprehensive.
Just as the two reached the entrance and stepped onto the stairs, Mother Jiang took a few steps forward, looking at Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi with a warm, welcoming smile.
Lu Zizheng raised her head, offering a well-mannered smile. She discreetly observed Mother Jiang while waiting for Jiang Huaixi to introduce them so she could greet her.
Mother Jiang appeared barely forty. Her features bore some resemblance to Jiang Huaixi’s, but her overall aura was far gentler and softer. It was easy to see that she must have been a highly sought-after beauty in her youth.
Jiang Huaixi called out a quiet “Mother,” then introduced them. “Mother, this is Zizheng. Zizheng, this is my mother.”
Lu Zizheng greeted her politely, “Hello, Auntie.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Jiang Huaixi stepped forward with the gifts Lu Zizheng had bought. “These are the gifts Zizheng brought for everyone. She didn’t know what everyone liked, so she put a lot of thought into choosing them.”
Lu Zizheng blushed slightly, embarrassed as she offered the bags in her hands with both hands.
Mother Jiang took them with a smile, speaking cordially, “You really shouldn’t have gone to such expense just for a visit. You shouldn’t have spent so much.” Stepping aside, she gestured for them to enter. “Come, come inside.”
The two followed her inside. As they walked, Mother Jiang asked Jiang Huaixi with concern, “Have you had lunch?”
Jiang Huaixi replied flatly, “Not yet.”
Mother Jiang looked slightly displeased, knitting her brows. “Don’t you know how to take proper care of your own body? You can’t just skip meals whenever you’re feeling unwell or don’t feel like eating.”
Jiang Huaixi merely listened passively, offering no reply.
Once the three of them were seated on the sofa near the living room window, Mother Jiang, still worrying that Jiang Huaixi had not eaten lunch, softened her voice and urged, “There’s still some time before dinner. How about I have Aunt Zhou cook some noodles to tide you over?”
Jiang Huaixi refused coldly, “Don’t bother.”
Mother Jiang let out a sigh. Finally remembering Lu Zizheng, she asked with a smile, “Zizheng, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat first?”
Lu Zizheng felt awkward and would have politely declined under normal circumstances. However, she knew that if she agreed, Jiang Huaixi would surely eat something too, which would satisfy Mother Jiang’s wish. Just as she was hesitating, about to accept, Jiang Huaixi declined on her behalf. “Mom, you don’t need to trouble yourself.”
Left with no other options, Mother Jiang frowned, looking at Jiang Huaixi with a displeased expression.
Compared to Mother Jiang’s concern and attentiveness, Jiang Huaixi’s coldness was glaringly obvious. Lu Zizheng was rather surprised. Based on Jiang Huaixi’s warm attitude toward Mother Lu, she had assumed Jiang Huaixi would get along harmoniously with her own mother at home in a picture of domestic bliss. Even Mother Lu had praised Jiang Huaixi several times, saying that having a daughter as sensible and polite as her was a rare blessing. Who would have thought that between Jiang Huaixi and her own mother, there would be such an undercurrent of tension?
Just then, a servant entered the living room and spoke to Jiang Huaixi. “Miss, the Old Lady wants you to come to her room.”
Hearing this, Jiang Huaixi knitted her brows slightly, casting an uneasy glance at Lu Zizheng.
Lu Zizheng offered her a reassuring smile, indicating she should not worry, before Jiang Huaixi finally stood up and walked out.
Only Mother Jiang and Lu Zizheng remained in the living room. Neither spoke, and for a moment, the silence became uncomfortably quiet.
Mother Jiang was the first to break the ice, explaining her behavior from earlier. “Auntie was so focused on Huaixi just now that I forgot to mention her father and brother are still at the office and haven’t returned yet, so they weren’t here to welcome you. Please don’t take offense, Zizheng.” She sighed. “Zizheng, I don’t know what Huaixi ate at the annual gala last night, but she had a stomachache all night. She didn’t eat breakfast this morning, and she was running around outside all afternoon without lunch either. Sigh, she’s completely irresponsible with her health.”
Hearing this, Lu Zizheng knitted her brows in concern too. She really was completely irresponsible. Lu Zizheng racked her brain, certain she had seen nothing amiss when they were watching the fireworks last night. Could it have happened afterward? Suddenly, she remembered the completely finished plate of dumplings in the picture message Jiang Huaixi had sent her…
Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but feel vexed. Jiang Huaixi, you absolute fool.
As she was lost in thought, her gaze unconsciously drifted to a mulberry tree outside the window. Seeing her staring at it for so long, Mother Jiang assumed she was curious about why a lone mulberry tree would stand amidst a vast grove of plum trees, so she kindly explained, “Huaixi and Huaichuan planted that when they were little. Back when Huaichuan was in kindergarten, a classmate gave him two silkworms, so he brought them home to raise with Huaixi. They didn’t have any mulberry leaves, so every day, Huaichuan had to beg that classmate for some. He would trade his toys or agree to whatever demands the boy made. No matter how reluctant Huaichuan was, he went along with it for the sake of his silkworms. Huaixi got upset about it and told him, ‘If you beg from others, you place yourself at their mercy. We must be self-reliant and self-sufficient.’ After making a big fuss, the two of them ended up planting a mulberry tree of their own.” As Mother Jiang recalled the past, her eyes shone with maternal affection. Lu Zizheng saw this clearly, which made her all the more puzzled by Jiang Huaixi’s distant attitude toward her mother.
Mother Jiang suggested, “Zizheng, would you like to go around to the back to have a look? When Huaixi was a child, she did all her studying in the house behind the plum grove until she eventually left home.”
Lu Zizheng naturally nodded in agreement.
They stepped outside and walked around to the plum grove behind the living room. Through the dappled shadows of the trees, a small white villa could be seen in the back. Following a winding cobblestone path, they soon arrived in front of it.
Pointing to the window of the small white villa, Mother Jiang smiled and said, “When Huaichuan was little, he loved to cling to Huaixi. His kindergarten dismissed early, and the moment class was out, he would run here to find her. While Huaixi was having her lessons, the front doors were kept locked, so he couldn’t get inside. He’d drag a chair all the way from the living room, climb up, and press himself against the window to wave at her.”
Lu Zizheng pictured the scene and found it incredibly sweet. “They had such a close bond…” she smiled.
But Mother Jiang seemed to recall something else. The smile at the corners of her mouth turned slightly bitter as she softly echoed, “Yes, they had a wonderful relationship back then…”
Suddenly snapping back to the present, she pointed to a small hillock next to the small white villa. “That’s where we buried the little dog Huaixi had raised since she was four. It fell ill and died when she was ten. She buried it right next to the place where she spent the most time, because she was afraid it would be lonely. She cried for an entire night, pressing her face against the window and staring out at this spot, refusing to go to sleep.”
It was hard for Lu Zizheng to imagine Jiang Huaixi being so affectionate as a child. She suddenly felt a pang of regret that she had not been able to be a part of Jiang Huaixi’s past.
Mother Jiang continued, “Back then, I couldn’t help but think that a girl who values her affections so deeply is bound to suffer in love.” Having said that, she paused, casting a deep, meaningful look at Lu Zizheng. “Zizheng, a parent doesn’t ask for much from their children. My only hope for Huaixi as she grew up has been for her to be safe and healthy, to find a warm and caring partner, and, if she is willing, to have a child or two. To enjoy the warmth of family with children playing at her feet… Surely an auntie’s request isn’t too much to ask, is it?”
That single look made Lu Zizheng feel as though she had been plunged into an ice cellar.
Mother Jiang looked at her with a beaming smile, her eyes burning with a deep, piercing intensity. “Zizheng, can you fulfill Auntie’s simple wish?”
At that moment, under Mother Jiang’s piercing gaze, Lu Zizheng felt like a thief coveting someone else’s rare, priceless treasure. She was consumed by a shame so profound she wished the ground would swallow her whole.
She shouldn’t have been so ashamed and flustered. She had always kept their relationship strictly within the bounds of friendship, never crossing the line. Yet in this very moment, under the soft knife of Mother Jiang, she finally realized how deeply she had been deceiving herself.
It was because she harbored forbidden hopes that she felt so deeply ashamed. It reminded her of her middle school days, when her first love Zhou Fangfan’s mother had pointed a finger right at her own mother’s face, screeching, “Watch your own child! Don’t let her corrupt others!” At that time, her mother’s teeth had ground together so hard they clicked, yet she had been utterly powerless to argue.
Back then, the spit from Zhou Fangfan’s mother had sprayed all over her face and eyes, but she had forced herself to endure it without even daring to wipe it away. That feeling was something she had remembered for a very, very long time.
Just like right now…
NAURRRRRRRRR