Chapter 23: Strictly for Eating and Sleeping

The Tang estate.

The families of the eldest and second branches were gathered in the Matriarch’s courtyard to pay their respects. Grandfather Tang and Grandmother Tang beamed, their faces filled with delight at the sight of their harmonious family.

Suddenly, the arrival of a group disrupted the old patriarch’s mood. His smile vanished, and he stared coldly at his married daughter, who had arrived in a flurry of agitation. "I had assumed the Jiang family had decided to sever ties with the Tangs! Is this aggressive display meant to be an interrogation?"

Grandmother Tang offered a strained, insincere smile to smooth things over. "Oh, come now. Perhaps she simply forgot to visit before Jiang Ning’s wedding, and now she’s here! But wait, where is the new son-in-law?"

Grandfather Tang snorted, "Clearly, he looks down upon the Tang family’s status, which is why he hasn't shown his face!"

"Father, Mother, that’s not it..." Madam Jiang stammered. She was desperate to explain, but her mind was consumed by the disappearance of Tang Qingwan. She scanned the room anxiously, not seeing her niece, but finding it strange that the household seemed entirely unbothered.

Sensing her distress, Jiang Ning tugged on her mother’s arm and offered a reassuring look. Once her mother had calmed down, Jiang Ning bowed respectfully to her grandparents. "My apologies for the sudden visit. Jiuru was unaware of our plans, and he is currently busy preparing for the spring imperial examinations; he did not intend any slight by his absence."

Without giving the Tangs a chance to press the matter, Jiang Ning continued, "I went to the magistrate's office earlier because my maid, Lu La, was assaulted. To my surprise, I happened to run into Young Master Bo."

At the mention of Bo Yijin, the crowd’s attention shifted immediately, and the issue of the son-in-law was forgotten.

The second mistress of the Tang family, feeling a deep-seated resentment toward Jiang Ning’s radiant confidence, snapped, "Regardless of your marriage, Young Master Bo will soon be your brother-in-law. With Qingwan not here, you ought to maintain a proper distance from him!"

"Second Aunt is right. It was Young Master Bo who stopped me, though it was indeed regarding my cousin." Jiang Ning swept her gaze across the room calmly. "Young Master Bo told me that Cousin Qingwan has gone missing."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. They might have doubted Jiang Ning, but they trusted Bo Yijin’s word implicitly.

Grandmother Tang turned to her daughter-in-law. "Where is Qingwan? You told me she didn't come to pay respects because she was feeling unwell. Tell me, where is she?"

"She... she..." The second mistress trembled, loathing Jiang Ning for this revelation. With her mother-in-law pressing her, she could no longer conceal the truth. "Qingwan is not in the residence. She must have gone out to clear her mind; she will be back in a day or two..."

Grandfather Tang slammed his hand on the table, his beard twitching with rage. "You knew she was missing? Even the Bo family knows, yet you kept it from us!"

"It’s not... she isn't missing, she just went out to clear her head..."

"If Qingwan has truly vanished, what will become of our alliance with the Bo family?"

The Tang family descended into a state of panic. Jiang Ning found it laughable; Tang Qingwan was intended to be a concubine in the Bo household. The audacity of this family to still harbor hopes of becoming in-laws with the Bo clan was staggering.

She interrupted their bickering. "Upon hearing the news of my cousin’s disappearance, my parents and I were deeply concerned, so we came immediately to inform you."

Grandfather Tang’s expression softened slightly. Although Jiang Ning had forced his second son to empty the family coffers to pay off debts, she at least knew when to prioritize the family’s reputation.

"Have Second Uncle and Second Aunt reported this to the authorities?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Absolutely not!" the second mistress shrieked, her eyes wide with panic. "We cannot involve the authorities! If news of her disappearance spreads, it will ruin her reputation!"

"But Young Master Bo already knows."

"That doesn't matter! Once we find her, we shall simply say she went to the temple to pray for a few days!"

Grandmother Tang agreed, "Yes, search privately. Do not report this."

Jiang Ning shrugged. It had nothing to do with her, and she would respect the Tang family’s decision—though she wondered what Bo Yijin might uncover on his own.

The Tang household was immediately mobilized to search for Tang Qingwan. The Jiang family soon took their leave, and Jiang Ning returned to the Pei residence after lunch.

As she entered, Lu La hurried to greet her. "Has the young mistress eaten?"

"Yes. Where is Pei Jiuru?"

"The young master went to his study after his meal."

"I see."

They had agreed to dine together, and she had broken that promise, but she knew full well that Pei Jiuru would never have left the house to look for her. Even though she hadn't faced any real trouble, her maid Hong Rui was a sieve and would have recounted every detail of the day to him. Even knowing she had returned to the Jiang residence and then gone to the Tangs, he had made no move to join her.

Fine. Their agreement only stipulated that they play the part of a loving couple in front of her parents; the Tang family meant nothing.

Putting Pei Jiuru out of her mind, Jiang Ning had Hong Rui bring her the account books from the past month. Her abacus clicked rapidly as she worked, and by the end of the afternoon, she had balanced the accounts for nine shops. Seeing the profits, she felt refreshed.

Her good mood carried through to the evening when she met Pei Jiuru in the dining hall. After the meal, Jiang Ning walked away with a light step, turning her head to smile at him. "I checked at the magistrate's office today. Those men won't be coming out for at least four months. You can focus on your studies in peace."

"Hong Rui told me. Thank you," Pei Jiuru said, stretching his stiff neck. "A servant of mine from Hangzhou will arrive at the estate in a few days. His name is Qingtong."

"Lu La, inform the gatekeeper," Jiang Ning said. As she reached the corridor, she noticed Pei Jiuru following her and stopped. "Aren't you going to your study?"

"I'll go tomorrow. I slept poorly last night."

Jiang Ning didn't know how to respond. The familiar, quiet awkwardness crept between them. Their arrangement was purely for the sake of daily living—eating and sleeping. If they spent their leisure time together, would they just stare at each other in silence?

They walked back to the bedroom side-by-side. Jiang Ning felt a bit constrained. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Pei Jiuru pull a book from his sleeve and settle onto the daybed to read, leaving her to her own tasks.

An hour and a half later, Jiang Ning yawned. "Lu La, pass on my instructions to Manager Zhang. Tell him to reflect deeply on the 'marketing' strategies I discussed with him. I'm tired; that is all."

Lu La nodded. Before leaving, she cast a secret glance at the daybed, thinking that there would be no need to fetch water for bathing tonight.

Jiang Ning lay on the bed, when suddenly her vision went dark. She looked up to see Pei Jiuru standing by the bedside, holding a pillow.

She scooted inward and asked, "Are you sleeping here?"

"Yes. The daybed is uncomfortable."

"Fine." As she felt the mattress dip under his weight, her heart began to race. Although they had spoken openly during the day and reached an understanding, the idea of doing *that* at night felt a bit too rushed.

Then again, it seemed she had been the one in a rush all along. Perhaps letting him feel the pressure for once was for the best.

Jiang Ning’s mind wandered, until she noticed that the person beside her was unnervingly quiet. She turned her head to look.

"..."

She couldn't help but laugh. He was already fast asleep.