Chapter 47: He Has Returned

Su Cha knocked on the door outside. "Miss, would you like your dinner brought up?"

Xianyu Jing opened the door. "No need, I'll just go down and eat."

Throughout dinner, Aunt Rong and Su Cha watched Xianyu Jing's expression nervously.

She wasn't happy, that's for sure.

With everyone watching her, Xianyu Jing lost her appetite even more. She barely touched her food before heading upstairs.

Soon after, Su Cha went to report to Madam Nangong.

Aunt Rong called Cui Hao, asking whether Young Master Ao would be returning to the mansion tonight.

Cui Hao replied, "Aunt Rong, I'll be sleeping at the company again tonight!"

Aunt Rong understood, but she still mentioned, "The young miss seemed to be upset at school today."

Cui Hao, exhausted from days of overtime, barely processed the information and simply murmured an "Oh."

Aunt Rong snapped, "I told you to let the young master know, why are you just saying 'oh'!"

"Huh?" Cui Hao was still confused. "But the young master doesn't handle school matters, does he?"

Aunt Rong grew annoyed. "Let Sister Bai take the call!"

This child was hopeless—communication was impossible!

"Sister Bai isn’t here!" Cui Hao replied, sounding genuinely aggrieved.

Because Sister Bai wasn’t around, he was stuck working overtime.

"..."

Aunt Rong paused, then hung up.

Indeed, the young master was so busy these days he barely had time to set foot in the house. He probably couldn't spare any energy for the young miss.

Just as Aunt Rong was thinking this, she spotted Xiao Gao outside speaking with Jiang Mohe. She grinned and went out.

"Captain Jiang, you’re finally back! I thought the young master had fired you!" Xiao Gao was so delighted his words slipped.

Aunt Rong came close, overhearing this, and snorted, "You silly boy, what nonsense! The young master values talent. Xiao Jiang is outstanding; why would he let him go?"

Xiao Gao shrank back, sticking out his tongue. "Yes, yes, I was wrong, I was wrong!"

Aunt Rong shot him a glance, then smiled kindly at Jiang Mohe. "Xiao Jiang, you must have been swamped these days, right? Tired? There’s a lot of chicken soup left tonight. Would you like a bowl?"

Jiang Mohe didn’t decline her kindness and followed her into the dining room.

Aunt Rong went into the kitchen and ladled out a bowl of soup. "Drink this while I tidy up the kitchen."

Su Cha, just finished reporting her work, entered and saw Jiang Mohe at the table. Her face was both surprised and displeased. "What are you doing here?"

Jiang Mohe ignored her.

Su Cha’s brows knitted as she demanded loudly, "Didn’t you leave the mansion? Why are you back?"

Jiang Mohe picked up the chicken soup and drank it, treating her as though she were invisible.

Su Cha angrily stepped forward, and Aunt Rong, coming out, called, "Su Cha, are you arguing with Xiao Jiang?"

Su Cha turned, puzzled. "Aunt Rong, the young master drove him out. How could you let him in?"

And let him drink chicken soup!

Aunt Rong gave her a reproachful look. "The young master didn’t drive Xiao Jiang away! He just sent him to handle other things."

This girl always seemed to want Xiao Jiang gone!

"You—"

Su Cha glared at Jiang Mohe, seeing he didn’t deny it, and grew even angrier.

She huffed and left.

She had to tell Madam Nangong that this dangerous, cunning man couldn’t stay in the mansion, or it would be like raising a tiger in their midst.

After Su Cha left, Aunt Rong pursed her lips unhappily. "Su Cha really is out of line, and to think Steward Xue raised her!"

She actually interfered in the master's personnel decisions!

Jiang Mohe silently finished his chicken soup and got up to take the bowl to the sink, but Aunt Rong quickly took it from him. "No need, I'll wash it."

"Thank you." Jiang Mohe’s gratitude was heartfelt.

Here, Aunt Rong was truly kind to him.

Aunt Rong smiled. "No need to be so polite! There’s only so much soup left tonight because the young miss had no appetite."

As she spoke, Aunt Rong glanced at Jiang Mohe out of the corner of her eye.

"What happened to the young miss?" Jiang Mohe asked.

Aunt Rong replied immediately, "She was upset at school today, but she won’t talk to us about it. The young master has been busy with the company these days..."

In other words, no one was there to comfort or guide the young miss, and she didn’t know what to do.

Jiang Mohe lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. "My current assignment is to protect the young miss. If she has time tonight, I’d like to discuss security arrangements with her."

Aunt Rong quickly said, "The young miss doesn’t go to sleep so early. I’ll go ask for you."

---

Xianyu Jing hadn’t gone to bed yet—she was lying on her bed listening to Mao Wan Dou curse Zuo Qingqing!

It turned out Zuo Qingqing had caused trouble not only at Li Yang Academy today but also loudly complained in their old high school class group.

She claimed Xianyu Jing’s old illness had been brought up again at Li Yang Academy, suspected it was Xianyu Jing’s doing, and now that Xianyu Jing had somehow become part of the Nangong family, she would surely seek revenge... and so on.

Mao Wan Dou had just typed "Nonsense!" in the group when she was kicked out by the group admin. Furious, she went to find Xianyu Jing, cursing the admin and Zuo Qingqing for colluding.

Xianyu Jing wasn’t angry anymore—in fact, she felt a bit relieved.

Relieved that Zuo Qingqing liked to stir up trouble so much, she no longer needed to hesitate about settling old and new scores together.

Mao Wan Dou, hoping for Zuo Qingqing to get what she deserved, asked excitedly, "Idle Fish, do you plan to steam her or braise her?"

In their "Stew Group," "steaming" meant attacking openly, while "braising" meant striking from the shadows.

"Steaming," Xianyu Jing replied.

She disliked underhanded tactics. Besides, with the Nangong family’s resources, an open confrontation would be more intimidating.

But how should she broach the subject with Young Master Ao?

"Knock knock knock..." It was Aunt Rong. "Miss, Xiao Jiang would like to speak with you."

Xianyu Jing paused. He was back? Did Sister Bai intercede with Young Master Ao?

She put down her phone and followed Aunt Rong downstairs.

Not seeing Jiang Mohe, Aunt Rong pointed outside, indicating he was in the garden.

Xianyu Jing walked out and looked toward the garden, and sure enough, she saw the familiar figure.

She approached slowly; Jiang Mohe turned from where he stood with his back to her.

He looked thinner! That was Xianyu Jing’s first impression.

In recent days, Jiang Mohe and Ah Si had been searching everywhere for the remaining fugitives from Zhengxuan Gate. Sometimes they had to keep watch day and night, with irregular meals—losing weight was inevitable.

"Why aren’t you eating?"

Jiang Mohe asked naturally, as if they were close.

Xianyu Jing was slightly taken aback. His tone was inexplicably like her brother’s at times.

"I ate, just not much," she replied. "What about you?"

What she wanted to ask was how he’d been lately, but Jiang Mohe answered, "Just had some chicken soup."