Chapter 322: A Welcoming Gift
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting intricate patterns on the floor like paper-cut decorations. The surrounding opulence seemed to fade away.
He remembered Luo Xia watching over the child in the room, her face full of happiness, beaming with smiles.
It wasn’t that they were intentionally being improper. In the countryside, there was only one room; raising the child, cooking, and everything else happened in the same space. Where else could they go to avoid each other?
He would secretly bring two fish to Luo Xia. In the village, everything within sight—the rivers, the mountains—had an owner. If you went fishing or hunting, you had to do it on the sly; it wasn’t legally obtained. Everyone just did what they could to survive.
Nobody cared if you dug for wild vegetables, but if you actually managed to make money, someone would come to interfere. Poverty, more often than not, wasn’t because of laziness, but because you simply lacked any resources. In the end, you sold yourself, and you were no longer your own person.
Time was like the reflection of a window pattern. As soon as the wind blew, it scattered. As soon as the clouds arrived, it vanished.
“Sister.” Eunuch Yan called out again.
“Saner.” Qin Luoxia froze.
She had never seen Saner dressed so neatly and handsomely. In her memory, he was always a ragged, devil-may-care lad who didn’t walk with a proper gait. He would often grin until his teeth were fully visible.
His face was often tanned dark from the sun, but his teeth were remarkably white and straight. He was rakish and ragged, yet he himself was always clean, never dirty. His hands were clean, and his face was clean too.
Dressed like this now, at first glance, Qin Luoxia was stunned for a moment before she recognized him.
“Saner, is that you?”
“It’s me.” Tears rolled down from Eunuch Yan’s eyes.
He hadn’t heard anyone call him Saner in a long time. People called him Wen Xin, called him Eunuch Yan, called him Grand Attendant Yan, called him a dog eunuch. No one called him Saner anymore. He had even changed his name.
He felt ashamed before his ancestors; he was no longer Yan Jiexi, he was Attendant Yan Wenxin, the most favored eunuch in the palace.
“Sister.” Eunuch Yan called out again. There was grievance, joy, pride, and emotions that couldn’t be described. This call of “Sister” was a sigh for a bitter life journey.
“Don’t cry, Saner. You’ve grown up, you look good. Sister is so happy to see you again; that’s enough. We’ve both made it through, we’re both alive, it’s good. Don’t cry.” As Qin Luoxia spoke, her own eyes turned red.
She was the least likely person to cry. She had endured so many hardships. She rarely wept. But seeing Saner, now a grown man, standing before her and crying like a child, Qin Luoxia couldn’t help but pat him.
Eunuch Yan had been crying uncontrollably with grievance. But after being patted, he couldn’t help but start coughing. “Cough, cough, cough!” His sister was still his sister; her grip was so strong, not changed a bit. As he coughed, he began to laugh.
“Cough, cough, cough.” The Fifth Prince had never seen such a shameless person. Even more shameless than himself. He couldn’t help but cough a few times, let out a dry laugh, looking slightly awkward.
The Sixth Prince saw that the Fifth Prince had already given a welcoming gift. Naturally, he wouldn’t fall behind. The welcoming gift the Sixth Prince gave was very thoughtful.
It was a string of jade beads, rarely gathered in such a variety of colors—red, yellow, blue, green, and white—all jade, extremely rare. The beads were plump, the colors uniform, and the luster was excellent. He acted as if he had just casually pulled it out.
He said, “Cousin, I had people search for a long time to gather these complete colors for this string of jade beads, and finally, they are united. I heard that my little niece likes to play with these, so I’m gifting them to her.”
Jiang Changtian accepted them politely. He said gratefully, “Many thanks, Sixth Brother. My daughter does indeed like these things. I thank you on her behalf. Come visit our home another day.”
Fifth Prince:… The Sixth is the slyest; he even inquired about preferences before giving a gift, specifically giving things to the man’s child. This Cousin Jiang the Second is a bit shallow-sighted, inviting people to his home just like that.
It was the Seventh Prince’s turn. The Seventh Prince acted even more cautious and timid than Second Young Master Jiang. He handed over a property deed and said, “I only recently learned that the residence near your home was purchased by my good-for-nothing son. Since you have just arrived in the capital, Cousin, and I don’t have anything presentable to offer, I will gift that residence to you.”
Jiang the Second took the property deed, and his eyes turned red.
“Seventh Brother, I should have called you brother-in-law, but Old Madam Jiang does not acknowledge me. Thank you for gifting me the residence. At least she lived there, and it bears her shadow. In the future, if I miss her, I will go to that residence to take a look; it will be something to remember her by.”
Jiang the Second’s words made the Fifth and Sixth Princes want to laugh. The 9th Prince laughed outright.
“Cousin, I won’t do anything superficial. I like to have fun and have made a bit of money. Since your family has just arrived, I’ll give you some settlement money as a welcoming gift. Buy whatever you like. When you have time, bring your wife to my place to hang out.”
The 9th Prince directly stuffed a handful of banknotes into Jiang Changtian’s hand. Vulgar, yet practical.
Jiang Changtian thanked him, saying, “Thank you, 9th Brother. My in-law often says at home that you are the most loyal person. Seeing you today, it is indeed true. My in-law did not misjudge you.”
The 9th Prince’s face flushed a little. He was always tricking Meng Qingshe. And yet, Meng Qingshe thought he was loyal… He felt a bit embarrassed.
“His Majesty has arrived.”
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