Chen Huainan clutched his chest. After Jiang Zhao's words, he felt his already-healed wound throbbing faintly again.
However, he still suspected Jiang Zhao more and simply thought she had somehow gotten the information.
"Little girl, if this is all you can do, you'd better go home and learn more before coming out to tell fortunes for others."
"Brother kindly reminds you that if you go out like this, you're likely to be regarded as a swindling fortune-teller. It won't be good if you get beaten."
Jiang Zhao wasn't in a hurry. She gently tapped on the paper with Chen Huainan's birth date and time: "Young Master Chen isn't the only child in the family, is he?"
Hearing this, Jiang Yunxi thought it was all over. Everyone in the capital knew that Chen Huainan was the only child in his family.
Jiang Zhao said, "You should have had an elder sister above you. If she were still alive, she'd be five years older than you. It's a pity that she died when you were five or six years old."
Jiang Zhao clicked her tongue lightly: "She didn't die very decently. It was a natural disaster or some misfortune."
The smile on Chen Huainan's face froze. He snatched the paper with his birth details on the table and tore it into pieces: "You, you're talking nonsense! My mother only gave birth to me!"
"There's no such elder sister!"
Behind the screen, Jiang Qingrong whispered in Jiang Yunxi's ear, "Fourth brother, he's getting anxious."
Jiang Yunxi held his breath and pricked up his ears. Based on his understanding of Chen Huainan, Jiang Zhao should be right.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have suddenly lost his temper.
Chen Huainan's face turned pale. The look in his eyes when he looked at Jiang Zhao was as if he were looking at a monster.
This was a secret of the Chen family. In fact, they weren't from the capital. They had only moved to the capital a few years ago.
When he was eight years old, his hometown suffered a drought. People were in dire straits and were so hungry that they even ate tree bark.
Many people even exchanged their own children with others for food.
His parents loved him and gave him all the food they could find. Later, when they couldn't hold on anymore, his elder sister was so hungry that she couldn't even get out of bed. His father made a cruel decision and strangled his sister to death.
It could be said that the Chen family was fed and survived on his sister's flesh and blood.
If Jiang Zhao hadn't suddenly mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten this incident completely.
"Ugh!" Chen Huainan couldn't hold back the churning in his stomach any longer and leaned over the window to retch.
For a while, there was unrest in his family. They often dreamed of their deceased elder sister. For this reason, they even invited a high-ranking monk to perform a Buddhist ceremony for her. Since then, they really never dreamed of her again.
"I also know that Young Master Chen has been haunted by nightmares recently. But are they really just nightmares?"
As soon as these words were said, Chen Huainan even stopped retching. His body trembling, he looked at Jiang Zhao: "You mean what I saw is real?"
Jiang Zhao nodded.
"Master, save me!" Chen Huainan wailed and threw himself at Jiang Zhao's feet.
Jiang Zhao was startled and quickly pulled her skirt out of Chen Huainan's hand: "I can't be called a master. Wait for my news. Someone will help you then."
Now Chen Huainan completely believed Jiang Zhao's words: "Thank you, Miss Jiang!"
"If Miss Jiang can really help me, you'll be my reborn mother!"
Jiang Zhao waved her hands repeatedly and refused. She didn't want such a big son.
Chen Huainan got up from the ground. After thanking Jiang Zhao, he turned to leave.
"Wait." Jiang Zhao called him back and stretched out her hand: "You haven't paid yet."
"Oh, oh, oh." Chen Huainan took off a jade pendant from his body and handed it to Jiang Zhao: "I was in a hurry when I went out today and didn't bring any money. I wonder if this jade pendant will do."
It would do just fine. Jiang Zhao happily took it and waved her hand: "Young Master Chen can just go back and wait for the news."
...
After seeing off Chen Huainan, Jiang Yunxi and his younger brother walked out from behind the screen.
Jiang Yunxi looked at Jiang Zhao with a complicated look in his eyes: "Was what you just said true?"
"Of course. Would I deceive him?" Jiang Zhao played with the jade pendant in her hand, thinking of going to the pawnshop to exchange it for silver later.
Jiang Yunxi's gossipy heart was burning brightly: "Then quickly tell me what happened to Chen Huainan's elder sister?"
Jiang Zhao shook her head: "No. The secrets of heaven must not be revealed."
"Fourth brother, if you want to know others' fates, aren't you afraid of bad luck for yourself?"
One should not casually get involved in others' fates. Jiang Yunxi's mouth was like an old woman's cotton-padded trousers waist. If he knew about it, he would surely spread it all over the capital.
She didn't want to be unlucky because of Jiang Yunxi.
Before leaving, Jiang Zhao and the others had a meal at Qianwei Restaurant. Jiang Yunxi couldn't hold back his curiosity and kept asking questions.
As a result, he was threatened by Jiang Zhao and finally stopped.
On the way, Jiang Zhao didn't forget to buy the pastries that Jiang Qingrong liked and specifically told Jiang Qingrong not to let Jiang Yunxi eat them.
Because he was disobedient.
However, Jiang Qingrong was naive. Before they knew it, Jiang Yunxi snatched all the pastries and stuffed them into his mouth. He almost choked to death.
This made Jiang Qingrong cry and make a fuss.
Jiang Zhao was annoyed by the noise and kicked both of them out of the carriage.
...
Ningyuan Marquis Mansion.
As soon as Jiang Zhao got home, the butler rushed up: "Miss, the madam requests your presence."
Because she had earned a lot this time, Jiang Zhao was in a good mood. She hummed an out-of-tune tune and walked towards Madam He's courtyard.
"Greetings, mother." Jiang Zhao saluted Madam He according to the etiquette: "I wonder what mother wants to see me for?"
When Madam He saw her come in, she angrily threw the teacup on the table: "You still know I'm your mother!"
Jiang Zhong was standing beside Madam He, looking at Jiang Zhao with a hostile look in his eyes.
Jiang Zhao blinked and said innocently: "Of course I know. I'm not a fool."
Madam He gritted her teeth. A breath got stuck in her chest: "I think it would be more straightforward if you were a fool!"
"Tell me! Who did you meet and what did you do today? Tell me everything truthfully!"
Jiang Zhao frowned. She didn't know what was wrong with Madam He: "I went out with Fourth Brother and younger brother today."
Before she could say that she had met Chen Huainan, Jiang Zhong shouted: "Mother, she's lying!"
"I saw with my own eyes that she was in a private room of Qianwei Restaurant with that Chen Huainan! Yunxi and Qingrong weren't there!"
"A young man and a young woman in a room alone. Can there be anything good? Everyone in the capital knows what kind of person Chen Huainan is. Jiang Zhao has just returned home and has already brought shame to our Marquis Mansion. We might as well just drive her out!"
Jiang Zhong had won a lot of money from the gambling house today, so he went to Qianwei Restaurant with his fellow friends to drink.
Who would have thought that he would accidentally see Chen Huainan and Jiang Zhao together.
He didn't even care about eating and rushed back to tell Madam He.
Now Jiang Zhao understood. It turned out that someone couldn't tolerate her.
The only good memories she had of this elder brother.
She asked herself that she had never offended Jiang Zhong, and she didn't know where Jiang Zhong's hostility towards her came from.
The more Madam He thought about it, the angrier she got. She was angry that Jiang Zhao didn't know how to behave herself: "You've really shamed our Ningyuan Marquis Mansion today!"
"What kind of a person is Chen Huainan? Any decent young lady in the capital would avoid him. But you, you went after him on your own initiative!"
"Do you know how important a woman's innocence is!"