GTB Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Returning Home

Chapter 78 Returning Home

Today was the day Jiang Jiuchu returned home after her wedding. A carriage had long been prepared in front of the Seventh Prince’s residence.

Luo Luo and Luyi followed closely beside Jiang Jiuchu. As soon as she stepped out of the gate, her eyes were drawn to the carriage filled with gifts for her homecoming. She couldn’t help but exclaim,

“Miss, His Highness is so generous!”

Jiang Jiuchu, looking at the carriage behind her piled high with gifts, was equally surprised. But she quickly thought it was normal; after all, members of the royal family couldn’t bear to lose face.

With Luyi’s support, she stepped into the luxurious ebony carriage.

Inside, Shí Yan was already waiting. He glanced at Jiang Jiuchu, dressed in a pink floral dress, and couldn’t help but recall the first time he saw her portrait. She was also wearing pink, looking pretty and alluring.

At the time, he didn’t know if he was attracted to her bright, mischievous smile, or if he was infected by the carefree aura in the painting…

Or perhaps it was because of the label below, “Daughter of Jiang Yuan,” which made him think her family background was modest enough and suitable. He also believed that a girl raised in An Yang County might be different from the noble ladies of Kyoto…

But it seemed there wasn’t much difference. They were all delicate and weak, just that she was a bit bolder.

He retracted his gaze, stopped his thoughts, and continued to stare at the book in his hand. However, he couldn’t help but recall the scene from last night, and his throat subtly bobbed.

He thought to himself, could it be that… he, too, was captivated by her beauty like his Eighth Brother? It couldn’t be that he found her stupidity endearing, could it?

He tried hard to suppress his wandering thoughts and finally concluded that perhaps he had been abstaining for too long, and his body’s instincts were simply out of his control.

Besides that, he couldn’t think of any other reason. After all, he had seen beauties before, even those who had stripped naked to seduce him, but he had never been moved, even repulsed.

After Jiang Jiuchu sat down, she turned slightly to face the outside, avoiding looking at Shí Yan.

Ever since she woke up this morning, she hadn’t dared to meet Shí Yan’s eyes once. The events of last night made her feel deeply ashamed.

It didn’t fade away just because she had slept. Instead, scene after scene was imprinted in her mind, becoming clearer the more she tried to ignore them.

At this moment, the confined space made her afraid to even glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

She even felt that the side of her waist where his palm had pressed was still faintly burning.

She opened the carriage window and looked outside again, thinking that she must not be careless again in the future. Otherwise, even a man who had no thoughts about her couldn’t withstand something like last night.

The unstable thoughts that arose in the two of them dissipated in the steady rhythm of the carriage, and they soon arrived in front of the Jiang residence.

At the gate of the Jiang residence, the Jiang family members saw Luo Luo and Luyi sitting in front of the carriage and happily walked down the steps.

They suppressed their worries and were eager to know how Jiang Jiuchu had been doing these past few days.

After all, they knew Jiang Jiuchu’s personality. Although she was sensible and obedient, they all knew that her quietly marrying over was her final act of restraint.

But what would happen after she married? How would they get along? They had no idea.

“Father, Mother, Elder Brother, Sister-in-law.” Because Jiang Jiuchu was sitting on the side, she couldn’t wait to jump out of the carriage as soon as it stopped.

It wasn’t like everyone imagined, with the Seventh Prince getting out first and then helping their Jiuchu out of the carriage.

Madam Ye stepped forward and grabbed her daughter’s small hand, chiding, “Why are you so rash? Couldn’t you wait for His Highness?”

Hearing this, Jiang Jiuchu acted spoiled and said, “Didn’t Daughter miss you all?”

Seeing Jiang Jiuchu like this, the hearts of everyone, which had been hanging for several days, were somewhat relieved.

“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law.” Shí Yan walked up to Jiang Yuan and Madam Ye and greeted them with cupped hands.

Seeing this, the two nodded together. Jiang Yuan watched the coachmen unload the gifts from the carriage and carry them into the residence and quickly said, “Your Highness, the gifts you’ve prepared are too generous.”

Shí Yan replied, “It’s not generous. It’s what should be done.”

“Your Highness is too kind, please come in quickly,” Jiang Yuan said, quickly stepping aside to invite him in.

The steward on the side also hurriedly instructed people to come over and help unload the gifts.

The servants of the entire Jiang residence were busy. Today was the day their Miss brought the Seventh Prince back home, so they couldn’t be careless.

The maids brought in refreshments and tea in an orderly fashion, and the kitchen of the Jiang residence had been busy since early in the morning.

In the front hall, the fragrance of tea filled the air. Jiang Yuan and Jiang Jiuche were accompanying Shí Yan, drinking tea and chatting idly.

However, it was basically Jiang Yuan and his son who were asking questions or making conversation, while Shí Yan was answering or nodding.

As for Jiang Jiuchu, she had long been pulled aside by Madam Ye and Shí Qingya to talk in a side hall.

“Jiuchu, is the Seventh Prince treating you well?”

In her heart, Madam Ye actually wanted to ask how her daughter and Shí Yan were getting along and what she thought of Shí Yan.

As for how the Seventh Prince treated Jiuchu, it shouldn’t be bad, after all, she had never seen a homecoming gift brought in an entire carriage before.

“It’s okay.” Jiang Jiuchu really wanted to complain about Shí Yan, but if she complained, she would give herself away. If her mother knew that they hadn’t consummated their marriage, it would be a major problem.

Looking at Jiang Jiuchu’s expression, Madam Ye had a rough idea in her heart. After exchanging a glance with Shí Qingya, she asked about everything from eating habits to various details. Seeing that there were no major problems, they stopped asking questions.

Soon, it was noon, and after the maids and servants brought in lunch, Madam Ye invited Shí Yan to sit down.

At the dining table, the family looked at Shí Yan and Jiang Jiuchu and didn’t know why, but they felt that the two of them seemed unfamiliar with each other, as if there were layers of distance between them.

Jiang Yuan felt that since the Seventh Prince had chosen his daughter, even if he didn’t love her, he should at least not dislike her.

As long as he didn’t dislike her, with his daughter’s beautiful appearance and pleasing, sweet personality, how could any man not like her?

But now, they had only been newly married for three days, and this shouldn’t be the atmosphere.

He felt that the problem must still lie with his daughter.

He glanced at his daughter, who was eating her food without a care, and remembered how when he accompanied Madam Ye back home back then, his wife was afraid that he would be embarrassed, so she kept putting food in his bowl, and he hardly used his chopsticks throughout the entire meal.

Looking at Shí Yan, whose bowl was empty and who was only reaching for the two dishes in front of him, he couldn’t help but feel a little sympathetic.

Others seemed to have noticed this as well. Madam Ye quickly said to her daughter, “Jiuchu, His Highness can’t reach some of the dishes, help him get some.”

There was no way, she had gestured to her daughter several times, but it was no use, so she had to directly remind her.

“Oh!” Jiang Jiuchu knew that her mother wanted her to serve the Seventh Prince food.

After all, they were sitting together, and he couldn’t reach, but she wasn’t much better off, right?

She then picked up a piece of pancake from a dish beside her and put it in Shí Yan’s bowl.

The corners of everyone’s mouths twitched. Was it so… casual?

At least wrap the vegetables in it for him. If you don’t want to wrap it because it’s too much trouble, you could just reach out a little further and pick up other dishes.

Looking at the expressions of the others, Jiang Jiuchu immediately realized what she had done. She quickly picked up another piece of small dish and put it into Shí Yan’s bowl again, saying, “To eat… with it.”

She watched as Shí Yan put the pancake into his mouth, and the words she spoke gradually faded away.

Seeing this, Shí Qingya quickly looked away and lowered her head to eat.

She didn’t expect that her Seventh Brother would also be treated so perfunctorily. The problem was that he couldn’t get angry and leave.

Alas! He had to bear with the wife he had chosen himself. A girl like Jiuchu, even if she made a mistake, would stand there pitifully, and their whole family would have to surrender.

She didn’t know if her Seventh Brother could handle such a younger sister-in-law and whether he would be an exception.

After the meal, Jiang Yuan said to Shí Yan, “Your Highness, it’s still early, why not go to my study and play a game of chess?”

Jiang Yuan felt that he had to play chess with his son-in-law and then take out his treasured paintings to admire with the Seventh Prince to bring the two men closer together.

Then, he would naturally find some reasons for his daughter’s attitude.

As a father, he felt a little tired, but it seemed that this was all he could do.