The Double-Chapter 438 - 143 Winter Solstice_3

Thinking of this, it seemed as if a new direction had opened up in front of her, and Jiang Li’s mood lightened considerably. Her smile became more genuine when she spoke with Ye Mingyu again.

Ye Shijie vaguely sensed a change in Jiang Li’s demeanor but couldn’t figure out why. Seeing Jiang Li’s smile bloom beautifully, so rarely free of schemes and calculations, he paused, and eventually, he swallowed the question that was on the tip of his tongue.

Until she left the Ye Residence, Jiang Li’s spirits remained quite high.

Bai Xue asked, "Miss, shall we return to the residence now?"

"Let’s go back," Jiang Li said, looking at the sky. It was still early, and normally, she would have stayed at the Ye Residence a while longer, but since the guests, who were Ye Mingyu’s brothers, were present, it was inconvenient for Jiang Li to stay. Now, with the snow still falling and the cold biting, and since there was nothing of importance to tend to, it was better to return home.

Tonger happily agreed, thinking of returning to the warm embrace of the stove in Fangfei Garden, far preferable to the freezing outdoors. They were just about to get into the carriage when suddenly, an eager voice came from behind: "Miss Jiang the Second?"

Jiang Li turned around and saw, to her surprise, that it was Wen Renyao and Situ Jiuyue, whom she had met not long before. It was Wen Renyao who had called out to her.

Upon seeing Jiang Li, Wen Renyao moved closer and said with a grin, "Miss Jiang the Second, have you just left the Ye Residence?"

Jiang Li nodded, then said to Situ Jiuyue, "Is Miss Situ going to the Ye Residence to treat County Magistrate Xue?"

"No," Situ Jiuyue answered, "There’s no need for acupuncture these three days."

Jiang Li smiled and said, "I see I was mistaken. Where are the two of you heading?" She had really thought that Situ Jiuyue was there to treat Xue Huaiyuan, not expecting the contrary.

She had asked casually without a real desire to know the answer. After all, the deep connection between Situ Jiuyue, Wen Renyao, and Jih Heng was none of her concern, nor something she should pry into.

Yet, Wen Renyao immediately replied, "We’re heading to the Duke Residence."

Situ Jiuyue cast a disapproving glance at Wen Renyao, probably finding his careless attitude irksome. Jiang Li was momentarily surprised and then said, "If that’s the case, I won’t keep you. Please go ahead." She stepped aside, intending to let Situ Jiuyue and Wen Renyao go first.

But Wen Renyao, his face bright with an enthusiastic smile, said, "Oh, there’s no trouble at all, we’re just going to the Duke Residence for a visit. Today is the Winter Solstice, and we’re just going over for a meal. Miss Jiang the Second, are you going home? It’s so early, why not join us for a meal at the Duke Residence?"

Jiang Li: "..."

She was puzzled. What on earth was going on in Wen Renyao’s mind? Did her relationship with Jih Heng appear to be so familiar that she could casually visit his residence? Of course, Jih Heng could visit the Jiang Residence at will, but that was due to her capriciousness, not because of their personal friendship.

Jiang Li politely declined: "There’s no need." freēnovelkiss.com

"Why be so formal?" Wen Renyao continued with a smile, "Come on, let’s go, there’s no time like the present. Since we’ve met on the road, it must be fate. We’re all friends here, sharing a meal together is no big deal. I see that Miss Jiang the Second is a straightforward person, there’s no need to stand on ceremony."

Jiang Li: "...I think you may have misunderstood my relationship with the Duke, we are not friends."

She thought this statement made her position very clear, only for Wen Renyao to act as if it were nothing out of the ordinary and say, "I understand, his temperament is such that nobody in the world would want to be his friend. But even if you’re not his friend, you can be mine, right! Please don’t be polite, don’t feel embarrassed because Jih Heng didn’t invite you to the residence. He didn’t invite me either! And am I not still going?"

Jiang Li: "..."

She was at a loss for words when it came to Young Master Wen Ren.

Unable to stand it any longer, Situ Jiuyue, who had been silent, gave Wen Renyao a glare and turned to Jiang Li, pondering for a moment before suggesting, "If you have no other plans, perhaps you could indeed visit the Duke Residence. I’ve heard about the incident at your residence the other day, and Jih Heng also had a part in it. Maybe you could talk things over."

Situ Jiuyue’s words reminded Jiang Li of something: why Consort Li was unharmed and where Chongxu Daoist Master was currently located, and whether Emperor Hongxiao knew that Chongxu was a fraud. She had intended to ask Zhao Ke about these matters, but now she thought that perhaps Jih Heng would have the more convenient answers, since Zhao Ke was always guarding the Jiang Residence while Jih Heng would have news from the palace.