Chapter 12

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Chapter 012: It’s really uncomfortable!

It was Jiang YanZhi who first discovered that Pei Cheng was absent-minded.

Jiang YanZhi was a little boy who didn’t like talking very much, perhaps by nature, or perhaps because he had been in an oppressive environment for four years since he started to remember things.

But it was undeniable that Jiang YanZhi, who didn’t like to talk, was as stubborn as his father in some respects.

Pei Cheng put down the bowl and chopsticks. Looking at Jiang YanZhi who stopped eating, he asked patiently, “Why don’t you continue eating?”

As he said, Pei Cheng scooped a spoonful of soup and was about to put it into Jiang YanZhi’s soup bowl. But, Jiang YanZhi, who was already full, covered the soup bowl with his hand and prevented Pei Cheng from pouring the soup into it.

Pei Cheng raised his eyebrows. Because of the ‘Jiang YanZhi’s suddenly blocking the bowl’ action, Pei Cheng’s previous bad mood instantly surged again and reached its bottom line, “Move your hands!”

Jiang YanZhi hesitated and shook his head. He was full and he didn’t want to eat any more. But he didn’t know how to explain it to Pei Cheng, he kept sweating for a moment.

Pei Cheng dropped the spoon and the porcelain spoon fell directly to the ground, making a crackling sound ‘clink’.

The air pressure inside the room dropped to a lowest point. ErXi, who was on the side, lowered his head and worked hard to reduce his sense of existence, fearing that Pei Cheng would turn and throw his anger on him.

After Jiang YanZhi realized that Pei Cheng was angry, he immediately retracted his hand holding the soup bowl, and looked at Pei Cheng anxiously. Pei Cheng stood up and walked around the dining table a few times, just wanting to say something, but realized that ErXi was still here, he ordered irritably: “Get out! Close the door.”

ErXi said “Yes”, and carefully closed the door before leaving.

After the room was left with only Jiang YanZhi and him, Pei Cheng couldn’t help but pat the table. He just wanted to ask Jiang YanZhi what he was doing, but, accidently, he saw Jiang YanZhi’s uneasy expression when he glanced at the boy.  Pei Cheng swallowed the sudden rage down immediately.

Pei Cheng noticed the peculiarity of the little boy, but he did not take the initiative to appease the little boy. Pei Cheng sat down irritably, pursed his lips, and tried to adjust his emotions. After meeting with Mother Pei, Pei Cheng could not control his emotions. No one’s life was smooth, including Pei Cheng.

Ever since he started to understand things, and when he learned that he was not favored like his brother and sister by his parents in the Pei family, Pei Cheng no longer shyly and expectantly ran to his father and mother to make himself more uncomfortable.

So, when he grew up, when he was married off by his father like a daughter, Pei Cheng didn’t complain. Anyway, he was originally supposed to be the one to marry into someone else’s family.* When or whether he marries someone, or marries into someone, would there be any different? **

*** (T/N: As a man, he was supported to marry a woman, but as he had a special body type, he had to marry into another man’s family in the place of a woman. Sorry for my bad translation here.)

But, he had never imagined that his father’s ambition would be too great. He repeatedly contacted Pei Cheng who had been married into the Jiang family, and wanted him to try to steal things from the Jiang family and give it to the Pei family.

Pei Cheng of the previous life was so stupid that he obediently listened to the words of Father Pei and Mother Pei. He stupidly ignored his real standing and situation in the Jiang family, and focused on helping the Pei family to deal with the Jiang family.

Otherwise, according to Pei Cheng’s temperament of always knowing his own place, he would not let Hu XiaYun catch something to handle him and finally ended up as a male wife who was not favored or had a place till his death.

When his legs felt the warmth,* Pei Cheng snapped back from the past memories. He looked down and stood in a daze.

*(T/N: raw -双腿一热. Special Thanks to UsaYuki!)

Jiang YanZhi came to hug Pei Cheng’s knees, his thin and unhealthily-yellowed little face was full of worry.

Pei Cheng felt warm, and the haze of unhappiness in his heart was completely cleared away. He reached out to hug the little boy and said, “What’s the matter?”

Jiang YanZhi was silent, and when Pei Cheng was about to give up, he suddenly heard the boy’s soft voice, whispered to him: “You..... You, don’t get..... Get angry.”

Pei Cheng: “...”

Jiang YanZhi: “...”

Pei Cheng was finally aware of something, “Are you stuttering?”

Jiang YanZhi’s whole body was stiffened. He wasn’t stuttering! He wanted to explain, but when it came to his mouth, it seemed to be suddenly stuck, and he couldn’t make a word at all.

Pei Cheng asked faintly: “Why are you stuttering?”

Originally, he had planned to support this little boy to enter the bureaucracy and become a government official. But, now it seemed that there might be more difficulties raised to carry out that plan.

Jiang YanZhi’s eyes turned red because of the irritation, but the more anxious he was, the more difficult it was for him to speak a word out. He could only grit his teeth, lying on Pei Cheng’s shoulder resentfully, shaking with anger.

He was not a stammer!

Pei Cheng patted Jiang YanZhi’s back and busied comforting him: “I’ll invite a doctor to see you after two days. Let’s see if he can do something about this stuttering problem. Don’t be afraid.”

He hadn’t finished yet, the little boy immediately buried his head in Pei Cheng’s chest defiantly, his hands were also clutching firmly on Pei Cheng’s clothes. 

“I... don’t need a doctor.” Jiang YanZhi said depressingly.

Pei Cheng was stunned and then he said with a smile: “Okay. Then, starting from tomorrow, you will have to go to your father to study. If you stay with me, you will never be able to learn anything from me.”

This, Pei Cheng was not talking at random. As he was destined to marry another man and have children for the latter part of his life, the Pei family never let him get in touch with anything that a normal man should learn, nor let him go to the school, not even once. Of course, he had never touched the woman’s needlework either.

But, Jiang LinZhi was different.

Jiang LinZhi was known as the ‘child prodigy’ of Hua Cheng in his childhood.

“Father’s health is not good.”

Jiang YanZhi said unwillingly. Compared with his Dad, he didn’t like his father who always had a dark face. Pei Cheng frowned. Indeed, Jiang LinZhi’s poor health was also a problem.

“I’ll discuss it with your father later.”

Pei Cheng walked to the bed holding the little boy, and put down Jiang YanZhi who was still reluctant to let him go, covered him with a quilt, and then, as if talking to himself, “If there’s no way, I’ll just look for a teacher for you.”

At the age of four, just like the other large families in Hua Cheng City, he should have already entered the academy to study. But, Jiang YanZhi was almost a year late. Jiang YanZhi was confused, and he could not understand anything. So, he would just simply listen to what Pei Cheng said.

Pei Cheng was satisfied with Jiang YanZhi’s cute obedience. He put the bed curtains down and tucked the corners in with his hand. He looked at the little boy gently and said, “Sleep. I’ll keep watch you here.”

Sleeping on his Daddy’s bed made Jiang YanZhi feel very very satisfied, but seeing Pei Cheng didn’t mean to go to bed and sleep with him, he panicked for a moment. He stretched out his hands from the bed, and took Pei Cheng’s finger and said: “Dad, sleep.”

After that, Jiang YanZhi also patted a place on the bed, which was beside him, and then looked at Pei Cheng anxiously.

Pei Cheng turned a blind eye to Jiang YanZhi’s little eager action. Because he still had things to do later, and he didn’t want to sleep now, so he insisted: “I’ll wait for you to fall asleep. I will sleep later.”

Jiang YanZhi’s mouth dropped down, He reluctantly closed his eyes and dared not ask anything anymore.

Because he was never indulged, even though he was still very young, Jiang YanZhi had already understood the limit of what to act and when to stop. A child who already knew how to act with a hint of a glance made people worry, but actually, it was even more distressing.

After Jiang YanZhi’s breathing gradually stabilized, Pei Cheng let out a sigh of relief, closed the door lightly and left. He had just closed the door, and about to turn and leave, he was startled by Dong Lai standing behind him.

Dong Lai took a step back and was a little embarrassed, “Madam, Second Master asked me to invite you.”

Pei Cheng frowned, “Second Master is waiting for me in the room?”

Dong Lai shook his head and said, “Second Master is waiting for you in the study.”

Pei Cheng was a little surprised, but he quickly reacted and said, “Okay, I know.”

After that, Pei Cheng raised his foot and walked towards the next courtyard, his steps were a little relaxed.

Dong Lai stood on the spot, waiting for Pei Cheng to leave, and then dragged his heavy body with difficulty and followed behind.

Those ten boards almost killed him.

Without knocking the door, Pei Cheng directly pushed open the door of the study and walked in. He didn’t know why, maybe it was an illusion; Pei Cheng always felt that there was a trace of cold silence in the places where Jiang LinZhi lived.

It always seemed out of place.

Jiang LinZhi stood at the window with his back facing Pei Cheng, did not know what he was looking at.

Pei Cheng stopped at the same place. He was not as smart as others, but he was more sensitive than an average person. So, with the advantage of his conditioned reflex, he balanced and chose the choice beneficial to him from various options.

“Second Master, are you looking for me?”

“I heard that your mother came to Jiang family today.” Jiang LinZhi didn’t turn around. “We are all family, why didn’t you call me?”

Knowing that the man was testing him, Pei Cheng lowered his eyes, “Second Master wouldn’t like to deal with people you don’t like. Isn’t it?” Then, without waiting for Jiang LinZhi to respond, Pei Cheng continued: “Second Master understands what I mean.”

Jiang LinZhi smiled as the corner of his mouth raised, but in the depth of his eyes was a trace of cold. “I really don’t understand what my wife* mean.”

*(T/N: 夫人 - Madam, wife)

As he didn’t want to continue entangled on that topic, Pei Cheng said: “How is Second Master’s health these days?

Jiang LinZhi raised his eyebrows and turned around, saying, “Not bad.”

“YanZhi is four years old now.” Pei Cheng reminded tactfully, “But he’s not yet suitable for going to the academy. If Second Master is free, why don’t you teach him something?”

Jiang LinZhi pursed his lips, did not refuse, but did not immediately agree also. Instead, he asked him back, “YanZhi has not entered the academy?”

Pei Cheng said: “When we were in the auxiliary courtyard, YanZhi didn’t have a chance. Now, he has a chance, but he still has to wait until next spring.”

Understood what Pei Cheng was implying, and the haze under Jiang LinZhi’s eyes was a little thicker. No matter what Pei Cheng had done before, Jiang YanZhi was his only heir so far. Hu XiaYun, that person, was really doing too much.

Jiang LinZhi said: “Starting from tomorrow morning, send YanZhi to my courtyard.”

Pei Cheng sighed. At least, Jiang LinZhi was not actually a heartless person yet and still had some care for them.* Since that was the case, then the next thing would be much easier to handle.

*(T/N: It was not exactly as the original text. I took the liberty and changed into which was easy for me to translate.\nOriginal text: 至少江凛之还不是真的什么也不管不顾的，既然如此，那接下来的事情就好办多了。)

“Second Master.” It was still a bit difficult for Pei Cheng to ask.

Jiang LinZhi looked at him.

Pei Cheng said: “In the middle of next month, can Second Master accompany me to return home?”

Jiang LinZhi should have guessed that Pei Cheng would mention this matter to him, so there was no surprise.

“Second Master?” Seeing Jiang LinZhi didn’t respond, Pei Cheng couldn’t help but called again, “If Second Master doesn’t want to, I can go back alone with YanZhi.”

Jiang LinZhi looked at Pei Cheng with a faint smile. “I’ll go.”

Pei Cheng said: “Thank you, Second Master.”

Outside the East Courtyard.

QiuYi was carrying a food box and was looking all around at the entrance of the East Courtyard.

Because she was so entranced in looking around, when Dong Lai came out from behind, QiuYi was frightened and trembled a bit, almost throwing out the food box in her hand.

Dong Lai, with his wide opened eyes, were staring intensely at her,* and he didn’t mean to show any pity and care for a woman at all. “What are you doing here, sneaking around?!”

QiuYi swallowed her saliva and forgot her intention of coming there for a moment.

*(T/N: Another sentence which I made a slight change to make it easy for me to translate.)\n\n