Chapter 63 Grandmother, I Want to Leave the Estate

Jiang Lingyao's gaze grew increasingly cold as she watched the growing tension between the two, a sense of irony welling up inside her.
It was truly laughable to watch these two dogs bite each other here.
Pausing for a moment, she raised her eyes and said, "If you want to argue, go elsewhere. Grandmother is resting, do not disturb her."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiuyuan's expression turned anxious, and he hurriedly said, "I came here today to see you, Mingzhu. Let's go inside the courtyard to talk, shall we?"
Jiang Lingyao shook her head. "I have nothing to say to you."
Jiang Xiuyuan clenched his fists tightly, his face as gloomy as water.
Embarrassment washed over Song Lian'er's face. How could this fool Jiang Xiuyuan fail to clear up even such a small matter, causing her to lose so much face?
Wiping away her tears, she still needed to maintain her image in front of Jiang Xiuyuan, so she forced herself to say against her will, "It was Lian'er's fault for not informing Eldest Brother in time, which caused Eldest Brother to misunderstand."
The reprimand accusing Jiang Lingyao of being unreasoning nearly slipped from Jiang Xiuyuan's lips.
Just as the words reached the tip of his tongue, he suddenly snapped back to his senses. He hurriedly turned to Jiang Lingyao, a hint of servility in his voice, "Mingzhu, I am your eldest brother. How can there be overnight grudges between siblings? I just want to speak with you for a moment, alright?"
Jiang Lingyao raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Fine, let's talk outside."
Overjoyed, Jiang Xiuyuan stepped back and asked, "Where shall we talk? My quarters, how about that?"
His answer was the loud "bang" of a door closing.
Looking at Jiang Lingyao closing the door in disbelief, he instantly flew into a rage and shouted, "Jiang Lingyao! What are you doing? How can you act like this!"
As his anger steadily surged, his face turned red with fury. "Open the door! Open the door for me right now!"

No sound came from within the courtyard.
He grew so angry that he started to cough, coughing so violently that it tore at his lungs. His complexion turned paler by the fraction, frightening Song Lian'er into instinctively taking a step back to put some distance between them.
"Master!"
Panicking, Wenlu rushed forward to support him, shouting in alarm toward the door, "Fifth Young Miss, please just open the door and pour a cup of tea for the master, won't you? You know the master's condition; once his coughing starts, it never stops. Have you no pity for him at all?"
The more Jiang Xiuyuan coughed, the more desolate his heart felt. Staring at the closed door, he fell into a daze.
So...
So the two of them had thrown tantrums before. Back then, Jiang Lingyao was much brighter and more radiant than she was now, with a fiery and impulsive temperament. The first time he wronged her because of Song Lian'er, they had a huge fight.
Jiang Xiuyuan could no longer remember the specific details of that incident; he only remembered that it was the first time Jiang Lingyao had turned cold toward him. He had angrily scolded her for not knowing how to show gratitude and for not being as sensible and obedient as Song Lian'er, resulting in the two of them not speaking for nearly a month.
Yet, a month later, he suddenly fell ill again. When he woke up, Jiang Lingyao was awkwardly keeping vigil by his bed, her eyes slightly red as she told him, "Eldest Brother, it was my fault. Please don't be angry with me, alright? Your health is what matters most."
Back then, he had barely said a word before Jiang Lingyao softened and gave in. Hence, time and time again thereafter, he became convinced that Jiang Lingyao would always worry about his health and dare not argue with him, making him increasingly unconcerned and fearless.
But now...
Covered in sweat from anxiety, Wenlu pleaded, "Fifth Young Miss, please just open the door and bring a cup of tea for the master, won't you?"
Inside the room, Jiang Lingyao wore a cold expression. Her long-numbed heart could no longer generate even the slightest trace of worry.
Jiang Xiuyuan falling ill—what did that have to do with her?
As for the grievance of him making her take the blame, she would definitely exact revenge before leaving.

Entering the room, the Old Madame raised her eyes. "Was that your eldest brother making a fuss outside?"
Jiang Lingyao nodded, saying helplessly, "Did he disturb you?"
"It's fine. Such a grown man, yet still so muddle-headed. You don't need to pay him any more mind." Looking at Jiang Lingyao, the Old Madame suddenly asked, "Mingzhu, when Grandmother is gone, will you go to the Wen family in Jiangzhou?"
The Old Madame brought up the matter once again.
Jiang Lingyao's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively averted her gaze. "You mustn't say such things, Grandmother. I want to..."
Halting midway, she found the rest of the words difficult to utter.
Leaving was only a matter of time. She had returned home precisely to bid farewell to Grandmother, but with the imperial edict of marriage suddenly descending, she could hardly think of a safe way out and had been at her wit's end these past few days.
She pressed her lips together, swallowing the bitterness in her mouth.
Gazing intently at her for a long while, the Old Madame let out a long sigh. "Mingzhu, do you have your own plan and wish to leave on your own?"
It felt as though her heart had been heavily struck. Raising her eyes to meet the earnest look in the Old Madame's eyes, Jiang Lingyao remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding.
Mentioning this inevitably made her nose sting. Biting down hard on the tip of her tongue, she choked out, "Grandmother, I... I came back this time just to see you one last time. In truth, I have already found a way to leave."