Chapter 6: Hey, the Little Fool Still Gets Jealous

When Jiang Luan arrived, four or five servants were holding sticks, beating a sack. The sack seeped with bloodstains, but the person inside only occasionally let out a muffled groan—a tough one indeed.

“Everyone, stop! That’s enough!” Jiang Luan called out, halting the servants.

These servants had been kept by Duke Su Ping at his mansion and were usually arrogant, showing no respect even to the delicate, fair-faced young master Jiang. However, since their master had just suffered a setback that day, these lackeys were now cautious and careful with their words.

The leader signaled the others to pause and politely said to Jiang Luan, “Young Madam, this person was ordered to be beaten to death by the Duke.”

“Oh? The Duke changed his mind again? A light punishment should suffice,” Jiang Luan said with a pair of watery big eyes, lying smoothly.

The servants exchanged glances, their faces showing hesitation.

Jiang Luan crossed his arms impatiently. “What’s the matter? Am I the master here, or are you? Do you think I’d lie to you? Release him immediately!”

The lead lackey frowned but had no choice but to order the sack to be untied and the boy inside released.

The boy had been beaten so badly he lost control of his bodily functions. Crawling out of the sack, he gasped deeply, lying on the ground like a dead dog.

“That’s enough for me,” said the lead lackey.

“Hmm. Let’s go,” Jiang Luan said, tilting his chin arrogantly like a nobleman.

The servants, looking dejected, slunk away.

After they left, Jiang Luan stepped forward and kicked the boy. “Well? Dead yet?”

The boy kept his eyes tightly shut and didn’t answer.

He was young, no more than thirteen or fourteen judging by his frail frame. Jiang Luan wasn’t sure if he was mute; in any case, he had never heard the boy speak.

Jiang Luan squatted down and poked the boy’s face with a wooden stick. “Mute? Your ears work fine, right? Listen up—I saved your life. There’s an old saying about repaying kindness. From now on, you’re mine. Serve me well, understood?”

Only then did the boy open his eyes and look at him coldly. “Back in that room, you could have saved me—I heard everything. But you let them take me away.”

“You wanted to kill me and still expect me to save you? Dream on,” Jiang Luan sneered. “Am I your father or mother? I owe you nothing! Even if I were your father, I’d beat you to death for being unfilial!”

The boy wearily closed his eyes. “Don’t talk nonsense. My father is already dead.”

“...” Jiang Luan was speechless for a moment. “Oh? Is it your mother’s life that’s in Duke Su Ping’s hands?”

The boy stayed silent, as if he hadn’t heard.

Jiang Luan didn’t get an answer but wasn’t annoyed; instead, he pressed on. “Then is it your sister? Your elder sister, younger brother? Your aunt...?”

“She’s my mother,” the boy snapped, unable to tolerate it any longer.

Jiang Luan nodded thoughtfully. “Oh.”

The boy waited a while, and seeing Jiang Luan no longer spoke, he couldn’t help but ask, “How did you know I was coerced?”

Jiang Luan snorted. “Do I need to guess? I could tell by your cold, stubborn temper.”

The boy was silent.

---

Jiang Luan asked again, “Kid, what’s your name?”

“I’m not a kid!” The boy grumbled. “Zuo Lang.”

“All right, young Zuo,” Jiang Luan nodded at him from a distance. “Whether it’s your mother or your aunt, I saved your life. Let’s keep things straight—don’t team up with Duke Su Ping to harm me anymore, and I’ll do my best to help you save your mother.”

Zuo Lang’s drooping eyelids twitched but he said nothing.

Jiang Luan knew he had listened. He took off the ring on his hand and tossed it to the boy. “Use this to get some medicine and heal your wounds. I don’t keep useless people.”

Zuo Lang was speechless.

Jiang Luan ignored him and stood up to return to the mansion.

But as he rose, he heard a barely audible voice:

“Thank you.”

Jiang Luan kept a cold expression on his face but felt secretly pleased.

Good—he had successfully gained a new follower.

He had a feeling this boy would be very useful when the time came to bring down Duke Su Ping.

That was why he hadn’t exposed Duke Su Ping in the ancestral hall earlier or confronted the man directly.

First, Jiang Luan didn’t know the man’s background and couldn’t be sure if he was telling the truth.

Second, even if it was proven that Duke Su Ping was behind this, Dou Kou, though married into the Qi family, still carried royal blood. Old Master Qi wouldn’t dare move against the Duke, and Jiang Luan himself might end up in greater trouble.

So, it was not yet the right time.

“Make sure you clean yourself up. Come see me in the east wing in three days.”

Jiang Luan finished his instructions and was about to leave with noble elegance but turned and nearly fell into a solid chest.

Qi Shaolin reached out and wrapped an arm around Jiang Luan’s waist, preventing him from falling onto the boy.

“Are you human or ghost? You walk around without a sound!” Jiang Luan complained, still startled.

The little fool was even more upset, shouting loudly, “Who’s he? Why do you want to see him, my lady?”

Zuo Lang: “...”

Jiang Luan shrugged and said casually, “Didn’t you hear him? His name is Zuo Lang, your family’s servant... Hey, hey! You brat, what are you doing? Let go!”

Qi Shaolin tightened his grip, pulling Jiang Luan into his embrace, whining, “I don’t like him. Make him go away!”

Zuo Lang: “??”

Jiang Luan was forced to press against Qi Shaolin’s chest, tightly held by the big, strong fool.

The little idiot still wore a thin garment, but through the light fabric, Jiang Luan could clearly feel his warmth and strong heartbeat.

For some reason, Jiang Luan blushed and began to stomp his feet in frustration. “I’ll count to three, if you don’t let go, I’ll get angry! One...”

Before Jiang Luan finished, Qi Shaolin obediently released him.

“I hate you.”

Qi Shaolin sniffled, tears welling up as he said to Jiang Luan, “I hate you all, but hate you the most!”

Then he threw all the pine cones he’d collected at Zuo Lang and ran away.

Zuo Lang: “...”

“What are you sulking for? Did I offend you again? You really think you’re a child!” Jiang Luan, who had a fiery temper, was annoyed at being inexplicably disliked while trying to be patient with the “child.”

Qi Shaolin didn’t go far, just sat under the big banyan tree in the courtyard, sulking in the snow.

Jiang Luan originally didn’t want to bother and headed to the east wing.

But seeing the little fool still dressed in thin clothes, Jiang Luan hesitated and stopped.

Jiang Luan thought to himself, others might call you “old nanny,” but you actually go out of your way to be the nanny serving the young master—how cheap!

Muttering this in his heart, Jiang Luan sighed and returned to the tree.

“Sitting in the snow—isn’t it cold? You’re already dumb, don’t freeze yourself even dumber.”

He took off his cloak and threw it over Qi Shaolin, who immediately threw it off.

“I don’t want it!” Qi Shaolin shouted.

Jiang Luan didn’t get angry, picked it up, and threw it on Qi Shaolin again.

“Put it on!”

“No! I won’t!”

The ill-fated down cloak, worn and tossed about by its owner, was finally buried in the snow, half soaked through.

“Fine, then no one wears it,” Jiang Luan said, rubbing his arms and deliberately sneezing loudly.

Qi Shaolin, still sulking, stiffened and suddenly jumped up.

“Lady, are you all right?”

He hurried over, wrapping his arms around Jiang Luan, anxiously looking down.

“What do you think? You made me catch a cold,” Jiang Luan pouted. “Oh, it’s a cold.”

“I’m sorry...” Qi Shaolin’s eyes drooped, red and full of self-reproach.

Jiang Luan laughed and patted Qi Shaolin’s handsome face, teasing him, “Stop sulking, okay? Xiao Lin... brother?”

Hearing Jiang Luan call him “brother,” Qi Shaolin was momentarily stunned, his eyes darkening.

Jiang Luan was caught off guard by the gaze, and before he could react, Qi Shaolin pulled him close and held him firmly.

“I’m sorry,” Qi Shaolin buried his face in Jiang Luan’s shoulder, his voice muffled.

Jiang Luan: “...”

For a moment just now, he had the strange feeling that Qi Shaolin wasn’t really as simple as he seemed.