Chapter 22

"You silly girl!" Yanzhi bit her lip, a little angry, "Master Jiang is nowhere near as good as the young master. Let's not watch anymore, alright?"

Gu Ying pulled her mouth into a smile. "What nonsense you speak. My lady does not cling to him, she came here on purpose to laugh at him."

Hearing this, Yanzhi felt a little better. "My lady should have said so earlier, you scared my heart into thumping wildly."

Gu Ying did not want to watch any longer, and turned to leave.

But before she could, a cold, sharp male voice suddenly called out to her. "Second Miss Gu, what brings you here?"

It seemed he thought of something, for his voice quickly took on a mocking, disdainful tone. "Could it be Second Miss has come specifically to watch my engagement?"

He knew, all her previous actions were but an act, a facade.

She cared for him in her heart, unwilling to let him marry her elder sister.

Gu Ying silently rolled her eyes, turned around, and looked upon Jiang Yin's slender figure. She smiled breezily, entirely at ease. "Brother-in-law, shouldn't you be inside speaking of marriage with Grandmother instead of out here?"

Jiang Ling'er had silently come up by now, and grasped Jiang Yin's washed-out white sleeve with her small hand. "Brother, do not quarrel with the young miss from the Gu manor... let us go back..." Her voice was timid, eyes glimmering wetly with a faint flush, giving off a helpless and feeble air that evoked pity.

The icy look in Jiang Yin's eyes softened, showing some tenderness towards Jiang Ling'er.

Gu Ying gave a cold mocking laugh.

She was truly blind before, to not have noticed such obvious affection between master and concubine. She had been earnest and attentive towards Jiang Ling'er, treating the young miss well enough that she ended up in her own husband's bed, becoming pregnant ahead of his proper wife.

"Brother, the young miss from Gu manor comes from a prestigious family, we common folk should not offend her... don't be... fierce with her." Although Jiang Ling'er's looks were ordinary, her voice was timid, eyes shimmering with moisture and tinged red - altogether presenting a helpless and frail appearance that tugged at one's heartstrings.

"Ling'er, go back first, I'll return shortly." Having said thus, Jiang Yin roughly grabbed Gu Ying's wrist and pulled her into a nearby alley, forcefully pushing her against the wall.

"Gu Ying." The man narrowed his long eyes fiercely, dropping the pretense of a gentle lamb, revealing unfamiliar viciousness. "Just what are you trying to do? Although I've said before I don't like you, you've stubbornly pestered me relentlessly. And now, just when I'm willing to marry you, you deliberately act aloof and indifferent - are you trying to get my attention?"

The narrow alley was deserted.

Yanzhi anxiously stood guard at the entrance, fearing someone would chance by and see.

Gu Ying had been through life and death before, so she did not care about such things.

She only wished she could peel Jiang Yin's shameless face off, and stab knives into each other's chests.

She curved her lips slightly, beautiful eyes glimmering, meeting his furious and sinister gaze head on. The smile at the corner of her lips deepened. "Things have reached this point, yet you still think I'm deliberately playing hard to get?"

Her tone was completely unlike the deferential, silly and foolish Gu Ying of the past.

Jiang Yin's lips pressed tight, a flicker of confusion crossed his face before seeing her challenging eyes again reignited the blaze of fury in his chest. "Since you don't care about me, why did you show up today? You did this on purpose, you must have!"

Gu Ying looked at him in disgust, pushed him away. "The winter hunt is in four days. I merely came out to buy saddle pads, Master Jiang is flattering himself too much."

"Gu Ying! Do not anger me!"

Jiang Yin did not know what raw nerve had been struck, perhaps it was a man's possessive nature. He ground his teeth and reached out with his long arms, wanting to pull the thoughtless woman before him into an embrace.

But before he could act, a sleeved arrow suddenly cut through the air with a whistle, barely grazing his eyelashes as it flew past and pierced heavily into the stone wall.

Not just him, even Gu Ying across from him blanched.

She hurriedly turned to look, and saw at the entrance to the narrow alley, a tall and upright figure standing amidst the snowy vista, the vast snowy mist pulling his form tall and straight. He was clad in cold and imposing black fox fur, giving him an aloof yet dignified air.

In that moment the north wind howled fiercely, snow swirled like banners.

His brow and eyes were elegant, still damp from the snow which enhanced the refined beauty of those eyes.

Gu Ying's heart stirred, and inexplicably, her eyes grew somewhat moist.

"Young master!"

She revealed a smile, pulled free of Jiang Yin's hand, and ran towards the man. The woman's soft body leapt into his embrace. Zhao Changdu's large hand froze briefly, but soon he put his arm around her, his gaze coldly fixed on Jiang Yin standing opposite. His voice was low and sonorous. "What did Top Scholar Jiang do to my fiancée?"

Jiang Yin's vision was obscured by the heavy snow, he could not see the man's features clearly.

When he finally saw the extraordinarily handsome face, he was frightened into momentary speechlessness by the man's imposing manner.

"Y-young...master... I... I did not... she seduced me."

Zhao Changdu's face was like an cold deity, a slight knit of his brow exponentially increased the pressure, enough to weaken Jiang Yin's legs and make him want to kneel.

"Did you seduce him?" Zhao Changdu lowered his eyes to look at the coquettish girl in his arms.

Gu Ying wrinkled her brow and shook her head. "Young master, I did not. You alone have my heart, no other man. He slanders me."

The line of the man's jaw tightened minutely, his sexy, low voice devoid of any emotion in the snowy landscape. "I see." Just four simple words, an indifferent tone, yet seething with menace.

Jiang Yin considered himself ruthless, yet in this man's presence, he was reduced in magnitude.

"Young master, I swear!" He clenched his fists and knelt with a thud in the thick snow. Anxiously he pleaded, "This lowly one harbors no improper thoughts about your fiancée!"

Zhao Changdu's eyes were lazy and aloof. "Huai An."

Huai An stepped forward and halted. "Young master?"

Zhao Changdu did not deign to look at Jiang Yin's spineless form. His voice was low. "Beat him up, but don't maim him. And leave no visible wounds."

Having said thus, he turned, still holding Gu Ying, and even graciously reminded, "Don't let his blood sully Second Miss's sight."

Gu Ying gave an amused chuckle, touched at being shielded unreasonably for the first time. A faint blush tinged her cheeks.

Once out of the narrow alley, her body stiffened upon smelling the faint sandalwood scent of the unfamiliar man holding her, bringing back unpleasant memories of her past life...

Her lips were pale as she struggled. "Young master, you can let me go now."

"Use me then toss me away?"

"I did not mean it that way..." Gu Ying's tone grew urgent. This man's aura was powerful, holding her petite body was like clutching a mountain. She grew nervous, and looked up earnestly to explain, "It wouldn't look proper for us to be like this on the main street."

Zhao Changdu lowered his gaze. This girl had willow brows and apricot eyes, her face no larger than a palm, yet was shockingly pretty.

In a rare gentle tone he solemnly said, "Nothing improper about a betrothed couple. What matter if others see?"