Chapter 54 Part 1: Older cousin

Ye Shijie waited for Jiang Li in a small building in the tea house next door.

Early in the morning, he had entrusted someone to wait outside the Jiang residence to give a letter to Jiang Li’s servant girl. Ye Shijie invited her to meet in the tea house’s small building. Although the words were passed, Jiang Li still might not necessarily come personally.

However, in the end Jiang Li still came.

It’s not yet time for school, it’s also not that far from here to Ming Yi Hall. A simple talk with Ye Shijie would not affect the school time. Jiang Li came to keep the appointment after she had properly organized her things.

In the tea house. Ye Shijie was wearing an ash blue robe. Although the color was plain, if one looked carefully, the material of the cloth was very fine. The obscured pattern on the cuff was also a rare double needle embroidery. This youngster was born with thick eyebrows and big eyes, considerably handsome and bright. It’s just that his gaze as he sized up Jiang Li had a somewhat vigilant look.

“Elder cousin Ye.” Jiang Li spoke as she sat down across from Ye Shijie.

Apparently shocked by “elder cousin Ye” these three words, Ye Shijie blanked out for a moment and actually didn’t know what to say for a while. Only after a long time did he open his mouth and spoke in a stiff voice: “Why did you help me yesterday?”

In the midst of the ruckuss yesterday, Jiang Li suddenly appeared and helped Ye Shijie. Towards this young lady who showed up when encountering injustice, he was very grateful. But in the evening, as he was sitting under the lamp, he suddenly thought that something was wrong. The capital’s Jiang second miss, isn’t that his late aunt’s daughter, his younger female cousin?

If someone else showed up to counter the injustice, perhaps Ye Shijie wouldn’t think so much. But when the righteous person turned out to be Jiang Li, no matter what, Ye Shijie wasn’t convinced that it wasn’t a plot. Tossing and turning for a night without any sleep, Ye Shijie decided to look for Jiang Li directly to have a chat and ask her clearly what’s going on.

“I called you elder cousin Ye, don’t tell me you want me to see my own relative being blackmailed on the street while I look on without lifting a finger?” Jiang Li spoke very naturally as if she was astonished at the reason why Ye Shijie asked such a simple question.

Ye Shijie was again choked by Jiang Li’s righteous words. Half a day later he spoke in a cold voice: “Don’t joke, aren’t you looking down on us being merchants, so why talk about being relatives?”

Jiang Li heard what was said and spoke in a weird tone: “Can you explain these words?”

Ye Shijie glowered at her: “That year grandmother travelled to the capital to take you to Xiangyang. But in front of the entire Jiang family, you berated my Ye family as lowly merchants and wanted to break off all relations!” Ye Shijie spoke till here and his chest violently moved up and down, seemingly very excited: “When grandmother went back, she immediately contracted a serious illness, only got better after recuperating in bed for a year. Now you talk about relatives, are you joking?”

Jiang Li stared at him, then blinking her eyes, she spoke with astonishment: “Did I say all these things before?”

Ye Shijie: “…….”

“Perhaps elder cousin Ye remembered it wrong.” Jiang Li shook her head, “I don’t remember saying these.”

“You don’t remember?” Ye Shijie sneered: “But all the people from our Ye family who were present remember!”

“Ah, then it seems that I have indeed said these words.” Jiang Li secretly sighed. No wonder Ye family broke relations with the Jiang family. If Jiang second miss had truly said these hurtful words towards old madam Ye, it would be strange if they could recover their relationship. However, she wouldn’t vainly accept this accusation that originally didn’t belong to her. Jiang Li asked: “But now I simply don’t remember anymore. Dare to ask elder cousin Ye, when I spoke these words at that time, how old was I?”

Ye Shijie coldly said: “Five years old.”

“Five years old.” Jiang Li frowned, “According to reason, this should be the age where one is aware of matters. But I alone don’t remember this thing. Elder cousin Ye doesn’t feel that there’s something odd with this matter?”

“What excuse are you thinking of with these words?” Ye Shijie stared at her.