Crybaby Transmigrated into a Little Husband Chapter 72.2

 

 

Chapter 72: 居心叵測【修】 (1)

Sinister Intentions【Revised】

Part 2

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Only after the beauty departed did Ji Tao suddenly realize his own rashness. In that moment, as if possessed, the words had slipped out. Likely, his habitual familiarity with women, where he knew no bounds, had caused him to lose control even now. He scolded himself inwardly, gazing regretfully at the direction Sang Jiayi had vanished, already plotting how to apologize later.

 

Meanwhile, Sang Jiayi, accompanied by her maid, dashed swiftly away. Only after running for a while did she finally halt, walking slowly with her maid, who was now gasping for breath. Her mind churned with thoughts, but she ultimately pressed her lips together and strode purposefully toward her courtyard.

 

The young maid trailing behind noticed her miss’s grim expression and dared not approach. Instead, she followed cautiously, her eyes fixed on her miss, fearing she might do something reckless.

 

Yet Sang Jiayi proved far less fragile than the maid imagined. By the time she reached her courtyard gate, her emotions had gradually settled. Then, another peculiar thought surfaced in her mind—one she couldn’t shake, one that even seemed vaguely feasible.

 

Once seated in her room, she glanced at the maid who had followed her inside and asked uncertainly, ” Xiaodie, what did you think of that young master just now?”

 

The maid looked at her young miss, momentarily unsure how to respond. Recalling her first impression, she answered honestly, “From his appearance, the young master is quite handsome, and his smile seems cheerful. But miss, why did you rush back so urgently just now?”

 

Sang Jiayi looked at Xiaodie. This maid was both loyal and intelligent, and most importantly, she was the only person here she could confide in. Pressing her lips together, she said with a troubled expression, “He just asked me if he was my destined partner?”

 

The maid gasped in surprise, then quickly regained her composure as she grasped the implication. She regarded her young miss with a look of disapproval tinged with quiet concern. “Miss, wasn’t that young master being a bit too forward?”

 

Both understood exactly what she meant, and a faint irritation flickered in their eyes. But then the maid understood her miss’s thoughts. While she hoped her miss would stay, she certainly didn’t want her to choose someone like that.

 

She quickly urged, “Young miss, you should choose the Third Young Master. He’s handsome, and I heard from outside that the Old Master holds him in high regard. Most importantly, the aunt is very supportive of him.”

 

Hearing her maid mention Ji Ling, Sang Jiayi sighed helplessly. How could she not know that Ji Ling was the best choice? But Ji Ling’s heart was set on Tang Xiaobao, and no matter what, she didn’t want to compete for him. So the young miss and maid looked at each other in utter silence, unable to think of any other solution at that moment.

 

Just as both were at a loss, a knock sounded at the door. Xiaodie glanced up and instructed a young maid to investigate. When the maid returned, she carried an exquisitely crafted food box, its contents releasing a tantalizing aroma that whetted the appetite.

 

The young maid looked at her young miss and respectfully said, “The person who just delivered it said this was specially sent by the Third Young Master’s husband, saying it was for the young mistress to try.”

 

Hearing that the man who had just appeared in their conversation had sent something, and seemed to be quite mindful of herself, even the maids who felt their miss marrying Ji Ling wouldn’t affect them much felt a bit uneasy. A faint blush even appeared on their faces. Sang Jiayi, upon opening the food box before her and seeing the exquisitely crafted little buns inside, turned to her maid and said softly, “Next time don’t ever mention that matter again.”

 

The maid startled, though reluctant, but seeing her miss carefully eating the buns, she reluctantly replied, “Yes, miss. I understand.”

 

At that moment, Tang Xiaobao was counting the buns they had made last time with Ji Ling, thinking about what other fillings to try next, a delighted smile on her face. Ji Ling stood beside him, a faint smile perpetually on her lips.

 

After Sang Jiayi ran off, Ji Tao, still seated, grew increasingly irritated the more he thought about it. He kept berating himself for acting that way earlier. If not for that, Sang Jiayi wouldn’t have such a poor impression of him now. She’d likely already classified him as someone she couldn’t associate with.

 

The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. After sitting for a while, he decided to return home.

 

Back in the courtyard, he spotted the Second Lady, who had just returned from shopping. Seeing her son approaching from afar, she looked delighted. But when she noticed the gloom on his face, she immediately asked sharply, “Who upset you? Do you want Mother to go and vent your anger for you?” ”

 

Ji Tao looked at his mother with a heavy heart, unsure whether to reveal what had just happened. Yet, feeling increasingly stifled by keeping it to himself, he finally confessed under her persistent questioning, “I ran into that Sang Jiayi just now…”

 

Hearing that name, the Second Lady—who had been keeping a close watch on the main household—immediately recalled who this person was. She quickly grabbed her son’s arm and asked urgently, “If you met her, why do you look so unsightly?” Then, remembering her son’s temperament, her own face flushed with embarrassment. “What foolish thing did you do this time?”

 

Seeing his mother’s serious expression, Ji Tao sighed in defeat. “We were actually getting along quite well. She was smiling so gently, and for a moment, I didn’t realize something was off. I blurted out some thoughtless words and ended up upsetting her.”

 

Hearing the defeat in Ji Tao’s voice, the Second Lady momentarily forgot to scold her son, who usually couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Regaining her composure, she glanced at the servants nearby and said to Ji Tao, “Let’s discuss this inside.”

 

Ji Tao nodded obediently and followed his mother into the inner chamber. As soon as they entered, he dismissed the other servants, leaving only the two of them. Seeing her son still in a foul mood, the Second Lady spoke with a hint of gravity, “Tell me exactly how you offended Miss Sang.”

 

If it were anyone else, Ji Tao would never have shared his embarrassing story. But looking into the Second Lady’s eyes, he found himself opening his mouth and recounting the entire incident.

 

After listening, the Second Lady glared at her son with disappointment, her tone tinged with anger. “How could you ask so bluntly? Don’t you know a young lady’s pride is fragile? Even if she’s willing, you shouldn’t ask in front of so many people ah!”

 

Ji Tao felt a bit wronged by his mother’s scolding and quietly defended himself, “I saw Miss Sang looking at me with such tenderness, I thought she might feel the same way. So I just blurted it out. Who could have known what happened afterward?”

 

The Second Lady watched her son, now alone in his distress, with a cold gaze. Then, recalling his words, she asked uncertainly, “Do you truly have feelings for Miss Sang?”

 

Hearing his mother question him like this, Ji Tao naturally felt validated. He nodded, adding dramatic flair to his words as he continued, “I believe Miss Sang feels the same way about me. Why else would she smile at me so gently?” He never once thought whether this Miss Sang also smiled so tenderly at everyone?

 

The Second Lady analyzed her son’s words while calculating in her mind just how likely it was he could snatch her away. After all, the main branch currently favored Ji Ling. Even when the Sang family’s daughter arrived, she interacted primarily with Ji Ling. Wasn’t that intention painfully obvious? She refused to accept it. Her son was so outstanding—how could he possibly fail to catch their eye? It had to be that little bastard who’d used some trick to blind them.

 

If they intended to match Miss Sang with Ji Ling, then her son could certainly snatch her away. While the Second Lady pondered her next move, she glanced at her son, who sat there visibly uneasy. She murmured softly, “You’ve truly overstepped this time. Find an auspicious hour to pay them a visit and apologize. Use the opportunity to make a good impression in front of that Sang girl. If you can win her favor, that would be ideal.”

 

Ji Tao looked at his mother and voiced his true thoughts, “I want to marry her.”

 

Er Fu Ren gazed at her son, seeing the earnestness in his eyes. She nodded and said, “If you wish to marry her, then marry her. Though her family may not match the Ji household in status, I hear your eldest aunt dotes on her greatly. She surely won’t treat her poorly.”

 

Seeing his mother support his decision, Ji Tao’s mood instantly lifted considerably. Having voiced the concern that had weighed on him, he rose with a sudden sense of lightness. He prepared to take his leave, pondering what gift he might bring to Miss Sang to earn her forgiveness.But just as he began to move, suddenly his mother called him back.

 

Er Fu Ren looked at him and said casually, “I recently acquired a set of jewelry. The quality is superb, but the color is far too vivid for me. You should take it and give it to that young lady.”

 

As soon as the Second Lady finished speaking, Ji Tao recalled the carved jade set his mother had received not long ago. A broad smile instantly spread across his face, and he eagerly replied, “I will make sure to deliver it to her properly.”

 

Seeing him like this, the Second Lady waved him away. She instructed her attendant to deliver the items to Ji Tao, then she sat back on her couch, idly stirring the ashes in the incense burner. She murmured to herself, “All the good things should be for my own son. Even if others want them, it should only, if my son doesn’t want them anymore then it’s okay to give it to others.”

 

Completely unaware of the scheming unfolding in the main and secondary households, Tang Xiaobao had been living quite happily these past few days. He couldn’t figure out why Ji Ling hadn’t been going out lately, instead staying by his side to cook meals together. The two had actually experienced the joys of a little husband and wife while preparing food.

 

But after a few days, even the usually slow-witted Tang Xiaobao sensed something was off. Staring at the lively fish in the basin, he frowned and said, “This isn’t the fish I asked for?” The fish didn’t look particularly large or expensive, whereas the one he’d requested was clearly worth more. But the point wasn’t the fish’s price. It was that Ji Ling seemed to adore eating this particular fish, finishing every single one. So every time he instructed the servant responsible for fetching supplies from the public storehouse, he’d say: “You can bring less of the other items, but you absolutely must get this fish.” He’d give clear orders, and the items brought back were always as requested. So why the sudden change now?

 

Frowning at the servant responsible for procurement, Tang Xiaobao asked in confusion, “Is the fish sold out?”

 

Under Tang Xiaobao’s gaze, the servant had no idea how to respond. He felt caught in the crossfire between the kitchen and the young master. It’s like watching gods fight while the little devils suffer.The kitchen insisted on providing only this fish, but looking at Tang Xiaobao, he didn’t know how to explain. The young mistress wasn’t fierce, but the young master certainly was. If the young mistress got upset and complained, he’d be in big trouble. After much deliberation, he decided to tell the truth: “The kitchen won’t give any.”

 

Tang Xiaobao stared at him, momentarily unable to process what “won’t give” meant. His expression was blank as he listened. After a long pause, he finally voiced his confusion: “You mean they have it, but they won’t give it to you?”

 

The servant, meeting his young madam’s innocent gaze, steeled himself and nodded. He hadn’t even mentioned that since his arrival, the steward—once exceedingly respectful—had grown cold and distant or lukewarm. As a servant, one’s perspective is far more direct than that of the masters. The Third Young Master’s family, who’d expected to rise to prominence upon their return, would likely be banished again soon. But he would never voice such thoughts aloud. Regardless of how others treated him, his own masters would never forgive him.

 

Tang Xiaobao pondered for a long while but still couldn’t fathom why they would do such a thing. So, tentatively, he asked:

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