Tang Qiu was feeling troubled after that fiasco in the cafeteria, so she went searching for Xie Qingqing. The two of them sat down together on the school lawn to chat.
"Even Ning Mufan himself said that you were his girlfriend. How assertive of you!"
Tang Qiu rolled her eyes. "Don't be an idiot. It was Qian Hongwei's idea. Plus, it's not like we're dating for real. They did it to put an end to the rumors, which could affect my chances of getting a scholarship if the teachers heard them and got a bad impression of me."
Xie Qingqing found it hard to believe the situation was as simple as that. Surely someone as sharp as Qian Hongwei would have picked up on Ning Mufan's feelings for Tang Qiu? He must be looking for an excuse to set them up. She had never felt that Tang Qiu had any kind of future with Jiang Shaocheng. Were it not because the present situation necessitated it, Xie Qingqing would still have doubts about whether Ning Mufan was worthy of her closest friend, but he was a better match than Jiang Shaocheng in every aspect: disposition, learnedness, and background. Most importantly, he liked Tang Qiu.
"Since the two seniors are doing you a favor, there's no need to come out so quickly," she advised. "Wait till you've gotten the scholarship before announcing your breakup with Ning Mufan." They could afford to let the matter play out longer, she thought.
Tang Qiu's brow creased. "I'm afraid of causing trouble for Ning Mufan. And I'm married, too. I don't think this is a good idea."
Xie Qingqing rolled her eyes again, unable to help herself. "Your husband is cooped up at home all day trying to recover. How will he know about this, if you keep it to yourself? You think too plainly sometimes, Qiu. On occasion, it pays to be flexible. The seniors are helping you out, and you want to break things off? What will the two of them think?"
Tang Qiu pondered her words for a while, trying and failing to come up with a better solution. She felt a stab of resentment at whoever had started the rumor to begin with. "I wonder which troublemaker started spreading those rumors about me…"
Xie Qingqing, too, thought that those rumors were sickening. Worse, they tarnished Tang Qiu's good name. "I'll help you look into it. If I can't find out, I'll ask Ning Mufan for help. He's sure to have greater connections and resources than us both."
Tang Qiu nodded, but inwardly she still wished she could uncover the truth herself. If Ning Mufan helped her, she would owe him yet another favor, and she disliked bothering him unless she had to. The situation was still fresh in her mind when she returned to the mansion, leaving her in a bad mood.
Jiang Shaocheng saw her staring idly at her food and asked, "Qiu?"
Tang Qiu lifted her head, looking blur. "Yes?"
"Get some of the food."
Tang Qiu hurried to serve him the dishes on the table. Jiang Shaocheng shook his head. "I meant for yourself, Qiu. What's wrong? Is something bothering you?"
"It's nothing." Tang Qiu breathed a sigh. "Just thinking about all the stuff I need to translate." It mustn't be easy for her husband, coping with and trying to recover from his illness; she wasn't about to add her troubles to his burden.
Jiang Shaocheng stared at her intently, and her gaze flickered away. She was lying. "Qiu…" he began tentatively, "I may be ill, but I'm older than you and have seen more of the world and its people. Tell me what's on your mind. I may be able to lessen some of your troubles."
Tang Qiu set down her chopsticks and lowered her head in contemplation. "I don't understand," she admitted dejectedly. "Why do they all keep bullying me? What did I do wrong?" It had been like that ever since she was a child. Whenever the Feng sisters were in a bad mood, they would take it out on her, and even the servants in the Feng household had been allowed to mistreat her as they pleased. Unable to repress her emotions any longer, her eyes stung with tears.
She hadn't even known who Niu Caijie was. All that, just because she had a meal with Ning Mufan? He was her senior. Was even that small act considered a crime now?
Jiang Shaocheng's brow furrowed, putting down his chopsticks and pulling her to him. He reached out to wipe her tears away. "Because they were born with only half a brain. They're just jealous of someone like you, with a perfectly functional mind. You have both brains and beauty. How can those imbeciles compare to you?"
Tang Qiu had been downcast, but his words made her snort in laughter. She quickly dried her eyes with a piece of tissue. Still, the tears kept flowing.
Jiang Shaocheng cupped her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. "My beautiful wife. Don't waste your time and energy on halfwits like them."
Tang Qiu stared at him in a daze. His voice was so soft… and sweet… Jiang Shaocheng brushed her lips, his voice turning hypnotic. "If you're still upset, try kissing me. Let me lift your spirits. Don't believe me? Just try it. I promise it works."
Tang Qiu laughed under her breath. He was just seizing the opportunity to steal a kiss. "I'm fine. You don't have to…"
Her words fell away with a murmur of surprise as he took hold of her chin without waiting for a response. His lips found hers. "Why so shy, Qiu?" he whispered. "Looks like I have no choice but to boost your spirits whether you like it or not."