Chapter 318: Sourness in the Air

Chapter 318: The Sourness in the Air

Ji Zihang's eyes were dark. He stood coldly to the side, watching Ji Yuntang eat with a satisfied expression, and muttered a curse under his breath.

"'A rat has skin, but a man has no decorum!'"

"'Some people, even if they become a princess, can't change the vulgar streak in them.'"

Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, his stomach betrayed him with two loud growls.

"Gurgle~"

The sound was loud, and Ji Zihang instantly turned red with embarrassment.

Xie Liuzheng, with a blade of grass between his lips, fixed his gaze and let out a snort, then spoke leisurely.

"Ha, you're so lofty and great. This heir thought you didn't need to eat or drink. So you do get hungry after all!"

"Calling my sister devoid of propriety and shame—it's just that nobody has prepared a lavish meal for you after the competition!"

"If you want to eat, go ask your precious sister to buy you some!"

Ji Zihang: "..."

His face instantly darkened.

He glanced at Xie Liuzheng, then at Ji Qingqing. The difference in their standing was as clear as day.

Not to mention food, it had been so long since he stepped down from the stage, and Ji Qingqing hadn't even poured him a cup of tea.

It would be a lie to say Ji Zihang had no resentment in his heart. It wasn't that he wanted to eat; he just felt very humiliated.

True care was never just words. As her biological brother, he was completely overshadowed by Xie Liuzheng, left with not even a shred of dignity!

Ji Yuntang had gained a lot of face at this moment because of Xie Liuzheng's strong support and care.

But what about him?

Ji Zihang began to think, what had Ji Qingqing given him?

She only blindly pushed him to win the championship, so that afterwards she could be the "champion's sister" and appear several degrees nobler than others when going out.

Besides that, the Crown Prince would also value her more.

Everything Ji Qingqing did was for her own benefit.

But she had never asked him whether his studies were hard, whether he was tired, or whether he had enough to eat every day.

Ji Zihang began to reflect—had he really made a mistake?

Mistaking a fish-eye for a pearl.

If he had directed all the kindness he gave to Ji Qingqing toward Ji Yuntang, would he now feel as content as Xie Liuzheng?

While thinking these thoughts, Ji Zihang, as if by some unseen force, turned his head to look at Ji Yuntang.

As he did, he accidentally met Ji Yuntang's mocking gaze.

At that moment, she was holding a pigeon wing in her hand, gnawing on it.

Seeing Ji Zihang looking at her, Ji Yuntang, right in front of him, deliberately bit off a piece of meat from the pigeon wing and chewed it vigorously twice.

She sneered, "What are you looking at? I'm not your sister!"

"But if you're really hungry, this princess doesn't mind giving you a couple of bones to gnaw on."

After saying that, Ji Yuntang spit a bone at his feet.

Ji Zihang: "..."

Ji Zihang: "!!!"

The sound of laughter from the crowd reached his ears. Ji Yuntang's action, though not physically harmful, was extremely humiliating.

The faint regret in his heart was instantly and completely washed away. Ji Zihang wished he could rush up and tear Ji Yuntang apart.

This bitch was so arrogant and domineering—how could she compare to their gentle and considerate Qingqing?

The entire Rongguo Duke's mansion favoring her—they must be blind!

"Ji Yuntang, don't be too happy yet!" Angry as he was, Ji Zihang fortunately still had a shred of reason. After glaring fiercely at Ji Yuntang, he turned and walked away without looking back.

Ji Yuntang watched the man's retreating figure, feeling a little disappointed.

She had wanted to infuriate Ji Zihang into losing his mind, then watch him fly into a rage and attack her!

That way, she would have a legitimate reason to slap him!

Unfortunately, Ji Zihang was a scholar, highly educated and refined.

He didn't act as impulsively as Ji Qingfeng and Ji Huaiche; instead, he suppressed all his anger and willingly played the good-for-nothing.

Provocation didn't work very well on him.

Ji Yuntang sighed and gazed mournfully at her own slender, jade-white hands.

These hands had once slapped Ji Huaiche and Ji Qingfeng.

Not having slapped Ji Zihang, she felt as if something was missing.

Ji Zihang still didn't know that the reason Ji Yuntang provoked him was to slap his face.

He walked a long way without stopping. Even though Ji Yuntang's figure was no longer visible, he could still hear her clear, pleasant voice in his ears.

"Brother, this braised pigeon is really delicious. I want to eat it again."

Xie Liuzheng responded, "No problem. Big brother will buy it for you. You can have as much as you want. I'll have the chefs at Shiding Tower make it for you again, so you can eat to your heart's content in one go."

Ji Zihang's eyes darkened, tinged with a sinister glint. He raised a hand and rubbed his brow.

After experiencing today's events, his mindset had changed, and his mood had become very complicated.

Previously, he had always thought that the Rongguo Duke's mansion recognizing Ji Yuntang as an adopted daughter was just an act of humanitarianism, mere lip service.

Unexpectedly, they were serious, and every single one of them was so good to Ji Yuntang.

Ji Zihang couldn't understand—a vicious woman with such malicious intentions—what exactly was worth the entire Rongguo Duke's mansion treating her so well?

The weed they discarded as worthless, the Rongguo Duke's mansion insisted on picking up and treating as a treasure.

Could it be that this family has really been bewitched by Ji Yuntang?

Meanwhile, in a private room on the second floor of the teahouse.

Luo Junhe witnessed the entire incident.

He raised his eyelids, his dark and deep eyes filled with gloom, reflecting an indescribable emotion.

Chen Hu only felt that suddenly the entire room turned cold, as bitterly cold as winter.

Just as he was hugging his arms for warmth, he heard Luo Junhe's deep and magnetic voice, laced with anger.

"Chen Hu, give the order: tonight's dinner at Prince Ye's mansion will be a full pigeon banquet."

Chen Hu was taken aback and asked, "Ah, why does the Prince suddenly want to eat pigeons?"

Luo Junhe narrowed his dark eyes and forced out four words through clenched teeth.

"The Princess Consort loves to eat them."

After saying that, he took out a hundred-tael silver note and handed it to Chen Hu.

"Use this entire silver note to buy pigeons. The Princess Consort worked hard in today's competition. Tonight, this Prince wants to nourish her well."

Chen Hu: "..."

His eyes went wide. At that moment, a terrible thought suddenly crossed his mind.

If all one hundred taels of silver is used to buy pigeons, how long would it take to eat all of them?

Would the Princess Consort become overfed, then grow fat and unattractive, and then the Prince might abandon her?

Chen Hu glanced at Luo Junhe with apprehension. He inexplicably felt that Luo Junhe's demeanor suggested anger!

But he didn't dare to ask, nor did he dare to speak. He could only resign himself to taking the note and ordering someone to buy the pigeons.

Below the viewing platform, Xie Liuzheng suddenly shivered. He frowned and sniffed, thinking he detected a strange odor.

He asked Ji Yuntang, "Sis, do you smell a sour odor in the air?"

Ji Yuntang looked at him in surprise, "No, there is no sour odor here."

Xie Liuzheng sniffed hard again and said with certainty, "No, there is a sour odor. I am not mistaken."

------------