The Supporting Female Character Refuses to be Cannon Fodder Chapter 37

“Miss, I’m glad you don’t mind me taking the initiative.” Zhou Shan smiled. Jiang Chan was good to his family, so naturally, he also wanted the best for her. Getting rid of Jiang Miao for her was his way of showing kindness.

“How could I blame you? Uncle Zhou, your actions have really saved me from a lot of trouble.” Jiang Chan was not unreasonable. Although Uncle Zhou hadn’t consulted her at first, once Zhou Shan explained his reasoning, she understood.

What she couldn’t refuse was the genuine sincerity of others, perhaps because she had received so little love in the past. Jiang Chan treasured the care she received immensely.

She never demands that others treat her well as a matter of course, but once someone shows her kindness, Jiang Chan will not refuse it; instead, she will reciprocate even more generously.

“I wonder if he believed it,” Jiang Chan frowned. She was the owner of Jiang’s Dim Sum, and most people with even a slight connection in town knew it. She wondered if Zhou Shan had managed to deceive Jiang Miao today.

“Whether he believes it or not doesn’t matter, as long as you insist that this is madam’s shop, even if he has many plans, he won’t be able to say anything because of madam.”

Zhou Shan grinned. Dealing with someone like Jiang Miao, who cared about face, all you needed to do was to bring up the moral high ground. He wouldn’t dare to covet something belonging to his aunt.

Once this story got out, Jiang Miao could forget about advancing through the imperial examinations.

After leaving Jiang’s Dim Sum, Jiang Miao smoothly found the three classmates who had lent him money for medical treatment. Both emotionally and rationally, he felt compelled to personally thank them.

It just so happened that when he visited, his three classmates were together, studying. It was already the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month, and the academy had long been on holiday. They were diligent students, continuing their studies despite having already achieved the scholarly rank of xiucai¹.

One of them was related to Jiang Sen. Why? Because this xiucai’s father was a good friend of Jiang Sen, and they came from a wealthy family.

Inside, there is a person associated with Jiang Sen. Why? Because there is a scholar who is the son of Jiang Sen’s friend, known as “fox-like man,” and his family is considered to be quite wealthy.

The usual leader of this group was naturally Li Yifei. He and Jiang Miao originally had no connection, but it happened that when Jiang Miao needed to be sent back, the master casually assigned a few people, and he, along with two other classmates, were drafted for the task.

They gathered again today. They had barely read a few pages when the butler announced Jiang Miao’s arrival. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Miao returned the silver to Li Yifei and the others and then handed over the dim sum he had prepared.

Gathering together was convenient, saving him the trouble of visiting each one individually. Now that his business was done, Jiang Miao didn’t talk about leaving but chatted casually instead.

Upon seeing the packaging of Jiang’s Dim Sum, Li Yifei’s lips slightly curled. He was an avid fan of Jiang’s Dim Sum, buying them every few days to satisfy his cravings.

His two other classmates, Song Chunhui and Li Sansi, felt similarly. Jiang’s Dim Sum had thoroughly spoiled their palates. They lacked other hobbies; if they were like some youths who went out to drink, they wouldn’t get past their fathers’ scrutiny.

For now, they could only satisfy their craving for good food. The dim sum Jiang Miao brought really hit the spot, and the smiles of the three became warmer.

Jiang Miao lingered because he wanted to strengthen his ties with them. Although he was not close to Li Yifei and the others, they knew each other, and now that he was visiting, wouldn’t he hope to deepen their relationship?

After sitting for the duration of a cup of tea, Jiang Miao, who was not oblivious to social cues, felt it was time to leave, as staying any longer might annoy them. He then took his leave.

After Jiang Miao left, the classmates cheerfully indulged themselves in the dim sum that Li Yifei opened.

Just as several people were enjoying themselves, the door to the study suddenly opened. Naturally, it was Li Yifei’s father, Li Ruisi. His narrow, fox-like eyes swept over the room and immediately noticed the dim sum on the desk.

“Ah, Jiang’s Dim Sum?” Li Ruisi raised an eyebrow, unceremoniously giving them a few pointers on their studies before leaving the room, boldly taking with him the portion that belonged to Li Yifei.

Li Yifei glared. Was this necessary? At least leave him a few pieces! The next moment, his gaze turned to Song Chunhui and Li Sansi. Song Chunhui was crafty; he grabbed a whole neat tray of dim sum, claiming it was time for lunch, and dashed off.

Seeing no hope in Song Chunhui, Li Yifei turned to the honest Li Sansi, who awkwardly clutched the package of dim sum to his chest and finally said, “My mother hasn’t tried Jiang’s Dim Sum yet; I want to take some home for her to try.”

That settled it for Li Yifei. He waved his hand, “I know you’re filial. I haven’t visited Aunt Qing for a long time; I’ll go with you after lunch.”

Aunt Qing was Li Sansi’s mother, and Li Sansi was Li Yifei’s cousin. Li Sansi’s father had died early, and Li Ruisi often looked after them, including supporting Li Sansi’s education.

Seeing Li Yifei give up, Li Sansi still wasn’t completely reassured. He quickly packed up his books, holding the dim sum tight, worried that Li Yifei might change his mind the next second.

Li Yifei glared at the empty study. Was this really necessary? A gentleman’s word is as good as his bond, and he was capable of keeping his word.

Frustrated, Li Yifei casually picked up a book and flipped through it. Just as he was feeling upset, Li Ruisi came back in. Li Yifei looked at him irritably, his mouth still had some pastry crumbs on it, which he didn’t bother to point out.

Li Ruis looked at his son, only seeing the back of his head, and knew why he was unhappy. He patted Li Yifei on the head and said, “Look at you, getting all upset. I’ll take you out for some good food at noon.”

“What delicious food?” Li Yifei immediately turned his head, his eyes filled with curiosity. Not to boast, but his father had sent the cook to learn for a few days, and the meals had been wonderful since his return.

Now, Li Yifei didn’t think there was anything tastier than the food at home.

“We’ll go to Master Jiang’s house; he can also give you some pointers on your studies this afternoon.”

Li Ruisi squinted his eyes, having had this plan for a while. Officially, it was for Jiang Sen to tutor Li Yifei, but his real intentions were known only to himself.

“Are you kidding? What good food does Master Jiang have?” Li Yifei frowned, then his eyes widened in surprise. “Could it be that Aunt Zhang went to Master Jiang’s house to learn?”

1. a person who has passed the county level imperial exam ↩︎