Volume One, Chapter 19: Living Apart

Bai Ruoxi clutched her chest, gasping heavily, her head spinning. Her back pressed against the cold wall. She lowered her gaze to the shattered porcelain scattered on the floor, mixed with spilled tea, and only after a long moment did she come to her senses.

Her pale lips parted slightly, her voice tinged with bitterness and helplessness. “Still can’t remain indifferent…”

During the half hour she waited for Jiang Jinglan to go to Jin Zhi, Bai Ruoxi kept telling herself to stay calm and composed, to ask the questions she dared not face directly.

But she barely got halfway through before her spirit shattered into pieces.

She couldn’t remain indifferent to Jiang Jinglan’s hurtful words. Unable to listen any longer, she had no choice but to hang up.

Regret stirred within her.

She had intended to inquire, through Lu Ming, whether Jiang Jinglan wanted a divorce.

That question was like a fragile sheet of glass—if broken openly, she would lose all room to maneuver.

She just wanted to pretend she knew nothing, but Jiang Jinglan wouldn’t believe that anymore.

Tears fell uncontrollably. Bai Ruoxi wiped them away with the back of her hand, then knelt down to pick up the shards of porcelain one by one.

“Ah—”

She gave a low cry as a piece of the tea-stained porcelain cut a small gash on her fingertip.

The wound stung sharply, like a knife’s slice.

Bai Ruoxi stared at the bright red blood flowing from the cut, blending with the dark reddish tea.

The tea had honey added, giving it a sweet flavor.

No matter how sweet the honey, it could not mask the pain of the wound…

Such a simple truth—why couldn’t she learn it?

Jiang Jinglan only occasionally showed her kindness. Why did she forget all the wounds he inflicted?

“Knock, knock, knock…”

A knock sounded at the door.

“Madam, are you alright? May we come in?”

Qiu Yue’s voice came from outside.

Bai Ruoxi stood and sat back down in her chair, her voice hoarse as she said, “Come in.”

Qiu Yue entered the room with two servants.

He glanced down at the broken porcelain on the floor and smiled faintly. “Madam, would you like me to make fresh tea?”

The two servants beside him began tidying up with their tools.

Bai Ruoxi shook her head weakly. “Sorry to trouble you.”

“What is Madam saying? This is our job,” Qiu Yue replied kindly.

He had noticed the commotion from the very beginning.

In his memory, Madam had never been this angry.

Perhaps due to her background, she had always been cautious and timid; never deliberately breaking things, even accidentally breaking a bowl would make her feel guilty.

Seeing Madam so upset just now, he dared not disturb her. Only after the master sent someone with something did he dare to enter.

Madam’s bad mood could be easily resolved if the master took a little initiative.

“Madam, the master sent over coffee and desserts especially for you,” Qiu Yue said with a conciliatory smile, placing the coffee and cake on the round table.

The pale gray cake box was heart-shaped, with “Jin Zhi” embossed in gold characters.

Bai Ruoxi’s eyelids twitched, and she scoffed, “He goes for coffee and conveniently brings me some things? That’s really considerate of him.”

Qiu Yue’s expression stiffened slightly, twitching the corner of his mouth. “Madam, what are you saying? These were specially bought by the master himself. He doesn’t even like coffee.”

Before Bai Ruoxi married in, Namyue Elegant Residence never had anything like coffee.

The coffee machine in the house was added only a couple of years ago, specifically for Bai Ruoxi.

How could Jiang Jinglan possibly go to a coffee shop?

On this point, Qiu Yue did not lie.

Bai Ruoxi said nothing, only finding Jiang Jinglan somewhat laughable.

One moment he could speak coldly, the next he could do something to appease her.

Bai Ruoxi stared at the black portable coffee cup on the table, a wave of sorrow rising in her heart.

It was precisely Jiang Jinglan’s contradictory behavior that made her unable to help but wonder if he truly loved her.

But Jiang Jinglan’s attitude remained ambiguous, and she sank deeper.

Taking a shaky breath, Bai Ruoxi lifted the coffee cup with trembling hands, looking up at Qiu Yue with a smile more pitiful than tears.

“Butler Qiu, please arrange for someone to prepare the smallest guest room. I’ll stay there tonight. My hand is injured, so it’s inconvenient to move about.”

The madam actually asked to live separately?

Qiu Yue paused for a few seconds, hesitating, “Is that alright? The master might be upset.”

Her tear-laden lashes trembled slightly, and Bai Ruoxi’s chest felt as if something was blocking it, suffocating her.

Look, even Qiu Yue knew that the mere mention of “Jiang Jinglan” would make her compromise on anything.

Bai Ruoxi gave Qiu Yue a mocking look, her pale lips parting with a hoarse voice, “I want to live apart. Is that not allowed?”

Qiu Yue’s heart skipped a beat.

If he continued to persuade her, she would probably take it as a threat or coercion.

His expression grew serious. “You are the lady of Namyue Elegant Residence. Of course, you may live wherever you wish.”

“The floor is almost cleaned up. I’ll go downstairs first. If you need anything, just call me.”

Qiu Yue turned and led his team away, closing the door behind him.

For some reason, he felt as if Madam could break at any moment.

He feared he couldn’t handle this situation.

Once downstairs, Qiu Yue leaned against the stair railing, exhaling in relief.

Suddenly, a discordant voice came from nearby.

“What Madam Jiang? She really thinks she’s a dish to be served, even ordering people around now.”

Qiu Yue’s eyes widened. Turning around, he saw Zhang Li, a servant who had just helped clean, scowling and muttering angrily.

Zhang Li had been transferred from the Jiang family’s old residence earlier this year.

At that time, Namyue Elegant Residence was short-staffed, and Qiu Yue casually mentioned it. The old residence’s butler enthusiastically sent Zhang Li over.

Qiu Yue’s gaze darkened.

“Zhang Li, who told you to gossip about Madam? She’s your employer. What’s wrong with her asking you to do something?”

“Madam usually doesn’t order people around because she’s kind-hearted, not because she’s not entitled to,” Zhang Li snapped.

The household servants looked down on Bai Ruoxi, disregarding her, but dared not speak so openly.

At most, they pretended not to hear her and put on sour faces.

Sometimes when Bai Ruoxi asked for milk or juice, they would deliberately claim there was none and refuse to give it to her.

As long as Madam and Master didn’t say anything, Qiu Yue usually turned a blind eye.

Zhang Li was the first to openly belittle Bai Ruoxi.

“Zhang Li has a point. Look at that woman—she’s out of place.”

“Ha, she’s lucky the master acknowledged her. If she’d met a bad person, she’d be sued for fraud and wouldn’t be Madam Jiang for a second.”

“So what if Bai Ruoxi is pretty? Those high-class ladies are just as beautiful. Honestly, she’s just shameless and willing to gamble.”

…

The murmurs among the servants nearby only fueled Zhang Li’s arrogance.

She grew even bolder, raising her voice deliberately so Bai Ruoxi could hear the ridicule.

“Bai Ruoxi’s only Madam Jiang because she’s shameless and beds her way up. Who in the Jiang family, or this city, or even the country, looks up to her?”

“People like her deserve to order us around? I sure don’t tolerate her.”

Qiu Yue was stunned for a few seconds, his expression turning icy.

“Zhang Li! I’ve told you the rules of Namyue Elegant Residence—no one is allowed to gossip about their employer behind their back!”

“Can you still do your job? If not, then leave!”

His words silenced the whispering servants.

But Zhang Li was fearless. She threw down the broom with a sneer.

“I’m not quitting, and I’m not leaving. My personnel files are still with the old residence; you can’t fire me.”

Qiu Yue watched in disbelief as Zhang Li walked away, but dared not say more.

After all, she was sent by the old residence’s butler, Zou Shuming, and was his niece…