Chapter 183 – Void of Interest (Part 2)
Jiang Pengji raised an eyebrow and smiled elegantly, “Then… I’ll try to pay attention next time?”
Xu Ke wanted to chuckle, feeling an unprecedented exhaustion within.
Sometimes the Young Master was just too clever, making it unsatisfying to be a subordinate, as it left one feeling somewhat redundant.
“By the way, I had the Steward look into it before; I heard there’s a widow in Xiaoyu’s family that has a good relationship with them?”
She suddenly asked, catching Xu Ke off guard. He responded, “Indeed, there is a widow. May I ask why the Young Master inquires about this?”
“Just asking, after all, I should know at least a little about my subordinates’ family members.”
Xu Ke found it suspicious; from what he knew of this Young Master, she usually wasn’t the type to waste time on such inquiries.
Yet, the mention of the widow sparked some thoughts for him, “Oh, that’s right. Thank you for your concern, Young Master. The widow hasn’t remarried for many years, and her young son passed away early. Now she lives alone and struggles to make ends meet, sometimes taking on mending jobs or washing clothes for a living. She even helped with my mother’s funeral to ensure it was respectable, and when I was imprisoned, only she secretly sent me some dry cakes…”
“I had planned to wait until things settled down a bit before bringing her over to live the rest of her days comfortably. Since the Young Master brought it up, I have an unsought favor to ask.”
This was already the second time Jiang Pengji had heard the term “unsought favor” today; just say what you mean!
“Your aunt is good to you, and it’s only right for you to be filial to her. There’s nothing wrong with discussing this. I’ll send someone to Zisang County to bring her over. The journey is mostly through remote areas, so I’m not comfortable letting you make the trip alone. You don’t need to worry about it; focus on your own matters.”
Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but reflect: Was she really so unreasonable?
If she hadn’t brought it up herself, Xu Ke might have held back for another month before saying anything.
Xu Ke was unaware of her thoughts, but Jiang Pengji’s thoughtful arrangement did indeed move him.
After all, he was now a registered servant; his Young Master didn’t need to treat him with such politeness. Even if she ordered him around, it would be quite justified. These days, he hadn’t felt any sense of inferiority or unease about being in servitude.
Not only that, but sometimes he even forgot about it entirely.
Only during the daily dressing of his cheek tattoo would he feel a sharp pang of pain and have to confront this embarrassing fact.
The encounter with the Young Master was hardly pleasant, yet he had to admit that their days together had genuinely left him impressed.
In truth, it seemed this young person, who was even shorter than him, might just be the enlightened ruler he’d been waiting for his entire life?
“Next time you return to the manor, make sure to withdraw a few months of your stipend ahead of time. Since you’ll be bringing her over to enjoy her sunset years, she shouldn’t have to worry about her livelihood. As a young person, a bit of hardship just counts as training, but older folks deserve to be taken care of…”
To Jiang Pengji, frail elders and children belonged to the vulnerable groups, in need of protection.
This time, Xu Ke didn’t hesitate, willingly accepting her kindness.
A penny can stump a hero.
Xu Ke, skilled in internal affairs, fully understood this principle. Thus, he wouldn’t push back ungratefully because it was unnecessary.
Currently, he had no savings; he relied on the Liu Residence even for himself. Even if his aunt came over, he wouldn’t be able to take good care of her.
This was also one of Xu Ke’s concerns. Luckily, the Young Master was empathetic and understood his difficulties. If he didn’t accept her offer now, he’d really be out of sorts.
Xu Ke finally exhaled, the weight on his chest slowly lifting.
However, he quickly noticed a hint of confusion in Jiang Pengji’s eyes, as if she was troubled by some issue.
Xu Ke pondered, what could be so perplexing that this Young Master looked flustered?
He felt he couldn’t miss this opportunity. If she had a problem, he was sure he could help!
Let that question be! Let him handle it!
“Your face shows confusion, is there something troubling you?” Xu Ke asked with a gentle voice.
Jiang Pengji shot him a glance and said, “I’m thinking of a question; it seems I’m on the brink of an answer.”
“What question could even stump the clever Young Master?”
Xu Ke felt it was finally time for him to shine.
“For example, let’s use you as an illustration…” Jiang Pengji pointed at Xu Ke, who looked baffled, and continued, “My original plan was to reward you for your hard work, but then my father reminded me that showing more concern for your family seems to be what you’d appreciate more. The rewards are essentially the same, but clearly, you prefer the latter.”
At this moment, Xu Ke was completely stumped.
He had intended to showcase his talents, thinking if he solved a problem that even the Young Master couldn’t, he’d clearly be more valued.
But when she voiced her puzzled question, he was left speechless, unsure how to respond.
Initially, he thought she was playing with him, but upon observing her expression carefully, he realized she truly didn’t understand.
Suddenly, Xu Ke felt a mix of emotions between laughter and tears.
If only he knew there was a term called “moe” in the world, he would have grasped what he just felt!
His Young Master had a peculiar sense of cuteness.
“In my view, this can’t be generalized; it varies from person to person.” Xu Ke wasn’t too harsh on Jiang Pengji, after all, she was just a twelve-year-old child. Understanding human dynamics takes talent and experience; recognition can be taught and learned.
“Variations by person?”
“Exactly. For instance, take Meng Jiaotou; the item you had me prepare was precisely what he needed at that moment. It’s about addressing urgent needs—no matter how unvaluable, the intent matters. And as for your aunt, I’ve long had thoughts of bringing her over, but I was hindered by financial constraints and had no feasible way to do so, let alone how to safely bring her here. Yet, your action has perfectly resolved this issue.”
Xu Ke said earnestly, “For you, it might just be a small gesture, but for others, it bears different significance—it solves a problem they have no way of managing. Isn’t that a tremendous kindness? The Young Master yourself once mentioned that gifts are not about value but about intent; it’s the same principle.”
However, when a superior tries to ingratiate themselves with a subordinate to narrow the gap, it’s inherently a beautiful yet ambiguous affair.
Unfortunately, his Young Master had a different style—she asked directly, even inquiring about the person involved.
Honestly, it was a bit… awkward.
Xu Ke felt a sense of existential ennui.
Jiang Pengji wasn’t foolish either; she quickly figured out she had fallen into a thinking trap.
She had been overly focused on the current societal trends and so-called familial ties, neglecting the simplest core principle.
“I understand now; I was caught in a dead end before.” Jiang Pengji nodded seriously.
For some reason, at that moment, Xu Ke felt that his Young Master’s transformative skills had probably… unintentionally leveled up again?
