Chapter Fourteen: Mute or Deaf

Jiang Yang had invited Xin Gan over under Cheng Jiu’s name, but upon arriving at their team, the first person Xin Gan saw was Jiang Tang.

Jiang Tang smiled gently. “Miss Xin, I apologize for tricking you. Jiang Yang told you Cheng Jiu wanted to see you, but in fact, I wished to invite you for a gathering. I think Cheng Jiu will be very happy to see you soon.”

Xin Gan pondered for a moment and replied, “I think you may have misunderstood.”

Jiang Tang, puzzled by her words, uttered an “Ah?” and asked, “What do you mean?”

“I…” Xin Gan had just started to speak when Cheng Jiu’s voice sounded from behind.

Jiang Tang eagerly stepped forward to greet Cheng Jiu. “You’ve come at just the right time. Miss Xin heard you were returning today, and wanted to see you, so she had Jiang Yang bring her here to find you.”

Xin Gan froze instantly, unable to believe what she was hearing. She turned to look at Jiang Tang, who met her gaze only briefly before quickly looking away, as if nothing had happened.

Cheng Jiu’s forceful gaze fell on Xin Gan. “Looking for me?” His eyes seemed to ask why she was here.

Xin Gan stood there with difficulty, neither confirming nor denying it.

Cheng Jiu said, “Do you even know what kind of place this is? Is it somewhere you can just come and go as you please?”

Stunned by his harsh words, Xin Gan was at a loss, a hint of panic flickering across her face.

Cheng Jiu showed no mercy. “Speak up. Are you mute? Or deaf?”

Being publicly reprimanded without reason by him, Xin Gan felt humiliated—she had never endured such indignity in her life. She took a step back, steadied herself, and said, “Yes, I came to see you, but now it doesn’t matter. I apologize for disturbing you. I’ll leave now.”

As soon as she finished, she turned and left without a trace of hesitation, her steps even faltering. She cared for nothing else, only wanting to get away.

The atmosphere became subtle at once; the others stood quietly by, exchanging secret glances. Knowing Cheng Jiu’s temper, none dared provoke him, nor did they wish to be caught in the crossfire.

Jiang Tang and Jiang Yang, meanwhile, remained aloof, saying nothing.

Eventually, Jiang Tang spoke. “Cheng Jiu, don’t be angry. Why are you upset with Miss Xin? She’s just a girl who came all the way from Yong City—it wasn’t easy for her. I’ll go talk to her.”

Cheng Jiu frowned. “Got nothing better to do? Get back to your own work.”

Jiang Tang retorted, “Cheng Jiu, I’m not your subordinate. I don’t take orders from you.”

“No one is to interfere,” Cheng Jiu warned, his tone carrying a hint of menace.

Jiang Tang’s expression stiffened. “You’re letting a young woman leave on her own—there’s no shuttle to take her back to the inn…”

Cheng Jiu ignored her and strode away.

Once he’d gone, Jiang Yang said, “What should we do? If Miss Xin tells Brother Nine about this…”

Jiang Tang replied, “Then we just have to make sure they don’t meet.”

…

Even when she’d lived alone abroad, Xin Gan had never been treated so unfairly—especially not publicly scolded by Cheng Jiu. She hadn’t come to Beiyu to be humiliated; she’d done nothing wrong.

And Jiang Tang—first claiming Cheng Jiu wanted to see her, then saying she herself had borrowed his name.

Cheng Jiu, without a word of explanation, had berated her indiscriminately. Xin Gan felt aggrieved; her pride was fierce, and she would never tolerate such treatment.

She wanted to leave, refusing to linger a moment longer.

Xin Gan went to the sentry post to ask for directions, inquiring if there was a vehicle to return to the inn at Wu Ke Town.

The sentry replied, “There’s no shuttle to Wu Ke from here. If you want to catch one, you’ll need to walk half an hour to the nearest station. There, you can take a shuttle to Wu Ke.”

Beiyu’s territory was vast, and the towns lay far apart.