Pampered by Short-Lived Bigshot

Chapter 23: 023 Change to a closer form of address? Fifth Brother? Jinsang… Chapter 23: 023 Change to a closer form of address? Fifth Brother? Jinsang… Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Jiang Family’s Old Residence
With an addition to the household, even breakfast was richer than usual. Tang Wan lowered her head, eating the small wontons, and noticed out of the corner of her eye that Jiang Jinsang, holding a spoon and eating wontons, avoided the cilantro on the clear broth, not touching it at all.

“Fifth Master, shall I call someone to fix your bathroom later?”

“What bathroom?” Tang Lao was in a good mood today and ate more than usual for breakfast.

“The heater in my bathroom is broken,” Jiang Jinsang stated nonchalantly, “I’ll find someone to fix it myself.”

“No worries, I still have the contact number of the maintenance guy from when it was installed. Winter is approaching, so he might as well check other heating equipment in the house too.”

Tang Wan’s reasoning seemed fair; it wasn’t right to have a guest repair things.

“I wanted to ask, which hospital is Miss Tang the Second staying in?” Jiang Jinsang inquired calmly while eating. “I heard she’s in the hospital. Since it’s partly due to me, I should go see her.”

Tang Wan pursed her lips. She really couldn’t figure out the person in front of her. He had beaten someone so terribly last night without a single apology, and today he wanted to visit the sick? Something about it felt odd.

Tang Lao clicked his tongue, “You don’t have to go. With your health, better rest at home, bask in the sun.”

“The doctor said it’s good to go out for walks more often.”

“Wanwan is going to the hospital later, so you guys can go together.”

“Miss Tang is going too? Then it’s perfect for company.”

Tang Wan: “…”

She didn’t say she wanted to go with Jiang Jinsang, this was so random.

“I say, the two of you, could you change the way you address each other? One keeps calling him Fifth Master, the other always says Miss Tang. You’re going to be living together; no need to be so formal and distant,” Tang Lao found it really awkward to hear.

“I see young people today start calling each other darling and hubby even before marriage. You’re already living together, why so courteous!”

Tang Wan knew her grandfather had been pretty bold recently, but she never expected him to be this bold.

“We’re just living in the same courtyard.” If outsiders heard this, what would they think?

“Not living together?” Tang Lao countered.

“…”

In private, Tang Wan pulled her grandfather aside and mumbled, “Grandpa, I already made it clear to him, so please stop saying odd things. Just because he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have thoughts.”

This was her own grandfather, with mutual understanding that he didn’t mean anything bad.

But Jiang Jinsang was different, a man nearly demonic in wisdom. If you openly and subtly try to matchmake him like this, he’d notice. If it’s someone he doesn’t like, doing this once or twice without giving you a hard time is already being polite.

“Tell me, aside from his poor health, where is he not good?”

Tang Wan stayed silent. Who wouldn’t want to find someone they like to spend their life with? According to rumors, Jiang Jinsang wouldn’t live past three years.

Once married, the husband would die soon after. How was there any hope of growing old together?

*
Tang Wan and Jiang Jinsang went to the hospital to visit. On the way, they bought two fruit baskets. As they reached the ward, laughter could be heard from a distance.

Tang Wan hadn’t wanted to come, but a gesture of goodwill was necessary; appearances had to be maintained.

As they knocked and entered, Zhang Liyun wasn’t there. Tang Mo was lying in bed. It had been too dark last night to see clearly, but now in broad daylight, Tang Wan looked at her face and couldn’t help but gasp.

Her eyes were blue and swollen, and half of her face was bruised and puffy, distorting her facial features. Clad in a hospital gown, it was unclear how injured her body was, but it was definitely not light.

The Jiang Family members really went hard; even if they didn’t recognize Tang Mo, they should have known she was a woman.

Tang Wan once mentioned this incident after entering the Jiang Family. Jiang Jinsang merely said, flatly,

“Sister, Fifth Master.” Tang Mo called out softly when she saw them enter, her voice pulling at the wounds, causing her to wince in pain.

“Aunt Liyun isn’t here?” Tang Wan glanced at the ward. There were five or six people inside, all looking around eighteen or nineteen, fashionably dressed in big-name brands.

“Hello, sister.” They stood up to greet her. Tang Wan was not much older, but she was already working, giving off a mature and sophisticated vibe, akin to seeing their own elders.

“My mom went out; these are my classmates,” Tang Mo introduced briefly.

“Hello,” Tang Wan greeted them politely, her gaze sweeping over the group, different from the ones she’d seen at home before.

With someone arriving, they felt restrained talking and eventually prepared to leave after a few simple exchanges.

“Momo, take care and get better. We’ll visit again another day.”

“Thank you, I’ll treat you guys to a meal when I’m discharged.”

Tang Wan just listened quietly. Tang Mo often spent extravagantly, and recently Zhang Liyun had cut her allowance. These kids were spending money like water when dining and hanging out together; she likely couldn’t afford to treat them.

However, Tang Mo’s affairs were not something she interfered with. She couldn’t foresee that her matters would later implicate herself.

Tang Mo was completely terrified of Jiang Jinsang. While she previously harbored some romantic notions about him, now seeing his expression only made her feel as though she was facing a devil.

Jiang Jinsang, on the other hand, found this fear more comforting.

Knowing fear meant no more mischief.

**
The two didn’t stay long at the hospital. When they returned home, the repairman had already fixed the bathroom heater and was calculating his wages, ready to leave.

Tang Wan just returned, thanked him, and inevitably asked, “Master, the heater over there hadn’t been used much. It was fine before; why did it break?”

“Maybe it just hasn’t been used for too long. When people don’t move for a long time, it can lead to problems, let alone machines. I checked, and there’s no major issue, just signs of human tampering. If you think there’s a problem, call me. Don’t try to fix it yourself.”

“Human tampering?” Tang Wan frowned. The heater was on the bathroom ceiling. Who would touch it?

Jiang Jinsang casually remarked, “It must have been when I thought it wasn’t working well. One of my guys tinkered with it and ended up breaking it.”

Jiang Family members: “…”

Oh my gosh, what the heck, Fifth Master, can you have a bit of face when you speak?

Had it not been for the fear of you getting caught lying, would we intentionally sabotage things? Now, with a simple sentence, you’re blaming it on us. A bit of decency, please?

But since it was repaired, Tang Wan wouldn’t think too deeply about it, nor notice the collective resentment of the Jiang family members. Instead, she went back to change clothes and shoes, preparing to work in her study.

When she entered the study in the South House, she didn’t expect Jiang Jinsang to be there too. “Fifth Master.”

Although she had said before to make himself at home, a stranger entering her study still gave her a sense of unease.

He sat in a chair near the window, a thin blanket draped over his knees. Sunlight bathed him, smoke-like as if turned to gold. His originally pale skin was now touched with a warm glow.

March peach blossoms were no more beautiful than this.

“Working?” His voice was as calm and steady as usual.

“Mm.”

“I won’t disturb you by being here?”

“No problem. I’m just replying to some work emails, not too busy right now.”

Tang Wan partnered with someone to open a studio, focusing on creating silk-thread and cyan-feather jewelry. She was only in charge of the designing and crafting, while her business partner managed the marketing.

They catered to a high-end clientele, primarily producing jewelry for palace-themed dramas or cyan-feather headpieces for Beijing Opera masters. When busy, they barely had time to eat, but during slow periods, they might have nothing to do for a month or two.

“Fifth Master, would you like some tea? I have some new black tea here.” Black tea is nourishing for autumn and winter.

Jiang Jinsang squinted:
The address “Fifth Master” sounded too formal and distant.

It was time to change it.

Maybe second brother? Or Jinsang…

Her voice was soft and melted into his bones. If she said his name, it should sound even better.

Tang Wan was brewing the tea, completely unaware that someone was staring at her with a gaze—intense and vivid.