The Unveiling of the Green Tea Scheme

“Grandpa, please don’t be angry. It was my fault from the start. I will make sure to apologize to my cousins later.” Jian Ye gently patted Elder Master Jian’s back, comforting him while timidly conceding.

“Apologize for what? I’m here today, and what I say goes!” Elder Master Jian slammed his hand on the table. “We’re all family. How can elder siblings lead the charge in forcing their younger brother to apologize?”

‘Amazing! My grandpa!’

‘This is the rhythm! Keep it coming! Go, go, go!’

Jian Ye could tell that his grandfather must have been a spirited, audacious youth in his prime, or else these beautiful Chinese words wouldn’t resonate so perfectly with him.

Considering this, the original host wasn’t entirely unloved; he had merely squandered that affection himself.

While Elder Master Jian championed his cause, Jian Ye seized the opportune moment to let out a muffled groan, clutching his chest and coughing twice, his face paling.

“What’s wrong, Ye’er? Are you alright?” Elder Master Jian noticed Jian Ye’s discomfort and was the first to ask.

Jian Ye’s eyes still held traces of unshed tears from before, and now the pain in his chest brought a fresh wave of them.

This pain was half feigned, half genuine.

When he had fallen to the ground, the broken porcelain shards tucked into his embrace had indeed dug into him quite painfully.

Yes, shards—not an entire celadon cup.

Yesterday, Jian Ye had instructed Butler Zhang to purchase the gift according to his specifications, spending every last penny in Yu Wei’s card. Adding the money he earned from selling the original host’s garish clothes online, he had enough to buy something Elder Master Jian would appreciate.

That morning, he had wrapped the celadon cup in a towel, shattered it, and then tucked the pieces into his clothes before heading to the Jian family’s main residence.

Jian Ye couldn’t guarantee that the cup would break precisely when he fell, so he had to make these preparations in advance to ensnare the Jian family’s wolves.

In the scene that had just unfolded, producing the fragments from his embrace, regardless of anyone’s suspicions, would only lead them to conclude that the gift had shattered after his fall.

Jian Song was simple-minded; tricking someone like him required absolutely no technical skill.

“Grandpa, I’m fine. It’s just that when I fell earlier, the celadon cup in my arms hit my chest.” Jian Ye finished speaking, then subtly glanced at Jian Song.

Jian Song’s heart sank the moment his eyes met Jian Ye’s.

Indeed, the very next second, Jian Ye spoke in a low, wistful tone: “It’s my own poor balance; it’s not Cousin’s fault. I must have been walking too slowly, which is why Cousin only gently pushed me…”

[System 748: How is it that I’m detecting a hint of sarcasm in your ‘tea language’?]

[Jian Ye: He made me take such a dramatic fall on flat ground; can’t I be a little sarcastic in return?]

Jian Ye deliberately drew out the word “gently” so that everyone around could clearly hear it.

Those servants who had witnessed Jian Song kicking Jian Ye immediately suppressed their expressions of sympathy for the young master.

Their young master was truly pitiable; even when bullied, he could only swallow his grievances and was forced to speak well of the eldest young master.

Jian Song: “Jian Ye, you’re spouting—”

“Did you push him?” Elder Master Jian glared, his brows furrowed in a fierce scowl.

Jian Song immediately panicked a little. He wanted to deny pushing him, but he realized he couldn’t. Except for Grandpa, everyone else had seen it.

If he lied, any one of their expressions could betray him.

Moreover, Grandpa wasn’t a fool; he could easily find out what had happened by questioning any eyewitness.

He hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed Jian Ye’s lead: “I… I did just… gently push him. How was I to know my cousin was so unsteady on his feet… cough…”

As Jian Song uttered these words, even he felt a pang of guilt.

But what did it matter? Jian Ye was still too timid to expose the truth, wasn’t he?

He had thought Jian Ye had changed, but it seemed to be a mere illusion. This boy was still the coward he remembered.

Jian Song had assumed that after his explanation, the matter would be easily dismissed, especially since Jian Ye wasn’t genuinely injured.

Who would have thought that Elder Master Jian would be so relentless, insisting on pursuing the topic?

He knew his eldest grandson’s lying habits too well. The moment Jian Song spoke, Elder Master Jian knew he wasn’t telling the truth.

Realizing he wouldn’t get anything by asking Jian Song, Elder Master Jian simply turned to a male servant nearby.

“You tell me, what exactly happened when they came in?”

The male servant had been holding back for a long time, not daring to speak. Now, granted the authority to “tell the truth” by Elder Master Jian, he immediately spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.

Jian Ye listened, utterly dumbfounded.

‘Good heavens! This fellow is wasting his talent by not becoming a storyteller!’

The male servant’s narration was imbued with rich subjective color, painting a vivid and thrilling picture of Jian Song’s attack.

It was as if Jian Song had used just a little more force, Jian Ye might have been kicked to death on the spot.

Jian Ye had only intended to subtly trick Jian Song, using his own vulnerability to highlight the other’s arrogance.

He hadn’t expected the situation to escalate so far beyond his expectations.

Elder Master Jian flew into a rage after hearing the account, picking up the teacup from the table and hurling it at Jian Song’s head.

Jian Song was terrified and instinctively dodged. At this point, Jian Zhengqing and Zhu Yan, sensing the unfavorable turn of events, also rose to shield their son.

“Father, it’s just a scuffle between brothers; don’t take it seriously!” Zhu Yan tried to persuade him, forcing a smile.

Jian Zhengqing also chimed in, “Father, I’ll teach this brat a harsh lesson when we get home. The doctor said you need to avoid getting angry, so please don’t ruin your health over this good-for-nothing.”

“Do you think I’m angry about their childish squabble? I’m furious that he bullied his younger brother and then threatened him into lying to me, an old man!”

Jian Song: ???

“Threatened? No, no, no! Grandpa, please don’t wrongly accuse me! I didn’t threaten my cousin!”

“If you didn’t threaten him, why didn’t he speak up after being wronged? He even said you only gently pushed him, when you clearly kicked him hard! There’s a huge difference between the two. Don’t you feel any guilt at all?”

Elder Master Jian’s deduction was incredibly logical, and Jian Ye inwardly agreed wholeheartedly.

Indeed, Jian Song had definitely threatened the original host countless times in the past, and not just Jian Song, but other Jian family members who disliked the original host as well.

A person isn’t born timid; they only become increasingly insecure and afraid to resist when influenced by a certain environment.

This had a significant connection to how the Jian family had suppressed a child for so many years.

Jian Ye guessed that such things had probably existed even before Jian Ye’s parents passed away.

Adults had many ways to threaten children, using the child’s most cherished possessions as leverage, making the child fear causing trouble for the family because of themselves.

Over time, this child would either become extremely fragile or develop an extreme personality.

And the original host seemed to be both, otherwise he wouldn’t have cried his heart out after being dumped by the scumbag Yu Wei, or attempted suicide by slitting his wrists after being arranged for a political marriage.

No snowflake is innocent in an avalanche; the original host’s personality and emotions were subtly destroyed over time.

Now, Elder Master Jian seemed to have finally understood this and began to focus on the reasons beyond Jian Ye himself.

[Ding—Green tea element detected! Green tea value +50.]

This wave of green tea value earned made Jian Ye feel utterly comfortable and pleased. He even hummed a tune in his mind.

When the Jian family’s highest patriarch lost his temper, no one dared to talk back.

Since it was a family gathering today, Jian Ye didn’t want the tense atmosphere to persist. He gently patted his grandfather’s back, spoke a few soothing words, and gave everyone an out.

This farce temporarily came to an end.

At dinnertime, a facade of harmony was maintained at the table, though undercurrents of tension swirled beneath.

Apart from Jian Ye, who ate heartily, some others likely harbored considerable resentment.

The people from the First and Second Branches had realized that today, Jian Ye seemed to have come prepared, his behavior differing from his usual foolish, self-destructive antics.

However, they clearly knew what Jian Ye’s weakness was.

Thus, halfway through the meal, someone finally brought up the inevitable marriage alliance.

It was the eldest uncle, Jian Zhengqing, who spoke: “Father, the Yi family set the marriage date for next month, didn’t they?”

He appeared to be asking Elder Master Jian, but his gaze subtly flickered towards Jian Ye.

Finding Jian Ye merely absorbed in his meal, not even sparing him a glance, he cursed the ‘little beast’ inwardly.

Elder Master Jian took a sip of tea, then hesitated before nodding. “Mm, the sixteenth of next month.”

His eldest aunt, Zhu Yan, immediately chimed in, “Oh my, that leaves only a month and a half. Little Ye needs to start preparing beforehand, and he can’t be like last time. It’s just, I wonder if the child agrees…”

Jian Ye understood perfectly that these people were speaking in veiled terms, hoping to provoke his dissatisfaction once more. Ideally, the ‘foolish’ him they perceived would erupt at the dinner table, staging another scene of desperate theatrics and causing a huge commotion.

Just now, Jian Ye had made everyone lose face by having Elder Master Jian protect him, so naturally, these people were unwilling to let it go.

But would Jian Ye, with a different soul, be someone they could easily manipulate?

“I agree.” Jian Ye’s clear voice resonated across the dinner table.

Zhu Yan’s words were cut short; she thought she had misheard.

Not just her, but everyone displayed expressions of surprise and disbelief, including Elder Master Jian.

“Ye’er, you said… you agree?” Elder Master Jian stroked his beard, excitedly.

Jian Ye elegantly picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth.

Burp~ He was full.

“Yes, I agree to marry the Yi family’s Third Young Master.”

It was just a formality, wasn’t it? A commercial marriage, he understood.

Everything was for the family’s benefit!

Initially, Jian Ye had concerns about the marriage alliance due to the hateful comments he’d seen about this book before transmigrating. Later, he’d come to a realization.

In any case, the intended spouse was the protagonist gong of this novel, and according to the plot, he wouldn’t ultimately belong to Jian Ye.

When the time came for a divorce, he probably wouldn’t even need to go through the process; the protagonist gong would likely handle it for him.

As long as he played his role well during this period, maintaining his green tea persona and not courting death like the original host—not obstructing the love story of the protagonist gong and protagonist shou—his survival should be no problem.

In the world of paper characters, a marriage wasn’t such a big deal.

It was a novel, after all. Without a few marriages and divorces, where would the twists and turns of the plot come from?

Jian Ye wasn’t so rigid-minded. If it meant gaining benefits, he would marry when necessary, without any hesitation.

“Little Ye, if you feel wronged…” Second Uncle Jian Zhenghua still tried to sow discord, believing Jian Ye was just putting on a brave face.

But Jian Ye wouldn’t give him the chance. “Not wronged at all!”

He cleared his throat: “As I’ve said, I was ignorant before and did things that made everyone unhappy. From now on, I will diligently follow the Jian family’s arrangements. I’ve thought it through: the marriage partner Grandpa arranges for me will definitely be excellent, so I am willing to accept the alliance.”

Elder Master Jian was immensely relieved. “My good grandson, it truly makes Grandpa happy that you can think this way. The Yi family is the most worthy aristocratic family for a marriage alliance in all of Yunjing. Grandpa wouldn’t lie to you; we absolutely won’t lose out on this marriage. I’ve also met that Yi family child; he’s exceptionally talented and a perfect match for you.”

Everyone: …Pah.