Bu Shulin never expected Xue Jinqiao to be so malicious. Everyone in the capital knew that initially, Worldly Son Bu had been chasing after Cui Shaoqing, but later the tables turned—Worldly Son Bu started fleeing while Cui Shaoqing began persistently blocking his path. Even this time, when Cui Shaoqing volunteered to escort the Xue family maiden to the northwest for her wedding, many joked that he was using official duties for personal gain, merely seeking to alleviate his lovesickness.
Xue Jinqiao, aware that Bu Shulin now avoided Cui Jinbai like the plague, had conceived this vicious scheme. Yet, Xiao Changfeng was her direct superior—if he assigned her to escort Xue Jinqiao, how could she disobey?
No, she couldn’t go to the villa where Xue Jinqiao was preparing for marriage. Her eyes darting around, Bu Shulin clutched her stomach with practiced ease: "Ouch, my stomach hurts! I can’t—I need to use the latrine!"
With that, Bu Shulin turned and fled. Xue Jinqiao stamped her feet in fury, but Xiao Changfeng couldn’t force his subordinate, even though he knew Bu Shulin excelled at nothing except feigning illness. He had no choice but to let her go.
Watching Bu Shulin escape, Xue Jinqiao suddenly broke into a soft laugh, baring her pale teeth. Though her eyes curved like crescent moons, the sight sent chills down one’s spine.
Xiao Changfeng rubbed his nose, thinking these noble maidens were quite different from what he had imagined. It was better to steer clear of them.
Xue Jinqiao was escorted back to her bridal villa by Xiao Changfeng. This villa had been specially purchased by Shen Yueshan and his son. Last year, the Xue family had settled here, and Xue Heng had already resigned from his official post, planning to make this his permanent residence.
Upon returning to the Xue residence, Xue Jinqiao spotted Cui Jinbai and approached him. "Cui Shaoqing, with my grandfather here, there’s no need for you to oversee everything. Besides, in the northwest, no one would harm me. On my way back, I encountered Worldly Son Bu, who seemed to have eaten something bad and was suffering from severe stomach pain. In a moment of willfulness, I insisted he escort me home, which led to a quarrel. Now I deeply regret it. Could I trouble you to take a doctor and check on Worldly Son Bu on my behalf?"
Hearing that Bu Shulin was unwell, Cui Jinbai’s heart tightened. He barely registered the rest of her words, only catching the final request to visit Bu Shulin. He nodded hastily. "I’ll go check on him right away."
How could he have eaten something spoiled in such a short time? He must have been indulging recklessly at the Office of Music.
Cui Jinbai hurried toward the courtyard where Bu Shulin and others resided, first sending his subordinate to fetch Xie Yunhuai. Xie Yunhuai was still in the northwest, having been earnestly invited by Shen Yungan and his father to attend Shen Yungan’s wedding.
Xie Yunhuai had provided significant assistance and had even shared many of his prescriptions. He repeatedly insisted that it was his way of repaying Shen Xihe’s generosity in sharing Old Man with White Hair’s notes. Yet, no matter how great the debt of gratitude, Xie Yunhuai had already given more than enough.
Thus, Shen Yungan and his father decided to treat Xie Yunhuai as family and invited him to stay for the wedding. Unable to decline their sincerity, and with some matters still to resolve, Xie Yunhuai agreed to remain until after the ceremony. He then planned to set sail overseas, as his investigations in the Western Regions had confirmed that the Unique Poison in Xiao Huayong’s body might have originated from a foreign land.Bu Shulin had feigned illness to slip away, but since she couldn't go drinking at the pleasure quarters, she could only return to sleep. She had just hummed a tune back to her room, taken off her outer robe, and lain down on the couch when hurried footsteps approached. Bu Shulin quickly got up, grabbed her outer robe, and threw it on.
Hastily dressing as she walked outside the screen, the door was pushed open with a bang. Frowning slightly, Bu Shulin saw it was Cui Jinbai and rolled her eyes dramatically. She simply pulled off her loosely worn outer robe again, tossed it on the screen, turned back inside, and immediately lay down again, pulling the quilt over herself.
"Where are you unwell?" Cui Jinbai followed her in, asking with concern.
"Me?" Bu Shulin lay lazily. "I'm perfectly fine."
Cui Jinbai carefully examined Bu Shulin's appearance, confirming she wasn't lying—she was indeed perfectly fine. Instantly, Xue Jinqiao's words became crystal clear in his mind. So Bu Shulin had pretended to be ill to avoid escorting Xue Jinqiao back?
Why didn't she want to escort Xue Jinqiao? There was no grudge between her and Xue Jinqiao. What she was likely avoiding was him, who had stayed behind at the Xue residence.
His anxious, worried face immediately darkened. "You don't want to see me?"
Bu Shulin made an indescribable expression. Men were truly unpredictable creatures—one moment they could be so worried and concerned it seemed life-threatening, the next they could be gloomy and cold enough to make anyone keep their distance.
"Can't you stop being so moody all the time?" Bu Shulin felt she would eventually be driven mad by this unfathomable man.
"I'm moody?" Cui Jinbai laughed in anger. "Why am I like this? It's all because of you!"
"Can you be reasonable? When did I provoke you again?" Bu Shulin was also irritated. "All I did was drink at the pleasure quarters? What young man in this world doesn't drink at pleasure quarters?"
"You just can't go drinking at pleasure quarters!" Cui Jinbai said forcefully.
"Why not?" Bu Shulin's temper flared too. Having been a hostage since childhood, she had grown up unrestrained and dissolute in the capital, never answerable to anyone, and had long developed a free-spirited nature that couldn't stand being controlled.
Her angry glare wounded Cui Jinbai's eyes and pierced his heart. In his fury, he grabbed Bu Shulin, pulling her toward him, and tilted his head to silence her incessant, irritating mouth.
Bu Shulin was so shocked her mind went blank. By the time she reacted, the inexperienced Cui Jinbai was already clumsily biting her lips. She pushed him away forcefully, making him stagger backward, and he instinctively grabbed her arm.
Caught off guard, Bu Shulin stumbled toward him, and the two knocked over the screen, with Bu Shulin landing on top of Cui Jinbai. Xie Yunhuai, who had been brought to Bu Shulin's bedroom, stepped through the doorway and saw this scene.
Xie Yunhuai: "..."
Bu Shulin: "..."
Cui Jinbai: "..."
Silence. Dead silence.
"I've entered the wrong room." Xie Yunhuai immediately took a step back, retreating backward.
The person who had brought Xie Yunhuai was outside and, hearing his words, wondered, "Doctor Qi, Worldly Son Bu's room is this one."
"Oh, Worldly Son Bu doesn't need a doctor." Xie Yunhuai turned the suspicious Golden Guard who was about to peek inside. "I heard your Golden Guard has been competing with northwestern soldiers lately and suffered many injuries. Why not take me to see them?"
"Alright! This way, Doctor Qi..."Listening to the fading footsteps, Bu Shulin felt like she could devour Cui Jinbai alive! She sprang up instantly, wiping her lips, and shouted, "Get out! Get out right now!"
Cui Jinbai rose leisurely, straightened his robe, and propped up the fallen screen. Though he moved away, he didn't leave the room—instead, he circled around the screen and settled calmly in the main chamber.
Watching Cui Jinbai's utterly unruffled demeanor through the various screens, Bu Shulin fumed, planting her hands on her hips in exasperation.
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