All that needed to be asked had been asked, and Ren Yaoqi stood up.
"Rest well. I will send someone to fetch you once your injuries have healed a bit." Ren Yaoqi's voice carried no discernible emotion as she spoke, remaining as gentle as always.
Old Woman Luo propped herself up to sit properly. "Does the young lady have anything else to ask?"
Ren Yaoqi shook her head.
She already knew all she needed to know. She had no time to inquire further into the Zhai Family's secrets—what did those have to do with her?
"Young lady, could Shui Ai go with you today?" Old Woman Luo's gaze held a plea as she looked at Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment. "Why not wait until your injuries are better and return together? She likely wouldn't want to leave you now while you're injured."
Old Woman Luo hurriedly replied, "This servant can persuade her. Young lady, please take her with you." Old Woman Luo seemed to be grasping at her last lifeline, likely because the tragic annihilation of Old Woman Liu's family back then had made her deeply fearful of Zhai Yaozu.
Ren Yaoqi had originally been considerate of their grandmother-granddaughter bond, but seeing Old Woman Luo's insistence, she said nothing more and simply nodded.
Xiao Jingxi nodded, stood up, and left first.
Ren Yaoqi had also intended to leave, but Old Woman Luo suddenly called out, "Fifth Young Lady, please stay a moment."
Ren Yaoqi turned back and saw Old Woman Luo struggling to shift her body toward her. She walked back a few steps, only for Old Woman Luo to suddenly reach out and grab her sleeve, leaning in close. In the moment of Ren Yaoqi's surprise, Old Woman Luo whispered quickly into her ear, "Back then, the Zhai Family planned to move south to avoid disaster. They had a considerable amount of family wealth that was inconvenient to take along, so they left it hidden in the ancestral home."
Ren Yaoqi pulled her sleeve free from Old Woman Luo's grasp, looking at her coolly without speaking. Yet her gaze was icy, causing Old Woman Luo to shudder involuntarily and withdraw her hand.
"Young... young lady, this servant speaks the truth. The young master's uncle knew about it back then, though he didn't know where the things were hidden, nor whether they have been retrieved after all these years."
"Nanny Luo." Ren Yaoqi coldly interrupted her. "The Zhai Family's young mistress treated you well back then."
Old Woman Luo's face paled, then she looked at Ren Yaoqi with a bitter smile. "The young lady's reprimand is justified. This servant has wronged her former mistress."
She paused. "This servant tells you this with no other intention but to hope you can mediate or guard against it, so that the tragedy of those years does not repeat itself. Li Niang also knows this secret, and she knows more than I do. She will surely inform the young master. This servant thinks that since the young master has returned, he will not let matters rest. This servant sees that the Han Family is now a prominent household. If Young Master Yaozu lets go of his grudges, he could live a life of both prosperity and honor. The young mistress and the others are already dead, and the young master's uncle and his wife have long been buried. When will the cycle of vengeance end? Living a good life is what truly matters. This servant admits to being a coward. I originally intended to live out my days quietly on the estate, letting these past events rot in my belly. But alas, man proposes, heaven disposes."
Ren Yaoqi quietly watched Old Woman Luo for a moment before saying calmly, "Then let them continue to rot in your belly. What you just told me need not be known by anyone else."
Old Woman Luo sighed and nodded.
Ren Yaoqi turned and left the room.The bright sunlight outside momentarily dazzled Ren Yaoqi. As her eyes adjusted, she saw Xiao Jingxi standing under the eaves, speaking with Zhu Ruomei. Gilded light slanted across his profile, serene and beautiful. Hearing Ren Yaoqi emerge, he turned his head and offered a faint, gentle smile.
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but close her eyes for a moment—today’s sunlight was truly glaring.
Zhu’s wife approached from the side room that served as a kitchen, accompanied by Shui Ai and Zhu Ruoju. She carried a teapot and a plate of greenish-yellow apricots.
“Why don’t you come inside and sit, Miss?” Zhu’s wife hurriedly greeted her. “We don’t have much to offer here. These apricots may not look fully ripe, but they taste quite good.” As she spoke, she picked the largest one from the plate and handed it to Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi accepted it with a smile and thanked her.
Zhu’s wife had never served in a wealthy household and was unfamiliar with its formalities. Had it been another young lady before her today, she likely wouldn’t have accepted the apricot. Fortunately, Ren Yaoqi didn’t mind such things; she rather appreciated Zhu’s wife’s straightforward nature.
Zhu Ruomei walked over and took the tea and fruit plate. “It’s stuffy inside—the courtyard is much cooler.” They had only recently moved into this house, and the tables, chairs, and furniture inside were old, some even worm-eaten. Zhu Ruomei felt too embarrassed to invite his two distinguished guests inside for tea. Instead, he placed the tea in the courtyard, where a small stone table and a few stone stools in the shade offered a rustic charm.
Zhu’s wife, sensing they might have matters to discuss, took Shui Ai and Zhu Ruoju into the west wing to check on Old Woman Luo.
Xiao Jingxi had already taken a seat in the courtyard. Zhu Ruomei poured him a cup of tea from the pot. The cup was plain, coarse porcelain, looking rather crude, and the tea itself was not particularly clear.
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but glance over, suddenly recalling how Xiao Jinglin had once said that Xiao Jingxi was particular and difficult to please. Ren Yaoqi thought he definitely wouldn’t drink it.
Xiao Jingxi noticed Ren Yaoqi’s gaze. He glanced down at the tea, then, with perfect composure and utmost elegance, picked up the cup and took a small sip.
Despite her current mood being far from pleasant, Ren Yaoqi found herself involuntarily curling the corners of her lips. She realized that this so-called “immortal” Xiao actually cared quite a bit about saving face.
Ren Yaoqi walked over and sat down. Zhu Ruomei poured her a cup of tea as well, then silently withdrew. Though he appeared burly and rough, his mind was sharp and attentive. He knew the two distinguished guests hadn’t come to his home just for tea.
Ren Yaoqi held the teacup in her hands. Her palms felt cold and slightly sweaty. Even though the weather today couldn’t be called cool, she felt she needed something to warm her hands.
“Go and bring some tea to Xia Sheng,” Ren Yaoqi said to the two maids following her.
Pingguo bowed her head and complied without a word. Xiangqin, however, rolled her eyes as she secretly sized up Xiao Jingxi. Noticing her gaze, Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow and glanced her way. Xiangqin, caught off guard, flushed bright red and hastily scurried off after Pingguo.
Ren Yaoqi was clearly sending the two maids away—something she rarely did, as she usually kept Pingguo by her side.
The two of them sat in silence for a while, neither speaking first."When I came out, Old Woman Luo told me that there were some family assets left behind in the Zhai Family's ancestral home back then. From her tone, it was quite a substantial amount." Ren Yaoqi's voice was light, gentle and unhurried, without any trace of embarrassment or shame at having her family's disgrace witnessed.
Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi and suddenly smiled softly, saying gently, "You don't need to tell me this."
Ren Yaoqi deliberately gave him a surprised look: "I thought you wanted to know."
After saying this, Ren Yaoqi immediately regretted it. Wasn't she slapping Xiao Jingxi in the face, almost directly scolding him for being too nosy and meddlesome? Clearly, Ren Yaoqi wasn't as composed as she appeared on the surface—she was still taking out her anger on him.
Just as she was about to say something to remedy the situation, Xiao Jingxi smiled first. Resting his chin on his hand, he looked at Ren Yaoqi leisurely and said, "This is the third time you've lost your temper with me."
Ren Yaoqi: "..."
Why did she feel something was off about this statement? How dare she lose her temper with Xiao Jingxi? When did this happen? Had her upbringing deteriorated to such an extent? Ren Yaoqi could hardly believe such slander.
"Has Young Master Xiao misunderstood something?" Ren Yaoqi snapped back to reality and said with utmost sincerity.
"Hmm." Xiao Jingxi smiled noncommittally, subconsciously picking up his teacup but not drinking from it. His long, fair fingers made the coarse teacup appear even more crude and rough.
Another silence fell.
This time, it was Xiao Jingxi who spoke first.
"The matter with the Lei Family has gone smoothly. You've won our bet. As agreed, I will have the Lei Family replace the Han Family. Additionally, you may also ask me to do one thing for you."
However, Xiao Jingxi's words did not bring Ren Yaoqi any joy. She gently traced the chip on the rim of her teacup with her finger and said after a long while, "Have I... made a mistake?"
Xiao Jingxi was somewhat surprised to hear this. He had always thought Ren Yaoqi was calm and confident, someone who would find a way to make taller people shield her even if the sky were falling.
This was the first time he had seen Ren Yaoqi look lost. Even her anger was expressed with restraint and subtlety.
"Why do you think that?"
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jingxi: "After hearing the story, don't you think Han Dongshan's resentment is something the Ren Family deserves to bear? Even if you stand on the side of justice, you shouldn't have helped me. If you want to cancel our bet, I won't mind."
Xiao Jingxi said lightly, "The feud between the Zhai Family and the Ren Family has nothing to do with me."
Then why did you come along to listen to another family's secrets! Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
"I wanted to know the Han Family's motives. After all, he is still working for the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. One shouldn't wield a blade for others without understanding why." Xiao Jingxi seemed to sense Ren Yaoqi's inner complaints and said with a faint smile.
Ren Yaoqi knew Xiao Jingxi indeed had the right to listen, because without him, she wouldn't have uncovered the truth so smoothly.
The repeated section from the previous chapter has been revised. I heard that mobile and website updates can now be synchronized—can mobile readers see it?
Yesterday, I was careless. I originally wanted to write more, but due to limited sleep time, I had to force myself to stop.
Then today, my editor told me the book review section exploded... 〒_〒
Thank you to my editor for helping to explain, and thank you all for your understanding and support.
OpenNovel