Third Watch
Second Young Master Xiao did not hear Ren Yaoqi's silent complaints and continued, "I should have returned earlier, but I encountered some trouble along the way. Coincidentally, I received some news about Ningxia, so I pretended to evade an assassination attempt and diverted to Jinzhou. This time, I owe a great deal to Prince Xian's people for covering my tracks."
Ren Yaoqi, however, sensed something deeper in his words and couldn't help but look up. "Covering your tracks? You didn't shake off those pursuers to flee back to Yunyang City, but... you went to Ningxia instead, didn't you? The news you received earlier in the capital about Ningxia was that the court intended to take action there, so you seized the opportunity to execute a 'golden cicada shedding its shell' maneuver in Jinzhou?"
The surprise in Xiao Jingxi's eyes gradually faded, replaced by an amused glint as he teased Ren Yaoqi, "I suddenly realize that having someone too clever by my side isn't always a good thing. At the very least, it leaves me with no chance to show off."
Ren Yaoqi also smiled. "Is Young Master Xiao reminding me that from now on, I should keep my distance and take a detour whenever I see you?"
Xiao Jingxi: "..."
Ren Yaoqi finally understood why Xiao Jinglin always enjoyed leaving Xiao Jingxi speechless—because doing so truly brought a sense of satisfaction.
She couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips. "Now you can show off a bit about what you did in Ningxia. I heard the court has already appointed a new Ningxia Regional Commander surnamed Zeng, who is currently on his way to assume the post."
Seeing the smile on Ren Yaoqi's lips, Xiao Jingxi couldn't help but feel amused. The exhaustion and weariness from the long journey and overnight travel seemed to vanish into thin air. "Zeng Pu? He's still a bit lacking if he wants to take over Ningxia now. The Wu family has been entrenched in Ningxia for decades—how could they be so easily replaced? If Wu Xiaohe truly had no successor, it might be a different story. But now that the Wu family has someone to carry on the lineage, what can he do even if he goes to Ningxia?"
Although hearing Zeng Pu's name from Xiao Jingxi's mouth still unsettled Ren Yaoqi, his subsequent words captured her attention. She asked in surprise, "Wu Xiaohe has a successor? Are you referring to Wu Yiyu?"
Xiao Jingxi gave Ren Yaoqi an amused look. "Finally, you guessed wrong once."
Ren Yaoqi had been influenced by the conversation she overheard from the scholars earlier, which led her to this conclusion. Upon careful consideration, she realized Xiao Jingxi might not necessarily support Xiao Wei and her daughter in rising to power. She pondered and said, "Could it be that the woman sent by the Di family is already pregnant?"
Xiao Jingxi chuckled with a sigh. "You guessed right again."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but feel astonished. To conceive under the watchful eyes of Xiao Wei and her daughter, and at such a critical moment—this woman surnamed Di was truly no ordinary person.
However...
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but frown. "How do you know whether she'll give birth to a boy or a girl?" If it's a girl, like Wu Yiyu, she would have no inheritance rights.
Xiao Jingxi smiled. "This child will be born safely, and it will definitely be a boy."
Seeing Xiao Jingxi speak with such certainty, Ren Yaoqi understood after a moment of thought.At such a time, Wu Xiaohe's child was no longer just about continuing the Wu family line—it was absolutely necessary for the child to exist. Whether it would be born smoothly or whether it would be a boy or a girl didn't matter, because the outcome would only be that Di Shi had given birth to a son. Ren Yaoqi even suspected whether this child was truly Wu Xiaohe's, or whether such a child even existed at all. However, as long as the Yanbei Prince's Mansion acknowledged the child's existence and fully supported it, the truth was irrelevant.
As for whether the imperial court recognized it, what did that have to do with Yanbei? Wasn't there a saying that the emperor was far away and the sky was high?
Thinking this way, the shadow in Ren Yaoqi's heart about Zeng Pu coming to Yanbei lightened considerably.
Without actual control over Ningxia, even if Zeng Pu came, he would be nothing more than a toothless tiger living under someone else's roof, unable to stir up much trouble.
"Speaking of which, I really must thank you," Xiao Jingxi said. "If you hadn't urged me to return earlier back then, the Ningxia matter wouldn't have gone so smoothly."
Ren Yaoqi replied, "I merely mentioned it in passing."
Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi, his voice gentle and soft. "Even if you said it in passing, I took it seriously."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but blush slightly. Why did she feel there was something odd about Xiao Jingxi's words again? Was she overthinking it?
But when she looked up at Xiao Jingxi, she noticed that although he was looking at her with a calm and composed expression, the tips of his ears were slightly red.
Ren Yaoqi averted her gaze and said, "It's getting late. Let's go back."
Xiao Jingxi watched her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."
Ren Yaoqi adjusted her cloak and turned to board the carriage when she heard Xiao Jingxi's voice, unusually hesitant. "If you hear any rumors about me from the capital, don't take them seriously."
Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi immediately thought of the matter regarding Miss Yan.
She paused and turned to look at Xiao Jingxi, asking in surprise, "Rumors about you? What rumors?"
Xiao Jingxi remained silent for a moment. "Just some baseless gossip."
Feeling mischievous, Ren Yaoqi gave him an innocent smile. "Where there's smoke, there's fire. Rumors have some basis, and I'll choose what to believe."
Xiao Jingxi: "..."
After saying this, Ren Yaoqi turned to leave.
Xiao Jingxi sighed and said with a bitter smile, "There are rumors in the capital that the Yan family intends to form a marriage alliance with the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. Empress Dowager Yan intends to arrange a marriage between me and the eldest daughter of the Yan family's main branch."
Ren Yaoqi stopped but didn't respond.
Unable to see her expression or know what she was thinking, Xiao Jingxi continued, "The marriage alliance between the Yan family and the Yanbei Prince's Mansion is merely Empress Dowager Yan's wishful thinking."
"Are you sure it's only the Empress Dowager's wishful thinking?" Ren Yaoqi suddenly spoke up. "Young Master Xiao, have you met Miss Yan?"
Xiao Jingxi frowned, then nodded honestly. "I've encountered her once or twice."
Ren Yaoqi nodded and said nothing more.
It seemed Miss Yan had feelings for Xiao Jingxi.
Ren Yaoqi had asked this question only to clarify the matter, with no other intentions. However, Xiao Jingxi mistakenly thought Ren Yaoqi was upset because he hadn't been honest. In his urgency, without thinking, he reached out and took Ren Yaoqi's hand.In that instant, both of their minds went completely blank.
It took Xiao Jingxi a long moment to realize he had once again done something only a scoundrel would do. He felt somewhat annoyed with himself, fearing his offense might have disgusted Ren Yaoqi. Yet, for some reason, his hand simply wouldn’t let go. He could only lower his head, staring blankly at their clasped hands.
Ren Yaoqi felt the warm temperature in her palm. For a moment, aside from the pounding of her own heart, she could hear nothing else. This time was different from the previous two occasions when their hands had touched. She didn’t know exactly what was different—she only knew that it was.
Fortunately, Ren Yaoqi regained her composure first. Biting her lip in slight annoyance, she turned her head and whispered softly, “Aren’t you going to let go?”
Ren Yaoqi had left Treasure Vase Alley in the evening. By now, the sky was gradually darkening. The two of them were standing in a sheltered spot to talk, and both maids had tactfully retreated to the intersection, so no one witnessed this scene.
Xiao Jingxi was momentarily distracted by Ren Yaoqi’s rare, slightly shy, and coquettish tone. Though he intended to release her hand, for some reason, he only gripped it tighter.
Then, coming back to his senses, he quickly let go, his face burning as he murmured softly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
Ren Yaoqi glared at him, turned around, and ran off. Even after boarding the carriage, she could still feel her wildly beating heart and the lingering warmth of another person’s touch in her palm.
Even after Ren Yaoqi’s carriage disappeared at the end of the road, Xiao Jingxi remained standing in place, unmoving.
Second Young Master Xiao’s face showed annoyance, regret, daze, and a trace of barely noticeable shyness—everything except the ethereal calm and composure he always wore. In short, it was difficult to put into words the true feelings of Second Young Master Xiao at that moment.
That night, Ren Yaoqi tossed and turned in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep. For some reason, whenever she closed her eyes, she would recall the moment when Xiao Jingxi tightly grasped her hand. The thrill of that moment was something only Ren Yaoqi herself understood. Moreover, from beginning to end, she had not felt any emotions like disgust or anger.
Ren Yaoqi barely slept all night. She replayed every interaction she’d had with Xiao Jingxi since they first met in her mind. Some details she thought she had forgotten or couldn’t recall turned out to be remembered clearly.
“I couldn’t be…” Just before dawn, as she was about to drift off to sleep, Ren Yaoqi murmured softly. However, the last few words were swallowed between her lips and teeth, never uttered aloud.
The next day, when Ren Yaoqi appeared before Ren Yaohua looking exhausted, Ren Yaohua was startled and asked suspiciously, “You didn’t catch a chill and fall ill last night, did you?”
Ren Yaoqi shook her head, forcing a smile. “I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Why couldn’t you sleep?” Ren Yaohua didn’t recall Ren Yaoqi having trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds. Besides, Ren Yaoqi had stayed at the Ren Family Villa several times before, and the bedding was what she was accustomed to using.
How could Ren Yaoqi explain to Ren Yaohua that she had spent the entire night thinking about herself and Xiao Jingxi, which was why she hadn’t slept well?
Fortunately, Ren Yaohua wasn’t the type to pry relentlessly. After Ren Yaoqi gave a few vague answers, she didn’t press further.Ren Shimin's lectures in Yunyang City had concluded, and today he was returning to White Crane Town. Naturally, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi accompanied him on the journey.
Along the way, Third Master Ren was in good spirits and began discussing with Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua their plans to come to Yunyang City next spring.
Ren Yaoqi asked, "Father, where will we stay then? If you’re teaching at the academy, wouldn’t it be inconvenient to stay at the Ren Family Villa?"
Ren Shimin thought for a moment and said, "I’ve noticed that aside from a few instructors who live at the academy, most of the others rent houses near Treasure Vase Alley."
The author’s integrity has returned, three updates seeking pink votes～o(∩_∩)o.
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