Ren Yaoqi held a black piece, hesitating to place it as she tilted her head in contemplation.
Xiao Jingxi was remarkably patient, offering no hurry. When it was Ren Yaoqi's turn, he simply sipped his tea quietly.
The little goat that had been chased away earlier by Xiao Jinglin had somehow wandered back, gently nudging the edge of the stone table with its head. The two players merely glanced at it before letting it be.
Ren Yaoqi assessed the situation silently. Xiao Jingxi's playing style was generally steady, yet at critical moments, he always produced ingenious moves. Ren Yaoqi's own style was somewhat similar to his, though hers was cultivated through practice, while Xiao Jingxi possessed exceptional natural talent.
Though the game appeared evenly matched, Ren Yaoqi feared that if Xiao Jingxi took another unconventional approach, she might lose.
"Shall we decide the winner in this one game?" Ren Yaoqi asked after placing her black piece.
Xiao Jingxi moved swiftly, placing his white piece on the board the moment Ren Yaoqi's black piece settled.
"What does Fifth Miss Ren think?" Xiao Jingxi asked gently, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and nodded. "It’s better to settle it quickly. If I’m out too long, my mother will worry."
"Then one game it is," Xiao Jingxi agreed readily.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at him, then suddenly redirected her black piece to a different spot.
Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow, watching her before placing his white piece.
From then on, Ren Yaoqi seemed like a different person, launching reckless attacks without regard for defense, focusing solely on offense.
Generally, a person’s playing style remains consistent, which is why it’s said that one’s temperament can be discerned from their approach to the game. To plan several moves ahead, a player must understand their opponent’s general strategy to make accurate judgments.
Yet Ren Yaoqi’s current tactics were completely at odds with her usual demeanor, carrying the imposing aura of a general leading troops into battle. Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help but feel astonished.
However, he had rarely encountered a worthy opponent in chess. Ren Yaoqi’s performance far exceeded his expectations. Though she appeared to strike haphazardly, without any discernible pattern, she was secretly weaving a trap. As Xiao Jingxi studied the board, his interest grew, and his moves sharpened accordingly.
Yet, due to Ren Yaoqi’s unpredictable play, Xiao Jingxi’s responses slowed, no longer as swift as before.
In contrast, Ren Yaoqi’s pace suddenly quickened, each move seeming almost impulsive.
Had she faced any other opponent, they would likely have been thrown into disarray. Only Xiao Jingxi remained unflustered, and Ren Yaoqi’s sudden burst of intensity stirred in him a fervent desire to engage in a thrilling, all-out battle with her.
Time passed minute by minute. At one point, Pingguo quietly returned, but upon seeing Ren Yaoqi playing chess with Xiao Jingxi, she slipped away again unnoticed.
As the two were locked in an intense and exhilarating struggle, Xiao Jingxi suddenly paused, frowning slightly as he contemplated the board.
Ren Yaoqi remained expressionless, lowering her head to sip her tea.
After a moment, Xiao Jingxi placed his white piece, then looked up at Ren Yaoqi with a faint, knowing smile. "Fifth Miss Ren is truly remarkable. It seems your intentions lie elsewhere, doesn’t it?"
Ren Yaoqi sighed softly. As expected, he had seen through her.However, her strategy was so ingeniously laid out that even if Xiao Jingxi had discovered it now, it would have been too late.
A moment later, Ren Yaoqi, holding a chess piece between her fingers, asked with a smile, "Is there any need to continue?"
Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You never intended to win, yet you put on such an aggressive front."
He then lowered his gaze to the board and nodded. "This 'ko fight' setup is indeed subtle. I’ve never encountered such a situation before, and I can’t think of a way to resolve it at the moment. It truly is a draw."
Seeing Xiao Jingxi acknowledge the draw, Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief.
In terms of chess skill, she was no match for Xiao Jingxi, so she had no choice but to resort to clever tactics.
"I once saw this in a tattered chess manual and simply put it to use today," Ren Yaoqi said with a laugh.
"But we already agreed on a single game to decide the outcome. What should we do now?" Xiao Jingxi, with his impeccable manners, remained unperturbed even after being outmaneuvered by Ren Yaoqi, asking with a smile.
Ren Yaoqi had never intended to compete with Xiao Jingxi in the first place. Zhu Ruomei was not her subordinate, and she couldn’t decide his fate—it was entirely up to him. As for the matter of the Han Family, it was a thorn in her heart. Until the truth came to light, she didn’t want to say anything, as no one would believe her anyway.
Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to speak, Xiao Jinglin returned, carrying an unpainted wooden tray. On the tray was a Longquan kiln lotus-petal patterned bowl, and as she drew closer, a strong medicinal scent wafted over.
Xiao Jinglin placed the tray directly on the chessboard that had not yet been cleared. "Time for your medicine."
Xiao Jingxi looked at the medicine bowl helplessly. "Why did you bring it?"
"Because if someone else brought it, you wouldn’t drink it," Xiao Jinglin said bluntly, handing the bowl directly to Xiao Jingxi’s lips and exposing his habit without hesitation.
Xiao Jingxi tilted his head slightly to avoid it, but Xiao Jinglin frowned. "Why are you still as difficult as when you were a child, fussing over taking medicine? Just one gulp and it’s done!"
Xiao Jingxi twitched the corner of his mouth and glanced at Ren Yaoqi, who was trying hard to suppress her laughter as she turned her head away.
Xiao Jinglin didn’t understand that this wasn’t about whether he wanted to take the medicine or not—it was a matter of propriety.
Knowing his sister’s stubborn nature, Xiao Jingxi took the medicine bowl and slowly drank it all.
Xiao Jinglin took the empty bowl and placed it back on the tray. Just as she turned to leave, she seemed to remember something and took out a small paper packet from somewhere, placing it on the table. "Pine nut candy." Without waiting to see Xiao Jingxi’s reaction, she turned and walked away.
Xiao Jingxi stared at the packet of candy in front of him, speechless.
Looking up and seeing the smile on Ren Yaoqi’s lips, Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.
Instead of feeling embarrassed, he openly unwrapped the packet of candy and offered it to Ren Yaoqi. "Please don’t mind her. Jinglin was sent to Jiajing Pass when she was very young and hasn’t been back for many years."
In Xiao Jinglin’s eyes, Xiao Jingxi was still the way he was many years ago, while she, the younger sister, had taken on the role of an older sibling. Having been apart for so long, Xiao Jinglin had come to White Dragon Temple from Yunyang City in hopes of reconnecting with her brother.
However, having spent years in the military with little contact with women aside from a few close attendants, she lacked the subtlety and gentleness typical of most women.
Ren Yaoqi found herself at a loss for words. She picked up a small piece of pine nut candy and placed it in her mouth, chewing slowly.
Xiao Jingxi set the pine nut candy in front of Ren Yaoqi but did not take any for himself.However, with Xiao Jinglin's interruption, Ren Yaoqi suddenly felt that Xiao Jingxi had become more approachable.
Of course, Xiao Jingxi had always presented himself as amiable, gentle, and tolerant. Yet, Ren Yaoqi still felt that he was somewhat like a flower in a mirror or the moon reflected in water—beautiful enough to inspire admiration, yet lacking a sense of flesh-and-blood reality.
A breeze blew over, carrying a faint scent of medicine. No wonder she had smelled the same medicinal fragrance on him during their last encounter.
Nevertheless, Xiao Jingxi possessed a charm that allowed others to overlook his poor health while interacting with him, captivated solely by his elegance.
Ren Yaoqi had almost forgotten that Xiao Jingxi was an invalid, for his commanding presence was simply too overwhelming.
At that moment, the sound of movement approached the backyard once more.
Ren Yaoqi looked up just in time to see a tall man hopping toward them.
After blinking and focusing her gaze, Ren Yaoqi was taken aback—it was Zhu Ruomei...
Due to a broken tibia in one leg, Zhu Ruomei couldn’t walk normally. Instead, he supported himself with his hands on a tripod stand from a copper basin, using it as a makeshift crutch.
Perhaps in his haste to come out, his hair was hastily tied up with a string he had pulled from somewhere. Sweat covered his face, yet he moved with surprising speed.
Xiao Jingxi also followed Ren Yaoqi’s gaze, but after a glance, he turned back and remarked with a faint smile, "Do you no longer want your leg?" Though it sounded like a jest, it carried a tone that discouraged any response.
Following behind Zhu Ruomei were two of Xiao Jingxi’s attendants, who seemed to want to restrain him but were repeatedly evaded by some method. Despite being injured, Zhu Ruomei moved with remarkable agility, showing no sign of clumsiness.
Zhu Ruomei soon "hopped over," and Ren Yaoqi noticed that his face, neck, and even the collar of his clothes were soaked with sweat, indicating he must have been in great discomfort.
"Why aren’t you resting properly and instead running around?" Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but frown, gently scolding him.
Despite the pain that made cold sweat bead on his forehead, Zhu Ruomei managed a grin, though it looked somewhat strained. "It’s just a broken bone, nothing serious. I’ve worried you."
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jingxi, who seemed oblivious as he focused on picking up chess pieces, and sighed softly. "You should focus on recovering first. I’ll send someone to inform your family that you’re safe."
"Thank you, Fifth Miss," Zhu Ruomei said. "I’ve caused you trouble."
Zhu Ruomei apologized sincerely. When he heard from the attendant named Tong Xi that the Fifth Miss of the Ren Family had arrived, he knew she must have come because of his situation. He hurried over, fearing she might face difficulties in front of the Second Young Master of the Xiao Family.
Ren Yaoqi shook her head. "I haven’t done much. It’s the Yuan Family that went to great lengths to search for you."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Ren Yaoqi noticed Zhu Ruomei’s pale complexion and spoke gently, "I’ll be leaving soon. You should go back and rest."
Zhu Ruomei nodded in agreement but made no move to leave. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Fifth Miss, it was Second Young Master Xiao who saved me this time. He asked me to stay by his side for ten years and work for him. I..."
So Xiao Jingxi had already spoken to Zhu Ruomei? And Zhu Ruomei didn’t seem unwilling.Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jingxi and said to Zhu Ruomei with a smile, "I've said before that you and the Ren Family are already even. Since you have earned Second Young Master Xiao's appreciation, after you recover, do your best to serve him." (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it with your recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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