Edited by Larkspur
Chapter 12: First Encounter With ShiZi (Part 2)
Chu Jin Yao looked up in shock and her eyes widened. A youth, around the age of sixteen or seventeen, walked out slowly from the corner. He had a handsome face and a tall and slender stature. His amber light eyes glimmered tenderly when he smiled.
He looked at Chu Jin Yao and could not help but laughed, “Which family’s young lady are you? Why did you appear here?”
Chu Jin Yao was still squatting on the ground, her gorgeous huge skirt spread out like peacock feathers, making her seemed even slimmer, “I… I am a maid!”
The young gentleman laughed harder. He walked over and stretched his hand out to Chu Jin Yao, “Stand up first. Your skirt is very pretty and it would be a pity if it gets dirty.”
It was only then that Chu Jin Yao realised she was still squatting on the ground. She took a step back to avoid the youth’s hand and stood up by herself. “Thanking this Gentleman but there is no need.”
Thinking as to how improper it was for men and women to touch each other’s hands in passing objects, the youth withdrew his hands to take out a snow-white handkerchief from his sleeve and offered it to Chu Jin Yao. “Your hands are dirty. Wipe them first.” As an afterthought, he said, “This is a plain brocade handkerchief, without any markings. You need not be afraid.”
Chu Jin Yao was very wary of this person who had suddenly appeared, and after she heard his words, she could not help but blurt out, “You use brocade as a handkerchief?”
The young gentleman began to laugh again. His eyes were like a lake deep in the forest, especially quiet but when he laughed, that clear lake became intoxicating. The youth felt that he had not met such an interesting young lady for a long time. He held back his laughter and said, “What you said is right. I will not be like this next time.”
Chu Jin Yao was somewhat embarrassed. It was already very embarrassing to encounter someone after flipping over a wall and to even meet such a handsome and young gentleman. She hated that she could not disappear from where she was standing. She lowered her head and tried to hide her face, “I am only a maid. I still have work to do and will leave now.”
Saying so, she lifted her skirt slightly and started to run out. After two steps she felt that something was wrong. If she left like this, wouldn’t all the trouble be wasted? She stopped and braced herself to walk around the youth.
The youth took it easy and smiled as he watched what Chu Jin Yao planned to do. He saw the Young Lady wearing an entire body of white brocade, looking like a bright moon, run two steps before stopping and calling out weakly, “Father…”
As soon as Marquis Chang Xing came out, he saw Chu Jin Yao standing in the courtyard. He was very curious, “Why did you run all the way here for?”
“I… I…” This time, Chu Jin Yao could not make up nonsense like ‘I am a maid’. She hemmed and hawed for a long time but was still unable to speak.
This extraordinarily handsome youth took two steps forward and nodded his head to Marquis Chang Xing saying, “I brought her in. I saw her at the doors and thought that she wanted to come in to look for someone so I brought her in.”
Marquis Chang Xing hurriedly cupped his hands, “ShiZi, why have you come out? It has been difficult for us to search.”
“ShiZi?” Chu Jin Yao repeated softly.
Chu Jin Yao’s voice was so soft that Marquis Chang Xing could not hear it. However, Lin Xi Yuan turned around and smiled as he spoke to her, “Correct. I am the ShiZi of the Residence of Prince Huai Ling, named Lin Xi Yuan.” As he spoke, Lin Xi Yuan winked at Chu Jin Yao, indicating that he would not speak about the matter just now.
Chu Jin Yao only had one thought in her heart- it was over. This was too embarrassing. She had just told the other that she was a maid, but in the end, she was exposed after just two steps. Moreover, he said that he was the ShiZi of the Residence of Prince Huai Ling. Didn’t this mean that the County Princess was his Younger Sister? The young ladies were supposed to be chosen to study with his Younger Sister?
At first, Chu Jin Yao did not want to be a whatever companion, but now that she had encountered the ShiZi of the Prince Residence, the more she did not want to go.
Whoever wanted to go could go. She had no more face to go!
When Lin Xi Yuan saw a silent Chu Jin Yao with her head lowered, he presumed she was intimidated by his identity. He smiled and stopped making things difficult for her.
However, Marquis Chang Xing did not notice these things and spoke to Lin Xi Yuan, “ShiZi, I have prepared a welcoming banquet for you, shall we head over?”
“All right.” Lin Xi Yuan nodded and glanced at Chu Jin Yao, “However, one must send this Young Lady back first. Lin Er, sent Young Lady Chu back.”
Just as the guard behind Lin Xi Yuan responded, Marquis Chang Xing quickly said, “There is no need to trouble ShiZi. I will instruct someone to send this daughter back.” He then added. “This daughter is stubborn and obstreperous. One has incurred ShiZi’s ridicule.”
It was originally very common, modest words that parents used, but no one thought that Lin Xi Yuan would chuckle and reply meaningfully, “No.”
Chu Jin Yao’s head was buried even lower. Marquis Chang Xing did not understand so he looked at Lin Xi Yuan then at Chu Jin Yao, feeling that something was wrong.
However, Marquis Chang Xing did not have time to carefully ask about the details of the matter as Lin Xi Yuan had turned around to walk out. Thus, he could only quickly catch up. Before leaving, he told his daughter, “Why did you come here? This is not a place you should be at. Return quickly!”
Marquis Chang Xing assumed that his daughter did not know the way and had gotten lost.
“Yes.” Chu Jin Yao complied and quickly walked away.
When there was no one around, Chu Jin Yao looked around and let out a long sigh of relief as she patted her chest, “Heavens! It really scared me to death. Fortunately, nothing was disclosed and I came out smoothly.”
However, Qin Yi muttered to himself, “Why is he here too…”
“Do you mean ShiZi?” Chu Jin Yao asked and was suddenly surprised, “Ah! I have forgotten. We did not do anything about your matter!”
“We are already outside. Never mind.” Qin Yi said, “Besides, I already know.”
“What do you know?” Chu Jin Yao was surprised. What did she do that let Qin Yi know?
Qin Yi refused to speak more and instead reminded Chu Jin Yao, “You should return. Don’t forget what you’ve said to your Eldest Sister.”
“Yes. I have to return quickly, otherwise, ZuMu will send someone out to look for me and I will be exposed!”
While Chu Jin Yao walked briskly back, Qin Yi kept quiet as he was thinking about some matter in his heart.
It can be said that when the Second Furen of the Lin family came to the Residence of Marquis Chang Xing, she could use returning to the maiden family as a cover-up. But for Lin Xi Yuan, why did he come here too? And to even have a private conversation with the Marquis of Chang Xing?
The Residence of Marquis of Chang Xing and the Residence of Prince Huai Ling… Just what exactly did they want to do? Just from the words that Lin Xing Ning mouthed to the servant, Qin Yi could confirm that the matter they were doing their best to conceal and discuss was related to him. When he thought about his unconscious body, he became even more anxious.
When Chu Jin Yao returned to RongNingTang, she was indeed questioned by Chu Jin Xian for quite some time. Fortunately, Chu Jin Yao was able to fool her. They later spent the entire afternoon in front of Old Furen. When it was time for dinner, a servant said something to Old Furen, she then revealed an excited expression.
The young ladies were looking at Old Chu Furen curiously when the maid outside the room announced.
“Huai Ling ShiZi has arrived.”
