Chapter 263 – Misunderstanding
Bai Mingyue waited for Yan Xiaosi outside Jiren Hall. Seeing her untying her chestnut horse from the post, he walked over.
“What good news has made Young Brother Yan so happy?”
Yan Xiaosi didn’t even look at him and said, “I made some money, of course I’m happy.”
At that moment, she finished untying the reins from the post, took hold of the chestnut horse, and prepared to go around Bai Mingyue. “Excuse me.”
Her tone remained cold.
Bai Mingyue finally understood.
This young fellow seemed to be angry with him.
“Excuse me.”
“No.”
Yan Xiaosi finally raised an eyebrow and looked at him properly, angrily saying, “A good dog doesn’t block the road.”
She had vouched for his innocence at the county court, yet he had sabotaged her plan by going to the Yan family to treat Yan Wenfeng’s arm.
If Yan Wenfeng’s broken arm healed within two months and he went to take the provincial examination, became a provincial graduate, and entered officialdom to deal with her, that would be Bai Mingyue’s responsibility.
Bai Mingyue vaguely guessed the reason for her anger and couldn’t help but smile.
Yan Xiaosi glared at him irritably.
“I just insulted you. What are you smiling about?”
Could this man have masochistic tendencies, enjoying being pointed at and scolded?
Bai Mingyue asked, “May I invite Young Brother Yan for a meal?”
“Not hungry.”
Ms. Zhong had prepared food at home, and she was planning to return for dinner.
Bai Mingyue continued to tempt her: “Let’s go to Yu Family Private Kitchen. I heard the owner has developed new dishes that must taste excellent.”
At fourteen or fifteen years old, during a time of growth and development with a strong desire to eat, Yan Xiaosi couldn’t help but swallow as her throat moved.
“Stop trying to tempt me. I won’t fall for your tricks.”
Bai Mingyue followed her manner of speaking: “Young Master, I’m not trying to tempt you. I have something to tell you. Would you honor me by coming to Yu Family Private Kitchen? We can sit down, eat, and discuss matters.”
Yan Xiaosi’s next destination happened to be Yu Family Private Kitchen. Since Bai Mingyue was so enthusiastic with his invitation, she reluctantly agreed.
“Fine.”
Bai Mingyue smiled, his eyes curving, and extended his hand to her.
“What are you doing?”
“Give me the reins. Young master, you mount the horse, and I’ll lead you.”
Yan Xiaosi was quite lazy—if she could ride, she wouldn’t walk. She promptly tossed the reins to Bai Mingyue and climbed onto the back of the chestnut horse.
Bai Mingyue led the horse by the reins while Yan Xiaosi sat on horseback, looking around. The two of them attracted countless stares.
“Hey, what’s the relationship between these two men?”
“One of them is so effeminate. Could they be… you know?”
“Perhaps they’re brothers.”
With her enhanced senses activated, Yan Xiaosi heard every word.
She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the chestnut horse, and softly asked Bai Mingyue: “Young Master Bai, didn’t you hear those unpleasant comments?”
Bai Mingyue looked at her with a smile.
“I did.”
“You don’t mind?”
“If Young Brother Yan doesn’t mind, why should I?”
Being rumored to have such inclinations would make it difficult to find a wife in the future. Yan Xiaosi had originally wanted to remind Bai Mingyue and take back the reins, but since he seemed completely unconcerned, she stopped worrying about it, straightened her back, and continued sitting on the horse, looking around.
After being scrutinized with strange looks the whole way, they finally arrived at Yu Family Private Kitchen.
The restaurant was doing good business, with only one table by the window empty; all other tables were occupied.
Yan Xiaosi handed the chestnut horse to Bai Mingyue to tie up, and entered the restaurant first.
“Manager Yu, long time no see.”
Indeed, Yan Xiaosi hadn’t visited Yu Family Private Kitchen for quite some time.
Manager Yu was attending to customers when he heard someone call from behind. Turning around, he saw an elegant young man in blue clothes.
Only when he noticed the blood-red tear mole at the corner of the young man’s eye did he dare confirm that the blue-clad youth before him was Yan Xiaosi.
“Young Master Yan, it’s you! I haven’t seen you for days, and you’ve changed so much!”
“Indeed, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Bai Mingyue walked in.
“Manager Yu, Young Brother Yan and I are here together. Please arrange a table for us.”
“This table by the window. I know Young Master Bai likes it here.”
Manager Yu led the two to the window table and personally poured tea for them.
“Young Master Yan, order whatever you like. It’s on me.”
Yan Xiaosi smiled and said, “Manager Yu, no need for you to treat me. Young Master Bai said he would pay for my meal.”
Bai Mingyue smiled helplessly.
“Couldn’t you be a little more economical? You should know I currently have no work.”
“Then you shouldn’t have invited me to eat.”
“I’ll pay, I’ll pay. Is that alright?”
Bai Mingyue pushed the menu toward her.
Yan Xiaosi scanned it once and began ordering: “I’ll have a bowl of steamed meat, then stir-fried chicken gizzards with pickled peppers, and a pot of vegetable tofu soup. Oh right, Young Master Bai mentioned new dishes. Which one is it?”
Manager Yu replied, “Then you can add a crispy pumpkin dish. It’s our newest creation.”
After ordering, when Manager Yu had left, Bai Mingyue moved to sit beside Yan Xiaosi and quietly asked, “Young Brother Yan, are you angry that I treated Yan Wenfeng’s arm?”
“Exactly. Do you know that our family’s cave dwelling was destroyed by fire? That night, all five members of my family nearly perished in the flames.”
“I’ve heard something about it.”
Bai Mingyue frowned and guessed, “Could that fire be related to the Yan family?”
“Yan Wenfeng set the fire. That night, I heard it myself. He wanted to burn all five members of my family to death. He thought we had died, and the next day he went to claim our three acres of land.”
Hearing this, Bai Mingyue felt a wave of relief.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know about this.”
If he had known that the fire at the cave on Big Sister Peak was set by Yan Wenfeng, he definitely wouldn’t have given Yan Wenfeng just a bottle of pain relief powder. He would have given Yan Wenfeng a bottle of poison to ensure that hand would never heal.
Yan Xiaosi gulped down the water from her teacup.
Her well-laid plans had been disrupted because of Bai Mingyue, and to be honest, she was quite displeased.
“Saying sorry now is useless. If Yan Wenfeng’s arm truly heals within two months, he’ll be able to take the provincial examination. If he passes and enters officialdom, it will be difficult for me to deal with him. What a headache.”
“His arm won’t heal within two months. It will take at least three months to recover.”
“Hmm?”
Yan Xiaosi was visibly startled as she looked at Bai Mingyue.
Bai Mingyue winked at her and said softly, “That day, what I gave Yan Wenfeng wasn’t some miraculous medicine, but pain relief powder. When I went to the Yan family to treat Old Lady Jiang, I heard the servants there gossiping about you. I felt very displeased. So when Ms. Li and Yan Wenfeng found me here and asked for medicine, I gave them a bottle of pain relief powder and even got five taels of silver for it.”
