Chapter 176 – Little Rascal
Yan Shuqin gave her another playful smack. “You silly girl, what if you had gotten lost?”
Seeing her big sister’s eyes reddened with worry, Yan Xiaosi felt a warmth in her heart. “Big sister, stop hitting me, it hurts.”
Yan Shuqin immediately softened and pulled her to sit beside her, speaking gently, “Next time you go out, don’t wander around aimlessly.”
Ms. Zhong had just prepared a bowl of stir-fried pork with wild mushrooms and was about to call Yan Xiaosi to eat when footsteps were heard approaching the cave from outside.
Yan Xiaosi’s heart tightened at the sound of footsteps outside the cave. Her fists clenched involuntarily, and she looked towards the entrance with guarded eyes, anticipating trouble from the Yan family. After all, her actions today had significantly disrupted Yan Bozhang’s life, and she expected retribution from her grandfather.
“Is little brother Yan Xiaosi there?” A voice called from outside.
Recognizing the voice as Long San’s, Yan Xiaosi relaxed a bit. However, Ms. Zhong and her sisters, not recognizing the voice, grew anxious.
“Who is it outside this late?” Ms. Zhong asked nervously.
“It sounds like someone looking for Xiaosi,” Yan Shuqin said, equally uneasy.
Yan Shuxue, the most anxious of all, looked pale as she peered outside. Could it be someone from the Yan family coming to cause trouble?
Yan Xiaosi, noticing her family’s heightened anxiety, quickly reassured them, “Mom, big sister, second sister, it sounds like one of General Zhan’s guards. I’ll go check.”
Ms. Zhong and Yan Shuxue, whose mobility was not impaired, followed her outside the cave. There, they found two tall figures – one wearing a refined mask and the other holding a sword. It was Long Yu and Long San. Their appearance at the cave’s entrance in the dead of night left Ms. Zhong and the Yan sisters astonished.
After their initial surprise, they promptly greeted Long Yu with respect.
“This peasant woman greets General Zhan.”
“This peasant girl greets General Zhan.”
Long Yu casually gestured for them to dispense with the formalities.
Yan Xiaosi greeted Long Yu casually as if to say she had completed the necessary courtesy.
“General Zhan, why are you here so late?” she asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
Seeing Yan Xiaosi’s astonished expression, Long San’s mouth twitched. Had the young man already forgotten how he got back to Big Sister Peak from the county court?
Long Yu’s brow furrowed slightly. It seemed Yan Xiaosi was quick to forget a favor – he had just escorted this little rascal back home, and now he was being treated like a stranger.
“I’m a bit hungry,” Long Yu said.
“Huh?” Yan Xiaosi was taken aback.
Long San elaborated more clearly, “Little brother Yan Xiaosi, General Zhan hasn’t eaten anything all day, and he’s hungry now. Could he possibly have something to eat here?”
Remembering she had eaten all the imperial pastries herself, Yan Xiaosi felt a bit guilty.
“Of course, you’re welcome to have some simple food and drink, as long as General Zhan doesn’t mind.”
Ms. Zhong hesitated before speaking, “Then I’ll go fry a few more dishes. Xiaosi, Shuxue, please invite General Zhan and Guard Long inside.”
Ms. Zhong hurried back into the cave to prepare more dishes, thinking it inappropriate to entertain a distinguished guest from Xijing with just one dish.
Yan Xiaosi extended a hand to Long Yu and Long San with a forced smile, “General Zhan, Guard Long, please come in.”
Her annoyance was evident. The dish of wild mushroom stir-fried pork, initially meant for her alone, now had to be shared with two additional guests. She was particularly irritated that General Zhan, who could have anything he wanted, chose to come to their humble cave for food.
Long Yu merely nodded and entered the cave without any hesitation. Inside, his gaze swept across the cave, noting the primitive living conditions – straw beds, large stones used as tables and chairs, and a simple stone-built stove. It was a life of extreme simplicity.
“General Zhan, please sit here,” Yan Xiaosi offered, pointing to the smoothest stone which served as a chair.
“Please excuse our humble conditions,” she added.
Long Yu, looking at the stone seat, didn’t sit down but instead asked, “Am I right in remembering that your family used to live in a dilapidated temple at the edge of Shaoyao Village? Was it the Yan family who drove you out here?”
Yan Xiaosi looked at him curiously. “General Zhan, how did you know we used to live in the temple?”
Long Yu’s expression shifted subtly. “Do you think anything that happens in Xize County can escape my notice?”
Yan Xiaosi hid her surprise. “General Zhan, with your abilities, nothing can escape your eyes.”
“Good that you understand. Don’t try to be clever under my watch,” Long Yu warned.
Yan Xiaosi replied, “The village head, Liu Qianhe, was instructed by the Yan family to drive us out of the temple. But it’s fine. That temple was never ours to begin with. Living in this cave is even more comfortable. We’ll manage here until our new house is built.”
Hearing her indifferent tone, Long Yu clenched his fist inside his sleeve. The Yan family would pay for their actions.
Standing next to Long Yu, Long San sensed his master’s anger. It seemed the Yan family wouldn’t escape without suffering some consequences.
Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, and Yan Shuxue busied themselves preparing the meal. Yan Shuqin tended the fire, Yan Shuxue washed and chopped vegetables, and Ms. Zhong cooked. They used all the best ingredients they had – stir-fried wild mushrooms and pork, scrambled eggs with green onions, boiled cabbage, and stir-fried radish with pork strips.
Once the food was ready, Yan Xiaosi looked at the five dishes and thought about how well her mother was treating General Zhan. Usually, their family of five would have only three dishes per meal at most.
Ms. Zhong brought the dishes to the stone table, worried that they might not suit Long Yu’s taste. “We only have these simple vegetables. I hope you don’t mind, General Zhan.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Long Yu said, casually picking up chopsticks and a bowl from the stone table and trying the scrambled eggs with green onions. The familiar taste immediately spread across his palate.
