I couldn’t help but curl my lips in a proud smile. It seems that Heaven also wants to help me. Such a good opportunity cannot be missed.
Wanting to become famous in this field, winning the competition is the fastest shortcut!
However, I have no idea what this courtesan competition involves. I hope it’s not about singing and dancing. I’m good at martial arts, but when it comes to dancing, oh, I wouldn’t dare to try…
The next day, I rarely woke up early, or rather, I hadn’t slept all night. When I dressed and opened the door, I saw the girl from yesterday standing outside with hot water. Seeing me, she immediately called out joyfully, “Miss, you’re up?”
I couldn’t help but ask in surprise, “Why are you here?”
The little girl tilted her head and reminded me, “Miss, you forgot. You wanted Er Ya to be your maid!”
I then remembered that I had casually suggested this to placate the madam. Looking at her, she was only eleven or twelve years old, still a child by modern standards. How could I let her serve me? I stepped aside and said, “Put the hot water down first.”
The little girl obediently entered and put things down, looking at me carefully, “Miss, shall Er Ya help you get ready?”
I hurriedly shook my head, “No need! I can do it myself!”
…
“Miss? Miss?”
Seeing me lost in thought, the little girl couldn’t help but tug at my clothes.
“What is it?” I came back to my senses and looked down at her.
I thought Qin Jie would come find me early, but until noon, I hadn’t seen her. I was about to go look for her when I saw Xing’er, with red eyes, carrying a water basin.
I couldn’t help but ask, “Xing’er, what’s wrong?”
Xing’er glared at me fiercely, saying in an unfriendly tone: “It’s all because of you!”
“Huh?”
I was stunned, feeling completely bewildered, and asked in confusion: “What happened? Did something happen to your young mistress?”
Xing’er glared at me: “It’s all because of what you told me yesterday, telling her to fight for herself and to tell the Second Young Master her true feelings. Now she’s been turned away without even seeing him, and she’s heartbroken inside!”
“How could this happen?” I couldn’t help but furrow my brow, and turned to walk inside: “I’ll go take a look!”
Xing’er straightened her face and stopped me: “No need. Don’t come up with any more ideas that might embarrass my young mistress!”
“I won’t. I’ll just go in and check on her!”
I smiled apologetically and quickly slipped inside while she was distracted…
The girl saw my behavior and couldn’t stop me, only watching as I entered the room.
Inside the room, Wan Yao stood alone by the window, staring blankly outside, her face still wet with tears.
“Are you okay?” I walked slowly to her back and asked caringly.
Wan Yao slowly turned around, saw it was me, hurriedly took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her face, and then forced a slight smile: “Miss Fei, why are you here?”
I looked at her apologetically: “I’m sorry! I didn’t know things would turn out like this! Are you… alright?”
“No!” I patted my hem, stood up, innocently blinked, and pretended to be confused while pointing around at the group of people, asking, “What’s going on here?”
The old man continued to laugh, “Here’s the situation. The servants in the mansion saw you two wandering outside the Qi residence and thought something might be happening, so they asked me to come out and take a look!”
“No!” I shook my head again, my eyes clear, and then pointed to the big tree behind me, “I just thought this tree outside your mansion is big and lush enough, perfect for me to cool off!”
“Cool off?”
The old man’s expression became somewhat strange, probably unable to understand my behavior…
“Yes, yes! Don’t believe me? Come sit down, it’s really cool!
“To enhance my persuasiveness, I even reached out to pull him, which scared the old man into repeatedly waving his hands and backing away!
Suddenly, a dignified and magnetic voice came from behind the crowd. Everyone quickly parted and stood respectfully, not daring to breathe…
Might I ask your noble name, sir
I couldn’t help but look up. I saw a carriage had stopped at the Qi residence gate. The curtain was lifted, and then a man in blue clothing walked out, handsome and tall.
My instinct told me he was the person I was looking for!
Indeed, the steward hurriedly went forward and respectfully called out, “Young Master, you’re back?”
The man stepped down from the carriage with steady steps, slightly furrowing his brows and asking in a deep voice, “What’s happening?”
Though he was asking the steward, his ink-like deep eyes were fixed on me, making me feel so guilty that I quickly lowered my head.
The old steward respectfully answered, “This young gentleman said he was cooling off outside our Qi residence, so this servant brought the household staff to take a look!”
“Cooling off?”
The man repeated the words with a profound expression, then glanced behind me and coldly ordered, “Cut it down!”
Cut it down? Really?
I instinctively covered my neck, eyes wide with terror, and hurriedly jumped back, “Hey! You… what are you doing? I’ve just been sitting outside your door for two days.”
The man slightly furrowed his brows and coldly turned, saying, “Cut the tree down!”
I patted my chest and breathed a sigh of relief. I thought he was going to cut me down. Thankfully, thankfully…
“Wait, wait a moment!”
I bravely blocked his path.
The man frowned unhappily, looking somewhat annoyed, “What?”
I immediately put on a full smile and said, “Sir, your reaction just now was so cool. I truly admire you and sincerely want to make your acquaintance. Might I ask your noble name?”
The result was the man simply said two words with a blank expression, “Move aside!”
I couldn’t help but be stunned, awkwardly standing in place, watching him walk past me. Only after his back disappeared from view did I unwillingly shout, “Hey, you don’t have to be this cool!”
As soon as the words fell, I heard a “creak” – the big tree as thick as a person actually fell to the ground by its roots. I blinked in disbelief. Wow, he really cut it down?
Then the steward came forward and apologized, “Young sir, I’m sorry. You might need to find another place to cool off in the future!”
“Hehe…”
I awkwardly pulled the corner of my mouth, laughing somewhat unnaturally, “Yes, yes!”
The steward turned and ordered everyone to carry the tree back into the Qi residence before walking away…
Only after most people had left the Qi residence gate did Wan Wan dare to come forward, gently pulling my clothes and whispering, “Sister Ran, let’s go back!”
“Mm!” I nodded.
After three days, although there was no particular progress, at least I had seen the main person. As for how to develop things next, it seemed I would need to plan carefully!
On the way back, seeing Wan Wan looking troubled, I couldn’t help asking, “Wan Wan, what’s wrong? Are you worried about your mother?”
Wan Wan shook her head, “No, my mother has already improved after taking the medicine you sent. I’m worried about you, Sister Ran!”
“Worried about me?” I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, asking in confusion, “Why would you be worried about me?”
Wan Wan bit her lip, her small face full of unease, “That Qi young master looks so fierce. Wan Wan is worried he might bully you. How about we don’t come tomorrow?”
I smiled and nodded, “Okay, we won’t come tomorrow!”
“Really?” The little girl immediately exclaimed with joy.
“Of course!” I nodded confidently: “We’ll come tomorrow…”
“…” The little girl was instantly speechless!
Returning to Yixiao Tower, I saw Xinger constantly looking out the door.
Upon seeing me, she hurried forward and said: “Miss Fei, my mistress wants to see you!”
