Yan Ziye nodded, playing with the stone. She suddenly remembered something and pulled a night-luminous pearl from under her pillow, extending it to him: “I’ve accepted your gift, so you can’t refuse. This is the gift I promised to repay you last time.”
Xu Wanzhi hesitated but took and kept it: “Yan Six, thank you.”
“No need, we’re friends!”
“Okay, friend. I’m leaving now. Take good care of your injury. I hope you recover soon and marry… find a good husband and be happy for life.”
He patted her shoulder. Yan Ziye wrinkled her nose: “Why does it sound like we’re going to part? Let me make it clear, I won’t leave until I’m healed!”
“Who would dare make Miss Yan leave?”
I’ve been lazy these days and might not come to see you, so I’m saying these nice words… Never mind, I’m going to sleep.” He gave a somewhat reluctant big smile. Yan Ziye waved: “Come when you want. That wooden-headed person will be with me anyway.”
“Mm, goodbye.” At the door, Qu Yao stood straight with her sword, bowing. Xu Wanzhi smiled at her and walked away leisurely.
After sleeping all afternoon, Qu Xiaojue had been insisting on having dinner together these past few days. Today she was truly busy, and Xu Wanzhi waited silently until she hurriedly arrived.
“Are you hungry?” Qu Xiaojue sat down, taking off her outer garment and drinking some tea.
Xu Wanzhi shook his head: “No, you’re really busy. Let’s eat.”
He ladled her some soup and handed it over, arranging her bowls and chopsticks, then looked up at her. Qu Xiaojue hadn’t been treated like this in a long time and stared at the soup, stunned: “Husband, you’re a bit strange today.”
“How?” Seeing her staring at the soup, he said helplessly: “If you don’t like it, then I’ll—”
Understanding his intention, Qu Xiaojue quickly stopped him: “Who said I don’t like it? I’m just a bit unexpectedly surprised.” She picked up the soup and drank it all in one gulp.
“Let’s eat.” “Okay.” The two picked up their chopsticks and started eating.
Usually they barely managed to “eat without speaking”, but today her husband took the initiative to serve her soup, and since he had something to say, Qu Xiaojue spoke first: “Husband, I need to go to Qu Kiln in the next two days. After these days pass, I’ll have time to take you somewhere else.”
Xu Wanzhi raised his head: “Okay.”
Seeing his lack of reaction, Qu Xiaojue furrowed her brow and asked: “Would you like to come with me?”
“You go about your business, don’t worry about me. When are you leaving tomorrow?”
“Early in the morning, for two days. It’s fine if you don’t come.”
Xu Wanzhi smiled: “I’m so lazy, I probably won’t be able to get up to say goodbye. I’ll wish you a smooth journey and early return in advance.”
Qu Xiaojue smiled and promised: “I’ll return in two days. If you need anything, just ask the servants to do it. Qu Yao will also stay behind. I know you love to sleep, but don’t sleep through all three meals.”
“…I know.”
After the meal, they each returned to their rooms. Xu Wanzhi lay on the bed, recalling Qu Xiaojue’s parting instructions, and coldly mocked himself in his heart, then closed his eyes.
When midnight came, he quietly got up, cracked open the door, and slipped out…
Since he decided to “go”, his actions must be decisive. Qu Xiaojue had left, which was perfect. He had also instructed Qing Yu and Qing Li not to wake him in the morning, buying some extra time. He decided to be considerate and die somewhere else. The mountain behind the Qu family was a good, secluded place that wouldn’t cause too much trouble for everyone.
This time, he was gambling on returning to his normal life, hoping his luck would be good and he wouldn’t become a wandering ghost. Xu Wanzhi, light-footed in black clothing, found the night quiet, making it easy to leave the courtyard and head to the back mountain. Reaching an area without night guards, he took out Yan Ziye’s night-luminous pearl as a light source, and the journey went exceptionally smoothly. A person determined to die fears nothing, not even a ghostly, dense forest. His instincts were remarkably accurate, and he didn’t get lost, directly arriving at the cliff from last time. He put the night-luminous pearl back in his sleeve, paused for a moment.
Bowing deeply towards the cliff below, he bent over. This was for Xu Wan, for this strange world he had lived in for two months, for the guilt of finally reaching this point.
“I hope I can go back. I hope everyone I know is well. I hope that even if I can’t go back… my parents will enjoy their remaining years in peace.”
These thoughts flashed by, and he hesitated no more, leaping down.
Qu Xiaojue cut him off coldly: “How much time is left?”
“Ten days.”
“I’ve already arranged for people to rush a batch from Yuling when I came. You’ll inventory and immediately send it out. As for this loss, we’ll mortgage two more layers on the kiln, and I’ll have someone make up the other half.”
Qu Xiaojue waved her hand: “Handle it. In any case, we must not lose our integrity.” She paused and sipped some tea: “As for the kiln explosion… if it’s a natural disaster, bring out proper evidence.
If it’s an accident, guarantee it won’t happen again. If it’s human-caused, no matter who’s responsible, send them to the authorities for handling.”
Just as Ma was about to bow in acknowledgment, she suddenly stood and walked outside: “Since I’m here, come accompany me to the kiln.”
“Yes, Master.” Qu Xiaojue, led by Ma, encountered many Qu Family workers along the way. She didn’t deny her identity and ordered some reward money distributed, simply saying “Work for yourselves, no need to pay respects.”
These workers knew well the treatment for serious work in the Qu Family. The master rarely visited and received red envelopes, making them even more diligent.
The damaged kiln was being dismantled and rebuilt. Qu Xiaojue planned to check its progress. Seeing the sun, Ma suggested: “Master, it’s past noon. Perhaps you could have lunch at my residence, and the kiln’s ledgers are also ready to be collected.”
Qu Xiaojue pondered: “Very well.”
As they turned toward Ma’s residence, a horse suddenly appeared, stopping abruptly – it was Li Yuan, who dismounted and knelt directly: “Master, the master is missing!”
“What?” Qu Xiaojue, seeing Li Yuan’s urgency, knew something was wrong and reflexively demanded: “Have you searched everywhere?”
“We’ve searched the entire mansion. Qu’s bodyguard personally searched, but there’s no trace… the master has vanished…”
“Nonsense!” Qu Xiaojue shouted, leaping onto her horse and galloping back the way she came.
Qu Fan instructed the astonished Ma: “The master has given no new orders. Proceed as usual. Please take care.” He then commanded the Qu family members to mount their horses and swiftly depart.
Qu Xiaojue urged her horse, her heart ablaze with anger, lashing it repeatedly to vent her fury, reducing the half-day journey to just an hour. How could someone who was fine just last night suddenly disappear?
Arriving at the Qu courtyard, she dismounted directly in the hall. Servants rushed to meet her, kneeling in a heap.
Qu Xiaojue had no sympathy. Standing in Xu Wan’s room, she swept away the tea offered by a small attendant and coldly demanded: “What happened!”
Qing Yu kowtowed heavily: “Reporting to the master, the master… usually sleeps late. Today… the door was open, the master was not in the room. We searched nearby courtyards thoroughly but found nothing…”
“For failing to serve the master properly, go to the punishment room!”
“Thank you, master…” They dared not speak further, kowtowed, and withdrew.
Xiaojue rubbed her temple: “Qu Yao.”
