Biyun shuddered.

My arms tightened around Mimi.

The complex emotions on her face vanished instantly.

She turned back into that taciturn, quiet, mute girl.

She quickly shook her head at Yan Ning.

He gestured to her with his eyes to remember the promise.

Then, she immediately turned around.

He jogged over and picked up the basket of sorted vegetables from the ground.

She lowered her head and hurriedly slipped into the kitchen.

He left behind a silent figure.

Mimi seemed to have gotten used to this scene.

It flicked its tail and nimbly jumped onto the flower bed.

I found a sunnier spot, curled up, and continued my nap.

The courtyard quieted down again, with only sunlight and the chirping of crickets remaining.

Yan Ning could no longer lie still.

She sat up straight.

Biyun's words, like a small pebble, stirred up ripples in her heart.

"There aren't many truly clean people in town... the waters run too deep... I'm afraid of saying the wrong thing..."

Biyun's last words came to an abrupt end.

And that fleeting moment of...fear?

Is pretending to be mute just because you're too lazy to speak?

The reason sounds simple, but upon closer inspection, it's strange in many ways.

A young girl willingly endures being treated like a mute and suffering numerous inconveniences, simply because she's lazy?

This seemingly peaceful town, this seemingly ordinary house.

And then there's this maid pretending to be mute...

What's hidden underneath?

Yan Ning stared at the closed kitchen door, her brows furrowing slightly.

The sun was shining on me, but I couldn't feel much warmth.

She decided to ask her when she had time.

Just as I was pondering this, I heard a noise coming from the gate of the courtyard.

Several men dressed as servants entered, and the one in the lead politely asked:

"Excuse me, is Mr. Xie Huaiye at home?"

Yan Ning stepped forward and sized them up:

Who are you?

"We are from the Ye family in town."

"The servant replied respectfully, "We are here on the master's orders to invite Mr. Xie and his friends to attend the flower-viewing banquet at our residence tonight."

Xie Huaiye happened to come out of the house and frowned slightly after hearing this:

"Invite us?"

The servant explained with a forced smile, "Mr. Xie, please don't take offense. The master said that although you declined yesterday, you are guests who have come from afar."

"As the host family, the Ye family should do our best to show hospitality. Please do us the honor of joining us; the master wishes to entertain you all well."

Xie Huaiye remained silent, turning his gaze to Yan Ning, and asked in a hushed tone:

Should we go or not?

"Go! Of course I'll go!"

Sun Wuji burst out from the side like a gust of wind, his eyes shining:

"Why not go when there's good food and drinks? The banquet at the Ye residence is sure to be excellent!"

Yan Ning rolled her eyes at him, annoyed: "All you know is food. Are you a reincarnated starving ghost?"

Sun Wuji leaned closer to Yan Ning and whispered:

"Oh dear, the Ye family has already sent servants to invite them again. They've given us plenty of face."

"If we don't go now, it'll make us look so ungrateful and stingy. Let's just go and see!"

Yan Ning thought about it and realized that what Sun Wuji said made some sense.

They've invited us several times; it would really seem arrogant of them not to go.

She nodded: "Okay, I'll go then."

Xie Huaiye watched as the two made their decision and let out a soft hum.

"You two... is this all you've got? All this for a mere mouth to eat?"

His tone carried a hint of helplessness.

Yan Ning put her hands on her hips and said, "What do you mean by 'for the food'? It's just etiquette. They sincerely invited us, so we should go without hesitation! What's there to be afraid of?"

The servants' smiles widened as they saw that the servants had agreed.

"Alright! We'll head back and report now. We look forward to your presence tonight!"

Night fell in the blink of an eye.

The Ye residence was brightly lit.

From afar, you can smell the fragrance of flowers mixed with the aroma of wine and food.

The tall gatehouse was adorned with red lanterns, making it quite impressive.

The three entered the mansion.

The courtyard was decorated with lanterns and colorful streams, featuring artificial hills and flowing water.

Exquisite flowers and plants were displayed everywhere, looking especially beautiful under the lantern light.

The glazed tiles gleamed, and the carved beams and painted rafters clearly indicated it was a wealthy household.

The banquet was set up in a spacious garden, where many people were already seated.

Judging from their clothes and appearance, they were all well-known young men and women from wealthy families in town.

They were chatting and laughing in twos and threes, creating a lively atmosphere.

Upon seeing them, Master Ye immediately greeted them with a beaming smile:

"Oh my, Mr. Xie, Mr. Sun, Miss Yan Ning! We've been waiting for you! Distinguished guests, please take your seats! Take your seats!"

He warmly led the three of them to the seat of honor.

A table that was clearly arranged on purpose.

As soon as Xie Huaiye sat down, he felt a gaze fall upon him.

He looked up and saw Ye Qingling sitting not far away diagonally opposite him.

When he looked over, Ye Qingling's cheeks flushed slightly.

She gave him a gentle, slightly shy smile, her eyes sparkling.

Sun Wuji didn't care about any of that.

Looking at the table full of exquisite pastries and fruits, my mouth was practically watering.

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, he quickly grabbed a piece of glistening candied fruit and stuffed it into his mouth.

Yan Ning stomped on his foot under the table and hissed:

"Watch your face, aren't you ashamed!"

Sun Wuji winced in pain, muttering, "Hungry... just wanted to try something new..."

At this moment, a young man sitting a little further away, dressed in fine clothes but with an arrogant look in his eyes, appeared.

He waved his fan, glanced sideways at Xie Huaiye's table, and deliberately raised his voice to the person next to him:

"Tsk, Uncle Ye is too polite. He invites everyone to the VIP table. Look at the way they eat, it's like they haven't eaten anything good in eight lifetimes."

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