Chapter 144 They're all bastards

Just as Bai Zilin was about to refuse, Liu Ye took his hand and placed it on her chest. Bai Zilin's throat tightened: "Okay... alright, then don't wander off, stay close to me."

Liu Ye removed Bai Zilin's hand, smiling like a little fox. She sat up from the kang (a heated brick bed), put on her shoes, and got out of bed: "I'm going to the kitchen to check on the pots."

Bai Zilin also sat up from the kang (heated brick bed), looking at her with a resentful expression, and said, "Is that all...?"

"Then what else do you want to do...?" Liu Ye finished speaking and ran out of the house with a smile. Bai Zilin glanced at her body... It's over. His body, his heart, his body are completely controlled by this silly girl. He raised his right hand, recalling the softness in his mind, the taste in his mouth, and suddenly a warm current...

His face flushed, he quickly ran back to his room, changed his pants, and waited until Liu Ye called him for dinner before he went to Liu Ye's room.

In Liu Ye's living room, a large bowl of meat and a small bowl of rice were already laid out. Da Hu and the other two insisted on eating in the kitchen, saying it was the rule, so she let them have their way.

She handed the chopsticks to Bai Zilin: "Eat up. I just tasted a piece and it's so delicious, though it's a little salty."

Bai Zilin picked up a piece of meaty rabbit and put it in Liu Ye's bowl: "A little saltiness makes it easier to eat with rice. Mmm, delicious. My little wife's cooking is still the best."

Liu Ye also picked up her chopsticks to eat. After finishing her meal, it was already dark. Bai Zilin went back to her room to sleep, and she locked the door and went to bed as well.

Across the street, at the Qin family's house, Qin Qiaoyun waited until the second watch of the night before her father returned. Master Qin, reeking of alcohol and perfume, was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open. He sat with his legs stretched out in his chair, and when he spoke, his breath reeked of alcohol: "Oh, Yun'er, what are you doing? Dad's sleepy and wants to sleep. You can talk to me tomorrow!"

Qin Qiaoyun shook her father's arm violently: "Father, your daughter was bullied today, your daughter can't live!"

Mr. Qin impatiently shook off her hand: "Stop fooling around. Who would dare to bully you? It's good enough that you don't bully others. Alright, go back to your room and go to sleep. I drank quite a bit today and I'm really sleepy. Don't bother me!"

Master Qin stood up from his chair, but Qin Qiaoyun pressed him back down: "Father, do you know who bullied me? It's that hunter we met on the road, and that wretched girl with him. They moved across the street from our house, and they're the ones who bullied me! Father, you have to avenge me! Today, our whole family was injured by them, and Steward Qin was also beaten up. He's still unconscious!"

Upon hearing this, Master Qin instantly sobered up: "Are you telling the truth? The family that moved in across the street, is that the hunter who sells us our expensive food?"

Qin Qiaoyun nodded with certainty: "Yes, it's those two scoundrels. I would recognize them even if they were ashes. Now they've come to bully us right at our doorstep. They even cheated you out of several gold leaves and bullied our daughter. We must avenge this. I've already had someone find out their background!"

“They have no backing, just two ordinary peasants. Oh, and they also run a noodle shop in town, but business is bad, so they switched to selling game. Dad, are you thinking about how to deal with them?”

After listening, Master Qin nodded with a wicked smile: "Let your father think about it. Those two bastards cheated me out of several gold leaves. I will make them spit out double the amount. Yun'er, don't get involved in this matter. Today I heard from the county magistrate that Prefect Zhao's mother is celebrating her birthday. Prefect Zhao will be coming back to celebrate his mother's birthday. At that time, some young masters from famous families, high-ranking officials and nobles will also come from the capital. There might even be some imperial relatives."

"Father begs the magistrate to get me three invitations. The three of us will go together. There are still five days until the birthday celebration. You mustn't cause any trouble for me during these days. You should stay home and cultivate your character, think about how to win a man's heart, and spend more time with Young Master Zhao. Father is still counting on you to become related to the prefect through marriage. Then we can deal with those two bastards. It'll be a piece of cake. Father can make him live or die as he pleases. Humph! Killing him is just a matter of saying a word."

Qin Qiaoyun felt that her father was right. Getting revenge now was a small matter; her life's most important thing was marriage. If she could marry Young Master Zhao and become the daughter-in-law of the prefect, she would have everything she wanted and could kill whoever she wanted!

“Father is right. I will let those two little beasts go for now and deal with them later. Father, I don’t have any new clothes for the birthday banquet…”

Master Qin took out a silver note from his pocket, but before he could hand it to Qin Qiaoyun, she happily snatched it away: "Thank you, Father. You always love your daughter the most. I'll go back to my room to sleep now. You should rest early too."

Weary, Master Qin waved his hand and said, "Go!" After Qin Qiaoyun left, Master Qin got up from his chair and staggered back to his room. Madam Qin was already in bed. A maidservant helped Master Qin to bed and then retreated to the doorway.

Madam Qin was not asleep. She looked at Master Qin and asked in confusion, "What does Yun'er want with you? Why won't you let me hear?"

Old Master Qin was almost asleep with his eyes closed. He mumbled in his sleep, "Nothing, just asking me for money to buy clothes."

Madam Qin turned her face away angrily: "Hmph, you just spoil her like that. You know what our family's situation is like now. The shop hasn't made any money these past two years, it's just been going into debt. How much of my private savings have you used to cover it up? And you still let Yun'er spend money recklessly. You even spend a lot of money to curry favor with the magistrate. What have you gotten out of him? Absolutely nothing! Just smell your perfume! Hmph! I bet you didn't come back from the magistrate's house, you came back from a brothel!"

Madam Qin's nagging sounded like a lullaby to Mr. Qin, who started snoring absentmindedly. Hearing the deafening snoring, Madam Qin really wanted to smother him with a pillow!

The younger ones are a handful, and the older ones are a handful too. The Qin family is rotten to the core. Today, her two gambling-addicted brothers-in-law came to borrow money from her again. She refused, and then her mother-in-law arrived. She was sarcastic and made veiled accusations against her for a long time. She said all sorts of hurtful things, and whatever she said hit her right in the heart, she said it. She kept blaming her for not being able to have children, for only giving birth to a worthless girl, and for not giving birth to a son. Then she complained that she hadn't arranged for Mr. Qin to take a concubine.

"Hmph!" Madam Qin glared fiercely at Master Qin. The old man was a good-for-nothing, a bastard. This old hag even wanted to take a concubine for his son. It was laughable. He couldn't even produce a maid. Yun'er was her and Steward Qin's daughter. Thinking of this, Madam Qin felt much better. She took out the sachet under her pillow, took out a small pill, pried open Master Qin's mouth, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Master Qin smacked his lips twice and unconsciously swallowed the pill. Only then did Madam Qin feel at ease enough to go to sleep.