Chapter 168 Seeing an Old Friend Again
The two of them stayed up all night, and it wasn't until dawn that Zhuang Wan closed her eyes and fell asleep. In her daze, she felt Pei Xingju gently kiss her forehead and whisper, "I'll wait for you in the capital."
The affairs of the imperial court could not be delayed; even a single day would bring countless changes. Now that the Hezhou incident had been fully investigated, Duke Xin was bound to intervene before Pei Xingju returned to the capital. To avoid any mishaps, Pei Xingju left Luyang County at dawn the next day.
When Zhuang Wan woke up, the room was empty and quiet. If it weren't for the towel and washbasin he left behind after washing, she would have thought that everything that happened last night was a dream.
Of course, in addition to the washbasin and handkerchief, there was also a living person reminding her that she was not dreaming last night.
Lixia was kept.
She felt a bit embarrassed to see Zhuang Wan, unable to help but recall the scene of them hugging and kissing last night. This had refreshed her understanding of men and women. Knowing about love between men and women was one thing, but seeing it with one's own eyes was another.
"Miss, have your meal." She brought in breakfast.
Zhuang Wan blinked: "Didn't you go back with me?"
Lixia said, "Guard Lu went with them. The master asked me to stay behind to protect the young lady."
"You are not my servant, so there is no need to call yourself one," Zhuang Wan corrected.
"But I am your master's subordinate." Lixia sorted out the simple logic in her mind: "You are our master's woman, which means you two are one. Your master asked me to stay and protect you, so I should be called a servant."
Zhuang Wan was gargling and was almost choked to death by Lixia's words "the master's woman".
She stretched out a hand and hurriedly stopped Lixia, saying with a complicated expression: "I don't care what your identity is in Pei Xingju, but here with me, you are yourself, and your name is Lixia."
Lixia scratched her inadequate brain and nodded briefly: "All is fine."
After having breakfast with Lixia, Zhuang Wan took her out to the shop.
The seafood snack business might not seem like a big deal to Pei Xingju, but it was Zhuang Wan's first career. She had carefully prepared and planned it, and even hired so many people, so naturally she wanted to do it well.
Besides, what she had said to Pei Xingju before was not an excuse. Erya's family, the servants, the cooks, and even the fishermen who had signed a contract with her to deliver a certain amount of sea fish every day, all saw hope in her.
Zhuang Wan felt that this was a responsibility. If she wanted to return to Beijing, she had to at least put things in order.
After days of being busy from morning till night, I would occasionally think of Pei Xingju. I felt a little regretful that I hadn't left him anything. At least seeing it would have been a comfort.
Zhuang Wan herself was very surprised by this idea. She had never expected that she was so deeply attached to Pei Xingju.
As time went by, she even started counting the days. Sometimes when she was keeping accounts, she would pick up the pen for a long time and forget to put it down, and she was actually thinking about him in her mind.
Zhuang Wan sighed to the sky! Love was indeed a stumbling block in her journey to becoming a rich and beautiful woman, yet she was damn stubborn and refused to change her ways!
That day, she patiently finished recording the accounts and looked at the sky. It was already noon.
It seems that it has been snowing in Luyang County since Pei Xingju left, and it is still snowing today.
Zhuang Wan picked up an oil-paper umbrella from the corner of the door, greeted Erya's mother Cui Niang, and then took Lixia out.
"Come on, I'll take you to a big meal," she said.
Lixia loves to eat. Following Zhuang Wan, she can always make simple ingredients taste different. When she said she wanted to have a big meal, it was definitely not empty talk.
Sure enough, when the two entered the restaurant, Zhuang Wan ordered many signature dishes and asked the restaurant to steam a portion of seashells according to her method.
The seashells were really big, as big as a palm. They were delicious when dipped in sauce. Lixia thought she could eat ten kilograms by herself.
The two were enjoying their meal when a burst of teasing sounds came from downstairs.
"Miss, you are as beautiful as a flower. Why don't you follow me?"
"I've been keeping an eye on you for days. Are you homeless living in the inn all day? Why don't you go back with me and live happily as my concubine?"
"Oh, you have a stubborn temper. I like this kind of you."
"Sir, please respect yourself!" said the woman.
Hearing the sound, Zhuang Wan suddenly stopped and listened carefully for a while.
At this time, another voice came: "Let go of my young lady! Do you still have any respect for the law? You molested a woman in broad daylight. Aren't you afraid that I will report you to the police?"
"Report to the police? Then go ahead and report it, hahaha..."
Zhuang Wan recognized Lingshan and immediately said to Lixia, "Let's go and take a look."
When she got downstairs, she saw Liu Ningyan and Lingshan at the door. They seemed to have just finished their meal and were about to leave. Liu Ningyan's wrist was held in the hand of a young man. Lingshan tried to approach but was stopped by the man's servant.
Zhuang Wan walked forward and slapped him on the head.
With a "pop" sound, almost the entire lobby fell silent.
Liu Ningyan was stunned, the servant was stunned, and even the other guests in the hall who were watching the fun were stunned.
The young man was stunned. He turned around and saw Zhuang Wan raising his hand aggressively. He subconsciously raised his arm to block it.
Feeling embarrassed, he asked in a weak voice, "Who are you? Do you know who I am?"
"I don't care who you are. Is it possible that your family's official position is higher than Pei Xingju's?"
Who doesn't know the name Pei Xingju? Hezhou's current earth-shaking transformation is the work of this man; even a three-year-old knows it.
When this person heard Pei Xingju, he immediately lost his temper and asked, "Who are you?"
"Listen carefully, I—" Zhuang Wan pointed at herself, "I'm Pei Xingju's cousin!"
"......" Lixia stood aside with her arms folded and smiled.
Liu Ningyan had witnessed Zhuang Wan's superb acting skills, so she stood there quietly without saying a word.
Zhuang Wan continued, "Even if the county magistrate came, he would have to be polite to me. Who do you think you are? How dare you yell in front of me?"
The man was intimidated by her aura and dared not say a word after being slapped. He said innocently, "Even if you are Master Pei's cousin, I have no grudge against you. Why are you hitting me?"
"No grudges or hatred?" Zhuang Wan chuckled and pointed at Liu Ningyan: "Ask her who she is?"
Liu Ningyan was stunned, but she knew what Zhuang Wan meant. She immediately smiled at her and said, "Miss Zhuang, I didn't expect to meet you here."
After hearing this, the young man realized that the two knew each other.
He looked at Zhuang Wan suspiciously, then looked at Liu Ningyan unwillingly, and then glanced at Lixia who was standing aside with a sword in her arms, as if to say, "You're looking for death if you dare to mess with us." He immediately backed down.
"Oh! I didn't recognize you, young lady. Please forgive me! I'm leaving right away."
"stop!"
Zhuang Wan couldn't let him go so easily. With an arrogant and overbearing look, she said, "You offended my friend, and you think you can just let it go?"
The young man covered his burning face and asked, "What else do you want, girl?"
"What do you want? Apologize to her, of course."
"Yes, yes, yes." The young man immediately bowed ninety degrees and said, "I have offended you just now. Please don't take it to heart, young lady."
"What else?"
"what else?"
Zhuang Wan: "And swear that you will avoid my friends in the future. If you dare to have any evil intentions again, beware of me..."
She raised her hand, as if to hit him, but the man quickly put his head in his hands and said, "I won't dare to do that again! I won't dare to do that again!"
Zhuang Wan glanced around the hall and said loudly, "This Miss Liu is my friend. I have a bad temper and I won't tolerate her being bullied. If you do it again, Lixia..."
She ordered, "Test the sharpness of your sword!"
Lixia understood immediately and drew her sword and swung it towards the nearest table. With two snaps, the dishes and chopsticks on the table turned into pieces.
Everyone in the hall was so frightened that they dared not make a sound. The young man's legs went weak and he let out a cry and ran away quickly.
Zhuang Wan showed off her authority and winked at Liu Ningyan secretly: "Shall we go upstairs and talk?"
Liu Ningyan nodded with a smile.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
