Chapter 175: My clothes are wet. Want to wash them together?
The next day, Xie Yunying successfully completed the task assigned by Xie Qingyu.
The process was much faster than she had imagined. Soon after, she received a notice of transfer and officially began working alongside Yue Yining.
Unlike the solemn and dignified Xie Mansion, the Yue Mansion was more like a secluded paradise. There were few maids in the mansion, the greenery was lush, and the stone paths connected several wooden houses. As you walked, the scenery changed with every step, making it very quiet and secluded.
Yue Yining's daily life consisted of nothing but receiving guests and working; he had almost no free time and was extremely busy. Subordinates and generals came and went in his study to seek instructions, and the piles of documents on his desk seemed to never be finished.
Xie Yunying was initially at a loss, unsure of what she could do. Yue Yining did not assign her any heavy tasks, but simply had her stay by his side to familiarize herself with the situation, occasionally helping to deliver some less important documents or organize files.
Gradually, Xie Yunying also found her place. She was more like a high-level errand girl, helping to escort the exchange of important documents and tokens when Yue Yining's other close advisors were unavailable. The rest of the time, she stayed by Yue Yining's side, acting as a mascot.
Therefore, when Xie Yunying had nothing to do, she would observe Yue Yining not far away.
On this fine day, Xie Yunying stood guard inside the gate, watching Yue Yining patiently explain the government decrees to an elderly subordinate.
Her tone was gentle and her logic clear. Even when the official was a little slow to respond and asked her questions repeatedly, she showed no impatience whatsoever.
"Why is he still asking? I understand everything..." Xie Yunying complained to the system while staring at Yue Yining, "If it were me, I would have rolled my eyes long ago. Yue Yining is too gentle."
After observing for the past few days, Xie Yunying discovered that Yue Yining was extremely kind to the servants, always speaking gently and softly, and she had never seen her raise her voice at anyone.
Yesterday, a young maidservant coughed a few times while changing the incense burner inside the room, prompting Yue Yining to look up and inquire about her health. Knowing that she had caught a cold a couple of days prior, Yue Yining specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare some ginger soup for her.
Before this, Yue Yining had been working at her desk for two hours without eating or drinking. She was exhausted, and her eyes showed signs of fatigue. Xie Yunying was surprised that she could still find the time to care about a young maid's health, so much so that she was taken aback when she heard this.
Yue Yining has been very busy with official duties these past few days, and rarely smiles. He always has a faint expression or a furrowed brow.
Even so, every detail of her interactions with others reveals that she is actually an extremely gentle person.
System: "The female protagonist, Yue Yining, is a rather contradictory character. She rarely talks about her ambitions, her hardships, or her sacrifices in the book. Instead, she often describes herself as inherently cowardly and selfish."
"However, to truly understand someone, you should never look at what they say, but rather at what they do. Yue Yining is a prime example; her actions are always the complete opposite of her words. Therefore, the self-deprecating remarks she makes in the book are probably intentional reversals by the author and should not be taken at face value."
Xie Yunying: "You're right."
“Once, I was clumsy and almost knocked over the teacup. Her first question was whether I was burned, and she didn’t care at all about the wet documents.”
System: "That time you were really ridiculously stupid."
Xie Yunying said discontentedly, "Hey—"
System: "The female lead possesses excellent emotional management skills and empathy, which is quite rare among those in high positions. Perhaps it's related to her rural background and tragic childhood, but that's not the main reason. After all, not everyone who has experienced tragedy becomes a good person."
“I agree,” Xie Yunying said. “Hitler chose to start World War II.”
As the ancients said, those destined for greatness must undergo countless trials and tribulations. Even so, she couldn't help but feel indignant for Yue Yining. Why did such a good person have to suffer so much?
How she wished that Yue Yining could live a peaceful, happy, and fulfilling life for the rest of her days. She hoped that suffering and regret would stay far away from her.
The system emitted a few soft "beep" sounds, followed by an electronic voice: "Host, there is a new notification. I need to prepare for an upgrade, which may require a period of shutdown, during which communication with the mission world will be cut off."
Xie Yunying was stunned. "So sudden? How long will it take?"
"No more than three days, or even one day if things go smoothly."
Xie Yunying: "What if I need your help with something?"
System: "The host can choose to initiate an emergency call. Other systems that are still powered on will handle the problem for the host. There is no need to worry too much."
Xie Yunying could only say goodbye to her system.
The system has entered hibernation mode.
Perhaps because she was used to having someone to joke around with her, Xie Yunying felt a little empty after the system left.
At the other end of the table, Yue Yining finished his conversation with his subordinates and walked gracefully toward her.
“Yun Ying,” Yue Yining’s voice interrupted her thoughts, her tone as gentle as ever, “Come with me for a while, let’s go and check out the newly prepared barracks in the outskirts of Beijing.”
"Yes." Xie Yunying quickly composed herself and followed.
The two boarded the carriage, and the wheels slowly drove into the bustling city streets.
Inside the carriage, Yue Yining rubbed her temples, showing a hint of fatigue, but her eyes cleared instantly.
She looked at Xie Yunying sitting opposite her and asked softly, "Second Miss, how have you been these past few days since you were transferred here? If there is anything inconvenient or you need anything, please let me know."
Xie Yunying quickly replied, "No, it's a habit! You're such a person, always so busy, yet you still think about me."
Yue Yining smiled and said, "That's good. Your brother entrusted you to me, so I will take care of you."
As they were talking, some discordant noises suddenly broke in from the bustling city outside the carriage. It sounded like a cacophony of shouts from many people, with faint cries and curses mixed in.
Yue Yining frowned and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside.
A short distance ahead, the street was packed with people, blocking the wide street completely.
At the center of the crowd stood the imposing gatehouse bearing the gilded plaque of "Yufeng Bank".
At this moment, the black lacquered gate was tightly closed, and a crowd of people were waving their tickets excitedly, shouting at the top of their lungs, and shoving the bank clerks who were trying to maintain order. The scene was chaotic.
"Exchange the silver! Quickly, exchange the silver for us!"
"Is your Yufeng Bank going to go bankrupt?! Our hard-earned money!"
"Open the door! If you don't open the door, we'll smash your sign!"
"The Xie family is utterly heartless! Give me back my money!"
The crowd was agitated, shoving and jostling the shop assistants and guards who were struggling to maintain order in front of the bank and were already covered in sweat.
"Lord Yue, the situation is dire," the accompanying head guard reported gravely. "Rumors have spread that Yufeng Bank's cash flow has dried up and it's about to go bankrupt. Depositors are going crazy, all rushing to exchange their money for cash!"
Yue Yining's eyes darkened, and she made a decisive decision: "Get out of the car!"
The guards tried to protect Yue Yining, but she had already lifted the curtain and jumped off the carriage.
Xie Yunying was stunned when she heard the guard's words. Seeing Yue Yining get out of the car, she hurriedly followed and stayed close behind her.
Yue Yining, accompanied by Xie Yunying and guards, quickly entered the Yufeng Bank through a side door.
Chaos reigned inside the bank. The manager and staff were like ants on a hot plate. When Yue Yining entered, someone exclaimed, "Yes, it's Lord Yue!"
"The Yue people are here!"
Yue Yining strode over and asked in a deep voice, "Where is the head manager of Yufeng Bank?"
One sentence, resounding with authority. The shopkeeper hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, and stepped forward, his voice trembling: "...I am Zhao Cong, the head shopkeeper of Yufeng Bank, greetings to Lord Yue."
Yue Yining frowned slightly: "Manager Zhao, what happened to the bank? Why are the doors closed and people who want to exchange cash being turned away?"
Manager Zhao looked distressed and quickly said, "Your Excellency, please understand! It's not that we deliberately closed the shop. There's a huge sum of 100,000 taels of silver that was supposed to be transferred here from the Jiangnan branch a few days ago to cover the quarterly settlement. But when I checked the accounts yesterday at noon, it hadn't arrived at all! I've been running around all day, asking everyone, but no one has given me an explanation. It's as if the money has vanished into thin air!"
"A large sum of cash was recently transferred out, and the silver in the treasury is only enough to cover the daily small-scale payments. But given the situation outside, the current reserves in the banks are simply a drop in the bucket! If we open the banks and there is no silver to exchange, it will be a catastrophe!"
Manager Zhao became increasingly agitated, his lips almost trembling as he spoke: "I don't know how this news leaked out. I clearly ordered everyone in the bank to keep quiet just yesterday..."
Xie Yunying, who was standing to the side, suddenly felt a buzzing in her mind.
One hundred thousand taels! She quickly thought of the one hundred thousand taels of silver notes she had handled. She had visited this Yufeng Bank a while ago, and it was indeed this storefront... Could it be that the money she had handled had run into problems?
But she clearly paid according to the rules. Could it be that she overlooked something, and the money didn't actually arrive? Did she mess things up, leading to this disaster?
Xie Yunying almost lost her balance, but Yue Yining interrupted Manager Zhao's attempt to shirk responsibility: "Alright. We'll investigate later who in the bank was loose-lipped or who deliberately leaked the information."
She looked directly at Manager Zhao: "I'm asking you now, is it true that the bank is currently short of cash?"
"Yes...yes." Manager Zhao was sweating profusely.
"How much cash is still available?" Yue Yining pressed.
"About... less than ten thousand taels."
Yue Yining's eyes flickered slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "I understand."
"This amount of money is sufficient. Take out all the cash and place it in the front hall."
Manager Zhao exclaimed in astonishment, "Lord Yue! This...this..."
"Do as I say." Yue Yining's tone left no room for argument. "Now, have someone open the door."
Xie Yunying felt bewildered and uneasy. Her mind went blank, but when she saw Yue Yining move, she unconsciously followed.
The guards and staff of the bank were on high alert at the door. As all the cash was taken out, the bank's doors slowly opened.
The bright sunlight and the clamor of voices rushed in all at once.
Just as the two were about to enter the crowd's view, the panic and anger that had been building up outside the door reached its peak.
A man with bloodshot eyes, who was squeezed in the front row, saw the door about to open but hadn't yet, and his pent-up resentment finally exploded. He roared, "Dare to steal my money? Die!!"
He swung his arm and slammed the object he was holding tightly down!
A rotten, stinking egg, carrying a fishy smell, flew straight at Xie Yunying's face as she took her first step!
In the blink of an eye, Xie Yunying looked up and watched helplessly as the rotten egg flew towards her.
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared before her, its wide sleeves spreading out like clouds, blocking Xie Yunying's path.
"Snap!"
After a crisp sound, the previously noisy crowd suddenly fell silent.
Xie Yunying stared blankly at Yue Yining standing in front of her.
At the critical moment, Yue Yining turned to the side and used her shoulder and sleeve to shield her from the flying rotten egg.
As a result, the sticky egg liquid splattered all over Yue Yining's arms and shoulders, and even splashed onto her black hair. The white splatter on her silky black hair, along with the eggshell fragments, was extremely glaring.
The onlookers, who were standing on the periphery, came to their senses. In their eyes, someone had thrown a rotten egg, which had hit a woman who had just come out of the Yufeng Bank. Judging from the woman's clothes, appearance, and demeanor, she seemed to be no ordinary person, yet she had suffered such humiliation.
Everyone was stunned by the scene, including the man who threw the egg.
Xie Yunying's fingers trembled involuntarily. Yue Yining, who stood in front of her, remained expressionless, seemingly oblivious to the filth on her body, and didn't even glance down at her.
She slowly lowered her arm, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Fellow villagers," Yue Yining began, her voice clear and distinct, each word reaching everyone's ears and calming all the restlessness, "please be patient and listen to me."
"My name is Yue Yining. Some of you may recognize me." She looked around at the crowd and said in a calm tone, "I am now a court official because of His Majesty's trust. I once studied the Five Arts under a master and can be considered a celestial master who has some knowledge of metaphysics."
The crowd began to whisper among themselves. Not long ago, rumors about the Eldest Princess had been circulating in the streets and alleys of the capital. As the Eldest Princess's chief female official and a young celestial master, Yue Yining had also become famous and well-known.
At this moment, she revealed her identity and pointed out the key point, and it was clear that someone had recognized her.
"The manager of the bank has just told me the truth." Yue Yining raised her voice, suppressing the discussion, "Yufeng Bank has indeed encountered difficulties. A sum of emergency working capital funds failed to arrive on time the day before yesterday, resulting in a temporary shortage of cash in the treasury, making it difficult to cope with the large number of villagers redeeming their money today."
She actually admitted it! This public announcement stunned the excited crowd for a moment.
“But!” Yue Yining changed the subject, “The bank is only experiencing cash flow problems, not a complete collapse. Yufeng Bank has a century-old reputation, and the Xie family’s legacy has been built up over generations. How could it crumble because of a temporary storm? Although I don’t know where the villagers heard the rumors, I’m sure someone has exaggerated them, and it’s definitely not the truth!”
She waved her arm, pointing to the open doors of the money exchange behind her. The money exchange clerks carried out several heavy silver chests in single file, displaying the gleaming silver on the long table in front of the door.
"Please look, everyone!" Yue Yining said loudly, "This is all the available cash currently in the bank's treasury. I, Yue Yining, am here today to make a decision for the Xie family, and for all of you who trust the Xie family and the court's commercial order!"
Her gaze swept over the bewildered faces, and she said, word by word, "All of this silver will be paid out to those present today. Those who are in dire need of money, the elderly, women, children, the sick, or those who need it for weddings or funerals, may come forward first. After verification of the receipts, the payment will be made immediately!"
"The rest of the villagers who brought their vouchers can each take one tael of silver as compensation. This is Yufeng Bank's way of showing you their sincerity and responsibility!"
The crowd fell completely silent. One tael was equal to ten coins, and one coin of silver could buy several meals of good meat, plus it was unexpected wealth. For ordinary people, this was a considerable temptation. Those who had been making a ruckus were moved by Yue Yining's promise and stopped shouting and cursing.
"As for when all the money can be redeemed," Yue Yining continued, his voice steady and powerful, "I implore everyone to grant me three days! After three days, Yufeng Bank will definitely reopen for business! At that time, all holders of bank vouchers, regardless of the amount, will be able to receive full redemption!"
"If even a single coin is missing, I, Yue Yining, am willing to guarantee with my official position and reputation the responsibility and bear it all!"
Someone couldn't help but raise their voice in question: "Lord Yue, you make it sound so nice! But you have no relation to the Xie family, so what makes you think you can vouch for them? And why should we believe you?"
Yue Yining met the questioning gaze and said frankly, "Good question! I, Yue Yining, am paid by the imperial court and trusted by Her Highness the Eldest Princess. I am stationed in the capital to assist in its affairs. The Xie family is now fully supporting Her Highness the Eldest Princess!"
"Your Highness is far away on the frontier, fighting for the country. We will never allow her reputation to be tarnished, nor will we allow those who support her to be disheartened!"
"I am here today not only on behalf of myself or the Xie family, but also His Highness!" Her voice was firm. "If this matter is not handled properly and His Highness's reputation is tarnished, I, Yue Yining, will be held accountable even if I die a thousand deaths!"
"I am well aware that your money is hard-earned. Today, I offer all the savings in our bank in exchange for your trust for three days! If you still have doubts after three days, you may come back here. If our bank fails you, I will be the first to object!"
Yue Yining's words can be described as appealing to emotions, reasoning with people, and enticing them with benefits.
The silver displayed in the open was gleaming brightly.
The emotions of most people in the crowd gradually shifted from frantic panic to hesitant observation, and some even began to whisper among themselves.
The crisis triggered by the chaos has finally eased temporarily.
Seeing this, Yue Yining turned to the head guard beside her and quickly ordered, "Immediately send a squad of city defense soldiers to maintain order and prevent riots. Also, send someone to the Xie residence to inform them of this matter."
The arriving soldiers began to maintain order, and the restless crowd gradually calmed down, with many people starting to line up.
Yue Yining breathed a slight sigh of relief. She turned around and found Xie Yunying looking at her.
His previously furrowed brows and eyes gradually softened.
With her back to the sunlight, Yue Yining asked her in a soft voice, "Is the Second Miss alright?"
"Why aren't you saying a word..." Yue Yining's voice suddenly stopped.
She noticed that Xie Yunying's eyes were red.
The usually domineering and defiant Miss Xie shed glistening tears in front of her.
Yue Yining immediately panicked: "Hey, hey, don't cry!"
She glanced back at the crowd a few times, then immediately pulled Xie Yunying inside.
Away from the noise, before Yue Yining could even get a good look at Xie Yunying, she was met by the Xie family steward who had just arrived.
Yue Yining, with her sharp eyes, recognized him as one of Xie Qingyu's men and called out to him from afar, "Manager Lin!"
"Hey!" Steward Lin turned around hurriedly and rushed over at the sound of the voice. "Lord Yue! I received a message from the head of the family that something had happened at Yufeng Bank, so I came immediately—"
Manager Lin walked up to Yue Yining, saw the stains on her clothes, and his expression changed drastically. He almost exclaimed, "My God, you...! What happened to your clothes...?"
Yue Yining glanced at Xie Yunying beside her. Seeing her wipe her eyes and lower her head, she considerately pulled her behind her so that Steward Lin couldn't see her face clearly. She replied, "It's alright."
"Where is Lord Xie? Why didn't he come?"
"The patriarch is in the capital and can't get away for the time being, so he asked me to come and take charge..." Steward Lin nodded and bowed, his face full of bitterness. "I didn't expect to trouble Lord Yue. Oh dear, this..."
“Very well, the situation at the bank is now under control. I’ll leave the rest to you, Manager Lin. I’ll head back to my residence now.” Yue Yining added, “If Lord Xie comes looking for me, just tell him to come directly to my residence.”
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Yue Yining originally had something to do, but now that she was disheveled and unable to go out to see anyone for a while, she handed the matter over to someone else.
Xie Yunying listened as she explained the situation to the female official beside her. Then the two got into the carriage and returned to the Yue residence.
Upon entering the inner room, the maidservant, seeing Yue Yining's appearance, also turned pale and hurriedly urged someone to fetch water.
Yue Yining had just sat down and hadn't even had time to change out of her dirty clothes when the voices of guards requesting an audience came from outside the door.
"My lord, there is an urgent report."
"Come in." Yue Yining gestured for the maid to wait a moment, then looked at the guards who had entered.
The guard knelt on one knee and quickly reported: "Sir, according to the accountants of the Jiangnan branch and the head office, the 100,000 taels of silver notes were indeed handled by the Second Miss and the transfer was completed at the Yufeng branch."
"However, the strange thing is that the main account recorded this amount as outstanding, and several related large transactions were also altered, resulting in a huge deficit. Now this sum of 100,000 taels is being identified as part of the deficit, which was lost due to the Second Miss's poor management."
The guard's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Xie Yunying's ears.
Yue Yining hesitated for a moment, but before he could say anything, Xie Yunying's tears broke free and streamed down her face.
Yue Yining glanced at her and gestured for the guards to leave.
She beckoned Xie Yunying to her side and said gently, "Why are you sad again?"
"Lord Yue, I'm so sorry..." Xie Yunying felt guilty and didn't even care about being out of character, sobbing uncontrollably, "It's all my fault. That 100,000 taels of silver, I... I was responsible for delivering it. It's all my fault, and I even made you... made you do this for me..."
Looking at her red, swollen eyes and nose, Yue Yining felt a pang of guilt and a soft ache in her heart.
She watched as Xie Yunying, sobbing, soaked a handkerchief for her, sniffling as she pitifully handed it to her. Yue Yining took it, but instead of wiping herself first, she gently wiped the tears from Xie Yunying's face.
"Don't cry." Her voice was still gentle. "This has nothing to do with you. You did a good job."
“But…” Xie Yunying looked at her with teary eyes.
“No buts,” Yue Yining said. “This was done intentionally, targeting Xie Qingyu. Even without the money you handled, they would have found another excuse to cause trouble.”
"Then why, why don't the accounts match up even though I clearly paid that money...?"
“Someone is plotting to frame you, so naturally they will make the accounts look good. You are just a scapegoat they have chosen, and no one can blame you for this.”
"As for this filth..." Yue Yining smiled wryly, "I don't care."
She instinctively reached out to block it, since the egg was aimed at Xie Yunying's face. If she had blocked it, it would have only soiled her clothes, but if Xie Yunying hadn't dodged it, it would have been a real loss of face.
Yue Yining tapped the corner of her eye with her fingertip, gesturing for her to look up at her, and said with a light laugh, "Yun Ying, I am an orphan."
“I have experienced many moments that were far more embarrassing than this. If I had always cared about what others thought and been bound by formalities, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. So you don’t need to take it to heart. If you’re crying because you’ve made me look bad, then I’m the one who feels sad.”
Xie Yunying didn't know what else to say, she just held her hand and nodded frantically.
She suddenly felt empathy for Xie Qingyu, an empathy she had never felt before.
She had only been casually protected by Yue Yining for a few days, yet she already wanted to be devoted to her for life. It seemed that Xie Qingyu, who spent every day with Yue Yining, had already pledged her future life and the life after that to him. Even if they were not blessed with good fortune and could not be together forever, being her servant and guarding her home would be a kind of happiness.
Seeing her crying like this, Yue Yining was not only surprised, but also felt a rare sense of shame.
After all, Xie Yunying was completely unaware of her and Xie Qingyu's plan, so it seemed as if they were deliberately bullying her.
She pondered whether she should tactfully reveal some of the inside story to her when she heard hurried footsteps approaching the room from the corridor. Before she could guess who it was, the person had already pushed open the door and entered.
Yue Yining looked up and was taken aback.
Xie Qingyu stood at the door, still wearing his official robes, clearly having just come from the imperial city without even changing his clothes.
Upon seeing Yue Yining's appearance, Xie Qingyu's expression changed drastically, and a terrifying gloom quickly spread across his face.
His usually gentle, smiling eyes were now tinged with a palpable rage and a chilling killing intent.
Yue Yining knew something was wrong. She instinctively pulled Xie Yunying, who was still sobbing beside her, and quickly said to her, "Yunying."
"You've been frightened today, go back to your residence and rest. Remember, don't let your mind wander."
Xie Yunying also saw the jade-faced demon by the door. She was frightened by Xie Qingyu's expression; she had never seen him so terrifying before.
Knowing that Xie Qingyu might be on the verge of losing control, she quickly agreed with Yue Yining's words, said "Yes," and followed the maid out the door.
The door was gently closed, leaving only the two of them inside.
Yue Yining turned her head and looked at Xie Qingyu walking towards her step by step. She wanted to say something, but stopped because of his sudden movement.
He reached out and cupped her face in his hands, his gaze lingering on her shoulders, the ends of her hair, and over the dried, hardened grime, as if confirming the insults and hurt she had suffered. Only then did he fix his gaze on her eyes.
Yue Yining's heart skipped a beat when he looked at her.
In those eyes, as black as ink, there was a dark, raging fire that completely destroyed the previous peace and calm, replacing it with pain and violence, as if it would not stop until it had burned something to ashes.
He said in a hoarse voice, "...Who did it?"
Yue Yining didn't move, but gently took his hand and looked at him: "An ordinary person squeezed in a crowd, I don't remember."
"Then I'll send someone to find him—"
Yue Yining raised her voice and called out to him, "Xie Qingyu."
The turmoil in Xie Qingyu's eyes subsided instantly. The flames were extinguished, the loss of control was brought under control, and the gloomy exterior slowly cracked, revealing the fragile vulnerability within.
He held her hand, his brow furrowed tightly, his eyelashes trembled slightly, and a tear fell from his eye.
Yue Yining couldn't bear to see him shed tears, and even though she knew he did it on purpose, she softened her heart.
Her soft fingertips brushed against the corner of his eye, wiping away the tears that were about to fall. "...I'm really okay."
"Don't cry."
Xie Qingyu closed her eyes, her voice hoarse and barely audible, trembling with a sob: "I'm going to kill him..."
"No." Yue Yining cupped his face in her hands. "You're not allowed to kill anyone. Be good."
Xie Qingyu's eyes were even redder. He gently rubbed his cheek against her palm, opened his eyes which were full of pain, and looked at her with a heartbreaking gaze, but the darkness in his pupils was surging.
Yue Yining had experienced his stubbornness and ruthlessness firsthand.
Xie Qingyu was the most docile subject, but also the most ruthless executioner.
He was a complete madman when it came to anything related to her.
Yue Yining didn't say anything more, but simply cupped his face and gently kissed him.
His cheeks were cold, his teeth were clenched, and his muscles were tense, but he softened into a pulp the moment she kissed him.
She grabbed his hand and pressed his palm against her neck. Blood flowed through a thin layer of skin, and the warmth of her body made him tremble. The dark hatred in his eyes slowly dissipated. She pressed his shoulders and entwined her lips with his tongue. He couldn't help but loosen his teeth and gradually crumbled under her onslaught.
"Kiss me." Yue Yining's voice was gentle, her tongue curling up and hooking him, bewitching him. "Why are you just standing there like that?"
A large hand gripped her waist, and Xie Qingyu suddenly lunged forward, swallowing her words.
During the brief pause, he saw that Yue Yining seemed to be smiling.
The gloom of the room was melted away by intimacy.
"...That person didn't mean to target me; he just lost control of his emotions. He didn't expect to hit me by chance."
"It's just that my clothes are dirty, I'm not hurt." Yue Yining leaned closer, pressed her forehead against his, and then opened her eyes, a faint smile in them that seemed to soothe all wounds. "Don't get angry over such a small thing."
Xie Qingyu did not consider this a trivial matter, but the murderous intent in his eyes had diminished considerably.
All the hostility vanished, and the remaining chill was also well hidden, not revealed in the slightest.
He gently kissed her cheek, leaving a slight red mark where his lips had touched hers. Seeing her eyes closed as he kissed her, Xie Qingyu's Adam's apple bobbed, and she whispered, "...Let's not talk about this anymore. I'll clean it up for you first, otherwise you'll feel very uncomfortable."
Yue Yining did not refuse, letting him carry her up and through the inner room.
The maid prepared hot water in the bathhouse, and the steam filled the air with the scent of soap.
Separated by a screen, Xie Qingyu removed her clothes. The light green outer robe, like a leaf steamed by high heat, fell to the ground soft and boneless, drooping into a ball. Then came the snow-white inner garment.
His stained clothes were removed one by one, and his slender fingers would occasionally brush against her skin, bringing a slight coolness.
Yue Yining had been busy all day and was feeling a bit tired. She half-closed her eyes and let him do as he pleased. Suddenly, she was enveloped in warm water, which made her a little more awake. She slightly lifted her eyelashes and saw that Xie Qingyu was carrying her into the bathtub.
Hot water was poured over her shoulders, arms, and lingered at her collarbone. Then, her hair was untied, and the jade hairpin was placed on the wooden table, making a crisp sound that pierced the misty tranquility.
After wetting a soft cloth, I applied bath soap and gently wiped away the stains from the ends of her hair.
His movements were gentle, his fingers running through her hair, warm water flowing down from the ends of her hair through his fingers, spreading a faint fragrance.
"Are you still feeling unwell?" Xie Qingyu asked softly, her voice muffled by the steam, making it all the more gentle.
"It doesn't hurt," Yue Yining replied, tilting her head slightly and resting her cheek against his damp arm. "It feels very comfortable."
Her clean hair was brushed over her shoulders. Yue Yining kept her eyes closed, her mind hazy, yet her senses were exceptionally sharp. She could feel his hand caressing her skin in the water. She was completely at peace, unmoved, yet she noticed Xie Qingyu's subtle change in breathing.
Yue Yining woke up and opened her eyes.
Her gaze fell on his sleeve, and she moved her lips, "...Your clothes are wet."
"Want to shower together?" she asked, her eyelashes, damp with moisture, appearing even darker, while her eyes beneath them were exceptionally clear, staring intently at him.
Xie Qingyu said nothing, and stopped playing with the water.
He leaned over, and Yue Yining lifted her chin as he did so, his shoulders gripping her as they pressed against the edge of the bathtub for a kiss.
The room was filled with intense steam, and white mist seemed to be brewing in the air. The weeping willows on the screen were wet with water, their green leaves glistening.
The overlapping figures separated. Yue Yining looked up at his tense jawline, which he was trying hard to control, and a hint of a smile gradually appeared in her eyes. Her bright red lips opened and closed, "It seems you don't want to shower with me."
"...Stop making fun of me." Xie Qingyu pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and continued to stir the water in the bucket. "Miss was just trying to tease me and see how flustered I was."
How sorrowful and plaintive that tone was.
He could tell that Yue Yining was tired today and had no desire to do that absurd thing anymore; kissing him was just a passing fancy.
Unfazed by her exposed plan, Yue Yining smiled instead. She rested her snow-white arm on the edge of the tub and looked at him amidst the occasional splashing of water: "Luckily, I arrived in time. The anomaly has been resolved today. Judging from the expression of the manager of Yufeng Bank, he doesn't seem to be covering for someone. I wonder where they took that money."
"The people have received the money and given the bank a three-day deadline. Within three days, you must deal with those troublesome old bastards and make them obediently return the silver they've swallowed."
Xie Qingyu leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, whispering, "Please rest assured, Miss, it won't take three days."
Two orioles were discussing how to deal with the mantis that had fallen into their trap, while a cicada, completely unaware of the deception, wandered alone in the street.
Xie Yunying left the Yue residence and rode back to the Xie family home, but her mind was in turmoil, and she almost knocked over a street vendor's stall.
She didn't know what she was doing. Even though Yue Yining had comforted her, she still felt empty inside. Even though the person involved had forgiven her, she couldn't forgive herself, and she felt increasingly sad.
Unfortunately, the system wasn't around, and she couldn't even find someone to talk to.
When Xie Yunying came to her senses, she had already ridden her horse to the front of the Yuan residence.
As dusk fell, the clouds glowed fiery red. Xie Yunying dismounted, and the guards from the Yuan family standing by the gate immediately recognized her, rushing forward: "This humble servant greets Miss Xie, are you here to see the eldest young master?"
Xie Yunying responded to him in a muffled voice, "...Mm."
The guard from the Yuan residence felt that Miss Xie was acting strangely today. He didn't dare to ask too many questions and only said, "Young Master is reading in his room today. I'll have someone take you there."
Xie Yunying followed eagerly behind the maid to Yuan Nanjie's courtyard. Whether someone had informed him beforehand or not, when Xie Yunying entered the courtyard, Yuan Nanjie was already being pushed out in a wheelchair by the maid and was waiting for her under a tree.
Just seeing his tall, slender figure from afar made Xie Yunying's nose sting with tears, and the scene before her suddenly blurred.
Yuan Nanjie was slightly surprised to hear that Xie Yunying had suddenly come to the Yuan residence. If Xie Yunying intended to visit him, she would usually arrive in the morning, and it was rare for her to arrive so late.
He didn't think much of it, assuming that Xie Yunying had come to find him on a whim again. So he put down the calligraphy copybook he was still practicing, asked someone to prepare tea and snacks, and had a maid push him out the door.
He had barely caught a glimpse of a fiery red skirt when a surge of joy welled up inside him.
But the next moment, Xie Yunying's tearful face came into view.
Yuan Nanjie suddenly gripped the handrail, his breath caught in his throat, and his mind went blank for a moment.
The maids around Xie Yunying witnessed her loss of composure and were at a loss for what to do. Yuan Nanjie immediately pushed her wheelchair over and called out to her urgently, "Yunying!"
Since his rebirth, he had never felt such urgency. He even forgot all the formalities and stopped calling her "Second Miss" in a distant manner, blurting out the name he had repeated countless times in his heart. He wished he had strong legs so he could stand up immediately and run to hug her.
Seeing Yuan Nanjie approaching her with a face full of anxiety, Xie Yunying felt a pang of sadness and could no longer hold back her tears.
"Yuan Nanjie..." Xie Yunying squatted down, buried her head in his chest, and let herself wail, tears streaming down her face. "Waaaaah..."
"I did something wrong, so many things wrong. I feel so useless, I'm so sad..."
Seeing her crying like this, Yuan Nanjie felt so heartbroken that he couldn't breathe and hugged her tightly.
"Don't cry, don't cry." His voice softened unconsciously as he gently coaxed her, stroking the back of her head with his hand. "You're not useless, you're great. Don't say that about yourself."
“If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. Who in this world doesn’t make mistakes?” He wiped away her tears and whispered, “I don’t know why you’re crying. Tell me, okay? I’ll definitely help you.”
The maids all withdrew, keeping their eyes down, leaving the two of them alone.
Xie Yunying gradually calmed down and, with sobs and hiccups, recounted everything that had happened that day.
"I understand." Yuan Nanjie saw that her eyes were red and felt a pang of tenderness. "Come, let me see your eyes."
Yuan Nanjie gently wiped her face with a handkerchief. Seeing the rare vulnerability and dependence she showed, he knew that he had fallen for Xie Yunying, completely and willingly.
"Leave this matter to me, you don't need to worry about the rest." Yuan Nanjie's voice was gentle as he gazed deeply at her. "From now on, no matter what happens, I will be there for you."
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Author's note: A little couple interspersed amidst the chaos.
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