Looking at the troublesome object in her hand, Ning Yan quickened her pace and caught up with Pei Yan. Has this man gone mad?
“Commander, this isn’t something to joke about. Take it back.” Ning Yan could never predict Pei Yan’s next move.
Who in the world would make a bet and then casually hand over a tiger tally after losing?
“Commander Ning, do you have any orders for me?”
Ning Yan had a headache. A real one. Rubbing her temples, she said, “I’m not joking with you. You can afford to treat this as a joke, but I can’t.”
“Who said I’m joking?” He sneered. “You accepted the wager, but now that I’ve lost, you’re refusing to honor it. Ning Yan, you’re really a coward.”
“Yes, I don’t want an attendant like you.” Ning Yan tossed the tiger tally back to him and said stiffly, “This matter ends here. I don’t have time to fool around with you.” With a flick of her sleeve, Ning Yan turned and left.
Not far behind her, Yu Daolin still called out, “Miss Ning, we’ll meet again someday!”
“Certainly.” Ning Yan returned the courtesy. But the moment she turned, she saw Pei Yan again. When she finally returned to the Zhang residence, Pei Yan was somehow still there.
“Commander Pei, what exactly are you trying to do?”
“Have you never seen an attendant before? How ignorant,” Pei Yan replied.
Ning Yan gritted her teeth and let out a cold laugh. “I’m a maid. Have you ever seen a maid with an attendant of her own?”
Pei Yan looked completely unabashed. “Well, now you have.”
At this point, Ning Yan decided reasoning with him was pointless. Turning around, she walked inside. “Do as you please.”
She genuinely had no idea what about her had caught the attention of this imposing figure. Wasn’t everyone always saying that Pei Yan was arrogant, unruly, quick to kill, and so terrifying that he could stop a crying child in the middle of the night? She could certainly see the moody, unpredictable side, but where exactly was the unruliness? Was forcing himself to become someone else’s attendant after losing a bet his version of being rebellious?
Rubbing her forehead, she stepped through the gate. Just then, Zhang Heting was coming out. The moment she saw Pei Yan, her eyes lit up, and she hurried forward, calling sweetly: “Commander, please come sit in the main hall. Shall I prepare some tea for you?”
Playing with the tiger tally in his hand, Pei Yan glanced at her and replied casually, “My master doesn’t like you, so stay away from me.”
Ning Yan: “?”
“Your master?” Zhang Heting asked, completely confused. She looked at Ning Yan, then at Pei Yan. “How could you possibly have a master?”
Shouldn’t his master be the Emperor?
Pei Yan stepped forward and stopped beside Ning Yan.
Zhang Heting stared in disbelief at the scene before her. She had long heard stories about Pei Yan’s reputation. In the past, although she had been astonished by his heaven-defying looks, she had never dared entertain any romantic fantasies about him. Not just her. She believed that throughout Qiantan Prefecture, perhaps even across the entire realm, no woman would dare harbor such fantasies about him. Because no one dared. With military power firmly in his hands and favored by heaven, Pei Yan stood far above ordinary people. If he lost his temper and killed a few people, forget paying with his life; no one would even dare arrest him and throw him in jail.
People like him were untouchable. No one dared provoke him. But after her brief interaction with Pei Yan the previous day, Zhang Heting discovered he wasn’t fierce or bloodthirsty at all. The way he spoke and handled matters was even gentle, and she couldn’t help entertaining a few thoughts. If she could marry him, she would truly rise to the heavens in a single step and enjoy endless glory and wealth. Yet the current situation was beyond anything she could have imagined.
Pei Yan was claiming to be Ning Yan’s attendant. What kind of absurdity was that?
Ning Yan headed toward the small courtyard where she lived, and Pei Yan followed, genuinely looking like an attendant.
“Could she be using some kind of sorcery?” Zhang Heting muttered, her expression strange. After a moment’s thought, she lifted her skirts and went to find Zhang Xingben, intending to learn exactly what had happened that afternoon. As soon as she left the residence, she saw Ma Si, Shiwen, Jiuwen, and the others outside the gates. They were leaning against the Zhang family’s wall, wearing complicated expressions and looking utterly bored. Not daring to linger, she climbed into her carriage and left.
“Sigh.” Ma Si pulled out a flatbread and took a bite. “What exactly is our Commander thinking?”
“Do you think it could be because of that matter?” Jiuwen suddenly stiffened, as if he’d just thought of something.
Ma Si looked thoughtful. “But even if it is because of that matter, there’s no reason for him to become Miss Ning’s attendant, is there?”
“True.” Jiuwen nodded. “I still don’t get it.”
“Idiots.” Shiwen looked at them with disdain. “Our Commander isn’t doing this for any grand reason. He’s been captivated by beauty. Our Commander has fallen in love!”
“Huh?” Ma Si and Jiuwen both wore horrified expressions. “The Commander? Fallen in love?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, they both looked up at the sky, as if expecting to see the sun rise in the west. Unfortunately, the sky had clouded over, denying them the sight.
“So what do we do now?” Jiuwen asked Shiwen. “Become an attendant’s attendant?”
Shiwen patted Jiuwen on the shoulder. “Now you’re getting it.”
Jiuwen was left speechless.
In the small courtyard, Liu Ye rushed out and threw her arms around Ning Yan.
“A Yan, you’re incredible! I admire you so much!”
“A Yan’s back!” Liu Zhan also came running out.
The brother and sister hugged Ning Yan together while Liu Ye chattered excitedly.
“Everyone knows now that you solved the Chunhua House case. They’re all saying how amazing you are.”
Liu Zhan nodded as well. “The people at the yamen are useless. Even with all of them combined, they can’t compare to a single young lady like you.”
Ning Yan couldn’t help laughing. “There’s someone at the door,” she whispered in their ears.
The siblings froze and looked toward the entrance. The moment they saw who it was, they immediately fell silent. The joy on their faces vanished, replaced by fear.
“Commander?”
“Greetings, Commander,” they said.
With his arms crossed, Pei Yan leaned casually against the doorway. His expression was nonchalant as he wagged a finger and said, “I lost a bet to Ning Yan. From now on, she’s the Commander, and I’m the attendant.”
“Huh?” Liu Ye didn’t move. Lowering her voice, she asked Ning Yan, “A Yan, what’s going on?”
Ning Yan didn’t bother lowering hers. She made no effort to hide either her helplessness or her irritation.
“Commander Pei is probably too idle. He insists on being my attendant, that’s all.”
Ning Yan took Liu Ye and Liu Zhan by the hand and led them inside. She had decided to ignore Pei Yan altogether. If she ignored him long enough, he would eventually grow bored and leave on his own.
But Ning Yan had miscalculated.
When Madam Zhang sent tea and food from the front courtyard, Pei Yan didn’t stand on ceremony. He sat down immediately.
“Come eat. Afraid to sit?” Pei Yan called to the three of them. “It’s fine. I’m just an attendant now. No need to be so formal.”
Ning Yan: “…”
“Let’s eat. Once Master Zhang comes back, we’ll go to the front courtyard and collect your indenture contracts.” Ning Yan sat down and asked Liu Zhan, “What are your plans for the future?”
Once he got his contract back, he would be a free man, free to stay or leave as he wished.
“I want to open a pancake shop. Mother’s flatbread-making skills are so good. If we open one, our business will definitely do well.”
“That’s right!” Liu Ye chimed in. “We could also sell spicy soup. One flatbread with a bowl of soup, and after slurping it all down, you’d feel warm all the way to the soles of your feet.”
Ning Yan thought it sounded like a good idea too. Just as she was about to agree, Pei Yan let out a soft snort. “And what about summer? Will it warm the soles of your feet then too?”
Liu Ye froze and scratched her head. “Th-that’s true. It would be pretty hot to eat in the summer.”
Ning Yan resumed rubbing her temples.