That wasn’t what Shen Qinglan had meant.
She opened her mouth to explain, but after thinking about it, she decided against it.
Somehow, she had a feeling that continuing this conversation would only give her a headache.
Bai Yanzhou, on the other hand, seemed to think the matter was settled.
He pushed the roasted goose leg into her hand.
“Eat.” Then, without the slightest hesitation, he sat down on the edge of the bed.
Shen Qinglan looked at him, then at the goose leg in her hand.
“You’re awfully comfortable here.” “I’ve been told.” Bai Yanzhou took another large bite of his own goose leg.
Shen Qinglan hesitated for a moment.
Her stomach chose that exact moment to growl again, so she finally gave in and took a bite.
Crunch.
Her expression changed slightly.
The skin was crisp, while the meat underneath was tender and juicy.
The rich flavor spread across her tongue, and before she knew it, she had already taken another bite.
Bai Yanzhou glanced at her.
“Good?” “Acceptable.” He raised an eyebrow.
Shen Qinglan calmly took a third bite.
“Only acceptable?” She paused before admitting, “…Quite good.” Bai Yanzhou nodded with satisfaction.
“Naturally.” Shen Qinglan glanced at him.
“You bought it?” “No.” “Your kitchen made it?” “No.” “Then where did it come from?” “I roasted it.” That caught her by surprise.
“You?” Bai Yanzhou looked at her.
“What?” “You know how to cook?” “I know how to roast a goose.” “That’s not quite the same thing.” “It becomes food either way.” Shen Qinglan thought about it and decided that, technically, he wasn’t wrong.
She lowered her gaze to the goose leg, only for another question to come to mind.
“Where did you get the goose?” Bai Yanzhou suddenly went quiet.
Shen Qinglan looked up and caught him turning his gaze away.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Brother Bai?” “It was wandering around outside.” “Outside where?” “My courtyard.” Something about that answer didn’t sound right.
“Was it yours?” “No.” “Then whose was it?” Bai Yanzhou calmly took another bite before answering, “Does that really matter now?” Shen Qinglan looked at the goose leg in her hand, then back at him.
For a brief moment, she felt sorry for the unfortunate goose.
Only briefly.
She took another bite.
It was too delicious to waste.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The room settled into an oddly comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional crackle of the lamp and the sound of them eating.
After a while, Shen Qinglan asked, “So this is your home?” “More or less.” She frowned.
“How can it be more or less?” “I’m used to traveling.
I rarely stay in one place for very long.” “You travel often?” “Mm.” Bai Yanzhou leaned back slightly.
“If my eldest sister weren’t getting married, and if my father hadn’t sent letter after letter ordering me to come home, I probably wouldn’t be here.” He took another bite of the goose leg.
“There are too many people here, too many rules, and too many things to deal with.” Shen Qinglan barely heard the rest.
Her attention had stopped at one thing.
He traveled often.
Her eyes immediately brightened.
Bai Yanzhou noticed the change at once.
The girl who had been quietly eating a moment ago suddenly looked far too interested.
He lowered the goose leg in his hand.
“What?” “Nothing.” “You’re terrible at lying.” Shen Qinglan fell silent.
Bai Yanzhou studied her for a moment before realizing what she was thinking.
“You want to come with me?” She froze.
She didn’t answer, but the hopeful look in her eyes was more than enough.
Bai Yanzhou understood immediately.
“No.” The answer came so quickly that the light in Shen Qinglan’s eyes disappeared almost at once.
Bai Yanzhou nearly laughed.
“You rejected me rather quickly,” she said.
“You asked rather clearly.” “I didn’t say anything.” “You didn’t need to.” Shen Qinglan turned her face away.
Bai Yanzhou stopped teasing her and continued, “Even if we ignore how dangerous it is outside, do you really think your father and brother would let you leave?” Shen Qinglan’s fingers stilled around the goose leg.
The faint amusement on her face disappeared.
That was exactly the problem.
Bai Yanzhou noticed the change in her expression.
This time, he didn’t make another joke.
He simply sat beside her and continued eating while watching her quietly.
He had to admit that Shen Qinglan was unlike most young ladies he had met.
She had been trapped in a dead-end alley by two men, yet she hadn’t panicked.
Even after being injured and realizing that the dagger was poisoned, she had still managed to treat the wound herself.
She was clearly in pain, but she had refused to show weakness.
There was something unusual about her.
Not the stubborn temper of a spoiled young lady, but a kind of toughness that seemed to come from experience.
And that was what Bai Yanzhou found strange.
She was only fourteen.
A girl her age shouldn’t have been so calm in a situation like that.
If she had been a boy, he might actually have considered taking her along on one of his journeys.
But as things stood…
Bai Yanzhou glanced at her injured arm and immediately remembered the look Shen Mo’an had given him earlier.
No.
Absolutely not.
He still wanted to live.
Silence returned to the room.
Shen Qinglan lowered her eyes to the half-eaten goose leg in her hand.
She wasn’t sure whether she should ask him.
They had known each other for less than a day.
Strictly speaking, they were almost strangers.
But Bai Yanzhou traveled often, had shadow guards under his command, and was clearly skilled in martial arts.
From the way he spoke and carried himself, she also doubted he was merely the son of an ordinary merchant.
Someone like him might have access to information she could never obtain on her own.
Maybe he really could help her.
After thinking it over, Shen Qinglan set the goose leg aside and looked at him seriously.
“I have something I need to do.” Bai Yanzhou paused.
The change in her tone caught his attention.
A moment ago, she had still been arguing with him over a roasted goose.
Now there wasn’t the slightest trace of amusement on her face.
Bai Yanzhou’s expression grew more serious as well.
Shen Qinglan took a breath.
“Brother Bai.” “Hm?” “What would it take for you to help me?” His eyebrows rose slightly.
That wasn’t what he had expected her to ask.
“Help you with what?” Shen Qinglan hesitated.
Bai Yanzhou waited, then gave a faint smile.
“Tell me first.
You might not even need to do it yourself.” He rested one arm casually across his knee.
“If it’s something I can handle, perhaps I can take care of it for you.” Shen Qinglan studied him in silence.
They had only just met, and she had no reason to trust him completely.
But if she wanted to find her biological parents, she couldn’t keep waiting for the perfect opportunity forever.
After a moment, she made up her mind.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the blanket.
“I want to find my biological parents.”