“Qiao Mo, I’m going to gouge out your eyeballs! You’ve ruined me!”
Just moments ago, Qiao Yin had run into Xie Yu’an seeking shelter from the rain at the tavern entrance, and Xie Yu’an had caught her ‘flanked by men on both sides’ enjoying herself with others. He hadn’t said a word, only given her a cold glance before turning and disappearing into the curtain of rain.
Qiao Yin wanted to rush out after him, but Qiao Mo forcibly dragged her into the carriage and took her home.
“Let me go find Xie Yu’an!”
As Qiao Yin tried to charge out of her room, Qiao Mo pulled her back.
“It’s pitch dark and pouring rain—are you trying to get yourself killed? I think you’re drunk and seeing things. That couldn’t possibly have been Xie Yu’an just now.”
Qiao Yin punched Qiao Mo hard, gritting her teeth in fury.
“That watered-down fake liquor? I’m not drunk at all! That was Xie Yu’an. Qiao Mo, you’ve really done me in today!”
Qiao Mo didn’t get angry after being hit, nor did he panic over causing trouble. Instead, he chuckled and said, “Sis, you could tell? Your tongue is really sharp.”
Qiao Yin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so she just grabbed her head and paced in circles.
“This is so annoying! What am I supposed to do now? Xie Yu’an must hate me now.”
If only she had kept their appointment today—maybe she would have completed her mission by now.
Why hadn’t she gone?
Why hadn’t she only not gone but also gone to find other men, only to be caught red-handed by Xie Yu’an?
Why did she have to walk a tightrope high in the air instead of taking the broad, smooth road?
The more Qiao Yin thought about it, the more she wanted to die, wishing she could just drop to the floor and roll around a few times.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with Big Brother. I clearly saw Xie Yu’an at the pastry shop,” Qiao Mo muttered.
Boom—
A flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder, as if the sky had sprung a leak, and the rain poured down relentlessly.
The downpour was torrential. Unable to go out, Qiao Yin could only anxiously wait for dawn to go find Xie Yu’an.
The heavy rain finally stopped after a night of pouring. The next day, as soon as the sky brightened and the morning mist hadn’t yet dispersed, the gate of the Dingguo General’s residence was pounded urgently and chaotically, much like Qiao Yin’s heartbeat outside at that moment.
“Miss, aren’t we here too early?” Bizhu asked nervously.
Early?
Not early at all—it was too late. She should have rushed into the rain yesterday, grabbed Xie Yu’an, and explained everything clearly.
After knocking a few times and feeling like it was hopeless, the gate suddenly opened from the inside. A man dressed as a guard, his eyes still bleary with sleep, asked, “Who is it?”
See, see, see! Xie Yu’an really had arranged for a gatekeeper!
He kept his word—how could he have stood her up after agreeing to go flower-viewing with her?
Qiao Yin felt another wave of regret.
“I am Qiao Yin, the second daughter of the Qiao family. I have something to discuss with General Xie.”
The guard looked Qiao Yin up and down, then said seriously, “Our general is not at the residence. Please return, miss.”
Not here?
Qiao Yin was skeptical and wanted to ask more, but the gatekeeper had already closed the door.
So early in the morning, how could Xie Yu’an not be here? Was he angry and deliberately lying to her?
Without another word, Qiao Yin moved to the familiar corner of the wall, stepped on Bizhu’s shoulders, and quickly climbed onto the wall. From there, she could hear the sound of swift movements from the shade of the trees in the courtyard, where a nimble figure was practicing morning sword drills under a tree.
That tall, slender figure, those graceful moves—who else could it be but Xie Yu’an!
She knew Xie Yu’an was deliberately avoiding her.
“General Xie?”
“Master Xie?”
“Xie Yu’an!”Qiao Yin called out toward the base of the tree. After several shouts, the person below finally halted their movements, picked up their sword, and strode toward her.
“Young lady, were you calling me?”
As the man approached, a bold smile spread across his handsome face.
Qiao Yin stared in disbelief. How could this person look so much like Xie Yu’an?
But Xie Yu’an had a more profound demeanor, with sharper features, and when he smiled, it was only a slight curve at the corner of his lips—never this bold.
“You’re not Xie Yu’an.”
The man seemed to know who she was and let out a hearty laugh. “I’m definitely not that stuffy fellow. I’m his younger brother, Xie Ren. You must be the young lady who sent Xie Yu’an pastries, right?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
Qiao Yin was taken aback, and a sudden realization flashed in her mind. Could it have been him who went to Zhang’s Pastry Shop to buy pastries yesterday?
Xie Ren seemed to love laughing. He chuckled again. “Xie Yu’an hasn’t eaten pastries since he was seven. Yesterday, I saw him bring back half a pack of leftover pastries like they were treasures, so I got curious and went to buy some to try. Young lady, you have good taste. Zhang’s pastries are delicious. Xie Qingxuan and I didn’t even eat our three meals yesterday…”
Confirmed. Not only did Xie Ren love to laugh, but he was also a chatterbox.
With just one sentence, he was worlds apart from Xie Yu’an.
Qiao Yin’s hands gripping the top of the wall were almost cramping. She pitifully interrupted Xie Ren’s food review. “Is Xie Yu’an here?”
This time, Xie Ren didn’t laugh. He looked at Qiao Yin with confusion and let out a puzzled “Huh?”
“Didn’t Xie Yu’an go out with you for an outing yesterday? I thought with the heavy rain, you two stayed overnight at the Prime Minister’s Temple. What, didn’t you come back together?”
Qiao Yin’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum. “I didn’t go yesterday.”
“Hahaha—”
For some reason, Xie Ren burst into laughter again, laughing so hard he couldn’t straighten up.
“So you stood him up? Made him wait foolishly at the city gate all day? And it rained? Hahaha, you know what? Xie Yu’an sent the carriage back so he could be alone with you. So he must have gotten drenched like a drowned rat. Hahaha, what a shame I missed it.”
Xie Ren stopped laughing and gave Qiao Yin two thumbs up. “You’re really brave! The last person who was late to meet Xie Yu’an had their legs broken and is still lying in bed.”
Cold sweat dripped down Qiao Yin’s back, partly because she could barely hold on any longer, and partly because Xie Ren’s words sent chills down her spine.
Xie Yu’an seemed terrifying, especially when provoked.
“Brother Ren, no need to praise me. If you admire me, then please tell me, where is Xie Yu’an?”
What did she call me? She called me Brother Ren.
Xie Ren’s eyes curved into crescents as he flashed another big smile at Qiao Yin. “He should be at the racecourse in the northern part of the city.”
“You’re such a great person, Brother Ren.”
After thanking him, Qiao Yin immediately jumped down from the wall, climbed into the carriage, and headed straight for the northern racecourse.
When Qiao Yin arrived at the racecourse, it was still early, and the venue hadn’t opened for business yet. The figure galloping on horseback across the field stood out prominently.
Qiao Yin lifted her skirt and ran over. Xie Yu’an saw her but didn’t stop.
Xie Yu’an rode past her in a flash, his icy expression and distant gaze colder than the autumn wind sweeping across the racecourse.
Qiao Yin couldn’t help but shiver: How terrifying!