Chapter Forty-Five: Words of Tigers and Wolves
To flirt with another woman's husband right in front of her—how utterly improper!
Li Yunjie could not help but mutter inwardly. But perhaps he could only blame his own looks, handsome enough to make countless young ladies swoon.
He found himself growing curious about his mother, whom he had never met. After all, with a face like Li Jia’s, unless he had married a woman of peerless beauty, there was no way Li Yunjie could have been born so striking.
“Let’s eat,” Li Yunjie said, picking up his chopsticks in an attempt to shift the mood.
“Waiter,” he called just as he was about to begin, noticing only a few plain steamed buns and sparse dishes on the table. “Is this really the best food and wine your inn has to offer?”
The attendant bowed politely and replied, “Young master, you may not know, but we’ve had an unusual number of guests lately. Our kitchen is struggling to keep up. What you see on your table is all that remains.”
He offered a handful of broken silver. “I’m sorry for the poor service, and I hope you can forgive us.”
Li Yunjie frowned. “Why are there so many guests in such a remote place?”
The attendant leaned in. “Are you not heading to Jiangnan to attend the lectures at Taihu Academy?”
“Lectures?”
“That’s right,” the attendant explained eagerly. “Every year, at the turn of spring and summer, the great scholars of Taihu Academy come to Jiangnan to teach. Students from all directions flock to witness their wisdom. If one is lucky enough to receive guidance from a great scholar, it’s like a fish leaping through the dragon gate—one’s future will be limitless!”
His eyes shone with envy as he spoke.
Li Yunjie glanced around. The guests were all refined, scholarly, and well-mannered—save for the young woman in pink at the next table, who kept sending him flirtatious glances.
It seemed the attendant spoke the truth.
“I see,” Li Yunjie sighed, pocketing the silver. “Let’s make do. We’ll be in Jiangnan by tomorrow anyway.”
He consoled himself, secretly vowing that once he arrived, he would treat himself to a grand feast.
“Master,” Eleven suddenly looked at Li Yunjie with hopeful eyes, “didn’t you take half a roast chicken with you this morning?”
Li Yunjie remembered—the chicken was meant as a treat for the road, but it seemed now to be a welcome surprise.
He unwrapped his bundle and brought out the half chicken wrapped in oiled paper.
“Let’s share—” he began, but caught sight of Su Xiyan’s expression out of the corner of his eye, and paused. She was staring at the chicken with big, shining eyes, almost pressing herself against it, her throat working as she swallowed repeatedly.
If Li Yunjie hadn’t kept his hand on it, Su Xiyan would surely have devoured it all in an instant.
He sighed inwardly.
“You two eat,” he said. “I’m used to delicacies, so today I’ll try these simple vegetables.”
He took a bite of the bun and greens, and found them tasteless as wax.
Su Xiyan looked pitifully at Su Qingmeng. Though she was craving the chicken desperately, she knew her priorities.
Only when Su Qingmeng nodded slightly did Su Xiyan dare to snatch the chicken and devour it greedily.
Eleven could only stare, dismayed—weren’t they supposed to share?
...
Night fell.
Eleven and Li Yunjie leaned against the carriage, bored.
“Master,” Eleven began, breaking the silence, “that girl who was flirting with you earlier—she’s rather unusual.”
Li Yunjie gazed up at the stars indifferently. “Unusual how?”
Eleven pondered. “I can’t quite say. She’s just different from other women.”
“She is indeed,” Li Yunjie scoffed. “Ordinary women wouldn’t be so bold.”
“True.” Eleven grinned. “But your looks are tempting enough for anyone.”
He remembered their past visits to brothels, where the girls competed for the chance to serve Li Yunjie—not because he was foolish and rich, for there were plenty of wealthy officials in the capital, but because, compared to those unattractive men, serving someone as handsome as Li Yunjie was simply a pleasure.
Eleven clicked his tongue, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Do you think that girl in pink has taken a liking to your looks too?”
Li Yunjie snorted, neither confirming nor denying. Though he sensed no malice from her, his instincts told him that girl was anything but ordinary.
Creak—
As they chatted, the windows of two rooms upstairs opened simultaneously.
On the left was Su Xiyan, on the right the girl in pink.
How narrow the world was—the two were separated by only a wall.
“Young master,” the girl in pink called out sweetly, “it’s late and the night air is chilly. Why not come to my room and warm yourself?”
Li Yunjie’s heart skipped a beat. He glanced nervously at Su Qingmeng.
“And how exactly does the lady intend to warm my husband?” Su Qingmeng’s gaze was sharp as a blade, her tone icy.
Her words were a clear declaration of her claim.
The girl in pink leaned languidly against the window, casting a sidelong glance in Su Qingmeng’s direction.
“Every inch of my skin burns with passion. If you don’t believe me, young master, come and see for yourself.”
Such brazen words!
Li Yunjie sucked in a breath and covered Eleven’s ears.
“There’s no need to trouble yourself!” Su Qingmeng was clearly angry. “My husband much prefers to sleep in the carriage!”
“Yes!” Li Yunjie nodded emphatically. “I love sleeping in the carriage!”
He shot the girl in pink a pleading look, begging her to stop before Su Qingmeng truly lost her temper—there’d be no stopping her then.
“Well, since you insist, I won’t press any further tonight,” the girl in pink replied with a laugh. “Rest well, young master.”
She closed her window regretfully.
Meanwhile, Su Qingmeng’s face was as dark as a thundercloud, her glare skewering Li Yunjie as if she could pin him to the wall.
Bang!
The whole inn seemed to shudder.
Li Yunjie finally let go of Eleven’s ears and exhaled deeply.
“Master,” Eleven asked earnestly, “do you really like sleeping in the carriage?”
Li Yunjie rolled his eyes, lost for words.
By late spring and early summer, the mountains and fields were alive with the sound of insects, their rhythmic chorus lulling travelers to sleep.
Unable to resist his drowsiness, Li Yunjie drifted off.
He closed his eyes, and in a blink, the night was over.
“You’re awake, master,” Eleven said, feeding the horses.
Li Yunjie nodded, feeling a stiff ache in his neck.
He had slept wrong.
“Come, master, have some breakfast,” Eleven urged, clapping his hands. “We’ll set out in the time it takes an incense stick to burn. If all goes well, we’ll reach Jiangnan before dusk.”
At last, Li Yunjie thought with relief.
He entered the inn, where the guests were already rising. The main hall soon filled with the bustle of the morning.
“Over here,” Li Yunjie called to the Su sisters upstairs.
“Master,” Eleven whispered, “Miss Qingmeng seems… a little strange today…”