La lluvia escarlata inunda la ciudad

Capítulo 13

Seeing that Qinglong's face was slightly pale, Chu Xia rubbed her hands together and said, "Damn it, it's so cold!"

The young master's smile faded slightly, and he glanced at her without making a sound.

Chu Xia, oblivious to everything, poured tea for the young master and Bai Xue, and muttered to Qinglong, "Damn it, I'm starving."

Qinglong glanced at the young master's expression and quietly nudged Chuxia under the table.

Chu Xia glared at him, only to find that all three people at the table were staring at her with rather strange expressions: "Why...why are you all looking at me like that?"

The young master's face was as cold as frost: "Chu Xia, who taught you to say such things?"

Chu Xia exclaimed "Ah!" and asked, completely bewildered, "What did you say?"

Qinglong was restless and quietly nudged her again.

The young master said indifferently, "Damn it."

Uh, something feels off when you say that, young master. Chu Xia glanced at the young master and said seriously, "Young master, that's not how you say it."

The young master's expression softened slightly: "Then how should I say it?"

"When you speak, you need to have a strong voice and speak quickly. Cough cough, young master, that's how it should be." Chu Xia slammed her hand on the table and shouted, "Waiter, damn it! Why is the food taking so long to arrive!"

"Pfft—" Qinglong spat out a mouthful of hot tea.

The young master raised his phoenix eyes slightly, glanced at the imposing Chu Xia, and seemed to want to say something, but in the end he just pursed his lips, his eyes full of helplessness.

The waiter brought over several dishes, glancing cautiously at Chu Xia as he muttered, "Here she comes! This little girl talks like a queen..."

Qinglong glanced furtively at the young master, then forced a smile and said, "Young master... I was just joking. It's just that this girl learns too quickly—"

Bai Xue, who had been silent all along, suddenly coughed a few times. The young master glanced at her and asked, "Why have you been coughing?"

"It's nothing, I probably just ingested some cold air," Bai Xue smiled slightly. "It's nothing serious."

The young master's tone was very concerned: "Very well, the rain is getting heavier and heavier, let's stay here for the day."

When Qinglong saw that the young master was no longer going to say anything, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief, buried his face in his rice bowl, and ate with great relish.

After the meal, the young master summoned only Qinglong to the guest room and asked, "Who is it?"

“An old friend. But judging from his appearance, he should be a spy, just following from a distance. He won’t make a move anytime soon.” Qinglong said in a low voice, “Young master, there is something I don’t understand.”

"What?"

"That day, Tian Gang attacked Shu Garden using crossbows, supplemented by an extremely sophisticated tool. At that time, Chu Xia said something that I now think about, and it makes a lot of sense."

"What did that little girl say?"

“Then the bells rang, and she said, ‘The girls in Yingyuan must have practiced a new tune again.’” Qinglong said slowly. “To measure wind speed by pitch, there aren’t many people who can do it, especially those who live in Shuyuan.”

The young master's lips curled slightly: "So, you suspect Bai Xue?"

"I have no evidence," Qinglong said honestly. "It's just that Bai Xue is quite suspicious. Young master... why did you bring her along?"

The young master remained noncommittal, so Qinglong continued, "The journey has been fraught with danger, and it's already extremely difficult to carry Chuxia alone. Now, Baixue's identity is unknown, I just feel... I feel..."

The young master frowned and asked, "What do you think?"

“Well… it’s true that even heroes can’t resist the charms of a beautiful woman,” Qinglong said tactfully, “but now, it seems, is not the right time.”

The young master rubbed his temples with his long fingers, not angry at all: "Qinglong, since returning to the manor before the New Year, Madam Wangyun has been killed, and there have been three generous gifts, Tiangang has stormed into Shuyuan, and there is an inside agent hidden in the manor—step by step, the enemy has been lurking in the shadows, and we have been extremely passive, not even knowing who the enemy is."

Qinglong replied sternly, "Yes."

"There's only one thing: their target is 'Ballad of Mountains and Rivers,' that's for sure." The young master smiled faintly. "And this is the only card we have in our hand."

Qinglong looked slightly bewildered. Footsteps came from outside, so the young master stopped talking.

"Young master, young master!" Chu Xia rushed in. "One of the guest rooms has a leaky roof and is uninhabitable. The innkeeper said there are no other rooms available either."

The young master simply said "Oh," and casually added, "Then the two of you can squeeze in."

Chu Xia answered crisply, "Alright. Young master, shall we share a room, or will you share a room with Miss Bai Xue?"

"I'll share a room with you." The young master said without looking up.

Chu Xia was clearly taken aback for a moment: "Huh? But... we're not at home."

The house at home is big, with two rooms... This village inn only has one bed...

Well……

Seeing that she stood still, the young master's tone turned slightly cold: "Do I have to say it a second time?"

Chu Xia pouted, not daring to say anything more, and turned to run away. However, the two people inside the room had excellent hearing and clearly heard the four-character curse: "Your grandpa."

Qinglong's face flushed red and then paled, but then he heard the young master ask calmly, "Have you found the journey interesting?"

Qinglong chuckled sheepishly, "It's definitely much more fun than being alone before!"

The young master's expression suddenly turned cold: "I let her come with you so you could teach her to swear?"

"I was just joking with her." Qinglong took a half step back, ready to slip away at any moment. "Besides, don't you like teasing her too, young master? I was just saying it casually, and you even deliberately knocked Chuxia's mount's iron paw off..."

For some reason, the young master's face flushed slightly after Qinglong finished speaking the last sentence.

Qinglong had followed the young master since childhood and had never seen him with such an expression before—however, this brief moment was enough, and Qinglong slipped out of the house like an eel.

As night fell, Chu Xia held a copper basin and watched the young master wipe his face with water. A thin layer of mud-like substance fell off, revealing the delicate outline beneath.

Seeing her looking at it with great interest, the young master asked, "Is it fun?"

"That's really interesting." Chu Xia couldn't help but lean closer. "After washing off this layer, it's like you've become a completely different person."

I'll paint another layer for you tomorrow.

“Young Master and Miss Bai Xue are both so good-looking, this makeup will help them avoid being too conspicuous.” Chu Xia smiled and pursed her lips. “This servant is just an ordinary person, no need for you to trouble yourself.”

The spring rain outside the window was still drizzling, and occasionally a gust of wind blew in through the window frame, causing the candlelight to flicker. The young master looked at Chu Xia with a smile on his face, seemingly lost in thought.

"Then let Qinglong do your makeup to make you look prettier?" he said intentionally. "Don't you like it this way?"

Chu Xia put down the copper basin, unconsciously touched her cheek, and shook her head, saying, "Although I am not good-looking, good-looking people are not necessarily good people."

"What? You've ever met a handsome bad guy?"

“No, that’s not it.” Chu Xia thought for a moment. “For example, I’ve never seen what my future husband looks like… If he’s a big fat man, or has a face full of pockmarks, does that mean I won’t marry him? That won’t do.”

The young master remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Girl, is the man you've been longing for the one you've never met?"

Chu Xia blushed: "No, I just said it offhand."

"Well then, if one day you find that husband, my Jun family will send you off with the honors due to a daughter's marriage, along with a large dowry, in a grand and glorious manner." The young master paused, noticing her doubtful gaze, and then added, "If you can't find him... then perhaps it is fate. Just stay by my side."

He didn't mention the words "become a maid," but Chu Xia didn't sense anything amiss. She walked earnestly to the young master, extended her hand, and said, "A gentleman's word is his bond."

The young master extended his hand and made a pinky promise with her, adding the second half of the sentence: "A promise made in heaven is hard to keep."

The young master's hands were always warm, dry, and strong. Chu Xia's little finger intertwined with his, and she pressed her thumb heavily before saying with satisfaction, "I will definitely find it. When the time comes, you must give me the indenture along with it."

In the candlelight, early summer blushed on her cheeks, her eyes sparkling. The young master simply smiled and agreed, "Okay."

Before going to bed, Chu Xia spread out the bedding on the floor, but heard the young master slowly say, "Don't bother."

"Young master, please rest... I'll be done soon." Chu Xia wiped the sweat from her nose, thinking to herself that since she was going to sleep on the ground, she couldn't afford to catch a cold.

"I told you to stop busying yourself." The young master patted the bed next to him. "You can sleep here."

"Young master, please don't joke around." Chu Xia chuckled dryly, thinking to herself, "You don't mean to sleep on the floor, do you?"

Suddenly, she felt a lightness in her body; Chu Xia had been lifted up by the waist. Knowing it must be the young master, she became even more anxious and struggled, asking, "What are you doing?"

The young master bent down and placed her on the bed, reached out and tucked her long hair behind her ear, and smiled: "Nothing."

He flicked his left hand, and the candle went out instantly. He closed his eyes on the ground, quietly adjusting his inner energy, and said nothing more.

In the middle of the night, Chu Xia woke up, needing only to relieve herself. Opening her eyes, she glanced at the ground; the young master was still sitting, motionless.

She rolled over, unable to resist any longer, and softly called out, "Young Master?"

He did not react.

"Young master can fall asleep sitting up!" Chu Xia chuckled inwardly, put on a robe, got up, and tiptoed outside.

The spring rain outside has stopped, and a cool breeze is blowing.

Ding-dong... Ding-dong...

Chu Xia's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She quickened her pace, almost jogging.

Ding-dong... Ding-dong... Chu Xia's arms were covered in goosebumps as she stumbled into the dark room.

Chapter Thirteen

The moment they entered the room, the candlelight was lit, and the young master sat quietly at the table, as if he had never been asleep.

“Young Master… I heard a tinkling sound, just like that day in Shu Garden…” Chu Xia turned pale with fright and stumbled to the young master’s side. “Listen!”

The young master placed his finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.

Ding-dong... Ding-dong...

Chu Xia gripped the young master's sleeve tightly, but her hearing was even more acute under such circumstances, and the tinkling sound seemed to be right next to her ear.

A little while later, it sounded like a stray cat stomping across the roof tiles, but the tinkling sound stopped.

With a reassuring smile, Young Master Ye An reached out and patted Chu Xia's shoulder, saying softly, "Silly girl, that's the sound of raindrops falling into the water vat in the courtyard."

Chu Xia was still clearly skeptical. After waiting for a while and seeing no further movement, she finally lay down fully clothed.

But this disturbance made it impossible for me to fall asleep again.

In early summer, wrapped in a quilt, she lay there for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, yet her spirits were only getting better. She couldn't help but whisper, "Young master, are you asleep?"

The young master did not respond. Chu Xia waited for a while, then gave a soft "humph" and said, "Young master, I know you're pretending to be asleep. Otherwise... how could you have woken up so quickly just now?"

After a long while, a soft "Hmm" came from behind.

"Young master, let me keep you company for a while."

In the darkness, the young master laughed: "Who is talking to whom, really?"

"Young master, are those assassins targeting us again?"