Bai Yuxiao simply uttered a single word, "I," causing Mei Hualang to obediently choose the first path. However, before turning to leave, Mei Hualang said gloatingly, "Evil people will always be punished by other evil people. That old bastard Kongkongzi is full of wicked schemes, and his apprentices won't be any better. Just wait and see how that girl treats you. She's a little devil." With that, he strolled away leisurely, hands behind his back.
Bai Yuxiao looked at Mei Hualang's retreating figure and said, "So he knows Qin'er too." Then he smiled and said, "Right, he has known my grandfather for a long time. Qin'er is Kong Kongzi's apprentice, so it's not surprising that he knows her."
Chapter 49, Suspicion
As Bai Yuxiao walked towards the inn, he pondered how to explain to Qin Xiaoyou his visit to the brothel. The best way, of course, would be to say that "he" was Plum Blossom Gentleman in disguise, but he was afraid that Qin Xiaoyou was still angry and would not only not listen to his explanation, but would also think that he had deliberately made up someone to fool her. In that case, he would truly be unable to clear his name no matter what.
"Sigh." Bai Yuxiao frowned and let out a long sigh.
"Candied hawthorn, delicious candied hawthorn."
"Oatmeal cake, this is the only oatmeal cake I've ever had."
"Don't miss out! Stop by and try our signature Osmanthus Porridge!"
Walking down the street, though he wasn't paying attention, the hawkers' cries still reached Bai Yuxiao's ears. When he heard about Muxi County's famous Muxi porridge, Bai Yuxiao's eyes lit up. "I've got it!" he thought. "That girl loves to eat. Whenever she gets angry, buying her some food is enough to appease her." So, Bai Yuxiao first bought a bowl of Muxi porridge, then asked the vendor what other good food Muxi County had to offer, buying a little of everything to take back to Qin Xiaoyou.
When Bai Yuxiao returned to the inn, it was already late. He glanced around the lobby and didn't see Qin Xiaoyou. He guessed that she was probably still sleeping in her room, so he went back to his room to wash up and change his clothes before heading towards Qin Xiaoyou's room.
"Knock, knock, knock." Three knocks on the door, but no response from inside. Was she still asleep? Bai Yuxiao knocked again, still no response. Bai Yuxiao was puzzled. Could it be that Qin Xiaoyou hadn't stayed in her room and had gone out? This girl, with people chasing her everywhere outside, why was she running around like that? Bai Yuxiao frowned, intending to go back to her room, put down the food, and then go out to look for her.
But just as Bai Yuxiao turned around, the door creaked open, and Qin Xiaoyou looked at him with a gloomy face: "What is it?"
Seeing her expression, Bai Yuxiao secretly rejoiced that he had the foresight to buy food; the girl was definitely angry. He quickly waved the food box in his hand and said, "I bought you some local specialties from Muxi County."
Qin Xiaoyou had finally fallen asleep, but was woken up again, which made her very unhappy, and her expression was also not very good. However, she still made way for Bai Yuxiao to enter the room. As Bai Yuxiao walked in, he wondered what was wrong with Xiaoyou. Usually, if she saw food, no matter how angry she was, she would immediately be happy. Today, she didn't even have a reaction to the food. Could it be that she was really angry this time? Getting so angry about me going to a brothel, could it be that she was jealous? Thinking this, Bai Yuxiao felt a little smug, and even Qin Xiaoyou's puffed-up face seemed a little cute to him.
Qin Xiaoyou stood beside Bai Yuxiao with her arms crossed, saying nothing. Bai Yuxiao looked at her and asked, "Xiaoyou, why don't you sit down?"
Qin Xiaoyou asked with a stern face, "Why are you back so late?"
Bai Yuxiao touched her nose. The tone sounded exactly like a wife questioning her husband who was coming home late. Her heart felt even sweeter, and she said with a smile, "Something came up on the way, and then I went to buy some things, so I came back so late."
Qin Xiaoyou snorted, neither believing nor disbelieving, but she still sat down at the table. Seeing this, Bai Yuxiao hurriedly and attentively laid out the various foods from the food box for her, and set out the bowls and chopsticks. Then he smiled and said to Qin Xiaoyou, "Girl, are you hungry? Eat something."
Bai Yuxiao's excessive attentiveness appeared to Qin Xiaoyou as a sign of guilt. In particular, his use of the word "girl" gave Qin Xiaoyou goosebumps, and she quickly moved her stool to the side. She wondered if Bai Yuxiao had gone mad after spending a night in jail, as something about him seemed off.
Bai Yuxiao, who was so engrossed in the joy of "Xiaoyou being jealous," was completely unaware of Qin Xiaoyou's strange behavior. Instead, he continued to enthusiastically put this and that on Qin Xiaoyou's plate.
As Qin Xiaoyou ate her food in small bites, she wondered to herself, "If a man suddenly becomes unusually attentive to you, buying you food, serving you dishes, and most importantly, looking at you with tenderness, what could be the reason for this?" According to modern dating guides, there are only two reasons: either he's taken a liking to you and wants to pursue you, or he's done something to wrong you and feels guilty.
Qin Xiaoyou looked at Bai Yuxiao and thought for a moment, then decisively rejected the first possibility. They had known each other for so long; if Bai Yuxiao liked her, he would have liked her long ago. It was impossible for him to suddenly like her today. That left only the second possibility. The thought that Bai Yuxiao might be being kind to her because he had done something wrong made Qin Xiaoyou feel suffocated, and she even lost her appetite.
After thinking for a moment, Qin Xiaoyou felt it was better to ask clearly, so she put down her chopsticks and asked, "Have you done something wrong behind my back?"
Bai Yuxiao shook her head: "No!"
No? Qin Xiaoyou frowned. If that wasn't the case, then why was it? Bai Yuxiao was a little surprised that Qin Xiaoyou didn't continue asking. He thought Qin Xiaoyou would deny that he went to the brothel that afternoon, but seeing Qin Xiaoyou like this, could it be that she forgot?
Qin Xiaoyou thought for a while but couldn't come up with a third possibility. Instead, she remembered a question she had to ask Bai Yuxiao when she was pondering the sachet that afternoon. So she stopped worrying about why Bai Yuxiao was suddenly being so nice to her. She beckoned to Bai Yuxiao and, when he got close, shouted in his ear, "Did you go to the pharmacy with Zui Linglong?"
Bai Yuxiao covered her ears and pulled her head back, denying, "No!"
"Really not?" Qin Xiaoyou clearly didn't believe her.
Bai Yuxiao thought carefully for a moment, guessing that Qin Xiaoyou was probably asking about the time he and Zui Linglong went to the pharmacy to find her, only to bump into her and Wenren Qi embracing, and then he left. He figured if he admitted it, Qin Xiaoyou would definitely ask why he left without saying goodbye. He felt a little embarrassed to tell her he left because he was jealous, and besides, Qin Xiaoyou probably hadn't seen clearly at the time, otherwise she wouldn't have asked him. So he decided to simply deny it. He firmly shook his head: "No."
Qin Xiaoyou let out a drawn-out "Oh," and then stopped asking questions, lowering her head to eat silently. Bai Yuxiao wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.
The two remained silent for a while, then Qin Xiaoyou suddenly looked up and asked, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
Bai Yuxiao asked in confusion, "Where to?"
Qin Xiaoyou gave him a disdainful look. "This is my room. Are you planning to sleep with me tonight?"
"Ah? No, no, I'll go back to my room then. I'm leaving." Bai Yuxiao got up and left, her face flushed. Only after she got back to her room did she belatedly realize that she might have just been teased by Xiao You.
After watching Bai Yuxiao leave, Qin Xiaoyou lost her appetite and paced restlessly in her room. Zui Linglong had clearly stated that Bai Yuxiao was with her, but Bai Yuxiao denied it. Why was that? Could he have some ulterior motive? Oh right, Bai Yuxiao had clearly left, yet he appeared just in time to save her when she was in danger. The timing was too perfect. Qin Xiaoyou remembered asking Bai Yuxiao why he had appeared to save her at that exact moment, and his explanation was that he had business to attend to and happened to be passing by. At the time, Qin Xiaoyou was confused and didn't think much of it. Now, thinking about it carefully, how could things in this world be so coincidental? And the timing of Bai Yuxiao's reappearance was so clever, precisely when rumors circulated in the martial arts world that the *Blood Evil Manual* was on her. Could it be that Bai Yuxiao had also come for the *Blood Evil Manual*? The thought of this possibility made Qin Xiaoyou feel as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, and she couldn't stop shivering. Even though it was a relatively cool late summer night, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Chapter 50, Suspicion Arises
Although she suspected it was that possibility, Qin Xiaoyou was very unwilling to believe it. After tossing and turning in bed for a long time that night, she decided to try out the white jade flute.
Over the next few days, Qin Xiaoyou observed Bai Yuxiao while casually mentioning her experiences in the capital. At first, Bai Yuxiao listened with great interest, occasionally chiming in with a few words. However, after Qin Xiaoyou mentioned Wenren Qi's visit to her, he became listless and lacked energy. When Qin Xiaoyou asked him questions, he would only give perfunctory answers.
Bai Yuxiao's reaction, in Qin Xiaoyou's eyes, was proof that he had truly appeared for the "Blood Evil Manual." Because when Qin Xiaoyou mentioned the "Blood Evil Manual," Bai Yuxiao showed no surprise, and it seemed he had known all along that she was Kongkongzi's disciple, showing no astonishment whatsoever. Thinking that this person she was somewhat attracted to had approached her for such a purpose, Qin Xiaoyou felt increasingly distressed, but on the surface, she still feigned joy. She guessed that the reason Bai Yuxiao hadn't forcibly taken it was because he wanted her to hand it over herself. Therefore, she couldn't show any sign that she had seen through his scheme; otherwise, she couldn't guarantee what Bai Yuxiao would do to her. That man had schemed so meticulously against her all along for the "Blood Evil Manual"—how could she be sure he wouldn't try to kill her?
To be honest, Qin Xiaoyou wasn't having an easy time, and Bai Yuxiao had felt quite aggrieved along the way. Initially, he was happy that Qin Xiaoyou was jealous of him going to a brothel, but then the very next day, she started acting strangely, constantly praising Wenren Qi in front of him. She said Wenren Qi was handsome, elegant, and approachable, which made Bai Yuxiao feel incredibly sour. Was he really that good? Better than me?
Qin Xiaoyou's constant praise went unnoticed by Bai Yuxiao, who wasn't petty enough to care. However, Qin Xiaoyou's constant mention of Wenren Qi made even the magnanimous Bai Yuxiao question things further.
That night, eager to continue their journey, the two rested in the woods. Looking at Qin Xiaoyou, fast asleep against a tree trunk, Bai Yuxiao smiled wryly. Was he really that disliked? Wouldn't she even lean on his shoulder?
Thinking about Qin Xiaoyou's reactions over the past few days, Bai Yuxiao could no longer deceive himself with the excuse that Xiaoyou was jealous. The truth was right in front of him: the person Qin Xiaoyou liked was Wenren Qi, but he just hadn't wanted to admit it. Thinking about the passionate embrace between Qin Xiaoyou and Wenren Qi that he had witnessed that day, Bai Yuxiao felt increasingly bitter.
He recalled their first meeting. He had gone to the Chunfeng Yidu brothel to gather information, but accidentally startled someone. In his panic, he hid in a room, only to find Qin Qin also hiding there. Qin Qin, with her innocent-looking face, smiled and invited him to drink tea. At the time, he was only thinking about how familiar this girl looked, wondering where he had seen her before. He didn't pay attention to the tea and, without realizing it, fell for Qin Qin's trick, becoming weak and unable to muster any internal energy. Ironically, he didn't feel panicked at the time, only puzzled—puzzling why this girl was doing this.
Seeing that he had fallen for her trick, Qin Qin smiled like a cat that had just stolen some cream, her eyes narrowed. She quickly stripped him naked and tossed him onto the bed. Then, she herself swiftly stripped down to her undergarments and slipped into bed beside him. At that moment, Bai Yuxiao had only one thought in his mind: how did things turn out this way?
However, after waiting for a long time, Qin Qin didn't do anything improper to him. Instead, she lay quietly beside him. Bai Yuxiao couldn't help but ask, "You..." "Shh," Qin Qin put her index finger to his lips, then leaned closer and winked at him, saying, "Do me a favor." Bai Yuxiao nodded. Seeing that he agreed, Qin Qin continued, "Let's pretend to be asleep." Although he didn't understand why Qin Qin was doing this, Bai Yuxiao obediently closed his eyes.
Then, alas, when Bai Yuxiao opened his eyes again, he saw Qin Xiaoyou, who had transmigrated, moving around on him and saying strange things. Although Bai Yuxiao found the girl's sudden eccentricity rather cute, he played with her for a while. Later, remembering that he had important business to attend to, he left first.
Thinking back to this past event, and then recalling how Qin Xiaoyou was so eager to take him away during their second meeting, and how she later stayed in Youzhou for a while before disappearing without a word, prompting the Chunfeng Yidu Pavilion to mobilize almost all its elites to search for Qin Xiaoyou's whereabouts. At the time, he naively thought Qin Xiaoyou had discovered some incredible secret about Wenren Qi, which explained his urgency in finding her. Now, it seemed quite obvious: the beloved left in a huff, leaving the one left searching the world.
Alone under the moonlight, Bai Yuxiao pondered his thoughts. Connecting this with Qin Xiaoyou's recent words, he became increasingly certain that Qin Xiaoyou and Wenren Qi were mutually in love. Admitting this was painful for him, but he refused to deceive himself any longer, and he didn't want Qin Xiaoyou to be unhappy.
"Fine, fine. Since you want me to be used as the goading potion, then I'll do it!" Bai Yuxiao sighed. He had already made up his mind that no matter how Qin Xiaoyou wanted to use him to make Wenren Qi jealous and angry, he was willing to help her. As long as Wenren Qi was good to her, then anything he did would be worthwhile.
Having made up his mind, Bai Yuxiao became increasingly gentle and considerate towards Qin Xiaoyou in the days that followed, but this gentleness carried a hint of politeness and distance. Although Qin Xiaoyou was usually oblivious, she still sensed Bai Yuxiao's politeness and distance, and even found a time when no one was around to cry her heart out.
And so, each lost in their own thoughts, they headed towards Yucheng Manor. The closer they got, the more tense their relationship became. It was as if a taut thread connected them; they both desperately tried to maintain a facade of normalcy, though their hearts were churning with turmoil. Bai Yuxiao thought that once they reached Yucheng Manor, Xiaoyou would definitely be with Wenren Qi, and his mission would seem complete, leaving him no excuse to stay by her side. Qin Xiaoyou thought that he hadn't mentioned the *Blood Evil Manual* along the way, seemingly planning to force her to give it to him at Yucheng Manor. But she didn't have it; what could she give him? If she truly possessed it, giving it away wouldn't be a problem, since she herself couldn't understand it anyway. Sigh.
Therefore, for two people in love, the hardest hurdle to overcome is misunderstanding. Because men and women often have doubts and suspicions in their hearts, but they just won't ask each other. They let their imaginations run wild, and once they start imagining things, they create problems out of nothing.
Chapter 51, Returning to the Tibetan Wine Estate
Qin Xiaoyou and Bai Yuxiao walked along, each with their own thoughts, while Ren Dong and Qin Wu arrived at the wine cellar in harmony.
As they walked up the stone steps, Qin Wu enthusiastically told Ren Dong about his childhood anecdotes, mentioning which step he had mischievously cut with a knife when he was a child, and which step he had bumped his forehead on, leaving a faint scar. As he spoke, he lifted the hair from his forehead, insisting that Ren Dong see it.
Seeing how incredibly noisy he was, Ren Dong was just thinking about giving him an acupuncture to quiet him down when a middle-aged man who looked like a butler came running over, his face beaming with undisguised joy: "Young Master, you're finally back!" Qin Wu also dropped his previous playful demeanor towards Ren Dong and said politely, "Uncle Chen, I'm back." Butler Chen grabbed Qin Wu's hand and tried to lead him into the manor, complaining as he went, "Young Master, you left without a word this time, which has worried Master and Madam terribly. The world is dangerous; what if you run into bad people?" Qin Wu looked at... Looking at Ren Dong, Qin Wu unsurprisingly received a disdainful glare. He withdrew his hand and smiled awkwardly, "Uncle Chen, I'm all grown up now, not a child anymore. Besides, this isn't my first time in the martial world; I know my limits." Butler Chen was about to say something, but seeing Ren Dong behind Qin Wu, he stopped and gave Qin Wu a meaningful smile, "Young Master, it turns out you went out on important business. I was too talkative. I'll go tell the Old Master you're back now." Without waiting for Qin Wu to say anything more, Butler Chen disappeared like a gust of wind from Ren Dong and Qin Wu's sight.
Honeysuckle glanced at Qin Wu sideways: "Do you have something important to do?"
Qin Wu scratched his head, looking puzzled. "No." Then he broke into a big smile and said to Ren Dong, "I don't know what Uncle Chen is talking about either. Never mind, let's hurry into the village. You must be tired from the journey. I'll have someone prepare a comfortable room for you to rest in."
"Alright," Ren Dong replied, rubbing her shoulders. Although she didn't consider herself a pampered young lady who couldn't endure hardship, the paths Qin Wu had led her along were all rugged and winding. If it weren't for Qin Wu's sincere expression, she would have suspected he had deliberately chosen such routes to torment her. With such difficult roads, the accommodations were naturally not much better. What she wanted most right now was a long, hot shower to wash away the sweat.
The two had barely stepped through the gates of the wine estate when a white figure lunged at them. However, the figure wasn't lunging at Qin Wu, but at Ren Dong. The figure came too fast; by the time Ren Dong thought to dodge, the figure was already in front of her. Fortunately, Qin Wu reacted quickly and blocked the figure in front of her.
Ren Dong then took a closer look and realized that the person rushing towards her was an old man in white robes with a full head of white hair and a long white beard. At this moment, the old man in white robes was grumbling at Qin Wu: "Little Wu, you're unfilial!" Qin Wu looked up at the sky speechlessly: "Grandpa, how am I unfilial?" The old man in white robes continued to be unhappy: "You won't even let me take a good look at my granddaughter-in-law!"
What? A granddaughter-in-law? The moment the old man in white finished speaking, Ren Dong and Qin Wu were dumbfounded. There were only the two of them there; where did this granddaughter-in-law come from? While Qin Wu was still stunned, the old man in white slid past him and smoothly arrived beside Ren Dong, grabbing her hand and smiling, saying, "Little girl, your hands are so soft!"
Qin Wu was the first to react. Before Ren Dong could take out the needle, he grabbed his grandfather by the collar and pulled him behind him. Then he hurriedly apologized to Ren Dong: "Don't mind him. My grandfather is just like that. The older he gets, the more he acts like a child."
"Hey! Little Wu, who are you calling a child?" Ren Dong was both embarrassed and angry. She had just followed Qin Wu back to the manor and was taken advantage of by an old man. However, when she heard "Little Wu," she couldn't help but laugh.
Qin Wu blushed, a rare sight for him. He tried to cover his grandfather's mouth to prevent him from saying anything outrageous, while explaining, "These are just names we used to play with when we were kids."
The old man in white struggled for a long time before finally managing to break free from Qin Wu's grasp. However, once free, he turned and stormed off in a huff. Seeing that Qin Wu's grandfather was angry, Ren Dong quickly said, "Why don't you hurry up and go after him? Your grandfather seems unhappy."
Qin Wu carefully apologized, "Please don't take my grandfather to heart."
Ren Dong glanced at Qin Wu unhappily, "So you think I'm such a petty person?" Qin Wu quickly replied, "Of course not." Seeing his serious expression, Ren Dong stopped teasing him and urged someone to go inside and check on his grandfather.
The old man in white craned his neck, and upon seeing the two enter, quickly turned his head to the side, feigning anger. Ren Dong couldn't help but chuckle; this old man was indeed like a child, just as Qin Wu had described.
Seeing the old man's expression, Qin Wu, being very considerate, went over to massage his shoulders. However, the old man turned away again, still sulking. Seeing that his usual methods weren't working, Qin Wu asked, "Grandpa, are you angry with me?" The old man in white snorted. Seeing this, Ren Dong quickly stepped forward and said, "Grandpa, don't be angry. He didn't mean it."
The old man in white glanced at Ren Dong, then looked back at Qin Wu. After a long while, he reluctantly turned around and said, "I'll let it go for the sake of my granddaughter-in-law speaking up for you."
This time, Ren Dong finally understood. It turned out the old man had assumed she and Qin Wu had that kind of relationship. She wanted to explain, but Qin Wu spoke first, sweetly saying, "Thank you, Grandpa!" Ren Dong glared at him, thinking, "What nonsense are you spouting? Explain yourself!" Having received Ren Dong's message, Qin Wu continued to say to the old man in white, "Grandpa, are you satisfied with the granddaughter-in-law I found for you?"
The old man in white smiled and looked at Ren Dong: "Very satisfied, little girl, your skin is so smooth."
Ren Dong's forehead was covered in black lines. What was all this about? If she didn't know he was Qin Wu's grandfather, she probably would have mistaken him for a street hooligan.
After hearing his grandfather's words, Qin Wu tugged at the old man's beard and said, "That's my wife. If you touch her hand again, I'll pluck all your beard off!"
The old man in white frowned. "Little Wu, you're getting less and less adorable. Fine, I'll ignore you. Come on, little girl, come play with me. I'll tell you some embarrassing stories from when Little Wu was little." He reached for Ren Dong's hand, but Qin Wu slapped it away halfway. "Go play by yourself. Ren Dong has been traveling all day; she needs to rest." Qin Wu then pushed the old man outside. Watching the noisy grandfather and granddaughter, Ren Dong stood by, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Chapter 52, The Old Master is Going to Take Action
After Qin Wu saw the old man off, he returned to the main hall and instructed the maids to tidy up the room. He then exchanged a few polite words, made arrangements for Ren Dong, and left. Ren Dong originally wanted to ask him why he hadn't explained to her grandfather that she wasn't his granddaughter-in-law, but seeing Qin Wu's hurried appearance, she assumed he had some important business to attend to and decided to ask him after he finished.
Qin Wu's hurried manner was indeed due to an urgent matter: he rushed into his grandfather's room, grabbed the beard of someone who was pretending to admire calligraphy and paintings, and asked, "Grandpa, were you doing that on purpose?"
The old man looked completely innocent. "Xiao Wu, what are you saying? I don't understand."
Qin Wu gritted his teeth: "Don't tell me you accidentally touched her hand."
"Oh, so that's what you mean." The old man looked at Qin Wu with disdain. "How can someone so old be so petty? She's my granddaughter-in-law. What's wrong with me touching her hand? Honestly, she's even jealous of this old man."
"Really? Me, petty?" Qin Wu squinted at the old man, then quickly pulled a painting from the table and said, "Since you are so magnanimous, Grandpa, why don't you lend me Grandma's portrait to hang in my room for a few days? To be honest, I've never seen Grandma since I was born, so I can only try to remember her and show my filial piety by looking at this painting."
"No! You can't! You brat, give me back the painting right now!" The old man jumped up and down in a panic when he saw the painting being taken away. He wanted to rush forward and grab it back, but he was afraid that he would accidentally tear the painting in the struggle, so he just stood there scratching his head and ears.
Qin Wu pretended not to see the old man's anxious look, and instead leisurely unfolded the scroll to admire it: "Oh dear, I must say, Grandma was a great beauty back then, how did she fall for you?"
"You brat, don't look! Give me back the painting right now!" The old man was so angry that his beard almost stood on end.
Qin Wu put away the painting, looked at the old man with a smug expression, and said, "I don't know who was calling me petty just now, but now, you're jealous just for looking at your wife's portrait?"
"I don't care, give it back to me right now! My wife is mine, and no one is allowed to look at her!" With that, the old man plopped down on the ground and started acting like a spoiled brat, determined not to get up until he got it back. Qin Wu smiled helplessly, "Alright, alright, I'll give the painting back to you, you stingy old man." He then helped his grandfather up from the ground.
The old man accepted the painting with a broad smile, examined it thoroughly, and after finding nothing amiss, he hugged it tightly to his chest like a treasure. Then, he looked at Qin Wu with a gossipy expression and asked, "Little Wu, where did you pick up this little girl?"
"What do you mean 'knocked'? I clearly conquered her with my charm!" Qin Wu boasted shamelessly, arms crossed.
The old man scoffed, "Your charm? Don't assume I didn't see it just now. When I said she was my granddaughter-in-law, the young lady was quick to object."