Une aura glaçante

Chapitre 4

"No way! We can't go to that place!" Xiao Dao jumped up, as if he was really anxious.

Xue Beifan was surprised, thinking to himself, "Is it really that serious? The Nine Pearl Dragon Pool isn't some scary place."

Just as I was about to ask for details, Hao Jinfeng rushed over and shouted, "Xue Beifan, you harassed the princess, causing her to drown herself in the lake while pregnant, resulting in the deaths of both mother and child. Come with me to see the authorities!"

Xue Beifan was taken aback by these words. After a long pause, he asked, "Which princess?"

Hao Jinfeng jumped up and down, "You've flirted with more than one person? You..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Xiaodao seized an opportunity, stepped onto the railing, and leaped out, skimming the water's surface like a swallow... and flew ashore.

"What amazing lightness skill!" Chonghua exclaimed from the bow of the boat.

Xue Beifan glanced at the fierce-looking Hao Jinfeng, then at Yan Xiaodao who had run away as soon as he got ashore, smiled, and said to Chonghua, "Help me entertain the constable, I'm going to chase after the little beauty." After saying that, he also jumped ashore and went after Xiaodao.

Just as Chonghua was about to ask Hao Jinfeng whether he wanted tea or a meal, he saw that simpleton dive into the water again and swim ashore to chase after people.

【Free from worries about love and romance】

As soon as Yan Xiaodao reached the shore, she saw that Xue Beifan had caught up with her, so she quickly darted into an alley to escape. It was her first time in Hangzhou, and she ran in a panic, darting through streets and alleys, until she was finally cornered in a dead end.

Then I heard Xue Beifan shouting, "Little beauty, the lecherous thief is here to catch you!"

Xiao Dao was so startled that his hair stood on end. Without thinking twice, he climbed over the back wall of the courtyard.

Xue Beifan saw it clearly and smiled, "This is called walking into a trap!"

Behind the courtyard wall lies a hidden world, with artificial hills, lotus ponds, and exotic flowers and plants. In the distance, a long porch connects to a house with red tiles, white walls, and large pillars, with rows of mahogany doors and windows and gold-painted roofs, quite grand indeed.

Xiao Dao hid behind a rockery, only to see Xue Beifan also on the wall, looking around for her.

Seeing him descend the courtyard wall, Xiao Dao quickly crouched down and slipped behind the porch. He spotted an open window in a house, quickly climbed over, and closed it. Looking around, he saw no one inside!

Xiao Dao finally breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear footsteps outside.

Then someone asked, "Young Master Xue, what are you looking for?"

Xiao Dao was taken aback—Young Master Xue? Could it be someone he knows? And that voice sounds familiar, where have he heard it before?

Sure enough, Xue Beifan replied, "I'll find a little tabby cat."

"Little kitten?"

"Yes, I met her by the river. She was carrying a red umbrella and wearing a floral dress." Xue Beifan said casually, "I wasn't watching her closely enough, and she got away."

Yan Xiaodao thought to himself that he shouldn't have to search every room later, so he quickly crawled behind the screen.

"Tsk tsk, Ami~"

Outside, Xue Beifan, as if luring a cat, called out to it as he searched for it in the distance.

Just as Xiao Dao saw his chance and was about to run, the footsteps outside the door came towards the door. With a creak, the door opened, a person walked in, closed the door, and sat down on the bed.

Xiao Dao inwardly groaned, and could only hold his breath and try his best to hide his presence so as not to be discovered, while curiously peeking out through the gap in the screen. He immediately recognized her—it was the masked girl in black who had stood behind Shen Xinghai at the tea stall that morning!

The girl sat on the edge of the bed and put down a paper package containing an oil, a bottle of medicine, and a roll of gauze.

Yan Xiaodao finally understood—he had stumbled into Xinghai Garden by accident.

After putting down her things, the girl in black took off her mask, loosened her clothes, and reached out to touch her back.

Xiao Dao quickly looked over and was shocked – a beautiful woman!

In her excitement, she couldn't hold her breath. A murderous glint flashed across the girl's previously weary face as she drew her dagger and shot it towards the screen. Xiao Dao quickly rolled to the side to dodge, and seeing the girl about to draw her knife again in the middle of the room, he hurriedly waved his hands, "It's me! It's me!"

The woman in black looked at Xiao Dao with some confusion, clearly recognizing her as well.

Xiao Dao said with a smile, "I'm not a bad person. I only came here to hide because someone was chasing me."

The woman in black pulled her clothes up a bit, and Xiao Dao frowned when he saw blood on her hands. "Are you injured?"

The woman in black remained silent, her eyes always showing vigilance.

Xiao Dao scrutinized her closely again, then couldn't help but click his tongue twice—look at this girl, in her early twenties, pretty with fair skin and dark hair. Calling her beautiful would be an understatement; she's clearly stunning! Such a beautiful face, it's such a waste to cover it up with a mask! Or is Shen Xinghai deliberately hiding her to prevent her from being targeted by lecherous thieves like Xue Beifan?

Xiao Dao thought her eyes were innocent and she seemed to have no ulterior motives. He took two steps forward and asked, "You're injured in your back?"

She remained silent.

“I’ve studied medicine, let me bandage you. You can’t even reach it yourself.” With that, Xiao Dao ran to the bedside and peered behind the woman in black. It was likely an arrow wound, on her shoulder blade, not too serious. Xiao Dao took off his shoes, climbed onto the bed, and sat cross-legged behind her. “The wound is all festering, why didn’t you find a doctor to take a look?”

As he spoke, he picked up the medicine bottle beside her, opened it, smelled it, and frowned, "This wound medicine is all spoiled!"

The girl in black turned to look at Xiao Dao.

"Don't worry, I have good wound medicine." Xiao Dao took out the ointment made by his master from his waist pouch and applied it to her. "Just apply it for two days and it will be fine." As he spoke, he stuffed the ointment into the black-clad girl's hand and bandaged her wound with gauze.

After the wounds were treated, the two sat facing each other, staring at each other, with the woman in black seemingly a little embarrassed.

When Xiao Dao got out of bed, he accidentally stepped on the oil paper package. When he opened it, he found a flattened, dry steamed bun.

After the girl in black finished dressing, she sat down at the table with a steamed bun and started eating, along with some cold tea. She kept her mask close at hand, as if she were about to put it on at any moment.

Xiao Dao tentatively asked, "Does Shen Xinghai withhold your wages?"

"Cough cough..." The girl choked on the water, pounded her chest, and finally spoke, "Young Master is very good to me."

When Xiao Dao was treating her wounds, he noticed she had many injuries, big and small, on her body. "So you're self-harming?" he asked.

The girl in black poured a glass of water for Xiaodao as well, thinking that the girl was really lively.

Xiao Dao held the teacup, a slight smile playing on her lips. "My name is Yan Xiao Dao. What's yours?"

Lou Xiaoyue.

"It sounds nice."

Lou Xiaoyue seemed a little embarrassed by Xiao Dao's praise. She looked at Xiao Dao again and asked, "Who's pursuing you?"

"I'm telling you, you'd better not betray me," Xiao Dao said listlessly, slumped on the table. "I'm really in trouble!"

The girl in black nodded very seriously.

"That lecherous Xue Beifan!"

No sooner had Xiao Dao uttered those words than Xue Beifan's voice came from the doorway, "I'm the big lecher, and you're the little lecher!"

Xiao Dao jumped up, and Lou Xiaoyue pointed behind the screen. Xiao Dao quickly hid inside.

Lou Xiaoyue walked to the door and opened it. Sure enough, Xue Beifan was standing there, seemingly frozen for some time. He peered inside. "Where's that girl?"

"Nobody's here," Lou Xiaoyue replied.

Xue Beifan chuckled, "Right? If there's no one else, you'll need a kitten."

"No, not really." Lou Xiaoyue answered directly, seemingly without any beating around the bush.

“I clearly heard her talking inside just now.”

"evidence."

Xue Beifan opened his mouth, pointed to his ear, and said, "I heard it."

Lou Xiaoyue remained serious and methodical, saying, "Words are no proof."

Xue Beifan stared blankly, at a loss for what to do. His playful smile was useless against the rigid Lou Xiaoyue in front of him.

Xiao Dao clings to the screen, feeling relieved!

Lou Xiaoyue held the door shut, preventing Xue Beifan from entering.

Just then, Shen Xinghai walked in from outside the courtyard. As he got closer, he saw that Lou Xiaoyue was not wearing a mask, and her clothes were just casually buttoned up.

Shen Xinghai frowned.

Xue Beifan glanced at his expression and suddenly said in a strange tone, "Ah, Miss Lou usually wears a mask, I never imagined she was so beautiful."

Lou Xiaoyue then realized she had forgotten to wear her mask and ran back to get it, while Xue Beifan took the opportunity to walk into the house.

Xiaoyue reached out to stop him from getting close to the screen.

"Insolence!" Shen Xinghai said with displeasure. "Brother Xue is my guest. What kind of attitude is this?"

Lou Xiaoyue lowered her head, but she had just told Xiaodao not to let her be discovered, so she didn't pull her hand back.

Shen Xinghai's expression darkened further.

Xiao Dao could see everything clearly from behind the screen, and he was furious. That scoundrel Xue Beifan!

Xue Beifan hadn't expected Lou Xiaoyue to be scolded because of him, and he felt a little guilty. He was about to say a few words of advice when he heard something behind the screen...

"Xue Beifan!" Yan Xiaodao stormed out, walked to Xiaoyue's side, glanced at Shen Xinghai and then at Xue Beifan, "She was injured and no one bandaged her up. She only ate a steamed bun and drank cold water for lunch. Is it fun for you two grown men to bully a girl like her?!"

Xiao Dao's words stunned both Shen Xinghai and Xue Beifan.

Lou Xiaoyue gently tugged at Xiao Dao's sleeve and whispered, "You must not be rude to the young master."

Xiao Dao was speechless. Did Shen Xinghai have some kind of leverage over Lou Xiaoyue? Why was she so obedient?

"Young Master."

Just then, a servant ran up to report to Shen Xinghai, "The top constable Hao Jinfeng is outside requesting an audience."

Shen Xinghai came to his senses and said to Xue Beifan, "I'll stall him, you find somewhere to hide."

Xue Beifan nodded.

Shen Xinghai glanced at Lou Xiaoyue again, as well as the oil paper package and wound medicine on the table. Something seemed to flash in his eyes—was it pity or displeasure? Lou Xiaoyue had her head down and didn't see it, but Xiao Dao noticed something.

Lou Xiaoyue was to put on a mask and go with them.

Shen Xinghai said in a low voice, "You don't need to come today. We'll talk about it after your injury has healed."

After saying that, he left.

Lou Xiaoyue stared blankly at the mask.

Seeing Yan Xiaodao looking at him like he was a cockroach, Xue Beifan felt a little embarrassed and muttered, "I didn't do it on purpose."

Xiao Dao snorted and went up to pull Xiao Yue, "Let's go out to eat?"

"How about I treat you to a meal..." Xue Beifan quickly interjected, "to apologize to Miss Xiaoyue."

Xiao Dao glanced at him sideways and whispered in Xiao Yue's ear, "Xiao Yue, this man is a lecherous thief. He harassed a pregnant woman and caused her to jump into the river, resulting in the death of both her and her unborn child!"