The streets were cold and cheerless at night, with only the soft sound of footsteps. A person's shadow was stretched out on the stone pavement in a slant, illusory yet real.

That person walked unhurriedly, the hand holding the fan hanging down naturally. His index finger lightly tapped the ridges of the fan, as if he didn't have the heart to do so.

It was quiet all around. Suddenly, there was the faint sound of the wind, and several shadows flitted across the ground, so fast that it made people wonder if they were seeing things.

That person was dressed in black, and his handsome face appeared even more elegant and handsome under the gentle moonlight. It was Xiao Shijing.

Not long after, Xiao Shijing walked to the door of a residence. His knuckles bent slightly as he knocked on the door. A manservant poked his head out and smiled when he saw him. "Daren has finally returned." Then he welcomed him in.

"Daren, is Zui Hong Lou lively?" "Are the girls there beautiful?" "If you ask me, it definitely can't compare to the ones in the capital."

The manservant was pleasing to the eye and had a natural smile, but his mouth was always nagging. It was only a short walk, but he had already said more than ten sentences. Xiao Shijing had a good temper. Although he didn't respond, he didn't reprimand him. He only told him to play a one-man show to his heart's content.

The manservant was talking excitedly when he suddenly slapped his forehead. "Aiyo, I almost forgot about the proper business. Daren, did you see the young master on this trip?"

Xiao Shijing glanced at him. "He probably saw me and hid." He said, as if he didn't care at all. Then he stepped into the study.

The manservant rubbed his nose. He knew that Daren didn't like other people interfering too much, so he frowned and fawningly brought over a few books that Daren hadn't finished reading yesterday. He didn't inquire about matters on behalf of his master, and silently retreated.

After the manservant left, the room finally quieted down.

Xiao Shijing sat down in the study. He didn't flip through the books left behind by the manservant. Instead, he held a brush and wrote something.

"What did you find out?"

He stopped writing and put down the brush. After folding the letter, he raised his head and looked at the person kneeling in the room. That person received Xiao Shijing's signal and reported the information he had just found to him word for word.

…

"… It is said that the woman was accidentally found in the water nine years ago. At that time, she was seriously injured. There were many knife marks on her body. She was almost taken as a female corpse. However, the fisherman found that she was still breathing, so he brought her to the town for treatment.

After she woke up, she left the clinic and had nowhere to go. Because of her outstanding appearance, she was coveted by bad guys … In the end, she ended up in a brothel … "

"Is there anyone who knows her background?"

"No," the kneeling man replied.

His gaze was gloomy, as thick as the night outside the window, so thick that it was impossible to see through.

Xiao Shijing gestured for the man to leave, but he was still sitting in front of the desk, thinking about something.

"That's strange. I thought that Young Master Xiao was just acting like a hero on a whim. I didn't expect that he would really fall in love with that beauty."

Yun Fei smiled sweetly. Her eyes were full of interest. She was very curious about how that delicate little beauty had captured that man's heart.

She thought that he would be a cold-hearted man, but he suddenly acted like a devoted lover. He came here for three months just to see Si Yue. He even spent a lot of money to buy Si Yue. This really surprised her.

"Sister Yun, are you jealous of Si Yue?" The sisters beside her teased.

"Si Yue is really lucky. I heard that Young Master wants to buy her back and bring her back to the capital."

"Oh, a Young Master from the capital …"

"Maybe he's an official." Someone laughed.

"Why does Si Yue get all the good things? She's not an outstanding beauty. There are so many girls out there. Why did he take a fancy to her?" Someone said with jealousy.

… …

Si Yue knew how jealous others were of her. Those insincere praises added up to more than what she had heard in the past few years. Everyone guessed that Xiao Shijing had fallen in love with her after saving the damsel in distress. However, there were some things that she and Xiao Shijing were well aware of.

Her hands were fiddling with the flowers that her maidservant had just picked early in the morning. The flowers were young and tender and clung to the branches. There were still some water droplets on them that hadn't dissipated yet. They looked fresh and pleasant.

Steady footsteps sounded behind her. She already knew who it was. Sighing inwardly, she turned around and curtsied to the person who had come.

"My Lord." She lowered her head and called out.

The person who had come was Xiao Shijing. He frowned slightly, then relaxed.

He raised his hand to help her up. "Are you feeling better?" He asked.

"I'm much better." Si Yue raised her head and smiled at him. "It's all my fault for being too cold at night and catching a cold … I've made you worry."

"Since you know that I'll be worried, you have to take good care of yourself in the future." He seemed to be joking. "After all, you're the treasure in my golden house."

Si Yue didn't expect him to say this. "It's just a joke from the people outside. My Lord, you don't have to …"

"It's not really a joke …" He didn't care about the gossip outside. Thinking of his purpose for coming, he deliberated and said, "Si Yue, I'm going back to the capital."

Si Yue was stunned. She was at a loss. "Didn't you say that you had something to do here?

You've already finished it? "

"Yes. I've already finished it a few days ago. I'll be leaving soon." His gaze flitted past her unconsciously clenched hands.

"I see."

Her expression gradually darkened. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. In fact, they had only met by chance. What was she hoping for?

After a moment of silence, she raised her hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Then she asked, "My Lord, can you tell me what kind of place the capital is?"

The corners of her eyes were slightly red. She didn't look particularly sad, but the tears in her eyes couldn't be retracted in time, revealing her emotions.

She didn't realize how aggrieved she looked. She pretended to be light-hearted. "I heard that the capital is a very good place. It's a pity that I've never been there. Others say that there are endless carriages and innumerable teahouses and wine shops. My Lord, is it really that lively?"

Xiao Shijing looked at her. "The capital is the most lively and prosperous place in the world." He said to her seriously, "Do you want to go and take a look?

Come with me. "

Si Yue didn't seem to have expected him to ask her such a question. She couldn't hide the surprise in her eyes. When she saw that he didn't seem to be joking, her heart couldn't help but tremble.

She understood the meaning behind his words, but she was still hesitant.

Xiao Shijing didn't rush her, nor did he wonder why she didn't agree to it like everyone else had guessed. He just waited for her answer seriously.

She was indeed happy, but there was a faint stifling feeling in her heart. Her throat was so dry that she couldn't speak for a long time.

But she still nodded in the end, and then she gave him a knowing smile. Her face was sickly pale, and her smile was so sweet and obedient that he couldn't help but want to hug her.

Actually, she wasn't a young girl anymore. She didn't have the freshness and sweetness of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old. But when she smiled, it gave off a romantic vibe. It was as though she was a little girl who loved to smile and act coquettishly.

He thought of how she was when she was young. Slightly stunned, he shook his head.

She was still like a child.

He sighed inwardly.

He looked at her bright eyes and wanted to stroke her head like he did when she was young. But his hand moved slightly, and then he stopped.

It was no longer appropriate for them to make such intimate gestures. It would frighten her.

Xiao Shijing told himself.

His expression couldn't help but turn gloomy.

He had already confirmed that she was Pei Ruan, the daughter of his teacher. But since she didn't say it, he would pretend that he didn't know.

He understood her concerns and was willing to understand.

But he definitely couldn't abandon her again.

Xiao Shijing returned to the residence and ordered the servants to make arrangements for returning to the capital. He also ordered them to prepare for the journey in a few days.

After he finished, he seemed to have suddenly thought of something. Tilting his head, he ordered the servants to prepare some women's clothes and some toys to relieve boredom.

As he instructed, he considered if there was anything he might have missed out. After some thought, he realized that Si Yue might need someone to take care of her on the journey. Thus, he ordered his subordinates, "Send someone to Si Yue's side to serve and protect her."

The attendant at the side acknowledged, secretly guessing the position of Si Yue in his master's heart.

This was the first time he had seen his master so considerate of another person. It was also a rare sight.

They passed by the pavilion built in the residence. It was currently midsummer and the heat was unbearable. Outside for a short while, one would break out in a sweat. It was very irritating. However, the man in the pavilion didn't seem to feel the heat at all. His blue robes made him seem especially cold. He was leisurely leaning against a pillar in the pavilion.

This side of the pavilion was facing a pond. The owner of the residence had raised many fish in the pond. At this time, the fish were swimming happily in the pond. The man's hand was on the railing. His fingers were long and slender. His hand was occasionally sprinkling fish food, causing the fish in the pond to scramble to snatch the food.

Seeming to sense that someone had arrived, he turned his head and squinted his eyes. Seeing that it was Xiao Shijing, he naturally greeted him and led him over.

"Your father wanted me to bring you back as soon as possible." Xiao Shijing sat down in the pavilion as he spoke.

"He seems to think quite highly of me. He even called you here specifically to find me."

The man in the pavilion lazily fed the fish that kept popping their heads out of the pond and opening and closing their mouths expectantly.

His tone seemed to be mocking, but he also seemed to be joking. His movements were neither fast nor slow, and he was very calm.

He lazily leaned against the pillar in the pavilion and didn't turn his head. His eyes were cold and tired, but they were still shockingly gorgeous.

A pair of glittering phoenix eyes were half closed. It was the blue-clothed man from Drunken Red House. He was also the target of Xiao Shijing's trip, Yan Yi.

Xiao Shijing was accustomed to his attitude and didn't care.

In any case, he had taught this kid martial arts for a few years and was already familiar with his half-dead appearance.

Everyone in the capital knew that Marquis Yan had an only son who grew up under his protection. He was clearly doted on and everyone else had grown up to be the typical hedonistic son of a rich family. They gambled and ran dogs, sang and drank well. But he was different. He walked a new crooked path from being a hedonistic son of a rich family. He didn't care about fame and didn't seek profits. He only wanted to travel and play all day long. He didn't have any desire for profits. He only wanted to go out and play all day long. It was extremely strange.

A few months ago, this person ran out of the house again. Even the heavenly network couldn't stop him. His father was very angry, so the Marquis asked Xiao Shijing to catch this kid.

This matter of finding someone wasn't a big deal. On account of the friendship between the two families, he agreed to the old Marquis's request.

Fortunately, he had been Yan Yi's teacher for a few years and had some understanding of his way of doing things. So he followed the vine to find the melon and really found the person.

"Oh right," Yan Yi suddenly seemed to remember something and turned his head to ask him curiously, "I heard that you were infatuated with a girl?

These few months, rain or shine, you've been running to find her every day? "

Xiao Shijing frowned slightly, as if he wasn't used to his description. But he was too lazy to refute. "Yes." He gave a simple response, which could be considered as an answer to his question.

Yan Yi saw that his attitude was cold and didn't stop talking. "Xiao Shijing, you're amazing. How come I never knew that you were such an infatuated person?

One day, I want to see what this girl looks like. Is she as beautiful as me? "He laughed.

In the capital, it had always been said that he was more beautiful than girls. He didn't care and was now joking.

"You want to bring her back to the capital?"

Xiao Shijing replied, "She's an old acquaintance of mine." This explained the reason.

Yan Yi's eyes flashed with understanding. He didn't ask any more questions. His eyelids drooped again and he returned to his original indifferent appearance.

When Xiao Shijing got up and was about to leave, Yan Yi said, "Be careful not to hurt others or yourself. You should know."

He didn't raise his head and continued to feed the fish in the pond. He looked lazy as if he had just casually mentioned it.