“Forget it, let’s go out to eat.”

Yu Jingming poured the oil and vegetables from the iron pan.

“If you can’t cook, don’t bother. When Lianxiang isn’t around, we can just eat out.”

Yu Jingming grunted and put the iron pan back.

“Did Miss Xue come by today? What did she say?” Mei Ningxiang asked.

“She didn’t say much, just asked if you were here,” Yu Jingming thought for a moment, “She was carrying a food box, so she might have come to bring you some pastries.”

“What about the pastries?” Mei Ningxiang asked eagerly.

Xue Rongrong was famous for her pastry-making skills.

After trying her pastries, Mei Ningxiang lost interest in pastries from places like Fengxiangzhai or Guishunju.

Yu Jingming had a blank expression: “She didn’t say she was giving any, so I closed the door.”

Mei Ningxiang knew why Yu Jingming closed the door and found it amusing. “A girl scares you like this? You can’t even cook. You might as well marry her so she can cook for you every day. I heard Lan Yin sells her skills but not her body, and you have a history too, so don’t be picky.”

Yu Jingming sneered: “Mr. Feng across the street has twenty acres of land in the suburbs. He has a house and land, so don’t be picky.”

“Ugh, I can’t be bothered to argue with you. I have some good news.”

“It better be real good news.”

“From now on, I’ll listen to you, keep my distance from Miss Xue, and not interfere with her affairs.”

Yu Jingming immediately smiled, “What made you change your mind?”

“The man in the mask who escorted her back that night, I figured out who he is.”

“Who?”

Mei Ningxiang became smug and kept him guessing.

When Yu Jingming started filling the iron pan with water and walked away with a brush, she finally said, “Crown Prince.”

Yu Jingming’s large iron pan fell to the ground with a crash.

---

In the afternoon, after a short rest, Rongrong came by again with pastries and knocked on Mei Ningxiang’s door.

This time, Mei Ningxiang answered the door.

She didn’t have her usual bright smile and instead looked somewhat despondent.

When she saw it was Rongrong, her brows furrowed slightly.

Rongrong was a bit surprised by Mei Ningxiang’s demeanor but decided to approach her and ask, “Is Mei Jie not feeling well? Have you seen a doctor?”

“No, I’m fine,” Mei Ningxiang’s tone lacked the usual warmth.

She asked directly, “Do you have something to say?”

“I made some new pastries today and brought them for Mei Jie to try.”

Rongrong handed over the food box, but Mei Ningxiang did not take it.

She simply said, “No need. I haven’t been in the mood for sweets lately.”

“Alright then,” Rongrong said, feeling a bit awkward as she took the food box back.

“If you have something to discuss, you can speak directly. There’s no need to bring gifts,” Mei Ningxiang said.

Rongrong hesitated but finally said, “I have another person living with me now, and the place I’m renting is too small. I wanted to ask Mei Jie if there’s any spare space in your courtyard. It doesn’t need to be a separate room, just a spot for a bed would do.”

Most of the embroiderers shared rooms with three or four people, sleeping on bunks.

Rongrong was just hoping to find a bed for Feicui.

Mei Ningxiang shook her head. “There’s no available space. Next month, I’m bringing a few more embroiderers from Yangzhou, and even with your room, there won’t be enough space.”

“So, Mei Jie… are you saying you don’t want to rent to me anymore?” Rongrong asked, confused by Mei Ningxiang’s words.

Mei Ningxiang forced a smile. “I originally bought that courtyard for the embroiderers. When there was an empty room, I put it up with the broker, and it stayed vacant for months until you rented it. If you can find another place, I’ll refund your rent. If not, we’ll stick to the contract.”

Rongrong sensed that Mei Ningxiang wanted her to move out immediately.

She didn’t know what she had done to offend Mei Ningxiang, but since she was being asked to leave, Rongrong didn’t want to insist on staying.

“Mei Jie has helped me a lot, and if it’s inconvenient for you now, I’ll help you out. I’ll look for another place with the broker. I should be able to find something in a couple of days. As for the rent, I’ve been paying monthly, so there’s no need to refund me.”

“Thank you. If you decide to move, you don’t need to tell me. Just give the key to someone in the courtyard,” Mei Ningxiang said and then turned and went back into the house, closing the door behind her.

In one day, Rongrong had been shut out twice at the same place.

The first time might have been a coincidence, as Yu Jingming’s attitude wasn’t directed at her specifically.

However, Mei Ningxiang’s attitude clearly was.

Rongrong felt a sudden wave of sadness.

She thought about going to Yang Tong to look for a new place but couldn’t muster the energy.

She took the food box and walked back home.

Chunxing and Feicui were tidying up the room.

Originally, when it was just Chunxing and Feicui, most of the clutter was on Chunxing’s small bed.

Now that they were both sharing the larger bed, they had moved the clutter over.

When they saw Rongrong returning with the food box, Chunxing asked, “Was Mei Jie not at home again?”

“No, she was at home,” Rongrong said, putting down the food box. “You two wash your hands and come eat while it’s still warm.”

Chunxing noticed that Rongrong seemed a bit down and took Feicui out to wash their hands.

The mung bean cakes in the food box were still warm, soft, and delicious.

“Miss, why do you look so unhappy?” Chunxing, who had spent a lot of time with Rongrong, was straightforward and asked when she saw her frowning.

Rongrong picked up a piece of mung bean cake and said, “Sister Mei mentioned that some embroiderers will be coming soon, and her courtyard isn’t big enough. She wants to take back this room.”

“Take it back?” Chunxing’s eyebrows shot up. “But didn’t you sign a contract with her? How can she just take it back?”

“It’s actually no problem. With the addition of Feicui, this place is already too small. I’ll go find an agent later to look for a more spacious place, ideally with two rooms…”

As Rongrong was speaking, someone from the embroidery shop called out, “Miss Xue, someone is looking for you!” Rongrong frowned slightly.

If it were Mei Ningxiang or Zhenzhen, they would come straight in.

If it were Yang Tong, the others in the courtyard would know him and wouldn’t block him outside.

Feeling puzzled, Rongrong walked toward the courtyard gate, while Chunxing was about to continue wiping the table but saw Feicui put down her cloth and follow Rongrong outside.

“Miss Xue, the person outside looks unfamiliar. I didn’t let him in; he’s just standing in the alley waiting for you,” the servant in the courtyard pointed and said quietly, “If something seems off, just call out.”

“Thank you.” Rongrong didn’t believe there would be any trouble during the day.

When she stepped out, she saw a young man in a brown linen robe standing in the alley.

Rongrong recognized him immediately.

“Second Brother, why are you here?”

The man was Rongrong’s second brother, Xue Xiaoshan, the grandson that Old Madam Xue had picked up.

Hearing Rongrong’s voice, Xue Xiaoshan turned and called out, “Sister.”

At that moment, Feicui, who had been standing behind the door, quietly turned and walked back.

“Since you returned to the capital, Grandmother has been very worried about you. However, with so many things at home, I couldn’t come to find you. Now that I see you are fine, I am relieved,” Xue Xiaoshan said with a look of guilt.

That night, Old Madam Xue and Ah Lin Ah Mu had been knocked unconscious by a group of bad people and didn’t know that Liuli had saved Rongrong.

“There’s no need to be polite, Second Brother. What happened at home after I left?” Rongrong asked.

After Liuli brought Rong Rong back to the capital that night, Rong Rong had deliberately avoided inquiring about the Xue family. Since Xue Dacheng and Cui He had been greedy enough to try to sell her,

Rong Rong had no affection for them and saw this as an opportunity to sever ties. She hadn’t expected that Xue Xiaoshan would come looking for her.

“That morning, I heard about the incident in our village and rushed back. When I arrived at the village entrance, I learned that my employer, Old Man Sun, had been killed by wanted bandits at the village entrance, and the two bandits had escaped. When I got home, I found the courtyard gate was securely closed, but inside, I saw that my elder brother and sister-in-law had been tied up and left in the yard, their mouths frozen purple. I managed to get them inside, only to find that Grandmother and Ah Lin and Ah Mu were lying on the bed, with large, blood-filled bumps on their heads.”

The disposal of Old Man Sun and the Xue Dacheng couple was clearly Liuli’s doing.

She had been meticulous, leaving Old Man Sun’s body outside the village and attributing his death to the two dead bandits, ensuring the Sun family couldn’t trouble the Xue family.

As for the wicked Xue Dacheng couple, they had been left outside to freeze, which was a fitting retribution. Rong Rong was, however, somewhat worried about Old Lady Xue.

“Is Grandmother seriously injured?”

“Ah Lin and Ah Mu, being young, had been bedridden for six or seven days. The swelling on their heads has reduced a lot. Grandmother, being older, still has the swelling, and it hasn’t gone down at all. It’s very painful, and she can’t speak clearly. I’ve had the village doctor come several times, and she’s taken herbal medicine, but there’s no improvement. The doctor says she needs to go to the capital to see a specialist who understands acupuncture and can perform bloodletting.”

Thinking of the sound of Old Lady Xue crying outside the door that night, Rong Rong felt a pang of distress.

Although the disaster had been brought about by Xue Dacheng and his wife, it was still related to her, and given the gravity of the situation, she couldn’t just ignore it.

“There are many medical clinics and doctors in the capital. Brother, hurry and bring Grandmother to the capital. I’ll find out which doctor is skilled in acupuncture and have them come to perform the bloodletting.”

Seeing Rong Rong’s immediate response, Xue Xiaoshan’s handsome face finally showed a smile. “Then I’ll head back today and bring Grandmother to the capital tomorrow, if that’s alright?”

Tomorrow?

Rong Rong furrowed her brows. Her place was small and couldn’t accommodate any more people.

However, seeing a doctor was urgent, so she didn’t decline. “Second Brother, my place is too small to accommodate so many people. When you come, please don’t bring Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law. Right now, I can only take care of Grandmother.”

Xue Xiaoshan’s expression shifted, revealing a complex look.

He had long suspected that Sun Old Man and Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law had been close, but he hadn’t expected them to plan to harm Rong Rong when she returned home.

“Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law are indeed at fault. I understand your concerns, and don’t worry, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

Reassured by Xue Xiaoshan’s promise, Rong Rong still felt uneasy. “I have some money here. Use it to settle things with Uncle Yang and make sure he doesn’t reveal your arrival in the capital.”

Xue Xiaoshan understood Rong Rong’s intentions, nodded, and silently took the money.

After seeing off her second brother, Rong Rong immediately began to think about the housing situation.

Although Xue Xiaoshan didn’t say it, Rong Rong could tell from his weary eyes that Xue Dacheng and his wife, who were always lazy and greedy, must have been making a fuss after getting injured.

Xue Dacheng had been to Huaihua Alley before, and it was likely he had informed Xue Xiaoshan about the place.

They had planned to come to the capital to enjoy her hospitality, so this move was a perfect opportunity to rid herself of Xue Dacheng and his wife.

As she thought about this, Rong Rong went back inside to re-braid her hair and change her clothes.

Seeing this, Chunxing stepped forward to help Rong Rong put on her cloak. “Miss, are you going out today as well?”

“Grandmother is coming tomorrow, and there isn’t enough space here. I need to hurry and ask the broker if there are any available places today.”

“Grandmother is coming tomorrow? That’s quite urgent.” Chunxing had been living in Huaihua Alley for some time and, unlike Rong Rong, who stayed indoors, she was naturally lively, often going out to shop and chat with people.

She was quite familiar with the local prices and customs. Finding another small, affordable, and clean place like the one they were currently in was very difficult.

With Xue family arriving tomorrow, it was unlikely to find a suitable place to rent on such short notice.

“I still have some silver. If we can’t find a place immediately, we can stay at an inn for a month,” Rong Rong said, thinking about the new ham that was not yet ready and the expenses she had incurred during the New Year visit to the Xue family.

She took out the key, opened the vanity case, and retrieved the two pearls the Crown Prince had awarded her during the hot spring resort visit. Jade was hard to pawn, but pearls were acceptable.

The two pearls were fine East Sea pearls, each about the size of a fingernail, plump and round.

“Pack up the things in the house. We’ll move out early tomorrow morning,” Rong Rong instructed Chunxing and Feicui before heading out.

However, as soon as she stepped outside, Feicui silently followed her.