Chapter 28: The Hurdle of Sorrow

On the way back to the city, Bai Jinxi and Banxia sat in the carriage, silent and lost in their own thoughts.

Xiao Chuyi rode on Zhuifeng’s back, following the carriage, his gaze slightly worried as he looked towards the carriage.

The little girl had already crossed the most difficult hurdle. From the moment she said the word “kill,” she was no longer the clinging vine raised in the inner courtyard.

However, tonight, the little girl would probably have a hard time…

Back in the city, Xiao Chuyi had Zhang Ze take the two girls directly back to the Bai manor.

Bai Jinxi and Banxia usually went out for a whole day, but today, it wasn’t even lunchtime yet when the gatekeeper reported that they had returned.

Yun Moyi looked surprised, “So early? Was there anything unusual?”

The servant thought for a moment and said, “Reporting to Madam, it seems a little different from usual. Zhang Ze’s expression was more serious than usual, and Miss didn’t talk to Banxia after getting off the carriage, she went straight back to Yuxiu Zhai.”

Waving her hand, she dismissed the servant, and Yun Moyi fell into thought.

“Tiandong, do you think… what exactly did Bai Jinxi and the others go out to do?”

She asked Tiandong, who was bringing her tea.

“Madam, Bai Jinxi didn’t speak to Banxia the whole way, I guess something must have happened that caused a rift between them.”

Tiandong thought for a moment and replied respectfully.

Yun Moyi took a sip of tea and then gently put down the cup.

She recalled what Lu Yian had specifically sent someone to report earlier, Bai Jinxi hadn’t gone to Renxin Hall, and Master Puzhi of Renxin Hall had been seeing patients the whole time, so she couldn’t have gone to learn medicine.

Could she really be catching wild rabbits?

Thinking about this, she smiled wryly. It was better to go to Yuxiu Zhai than to blindly guess here.

It had been a while since she had eaten with Bai Jinxi, she, as an elder, should show some concern for her!

“Tiandong, tell the kitchen to prepare a lavish lunch today, a cold dish of shredded carrots and white radishes. Also, prepare a separate serving of fruit ice cream, using the oranges that were delivered today. Send it directly to Yuxiu Zhai. I’ll have my meal there.”

“Yes.” Tiandong nodded and agreed, leaving the room and walking quickly towards the kitchen.

Yun Moyi watched her retreating figure, thinking about Bai Jinxi’s various unusual behaviors, and muttered to herself, “I’ll see if you really don’t understand anything…”

Gently closing the door of Yuxiu Zhai, Banxia told Zhang Ze to stay outside and guard the door, then turned around and went back to Bai Jinxi.

Bai Jinxi sat on a purple sandalwood armchair, holding a cup of tea in her hand, not moving for a long time.

“Miss…” Banxia hesitated before speaking.

What happened on Luoyun Mountain made Banxia a little scared. If it hadn’t been for Xiao Chuyi and An Ba, she and Miss might have been in trouble.

However, she was even more worried about Miss’s current state.

Bai Jinxi, who was lost in thought, finally stopped being dazed when she heard Banxia’s call. She slowly turned her head and looked at her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked hesitantly, her expression still a little wooden.

Bai Jinxi gripped the teacup in her hand…

She had killed…

Although she didn’t do it herself, what was the difference?

She didn’t know if Xiao Chuyi would still have spared the two men if she hadn’t spoken, but she still said, “Kill them.”

She put down the teacup in her hand, sighed, lowered her eyes and asked, “Banxia, do you think I’m cruel?”

She was a little afraid to look into Banxia’s eyes.

If Banxia thought she was scary, she could understand…

Seeing her mistress’s dejected expression, completely lacking her usual vitality, Banxia felt heartbroken.

She squatted at Bai Jinxi’s feet and said to her earnestly, “Miss, I’m an orphan, and I was chosen into the palace by Madam when I was young. Although I’m a maid, Madam and the young lady have always been very kind to me! To be honest, in my heart, young lady is like my sister.”

As she spoke, Banxia’s eyes turned red, and her voice choked, “But today when we encountered danger, I couldn’t protect you, and even made you have to say such difficult words. I only hate that I can’t kill those villains for you!”

“No matter what decision you make, I will always stand by you, believe you and support you!”

The last sentence was spoken with a strong voice, showing her heart to Bai Jinxi completely!

Actually, Banxia had long noticed that since the young lady woke up from the high fever, she had been very wary of everything around her, but she was very trusting of her alone. She had wanted to tell young lady this for a long time, but she hadn’t had a good opportunity.

Today, something like this happened, and Bai Jinxi’s dazed look made her seem both fragile and lost. She wanted the young lady to know that there was someone in this world who would never betray her! She might not be worthy, but she wanted to be young lady’s umbrella, shielding her from the storms and hardships of this world.

“Banxia…” Bai Jinxi looked into her eyes, seeing her self-blame and heartache, and was deeply moved.

She asked this question, not so much to doubt Banxia’s loyalty, but to seek psychological comfort, to hear someone tell her that she was right!

On Luoyun Mountain, when she said kill, it was more of an impulsive, crazy mentality to force herself to be ruthless.

But when she got back in the carriage and calmed down…

She kept seeing the two men’s death in her mind, and she could still hear the gurgling sounds of their throats.

She wasn’t afraid, just… she couldn’t bear such pressure, she needed someone to save her.

Bai Jinxi’s lips were tightly pressed together, and her expression was complex, as if she was both crying and laughing.

She seemed to see the half-dead Banxia from her previous life, and the Banxia who was looking at her with concern in front of her, slowly merging into one person…

Finally, her eyes turned slightly red, she let out a light sigh, and smiled softly, “You want to be my sister and protect me? Okay. Then I’ll have Zhang Ze teach you martial arts, you have to learn well! Sister Banxia!”

Seeing that she finally smiled, Banxia breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pleaded, “No no no, Young lady, you’re flattering me, just call me Banxia!”

Bai Jinxi also laughed, “You can let me call you Banxia, but you can’t call yourself a maid in front of me anymore, you have to say ‘I’!” She winked at her and showed a playful look.

“Yes, I… I remember!” Banxia’s face lit up with excitement, and she continued, “I will definitely learn martial arts well with Zhang Ze, and I will beat up any bad guys for young lady in the future!”

“Miss! Madam Yun is here!”

Hearing the laughter from inside the room, Zhang Ze didn’t want to disturb them, but seeing Yun Moyi coming towards Yuxiu Zhai with Tiandong and Qingdai, carrying a food box, he quickly reminded her in a low voice through the door.

Many signs in recent times had shown that his young lady was very wary of Yun Moyi. Although he didn’t know why, he still chose to stand firmly on the side of his young lady and Banxia.