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Chapter 24: Embarrassment and Annoyance
“He told me to sleep soundly through the night.”

The two stone lions in front of the Pei residence gleamed unusually bright today.

It was indeed strange — the usually solemn and majestic red gates were now surrounded by a crowd of ten to twenty people, so densely packed that not even water could trickle through.

Even those in a rush slowed down to steal a few glances.

Pei Shang stood at the back of the crowd, his brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly. The folding fan he usually used for show was nowhere to be seen.

One leg propped on the ground, he leaned crookedly against a stone stool. His hand, dangling by his side, was restless — in his anxiety, he picked at the smooth backside of the stone lion.

How could things have gone so wrong the moment someone left? They nearly lost their life!

What exactly were those people Second Aunt arranged good for?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. His gaze blazed like fire as he stared at the woman in the crowd, who was dabbing at her eyes with a silk handkerchief in a show of tears.

The woman, draped in fine silks and brocades and exuding an air of wealth, wore a glossy black hair bun adorned with an exquisite jade hairpin. She was Li Shi, Pei Yuzhu’s biological mother and the matriarch of the Pei family’s second household.

Li Shi looked heartbroken, on the verge of tears.

“This child had such bad luck. For their safety, I carefully handpicked three strong, robust household guards from all of Pei family’s men. Who could have predicted that within just a few days something like this would happen?”

“Now all three guards are missing without a trace. I don’t even know how I’m going to explain this to their mothers. These men risked their lives for the Pei residence — we can’t let those who serve us grow cold-hearted.”

“Compensation money needs to be arranged, and we’ll probably have to send a search party to retrieve their bodies. Alive or dead, we need to see them. This matter weighs on not only you, Mother-in-law, but on me as the mistress of the house — my heart burns like it’s frying in oil.”

As she spoke, her eyes reddened. Standing to her left, the Pei Matriarch glanced at her.

Her expression was unreadable.

Pei Yuzhu, who had been supporting the Pei Matriarch the whole time, noticed and quickly adjusted her thoughts.

“Second Aunt, it’s one thing to talk, but you need to go investigate the truth… My sister Yao is just a weak girl — this time she was lucky to be saved by a kind-hearted person. But what if she hadn’t been?”

“All of Yu family’s men are gone, and only a little maid is left. By logic, at least one of our guards should have survived. Even if none made it, someone should have sent back word.”

“Look at the message sent by the Yu family’s envoy — is there a single sentence saying our guards were safe?”

“If you ask me, those men were probably cowards who fled early. Or worse, they were never good men to begin with and deliberately meant to harm my sister Yao.”

Once Pei Bizhu opened her mouth, she rattled off an entire string of accusations, her fire aimed straight at Li Shi.

“Exactly!”

Pei Shang echoed loudly from the back of the crowd.

“Exactly what!” From behind Li Shi, Pei Lianzhu poked her head out.

“My mother would never do such a thing. She’s worked tirelessly for the Pei residence, even spending her own private funds every year. Yet you parasites dare insult her like this over an outsider. Grandmother…”

Her voice choked with tears as she looked pitifully at the Pei Matriarch. “You must uphold justice, or else I’ll—”

“Or else what? Throw yourself at a block of tofu and die again?” Pei Shang, ever the troublemaker, fanned the flames.

Pei Lianzhu flushed with anger, turned, and threw herself into Li Shi’s arms, crying about how Pei Shang had bullied her too much.

Li Shi embraced her daughter, both of them wearing wounded expressions.

“All right.” Seeing how the situation had turned chaotic, the Pei Matriarch finally spoke, frowning. “This is a public place. Don’t let outsiders laugh at us. We won’t discuss the guards anymore for now. Second daughter-in-law, go send someone to see how far away their party is.”

“Yes.” Li Shi stopped dabbing at her tears, put down her handkerchief, and bowed respectfully.

Pei Bizhu took the chance to make a face at Pei Lianzhu.

With one word from the Pei Matriarch, everything quieted down. Pei Yuzhu stood quietly nearby, supporting the Matriarch, never making a sound. Even when Pei Bizhu insinuated the guards had tried to rob and kill, her face remained unreadable.

She was like a shadow — silent even under the scorching sun, unnoticed by anyone.

—Except by Yu Mingyao.

As soon as Yu Mingyao stepped out of the carriage, her gaze fell immediately on Pei Yuzhu in the center of the crowd.

Dressed in plain clothes and wearing a look of compassion, her pure and beautiful face hid a heart of stone!

Yu Mingyao suppressed the coldness in her heart and turned her gaze to Shi Luoshi.

Just one night of calamity had left Shi Luoshi, once full of energy, sallow-faced and weakened, her body hunched and voice no longer strong.

She gripped the Pei Matriarch’s hand tightly, unable to speak for a long time.

“It’s good that you’re back, it’s good you’re back!”

Seeing Shi Luoshi in this pitiable state, a shimmer of tears flickered in the Pei Matriarch’s eyes. Her face, which had been tense and unsmiling since sunrise, finally softened.

“We’ll have to trouble your family a bit longer. Once our house in the capital is repaired, we’ll invite everyone over as guests,” Shi Luoshi said with effort, forcing a smile.

“We’re all family, don’t mention such things! You’re safe, that’s what matters.”

The Pei Matriarch suppressed her sorrow and showed nothing but genuine concern.

The other women, led by Li Shi, all nodded in agreement.

As the two elderly women exchanged words surrounded by the crowd, Yu Mingyao quietly followed behind, about to look up, when she felt someone tug on her sleeve.

Turning back, she saw Pei Bizhu’s beaming face in front of her.

A step behind Pei Bizhu, Pei Shang’s eyes met Yu Mingyao’s. He had been fine moments ago, but now his eyes turned red, looking pitiful.

“Sister Yao, I missed you so much! You have no idea how worried I was when I heard the news.”

“And Brother Shang too.”

Pei Bizhu turned to glance back, but Pei Shang averted his head, showing only his profile.

His inky black hair hid his eyes, making his expression unreadable.

“Pei Shang, Pei Shang, come here!”

Seeing him avoid her, Pei Bizhu grew confused and was about to reach out to grab him when Yu Mingyao pulled her into a hug.

“I’m fine. Don’t be afraid. I won’t leave again.”

Yu Mingyao’s voice was exceptionally gentle, like the still surface of a lake in the afternoon, instantly soothing.

Hearing her say she wouldn’t leave again, Pei Bizhu happily flailed her arms and glanced at Yu Jinnian, who had been hiding silently behind Yu Mingyao the whole time.

“You fool, not bad — you protected my Sister Yao.”

She lightly punched Yu Jinnian’s chest.

Despite her punches, Yu Jinnian stood firmly in place, unmoving, with only a strained smile.

While the two of them bickered, Yu Mingyao felt like her chest was blocked. Frowning slightly, she glanced at Pei Shang, who had already walked several steps away from the crowd.

Alone and isolated, he walked off with no one by his side, seemingly brooding over something.

She looked worried.

“Oh dear, don’t just stand there dazed — hurry and step over the fire basin and wash with mugwort water to dispel bad luck. I say, Miss Yu and Young Master Yu still have good fortune ahead of them.”

Li Shi, who had been wiping tears just moments ago, now had a completely different face — all smiles and brisk efficiency.

The Pei Matriarch nodded in agreement.

And so, several maids brought over fire basins and mugwort water. Yu Mingyao and her group obediently followed the ritual.

Afterwards, surrounded by the crowd, they returned to the Pear Blossom Courtyard where they had previously stayed.

Once dinner was finished and she had bathed and changed, Yu Mingyao finally felt some peace and quiet.

Before resting, she went to the eastern wing to check on Shi Luoshi.

The elderly woman, already old and now exhausted by the recent ordeal, weighed heavily on Yu Mingyao’s conscience.

Her guilt was written plainly on her face.

Shi Luoshi lay on the bed and, though she didn’t wish to speak much, couldn’t bear to see Yu Mingyao’s bottled-up expression.

“Sister Yao, come here,” she called.

Yu Mingyao, with her head down, slowly approached and held Shi Luoshi’s hand.

Her palm, still dry and thin, now felt cool instead of warm.

Tears welled in her eyes again.

“Just look at you,” Shi Luoshi’s heart twisted with pain, more than if she herself had suffered.

“Grandmother is old — half a foot in the grave already. Why should a young girl like you be so stubborn? Life and death are determined by fate. Aren’t we fine now, saved by that Xie boy?”

“You should be happy. Why mope around all day? I don’t understand your thoughts, but it’s a small matter — no need for my delicate girl to grieve like this.”

“I think that Xie boy is not bad — kind, upright, protective. If you have something in mind, tell Grandmother. I’ll use these old bones to help you arrange things.”

She finished speaking and gazed steadily at Yu Mingyao.

Yu Mingyao, already upset, grew irritated upon hearing Xie Zhuoguang’s name and retorted sharply.

“He said himself, it was just a coincidence. He didn’t deliberately come to escort us. If people heard what you’re saying, wouldn’t they laugh at us for being self-indulgent and greedy for the Xie family’s wealth?”

“Coincidence?”

Shi Luoshi stared hard at her, not missing a trace of emotion.

“If it were truly a coincidence, why wouldn’t you let me tell the Pei family? The Pei family is our kin — far closer than that Xie noble house.”

“By attributing it to an anonymous benefactor, you should have known I wouldn’t stay silent.”

Her gaze darkened as she turned away.

“You… You’re too young to understand deep feelings, too young to realize what it means for a young man to chase someone across a thousand miles.”

Even as the sun set, Shi Luoshi’s final words echoed again and again in Yu Mingyao’s mind.

She leaned against the beauty couch by the window, fingers gripping her embroidery needle.

The pastime that once calmed her in her past life now had no effect at all. Her restless thoughts scattered wildly.

Damn Xie Zhuoguang!

That infuriating… nemesis!

Yu Mingyao threw aside her unfinished sachet, draped her sleeve over her forehead to block her eyes, unsure what to do anymore.

“Miss…”

Yan Yue’s cautious voice drifted in, and Yu Mingyao lowered her arm.

“What is it?” she asked, looking at Yan Yue.

“Just now, Li Qing from Young Master’s side slipped me something. He said, you’d understand once you saw it.”

“Give it to me.”

Gauging her mood, Yan Yue took out an exquisitely crafted small wooden box inlaid with pearls from her bosom.

Yu Mingyao took it, opened it, and before Yan Yue could glimpse what was inside, Yu Mingyao quickly shut it, a smile tugging at her lips.

Yan Yue rarely saw her smile like this — her lips curved like an immortal’s, shyness and annoyance mingling with endless sweetness.

“Did Li Qing say anything else?” Yu Mingyao cleared her throat.

Now Yan Yue hesitated. After glancing at Yu Mingyao for a long moment, she finally stammered out one line.

“He told me… to sleep soundly through the night.”

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