Qi Qi crawled forward on her knees: “Miss, if you really can give me these things, not only would I be willing to work for you, I’d even be willing to give you ten years of my life.”

“I already think I’m living too long; what do I need your lifespan for?” Shi Buyu pulled her up. “Empty promises always make people suspicious. Later, I’ll have Young Master Yan, whom you trust, act as guarantor. We’ll sign a contract.”

Hearing this, Qi Qi felt more at ease. Right now, she indeed trusted Young Master Yan more. What the cousin lady said was too good; she wanted to believe, but couldn’t fully trust.

“Yan Ze.”

Yan Ze came in from outside: “Cousin lady.”

“Go to Qi Qi… what was your original given name? Since you’ve left that place, go back to using your original name.”

Qi Qi’s heart tightened, and after a moment of silence, she spoke the name no one had called her by for years: “My given name is Xue Ning, Ruan Xue Ning.”

“Arrange a place for Xue Ning to stay, closer to my courtyard.”

Yan Ze nodded and led Ruan Xue Ning away.

Only then did Wan Xia speak: “Miss, you want to use her?”

Shi Buyu sipped her sugar water slowly: “At twelve years old, she fell to that kind of place, yet in more than three years, she managed to keep her purity and even received Qimeng’s protection. That’s not something just intelligence can accomplish — her wits and means are no simple matter.”

“People like that are hard to trust.”

“Not necessarily.” Shi Buyu held the teacup with the last sip of sugar water. “From what Yan Shian investigated, all her schemes were used to protect herself, and she’s trying to find someone reliable to help her escape that place. So even though she knows Zhang Shijin has bad intentions, she has to hold tightly to this chance. She once lived a very happy life, and what she wants now is to return to that kind of life. As long as she’s sure only I can give her that life, she’ll be very useful.”

Wan Xia no longer questioned. The old master said the young lady was born with sharp eyes and a keen sense of loyalty and betrayal.

“Is the young lady going out today?”

“Of course!” Shi Buyu stood up and stretched lazily. “If I don’t go, Brother Qi will probably come looking for me.”

---

There are many bookstores large and small in the capital city, among which two are most famous: Yixing in the south city, and Lixian in the west city.

Standing outside Yixing Bookstore, Shi Buyu was a bit surprised. She thought Brother Qi was all talk in his letter, but the bookstore was actually quite large.

Inside, rows of neatly arranged bookshelves made her feel the bookstore’s grandeur even more directly.

Just as she was about to look for the shopkeeper, someone suddenly tapped the back of her head. Without thinking, Shi Buyu kicked backward, but the person behind deftly dodged as expected.

“Knowing you can’t hit me, yet you always try that move,” the voice behind her said, teasing.

Shi Buyu turned around, slightly raised her head to look at the tall man in scholar’s robe, and snorted softly: “Before calling me Brother Qi, you should see if you yourself always pat my head first.”

“I always hit you.”

“I never kicked you.”

“Hahaha, two years without seeing each other, our little Shi’er really hasn’t changed a bit.” The man smiled warmly and instinctively bent down slightly to let her look up. He enjoyed that feeling. In front of his little junior sister, he dared not look down on her — after all, she would really pull his hair to make him lower his head.

“Madam Wan, long time no see.”

Wan Xia bowed and smiled: “Greetings, Young Master Qi.”

The man waved his arm with a smug look and said to the little junior sister, “Brother Qi’s bookstore has every book you could think of. If there’s any book you want that I don’t have, I’ll give you the whole bookstore.”

“Then this bookstore is mine.”

“Oh?”

Shi Buyu casually pulled out a book and flipped through it: “I still have a book in my mind that I haven’t written down yet. Do you have it?”

The man laughed and patted her head: “Why didn’t you say you’ll have a kid in the future, just haven’t got pregnant yet?”

After another pat, Shi Buyu ignored it and grabbed his hair, pulling it back twice, then quickly added four more pats: “You never said it wasn’t allowed!”

“Okay, okay, the bookstore is yours, yours.” The man tried to rescue his hair, “Be gentle, brother Qi has been losing a lot of hair lately. If you keep pulling, there won’t be many left.”

Shi Buyu looked at the top of his head; it was indeed thinner than two years ago. She let go and said, “Brother Qi, your hair is in danger.”

“Schadenfreude.”

“Jun Yu, this is…”

Their playful laughing was interrupted. Cheng Junyu was not very pleased but since the speaker was an old friend, he didn’t want to be hostile. He said, “The child we watched grow up, I didn’t expect you to suddenly come to the capital. Tell everyone, I won’t attend the small banquet today.”

Shi Buyu didn’t bother to turn around and began flipping through a book. The man who wanted to see her could only leave.

Cheng Junyu knew the spoiled sons in the capital well. He left the bookstore with his little junior sister through the side door. He lived in an alley behind the bookstore.

Knowing the siblings had things to say, Wan Xia didn’t follow but stayed at the main entrance.

Cheng Junyu gave her a slight salute, ordered the servants to brew the junior sister’s favorite fruit tea, then sent the other servants away and said, “It’s been six or seven days since that day. If you don’t come again, I’ll really have to go find you.”

“It’s not good to go out lately.” Shi Buyu sat comfortably in the armchair and crossed her legs.

Among the senior brothers, Cheng Junyu spoiled her the most, especially since he returned to the capital. They rarely met; the last time was two years ago. He was delighted now — she could cross her legs or even stand on him for all he cared.

“Is your family all settled?”

“Yes. Fifth Brother told me the place is good.”

“To hide you, it has to be the safest place.” Cheng Junyu smiled but didn’t mention that the place Fifth Brother found was originally intended to report to the court.

Although Hutu Village wasn’t famous, that group of river bandits was notorious. Each carried multiple death warrants. The government had tried to crack down on them many times, but they were slippery as loaches and always escaped. Last year, Fifth Brother became governor of West Xi County, and Feng Xianhe, who frequently caused trouble, was under his jurisdiction. He worked hard to locate their hideout in the obscure Hutu Village.

What he didn’t say, Shi Buyu could guess most of it: “Fifth Brother will definitely make those bandits pay the price, Aunt.”

Wan Xia nodded and appeared at the door.

“Tomorrow, go to Hutu Village and dig up the buried gold, silver, and jewelry to send to Fifth Brother. With these as proof, Brother Qi can better set his trap.”

Wan Xia frowned. She didn’t want to leave Miss’s side but knew only she could do this.

Shi Buyu knew Aunt very well and quickly gave her a promise: “Today after I go back, I won’t go out again until you return.”

Only then did Wan Xia agree. The Yan family was like a fortress; as long as the young lady didn’t go out, there would be no safety problems.