Chapter 73: Climbing Through the Window

After driving for another dozen or so hours, they finally arrived in the capital of Shaanxi Province!

In both her past and present life, Jing Xi had never been to this city. The moment the car entered the city, she eagerly took in the view outside the window.

Although it was already dark and visibility wasn’t great—

Luckily, her eyesight was excellent!

A melody kept looping in her mind:
“Under the city walls of Xi’an, there are Xi’an people’s trains. Wherever Xi’an people go, they can’t do without Paomo.”

Alright.

She decided that her first meal here would be Paomo.

The car turned left and right multiple times before finally entering a quiet and secluded courtyard.

The entire alley had only this one large entrance, and Jing Xi was taken aback by the sheer size of the courtyard.

Just judging by the exterior renovations, it was clear that Long Yuezhi was incredibly wealthy.

Such tall walls, built so meticulously—the interior must be just as extravagant.

But why weren’t there any guards at the entrance?

As soon as the car came to a stop, a familiar figure appeared from inside the gate.

Yu Er!

Yu Er quickly put on a warm and goofy smile when he saw Jing Xi and walked over to open the car door for her.

“Miss Jing Xi, we meet again!”

Jing Xi smiled faintly and greeted him, “Brother Yu Er.”

After exchanging pleasantries with the other three men, Yu Er led Jing Xi inside the courtyard.

She didn’t know much about these traditional courtyard residences, but she could tell they passed through several courtyards, walking for quite some time before stopping at a smaller one.

Throughout the journey, she saw no one else—

Just her and Yu Er.

It was eerily quiet.

Yu Er asked, “Do you want to eat first, or rest for a bit?”

Jing Xi rubbed her stomach. “Eat. I’m starving.”

Before Yu Er could respond, she quickly added, “Brother Yu Er, I want to eat Paomo!”

A trace of surprise flashed across Yu Er’s face. “You know about our local delicacies?”

Jing Xi nodded. She had read about it in the newspapers.

Hearing this answer, Yu Er felt like he had heard something similar before. It seemed so familiar.

But he didn’t dwell on it and quickly went to the kitchen to arrange the meal.

Jing Xi sat down in the courtyard and noticed that this place seemed to be specifically for hosting guests. Small lights were hung around the corners of the walls, casting a warm golden glow that made the place feel cozy.

Before long, the steaming hot Paomo was ready. The fragrant aroma filled the air as the dishes were brought out.

Jing Xi’s stomach immediately growled—loudly enough for Yu Er to hear.

Sitting at the small round table in the courtyard, Jing Xi was served a bowl of deliciously fragrant lamb Paomo and a braised lamb shank on the side.

Her eyes sparkled with delight.

The Paomo had already been torn into tiny pieces and placed in a separate bowl.

The rich lamb broth was garnished with fresh cilantro and chopped scallions.

Jing Xi couldn’t resist any longer.

She poured the torn Paomo into the broth to soak and reached directly for the lamb shank with her hands.

Yu Er chuckled at her eager expression, unable to hold back his amusement.

He handed her a warm towel to wipe her hands.

Jing Xi wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. “After sitting in the car for so long, I need to eat something good to replenish my energy. Brother Yu Er, do you want some too?”

“I’ve already eaten. Go ahead. Your room is just behind here, make yourself comfortable. If you need anything, just call me—I’m staying in the courtyard next door. If you shout, I’ll hear you! Get a good rest tonight. Fourth Master will be back from the capital tomorrow and will meet with you then.”

Jing Xi nodded. “Got it.”

Now, hurry up and leave so I can enjoy my meal in peace.

Yu Er, being perceptive, left without lingering. Before leaving, he even thoughtfully closed the courtyard door.

She overheard Yu Er giving instructions to someone.

“Don’t disturb her. Let her eat in peace. Once she’s done, go in and check if she wants anything else.”

“Understood, Brother Er.”

Jing Xi found Yu Er to be quite considerate.

With such a large lamb shank, he was still worried she wouldn’t have enough to eat?

After eating to her heart’s content, she saw a young girl enter.

The girl seemed to be about the same age as Jing Xi and had delicate, pretty features.

“Miss Jing Xi, have you finished your meal? If you’re still hungry, there’s more in the kitchen.”

Jing Xi shook her head. “I’m full! Thank you!”

The young girl nodded. “Alright, then I’ll clean up. If you need anything, just call me. My name is Ah Xiu, and I live in the room just outside.”

“Got it.”

Ah Xiu quickly and efficiently cleared the table, quietly marveling at how much Jing Xi had eaten.

Such a petite girl, yet she had completely devoured a whole lamb shank—down to the last bite. Even the Paomo soup was finished without a single drop left.

Jing Xi entered her room and discovered that it was surprisingly modern in its design.

She had thought the room would be decorated like something out of a historical drama.

But to her surprise, there was even a private bathroom! She hadn’t expected that.

Then again, considering how luxurious Long Yue Zhi was, it made sense for his bedroom to have a bathroom.

Jing Xi had a good night’s sleep.

She could have slept even longer, but—

Before she even opened her eyes, she felt a tickling sensation on her face. Just as she was about to raise her hand to brush it away, she heard a voice laced with amusement right next to her ear.

“How can you sleep so much? And so deeply!”

Jing Xi shot up from the bed in an instant.

The first thing she saw was Long Yue Zhi’s impossibly handsome face.

His gaze was as soft as rippling water.

There was even a faint herbal scent lingering at the tip of his nose.

Was he still taking medicine?

What kind of illness did he have that required him to take medicine every day?

The way he looked at her—it really made people overthink things.

Not to be rude, but… were they even that close?

Could he not look at her like that?

“Are you a pervert or something? Don’t you know men and women should keep their distance? I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet! Who let you in?”

Long Yue Zhi stood up from the bedside. “That’s not my fault. I knocked on the door for ages, but you didn’t make a sound. Of course, I had to come in and check!”

Jing Xi glanced toward the window.

Sure enough, he had climbed in through the window.

She was sure she had locked the door.

“Just get out already. I need to get up.”

Long Yue Zhi nodded, amusement flickering in his eyes. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Then, he opened the locked door and left.

After freshening up, Jing Xi stepped out of the room and immediately saw Chen Gang and Chen Zhi standing in the courtyard, along with two other men. Long Yue Zhi was seated at the same spot where she had eaten the night before.

As she walked over, she suddenly felt a bit of pressure, but she straightened her back and lifted her chin.

“What do you need from me?”

Long Yue Zhi gestured for her to sit.

Today, his hair wasn’t tied up but casually draped over his shoulders.

It wasn’t too long, slightly wavy, and jet black. Combined with his androgynously striking face, it gave him a unique allure.

Jing Xi quickly looked away.

No more looking!

Too dangerous!

Long Yue Zhi poured tea, his voice lazy. “How did you end up in the Taihang Mountains?”

“……”

“Your shabby little house burned down to ruins. Aren’t you even a little worried?”

Jing Xi huffed. “Show some respect! What do you mean ‘shabby little house’? That was my home for five years! We had a deep emotional bond! Haven’t you ever heard the saying ‘There’s no place like home’?”

Long Yue Zhi chuckled. “Yet you slept so soundly in someone else’s luxurious house that I couldn’t even wake you up.”

“……”

“Alright, tell me. How exactly did you end up in the Taihang Mountains?”

Jing Xi thought for a moment. “I don’t know. When I woke up, I was already there.”

Four pairs of eyes turned to her in unison.

Long Yue Zhi let out two short laughs. “You’re not joking, are you?”

Jing Xi looked completely sincere. “I’m serious! When I woke up, I was already there. Then, I ran like crazy. On the way, I even ran into that murderer, the one named Meng Something!”

Long Yue Zhi put down his teacup. “So, what you’re saying is… from the moment your house caught fire until yesterday, you were asleep the entire time? You didn’t wake up once?”

Jing Xi suddenly understood why people say that when you tell one lie, you have to keep making up more to cover it.

She nodded. “Yes.”

The moment Long Yue Zhi heard this answer, his expression changed.

His smile grew even brighter.

He leaned in slightly, his cool fingertips gently gripping her chin.

“Then tell me, how do you know his last name is Meng?”