After finishing Xie Yanzhou's business, Ruan Jiu returned to the mansion. The sky was already turning pale in the east.
She propped up her heavy eyelids and groped her way to the bed in the dark.
Closing her eyes, she fell asleep immediately.
In the following days, Ruan Jiu was extremely busy.
After all, she had just returned from the capital, and there were still many things to deal with.
On this day, as usual, Ruan Jiu got up very early.
The moment she remembered that she not only had to go to the silk shop but also had an appointment with Shen Yu to try new dishes at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, the smile on her face vanished instantly.
Now that Jiang Jibai was not around, all the affairs of the silk shop and the cloth - making workshop had fallen on her shoulders.
It was almost time for dinner when she finally managed to spare some time to go to the Drunken Immortal Restaurant.
Well, it was not so bad. After trying the dishes, she could go straight back to the mansion and try to go to bed earlier today.
Thinking of this, her exhausted body seemed to gain a bit of energy.
Just then, Shen Yu walked over with a smile, followed by a little girl with bright eyes and white teeth.
She looked about the same age as Ruan Jiu.
"You must be Sister Ruan. You're really beautiful," the little girl said, walking straight towards Ruan Jiu and taking her hand, looking completely innocent.
Facing this sudden intimacy, Ruan Jiu looked at Shen Yu awkwardly. "Who is this?"
"She's my younger sister, Shen Ruoxi. She just came from the capital," Shen Yu replied.
Then he said to Shen Ruoxi, "Xier, don't be rude."
Hearing this, Shen Ruoxi pouted and reluctantly let go of Ruan Jiu's hand.
After that, Shen Yu immediately asked someone to serve the prepared new dishes.
Just as Ruan Jiu took a bite, she heard Shen Ruoxi's coquettish voice.
"Ugh! What are these? They're so disgusting!" Shen Ruoxi frowned and spat out the food in her mouth.
Then she looked at Shen Yu and said, "Brother, do you usually eat this kind of stuff?"
Looking at Shen Ruoxi's disgusted expression, Ruan Jiu couldn't help but frown.
She thought to herself, could it be that bad?
Hearing this, Shen Yu also picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.
He said, "It's not bad."
Shen Ruoxi shook Shen Yu's arm, looking心疼. "Poor brother. The food in Qinzhou is simply inedible!"
This remark almost made Ruan Jiu choke.
"Xier!" Shen Yu frowned and scolded.
Ruan Jiu cleared her throat and quickly tried to smooth things over. "Maybe Miss Shen isn't used to the local food since she just arrived in Qinzhou."
Hearing this, Shen Ruoxi immediately complained. "Sister Ruan doesn't know. In our Shen family, this kind of food is only for the servants."
Ruan Jiu glanced at the sliced chicken and marinated duck on the table. These were famous dishes in Qinzhou.
Shen Ruoxi actually said that this kind of food was for the servants in their Shen Mansion.
Did they eat dragon meat or phoenix meat every day?
How could such a seemingly harmless little girl speak so rudely?
Thinking of this, Ruan Jiu's face darkened, and she said coldly, "If Miss Shen isn't used to the food here, she can just go back to the capital. There's no need to stay in this small Qinzhou and suffer."
Hearing this, Shen Ruoxi's mouth drooped, and her eyes were filled with tears.
She stared at Shen Yu with big, aggrieved eyes, as if the tears would fall with just a blink.
"Brother, does Sister Ruan not like me? Why does she want to drive me away?"
Hearing this, Ruan Jiu almost rolled her eyes to the sky.
She hadn't even said anything really harsh yet, and this girl was already on the verge of crying.
Shen Yu pursed his lips and still scolded, "Xier, it was your inappropriate words. Apologize to Miss Ruan quickly!"
Hearing Shen Yu's scolding, Shen Ruoxi felt even more aggrieved. "Brother, you're scolding me for this woman from a humble family!"
This was the first time Shen Yu had scolded her because of another woman.
"I'll say it one more time. Apologize!" Shen Yu's eyes darkened. He guessed that he had spoiled Shen Ruoxi too much, which was why she was so arrogant and willful.
"I won't!" Shen Ruoxi glared at Ruan Jiu resentfully.
Then she covered her face and ran away.
"I'm sorry. Xier has been spoiled," Shen Yu said awkwardly to Ruan Jiu.
Ruan Jiu nodded.
She accepted this apology.
However, she no longer had the mood to continue the meal.
So she made an excuse and left the Drunken Immortal Restaurant.
"You're back?"
As soon as Ruan Jiu entered the room, she heard a deep voice.
Looking closely, it was none other than Xie Jingchu.
"Were you waiting for me?" Ruan Jiu asked.
Xie Jingchu nodded and then patted the chair beside him, signaling Ruan Jiu to sit down.
"Recently, a group of people came to Qinzhou and have been inquiring about me everywhere," Xie Jingchu got straight to the point.
Seeing Xie Jingchu's solemn expression, Ruan Jiu felt a sense of unease. "What do they want with you?"
"First, they found Xie Jing and asked about my background," Xie Jingchu replied.
"What did he say?" Ruan Jiu was a bit worried. After all, Xie Jing was not very smart and never thought before speaking.
"Xie Jing was actually smart this time," Xie Jingchu said.
Hearing this, Ruan Jiu let out a sigh of relief. "Do you know who they are?"
Xie Jingchu shook his head. "But Xie Jing said that judging from their accents, they seemed to be from the capital."
Ruan Jiu bit her finger. Could it be because of their previous trip to the capital?
But why would people from the capital come to Qinzhou to inquire about Xie Jingchu's background?
Could it be that there was really a secret about Xie Jingchu's background?
Thinking of this, Ruan Jiu reached out and took Xie Jingchu's hand. Looking at him with worried eyes, she asked, "A Jing, what do you plan to do now?"
Xie Jingchu stared into the distance and thought for a while. Then he said, "Since we don't know what those people's intentions are, it's better to stay put for now to avoid arousing their suspicion."
Although he had long suspected his own background, he still had to be cautious when he didn't know whether they were friends or foes.
After all, if the old Master Xie had deliberately hidden his background, there must be a big secret behind it.
Ruan Jiu agreed with what Xie Jingchu said. She had the same thought as him.
Suddenly, she thought of something and immediately said, "What about Xie Xiu? What if those people go to Xie Xiu..."
Now that Xie Xiu had been driven out of the Xie Mansion, he was in a difficult situation.
If they tempted him with benefits, Xie Xiu might really say something.
Moreover, she always felt that Xie Xiu seemed to know something. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let Xie Jing say at the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet that Xie Jingchu was not a member of the Xie family.
That day in the main hall, Xie Xiu had also firmly said that Xie Jingchu was a bastard.
Xie Jingchu narrowed his eyes and said, "The secret guards reported that those people had already found Xie Xiu, but Xie Xiu insisted that I was his younger brother."
This really surprised Xie Jingchu.
However, it saved him a lot of trouble.
Ruan Jiu was also surprised. Had Xie Xiu finally had a conscience?
However, these were not the most important things now.
Ruan Jiu tightened her grip on Xie Jingchu's hand. "Do you want to find out about your background?"
Xie Jingchu said frankly, "Anyway, I have to know who I am."
Ruan Jiu pursed her lips and showed a bright smile to Xie Jingchu. "A Jing, I'll be with you no matter what you do."
All she could do was stand firmly by Xie Jingchu's side.
Seeing Ruan Jiu's smile, Xie Jingchu's heavy heart instantly lightened.
He hooked the corner of his mouth, his eyes deep. "Thank you, A Jiu."