Chapter 57 Must Take care of yourself.

Chapter 57: Be Sure to Take Care of Yourself.

Upon hearing about returning to the capital, Zhong Yao’s mind went blank for a second. Her first reaction was that she’d be parting ways with Xie Chi, but then she realized that wasn’t the main point. She blurted out, “My second brother…”

Xie Chi said, “Your dad’s bringing your second brother and you back to the capital together.”

If Zhong Huaizhi comes, Xu Guozhu’s definitely coming too—that was precisely Xie Chi’s intention.

He hadn’t wanted them to know earlier because Xu Su and Zhong Shu’s whereabouts were just guesses, not yet confirmed, and he didn’t want Xu Guozhu to do something stupid and mess things up.

Now that the bandit suppression was imminent, by the time those two get word and show up, the two young masters will either be rescued or dead. If it was the former, Xie Chi didn’t want to babysit two deadweights; having the older folks hustle them back to the capital was best. If it was the latter… someone’d have to pick up the bodies anyway.

Xu Su’s been in trouble before, so Xu Guozhu would surely bring many servants when coming to fetch him. Heading back to the capital with them is the safest bet for the Zhong family.

This explanation was perfectly reasonable. Zhong Yao had come for her second brother, and after finding him, she should return to the capital. She couldn’t argue with that. After mulling it over for a bit, she asked, knowing the answer, “Heir Xie, you’re not coming back with us?”

“No,” Xie Chi said.

He used to hate all the drama in the capital and never liked sticking around long. Now, he wasn’t returning for two reasons. First, for Xue Fang—she showed up at the marquis’s place as an adopted daughter before, and to avoid getting recognized if she goes back… kids this age grow fast; in three months, they can shoot up, so staying outside longer was better.

Second, wiping out the bandits isn’t something you can do in a few days.

Beyond that, the area around Wuyin Mountain’s been so wrecked by bandits it’s like a wasteland. To keep it from becoming a bandit hangout again, Xie Chi has to help Wang Linyue get it back to how it used to be.

“How long will it take?” Zhong Yao asked again.

“Not sure… maybe half a year.”

Zhong Yao just went “oh,” turned, and leaned on the railing.

Xie Chi’s reasons made sense, and she couldn’t argue with them.

But a lot of things aren’t about what you should do versus what you can do. It’s like when she was a kid—she knew cold treats were bad for her, but she couldn’t help sneaking a bunch behind her parents’ backs.

Zhong Yao felt a little antsy. Staring at the pond shimmering in the moonlight and the plump carp leaping within, she let out a long sigh after a bit and said, “Heir Xie, I think I’m kinda gonna miss you.”

Xie Chi’s heart jumped. He turned to look at Zhong Yao’s smooth face in profile and suddenly remembered he hadn’t tried to seduce her in a while.

This was a good opportunity.

But stripping would make him look crazy, and aside from that, he had no clue how to seduce someone.

Xie Chi looked down, thinking for a second. Recite poetry?

Nah, too cheesy.

Say “I’ll miss you too”?

…He couldn’t say it.

And what if, after hearing that, Zhong Yao threw a fit and insisted on staying? What then?

Xie Chi figured he’d probably end up hitting Zhong Yao.

He’d love the chance to teach her a lesson, but he didn’t want her to stay—especially after seeing her come back from the mountains the other day, all dirty and wiped out, barely able to keep her eyes open…

A dusty, droopy little sparrow might be cute, but better to have her clean, bright, and full of life.

Seduction, being ungentlemanly, was way too hard for Xie Chi. He couldn’t think of a better idea, furrowed his brow for a moment, and decided to stick with his original method.

He loosened his collar with a stretch.

—More subtle than stripping, and enough to catch Zhong Yao’s eye. Surely it couldn’t go wrong?

As he hesitated, he heard Zhong Yao say sadly, “A few months ago, when my eldest and second brothers got into trouble, my parents wanted to send me away. I was so sad to leave the little dogs at home. But after just a few days, I got scared of dogs. Heir Xie, when you return to the capital, maybe I’ll start being afraid of you too.”

“…” Xie Chi’s heart stopped dead. His face went dark as he said, “…If you can’t speak properly, just shut up.”

Zhong Yao laughed, resting her chin on her arms folded over the railing and turning her face—at that moment, the moonlight seemed to transform into a thin, silvery veil draping over her shoulders and back—as she looked at Xie Chi and said, “That was already pretty nice. I was going to say I missed my eldest and second brothers, and within a few months, something happened to them. I’m afraid to use you as a comparison…”

Her voice dropped a little, and she said softly, “…it’s unlucky…”

Xie Chi: “So comparing me to a dog is lucky?”

Zhong Yao giggled. As she laughed, her eyes widened, and her gaze fixed on Xie Chi’s collar.

Just as Xie Chi was wondering if his new seduction plan was working, he heard her exclaim, “They say the soil shapes the people. It really seems true. How long have you been here, and you’ve already turned so uncivilized, Heir Xie? You can’t even dress properly. When you return to the capital in a few months, I’m afraid people will say you’re indecent…”

Hearing this, Xie Chi found it almost expected?

What a blockhead.

Xie Chi began to wonder if he really liked Zhong Yao at all.

Maybe he was just genuinely constrained by male nature and heavy moral obligations?

He really needed some time apart to cool down.

Xie Chi calmly accepted Zhong Yao’s indifference to his charms and her provocative remarks. He neither grabbed her by the neck to pinch her face nor scolded her, which made Zhong Yao uneasy.

She glanced at Xie Chi, seeing him lazily leaning against the railing, his foot—the one she had pushed down earlier—back up on the seat, very unrefined.

And even after being called barbaric and crude, he didn’t bother fixing his collar, letting the thin summer clothes hang loosely, revealing glimpses of his solid chest.

Truly unrefined.

Zhong Yao felt a strong urge to sketch this scene and circulate it among the noble ladies and maidens in the capital, letting them all see what Heir Xie was like in private.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t skilled in painting. Even if she could draw it, no one would believe her; they’d probably say she was maliciously slandering Xie Chi.

This version of Xie Chi was very unrefined, but also languid and carefree. Perhaps it was the night or the rundown setting, but it made him seem more unrestrained and willful than usual, inexplicably reminding Zhong Yao of the stories she’d heard about Xie Chi’s youthful travels abroad.

She wondered what he had been like in his youth.

Zhong Yao stole several more glances at Xie Chi, and he caught her, lazily looking back.

Suddenly feeling guilty, Zhong Yao tried to cover it up by asking, “Why aren’t you scolding me anymore?”

“Can’t be bothered with you,” Xie Chi said.

A block of wood—scolding her would only give him a heart attack.

Xie Chi didn’t want to talk.

This rundown government office was utterly useless; a few days ago, the roof even leaked when it rained, but the moonlight here was no less beautiful than anywhere else in the world.

Just quietly watching the moon like this wasn't so bad.

Xie Chi pushed aside his messy thoughts and casually said, "Go get me a pot... make me some tea."

"Shouldn't we be drinking at a time like this?" Zhong Yao stopped resting her head on her arms and propped her elbows on the railing, cupping her cheeks with both hands, swaying gently as she stared at the jade-like full moon. "Back home, my second brother used to act all cool under the moonlight, and he always drank then."

Xie Chi: "..."

Ugh, annoying.

He definitely didn't really like Zhong Yao.

And the reason he'd switched from wine to tea was to keep the moonlight from messing with his head and making him screw up—couldn't Zhong Yao get that?

She wasn't just a blockhead; she was a whole person made of wood.

"Go get it now!" Xie Chi's tone grew sharper.

"You're the heir of a marquis's household, so technically I should do what you say, but I don't feel like moving." Zhong Yao's voice was soft and gentle, speaking pleasantly. "Heir Xie, why don't you just get it yourself?"

"Heir Xie"? Really?

Did she have any respect left for his authority as the marquis's heir?

Xie Chi watched Zhong Yao's obedient profile, her face cupped in her hands as she stared at the moonlit night sky, and felt like reminding her that the only thing they might rescue was Zhong Shu's corpse, to wipe that peaceful look off her face and make her cry.

But Xie Chi couldn't be bothered to talk.

He also couldn't be bothered.

Fine, no tea, no wine, whatever. The moonlight was beautiful enough; it didn't need any boring extras.

He stopped messing with Zhong Yao, but she came to poke at him again, her voice soft and quiet: "So if I tell you to get it yourself, you don't want tea? Heir Xie, you're so lazy, huh?"

Xie Chi closed his eyes, let the cool breeze wash over him, and said, "Shut up."

Zhong Yao was quiet for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "Wait, Heir Xie, Dou Wu said they split into two camps, east and west. If my second brother and Xu Su are being held separately, how can General Qin identify them both at the same time?"

Xie Chi pretended to be asleep and said nothing.

Zhong Yao kept muttering to herself, "If he can't identify them at the same time, what if my second brother or Xu Su gets hurt by accident?"

She turned to Xie Chi and said, "Since my dad hasn't arrived yet, Heir Xie, why don't I go into the mountains with you? I promise I won't be any trouble."

It really would be better to bring Zhong Yao along, but Xie Chi didn't want her to end up dirty and exhausted again, needing three days to recover.

Besides, this time there'd be bloodshed, and maybe even vicious dogs attacking people... She'd better stay out of it if she could.

Xie Chi kept pretending to be asleep.

"Heir Xie?" Zhong Yao called out. "Master Xie?"

After a pause, she whispered mischievously, "Heir Xie, someone's here to ruin your virtue again!"

Xie Chi: "..."

Was she being an idiot?

No matter how she called, there was no response. Zhong Yao muttered quietly, "When a man wants to avoid a problem, he acts dead. My mom was right about that."

"..."

She was chatty, and after that mutter, she sighed again, "I wonder which one of them—my second brother or Xu Su—actually got married and had a kid... If it's really my second brother, my dad will be terrified..."

Saying this with a heavy heart, Zhong Yao started praying to the moon, earnestly hoping that the one with that embarrassing problem was her own second brother.

Eventually, her voice faded out, and Xie Chi opened his eyes to find Zhong Yao sitting sideways with her knees bent, her head on the railing, already asleep.

"Zhong Yao?" he called.

No response. Xie Chi tried again, "Chatty little woman from the Zhong house?"

Zhong Yao stirred slightly, but only because a night breeze swept through.

Since this place was near the mountains, the summer night wind was a bit chilly.

Zhong Yao curled up, and Xie Chi, now sure she was truly asleep, moved to her other side. He pulled her into his arms, but as he was about to lift her, he noticed several red marks on her face.

He tilted her head toward the bright moonlight for a closer look, then grabbed her hand to compare—confirming the marks were from sleeping with her hand under her cheek—and let out a helpless sigh. "So silly," he muttered disdainfully.

After saying that, he gently brushed his fingertip over one of the red marks on her face.

He paused, staring at her sleeping face for a moment, then leaned in and caught the scent of her freshly bathed skin.

Xie Chi stopped, noticing again the thin nightgown peeking out from under her outer clothes.

His head throbbed a little. Rubbing his forehead, he began to wonder if Zhong Yao thought of him as some kind of pure-minded ascetic... His father had indeed taken monastic vows, but he certainly hadn't.

If he'd known this would happen, he should have shown a bit of lust back when they were stranded in the wilderness together.

Regret was useless. Xie Chi could only force out every wicked thought from his mind and resignedly pick up this wooden-headed girl, carrying her back to her room and handing her over to Shu Feng.

After that, he returned to his own room, sat by the window with a brush, finished writing the letter, and ordered it to be sent swiftly to Xujiang, to be delivered personally into Zhong Huaizhi's hands.

—Xie Chi had lied to Zhong Yao. He'd told her the letter had already been sent, but in truth, he hadn't even started writing it when he said that.

He'd done this just to prevent Zhong Yao from refusing.

But Zhong Yao was more rational than he'd expected—rational and ruthless, without insisting on staying with him.

After that day, Xie Chi got busy again. Two days of work later, it was time to head into the mountains.

Before he left, Zhong Yao caught him and brought up the same question he'd pretended to sleep through back at the pavilion.

This time, Xie Chi couldn't avoid it. He put on a stern expression and said gravely, "Are you questioning me, or questioning General Qin?"

She didn't dare question either. Staring at him, she complained resentfully, "I hate it most when men put on airs."

Xie Chi pretended not to hear and said, "I'm not leaving you idle in the city."

His expression was serious as his gaze swept over Zhong Yao, Shu Feng, and the Deputy General staying behind. "Though the city was sealed early, the bandits must have sensed something by now, given the lack of news from Dou Wu and the city. They're cunning, and they might try to send people to sneak in. The three of you—one familiar with the bandits' methods, one who's taken over the city from the prefect, and one battle-hardened deputy general—can surely defend the city well, can't you?"

Shu Feng and the Deputy General answered in unison, "Yes!"

This was the first time Zhong Yao had been entrusted with such a serious task. She froze, a step behind the other two, and feeling awkward due to her inexperience, she only murmured a quiet "Yes."

Xie Chi glanced at her and added, "I'll do my best to rescue them quickly and send them straight to the government office. Zhong Yao, you have one more task: if Xu Guozhu and your father arrive before I bring the people out, you must keep an eye on them and not let either of them come into the mountains to cause trouble."

That was what he said, but based on Xie Chi's estimate, those two wouldn't arrive that early.

He said this just so Zhong Yao could stay without feeling guilty.

"Me?" Zhong Yao was surprised, hesitated, and then asked, "If Xu Guozhu doesn't listen to me, can I use your name, Heir Xie, to throw my weight around?"

"As long as you don't say I eat people, do whatever you want."

Zhong Yao bit back a smile, then added, "There's one more thing..."

She hemmed and hawed, like there was something tough she wanted to say but didn't dare.

Xie Chi scowled and snapped, "Out with it!"

"I want..." Zhong Yao said, "If it really turns out my second brother married that bandit woman and got her pregnant, Heir Xie... can you bring her back with you?"

This was the first time she'd faced this possibility head-on, and after careful thought, she made her decision.

It was hard before she said it, but once the words were out, it got easier.

Zhong Yao said firmly, "I want to first understand the whole story. If it turns out she really is a bad person, then we can deal with her."

If it had been Zhong Shu who had a kid with that woman, Xie Chi's original plan was to just kill the bandit woman outright.

Someone had to be the bad guy, right?

Hearing that, he asked, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Zhong Yao said. "I've thought about it a lot. Look, that bandit den is no kind of place—full of poisonous insects and miasma. What woman would willingly hole up there forever? So I think she might've been forced. If I can, I want to pull her out of that mess..."

She just kept rambling on.

Xie Chi cut her off, "Got it. Shut up."

Zhong Yao shut her mouth, but held up one finger, her big, shiny black eyes blinking at Xie Chi all pitiful-like.

Normally, she wouldn't act like this... She would usually just blurt out everything she wanted to say, regardless of whether Xie Chi wanted to hear it.

But now, with people around, she was saving face for him.

Xie Chi had no choice but to relent, "Last thing, speak."

Zhong Yao smiled, then said seriously, "Last thing, Heir Xie, please take care of yourself. Be very careful."

This was the first time he heard such pleasant words from her. He paused, reached out, and gently pushed her forehead, saying, "Got it. And you, Zhong Yao, please take good care of yourself too."

With that, he gave her one last look and turned to leave.