Chapter 55 A Useless Husband

Chapter 55: The Incompetent Husband

Yang Xingxian froze for a moment at Bai Zhining's words.

He'd finally found a woman who caught his eye, but his wife was standing right there!

How was he supposed to win her over?

"And what might your name be, miss?" Yang Xingxian decided to first learn her name.

"My name is Bai Zhining." Bai Zhining lowered her head, and when she raised it again, tears glistened in her eyes. "Because my mother is gravely ill, I had no choice but to come out in public, hoping to earn some silver to pay for her treatment."

"I see. That's terrible. Please don't turn down this silver—take it and go treat your mother."

Yang Xingxian quickly offered ten taels of silver.

Ten taels was a lot of money—that should cover the treatment, right?

But Bai Zhining refused: "I can't accept something for nothing..."

"Didn't you just play a tune? It really moved me, as if I were there myself. That's worth ten taels easily."

Xi Qianyue raised an eyebrow and looked at Qi Chengyun: "Young master, it seems Miss Bai played that piece especially for you. Aren't you going to give her something?"

Qi Chengyun gestured to the scholar, who also handed ten taels of silver to Bai Zhining.

Bai Zhining accepted it this time, bowed slightly, and murmured her thanks.

"That's weird—why wouldn't you take Young Master Yang's silver?" Xi Qianyue asked.

"Please don't be upset, ma'am, because..." She seemed to have something she couldn't say.

Xi Qianyue went "Oh," suddenly realizing: "So you saw me here, were afraid I'd be upset, and so you turned down his money?"

Bai Zhining nodded, looking totally sincere: "Please don't be angry, ma'am. I'm not interested in Young Master Yang."

Xi Qianyue eyed her curiously, while Yang Xingxian immediately frowned, looking somewhat irritated.

It was all that witch's fault for being here, ruining his chance to win Miss Bai's favor.

Qi Chengyun said in a cold tone: "Young Master Yang seems pretty disappointed."

"Of course." Yang Xingxian didn't deny it.

He could tell Qi Chengyun was someone important, but so what?

Now that he'd finally met a woman who made his heart race, of course he had to find ways to show off his charm to win her over later.

Xi Qianyue, right in front of him, said to Qi Chengyun directly: "Young master..."

"My name is Qi, and I'm the sixth in my generation."

"Sixth Master Qi!"

Yang Xingxian's heart skipped a beat. The surname Qi? Could he be a prince of the imperial family?

Xi Qianyue acted like she didn't notice and continued smiling: "Sixth Master Qi, why not do a good deed all the way?"

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Of course—help this young lady. Her mother's sick, and she seems to need help."

Bai Zhining was secretly astonished that Xi Qianyue would give her an opening.

This gave her an opening when she'd been at a loss for words.

She knelt with a thud: "Young master, my mother is very sick, and I'm at my wit's end. All I have to offer are my looks and my skill with the pipa. If you can cure my mother, I'm willing... I'm willing to be your maid or concubine... to repay you with my body."

Xi Qianyue was so delighted she could barely hide it. Come on, make it happen! Once it does, I should be able to travel back to the modern world!

Qi Chengyun noticed the excitement dancing in Xi Qianyue's eyes and thought it was strange.

Could she care that much about her "incompetent husband"? Seeing him take an interest in this woman, was she eager to get rid of the rival?

And her way of doing that was... to send her to him?

That thought annoyed him!

His tone turned icy: "Miss Xi seems pretty eager for me to take her off your hands?"

Xi Qianyue quickly blinked to cover it up: "Not at all. It's just that this young lady has striking looks, and her pipa skills are really moving. I simply don't wish to see her end up on the streets."

"If that's the case, why don't you take her in yourself? I've heard that Miss Xi is never short on money. Buying a maidservant wouldn't cost much."

Yang Xingxian couldn't believe such good fortune had fallen into his lap!

He was extremely excited: "My dear wife, I think we should buy her. She could help me with my writing—and if you ever fancy hearing a pipa tune, it would be quite convenient too."

Bai Zhining looked alarmed: "No, no... I'm not that kind of girl. How could I simply sell myself?"

Xi Qianyue smiled again: "Miss Bai, are you saying you only wish to sell yourself to this Sixth Master Qi?"

Bai Zhining blushed and nodded.

Qi Chengyun saw Xi Qianyue's broad smile and found it irritating.

He sneered: "Sorry, but I'm not interested."

The excitement in both Bai Zhining's and Xi Qianyue's eyes dimmed. Qi Chengyun was baffled—did these two know each other? Were they plotting something?

Yang Xingxian pressed on: "Miss Bai, how much silver do you still need for your mother's treatment? We could call in the best doctors in the capital; I'm sure they could cure her."

Xi Qianyue's maidservants all frowned in unison. This Young Master Yang had no shame even in front of outsiders. What about the madam's dignity?

Qi Chengyun looked at Yang Xingxian with utter disdain.

He also couldn't figure out what Miss Xi was really up to.

Earlier, when he'd heard she drove Yang Xingxian away, he'd found it amusing.

She kept calling Yang Xingxian her "incompetent husband"—was that contempt or affection?

The scholar Yuan Lin found it strange that his master was in the mood to meddle in such affairs.

After all, his master always presented himself as refined and elegant. Why was he hanging around for such an odd couple and a strange singing girl?

Qi Chengyun saw Xi Qianyue frown and felt a twinge of reluctance.

Very well, one good deed for the day. She was just a singing girl—what harm would it do to take her in?

"You're willing to sell yourself into the household, so we can sign the servitude contract."

Bai Zhining was both pleased and worried—pleased to be able to enter the household smoothly, but worried that once the contract was signed, she'd lose a lot of freedom.

Yang Xingxian snapped, "I don't care what your status is, how can you demand that Miss Bai sign a servitude contract? And in what capacity would she sign it?"

He then pleaded with Bai Zhining, "Miss Bai, although you need to earn money, don't think of selling yourself... You have a remarkable skill with the pipa; you could play him a tune now and then and earn some silver that way. Besides, you can also come to my residence—I don't wish to buy you, but I'd be happy to listen to your music in my leisure hours... and I'll pay you as well."

His words really spoke to Bai Zhining, but having just offered herself as a maid or concubine, it was hard for her to now retract and say she didn't want to sign the contract.

Xi Qianyue declared loudly, "Sixth Young Master Qi, I see that this Miss Bai is willing to serve as a maid or concubine—why not take her in..."

Yang Xingxian glared fiercely and rebuked, "You vile woman, what's your game? She's an innocent, respectable girl, and you're encouraging someone to buy her."

"I think you've forgotten your place, shouting at whom here?" Xi Qianyue said coldly.