Chapter 63 Men and Women Are Different After All

Chapter 63: Men and Women Must Keep Their Distance

Xi Qianyue was somewhat surprised: "So that's actually your establishment. You and the manager really played your parts well. Since you're the boss..."

Qi Chengyun picked up the thread: "Since I'm the boss, from now on, it's all on the house."

Xi Qianyue burst out laughing: "I was just going to say 'that red envelope last time was a bit small,' but I didn't expect you, as the boss, to be so generous."

Yuan Lin was no longer surprised. His usually calm and indifferent master always seemed more witty and likely to crack jokes and laugh along when he was with Miss Xi.

"Master Qi, have you been to many places?"

"I've been to too many places to count. You could say I've been all over the country. Do you want to travel around too?"

Xi Qianyue shook her head: "Not really. I think it'd be too exhausting."

This answer took Qi Chengyun by surprise. He had assumed that a woman as outgoing and free-spirited as Miss Xi would surely enjoy traveling and exploring.

What he didn't know was that Xi Qianyue had been to so many places—by plane, by train, by ship... Compared to that, traveling a thousand miles by horse-drawn carriage was indeed quite exhausting.

Xi Qianyue also realized her slip and quickly tried to cover it up: "I do enjoy traveling, I just find it tiring. Besides, I've done my fair share of traveling too."

Qi Chengyun raised an eyebrow and started talking about the local customs and traditions of different places, only to find that Xi Qianyue could hold her own on every topic—she even knew about the local customs and food.

This surprised him again, and he couldn't help but say: "It seems Miss Xi is no ordinary sheltered lady."

Xi Qianyue quietly glanced at the maidservants' expressions and indeed saw confusion on their faces, likely because the original her had never traveled far.

She smiled again and said: "The ancients weren't lying—books hold golden treasures, and books can take you on journeys of ten thousand miles."

"So you're saying you got all that from books?"

Qi Chengyun was somewhat skeptical. From the way she spoke and described things, it all seemed like personal experience, not just something you'd learn from reading.

Xi Qianyue nodded slightly, and the maidservants' expressions went back to normal.

"Today, I'm treating you to a meal too." Qi Chengyun said with a bit of a brag. "This is my personal cook—I've specially arranged for you to try her cooking."

The cook stepped forward to greet Xi Qianyue.

Xi Qianyue was delighted: "Since you're the owner of a grand restaurant, you must have pretty high standards when it comes to food. Being able to taste your personal cook's dishes is such an honor."

The cook quickly prepared several signature dishes, and Xi Qianyue tasted each one—they were absolutely delicious.

"If only we had some wine. Such excellent dishes to go with wine, but without it, it's just not as fun."

When Qi Chengyun heard this, his eyes lit up, and he waved Yuan Lin over.

Yuan Lin reluctantly brought over a small pot of plum wine.

Xi Qianyue was even more delighted. This fruit wine was just right—not too strong. If it were too strong, she wouldn't be able to drink it.

However, even with plum wine, after two cups, Xi Qianyue was starting to feel a little tipsy.

She found it strange: "This fruit wine should have a lower alcohol content than beer. Why do I feel so lightheaded?"

"What is beer?"

"You don't even know what beer is? Beer is so delicious—when you pop open the cap, it just fizzes up! Unfortunately, it doesn't exist here! If it did, I'd make you a bomb drink—'bang!'—it explodes like a bomb. So satisfying..."

Xi Qianyue's voice gradually faded, and her cheeks were flushed.

The maidservants apologized and quickly helped Xi Qianyue out.

Qi Chengyun chuckled. This Miss Xi clearly couldn't hold her liquor at all, yet she talked about "bomb drinks."

That was a funny name, for sure.

Although Xi Qianyue had already been helped away, Qi Chengyun still slowly finished his meal, looked around her courtyard, and only then left.

Qing Rong was filled with worry: "What are we going to do? I feel that Sixth Young Master Qi and our mistress are getting too close... In this estate, won't rumors start spreading?"

Qing Bi insisted: "How could they? They've only shared two meals and chatted a bit. It's all perfectly innocent."

"What's the big deal? Our mistress is just here at the estate to relax and happened to run into an acquaintance..."

Han Mei's voice trailed off as she wasn't so sure herself.

Although it was indeed innocent—just two meals and some conversation—still, men and women shouldn't get too close.

Xi Qianyue, however, slept soundly. When she woke up, it was already dark, and the lamps had been lit.

She was stunned for a moment before she felt annoyed with herself. Just two small cups of fruit wine, and she had gotten drunk.

The original owner of this body must have had zero tolerance for alcohol, right?

Her actual body could handle two cans of beer without any problem!

Qi Chengyun walked slowly back to his own courtyard and saw Bai Zhining standing at the door watching him with a hopeful look. A flicker of disgust crossed his eyes, and he walked right past her.

Bai Zhining saw his face, which had been all smiles, suddenly cloud over like a layer of frost. Not knowing what she had done wrong, she started to panic.

As she was frantically guessing, a maid came over: "Miss, the master wants to see you."

Bai Zhining quickly composed herself. It was all just her overthinking—since the young master had purchased her, why would he... not do anything?

In the short walk of a few dozen steps to the master's room, Bai Zhining had already pictured herself in his bed.

She saw the young master with his hair loose, dressed in comfortable plain clothes, lounging on the couch. She couldn't help but blush.

She quickly curtsied, but he didn't tell her to rise. She stood there frozen until her legs went numb before she heard him say: "Rise."

Bai Zhining had just straightened up when she heard him say casually: "You deliberately went to Guangju Tower to find me. Did you know my identity? How did you find out?"

She panicked. Indeed, her bold move of showing up had been too conspicuous and aroused suspicion. But he was of noble status, and she couldn't run into him elsewhere. Having finally learned he was at that restaurant, she would rather risk suspicion than miss the opportunity.

"I didn't know your identity, young master... I had occasionally played the pipa at Guangju Tower before and had given some copper coins to a waiter. He mentioned that the person in that private room was a noble, and that if I went to play, I might receive more generous tips."

On the surface, this explanation seemed foolproof—she was merely seeking extra tips.

"You're lying. Because you weren't after tips—you wanted to get close to me, enter my household, and become my woman."

Qi Chengyun's tone was cold, his eyes slightly upturned, and amidst his indifferent expression, there was a hint of ambiguity.

Bai Zhining blushed and curtsied again: "The young master is like one from the heavens. I... this humble one was smitten after just one glance. If I could stay by your side, whether as a maid or a concubine, this humble one would be content."

"Are you familiar with Miss Xi?"

Bai Zhining was taken aback: "No, I'm not. That day at Guangju Tower was our first meeting."

Qi Chengyun smiled sardonically: "I think you're lying again. Since you're unwilling to tell the truth, so be it. But it's remarkable—after just one meeting, you've already caught the heart of someone's husband. I must say..."