Chapter 64 Don’t Waste Your Schemes

Chapter 64: Don't Waste Your Efforts

"I have to say, you've got some skill at seduction."

Bai Zhining said urgently, "Young master, that's not true! There are rumors that Young Master Yang only married Miss Xi for money and wasn't willing at heart. I had nothing to do with it. If it weren't me, if it were another woman, it might... might have been the same..."

Qi Chengyun felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of anger and waved her off. It seemed he wouldn't get anything useful out of her.

Bai Zhining was also somewhat baffled. She'd been called over just to be asked those two questions?

She steeled herself, poured a cup of tea, and walked over: "Young master, I noticed you've had some wine. It's not good for you. How about some tea to sober up?"

She moved with delicate, graceful steps. Meeting Qi Chengyun's teasing, half-smiling eyes, she lowered her head gently, revealing her fair neck.

Unexpectedly, Qi Chengyun said impatiently, "Get out."

Bai Zhining's eyes welled up with tears. She said, her voice full of grievance, "Young master, why..."

"Refer to yourself as a servant girl. Stop calling yourself 'your concubine' in front of me. Get out."

Qi Chengyun grew even more impatient and waved her off again.

Bai Zhining had no choice but to leave, feeling hurt and wronged.

Back in her room, the more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got. She couldn't figure out what she'd done wrong.

She managed to encourage herself again, telling herself this was only temporary. There was still plenty of time. As long as she stayed by the young master's side, she'd surely have her day.

The future thrill of being high and mighty, the joy of wealth and honor—that was what kept her going through this temporary humiliation.

Bai Zhining made nice with the other maids in the estate. She had over two hundred taels of silver, so she spent a good chunk of it on bribes.

When she learned that the young master rarely let any of them serve him up close, she relaxed.

In the middle of the night, Bai Zhining, sound asleep, suddenly heard the sounds of fighting. She jolted awake and hastily fumbled to get dressed.

She went to the window and peered out through a crack.

The courtyard was already brightly lit, with two groups of people fighting.

Qi Chengyun, wearing an outer robe, stood under the eaves watching.

"Even when I come to the estate to live a peaceful life, my dear third brother still won't leave me alone?" Qi Chengyun said loudly.

The masked men in black, locked in combat, stayed silent and fought cautiously.

Yuan Lin, sword at the ready, stood beside Qi Chengyun, poised to strike.

The leader of the black-clad men saw things going south and let out a sharp whistle, intending to call his men to retreat.

"Easy to get in, but not so easy to get out."

The shadow guards all rushed out at once, like dozens of large birds swooping into the center of the courtyard. In just a few breaths, they'd cut down all the intruders with their blades.

The black-clad men could never have imagined, even in their dying moments, that Qi Chengyun had hidden so many people in this country estate.

"All taken care of." Qi Chengyun turned to walk back to his room. "Is everything okay over there? Are Dark One and Dark Two still guarding that place?"

Yuan Lin said respectfully, "No word has come, so it must be fine."

Bai Zhining was a bit confused. Where was "over there"?

She hesitated, unsure whether she should go out and approach him now.

If she ran to him looking flustered and scared, would he show her a little pity?

She knew the opportunity was fleeting. Before she'd even thought it through, she'd already kicked off her shoes, thrown her outer robe over herself, and rushed out the door.

Qi Chengyun saw a delicate white figure rushing toward him. Yuan Lin didn't stop her, but Qi Chengyun instinctively stepped back two paces.

The figure stumbled and almost fell.

Bai Zhining bit her lower lip, looking like she might cry: "Young master, it's so scary. What... what's going on?"

Her skirt didn't fully cover her feet, revealing a glimpse of her fair toes. Her clothes were also a bit disheveled, showing a patch of snow-white skin.

Yuan Lin and the others quickly averted their eyes.

Qi Chengyun looked at her, puzzled: "Do you think this is going to seduce me?"

Bai Zhining was stunned. Could her pitiful act really not arouse this man's protective instincts?

For a moment, she didn't know what expression to put on.

But then Qi Chengyun sneered: "Don't waste your efforts. I'll say it again—I have zero interest in you."

"Then why... why did you buy me?" Bai Zhining was about to break down.

Qi Chengyun just smiled: "Weren't you willing to sell yourself? For a mere two hundred taels, I bought you."

With that, he went straight inside. Bai Zhining tried to follow but the guards blocked her.

Bai Zhining was filled with a sense of humiliation.

Right. How could anyone so easily climb up to a noble? In their eyes, she was nothing but a plaything.

After wallowing in self-pity for a while, she had no choice but to return to her room, feeling wronged. It took her a long time to fall back asleep.

When she woke up the next day, Bai Zhining was horrified to find that Qi Chengyun and his crew had already left.

She panicked, hastily packed a small bag, and wanted to head back to the capital too.

But the people at the estate stopped her: "Miss, the master ordered you to stay here and not cause him any trouble. If you don't listen, don't blame us for being rude."

Bai Zhining couldn't believe it: "The young master's gone. What reason do I have to stay here?"

The estate steward shook his head: "We wouldn't know about that. In any case, you can't leave. Just stay here. Whether you do any work or not doesn't matter, but you can't leave. That's the master's order. Don't even think about running away and getting us in trouble!"

Bai Zhining looked at the several people watching her warily and realized she couldn't escape. She had no choice but to go back to her room.

She was truly on the verge of breaking down, unable to understand what the hell was going on.

What she didn't know was that Qi Chengyun had seen Xi Qianyue head back to the city with her maids. Having rested for this period of time, he also felt it was no longer interesting to stay, so he headed back to the city too.

As for Bai Zhining, he just left her at the estate...

Regardless of what relationship she had with Xi Qianyue or what her mission was, he didn't want Bai Zhining showing up in the capital.

Xi Qianyue brought back lots of local specialties and also brought two clever maids picked from the estate, then headed back to the city.

She first returned to the Xi family residence, chatting with her mother, Zeng Shi, for a good while, then went to the neighboring courtyard to wait for Xun Geer to finish his lessons.

Qi Jing felt as though he hadn't seen Xi Qianyue in ages. Suddenly hearing her voice in the courtyard, he could barely contain himself, eager to get a look at her.

After class, he fought to calm the excitement bubbling inside him and walked into the courtyard as calmly as usual.

He saw Xun Geer throw himself into Xi Qianyue's arms.

Xi Qianyue affectionately tapped his nose, then scooped him up and swung on the swing with him.

When she saw Qi Jing, she gave him a bright, sunny smile.

"Mr. Qi, I just got back from the estate with some fresh local goods. Take some back with you."

She didn't talk the way most people would, like, "If you don't mind, take some back."

Instead, she said directly, "Take some back."

This made Qi Jing happy—only people who knew each other well talked like that.