Chapter Fifty-Four: Is This Perverse?

Update time: June 23, 2013

Yaoyao had barely set her foot down before she spun around, hopping and skipping back, grabbing Qiao Zhi’s hand without a care and pulling him outside. “You know where it is—hurry, take me, take me!” All she left the onlookers was her retreating back.

Among the crowd, those with sharp minds slowly digested the key words from the recent conversation: the Hidden Sect, the Prince, three years ago, and the “Yue’er” mentioned by both. Only the madam, clutching a silver ingot and looking as if she were about to cry, waved her handkerchief to disperse the gawking crowd.

With Qiao Zhi leading the way, Yaoyao soon arrived at the gate of the Yue family’s residence in the alley. She looked up at the signboard, then at the entrance to the alley, muttering in displeasure, “Who could ever find this place?”

Qiao Zhi hadn’t wanted to go in at all. Lian Yue’s earlier words still weighed heavily on his mind—he didn’t want to tempt fate now. But when he looked down at his wrist, red from Yaoyao’s grip and his arm already numb, he could only grit his teeth and follow her through the door.

The pitiful Prince Carefree had instinctively tried to shake off Yaoyao’s hand, but she misunderstood, thinking he didn’t want to help her find Sister Yue. To ensure her way, she somehow produced a silver needle in her other hand and swiftly stuck it into Qiao Zhi’s arm. Now, Qiao Zhi truly didn’t have the strength to resist.

The gatekeeper naturally recognized Qiao Zhi and didn’t block their way. Some quick-witted servant had already dashed off to report.

Yaoyao asked one of them where Lian Yue lived, but once inside the courtyard, she realized she had no idea which way to go. She grabbed another passing maid at random and had her lead the way, jogging toward Clear Ripple Garden.

Inside Clear Ripple Garden, after mentally marking another score against Qiao Zhi, Lian Yue’s anger gradually subsided. She vented even more about Qin Che and the coy Li Jingru to Lan Shui.

Several times, Lan Shui seemed ready to leave in a huff, but was held back each time by Lian Yue’s pointed, “You still care about him?” Her face was clouded with anger. Yue Lingjun tried to change the subject several times, but with no success.

Lian Yue did this deliberately. She wanted to see just how deeply her Sister Lan cared, how much she couldn’t let go of that heartless man. Although that man was her own cousin, if she had to choose between Lan Shui and Qin Che, Lian Yue would choose Lan Shui without hesitation.

Judging by today, since Lan Shui hadn’t immediately lost her temper when Qin Che was mentioned, she was already much improved from before. And when Lian Yue talked about her brother beating up her cousin, she even glanced several times at his bruised, swollen hand. Her brother’s lips were still curled in satisfaction—clearly in a good mood.

So when Lan Shui suggested meeting Qin Che alone, Lian Yue didn’t object, nor did she let her brother interfere. With this headache resolved, the three began to discuss their next plans.

Thus, when Yaoyao burst into the courtyard, she spotted them at once and shouted excitedly, “Sister Yue! Sister Lan! Brother Jun!”

The three turned at the sound and saw a petite youth in blue pulling a stunningly handsome man with his left hand and a blushing maid with his right. He gazed at them with sparkling, delighted eyes.

Lian Yue asked uncertainly, “Are you Yaoyao?”

Yaoyao nodded vigorously, her voice trembling with grievance, “Yes, it’s me! I’ve searched so bitterly for you!” With that, she flung aside the hands she was holding and began to sob uncontrollably.

Lian Yue instantly leapt up, rushed over, and tugged hard at Yaoyao’s cheeks before finally believing her. Then, jumping back, she craned her neck to make sure no one else had followed before exclaiming in alarm, “What are you doing here? How did Second Brother even allow you?”

Yaoyao bristled, hands on her hips, not bothering to wipe her tears as she began to scold, “Why can’t I be here? Who told me Senior Brother didn’t like me? Who told me there were more handsome men outside? Who got me punished and confined? It was you, Sister Yue! But that’s nothing. What really matters is that this time, you wouldn’t even plead for me, wouldn’t help me escape my misery. I finally managed to run away—do you know how hard it was to slip out from under Senior Brother Chuchen’s watch?”

“Not easy! Truly not easy!” Lian Yue quickly chimed in, seeing Yaoyao’s fury.

Yaoyao continued, “And that’s not even the worst of it. The worst part is that after I chased all the way here, lost my horse, had my purse stolen, and was almost sold to a brothel, you’re still not welcoming me!”

Lian Yue was stunned. Lost her purse, the brothel—was all this what Yaoyao had really been through? How eventful! Yet she was also puzzled—had Yaoyao truly managed to slip past Second Brother’s surveillance? That didn’t seem possible.

Yaoyao had hoped Lian Yue would comfort her and apologize solemnly, but apart from shock in her eyes, Lian Yue said nothing. Yaoyao, who hadn’t felt all that wronged before, now felt utterly miserable, tears streaming down.

“Ahem…” Lian Yue, after some analysis, was about to explain when she saw Yaoyao already sobbing her heart out. Knowing Yaoyao well, she realized this was not the right moment to comfort her, so she changed the subject. “Yaoyao… didn’t you notice you were being followed along the way?”

“Followed? No!” Yaoyao’s tears only paused for a moment. “Sister Yue, you don’t care about me at all!”

“Then did you notice anything strange? For instance, no matter how late you arrived at an inn, the innkeeper always had one last good room left for you?”

Yaoyao’s tears slowed. She thought for a moment, then nodded.

“And even if you were short on money, the innkeeper would offer you a discount. Every meal, whether you ordered or not, your favorite dishes would appear. If you asked, the waiter would say the kitchen had extras that day…”

No doubt about it, Yaoyao nodded again, curiosity piqued. “Sister Yue, how did you know? Have you been following me?”

You were looking for me—how could I be following you? Goodness… it was so obviously Second Brother’s doing, but only you wouldn’t suspect him. If Yaoyao had gotten this far, it meant Second Brother had given tacit consent. Who knows what she did to make him relent.

While Yaoyao waited for an answer, Lian Yue pulled a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to her. “Actually, Yaoyao, you’re not pitiable at all. I believe that when you lost your horse, someone must have appeared just when you needed it, or you found a stray horse. If you lost your purse, someone must have returned it, or even if not, you still had money to spend. As for the person who tried to sell you to the brothel, I doubt they’re alive now.”

Lan Shui and Yue Lingjun both nodded in agreement. Qiao Zhi, though not sure why, caught the meaning in Lian Yue’s words—it was clear someone was secretly looking after Yaoyao.

Only Yaoyao’s face changed dramatically as she asked in horror, “Sister Yue, do you mean I’ve run into some legendary pervert?” She shivered, shrinking behind Lian Yue, eyes darting nervously around. “Where? Where is he?”

If it were possible to be so speechless as to cough up blood, everyone in the courtyard would have done so on the spot. If Meng Chuchen himself had been present, he would probably have fainted from rage. Lian Yue, intent on teasing Yaoyao, lowered her voice in mock seriousness, “He’s right beside you—from the moment you entered Phoenix Ridge, he’s been watching!”

Yaoyao, already trembling, instantly froze, her eyes vacant.

“Haha…hahaha…” Lian Yue, watching her dumbstruck expression, burst out laughing. The sunset gilded her face with a golden sheen, the flush on her cheeks making her radiantly beautiful.

The maid whom Yaoyao had dragged along gazed on, feeling abashed. Qiao Zhi, meanwhile, looked on with an enigmatic glow in his lovely eyes.

Lian Yue laughed until she was breathless. “Yaoyao, if you ever… ever let Second Brother know you described him like that, your fate… it would be terrible! Haha… you called Second Brother a pervert… haha…”

Yaoyao might be innocent, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d failed to notice before only because she’d been so tense running away and busy tracking down Lian Yue and the others. Now that Lian Yue had spelled things out, if she still didn’t get it, she might as well bang her head on a wall.

And at this point, Yaoyao really did feel like doing just that. Her heart was full of vexation but tinged with sweetness. Seeing Lian Yue still laughing so hard, she blushed furiously and scolded, “Sister Yue!”

Lian Yue felt that if she laughed any longer, she’d get a cramp. She took a deep breath and finally reined it in, only then noticing Qiao Zhi still standing nearby. The unpleasant memories from earlier in the street surged back. Though she knew she’d been a bit harsh, she was unwilling to back down and bluntly said, “What are you doing here? You’re not welcome!”

Only now did Yaoyao notice poor Qiao Zhi, who’d been left out. With a cry, she hurried over, and with a quick flick of her hand, pressed a silver needle into his arm twice before withdrawing.

As the needle left, Qiao Zhi felt strength returning to his arm. He flexed it and said, “You should ask Yaoyao that.”

Yaoyao didn’t wait for Lian Yue to ask and spilled the whole story herself. Lian Yue finally realized that the person who’d almost sold Yaoyao to the brothel was none other than Yaoyao herself, so her life was surely not at risk—though the brothel’s people might not be so lucky.

Lian Yue’s expression softened a little as she looked at Qiao Zhi, still standing there. “I suggest you go warn your beloved at once—she’d best leave that brothel quickly. If you wait, who knows what will happen?”

“Why?” Qiao Zhi realized the question was unnecessary as soon as he asked. If Qing Ruo was still there, she had to be warned. He wasted no more words, simply took his leave and departed.