The orange sunlight of dusk fell on Ximen Ye's delicate face, clearly witnessing the transition from his lively expression to a drooping countenance.
"Where is she?" he asked.
Zhu Yan and Tao Su looked at each other, puzzled. Who was he talking about? Weren't they people too?
"Master, *hiccup*—" Zhu Yan rubbed his round belly and generously offered the last half bowl of milk tea.
Ximen Ye glanced down at the outstretched hand, a mocking smile on his lips. "Get lost!" He certainly wouldn't drink Zhu Yan's leftovers!
Seeing his fierce demeanor, Tao Su pouted, took the milk tea, and drank it in one gulp. After finishing, she deliberately praised, "It's really delicious. Our County Lady is truly skilled and thoughtful."
"...This was made by my cousin?"
After Tao Su nodded, Ximen Ye looked at the empty bowl with displeasure, then at the two gluttons beside him. He snorted coldly and stormed off.
Back in his room, he poked the little parrot and complained in a low voice, "Bad woman."
Not only was she avoiding him, but she didn't even send a smarter maid... He didn't even get to taste the soup she made herself.
The parrot, a gift from the Misty Rain Pavilion, was quite intelligent and quick to mimic: "Bad woman."
Hearing it repeat, Ximen Ye's lips pressed into a thin line. He swiftly plucked out one of its feathers: "How dare you." ...He wouldn't allow anyone to insult her.
"How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!" the parrot squawked, angry and indignant.
Ximen Ye simply pinched its beak shut.
He raised his eyes to look out the window, only to see Tao Su and Zhu Yan huddled together whispering, their faces adorned with radiant smiles. The looks they exchanged were sickeningly sweet.
The locust tree in the courtyard swayed in the wind, a newly grown tender leaf fluttering down, landing quietly on the ground, silently waiting to be swept away tomorrow.
Just like his feelings, coming uninvited and falling unnoticed.
From beginning to end, his cousin had never truly cared for him.
Ximen Ye's expression turned cold, and he resolved to forget her.
...But after just a cup of tea, he thought of her again.
Days flew by amidst his fluctuating emotions.
When the tuberculosis medicine from the Misty Rain Pavilion sold out across the regions, he took a stack of bank notes and brazenly went to find her.
Behind him, Zhu Yan said with a conflicted expression, "Master, didn't you say you would never bother with Miss Cousin again?"
"You heard wrong."
"You also said if you ever bothered her again, you'd be a dog."
"Woof... Shut up!"
Having been by his side for many years, Zhu Yan knew his temper and wasn't intimidated. He continued, "Master, you also said Miss Cousin had no taste, and you wouldn't play with a blind person..."
Ximen Ye halted his steps, his cold gaze drifting towards him: "I also said your monthly salary would be halved this month!"
"No!" Zhu Yan wailed.
"Then go distract her hidden guards."
"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
A cup of tea later, Ximen Ye knocked on the door of Qi Huan's room.
The "36 Strategies of Pursuing Love" said to be polite, so this time he knocked on the door instead of climbing through the window.
Qi Huan opened the door, saw it was him, and immediately tried to close it, but he quickly grabbed the edge.
"Ximen Ye, behave yourself."
"Why aren't you calling me cousin anymore?"
Ximen Ye's eyes gleamed with mischief as he pulled out the bank notes to cover his face.
The "36 Strategies of Pursuing Love" also said to cater to one's interests.
Compared to handsome men, his little cousin seemed to prefer bank notes.
However, Qi Huan still showed no favor: "If you don't leave, I'll call for help."
"Don't misunderstand, I have legitimate business with you." Ximen Ye retreated strategically, waving the bank notes. "I'm here to give you your share of the tuberculosis medicine sales, and to discuss another matter."
Qi Huan's expression softened slightly. So this was money from selling medicine, of course she wanted it!
She took it without hesitation and asked, "What matter? You can say it here."
"I still had some masks left that you gave me before. I had people sell them in the black market to wealthy merchants with tuberculosis in their families, and made a fortune. I wanted to ask if you have any more?"
"We'll split the profits 50-50."
Qi Huan thought for a moment: "70-30!"
"60-40."
Selling these novel items could easily attract unwanted attention. It took quite a bit of effort to shake off the little tails each time.
Ximen Ye believed he was worth the "40".
"Don't you think four is unlucky? Why don't we stick with 70-30?" Qi Huan suggested kindly.
"It's fine. I'll take 40, you take 60. Double sixes for good fortune, as long as you're lucky."
After being cornered, a sudden inspiration flashed in Qi Huan's mind: "Can't we sell other curious items in the black market too?"
Ximen Ye nodded, a glint of cunning in his eyes: "Why don't I take you to see for yourself?"
Qi Huan: She wanted to see, but not with him.
Instantly seeing through her thoughts, Ximen Ye emphasized again:
"From now on, let's just get along as cousins and work together to make money."
"Love and romance are all illusory, only real gold and silver are my true love."
"Besides, without me, you can't even enter the black market."
...
After he finished rambling, Qi Huan looked into his eyes searchingly, only to see that his gaze was clear, without a hint of amorous intent, fixed straight on the bank notes in her hand.
As if he had truly moved on.
Ximen Ye extended his hand naturally and said, "Let's go, I'll take you there."
Qi Huan shook her head: "No need."
Ximen Ye's hand froze in mid-air, but he quickly understood that she just didn't want any physical contact with him.
"I'm not trying to take advantage of you. It's past curfew now, how will you go if I don't carry you?"
"That's why I choose not to go."
"..."
In the end, Ximen Ye compromised: "I have a secret passage."
Walking in the pitch-black tunnel, he deliberately didn't bring a torch, hoping his cousin would get scared and hold onto him.
...Qi Huan silently took out a night pearl to light the way.
Ximen Ye stared at the night pearl in astonishment, as if trying to burn a hole through it with his gaze.
After walking for a while, Qi Huan stumbled, nearly falling.
The ground was uneven and bumpy. Poor quality!
A-Shu was still superior, even digging tunnels better than others!
Ximen Ye, however, saw this as an opportunity. He reached out his hand again, suggesting, "The path is uneven, let me hold your hand as we walk."
The next moment, he was even more surprised to find that Qi Huan had somehow "found" a walking stick.
Ximen Ye: ...
He gave up his antics and just walked properly.
At the same time, Qi Huan complained to her system: "Why are they all so fond of digging tunnels? Are they rats?"
"Won't they accidentally connect to someone else's tunnel?"
"The whole capital will eventually collapse because of them!"
The system replied gloomily: "Doesn't Li Shuchen seem to dig the most?"
"...A-Shu just wants to loosen the soil for the earth, digging a few ventilation channels."
"Host ·World-renowned double standard· "
Qi Huan was speechless.
She indeed had 108 layers of rose-tinted glasses when it came to A-Shu.
Noticing her prolonged silence, the chatterbox Ximen Ye finally couldn't resist and began to tell her about his tragic childhood.
The "36 Strategies of Pursuing Love" said that appropriately playing the victim to gain sympathy was effective. When she feels sorry for you, you're not far from success!
After listening, Qi Huan's gaze towards him held a hint of sympathy.
But... it was only sympathy, without pity.
Ximen Ye suppressed the disappointment in his heart. After they got out, he first helped her disguise herself before leading her into the bustling, brightly lit ghost market.
Everything could be found here. Even the poison that Gu Ziling had sold before was available here.
Qi Huan followed the flow of people, accompanying Ximen Ye into the auction hall.
Ximen Ye showed a peculiar wooden token, and servants wearing ghost masks led them to a second-floor private room.
"Whatever you want, I'll buy it for you."
Ximen Ye sat lazily in a purple sandalwood pear blossom chair, hands behind his head, long legs naturally crossed. His gaze swept over the stage below, then inevitably drifted back to the woman beside him.
He had always been tight-fisted, like a pixiu, only taking in and never giving out. But when it came to her, he always wanted to spend money on her.
Yet she didn't care for it at all.
Qi Huan focused intently on the auction stage, unexpectedly catching sight of a familiar bottle of mineral water.
It seemed to be part of the relief supplies she had left along the way during the drought in Yunzhou.
The auctioneer, wearing gloves, displayed the bottle of water and spoke with rising and falling tones: "This is no ordinary bottle of water."
"This is the legacy left behind in the mortal world by the celestial maiden Little Seven! Last year, Yunzhou suffered a severe drought, and countless people starved to death. Many disaster victims, in their moment of desperation, found some water and steamed buns, which saved their lives."
"A kind gentleman left this bottle of water and entrusted our hall to auction it off."
"Drinking this bottle of celestial water will surely bring abundant blessings and good fortune!"
People of this era were very superstitious, and they had heard some rumors about the Yunzhou goddess.
Soon, the auctioneer gave the starting price: "One hundred taels."
In the crowd, someone snorted disdainfully: "It's not like it's nectar of the gods. How could it be worth a hundred taels? I'd like to see which fools would buy it?"
...In the future, they would specifically target these gullible rich people to swindle.
The Li Kingdom practiced divine right of kings, so naturally, they had to establish the authority of the gods.
Therefore, there were always people who believed in celestial beings, revered them, and longed to have some connection with them.
"One hundred and one taels."
"One hundred and one taels and one mace."
"One hundred and one taels, one mace, and one copper coin."
...
While the crowd was enthusiastically bidding downstairs, Ximen Ye's pupils constricted slightly.
Suddenly, he remembered the legend of Li Shuchen encountering the goddess in a dream who gave him guidance. Looking at Qi Huan's calm expression, he suddenly had a bold guess.
