Chapter 565: Chapter 554: Cui Yun, How Could You Believe That?
The moon shone brightly, and the sparse stars twinkled above the mansion, shrouded in the night.
In this weather, even breathing felt stiflingly hot at night. Shen Hua didn’t know when a fine layer of sweat had formed on her forehead.
Cui Yun continued to chuckle softly.
The young man leaned half against the couch in the distance, and Shen Hua could not see his outline clearly.
Even so, she could imagine Cui Yun’s expression at this moment.
Lax, careless.
And a few intriguing traces of playfulness.
Shen Hua let out an extremely soft whimper like a small animal from her throat. Without any response, she helplessly curled up her chubby hands.
It seemed she shouldn’t have come.
Just like what the teacher had muttered by her ear a few days ago.
——Life is but a journey against the current, and I am but a traveler.
Someone of Cui Yun’s status, even County Magistrate Liu would personally visit to invite him to dine at a restaurant. He really shouldn’t be here.
Shen Hua’s head drooped, her body enveloped in a light layer of sorrowful clouds, as she wandered outside in a daze.
She couldn’t hold a knife to Cui Yun’s neck to stop him from leaving. After all, he wasn’t her real brother. His appearance was abrupt, and his departure caught people off-guard.
Just like in the year she turned eight, it was only a fleeting moment.
She blinked.
"I have a bad memory. I’m not just scaring you."
"If you don’t come for a few years, I will surely forget you."
The laughter faded away.
Then, she heard footsteps from behind.
She turned her head to see Cui Yun draped in an outer garment.
With long legs, Cui Yun caught up to her quickly, holding a luminous glass lamp.
"I’ll escort you."
Shen Hua pouted and looked up, snorting: "I—"
"Speak properly."
Shen Hua choked, lips moving: "Do I even need to thank you?"
"Between you and me, there’s no need for thanks."
But Cui Yun did not take her back to Yunqi Pavilion.
Once outside the mansion, Shen Hua was shocked to be lifted onto a horse by him. He held Shen Hua with one hand and the reins with the other.
"Go!"
The horse’s hooves gradually picked up speed, and the hot wind blew on her face.
The luminous glass lamp Shen Hua held was quickly blown out by the wind.
The streets were deserted, and they seldom encountered any passersby, save for a few drunkards, swaying and talking nonsense at street corners.
"Where are you taking me?"
Cui Yun: "Guess?"
Shen Hua took a deep breath: "You want to take me to drink with prostitutes!"
She knew!
Males who didn’t return home at night were mostly those who stayed in the lanes of pleasure. She didn’t expect Cui Yun to be such a rake!
Shen Hua had never been to those low places.
"No way, I am a proper girl."
She feigned refusal a few times: "Don’t drag me into your dirty affairs! I won’t yield."
"Of course, if you really want to go, I can’t stop you; I’m just being forced by you."
Shen Hua found a comfortable position, peeked her head out to look around, suppressing the eagerness at the corner of her mouth: "How many prostitutes do you plan to ask to accompany our drink?"
Cui Yun listened calmly as she talked to herself. Only then did he ominously say: "Believe it or not, I could sell you?"
Shen Hua stiffened noticeably.
She caught the key point.
"I’m very expensive, the likes of ordinary people can’t afford me."
When they passed by Muchun Garden, a glint appeared in Shen Hua’s eyes.
"I was thinking, with the rapport between you and me, you ought to treat me to a play."
Cui Yun ignored her. Shen Hua had to take a step back.
"It’s okay if we don’t go, but can you sing a little tune for me?"
Cui Yun: "Behave."
"Then I’ll sing one for you."
He didn’t stop her this time, just raised his eyebrows. But left waiting and right waiting, the person in his arms remained quiet, two streets already passed by.
"Asleep?"
Answered with a disdainful remark: "Cui Yun, how dare you believe that?"
Shen Hua, full of confidence, declared: "He who is leaving, does not deserve it!"
————
In Fengzhou City, on Hewu Street, the cream-lamp pastry and bean paste puffs of this particular shop were quite famous.
Usually, as soon as daylight hit, there would be lots of people lined up outside to buy. The shop owner was stubborn, selling only two hundred servings each day. And the price kept climbing higher and higher.
Cui Yun helped her off the horse.
"You want to buy some pastries to eat on the road?"
Shen Hua shook off his hand, stamping her foot unhappily.
"Normally, when I want to eat something, the servants at home would buy it! And now you, you actually make me accompany you to wait here."
The shop was still closed!
She calculated—waiting would take a whole one and a half hours!
Cui Yun rubbed the reddened skin under her eyes with his fingertip and sighed helplessly: "I bought these to cheer you up."
Well, that’s more like it!!!
Shen Hua grudgingly agreed to stay, giving Cui Yun a chance to pay his respects to her.
Seeing her change her expression, turning more agreeable, Cui Yun stared at her fixedly for a long while, then let out a cold laugh.
Shen Hua frowned, deciding to persuade him with reason: "Isn’t buying pastries for me an honor for you? I advise you to straighten up your attitude."
Cui Yun ignored her, raising his hand to knock on the door.
But he couldn’t stop the whiny complaints coming from the person next to him.
"I know you’re desperate to please me."
"But, this shopkeeper is quite idiosyncratic, knocking on the door won’t get you any attention. You might even get scolded if you disturb him."
With a ’creak’, the door opened from the inside.
That rich aroma of milk quickly wafted out.
"Young Master Cui, please come inside."
Shen Hua: ...
Truly damned.
So impressive, being the son of the Marquis. Shen Hua had a particular disdain for those flaunting their family’s status.
She followed inside without hesitation and asked.
"Two hundred servings today as well?"
"Yes." The shopkeeper became quite amenable.
Shen Hua, commanding and regal, waved grandly, "Your Young Master Cui will take all of them!"
Utilizing Cui Yun’s reputable name was quite effective, and Shen Hua felt that before leaving, she had to fleece him one good time. She had not once mentioned going back home, and the young man rather indulgently allowed her to engage in some roguish deeds.
Shen Hua went next door to knock ’bang bang’ on the door.
"Who is it, who is it! Knocking one’s soul out!"
The shopkeeper opened the door cursing and swearing.
Shen Hua pointed delicately in Cui Yun’s direction, acting coquettishly, "I’m sorry for disturbing your rest, but I really couldn’t stop him. The Second Young Master from Marquis Yangling Mansion just wants to eat your roast chicken."
The shopkeeper paused for a moment, then quickly put on a smiling face.
"Not at all, not at all, Second Young Master, please come inside. I will personally go roast it for you."
In the end, the little girl contentedly sat on the Xiao Family’s rooftop, the left hand biting into a pastry, the right hand biting into a roast chicken.
"Brother Cui, I admit, I can’t bear to leave you."
Shen Hua paused and didn’t dare to lie: "...’s purse."
She subconsciously swung her legs and thought about getting closer to Cui Yun to sit.
The Xiao Family’s house hadn’t been repaired for a long time and was relatively old and dilapidated. Several tiles had fallen off.
Shen Hua was startled, and Cui Yun pulled her to himself.
With a ’clang’, it shattered the teacup inside the house. The noise woke up someone asleep.
Lights soon came on.
It was the sharp voice of a woman.
"I knew it, our house has fallen on bad times! You just wouldn’t believe it! That fortune-telling Taoist outside said that Sese’s birth date clashes with mine! Husband, marry her off early to get some dowry money saved for our son. Why haven’t you agreed to it yet?"
The woman’s complaining did not seem to subside at all. She didn’t care if it was overheard by others.
And while the light next door stayed on, Xiao Sesu had her period and was in so much pain she couldn’t sleep at all. After hearing that sentence, she silently blew out the lamp, and there was no more sound.
