Chapter 22
At this moment, sounds of arguing came from outside the door.
When Luyao saw the plump maid guarding the entrance, she felt a little intimidated. After all, she had personally seen this plump maid beat Third Miss Gu with fierce momentum several times. One person could rival several strong men.
But she was worried her young lady was being bullied, so she still gathered her courage and said, “Master ordered me to come bring Miss back to the residence.”
Guanzi put her hands on her hips, lifted her head, and puffed out her chest. “Miss ordered me to guard the door. No one is allowed to disturb my Miss.”
A skinny maid, thin as a bamboo pole—Guanzi could block ten of her by herself.
When Luyao heard this, she became even more anxious. “Move aside. My Miss is the county magistrate’s daughter. You’re not allowed to bully her.”
She had waited in the hall for half an hour and still had not seen Qiu Jinning return. She was truly worried.
Although the Baiyue Dynasty allowed women to marry each other, there had been no betrothal and no marriage. Miss must not act foolishly. No, her Miss would never act foolishly. But Luyao was worried Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing would drag her Miss into messing around.
Seeing Luyao grow anxious, Guanzi casually picked up the small watering bucket used for flowers nearby. “Whoever our Miss wants to bully, she’ll bully. Don’t come over, or I’ll splash a bucket of water on your head.”
The skinny maid from the county magistrate’s residence could not easily be beaten, but splashing some cold water on her should be fine. In any case, without Miss’s order, no one should even think about crossing this door. Unless, like last time, this skinny maid could invite Master and County Magistrate Qiu over.
But Master was out of town, so he definitely could not fly back. Thinking this, Guanzi’s confidence grew another three points.
“You—you’re bullying people. I’m going to find Master.” Luyao instinctively wanted to go find County Magistrate Qiu, but after walking a few steps, she turned back around.
No, she couldn’t.
Last time, she had not known Miss’s feelings, so finding Master had been fine.
Now that she knew Miss and Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing were mutually affectionate, how could she go find Master? If Miss got angry, that would be a small matter. If Master noticed something, that would be a major problem.
Luyao remembered those scenes from the past few days, when Miss had waited behind the county yamen every time, and silently sat down on the stone steps beside Guanzi’s feet.
Guanzi was completely baffled by her behavior and backed away two steps in fright. “What are you doing? I didn’t touch you. Don’t even think about blaming me.”
Luyao rolled her eyes at the guarded plump maid. “Who cares about you? I’m waiting here for Miss.”
That’s right. She planned to guard the door together with the plump maid.
Inside the room, after hearing Qiu Jinning’s words, Qin Chu silently loosened her arms.
Qiu Jinning did not immediately retreat. She quietly leaned against her for a while before turning slightly aside.
The beauty’s belt was disheveled, her hair bun loosened, and black strands fell over her red ruqun. Not only did this not ruin her original beauty, it instead added a touch of charm.
Qin Chu could not help looking at her a little longer, forgetting to move her gaze away.
Qiu Jinning looked toward the tightly shut door. As if knowing that the person beside her was staring, she did not dare look back for a long time.
Her ears, which had originally returned to a cool white, quietly flushed again, the color slowly spreading to her cheeks.
“Qiu Jinning, are you feeling unwell again?”
Seeing that Qiu Jinning’s face had turned faintly scarlet again, Qin Chu’s heart tightened. Could it be that she had not fully sobered up? It was only one sip of beer. Was that love gu really so powerful?
Qiu Jinning’s fingers moved slightly, gripping her sleeve tightly. She said softly, “I am fine now.”
Although her words were directed at Qin Chu, her eyes were still fixed on the door, not daring to look over. She did not dare look at Qin Chu, afraid the shyness in her eyes would be seen clearly by the person beside her.
Thinking of that intense kiss just now, Qiu Jinning’s cheeks flushed completely, like the setting sun unwilling to sink westward, leaving behind a lingering red glow at the edge of the sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
The love gu seemed to be growing harder and harder to control. It seized her heartbeat and disturbed her reason.
Qin Chu did not quite believe her. If she was awake, why was her face still this red, looking exactly like that passionate state from earlier?
Perhaps her mind was clear, but her body had not fully recovered?
Thinking this, Qin Chu considerately grabbed Qiu Jinning’s hand and gently pulled her into her arms. “Let me hold you a little longer. Perhaps you’ll feel better. With me… you don’t have to endure.”
Her tone was gentle, her words ambiguous.
Qiu Jinning’s body stiffened for an instant. Her thick lashes trembled twice before she slowly closed her eyes.
She was somewhat tired, and the embrace behind her was too reassuring, making her heart ease.
Qin Chu patted her shoulder and silently tightened her arms. An almost imperceptible trace of indulgence passed through her eyes.
After resting with her eyes closed for a while, her heartbeat gradually calmed down. Qiu Jinning opened her eyes. “Qin Chu, what if we cannot find the aged strong liquor?”
Qin Chu was silent for a moment. “We will find it. We definitely will.”
Hearing this, Qiu Jinning sat away and looked at Qin Chu thoughtfully. “If we cannot find it, you and I will both marry one day. At that time, it will no longer be convenient to trouble you.”
Qin Chu smiled. “I won’t marry anyone. Besides, for a girl like me who kept a male concubine, who would dare marry me?”
Qiu Jinning froze for a moment and tightly pursed her lips. “I should return home. Thank you for today.”
For some unknown reason, her mood no longer felt eased. Only vexation remained.
“All right. I’ll send you.”
Qiu Jinning’s expression chilled slightly. She pushed the door open and immediately saw two pairs of eyes staring straight at her.
“Miss, are you all right? Let’s return home quickly.” Luyao hurriedly stood and supported Qiu Jinning’s arm. Then her hands became busy, tugging at Qiu Jinning’s dress and fixing her hair.
Boohoo. Miss looked exactly like she had been snatched away by mountain bandits to be their chief’s wife. Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing really had dragged Miss into messing around.
The little maid felt grief and indignation in her heart, but she did not dare show dissatisfaction toward Qin Chu beside her. She could only lower her head and tidy things up. Otherwise, if Miss went out looking like this, who knew what gossip would spread?
Qiu Jinning looked embarrassed for a moment. Her thoughts had been restless just now, and she had only wanted to leave quickly. She had actually forgotten to tidy herself, causing the little maid to overthink for nothing.
After the master and servant tidied up a little, they left the Qin residence.
Seeing that Qiu Jinning had already walked out of the courtyard while her own young lady was still looking toward the courtyard gate, Guanzi leaned over and asked, “Miss, what are you looking at?”
Qin Chu withdrew her gaze, though her mind was still occupied by that scarlet figure. “Looking at Qiu Jinning.”
Back in the room just now, it seemed she had said something wrong, causing Qiu Jinning’s expression to turn cold.
Qin Chu thought back on what she had said. Was it because she had mentioned keeping a male concubine? she wondered uncertainly.
Guanzi did not understand. “What’s so good about looking at Miss Qiu? Don’t we see her every day? We’ll see her again at the county school tomorrow.”
On the days Miss had not gone to the county school, she would report to the back gate of the county yamen every day at the hour of You. Wasn’t that just to see Qiu Jinning? How could she still not have seen enough?
Miss Qiu was strange too. If Miss wanted to look, she let her look. She even waited there on time every day, like a wife-stone waiting for her husband.
If Miss were not also a woman, Guanzi would have thought there was something between Qiu Jinning and Miss.
Qin Chu glanced at the little maid. “Who is ‘we’ with you? I’m the one looking.”
Guanzi froze. Looking at the obvious embarrassed irritation on Qin Chu’s face, inspiration suddenly flashed through her mind.
Perhaps there really was something between Miss and Miss Qiu. Who said there could not be something between two women? Eh?
The little maid recalled everything that had happened these days, and her eyes suddenly widened, as if she had seen through some astonishing truth.
Heavens. It couldn’t be what she was thinking between Miss and Miss Qiu, right…
Miss was too amazing. In the future, when facing the county magistrate’s daughter, could she lift her head and puff out her chest?
It seemed she still couldn’t. If that was really the case, then Qiu Jinning would also become her master.
Guanzi sighed. Being a maid was so hard.
The next day, Qin Chu was called to Class A. The students of Class A were all juren degree holders. Qin Chu was the only one from Class C, and a few xiucai from Class B also came.
Teacher Li cleared his throat and said, “This is the newly appointed academic official. His surname is Zhou…”
The academic official was a ninth-rank official and had always been responsible for teaching students who possessed scholarly status. The position of academic official in Jiuqu County had long been vacant. Who knew where this Zhou Er had come from? At such a young age, he had actually been appointed by County Magistrate Qiu as the county school’s academic official.
Qin Chu raised her head to look. At first glance, he seemed familiar. At second glance, she recognized him.
This person was the small wine merchant who had attended the Qin family’s banquet yesterday and tasted the wine. He was also the first person to test her with a question. He seemed to be called Zhou Er.
He looked around twenty-five or twenty-six. Today, he had changed into luxurious clothing, making him appear handsome and dignified.
After Teacher Li gave a simple introduction, Zhou Er smiled and took over. “This academic official has come to Jiuqu County by order of the Ministry of Revenue to study the table-style bookkeeping method. I hope everyone will take care of me.”
After saying this, he looked in Qin Chu’s direction and nodded in greeting.
Qin Chu originally had no scholarly status. Now that she had been granted the rank of xiucai, she happened to fall under the academic official’s jurisdiction.
Seeing Zhou Er openly nod to her, she froze for a moment before nodding slightly back.
For some reason, she had an extremely strong intuition that this person had come for her.
Sure enough, after Zhou Er said a few more words, he walked toward Qin Chu. “Miss Qin, we meet again.”
Qin Chu cupped her hands in greeting. “Academic Official Zhou.”
“Miss Qin, no need to be so polite. In the future, I will still have to consult you often, so I can report back to the Ministry of Revenue after returning.” Zhou Er raised the folding fan in his hand and shook it gently.
“Miss Qin, my Miss invites you to the teahouse for a conversation.” Luyao had received her young lady’s order and directly interrupted their conversation.
Qin Chu had been worrying that she had nothing to say, so she said apologetically, “I have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first.”
Zhou Er kept a smile on his face. “There will be plenty of time. Miss Qin, please go ahead.”
At the teahouse, seeing Qiu Jinning looking absent-minded, Qin Chu could not help asking with concern, “Miss Qiu, are you feeling unwell again?” Qiu Jinning usually sought her out because of the love gu, so Qin Chu asked this.
Qiu Jinning lowered her eyes. “I am somewhat uncomfortable.”
“Where are you uncomfortable? Is it because of the love gu?”
Qiu Jinning hesitated for a moment, then looked toward the window. “Yesterday, when I returned to the residence, I saw Academic Official Zhou. This morning, I saw him again.”
Qin Chu did not understand. “Is there something wrong with him?”
“Both times I saw him, I felt uneasy, as if the love gu were about to flare up.”
Comments 0
You must be logged in to comment.
No comments yet. Be the first!