Chapter 40

Qiu Jinning looked at the puffed-up little maid and smiled helplessly. “Do not act recklessly. Return to the residence—no, let us go to the winery to have a look.”

She thought of Commandery Princess Anguo’s kindness. Perhaps she should ask that person whether this favor should be returned, and how.

Although this matter was not urgent, and did not have to be settled today, things were better done early than late.

The sky was gradually growing dark, but pedestrians still came and went along Zhuque Street, which remained lively as ever.

The winery was on the other end of Hou-Song Street, facing the Shuntian yamen. Compared to the bustle of neighboring Zhuque Street, it seemed rather quiet.

The carriage slowly stopped. Qiu Jinning looked up and saw the large characters on the winery signboard: Bailu Winery.

It used the same name as the winery in Jiuqu County.

She looked around in front of the winery, then walked forward together with Luyao.

The two gatekeepers did not recognize them. They bent slightly and greeted, “Miss, our winery has already closed and is not receiving guests. If you wish to order wine, you can go to the Qin family wine shop on Zhuque Street.”

Qiu Jinning stopped. “Please inform your owner that I am here to find her.”

The gatekeeper frowned and looked at Qiu Jinning by the light of the lantern. Why would this little beauty not listen to advice? The owner had instructed that the winery would not receive outside guests, and unrelated people were not allowed inside.

So he refused again. “Sorry, our owner instructed that she would not receive guests today. If you truly have business, why not go wait at the owner’s residence?”

Whether she could enter the Qin residence would depend on this little beauty’s ability. They were only responsible for guarding the winery gates. The rest had nothing to do with them.

Seeing the gatekeeper block them again and again, Qiu Jinning hesitated for a moment, then turned to leave.

The winery was an important place for brewing wine. People could not enter casually. It was right to be cautious.

Luyao immediately became anxious. She stomped her foot unauthorized copy several times and said to the gatekeeper, “Go inform her. Just say Miss Qiu has come. Your owner will definitely let us in.”

As she spoke, she glanced at Qiu Jinning, then leaned closer to the gatekeeper and lowered her voice. “My Miss has a very close relationship with your owner. Hurry and go. Be careful, or if you delay matters, your wages will be docked.”

Hearing this, the gatekeeper struggled for a moment, then turned and entered the winery.

Before long, Guanzi returned together with the gatekeeper.

The moment she saw Luyao, Guanzi shouted, “Skinny maid, why are you here? Where is Miss Qiu?”

Qiu Jinning calmly answered, “I have some matters to discuss with Miss Qin. Is she free now?”

“She’s free, she’s free. Miss Qiu, please come in.” Guanzi hurriedly invited them inside, thinking that Miss had been burrowed inside the wine cellar for an entire day. Finally, someone who could make Miss move had arrived.

She was so hungry and sleepy. She wanted to return to the residence, eat, and sleep a big sleep. Unfortunately, Miss was pushing herself to brew wine, and the focused way she was working made people too afraid to disturb her.

Aside from bringing food inside, Guanzi had guarded outside the wine cellar the whole day.

Fortunately, Miss Qiu had come. As long as Miss Qiu said one word, Miss would definitely obediently go back.

Thinking this, Guanzi’s face filled with joy, and her steps became even lighter.

After leading Qiu Jinning into the wine cellar, she stopped and at the same time blocked Luyao, who wanted to follow in. “The masters are talking. Don’t go in. You really have no eye for the situation.”

Luyao frowned and did not continue following. Only after watching her young lady enter the wine cellar did she roll her eyes hard. “You’re the one with no eye for the situation. Neither master nor servant gives anyone peace. It’s so late, yet they still don’t know to go back.”

Making her young lady suffer from longing.

Guanzi tugged at her sleeve. “Hey, what are you muttering about? It’s so late, but haven’t you also not returned to the residence?”

“Isn’t that because—”

“Because what?”

Luyao rolled her eyes again in annoyance. “I’m too lazy to talk to you.” But was it really fine for Miss to go in like that? Couldn’t she no longer even smell alcohol now?

The two little maids bickered outside, while the wine cellar was unusually quiet.

Qin Chu was lowering her head and stirring the wine starter. After finishing this step, next came fermentation, and only after that would be distillation. There definitely was not enough time to finish it all today.

The wine cellar was stuffier than outside, and she had been busy the whole time. Hearing footsteps behind her, she thought it was Guanzi, so without even turning her head, she instructed, “Wipe my sweat.”

She planned to first make a few jars of liquor to test. The amount was not large, and the time needed was short. One person could handle it just fine.

A handkerchief gently wiped her forehead. Qin Chu abruptly turned her head.

The little maid’s movements were always rough…

Qiu Jinning held the handkerchief. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, and her smiling eyes looked at Qin Chu.

For one instant, Qin Chu thought she was hallucinating. After reacting, her heart startled, and she hurriedly said, “What are you doing here? Hurry and get out.” Because she was worried, her tone was somewhat urgent.

The wine cellar was filled with the scent of alcohol. Could this person casually come in?

Qiu Jinning’s smile paused. She pressed her lips together, turned, and walked out.

Quietly, just as when she had come.

Qin Chu released a breath, stirred for a while longer, and seeing that it was about done, finally cleaned up and walked out.

Outside the wine cellar, Qiu Jinning’s expression was cold as she stood still. Just now, when she smelled the alcohol, the love gu had grown restless. Before she could recover, Qin Chu’s emotionless rebuke had been like good medicine. Her heart could no longer sense any stirring.

Only bitterness remained. Only sour pain remained, like needles pricking her again and again, a dense and endless pain.

Luyao carefully studied her young lady’s expression and grew even angrier.

Why did Miss look worse after seeing her? Her eyes were full of disappointment. Could Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing even do it or not?

So when Qin Chu walked out of the wine cellar, Luyao blocked her path and glared at her.

The other three immediately froze. Before they could react, the little maid spat a mouthful of empty air toward Qin Chu and flung her face aside heavily.

Guanzi: !!!

Qin Chu: “…”

Qiu Jinning pressed her lips together and said nothing.

“Skinny maid, who are you acting tough with? Don’t think that just because Miss Qiu is here, I won’t dare hit you.” Guanzi pretended to roll up her sleeves, but the corners of her eyes somewhat guiltily glanced toward Qiu Jinning.

With Miss Qiu here, she really did not dare act. But threatening a few words was still allowed. No [stolen content]one could bully her Miss. Not even the skinny maid.

Luyao refused to be outdone. “Try hitting me. I think you’re the one asking for a beating. Your nose doesn’t look like a nose and your eyes don’t look like eyes. The masters haven’t even spoken, yet you’re showing off.” As she spoke, she could not help glancing at her own young lady. With Miss here, the plump maid definitely would not dare act.

Thinking this, Luyao immediately raised her head high, her eyes full of disdain.

She was a qualified head maid. Since she had said she would help Miss vent her anger, she would definitely do it. In a while, she would spit again to feel properly satisfied.

Guanzi was furious. She looked at Qiu Jinning’s faint expression, then at Qin Chu, who had not yet recovered, and the whole pile of sharp words she wanted to throw back became blocked at her mouth.

Too infuriating. The skinny maid was borrowing the tiger’s might like a fox. One day, when Miss Qiu was not here, she would definitely teach the skinny maid a proper lesson.

Seeing that Guanzi really did not dare act, Luyao raised her brows and was about to help her young lady vent more anger when Qiu Jinning stopped her.

“Luyao, do not be rude.”

“Miss, they are bullying people, boohoo.” Luyao looked at her young lady’s cold expression, feeling both heartache and grievance, and could not help pouting.

Why was Miss stopping her? She had not even done much yet. She had not even dared to curse a few times.

Guanzi immediately hugged her arms and took a big step back. “I didn’t bully her. I haven’t even acted yet.”

Why was the skinny maid falsely accusing her? Crying and sobbing as if Guanzi had already beaten her up.

Looking at Qiu Jinning’s cold expression, Qin Chu rubbed her brow. “Everyone calm down for a moment. Let’s return to the residence first.”

The four of them immediately fell silent and walked out of the winery together.

Guanzi helped Qin Chu into the carriage and was just about to climb up when someone suddenly yanked her hard from behind, nearly making her fall backward.

She gritted her teeth. “Skinny maid, are you really asking for a beating?” Did the skinny maid think she was a sick cat just because the tiger did not show its might?

Luyao rolled her eyes. “Move aside. My Miss wants to sit in this carriage.”

She took matters into her own hands and pulled Qiu Jinning over. Qiu Jinning’s expression was faint, but she did not refuse the little maid’s actions and silently let Luyao help her up.

The two masters sat in one carriage, while the little maids sat in another.

The difference was that in the carriage behind them, the little maids’ bickering never stopped, while the carriage in front was silent.

Qin Chu thought of the scene last night when she had been refused, and her heart felt somewhat heavy.

She sighed lightly in her heart and pulled at the corners of her mouth. “Miss Qiu came to find me for something?”

“Can I not come find you if there is nothing?”

Qin Chu’s smile stiffened. With those words, she did not know how to respond.

So she dryly laughed twice and had nothing more to say.

Seeing her remain silent, Qiu Jinning lowered her lashes and turned her head away, staring at her own skirt.

Qin Chu also stared at her own clothes. Only the corner of her eye could not help secretly observing the person beside her.

Qiu Jinning wore a plain white dress today, making her whole person seem somewhat elegant. Cold and elegant.

Her expressionless face carried a trace of indifference. Her eyes were lowered slightly, and her lashes blinked softly. Before long, they seemed to be touched by dew, wetting the corners of her eyes.

Qin Chu’s heart froze, thinking she had seen wrong.

She raised her eyes to look at the person before her and blinked hard.

She had not seen wrong!

“Qiu Jinning, you—” Why are you crying?

The person before her suddenly raised her eyes to look over. Her eyes were misted over, their rims red, tears about to fall but not yet fallen. She looked pitiful and delicate.

Qiu Jinning pressed the corners of her lips tightly together and just looked at Qin Chu without speaking.

“You… who bullied you?”

Qiu Jinning held her lips tightly, still saying nothing, but teardrops rolled down her cheeks like broken strings of pearls.

Silent, yet like peals of thunder, one after another, striking Qin Chu’s heart.

She raised her hand, wanting to wipe Qiu Jinning’s tears, but hesitated and stopped midair, at a complete loss.

“Qiu Jinning…” Qin Chu hesitated for a moment, shifted closer, and wrapped an arm around Qiu Jinning’s shoulders, holding her sideways in her arms.

They had only not seen each other for one day. What exactly had happened?

The person in her arms leaned against her shoulder. Even her crying was restrained. There were only suppressed sobs and her body trembling from time to time.

Qin Chu was somewhat bewildered, yet her heart ached terribly. “Don’t cry. Be good, don’t cry. What exactly happened? Tell me, all right?”

The person in her arms trembled lightly, then whimpered out, “You were fierce to me…”

Qiu Jinning did not know what was wrong with herself either. Qin Chu had only spoken fiercely to her once, so why could she not stop feeling wronged, could not stop feeling sour-hearted?

Perhaps it was because she had thought of her all day and looked forward to seeing her all day. Borrowing that unimportant excuse, she had finally found the person, only to receive one sentence: “What are you doing here? Hurry and get out.”

Qin Chu froze, somewhat unable to react.

But the person in her arms seemed to have found an opening for the grievances filling her stomach, and she continued accusing her pitifully.

“You did not return to the residence today, and you did not [read the original at bailiantales.com]go back to eat, and you were not at the wine pavilion…”

The voice carrying a sob was low, like the buzzing of a fly.

Qin Chu only felt an indescribably subtle feeling rush into her mind. She held Qiu Jinning’s face, wanting to speak but stopping.

“Let go of me.” Qiu Jinning turned her face away, her tone awkward.