Lu Yan also noticed that Si Jin seemed unhappy and was in a bad mood. Before this, Lu Yan only knew this guy as a little cutie, but now when he looked at Si Jin again, his feelings toward him were more nuanced, because he was now a famous grand master.
Lu Yan coughed lightly, put on a calm pretense, and left the side hall.
Steward Zhang, who was at the door, and the little maid who was serving them also quickly left.
When only Qi Qingyao and Si Jin were left in the side hall, Si Jin pouted and complained in dissatisfaction. “He kissed you, yet you still won’t let me kill him.”
Qi Qingyao looked at the kid’s angry appearance and shrugged. She said with a look of indifference, “It was just a touch of the lips, yet you’re calling that a kiss. What an innocent child.”
She approached instinctively, wanting to pat Si Jin’s head.
However, Si Jin turned his head slightly and dodged it.
Si Jin’s eyes were a little red, and his expression was solemn. “I’m not a kid anymore, I’m all grown up! I- I-I-I-I’m eighteen!”
Qi Qingyao’s hand landed on air. She glanced at her hand and calmly withdrew it. She casually sat back in her seat. “Since you’re all grown up, you have to think about the problem thoroughly.”
Si Jin noticed that Qi Qingyao seemed a little angry about not being able to pat his head.
He did not dare to put up a front anymore.
He approached her and squeezed into her seat abruptly. Fortunately, both of them were skinny.
The armchair was big enough, and he managed to squeeze in.
“I’ll listen to Sister.” Si Jin pouted his lips in a grievance, then pulled Qi Qingyao’s hands up, and asked a little broodingly and seriously, “Sister, do you really not think that you have suffered a loss?”
“Was this suffering a loss?” Qi Qingyao patted the back of Si Jin’s hand and glanced sideways at him leisurely. “In the eyes of outsiders, the State Preceptor hounded a little maid. Everyone will think there’s something wrong with the State Preceptor’s taste! Don’t you think that’s funnier than whether I suffered a loss or not?”
Si Jin, “…”
That did seem kind of like the case.
…
…
In a certain courtyard.
It was quiet in the dead of the night.
In the study, Li Ruoxuan read the documents handed over to him from the Capital City and gave his advice. Zhu Shen called for someone to quickly send them back to the Capital City.
Li Ruoxuan finished some miscellaneous tasks and sat at the desk. He looked at the candle’s flame, silent and with a profound expression on his face.
Zhu Shen could not fathom his Excellency’s thoughts.
After thinking for a while, however, he felt that as his Excellency’s closest attendant, he had to offer some constructive remarks.
Thus, he took the initiative and said, “Your Excellency, why did you treat that little maid like that today…”
After a pause, Zhu Shen’s tone was very cautious as he tentatively asked, “Would you like me to go to Huayue Building and call for a beautiful lady to keep you company?”
After saying that, Zhu Shen did not even dare to take a breath.
He was afraid that he was trying to curry favor the wrong way.
Li Ruoxuan’s brows did not even move. He sat there as motionless as a statue.
His eyes were still watching the candle’s flame calmly.
He said in a voice that was soft and slow, “That maid was Qi Qingyao in a disguise.”
Zhu Shen was rendered shocked and was rendered stunned in place in an instant. He could only choke out a sentence after being stunned for a long while. “Your Excellency likes Qi Qingyao?” Why else would he have hugged and kissed the disguised Qi Qingyao?!
Li Ruoxuan cast a sidelong glance at Zhu Shen, “You’re so shallow.”
This word made Zhu Shen immediately aware of something. He reacted to it, saying, “Your Excellency has set your eyes on the young grand master behind Qi Qingyao.”
