Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The scholar who had given me the pouch wanted to give me a wooden hairpin as well. My intuition told me I shouldn’t accept it.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side and caught it.

It was Ye Qing.

“It’s only natural for classmates and friends to exchange gifts. Go ahead and take it, Xuesheng.”

Is that so?

Then I could put my mind at ease.

I reached out, pinched one end of the hairpin, and tried to pull it toward me.

Ye Qing didn’t let go.

I applied some force.

*Snap.*

The hairpin broke.

Uh…

The scholar’s eyes instantly welled up with moisture.

“Commandant Zhou, there is no need to humiliate this lowly student so. I am well aware of the vast difference between us, as far apart as the clouds and the mud. I have at least that much self-awareness. We shall not meet again.”

Me: “???”

The scholar carefully took the broken wooden hairpin back into his hands, tucked it into his robes with great care, and left.

I looked back at Ye Qing. “Why did his words sound so strange?”

Ye Qing looked down at me with cold eyes. “Commandant Zhou, read more books. It will help sharpen your wits.”

Me: “…”

We shared a carriage to Ye Manor, and I sat properly in the secondary seat.

The carriage swayed back and forth, and with the noisy chatter of people outside, I grew drowsy.

Something soft and cool brushed against my face.

Irritated, I grabbed it, only to hear a muffled grunt in my ear.

Opening my eyes, I saw a bundle of smooth, glossy black hair in my field of vision.

Looking further up, I saw Ye Qing’s expressionless face.

I rolled my eyes as I processed the situation, then silently let go of the hair in my hand.

I scrambled upright.

“My apologies, my apologies, Lord Ye. I was out of line.”

I had fallen asleep and ended up on his lap.

I didn’t know what Ye Qing was thinking, but he actually hadn’t shoved me off.

“Mm.”

A low, raspy sound vibrated in his throat.

I hurried to lift the curtain and get off the carriage.

The pitch-black sky made me freeze on the spot.

How long had I been asleep?

It was already dark!

The carriage had stopped at the Princess Manor!

“Um…” I scratched my chin awkwardly. “Why didn’t Lord Ye wake me?”

“I did,” Ye Qing said, sitting as still as a cold, heartless Buddha. “To no avail.”

Me: “…”

“Heh… Hehehe, then I shall take my leave. Until next time, Lord Ye!”

“Xuesheng.”

That one call made my scalp tingle.

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. “L-Lord Ye…”

Ye Qing handed over a lantern shaped like a crescent moon. “Here. A little trinket. Take it and play with it.”

I didn’t understand why he was suddenly giving me a festive lantern, but one should not refuse a gift from an elder. It couldn’t be wrong to accept it and say thanks.

“Thank you, Lord Ye. I’m off now.”

I jumped off the carriage and ran into the manor carrying the lantern. Xiao Hu asked where it came from.

I said Lord Ye gave it to me.

My mother remarked gloomily, “Today is the Shangsi Festival.”

“What kind of festival is that? I’ve never heard of it,” I said.

My mother shot me a sidelong glance. “You fool.”