Chapter 42

“Sister Yao Xing, can you help me move this?”

Ami pointed at the huge sack in the courtyard and asked the girl who had just gotten up not long ago. His slightly dark little face was flushed, though it was unclear if it was from the sun.

Shen Yao Xing paused in the middle of stretching and nodded, responding, “Sure.”

Having stayed here for two days, whenever she had free time, she would help the old woman and the child with farm work. She was strong, able to move heavy objects effortlessly, and felt a strange sense of fulfillment. If she wasn’t in a hurry to return to the capital, she would really like to stay here for a few more days.

“Where should I move it to?”

The boy secretly glanced at her, his little finger pointing outside the courtyard. “Grandmother said to move it to the fields.”

Shen Yao Xing nodded, easily hoisting the sack that was almost as tall as her onto her shoulder and following the boy out of the courtyard gate. Unexpectedly, she ran right into Jiang Ming Yue who was walking over.

Jiang Ming Yue looked the girl up and down, his gaze sweeping to the uneasy-looking boy. His thin lips curled into a cold arc: “It seems Miss Shen is more suited to this kind of place. It’s only been two days, yet you already look the part.”

Since coming here, Shen Yao Xing had noticed that this person’s way of speaking had become increasingly peculiar, with obvious sarcasm and veiled mockery. She wondered if he was on his period. Although his words weren’t pleasant before, at least they weren’t as strange as now.

It made Shen Yao Xing want to punch him.

“What do you want?” Shen Yao Xing asked rudely, pouting.

There was almost no need to ask. Every time this person appeared here, it was inevitably to find her.

Always bothering her with trivial matters, asking her to do this and that. He was only staying for two days, yet he seemed intent on having her completely renovate the bamboo courtyard.

She had never seen such a fussy man. It was so annoying!

Jiang Ming Yue was very displeased with the girl’s attitude. His picturesque brows flashed with displeasure, his voice cold: “It seems Miss Shen has found a way back to the capital and no longer needs Ming Yue’s help?”

See? Whenever she showed unwillingness or an attitude not to his liking, this person would use this to threaten her, without any subtlety. And the worst part was that she was susceptible to this threat.

After all, there really were no carriages for sale within dozens of miles.

Shen Yao Xing silently swallowed her frustration, forcing an insincere smile to her lips. In an exaggerated tone as if coaxing a baby, she said softly, “Young Master, to what do we owe the honor of your presence?”

Even knowing the girl was deliberately acting this way, Jiang Ming Yue still enjoyed it. At some point, he had come to especially like when she spoke to him in this gentle, soft voice. It felt as if his heart was soaking in warm water, melting into a puddle.

The young man subtly pressed away the pleasure at the corner of his lips, his beautiful eyes coldly glancing at the boy beside her.

Seeing this, Shen Yao Xing mentally rolled her eyes and reluctantly turned to Ami, saying, “You go to the fields first. I’ll bring the things over soon.”

Ami lingered for a moment, but under the man’s terrifying gaze, he eventually lowered his head and left first.

Shen Yao Xing watched the direction the boy left, her mind suddenly blank, her gaze somewhat dazed.

In Jiang Ming Yue’s eyes, however, it was a different scene. The girl was staring longingly at the boy’s back, her eyes full of lingering attachment.

His previously pleasant mood was instantly disrupted. He shifted slightly, blocking the girl’s line of sight. Looking at her, his eyes dark and gloomy, he said mockingly, “Miss Shen is quite the flirt, showing affection everywhere. Even such a rustic village man doesn’t escape your notice.”

“Huh?” Shen Yao Xing came back to her senses and pointed at her own nose in disbelief, “Are you talking about me?”

The young man let out a cold snort, neither confirming nor denying.

Shen Yao Xing couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She raised her chin, “What did you want to see me about?”

In Jiang Ming Yue’s view, the girl’s response was as good as admitting it. He felt a surge of urgency and anger, wishing he could draw his sword and kill that seductive little hussy. His handsome jade face was as if covered by a thin layer of ice, his entire being emanating a pressing chill.

It was as if he deliberately wanted the girl to know how bad his mood was at the moment.

Shen Yao Xing indeed noticed it. After surveying the young man’s demeanor, she cautiously said, “You don’t look well…”

“Let’s talk another time!” With that, she was ready to make a swift exit. Just as she walked past the young man, she heard him say:

“In that case, Ming Yue will depart first. If fate allows, perhaps we’ll meet again in the capital.”

The young man’s voice seemed as if it had been dredged up from a thousand-year-old ice lake, the chill piercing to the bone, making even Shen Yao Xing shudder involuntarily. After speaking, he paid her no more attention and started walking towards the bamboo house.

Knowing full well he wasn’t joking, Shen Yao Xing quickly ran over to block his way, grinning at him, “No, no, no, say what you want to say. I’m all ears!”

Jiang Ming Yue stopped in his tracks. His beautiful eyes lowered slightly, fixing on her for a good while. Only after confirming there wasn’t a hint of impatience on her face did the corner of his lips curl into a thin, cold smile: “Miss Shen certainly has mastered the art of knowing when to be accommodating.”

Shen Yao Xing pretended not to understand the sarcasm in his words, maintaining a facade of harmony.

“We’ll set out tomorrow,” Jiang Ming Yue said calmly, looking at her.

This was a decision he had just made. He wouldn’t allow her to stay here any longer.

“Great!” Shen Yao Xing was naturally pleased. She had wanted to set out for the capital as soon as she felt better yesterday, but this person had refused, delaying them for two days.

Seeing the girl showed no signs of resistance, Jiang Ming Yue’s expression eased slightly. He glanced at the mud house and stated the purpose of his visit: “Have you finished making the bamboo box I asked you to make yesterday?”

“Mm, it’s in my room. I still need to deliver this to the fields, so you can go in and get it yourself,” Shen Yao Xing said, adjusting the load on her shoulder.

A flash of resentment passed through the young man’s slender, beautiful eyes. His thin lips pressed together slightly, the grievance in his words unnoticed even by himself: “How is it that you’re so helpful to everyone?”

Shen Yao Xing didn’t notice his displeasure. She was adjusting her posture to carry the sack, and it wasn’t clear if she had heard him clearly. She just said, “You can take it yourself, okay?” before leaving.