Chapter 64

Though she thought this way, her gaze still couldn’t help but fall on those two people.

Until this small banquet ended, the big boss still arranged temporary accommodations for them, clearly not intending to let them leave just like that.

Except for Jiang Ming Yue who had a separate bedroom, Shen Yao Xing and the other two were forced to squeeze into a narrow room that looked like a firewood shed. The walls were piled up with yellow mud, and several places on the broken tile roof had collapsed.

Afraid that a heavy rain would cause it to completely collapse.

The bed was also covered in dust. At a glance, there wasn’t a single place in the room where one could rest.

Bai Sha had been frowning ever since coming up the mountain. Seeing her young miss’s calm demeanor made her even more anxious, “Young miss, do you think that bandit leader isn’t planning something for Young Master Yin?”

Did she even need to ask? Wasn’t it already very obvious?

Shen Yao Xing sat on the only clean-looking low stool, leaning against the mud wall with one hand behind her head. A light nasal hum was her only response to the question.

Bai Sha paced back and forth anxiously, her brows furrowed with anger, “That bandit leader is truly delusional. How could a man like Young Master Yin be coveted by such a brute woman! Once we return to the capital, I will report to the master. We must catch them all in one net!”

The indignation in her words was something Shen Yao Xing couldn’t understand. She couldn’t help but open one eye to glance at her, “Why are you so agitated?”

“Young miss, think about it. Young Master Yin is your betrothed husband. If this brute woman really takes advantage of him now, won’t people laugh when word gets out!”

“Moreover, moreover, it will make Young Master Yin suffer!”

So are you afraid of people laughing or afraid of him suffering? Shen Yao Xing rubbed her brow, feeling somewhat helpless, “Have you forgotten? The engagement between us has long been canceled. What is there to laugh about? Besides, how do you know he’s suffering?”

Earlier, they seemed to be chatting quite happily. If he was really suffering, he would have drawn his sword long ago.

“But, but…” Bai Sha didn’t know what to say for a moment, only regretting that she had lost her inner strength. Otherwise, she would never allow these thieves to be so rampant!

Shen Yao Xing didn’t bother with her anymore, raising her eyes to look at the person sitting by the bed, “Xin Yi, is the matter in Jiao Huang City important? Will it be a problem to delay for so many days?”

The woman seemed not to have heard her words, lowering her eyes, lost in thought.

It was only when Bai Sha spoke up to remind her that she hazily raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the young girl’s face before looking away, “It’s not a particularly urgent matter. If it’s delayed, then it’s delayed.”

She still hadn’t explained clearly what the matter was about. Shen Yao Xing opened her mouth, about to ask again, but was interrupted by a knock on the door outside.

It turned out to be someone sent by the big boss to invite them over.

Compared to their dirty, small, messy, and poor little mud house, the place where the big boss lived could be described as well-ventilated, with excellent lighting. In the center of the floor was spread a large animal skin, and the wide chair facing the door was made of animal bones.

The woman, as strong as two Shen Yao Xings, sat on the animal bone chair with a face full of vigor and vitality. In a good mood, she had someone offer seats to the three who entered the room.

Pretending to be courteous, she asked, “Are you all comfortable with your accommodations?”

Heh, why don’t you go live there and find out? Shen Yao Xing mocked inwardly.

Among the three, only Meng Xin Yi’s expression was still good. She nodded with a smile: “Very good, thank you for the big boss’s concern.”

Zhu Hong looked satisfied, her voice deep, “You are all friends of Young Master Yin, so from now on you’re family. Don’t be restrained, just treat this place as your own home.”

This one sentence about being family contained too much information. Shen Yao Xing choked on her tea, while Bai Sha exploded on the spot, suddenly standing up with shock and anger in her eyes, “Who is family with you, you wild brute woman? Don’t think too highly of yourself. You’re nothing but a small roadside thief, how dare you speak such nonsense!”

Seeing the woman on the animal bone chair’s face darken, Shen Yao Xing tugged at Bai Sha’s sleeve, indicating for her to sit down first.

It was clearly unwise to confront people at this moment.

Fortunately, there was still someone among them who could speak, which prevented the woman in the main seat from losing her temper.

“Just now… what did the big boss mean?”

Shen Yao Xing still felt it was quite unlikely. Jiang Ming Yue was a very proud person. This place was in the middle of nowhere, and the other party was a thief leader. How could he have agreed so quickly?

“It means I want to marry Young Master Yin.” Zhu Hong’s face changed from the previous dark expression to a radiant smile.

The hand resting on her knee stiffened slightly, and Shen Yao Xing hesitantly asked, “He… agreed?”

“Well, not yet.”

Shen Yao Xing unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

But then she saw the woman continue, “But Young Master Yin must have feelings for me. Marriage is just a matter of time, so I need you all to stay in the stronghold for a few more days. After drinking the wedding wine, I’ll personally escort you down the mountain!”

After saying this, Zhu Hong suddenly raised her hand to beckon someone standing at the door. That person was holding a long wooden box, walked into the room, and carefully placed it in the woman’s hands.

“I’ve never been one to take advantage of others. The betrothal gifts must be given. Since you are Young Master Yin’s friends, then accept this betrothal gift on behalf of his parents. Don’t underestimate it. Although small, it’s worth thousands of gold!”

Zhu Hong opened the box and took out what was inside. The old color made it almost impossible to tell what it was. At first glance, it looked like a small section of blackened and browned short wood. Upon closer inspection, it seemed more like paper.

Meng Xin Yi narrowed her eyes to examine it. When she saw clearly what it was, the hand resting on the armchair suddenly tightened, “Is this… a deer skin map?”

“Eh?” Zhu Hong said foolishly, “You know about this thing too?”

The fingers on the armchair trembled slightly. Meng Xin Yi’s gaze fixed on the brownish-black object, her usually calm eyes flashing with an indescribable heat, “There are probably few in the jianghu who don’t know about it. It’s just that the deer skin map is hard to find. Most don’t have that fortune…”

“That makes sense. I got this one a few years ago before I became the mountain chief. An benefactor gave it to me, saying to keep it safe for her for a while, and she would come back to get it later.”

Having said that, Zhu Hong shook her head regretfully, “But she hasn’t come to get it even now. I heard people say my benefactor died some years ago. Keeping it is useless to me, and I still have to worry about it. Might as well give it to you as a gift.”

Shen Yao Xing felt that this person might have said what was really on her mind. So she was worried and scared, that’s why she’s giving it away? To let them start worrying and being scared instead?

Seemingly realizing she had said something wrong, Zhu Hong’s face showed some embarrassment. Trying to make up for it, she said, “Don’t misunderstand. I don’t know any big figures in this mountain. If you take this outside, you can exchange it for quite a lot of benefits!”

“Hmph, we don’t need these little benefits,” Bai Sha retorted irritably.

Now that it had been said, Zhu Hong didn’t intend to take it back. She said forcefully, “Anyway, this is the betrothal gift. You have to take it whether you want to or not! But not now. I’ll give it to you after I’ve had my grand wedding with Young Master Yin.”

“…” There’s really no need, Shen Yao Xing thought with pursed lips.

Probably because she was happy, Zhu Hong arranged a new place for them to stay. It was more spacious and clean than before, but still cramped for three people.

As night fell, the guards at the stronghold gate nodded off, completely unaware of a dark shadow slipping in from one side of the stronghold.

In a corner of the stronghold, inside an inconspicuous mud house, Meng Xin Yi, who should have been sound asleep on the rafters, suddenly opened her eyes. She looked down at the two sleeping on the bed, silently leaped down from the rafters, and just as her hand touched the door, she was stopped by the young girl’s muddled voice.

“Where are you going?” Shen Yao Xing squinted, propping herself up half-asleep.

The figure standing at the door froze for a moment, then turned back and said softly, “Nature calls. Going to the outhouse.”

The young girl yawned, rubbing her eyes while getting out of bed, mumbling adorably.

“I need to go a bit too. Let’s go together.”

“…Alright.”

The two went one after another. After Shen Yao Xing finished, she saw the woman standing there motionless. “Your turn. Go ahead.”

Meng Xin Yi looked at her quietly for a while before saying, “You go back first. No need to wait for me here.”

Shen Yao Xing didn’t think much of it, assuming she was just embarrassed. She waved her hand, indicating for her to hurry, and headed back to the room on her own.

Only after the young girl’s figure disappeared did a shadow emerge from behind a nearby tree, walking up to the woman’s side. A pair of droopy triangle eyes flashed with a poisonous light, staring intently in the direction the young girl had disappeared.

If Shen Yao Xing were here, she would be surprised to discover that this person was actually the Grand Elder of Qian She Sect.

“Now I see clearly. Isn’t this the woman who rescued Jiang Ming Yue from Qian She Sect that day? Hmph, so you two have been mixing together for a long time. No wonder you’re being so careful.”

In the moonlight, Meng Xin Yi’s expression was indiscernible. She slightly lowered her eyes to glance at the newcomer, her voice seeming to flow into the night wind, tinged with a hint of coolness, “Was it you who used the bone-softening powder on us that day?”

“Yes, it was me. I was just afraid you might go soft on this girl. Why not take the deer skin map from her first?”

“You were afraid of not having leverage, so you wanted to make the first move, right?” Meng Xin Yi sneered.

Seeing her scheme exposed, the Grand Elder no longer tried to hide it. Her wrinkled face twisted slightly, “So what if I did? Without me, your chances of getting the other two maps from Chang Sheng Pavilion would be slim to none!”

“Oh?” Meng Xin Yi turned her head to look at her indifferently. “Are you really that confident? You should know that you’re no longer the Grand Elder of Qian She Sect. If you don’t cooperate with me, you’ll be like a rat crossing the street – everyone shouting to beat it.”

The Grand Elder’s muddy eyes grew increasingly venomous. She gritted her teeth in hidden hatred, regretting that she had bullied too many people in the past relying on her position. Now that her enemies knew she wasn’t dead, they were searching for her everywhere, itching to flay her alive. She could only find such a hiding place for herself.

Once she got all the deer skin maps, she would make those who opposed her wish they were dead!

……

The next morning, after thinking it over, Shen Yao Xing still felt she should go and try to persuade him, fearing he might just be caught up in the moment.

It seemed deliberately arranged that Jiang Ming Yue’s lodgings were quite far from theirs, and there were even guards posted.

The door to the bedroom was open, as if expecting her to come. Shen Yao Xing suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and tiptoed over, peering inside from the doorway.

The room was visible at a glance, but there was no sign of the young man.

Just as she was wondering, Shen Yao Xing felt a shadow fall over her from behind. She quickly turned around.

Behind her, the young man was looking down at her.

For a moment, the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Shen Yao Xing racked her brains, and after a long while, could only come up with a dry question: “Are you really planning to marry that big boss?”

The young girl’s dumbfounded look was truly rare. Jiang Ming Yue forced himself to look away, but the hint of pleasure at the corners of his mouth couldn’t be suppressed, “What if I am, and what if I’m not?”

Shen Yao Xing was silent for a moment, then said in a muffled voice, “If you are, then I wish you happiness.”