Second Marriage

Translator: tarararawr

Chapter 4 Part 2

There was the sound of the opening and closing coming from next door. It should be the people they were talking about just now coming back. Yuan Guo listened, but her mind was still not fine with what happened. She thought through how she must be more vigilant at night.

Jian Yin returned with a full pot of hot tea and closed the door. He reported back to Ye Shen, “Fifth Master, next door’s Young Miss Xiao does not recognize us. There were even people from the Xiao Family’s Second Master assigned to accompany her. I just saw her guards in the main hall eating meat and drinking. I recognize the people there. Aren’t the Xiao Family’s two brothers always at odds with each other? This is really a strange matter. That Young Miss Xiao disguised herself as a man and I don’t know where she’s headed to.”

Ye Shen didn’t even lift an eyelid. He took the tea Jian Yin poured, took a glance at it, and then put it back.

Jian Yin knew his Master was being picky again, and said helplessly, “Fifth Master, the water is not very good, but I washed the pot a few times and we brought our own tea. You will have to make do with it.”

A moment after Jian Yin spoke, he saw his picky Master reach out again and reluctantly took two sips. After, he put it aside to show that he had no intentions of touching it again.

Jian Yin felt that it was difficult for him to have such a master.

Since childhood, his Master had lived a life of embroidered garments and jade meals. It was no exaggeration to say that he was as precious as gold like the prince in the palace. He was brought up with everything taken care of meticulously. Although when he was outside, he would come across moments where he had no alternative but to endure it. But a picky person was always picky. Moreover, he usually had a bad temper and should not be provoked at all.

“She might be going to Datong,” the fussy young Master suddenly said. He stood up and walked to the bed. He picked up the quilt with two fingers and flug it to the end of the bed. He laid down with his clothes on.

Jian Yin was muttering to himself for a while before he immediately became shocked. He realized his question from earlier was answered just now and his expression became strange.

His family’s Fifth Master didn’t seem to be in a bad mood as he had thought. He even made some indifferent remarks at him!

——

Xiao Youning had been constantly on the move since the morning and sat in the carriage all afternoon. She was exhausted all over like she was about to fall apart. She hastily ate the dinner sent by the relay station attendant, simply washed her face, and fell asleep on the pillow.

She did not sleep peacefully at all. In one moment, there was a scene of a large destructive fire that reached the skies. Everywhere there were flames and blood-curdling screaming. In the next moment, everything was covered in blood and there was someone engaged in close combat with her father and elder brother. There were many people swinging their blade at them. She used all of her strength to desperately shout at them to run, but could only helplessly watch her father and brother collapse into a pool of blood.

She woke up from the nightmare the moment her father and brother collapsed. She looked at the pitch-black void while her entire body was covered in cold sweat.

She clenched her hands tightly and comforted herself with the fact that her dreams and reality were different.

She repeated these words for a long time like she was trying to hypnotise herself. Xiao Youning escaped from her horrors when she heard Yuan Guo snoring at the side. She was relieved and closed her eyes again.

Just as she closed her eyes, she felt that her thin cover had been pulled by something.  It made a gnawing sound in the silent night.

She felt her blood run cold. She thought of something, kicked her leg and shouted, “Yuan Guo!”

Yuan Guo was awakened by her shout and immediately sat up with the dagger firmly in her hand across her chest.

As Xiao Youning kicked off the quilt, a small shadow flashed before her eyes. Immediately after, the shadow fell to the ground with a bang. The squeaking intensified.

—A mouse?!

When Xiao Youning heard the sound clearly, she began to quiver and her entire body was covered in goosebumps. Yuan Guo had gotten out of bed to light the oil lamp just in time to see that the mouse was about to enter into the wardrobe. She stepped on its tail with one quick foot. It made the mouse squeak loudly and could not free itself.

Yuan Guo was daring and bold. She was not afraid of this little thing at all. She wanted to end it with one cut from the dagger, but she was afraid that the blood would frighten Xiao Youning. So, she simply bent down to pick up the mouse’s tail and opened the window to throw it out.

Unexpectedly, she discovered that the window next door was open when she looked out.

She looked down at the struggling black mouse and smiled grimly. She aimed and threw the mouse. After, she quietly closed the window.