A’Jiu walked into Captain Zhu’s quarters and immediately saw Captain Zhu standing at the door to greet him.

“Yanlai—Young Master,” he said, seeming to want to respectfully welcome him yet also display official authority, resulting in a distorted expression.

A military book flew from behind and hit Captain Zhu squarely on the back of the head.

“Why be polite with him!” came a curse from behind. “I’ve told you—don’t treat him like a person.”

Captain Zhu’s face flushed red—embarrassed, annoyed, yet not daring to lose his temper. Easy for you to say! If I really didn’t treat A’Jiu like a person, why do you casually hit and scold me in front of him? I’m the one who’s not being treated like a person here!

He looked at A’Jiu standing in the doorway, hoping the kid would be a decent person and pretend not to see.

But unfortunately, A’Jiu was clearly also not being a decent person—he actually stood in the doorway watching him make a fool of himself and laughing heartily.

Captain Zhu was thoroughly humiliated. Not daring to speak and not knowing what to do, he heard another curse from behind: “Get lost! Come back in after I’m done talking.”

Captain Zhu immediately hurried out, considerately closing the door behind him, never wanting to see these two surnamed Xie again.

With the comical Captain Zhu out of sight, A’Jiu saw a fat man sitting behind a large desk. He had his legs propped on the table, but because he was fat with short legs, his entire posture looked quite ridiculous.

A’Jiu laughed heartily again: “My nephew, you really look like you’re struggling sitting like that.”

Xie Xiao couldn’t stand hearing A’Jiu call him that. He bounced up like a ball: “You little bastard, what are you calling me!”

But in the next moment, a gale approached. The ball was slammed back onto the chair with a thump by a large hand.

A’Jiu raised one long leg and planted it on the desk, draped his arm over Xie Xiao’s shoulder, brought his phoenix eyes close, looked at him, and said with a half-smile: “Then why don’t you go tell Xie San what you’re calling me? Little bastard—we have the same father. Who are you calling a bastard?”

Xie Xiao inwardly cursed “you little bastard,” but didn’t say it aloud. However, he wasn’t particularly afraid either: “What do you want?”

A’Jiu reached out and stroked his face. The scars on his palm slid across Xie Xiao’s pale, tender, fat face like rough rope, leaving a mark.

“Whatever you want, that’s what I’ll do,” he said with a half-smile.

Xie Xiao understood what he meant. When they were young, he had led servants to torment this kid and whipped him once. The kid had actually snatched the whip and tried to whip him back. Fortunately, Third Uncle arrived in time and had Du Qi take the whip. The kid refused to let go and ended up having his palm torn open by Du Qi—

Afterward, Third Uncle had whipped Xie Yanlai’s back over a dozen times as punishment.

Even so, remembering how crazed and vicious the kid had looked then, Xie Xiao still felt a flutter of fear. This bastard was a mad dog.

But no matter how mad the dog, it was still the Xie family’s dog.

“Third Uncle has arrived in the capital,” Xie Xiao straightened up and said through gritted teeth. “He has questions for you.”

A’Jiu said “Oh” and turned to leave.

“You brat,” Xie Xiao jumped up. “You dare not even listen to Third Uncle?”

A’Jiu turned back: “Since your Third Uncle has questions for me, and you’re here wasting your Ninth Uncle’s time, you as a nephew are delaying your elder’s business. Can you bear that responsibility?”

Xie Xiao’s fat face twisted again. A’Jiu hooked up the corner of his mouth in a smile and swaggered out.

……

……

When A’Jiu entered, Xie Yanfang was sitting by the stream fishing.

The stream meandered between pavilions and towers. Some small fish swam happily in the water, completely uninterested in Xie Yanfang’s bait.

Xie Yanfang didn’t mind.

Many young people stood outside the pavilions and towers. They didn’t dare approach, afraid of disturbing Xie Yanfang’s fishing. Seeing A’Jiu walk over, their expressions varied—disdain, cold smiles, jealousy, and indifference.

A’Jiu ignored them and walked straight toward Xie Yanfang.

“Third—” Xie Xiao shoved A’Jiu aside and rushed over, but seeing the situation, quickly stopped and lowered his voice, afraid of scaring away the fish about to bite. “Uncle.”

A’Jiu pushed him aside, stood by the stream, and said loudly, “I’m back.”

The small fish that had been testing the bait in the stream immediately darted away.

Xie Yanfang looked up at him: “Did you complete the task?”

A’Jiu nodded: “It’s done.”

Xie Yanfang asked casually, “Everything went smoothly? Nothing else happened?”

Anything else—A’Jiu said, “The letter was delivered very smoothly. Nothing happened. The other party didn’t ask anything.”

Chu Ling indeed hadn’t asked anything. He had only said some things, and they had nothing to do with the letter.

Xie Xiao was somewhat puzzled on the side. What task? Wasn’t this kid punished and sent to be a common soldier because he angered Third Uncle?

He still remembered that argument—A’Jiu had been kicked out by Du Qi, sent flying with one kick.

It had been absolutely satisfying to watch.

How had it become a task?

Xie Xiao glared fiercely at A’Jiu. Third Uncle was actually still using this detestable little bastard.

A’Jiu’s phoenix eyes lifted slightly as he looked at Xie Xiao, his gaze equally unfriendly.

“Yanlai,” Xie Yanfang seemed helpless. “Quarreling is fine, but no infighting. I know they bully you and you’re dissatisfied, but you should also understand—they’re very dissatisfied with you too. After all, by rights you shouldn’t be their equal, and you’re even a generation higher.”

A’Jiu’s expression was indifferent: “I’m not the one who wanted to be their equal.”

Xie Yanfang looked at him and said with a smile, “You’re not wrong. You’re innocent too. It was my father who first had a spring night with your mother, resulting in you. Later, your mother, to give you a family to rely on, didn’t hesitate to take her own life. From beginning to end, you were innocent. Being born wasn’t your wish, and becoming Ninth Young Master Xie wasn’t something you sought.”

His voice was calm and gentle, his eyes clear, with even a touch of pity.

“I understand your resentment and sense of injustice, so I allow you to be disrespectful to the family. But.”

With that “but,” his voice and gaze turned cool.

“Since you’ve already entered the Xie family’s gates, you bear the Xie family’s mark. Whatever you do will be connected to the Xie family. You can wrong your mother and give up this status to vent your anger. I cannot wrong my father and the Xie family’s ancestors by ignoring you and not managing or teaching you.”

A’Jiu’s hands at his sides clenched, then finally released. He said, “I understand.”

Xie Xiao and the others around them all showed pleased expressions.

Xie Yanfang looked at them again: “You too. After all this time, you should be used to it. If this continues, I won’t be lenient with you either.”

Xie Xiao and the others hurried to express their positions: “Third Brother, don’t worry.” “Third Uncle, you’re right.” “We’ll all listen to you.”

Xie Yanfang ignored them and smiled slightly at A’Jiu, asking, “During this time, what have you thought? Are you willing to marry Miss Liang?”

A’Jiu raised his head: “I’m not willing.”

Xie Xiao and the others were about to make a commotion, but were rebuked by Du Qi standing outside the pavilion: “Quiet! Don’t disturb the Young Master’s conversation.”

The area outside the pavilion immediately fell silent.

Xie Yanfang only looked at A’Jiu: “Yanlai, you should trust me. The Liang family’s background and Miss Liang’s appearance—neither will wrong you.”

A’Jiu smiled: “I know. This is also the Xie family’s reputation. What you choose must be excellent.”

Xie Yanfang’s eyes were clear. He didn’t question him, but asked curiously, “Then why aren’t you willing?” Looking him over, he said with a smile, “Have you already pledged with someone never to part in life or death?”

Xie Yanfang meant it as a joke, but A’Jiu’s previously indifferent smile immediately vanished, and some anger appeared in his eyes.

“No!” he said coldly.

Xie Yanfang was the same as that Chu family girl—whenever thinking of matters between men and women, they’d say this kind of thing.

“I’d be willing to die for you. Even if I died, I’d still be yours.” Chu Zhao’s voice seemed to ring in his ears, and he seemed to see that girl’s fake crying and fake fussing.

These liars never cared about others’ lives or deaths, yet they constantly spoke of life and death.

Xie Yanfang examined A’Jiu.

“No? Then you can’t be planning not to marry at all. That won’t do,” he said, sighing lightly. “In our Xie family, except for me, none of you can do as you please.”