Qiao Zhao and Chi Can looked at each other, her gaze calm and unruffled, as if nothing had just happened.

She had already experienced this person’s unreasonable behavior that year. Even someone like Grandfather had been forced to the point of desperation and finally sent him away with a duck play painting.

Chi Can narrowed his eyes in displeasure.

She was just a thirteen or fourteen-year-old young lady—why did she always put on an air of seeing through everything? He found it completely displeasing to look at!

“Li San—” Chi Can suddenly leaned forward and said slowly, “That painting was destroyed again.”

“Brother Chi wants me to paint another one?” Qiao Zhao thought to herself, No wonder he had invited her for tea. So, listening to the story about oil pot coin retrieval was fake—wanting her to paint another duck play painting was the real purpose.

“No.” Perhaps provoked by Qiao Zhao’s eternally calm and composed manner, Chi Can denied it.

The young lady’s tranquil brows and eyes showed a change.

She blinked, looking at the man so close before her, rarely showing confusion.

Her eyes were large and gentle, usually clear as spring water, but at this moment they sparkled with surprised light, making Chi Can inexplicably think of a little deer suddenly encountering a stranger in the forest.

This girl’s temperament and appearance were indeed somewhat incongruous. Chi Can thought to himself.

For some reason, Young Master Chi’s mood suddenly improved. He curved his lips in a smile: “Since the painting was destroyed again, let it be. Change it to something else.”

“Change to what?”

Chi Can extended his hand, gently tapping the table surface, saying unhurriedly: “Next time, make me a dish of grilled deer jerky to taste.”

Hmm, having someone who looked like a little deer make deer jerky—just thinking about it made him feel expectant.

Qiao Zhao was surprised for a moment before nodding in agreement: “Alright.”

Chi Can braced his hands on the table and stood up, saying leisurely: “Then I’ll also take my leave.”

He turned and walked out two steps, then turned his head to glance at Binglu and said to Qiao Zhao: “Remember, this is just a bit of interest on the life-saving debt—it doesn’t count as the ‘great gratitude’ you mentioned.”

Qiao Zhao stood up and asked calmly: “What kind of great gratitude does Brother Chi want? Please speak clearly so I can prepare accordingly.”

“Prepare?” Chi Can smiled lightly. “No need to prepare. I haven’t thought of it yet. When I do, I’ll come find you for it. Miss Li isn’t someone who would renege on debts, is she?”

“I naturally wouldn’t dare renege on a life-saving debt, as long as Brother Chi’s request is within my capabilities.”

Chi Can looked deeply at Qiao Zhao and nodded: “That’s natural.”

He turned around, waved his hand, and strode out.

“Alright, let’s go too.” Qiao Zhao smoothed her skirt and took several steps before realizing there was no movement behind her. She turned around and called out in confusion: “Binglu?”

Binglu, who had been cupping her face, finally snapped back to reality and rushed over, screaming: “Miss, did you see? When that Young Master Chi smiled just now, he was so beautiful—simply, took my breath away!”

Qiao Zhao raised her hand and patted Binglu’s shoulder: “Calm down. If you have something to say, wait until we’re back in the carriage.”

Binglu covered her mouth and nodded frantically. Only after the master and servant returned to the carriage parked at the foot of the mountain did she continue her earlier excitement, grabbing Qiao Zhao’s sleeve and pressing: “Miss, what life-saving debt? What painting? What collecting interest?”

There was too much explosive information—she couldn’t handle it all!

“All of this absolutely cannot be spoken of.” Qiao Zhao said with a smile.

“Ah?” The little maid nearly lost her breath, clutching her chest and pleading: “Miss, considering this servant’s loyal and brave service, you must tell me something! If not, at least tell me which family that devastatingly handsome Young Master Chi belongs to!”

“His mother is Princess Changrong.”

Binglu gasped: “Imperial relatives!”

“It’s over, it’s over.” The little maid thought for a moment and shook her head repeatedly.

“Hmm?”

Binglu looked at her left hand, then her right hand, spread both hands: “It’s completely impossible to choose! Should we have the imperial noble Young Master Chi as son-in-law, or the handsome and mighty Marquis Guanjun as son-in-law?”

Qiao Zhao: “…”

She was silent for a moment, then reached out to pinch Binglu’s cheek, her voice calm and steady: “Wake up, stop dreaming.”

Young lady Li Zhao’s status had nothing whatsoever to do with these two men, and as for Qiao Zhao, she was already dead.

In this life, becoming someone’s wife was no longer what she anticipated.

She had too many things she wanted to do—where would she find time to marry?

Miss Qiao glanced out through the carriage window.

Outside, the sky was high and the earth vast, endlessly beautiful.

She withdrew her gaze and leaned against the cushion, thinking: I hope the “great gratitude” Chi Can wants is something I can afford to give.

After Chi Can and his two friends found a secluded place for a group beating, they each dispersed.

Chi Can rubbed his bruised eye corner while walking toward Princess Changrong’s residence, thinking indignantly: Those two bastards—didn’t we agree not to hit faces when fighting?

As soon as he entered the gate, the young servant Taosheng came up to him: “Young Master—”

Seeing his master’s disheveled appearance, Taosheng gasped and said angrily: “Young Master, who did this? Let this servant go get revenge for you. Even if they’re going to fight, they shouldn’t hit your face!”

Meeting his master’s murderous gaze, Taosheng knew he had misspoken. He shrank his head and laughed dryly: “What this servant means is, who was so blind as to dare hit Young Master—”

Chi Can reached out and moved the servant aside, walking inside with a tense face.

Taosheng hurried to catch up, only then remembering the main business: “Young Master, Marquis Guanjun sent someone to say he’s waiting for you at Chunfeng Tavern on West Street.”

“Marquis Guanjun? When was this?”

“It’s been a while. This servant said you weren’t in the residence, and the messenger said Marquis Guanjun would wait at Chunfeng Tavern first, asking you to go over whenever you return.”

Chunfeng Tavern was a famous wine house in the capital. Though not large and not located in the most prosperous area, it excelled in staying open late and selling wine with real flavor.

“Prepare my horse!”

Taosheng ran inside with quick steps and soon led out Chi Can’s usual azure horse.

Only then did Chi Can feel somewhat better, thinking: This stupid servant isn’t completely useless after all—occasionally he does understand what’s appropriate.

He took the reins and mounted the horse, instructing: “You don’t need to follow. Go tell Aunt Dongyu that I’ll be back late today.”

“This servant understands.” Taosheng agreed verbally while silently feeling sad.

Ever since Young Master’s southern journey, he increasingly didn’t want to bring him along.

Chi Can paid no mind to his servant’s resentment. With light hoofbeats, he galloped through the gradually emptying streets and soon reached Chunfeng Tavern.

In front of Chunfeng Tavern, one azure and one white wine banner fluttered in the wind. The azure banner bore the characters “Chunfeng” written in bold strokes, while the white banner displayed a large wine jug.

The tavern’s doors were wide open, with two neatly dressed servers standing left and right to welcome guests.

Chi Can dismounted, and a servant came up to take the reins, smiling: “Young Master has arrived. Please go to the private room on the second floor.”

These shrewd workers recognized noble young masters like Chi Can, who occasionally came to drink.

Chi Can was led upstairs by the server, walked along the corridor to the end, and entered the private room Shao Mingyuan had reserved.

Seeing Chi Can enter, Shao Mingyuan, who had been sitting alone by the window, stood up.