Erniu quickly ran to Jiang Si’s side, wagging its tail and nuzzling her hand with its large mouth.
Seeing the expectation in the dog’s eyes, Jiang Si couldn’t help but smile. “Is this for me?”
Erniu made a whimpering sound like it was spoiled and pushed the pouch into Jiang Si’s hand.
Jiang Si didn’t have the heart to refuse the dog’s goodwill. She opened the pouch, looked inside, and then handed it to A Man with a smile. “Go back and store the gold leaves and silver ingots safely. Burn the pouch in the fire.”
A Man happily agreed. She peeked into the pouch and her eyes lit up. “Miss, there’s even more this time than last time. Are we keeping it for ourselves?”
She remembered that last time, the Miss had disliked the contents of the pouch and gave everything to the Second Young Master, which had secretly pained her heart.
“Let’s keep it,” Jiang Si said. Once bitten, twice shy – there was no need to turn away money.
Soft footsteps approached. Erniu suddenly turned its head and barked twice, as if urging something.
Seeing who appeared, Jiang Si frowned. She should have known – where Erniu was, he wouldn’t be far behind.
“A Man, let’s go,” Jiang Si said, turning to leave before Yu Qi could reach them. But she felt her skirt being tugged.
Jiang Si looked down. The dog’s watery eyes were wide open, its face full of innocence as it wagged its tail.
“Erniu, let go,” Jiang Si said helplessly.
She was starting to suspect that Erniu had been reborn along with her. How else could she explain the dog’s unusually affectionate behavior towards her? After all, Erniu was a dog that had experienced warfare, not some pet trained to please people.
Erniu wagged its tail, pretending not to understand. It didn’t care what she said; it wasn’t letting go.
Even A Man couldn’t help but roll her eyes, thinking to herself: Why did she have the feeling that this dog was even craftier than her?
During this brief struggle, Yu Qi had already arrived in front of Jiang Si. They were now only about ten feet apart.
At this point, Jiang Si calmed down. She wore a distant smile and nodded slightly to Yu Qi. “Young Master Yu, what a coincidence.”
Yu Qi looked at the young woman so close to him and smiled brightly. “I came specifically to find Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Si’s smile faded. “What does Young Master Yu mean by this?”
Yu Qi suddenly bowed deeply to Jiang Si. “I want to thank Miss Jiang for saving Erniu today.”
Jiang Si stepped aside, avoiding Yu Qi’s bow. She said coolly, “Young Master Yu must be joking. I didn’t do anything.”
“Woof! Woof!” Erniu suddenly barked at Jiang Si.
Nonsense, it was saved by Si Si. Its master should hurry up and repay the favor.
Yu Qi smiled. “You see, Miss Jiang? Even Erniu admits it.”
The dog eagerly nodded its head.
Jiang Si ignored the coordinated act between man and dog, firmly denying everything. “I don’t know what Young Master Yu is talking about. It’s getting late, I should return home.”
“Woof!” Erniu barked once to draw attention, then ran to the base of a wall and started digging.
A Man covered her mouth and murmured, “Could Erniu have hidden another pouch here?”
Jiang Si glared at A Man. When did her maid become so money-obsessed?
A Man sheepishly fell silent.
Soon, Erniu returned carrying something in its mouth. It came to Jiang Si and placed the object on the ground.
“Oh, it’s that teacup!” A Man exclaimed as soon as she saw it.
The teacup was indeed sturdy. After being thrown at Cui Yi and landing on the roadside, it only had a few small cracks on its body but was otherwise undamaged.
Erniu barked once at Jiang Si, it’s meaning clear: With both dog and physical evidence, will you still deny it?
Jiang Si’s mouth twitched involuntarily. Erniu still couldn’t break its habit of hiding things randomly!
“Miss Jiang used this teacup to save Erniu when it was in danger, employing the strategy of ‘besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,'” Yu Qi said, smiling as he looked at the young woman’s embarrassed expression, his gaze tender.
His little girl had grown into a peerlessly beautiful young woman. Unfortunately, she had long forgotten their brief encounter and didn’t seem to like him very much.
As Yu Qi thought this, his eyes dimmed.
He had no experience in how to win a girl’s heart.
He had even less experience in how to win the heart of a girl who didn’t like him.
Never mind, he’d just have to be thick-skinned and stick close to her for now.
Jiang Si looked away and said coolly, “Even so, Young Master Yu needn’t be so polite. I suppose Erniu and I just get along well. It was a small gesture, nothing more.”
Yu Qi said seriously, “Miss Jiang doesn’t understand the bond between Erniu and me. What seems like a small gesture to you is a life-saving grace to me.”
Jiang Si frowned.
She suddenly felt that this scoundrel might say something shameless.
“Ahem.” The handsome young man’s cheeks flushed red. He seemed unable to meet the young woman’s eyes. “They say a life-saving grace cannot be repaid. If Miss Jiang has any request, I will do my utmost to fulfill it.”
Jiang Si’s heart skipped a beat.
Yu Qi’s given name was a single character, “Jin.” She hadn’t expected him to reveal his true name so early in his life.
No, wait. He was still using the surname “Yu” in front of her.
Realizing this, the ripples in Jiang Si’s heart calmed down again.
At this point, A Sang, the Holy Maiden of the Wu Miao, was already gone, and he had met her in the capital.
Met her, who looked just like the Holy Maiden A Sang.
Just like in her previous life, he was still using the identity of Yu Qi to approach her, intending to win her heart so she would willingly become a substitute for his beloved.
Fortunately, with the lessons from her previous life, she wouldn’t be so foolish again.
It was good that she was still Jiang Si, the fourth miss of the East Peace Earl’s manor who had her engagement broken off, and not the Wu Miao Holy Maiden living under someone else’s identity. Even if Yu Qi schemed, they could never become husband and wife again.
Understanding this, Jiang Si’s tense body relaxed, and the smile on her lips became more composed. “I have no requests. It would be best if Young Master Yu simply forgot about today’s events.”
Yu Jin felt a pang in his heart.
The young woman seemed as delicate as a willow, but in front of him, she had erected walls of copper and iron. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t chip even a small hole in the defenses around her heart.
“Whine—” Erniu swept its tail across Yu Jin’s feet and let out a disapproving bark.
It had given the betrothal gifts twice already. Its master’s incompetence was worrying.
Didn’t this foolish master know that dogs lose fur when they worry too much?
“A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring, let alone a life-saving grace. If Jin were to forget, wouldn’t that make me an ungrateful person?” Yu Jin’s face wore a composed smile, but his heart was extremely nervous.
He had said so much, just short of offering himself in marriage. Surely she wouldn’t still keep him at arm’s length?
The guards had said that his appearance was considered handsome in the eyes of young ladies. Perhaps, maybe, he could win a bit of her favor?
Jiang Si took a deep breath and said with a light smile, “If that’s the case, then just give me money.”
“Hm?” Yu Jin’s expression twisted for a moment. He raised his hand to rub his nose.
He thought he must have misheard.
“Miss, miss, what are you saying?” A Man held her forehead, almost in tears.
This scoundrel was good-looking, had status, and even had a dog that could pick up money. Shouldn’t her mistress pay a little attention to her image?
As for pouches, it would be better to take things slowly…
“Since Young Master Yu feels uneasy and insists on repaying, then just give money. That way, Young Master Yu can be at ease,” Jiang Si said coolly.
With her appearing so greedy and lazy, surely he would keep his distance now?
“How much does Miss Jiang think is appropriate?” Yu Jin quickly recovered and asked with a light laugh.
That laugh was like aged wine suddenly uncorked, emitting an intoxicating aroma.
Jiang Si’s face inexplicably heated up. She inwardly cursed herself, then quickly made excuses for herself.
It wasn’t that her willpower was insufficient; it was just that this scoundrel was too blessed by nature.
The appreciation of beauty was inherent in everyone.
Jiang Si held up one finger. “Young Master Yu values Erniu so highly. I imagine you’d feel uneasy if it were too little. So how about one thousand taels?”
“One thousand taels, not much,” Yu Qi smiled.
“Mm.” Jiang Si waited for him to take out the money.
“But I don’t have any money. It seems I can only sell myself to pay off the debt.”
“What?”