Second Brother is here?
Jiang Si was stunned and couldn’t help but look at Yu Jin.
Yu Jin hadn’t anticipated this unexpected situation either. After a brief moment of surprise, he immediately pointed to the woodshed: “Quick, hide in there!”
Before Jiang Si could process what was happening, A-Man pulled her into the woodshed like a gust of wind.
“Finally, we’re safe,” A-Man said, patting her rapidly beating heart.
Jiang Si finally came to her senses and looked around the low, dim woodshed, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “What are we doing here?”
However, it was no longer convenient to go out now, as Jiang Zhan had already entered carrying the cooked beef. If they had remained openly in the courtyard, they could have explained themselves, but if they had gone out now, it would have been impossible to clear up the misunderstanding.
“Brother Yu Qi, I came especially today to reward Erniu!” Jiang Zhan waved the cooked beef in his hand, his smile radiant.
“Reward Erniu?”
Jiang Zhan tossed the cooked beef over. Erniu jumped up and caught the oiled paper package containing the beef in one bite, then went to lie down by the tree roots to eat.
The aroma of beef immediately wafted out.
Long Dan couldn’t help but lick his lips.
Goodness, this was braised beef from the Zuixiao Tower, extremely expensive but delicious. Even he couldn’t afford to eat it often!
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was forbidden to slaughter draft oxen. Apart from those who died of old age, disease, or accidents, killing a healthy draft ox was punishable by caning.
With the meat source being scarce, the price of beef in restaurants was not something ordinary people could afford.
Long Dan stared intently at Erniu enjoying his feast, with only one thought in his mind: A dog’s life is better than a human’s!
Jiang Zhan sat down with a commanding presence: “Today, Erniu did a great deed, of course, he should be rewarded!”
Long Dan blinked.
Wait, could the good deed Second Young Master Jiang was referring to be Erniu causing trouble at someone’s wedding procession?
“Oh, Brother Yu Qi, you didn’t order Erniu to do that today, did you?”
Yu Jin glanced at the slightly ajar door of the woodshed from the corner of his eye and said seriously, “How could that be? Third Young Master Ji is my cousin.”
“Oh, that guy is your cousin—” Jiang Zhan suddenly widened his eyes, “Wait, Brother Yu Qi, you’re related to Duke An’s family?”
Yu Jin’s expression froze.
Damn, he had let it slip in a moment of distraction in front of her.
Inside the woodshed, Jiang Si felt quite amused hearing this.
This man loved to fool people. In her previous life, he had tricked her as Yu Qi, the son of a merchant. Now he was confusing Second Brother. Let’s see how he explains this.
Unexpectedly, the man quickly regained his composure and sighed, “Well, which noble family doesn’t have a few poor relatives?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhan immediately showed a sympathetic expression: “Brother Yu Qi, you’ve had it tough. In the future, stay away from those snobbish families. If you need anything, just ask me, Jiang Zhan.”
Erniu, who was eating beef, barked twice at Jiang Zhan in displeasure.
He hated such dog-discriminating fools the most!
Yu Jin seemed quite moved, but his smile held a deeper meaning: “There will surely be times when I’ll need Second Brother Jiang’s help in the future. I thank you in advance.”
“No need for thanks, we’re brothers, aren’t we?” Jiang Zhan waved his hand generously, quite nonchalantly.
Brother Yu Qi was his lifesaver. If he were a woman, according to the rules in novels, he should offer himself in marriage. Now, just helping out when needed was nothing.
As Jiang Zhan was lamenting that his gratitude wasn’t enough, a woman’s scream suddenly came from the woodshed. The wooden door burst open, and A-Man rushed out with her hands over her head: “There’s a rat!”
Jiang Si, left in the woodshed, was dumbfounded.
She never imagined that A-Man, who could fight several strong men, would be afraid of rats!
In that instant, even the “habitual liar” Yu Jin forgot to react, with only one thought in his mind: Jiang Zhan will surely turn from gratitude to resentment now, right?
At this critical moment, the large dog eating beef by the tree roots took two steps back for a running start, then suddenly leaped into the air.
Just as Jiang Zhan was about to see what was happening, his vision went dark as he was knocked to the ground by the large dog.
The dog’s front paws were on Jiang Zhan’s body, its tongue hanging just above his face. Jiang Zhan was so scared he didn’t dare move, inwardly cursing: The smell of beef on its breath was suffocating!
A-Man stood frozen in the courtyard, and after calming down, she couldn’t help but cover her mouth.
Oh no, she had caused trouble.
Yu Jin coughed lightly and pointed towards the main gate.
A-Man was quick-witted enough to understand Yu Jin’s meaning instantly and ran off.
Jiang Si, still in the woodshed: “…”
Seeing that A-Man had disappeared, Erniu finally showed mercy and released his paws, leisurely walking back to the tree roots to continue eating beef.
Jiang Zhan sprang up like a carp, rushing towards the tree roots with murderous intent: “Erniu, I’m going to slaughter you for dog meat!”
Yu Jin hurriedly held Jiang Zhan back, his face sincere: “Second Brother Jiang, you’ve misunderstood.”
“Misunderstood what?”
“Erniu was happy eating and was just showing his gratitude to you.”
“What? That’s how he shows gratitude?”
Yu Jin smiled bitterly: “How can dogs and humans think the same way? I raised Erniu, I know him. When he’s excited, he likes to get close to people like that.”
Jiang Zhan glared at Erniu suspiciously, finally muttering, “If I raised a dog like that, I’d have killed it long ago.”
“Woof!”
Yu Jin gave Erniu a calming look, and only then did Erniu quiet down.
“By the way, Brother Yu Qi, who was that woman who ran out of the woodshed just now?”
Jiang Zhan hadn’t seen clearly before being knocked down by Erniu, but because of that, even though A-Man was dressed as a man, her scream confirmed she was a woman.
He had been to Brother Yu Qi’s place many times but had never seen any maids or servants. Could that woman be Brother Yu Qi’s sweetheart?
Yu Jin was stunned for a moment, then quickly put on a stern face and rebuked Long Dan, who was watching the commotion: “Don’t bring women back here to fool around in the future!”
Long Dan: “…” He felt the urge to rebel against his superior, what should he do?
Jiang Zhan gave Long Dan a contemptuous look.
Long Dan: “…” He wanted to rebel now!
After finally sending Jiang Zhan away, Yu Jin raised his hand to gently massage his temples, letting out a slight sigh of relief.
Jiang Si walked out of the woodshed.
“Let me escort you back,” Yu Jin offered.
“No need to trouble Young Master Yu,” Jiang Si firmly refused. Seeing Yu Jin’s hurt expression, she wasn’t fooled by his handsome face at all and said coolly, “It wouldn’t be good if someone saw us.”
Yu Jin looked at the girl who was keeping him at arm’s length and suddenly smiled slightly: “People often see me drinking with Second Young Master Jiang, it’s no problem.”
Jiang Si was tall, and both siblings resembled their late mother. People who weren’t familiar with them might have difficulty distinguishing them from afar.
“What if we run into my Second Brother?” Jiang Si countered.
Yu Jin rubbed his nose and softened his tone: “Then let Erniu escort you. You came to find me, and if something happens to you on your way back alone, I won’t be able to explain it to Second Brother Jiang.”
Jiang Si didn’t want to argue further and nodded in agreement.
Yu Jin stood at the doorway, no longer able to see the silhouettes of the young lady and the large dog, yet he remained motionless for a long time.
Long Dan approached, his face full of curiosity, and asked, “Master, was that young lady who came earlier your sweetheart?”
Yu Jin raised his hand and hit Long Dan on the head, frowning as he said, “Don’t talk nonsense!”
She will be my sweetheart in the future, he thought to himself.