Yu Tang was gnawing on a pig’s trotter.

She started using chopsticks, but later discovered they weren’t up to the task—the trotter kept slipping off. Seeing that people nearby were all holding theirs and gnawing on them directly, she looked around and found that everyone was drinking and bragging, with no one paying attention to a young lady tagging along with her father and brother for a meal. Reassured, she quietly put down her chopsticks and switched to using her hands.

With the help of both hands, she gnawed the tendons clean as well.

Pei Yan was looking at Yu Tang’s hands.

Yu Tang’s hands were very beautiful—fair and delicate with slender fingers, perfectly proportioned with not a single flaw.

But at this moment, these beautiful hands were covered with red chili powder, greasy and glistening.

Like pearls covered in dust, like white jade stained with ash—no matter how you looked at it, it was uncomfortable.

Without even realizing it himself, Pei Yan began glaring at Yu Tang.

Yu Tang was contentedly chewing on the pig’s trotter tendons when she felt an intense gaze fall upon her.

She looked up and saw Pei Yan’s cold face with hidden anger.

Yu Tang was stunned.

Why was he looking at her like that?

She hadn’t done anything just now!

Was it because her eating manner wasn’t good?

Or was her attire inappropriate?

Yu Tang looked down to examine herself.

Then she was shocked to discover a drop of oil on the front of her dress.

How did this happen?

Yu Tang felt somewhat flustered.

She held the pig’s trotter and looked at Pei Yan, feeling she should explain herself to him.

But before she could speak, Pei Yan calmly looked away.

Yu Tang blinked her eyes.

Did Pei Yan dislike her?

Yu Tang felt quite wronged.

Horses stumble, people make mistakes… She hadn’t eaten properly all day. Seeing such delicious food, how could she act as if she’d seen nothing and constantly restrain herself? Besides, this was a night market. Wasn’t eating at a night market all about following your whims?

The food that had amazed her just moments ago suddenly became tasteless.

Sigh!

She knew it—she and this Third Master of the Pei family were fundamentally incompatible. Whenever they met, nothing good happened, not to mention maintaining any image in front of him!

Yu Tang was wallowing in self-pity when Pei Yan suddenly turned his face, frowning as he pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and tossed it in front of her, saying, “Wipe yourself!”

She was startled.

Yu Yuan, who was pouring wine, and Yu Wen and Zhou Zijin, who were drinking, all heard the commotion and looked over.

Yu Wen and Zhou Zijin laughed heartily, and Yu Wen even pointed at the corner of Yu Tang’s mouth, saying, “You have scallion on you.”

Yu Tang’s almond eyes widened: “Father, is that how you act?”

Yu Wen didn’t understand: “What did I do?” As he spoke, he pointed at the corner of his own mouth, indicating that Yu Tang should quickly wipe her mouth clean.

With so many outsiders present, couldn’t he have told her privately?

Yu Tang huffed indignantly, feeling that the handkerchief Pei Yan had tossed in front of her was like a bed of needles—not only would she not use it, even looking at it made her uncomfortable.

She pulled out her own handkerchief, vigorously wiped the corner of her mouth, then wiped her hands as well, letting that white handkerchief just lie there on the table.

Pei Yan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much better.

Yu Wen and Zhou Zijin laughed briefly and put the matter out of their minds, continuing to drink their wine and chat. Yu Yuan, holding the wine pot beside them, listened with a smile, looking very interested.

Yu Tang glanced at Pei Yan and took a fierce bite of the pig’s trotter.

Pei Yan’s gaze fell on the front of her dress.

Yu Tang’s mouth twitched.

Would he ever stop?

Weren’t gentlemen supposed to avoid improper gazing? Couldn’t he just pretend he hadn’t seen it? Pretend he didn’t know?

The little person in Yu Tang’s heart was so angry she was stomping her feet.

She knew it—he was a petty, nitpicking small-minded person. Never mind anything else, they had met several times now, but had he ever given anyone a smile?

And he was so self-righteous.

The first time he saw her, he thought she was trying to scam him; the second time, he thought she was a fraud; the third time, he thought she was promiscuous… Thinking of all this, Yu Tang deflated like a punctured balloon.

Anyway, in his mind, she probably wasn’t a good person anyway!

Moreover, they were worlds apart. Even if she wasn’t a good person, what did it have to do with him?

Thinking this way, Yu Tang suddenly became happy again.

Why should she worry about gains and losses like this? During this period, it was just a coincidence that she had run into Pei Yan more frequently. In her previous life, she had lived in Lin’an for over twenty years and had never encountered Pei Yan.

This showed that without Pei Yan, she had lived just fine.

So what did it matter how Pei Yan viewed her or what he thought of her?

Why should she waste emotions on someone who would have no connection with her?

Yu Tang felt she had figured it out.

She took a deep breath and started gnawing on the pig’s trotter again.

Guan San’niang’s food was really delicious!

If anyone mentioned it next time, she would definitely tell them that Guan San’niang’s shop not only had grilled fish but also pig’s trotters. Of course, their mixed noodles were also very good.

Yu Tang regained her previous optimism and open-mindedness.

Pei Yan’s eyes were about to pop out of his head.

This young lady was so carefree and thoughtless, not reading between the lines at all.

Eating until her hands were covered in oil—where was any trace of a young lady’s demeanor?

And having put down her mental burden, Yu Tang felt completely unburdened.

She not only gnawed on pig’s trotters with her hands but also stood at roadside stalls drinking wine-fermented rice balls, eating sugar paintings while walking, tasting donkey meat, betting on odd or even… Let Pei Yan glare at her as long as he wanted. She wasn’t anyone from the Pei family who needed to get spending money from him and had to act according to his mood.

This evening, she was happier than any other time.

This must be the happiness of having both parents alive, right?

Yu Tang supported her slightly tipsy father, thinking joyfully.

After returning to Lin’an from this trip, it would be difficult for her to go out again, let alone play around following her father like this.

In the future, would there be such happy times again?

Yu Tang and her father and brother slowly walked along Xiaohe Imperial Street. The night breeze blew on her face, carrying the coolness of early autumn, making those who had just endured a long, hot summer feel especially refreshed.

Extreme joy begets sorrow.

Yu Tang returned to the inn, and not long after washing up and lying down, she began to have stomach pain.

Her heart sank, and the image of Pei Yan sitting like pure white snow at the smoky night market stall floated through her mind.

Had she eaten something bad?!

Yu Tang clutched her stomach as the pain grew worse with each wave, and immediately went to knock on Yu Yuan’s door.

Yu Yuan threw on his clothes and went to find a doctor for her.

Yu Wen’s drunkenness was completely frightened away.

But in the middle of the night, and being outsiders, where could they easily find a doctor?

Yu Wen had no choice but to go knock on the door of the Pei family’s pawnshop.

The manager in charge at the Pei family’s pawnshop was Manager Tong’s younger brother, Second Manager Tong.

He knew Yu Wen and immediately went to get a calling card that Pei Yan had left at the shop for emergencies, saying, “Imperial Physician Wang Bai happens to be in Hangzhou. I’ll go right now to ask him to come examine Miss Yu.”

Yu Wen thanked him profusely and followed Second Manager Tong out in his slippers.

But Yu Tang covered her face with the quilt.

Third Master Pei’s calling card… Then wouldn’t he also find out tomorrow!

Yu Tang felt she couldn’t face anyone anymore.