Shi Yan almost immediately felt the cold aura emanating from his master, thinking that Miss Luo was unacceptable—how could she invite another man to look at the persimmon tree?
Especially when their master was still sitting right here.
Lin Shu also felt waves of cold air, but unable to overcome his worry for his cousin, he immediately agreed.
Watching the two walk side by side toward the door leading to the back courtyard, Wei Han set his wine cup down on the table with a sound.
Though the sound was light, it fell on Shi Yan’s ears like a thunderclap.
Master was planning to follow!
But then that slender hand lifted the wine pot, refilled the cup, and continued drinking.
Shi Yan: “…”
Lin Shu followed Luo Sheng into the back courtyard and saw a young man chopping firewood.
The red lanterns under the eaves cast an orange glow, illuminating the snow-covered courtyard brightly.
A burly man stood not far away, his face full of fierce features as he stared at the young man chopping wood.
“That’s not how you hold an axe. You can’t chop fast that way…” the burly man’s dissatisfied voice rang out.
Lin Shu somehow felt relieved.
At least it was just chopping firewood!
He turned his head to look at the young lady standing beside him.
The young lady’s gaze was indifferent as she watched the young man chopping wood, her emotions indiscernible.
“Miss Luo—” Lin Shu began, quietly squeezing the money pouch he’d hastily stuffed with silver.
Luo Sheng looked over.
Lin Shu steadied himself and asked tentatively: “I wonder how much silver Miss Luo spent to redeem Xu Xi?”
He’d heard that people from Qianjin Workshop sold his cousin for three hundred taels. As for how much silver Miss Luo spent to buy his cousin, opinions varied.
Some said a thousand taels, others said ten thousand taels.
If it was ten thousand taels—Lin Shu felt his breathing grow difficult and decided not to think about that for now.
Luo Sheng’s tone was light: “Not much. Fifty taels.”
Lin Shu was stunned.
The male companion establishment spent three hundred taels to buy his cousin, then turned around and sold him for fifty taels?
“Gold?”
Luo Sheng smiled: “He can’t even chop firewood properly—is he worth fifty taels of gold?”
Lin Shu breathed a huge sigh of relief: “Would Miss Luo be so kind as to let me take my cousin away? I’m willing to offer one hundred taels of silver as thanks to Miss Luo.”
Luo Sheng refused without mercy: “Not for resale.”
“Don’t go too far!” The young man, having noticed his cousin’s arrival, rushed over. Hearing these words, he roared angrily at Luo Sheng.
Luo Sheng looked at him expressionlessly: “Have you eaten too much, or is chopping firewood too easy? Don’t forget your sale contract is still in my hands.”
Xu Xi immediately deflated. Thinking of that shameful sale contract, his eyes turned red.
Lin Shu felt pity and said gently: “Miss Luo, as you said, my cousin can’t even chop firewood properly. Please be accommodating and let me take him away. I won’t trouble you further.”
Luo Sheng smiled: “I don’t mind the trouble, and I’m not short of money. I just enjoy watching him obediently chop firewood. If Second Young Master Lin is worried, you can come visit him often.”
Come often?
Wei Han, who had just pushed aside the thick cotton door curtain to come out, heard these words and his thin lips pressed together slightly.
“Doesn’t Second Young Master Lin think it’s quite good for your cousin to obediently chop firewood?” Luo Sheng asked calmly.
Lin Shu was startled and instinctively looked toward Xu Xi.
The young man held an axe in his hand, his cheeks slightly flushed, standing in the snow-covered courtyard like a vibrant white poplar.
He thought of his cousin’s impatient manner when he’d advised him not to gamble anymore.
The impatient tone, the impatient expression—his entire being had been suffused with impatient dejection.
Clearly only fifteen years old, yet one could smell decay on him.
Lin Shu suddenly understood.
Yes, compared to that version of his cousin, the one obediently chopping firewood before his eyes was undoubtedly better.
He cupped his hands toward Luo Sheng with genuine sincerity: “In that case, I’ll have to trouble Miss Luo from now on.”
“Cousin!” Xu Xi was shocked.
Lin Shu walked over and patted Xu Xi’s shoulder: “Cousin, just stay here with peace of mind. I’ll come visit you often in the future. If you have any difficulties, tell your cousin.”
“Cousin, have you been brainwashed by that female demon?” Xu Xi pointed at Luo Sheng in anguish.
Luo Sheng’s expression was cold: “To be precise, you should call me Master.”
The young man’s expression instantly twisted. He very much wanted to rush forward swinging the axe, but remembering he couldn’t even defeat this tavern’s white goose, he could only silently dismiss this unrealistic notion.
“Cousin, don’t forget your sale contract is still in Miss Luo’s hands. Your cousin’s face isn’t as influential as you think.” Lin Shu reminded him once more and took his leave of Luo Sheng.
“Since Second Young Master Lin is already here, why not go to the main hall and warm yourself with a cup of wine?”
Still need to warm himself?
Standing by the door, Wei Han raised an eyebrow.
Lin Shu hesitated.
Though he received half price each time he came, the food and wine at the tavern were really too expensive for a poor student like him to afford.
“Didn’t you bring the silver you were planning to use to redeem your cousin?” Luo Sheng reminded him thoughtfully.
Lin Shu suddenly understood and said with some embarrassment: “It’s been some days since I’ve eaten at the tavern. Then I’ll go have a cup.”
Passing Wei Han, the young man bowed deeply: “This student greets Your Highness.”
Wei Han nodded reservedly: “No need for excessive courtesy.”
Watching Lin Shu enter the main hall, Wei Han walked toward Luo Sheng.
Luo Sheng asked with a smile: “Why did Your Highness come over?”
“To look at the persimmon tree.”
Meanwhile, Xu Xi ignored the pair looking at the persimmon tree and watched eagerly as his cousin’s figure disappeared behind the cotton door curtain, his heart aching as if being cut with knives.
So in the end, his cousin left him to chop firewood and went to drink wine with the silver meant to redeem him?
Not mentioning the misery of the firewood-chopping young man, when Marquis Changchun received news that Xu Xi had been bought by Miss Luo, his feelings were complex and indescribable. In the end, he could only console himself that his son becoming a discarded piece and serving as Miss Luo’s male companion was still better than becoming a male escort.
Xu Fang also learned this news from her maid Hong Yue.
Xu Fang didn’t sleep all night, tossing and turning on her bed, repeatedly thinking about one matter: Should she seek help from Miss Luo?
Such matters shouldn’t require help from others, but she truly was powerless.
At least currently, as an unmarried girl, what she could do was too limited.
Xu Fang made her decision.
Early in the morning, when the wind and snow had stopped, she hurried outside. But reaching the gate, she was blocked.
“The marquis instructed the eldest miss to rest well.” The gatekeeper said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Hong Yue wanted to say something but was stopped by Xu Fang: “I’m going to see Father.”
Arguing with a gatekeeper for ages without being able to leave—she would be the one losing face.
Marquis Changchun was in a gloomy mood, sulking in his study, when he heard a voice outside the door: “Father, it’s Fang’er. May I come in?”
Marquis Changchun frowned and said indifferently: “Come in.”
A moment later the door was pushed open and Xu Fang walked in quietly.
Watching his daughter perform her courtesy, Marquis Changchun asked with some impatience: “What is it?”
Xu Fang lowered her eyes: “Your daughter wishes to go find Miss Luo.”
Marquis Changchun’s face immediately darkened upon hearing this: “In this bitter cold, why do you always want to run outside?”
“It’s like this—that day your daughter went to the tavern, and upon hearing news of eldest brother’s incident, left in a panic without paying. If Miss Luo comes to collect the debt—”