Chapter Ten Settling In

  "Are your injuries all healed? So quickly!"

  It turned out that the person was the one who had fainted after abducting Xu Mingjin at Baiyun An that night, but was rescued by her with a grudge. She also kept his jade pendant.

  That man smiled slightly: "Thank you for your concern, although my injury is not fully healed, I can still handle a few beggars with ease." Xu Mingjin rolled her eyes and thought to herself: Don't be so arrogant, I was just thinking that my uncle was injured only one day after you, but he's still unconscious now, while you're already lively and energetic. Did you eat some kind of magical medicine? I asked out of curiosity, don't be so self-important! Xu Mingjin would rather die than admit it, but she had indeed been worried about him, wondering if he had been caught by Princess Pingxi later, and whether his injury had healed or not. But Xu Mingjin swore that she only cared because of the jade pendant; she absolutely didn't have any feelings for him!

  That person listened to Xu Mingjin's words, but didn't change his expression in the slightest, only giving her a seemingly smiling yet not quite smiling glance.

  Xu Mingjin asked: "How did you appear here?" To be honest, it was indeed quite strange. Although he saved her, the timing was also too coincidental?

  That person directly ignored her words this time, lightly saying: "This place is not easy to stay for long. Let's hurry up and leave." After finishing speaking, he took big strides to leave. "Wait a minute!" Xu Mingjin shouted behind him. That person stopped his footsteps, but didn't turn around.

  "I'll take my uncle with me," said Xu Mingjin.

  That man turned around and glanced at Fan Yicheng, who was lying on the ground, and saw that Xu Mingjin's expression was so determined. He took big strides to walk over, picked up Fan Yicheng from the ground with one hand, and slung him onto his back. Fan Yicheng settled comfortably on his back. What a cool move! Xu Mingjin glanced at Zhang Shuozi with deep meaning. Looking at that man, who was about the same age as Zhang Shuozi, his martial arts skills were worlds apart! Alas, she regretted her momentary emotional decision to betroth Chun Xing to this clumsy Zhang Shuozi. He's so incompetent, can he protect his wife in the future? Alas, she spoke too hastily.

  Xu Mingjin was self-pitying and sorrowful, but Chun Xing understood her ever-changing expressions. She finally couldn't help but roll her eyes. Chun Xing said, "Miss, let's go too? If we don't hurry, we won't catch up to him!" Xu Mingjin looked up and saw the person turning a corner with a flutter of their sleeve. She didn't bother correcting Chun Xing for addressing her as "miss" instead of "young master". She hastily said, "What are you saying? Let's go quickly!" and took the lead in chasing after him. Chun Xing and Zhang Shuo exchanged a glance, shook their heads, and followed Xu Mingjin out.

  Xu Mingjin waited until the person walked far away, fearing that if another beggar came back, she would be unlucky again. When Xu Mingjin stopped at the secluded alleyway's carriage, Xu Mingjin found that the man had put Fan Yicheng in the carriage compartment, leisurely waiting for her. As soon as Xu Mingjin got on the carriage, she asked: "What kind of person are you? How did you go to the broken temple and know my carriage was hidden here?" After finishing speaking, she stared at him tightly.

  That person seemed to have not heard, and instructed Zhang Shuozi: "Go to Qi's pharmacy." But Zhang Shuozi looked at Xu Mingjin, waiting for her instructions. Xu Mingjin was furious because he ignored her question, and saw Zhang Shuozi waiting for his own orders. She just wanted to say where to go, the inn. Then she heard that person slowly saying: "The inn is a mixed bag of fish and dragons, it's really not a good place to recover from injuries. The doctor at Qi's pharmacy is excellent at treating external injuries. There are two quiet and clean courtyards behind the pharmacy, which are most suitable for recovery. My injury has been recovering there for the past two days." After hearing this, Xu Mingjin swallowed back the words that were about to come out of her mouth. Her small face turned red with anger. Xu Mingjin took a deep breath, nodded at Zhang Shuozi and said: "Listen to him." Thinking again, she was not reconciled, and glared fiercely at that person, only then did she feel better.

  Since the other person didn't want to answer, Xu Mingjin stopped asking. She took out the jade pendant that the person had given her from inside her collar and removed it from her neck, handing it back to him saying: "Return this to you." The person didn't reach out to take it, but his eyes scanned Xu Mingjin once, what Xu Mingjin didn't notice was that when he looked at her red face and bright eyes, his gaze softened instantly. He saw that she had been wearing his jade pendant close to her skin, and his expression changed in an instant. Xu Mingjin just huffed and said: "You saved me again, now we don't owe each other anything." The person still didn't take it, only saying lightly: "Things that have been given out can't be taken back. If you don't want it, then smash it!"

  Xu Mingjin was stunned.

  She just didn't want to have anything to do with this person anymore, so she wanted to return his things to him. It can't be denied that this man is a rare handsome man, and when he was swept away by his black and white eyes, Xu Mingjin felt her heart beating violently. However, she knew that someone who could be chased and killed by Princess Pingxi in the middle of the night couldn't possibly be an ordinary person. She just wanted to earn some small money, find a simple man to marry, and live a plain life. She didn't want to interact with any big shots, lest one day she would suffer from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, she just wanted to return her things to him, why was it so difficult? It's all because of herself, she was greedy for this jade pendant that looked good and valuable, alas, now it's too late to say anything.

  The carriage was silent for a moment. Chun Xing looked anxious, what's wrong with the young lady? She was fine just now. She saw Xu Mingjin holding the jade pendant, like he was holding a hot potato. He didn't know whether to hold it or put it down. She knew the young lady was afraid of others seeing the jade pendant, that's why she wore it close to her body. The young lady usually took it out and played with it when she had nothing to do, so she thought the young lady liked the jade pendant, but now it seemed she was wrong.

  Just as Chun Xiang was about to say something to break the awkward silence, she felt the carriage stop shaking and come to a halt. Zhang Shuozi shouted from outside, "Miss, we've arrived at Qi's Medicine Shop." Chun Xiang quickly took the jade pendant that Xu Mingjin was still holding in her hand and put it away in her sleeve, saying, "Miss, let's get off the carriage." Xu Mingjin couldn't wait to leave this place and nodded eagerly, taking Chun Xiang's hand as they got off the carriage. The man followed behind them and also got off the carriage, but didn't wait for them and went straight into Qi's Medicine Shop. Just as Xu Mingjin was about to ask Zhang Shuozi to go to Qi's Medicine Shop to call a few shop assistants to help lift Fan Dichen down from the carriage, she saw several young men dressed in shop assistant attire come out of Qi's Medicine Shop and walk towards them. As they approached, they bowed, and before Xu Mingjin could react, those people rushed straight to the carriage, lifted Fan Dichen down, and hurried into Qi's Medicine Shop. Seeing this, Xu Mingjin realized that these people must have been sent by that man from Qi's Medicine Shop.

  Xu Mingjin and others followed behind the shop assistant, entering the Qi's pharmacy together.

  Xu Mingjin's eyes scanned around, but didn't see that person. Just as he was wondering why he left without saying a word, the old shopkeeper with a white beard emerged from behind the counter, smiled and bowed to Xu Mingjin and the others, saying: "My surname is Li, I've been instructed by Ze Gongzi, please follow me." Xu Mingjin had no choice but to follow the shopkeeper, along with Fan Dichen's partner, into the first courtyard in the back. Xu Mingjin thought to himself: Ze Gongzi, so that person's name is Ze?

  After entering the yard, Xu Mingjin found that this house was much better than she had imagined. To be honest, she couldn't find or afford a rent for such a good house. If she were to find one herself, she wouldn't be able to provide such a good environment for Fan Weichen's recovery. Xu Mingjin sadly discovered that it seemed like now, she owed him instead.

  They settled Fan Yicheng in bed. Then, Li Zhuangui sent for the doctor from Qi's pharmacy to take Fan Yicheng's pulse. Xu Mingjin anxiously asked, "How is my uncle?" The doctor finished taking his pulse and reassuringly smiled at Xu Mingjin, "Miss, don't worry, your uncle's injury is not serious. He fainted due to hunger." Xu Mingjin finally let out a sigh of relief but felt depressed - how did everyone know she was a girl? However, she didn't know that Ze Gongzi had instructed Li Zhuangui to take good care of the young miss and her servants. That's why Li Zhuangui called her "miss". Xu Mingjin felt down for a moment, then let it go. She heard Li Zhuangui ordering his staff to cook porridge and chicken soup in the kitchen. Xu Mingjin was touched, and as Li Zhuangui finished giving orders and was about to leave, she quickly called out to him.

  Xu Mingjin said: "Li boss, my uncle's stay here, all the expenses, please calculate how much it is." The boss smiled and said: "Ze Gongzi has instructed that Miss is his benefactor, so everything during your uncle's stay here is free of charge." Xu Mingjin asked: "What is the relationship between Ze Gongzi and you? He says it's free, just like that?" In her heart, she thought back to when she was at Baiyun An, he gave her this jade pendant and said to seek help from Qi Shi medicine shop if anything happened. She didn't think much of it then, but now it seemed his words were true. Today, in the broken temple, he just happened to arrive on time, which meant he must have been secretly following her, that's why he saved her. Although it was a good intention, thinking about being followed made her uncomfortable. Even though he saved her, as soon as he recovered from his injuries, he started worrying about her safety. Xu Mingjin couldn't help but feel moved.

  Mr. Li said, "Miss is the benefactor who saved Ze's life, it doesn't matter if I tell Miss." He paused for a moment, looked at Xu Mingjin again, and then said, "The Qi family medicine shop is Ze's property, but it's just hanging on the old man's head."

  Xu Mingjin suddenly enlightened.

  That day, after settling down Fan Yicheng and taking his pulse, Xu Mingjin feared that if he returned late, Madam Fan would discover the truth, so without waiting for Fan Yicheng to wake up, he hastily returned to the manor.