Chapter 55: 1.73 Meters

Now that the matter weighing in Helian Jing’s mind was lifted, he was finally able to feel more relaxed. He happily hummed the tune he learned on the river tour yesterday as he went off to find his mother and grandmother.

“Stop,” an icy and imposing voice called from behind him.

Helian Jing’s heart skipped a beat and he froze on the spot. He hung his head low, and with great dread, slowly turned around.

“Big brother,” Helian Jing greeted.

Helian Xuan could not help but frown upon seeing his little brother acting so carefree. Their uncles all passed away from early wars, leaving only him and his little brother to carry on the family name and position. The emperor favoured the Helian family, conferring both of them as monarchs. Before their father passed away, he had tasked Helian Xuan with taking care of Helian Jing. He had reiterated the loyalty they must show to the country and the importance of maintaining the family’s stellar reputation.

Helian Xuan took his father’s last words to heart, working overtime to further his career and excel on all the matters the monarch has trusted him with. The same could not be said for his little brother, however. Due to Helian Jing’s weak health when he was younger, everyone has pampered and spoiled him. It was clear that even now at age 16, Helian Jing still expected everyone to cater to his every whim. He was like a child who never grows up.

“Where have you been the entire day?” Helian Xuan demanded.

“No-nowhere! I just went to Heavenly Residence and had a meal and some tea with Zhao Qixuan,” Helian Jing answered carefully, intimidated by his brother’s imposing looks.

It would’ve been fine to Helian Xuan if he hadn’t mention eating with Zhao Qixuan. As it was, hearing that his little brother had been hanging out with the likes of that man brought his blood to a boil.

“How many times have I told you to stay away from people like Zhao Qixuan?” Helian Xuan scolded.

“Brother, Zhao Qixuan is actually a good person. I mean, other than  that problem, he’s a decent guy,” Helian Jing softly defended.

“You know that he has a problem, and yet, you still associated with him? Aren’t you afraid you’d that he’d turn his disgusting affections on you? And even if you had nothing going on with him, that does not prevent tongues from wagging! You’re going to cost the family its reputation if you keep this up.”

Helian Jing stayed silent in order not to further aggravate his brother.

“I think you have too much time on your hands. You want to pass the day so you go around doing inconsequential things,” Helian Xuan criticized.

“I don’t want to do inconsequential matters, either!” Helian Jing protested. “I’ve asked you and mother for assignments in the past, but you both ignore me!”

“Well, this sloppy look of yours certainly does not scream trustworthy.” Helian Xuan fixed him with a hard stare.

Helian Jing looked away.  My looks have nothing do with this! You and mother just don’t trust me with anything.

Helian Xuan sighed. He really doesn’t enjoy chewing his brother out. “Look, next month is grandmother’s 70th birthday. I am quite busy dealing with official businesses, so you shall be in charge of preparing grandmother’s birthday feast.”

Helian Jing visibly perked up, delighted. “Brother, are you serious?”

“Well, if you’re just going to fail, might as well do it in front of the family first. I don’t want your first humiliation to be in front of strangers,” Helian Xuan scoffed.

Helian Jing rolled his eyes, unfazed. “Brother, don’t underestimate me. I might even throw a party that’s infinitely better than what you could do.”

“That’s possible as I’m sure you’d resort to one of your tricks again.”

Be that as it may, only smart people can come up with tricks.  Helian Jing was too excited to let his brother get to him.

“Alright, you have to prepare the party well and make sure that Grandmother is pleased. If there is anything that you don’t know, you can ask mother. If there is anything you cannot settle outside, look for me. I will arrange an official assignment for you if you do great at this,” Helian Xuan said.

Helian Jing was overjoyed, replying brightly,”Yes, brother. Don’t worry, I will definitely make it satisfactory and make sure that grandmother will have the time of her life.”

Looking at his excited face, the corner of Helian Xuan’s lips rose involuntarily. “Do a good job.”

Perhaps Chunyu was right. In the past, they were too careful, too worried, and too afraid to let go, robbing the bird a chance to learn how to fly on his own. It was time to give little Jing a chance and toughen him up.

When his big brother left, Helian Jing also turned around, walking towards the mansion’s front door. He wanted to look for big Yaoyao and ask for his help to come up with ideas.

“Where are you going again?” Helian Xuan asked when he happened to glance back.

Helian Jing scratched his head, letting out an embarrassed laugh. “I was so happy I lost all sense of direction! I was going to greet mother and grandmother.”

Helian Xuan sighed and shook his head in resignation. It was not even a minute in and he was already regretting giving little Jing this assignment.

In the Jing An Marquis mansion, Xia Chunyu was back from his evening greeting. Qing Liu has already prepared his bath and change of clothes.

Qiao Xi came up to him to help him take off his clothes.

“Is Da Bao and Er Bao doing well?” Xia Chunyu asked as he always does every day.

“Yes, they are doing well, bouncing around as always. Today, when I went to feed them, Er Bao sneaked out when I wasn’t looking. Everyone chased him around the courtyard, laughing their heads off,” Qiao Xi recalled with a laugh.

causing everyone to chase him around the courtyard, everyone was laughing their heads off at that situation.” Qiao Xi laughed.

Xia Chunyu couldn’t help but smile. If Yaoyao was around, Da Bao and Er Bao would not dare to run around. They would always stay obediently by her side.

After they took off his outer coat, Xia Chunyu lifted his hand to stop them from continuing to undress him. He disappeared behind the screen with his inner wear on.

Qing Liu looked at Qiao Xi meaningfully, and Qiao Xi nodded, exiting the room with a knowing smile.

Xia Chunyu swam a lap around the pool. The pool was so small that two strokes were enough for him to reach the other end. It was not satisfying at all. This made him miss the Haze Lake at Black Wind Ridge. He could swim as much as he wanted to there, and every time he returned from swimming, Yaoyao would be there with a dry towel. She would help him dry his hair, all the while blabbering nonsense.

At that time, he found her annoying, wondering how one tiny woman could have so much to say. He could never enjoy some peace and quiet with her around. Now, as he recalled the memory, it filled his heart with warmth.

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Xia Chunyu cupped a handful of water and splashed it on his face. He then leaned on the edge of the pool, his eyes closed as he rested.

He heard soft footsteps approached him from behind. Xia Chunyu, with his low and magnetic voice, said lazily, “I said there is no need to serve me.”

Instead of stopping, the person came closer. He felt more than hear the ripples sweep across the water as the intruder got in the pool.

Xia Chunyu opened his eyes to see Qing Liu slowly moving closer to him, totally naked.

“Heir-son Lord, let your servant wait on you.” Qing Liu’s face was slightly flushed, both from her shyness and from the steam of the pool.

The water gently caressed her young and slender body, her cherry red nipples faintly discernible underneath the water. She looked alluring.

However, Xia Chunyu could not care less about her and what she was offering. He said expressionlessly, “Get out.”

A hint of embarrassment and awkwardness showed on Qing Liu’s face, but she only hesitated for a slight while before she continued moving forward.

Song Qi has already confirmed that the Heir-son Lord indeed had a woman, but that woman was now dead. Even if the Heir-son Lord really liked this mysterious woman, he couldn’t do anything about it. Qing Liu believed that as long as she put more attention and care for the Heir-son Lord, his affection will shift back to her.

“Qing Liu, you know I don’t like to repeat myself,” Xia Chunyu said emotionlessly.

Qing Liu halted her tracks, her embarrassment growing. She was not a shameless woman. If she wasn’t someone who had served the Heir-son Lord inthat  way before, she would never dare to throw herself at him like this.

“Heir-son Lord, you have changed.” Qing Liu choked with sadness. The tenderness and loving words from before have become icy cold. She can’t even get close to him because he would not look her in the eyes.

Xia Chunyu didn’t wish to raise his voice nor resort to violence. After all, Qing Liu served him once. If she would not leave, then he will.

Xia Chunyu turned over, pressing one hand on the edge of the pool to leap above the water. He pulled the gown on the rack and quickly donned it on. “You are not young anymore. I will instruct the housekeeper to arrange for you to leave the mansion.”

Qing Liu lost her breath. She couldn’t believe that the Heir-son Lord she once served could be that heartless. She wailed, “Heir-son Lord…”

Xia Chunyu did not waver in his decision as he walked out of the bathroom in large steps, not once glancing back at the broken heart that he left.

After that incident with Qing Liu, Xia Chunyu was left feeling frustrated and antsy. Finally, he changed his clothes and decided to leave the mansion to take a walk.

“Heir-son Lord, where are you going?” Song Qi asked as he jogged to keep up with his master. The Heir-son Lord only remained silent as he walked away aimlessly.

Song Qi remembered that it was just like the day when they returned from Haze Lake. The Heir-son Lord didn’t say a word back then, too, as he walked through the whole of Black Wind Ridge.

Xia Chunyu suddenly stopped, raising his head to take a look at the Qin Huai River in front of him. “Let’s take a walk by the river.”

There was not much business today at Heavenly Residence so the gang retired early. Deng Haichuan followed Ye Jiayao’s instructions and invited the rest of the men for a drink. Ye Jiayao returned to the inn and after helping the workers a little, she retired to her room to lie down. The problem was she wasn’t sleepy at all. If it were the modern times, this is when the nightlife begins. The ancient people do not have many leisurely activities to do so they could only go to bed and dream. Since she could not fall asleep, Ye Jiayao got up and decided to take a walk by the Qin Huai River since it was just two streets away from the inn.

Gazing at the pleasure boats cutting through the river, Ye Jiayao comforted herself with the thought that she was basically also touring the Qin Huai River. Technically, she was touring the Qin Huai River every day when she gets off work. The only difference was the rich people were floating on the river while she was walking by the bank.

“Bean cakes for sale! Sweet-smelling bean cakes, two coppers for a bean cake!” a peddler called out. Ye Jiayao looked to the direction of the vendor and saw an old man sitting in the harbour, in front of him was the bean cakes he was selling.

Ye Jiayao realized that it was hard for the old man to sell the cakes this late at night so she walked over to him and said, “Old uncle, give me a piece of bean cake.”

The old man smiled. “Wait for a moment, young chap, I will make you a fresh one.”

Ye Jiayao struck up a conversation with the old man. “Old uncle, is there still a business so late at night?”

The old man laughed. “Every sale counts. I can earn more this way.”

“Will those rich men buy them?” Ye Jiayao pointed at the leisure boats.

“They wouldn’t even take a look at cheap stuff like this. The ladies and the servant boys, however, would occasionally take care of this old man’s business.”

“Give me another three then!” Ye Jiayao said. She was going to bring it back for the people in the motel.

“Young chap, try one first. You can always buy more if you find it tasty,” the old man said.

Ye Jiayao smiled, finding the old man’s honesty endearing.

Just when Ye Jiayao was buying the bean cakes, Xia Chunyu and Song Qi walked pass her.

Song Qi smelled the delicious fragrance of the bean cakes and smiled merrily. He turned to Xia Chunyu and asked, “Heir-son Lord, would you like a bean cake?”

“Buy it for yourself if you want some,” Xia Chunyu replied indifferently.

Song Qi laughed a little bit abashedly. “Then, Heir-son Lord, please wait for a while.”

Ye Jiayao paid the old man, and with a bean cake in her mouth and three other in her hands, she continued walking forward.

By the time Song Qi reached the old vendor, Ye Jiayao was already more than 10 meters away.

“Uncle, one bean cake please.”

“Well, the business is quite good tonight,” the old man commented, bemused.

Xia Chunyu got a little impatient waiting, and turned to look at Song Qi’s whereabouts and instead, saw another person loitering alone at a distance. Xia Chunyu smiled bitterly, somehow inexplicably comforted by the idea that there was someone like him who fancied a stroll by the river this late.

“Song Qi, are you done?” Xia Chunyu hurried.

“Coming, coming!” Song Qi ran back with the bean cake, biting a huge chunk of it before exclaiming, “Heir-son Lord, this bean cake is really pretty good.”

Xia Chunyu didn’t say anything as he continued on his walk.

Never would he have imagined that that night, just at that moment, he brushed past Yaoyao and for a second, they were only 1.73 meters apart.