Chapter 12 - ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 12
The space inside the carriage was quite spacious and tastefully arranged, and Li Zhizhi had been worried about an awkward atmosphere. However, she quickly realized that she had been overthinking it. Xiao Rule was like a lively little bird, chattering incessantly, so Li Zhizhi didn’t even have time to feel awkward.
Still, she was grateful deep down, thankful that they were willing to answer her childlike questions. Occasionally, the young gentleman named Liu He would also chime in with a few words, creating the illusion of a three-way conversation. However, Li Zhizhi keenly sensed that something was amiss.
Xiao Rule spoke with childlike innocence, not holding back on any topic that came to mind. But every time their identities were about to be discussed, Xiao Yan would smoothly divert the conversation without a trace.
Clearly, he didn’t want Li Zhizhi to know about their origins.
It would be untrue to say that she wasn’t curious, especially since Li Zhizhi had made some guesses before. However, she was self-aware enough to realize that this encounter was fleeting, and perhaps their paths would never cross again after today. There was indeed no need to know too much.
Li Zhizhi’s tactfulness pleased Xiao Yan, and it even lessened his earlier prejudice. He opened the letter in his hand once again, the golden rays of the setting sun casting a warm glow on his slender and attractive fingers, the purple sandalwood Buddhist beads on his wrist emitting a gentle light.
Casually perusing the letter, he listened as Xiao Rule asked Li Zhizhi, “Sister, when will you teach me to climb trees?”
Li Zhizhi responded casually, of course having no intention to actually teach her to climb trees. She hesitated and said, “Well… some other day?”
If an ordinary person heard this, they would recognize it as a polite refusal. But Xiao Rule, not comprehending the nuance, continued, “Which day is ‘some other day’?”
Just as Li Zhizhi was unsure how to respond, Xiao Yan lifted his head at the right moment, a faint smile on his lips as he glanced at his sister. He gently suggested, “Since you enjoy climbing trees so much, how about I have someone lift you up and hang you from a tree when we get back?”
His tone was incredibly gentle, and Xiao Rule recoiled slightly, unwilling to concede. She tugged at Li Zhizhi’s sleeve and asked in a hushed voice she thought was light, “Sister, do you have a brother?”
Li Zhizhi shook her head, and Xiao Rule deflated as if letting out a sigh. She puffed her cheeks and muttered, “That’s good then. Big brothers are the scariest people in the world.”
Li Zhizhi instinctively glanced at Xiao Yan, only to see his expression remain unchanged, as if he hadn’t heard a thing. She leaned in closer to Xiao Rule and whispered, “Not really. I think having a big brother would be nice.”
“How could that be?” Xiao Rule exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise. “Big brothers are not good at all!”
Li Zhizhi patiently explained, “If you were like me, with no big brother, how would you have been able to ride this carriage home?”
Xiao Rule thought for a moment and surprisingly found some logic in that. Li Zhizhi didn’t have a big brother, so she would have had to walk home on foot. Xiao Rule immediately responded, “You’re so pitiful.”
Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but suppress a chuckle, sighing in agreement, “Yes, I’m so pitiful.”
Xiao Rule reached out and patted her head generously, saying, “Then, I’ll share my big brother with you!”
With words full of childishness, Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but suppress her laughter. She cast a sidelong glance at Xiao Yan and saw him looking in their direction with a half-smile on his face. Some kind of intuition told her that this young nobleman didn’t actually like her very much. Li Zhizhi didn’t want to provoke anyone’s displeasure, so she smiled at Xiao Rule: “Thank you. Although I don’t have a real older brother, I have a cousin at home.”
Sure enough, Xiao Rule’s attention shifted. He asked with confusion, “Strange, do you live at your cousin’s house?”
“Yes.”
Xiao Rule furrowed his brow, made a sound of realization, and asked, “Why? Don’t you have your own home?”
Li Zhizhi smiled naturally and told her, “My parents have both passed away, so I can only live at my uncle’s house.”
At these words, Xiao Yan glanced at her and interrupted Xiao Rule’s incessant questioning, “Keep bothering her, and I’ll have someone throw you off the carriage.”
Xiao Rule pouted, angered, “You’re always bullying me! I’m going to tell Aunt!”
“Go ahead,” Xiao Yan’s handsome face still held a smile, seemingly unconcerned, “Tell whoever you want.”
Xiao Rule’s eyes reddened with anger. Just then, Li Zhizhi felt something move by her feet—soft and tender. She was startled and looked down, finding a pitch-black bundle that could actually make a sound. It meowed at her softly and sweetly.
Immediately after, she felt a weight on her knee. A sleek black cat had gracefully settled on her lap. Face-to-face, Li Zhizhi looked at the cat’s translucent golden eyes and couldn’t resist reaching out to pet it.
The black cat narrowed its eyes slightly, making a contented sound, “Meow.”
“Ah Miao’s awake.”
Xiao Rule promptly forgot her previous unhappiness, happily reaching over to scoop up the black cat, cradling it in her arms and rubbing it vigorously. The black cat impatiently swiped at her with a paw before slipping away and settling on Xiao Yan’s knee.
Xiao Rule pouted in dissatisfaction, glaring at the cat, “You’re even bullying me.”
The black cat licked its paw, “Meow.”
At this moment, the carriage gradually came to a stop. The respectful voice of the coachman came from outside, “Master, we’ve arrived at the Li residence.”
The sky had already darkened, and two lanterns were lit in front of the Li residence. Their dim light cast a warm glow. Li Zhizhi turned to Xiao Yan and Xiao Rule, saying, “Thank you both for accompanying me on this journey. Until we meet again.”
Xiao Rule grabbed her hand and shook it, unwilling to give up, “Sister, you have to remember to teach me how to climb trees next time!”
Li Zhizhi hadn’t expected her to be so persistent. She was momentarily speechless and had no choice but to agree, “Alright, next time.”
Who knew when that next time would be? Perhaps they might not have another chance to meet again.
As Li Zhizhi stepped down from the carriage, her slender figure gradually disappeared into the dimness. The carriage started moving once more, heading toward the corner of the street.
The black cat nestled on the youth’s knee, absorbed in licking its paw. Xiao Yan’s expression turned thoughtful. He reached out to stroke the cat’s soft fur, causing it to purr contentedly. Xiao Rule quietly approached and snatched the cat, running away and giggling triumphantly.
Xiao Yan paid her no mind, but suddenly said, “Listen, Feng.”
The person driving the carriage responded, “Understood, sir.”
Xiao Yan leaned on his chin and said, “Go and find out what’s going on with that Li Zhizhi.”
He was really curious now. Last time he overheard at the corner, this Li Zhizhi clearly claimed to be Li Cen’s daughter. Why is she now saying that her parents are both dead? Is she trying to gain sympathy? She lies without batting an eye, not a single truthful word from her mouth. She’s truly a little swindler.
…
When Li Cen returned home during the night shift, it was already dark. He handed his black gauze hat to a servant and casually asked, “Where’s my wife?”
The servant respectfully replied, “Miss isn’t feeling well, Madam is accompanying her in the Purple Wisteria Garden.”
“How come she’s unwell again?” Li Cen frowned, somewhat annoyed. Without saying much, he waved his hand and said, “Let’s eat first.”
The meal was set, and before long, Madam Li arrived with Li Suwan. Li Xingzhi also came along. There’s no need to say, he had surely been in the Purple Wisteria Garden just now. Li Cen scolded him as usual, and Li Xingzhi obediently listened. Only after he sat down, he felt that something was off, his chopsticks halting in his hand.
Li Suwan next to him asked in confusion, “Brother, what’s wrong?”
Just at this moment, Wang Pozi rushed in, her face showing anxiety. “Master, Miss Xiaojie hasn’t come back from school yet!”
The chopsticks fell to the ground with a clatter, drawing Li Cen’s frowning gaze. The young man’s expression was somewhat strange, like he was flustered yet frustrated. He scolded, “What’s the matter with you? Can’t even eat a meal properly?”
“Dad…” Li Xingzhi suddenly stood up. He opened his mouth, and finally said, “I, I’ll be right back!”
“Xingzhi!”
“Brother!”
Madam Li and Li Suwan both spoke at the same time, but they still couldn’t call Li Xingzhi back. He dashed out of the dining hall in a hurry and disappeared at the door in the blink of an eye. Li Cen realized something, put down his chopsticks, and asked Wang Pozi, “Miss Xiaojie hasn’t returned yet?”
Wang Pozi hurriedly said, “No, Old Slave has been waiting since evening. Young Master and Miss Wan’er have both returned, but Miss Xiaojie is still missing.”
Li Cen turned to Li Suwan, his tone becoming serious, “What happened? You and Zhizhi attend the same school. If you were coming back, it should have been together. Why did only you come back? Where’s Zhizhi?”
Li Suwan’s young face turned pale. She nervously pinched her sleeve, swallowed her saliva, and stammered, “I… I wasn’t feeling well. Brother was anxious, so he, he sent me back first…”
Of course, she wasn’t actually unwell. After returning home, Li Xingzhi wanted to call the doctor, but she coaxed him with a show of petulance and got him to believe lying down for a while would be enough. She even made Li Xingzhi stay and chat with her, so that he would completely forget about Li Zhizhi’s matter.
Li Cen’s expression turned grim, and before he could say anything, Madam Li interrupted, “What’s the use of asking all these questions now, Master? We should send people to look for her first.”
Li Cen let out a heavy sigh and then ordered all the servants in the Li residence to go out and search.
…
Li Xingzhi walked out with his head down. The sky had already turned pitch black, but fortunately, the moonlight was still quite bright, scattering sparse stars across the sky. It illuminated the distant rooftops faintly and the dimly lit lamps.
He held a lantern in his hand, just taken from the gatekeeper’s lodge. The carriage was ready with the horses harnessed, and the coachman poked his head out and inquired, “Young Master, shall we get on the carriage?”
Li Xingzhi shook his head and said, “You go to Ming Garden first and see if she’s there. I’ll search along this road.”
The coachman agreed, gave a shout, and drove the carriage forward, soon disappearing into the night. Li Xingzhi then carried the lantern, walked along the long street, and headed towards Ming Garden.
Silver moonlight spilled onto the street, making it appear bright and revealing the darkness as even more eerie. The air was incredibly quiet, and Li Xingzhi could only hear the sound of his own footsteps. He was filled with regret; even though he didn’t particularly like Li Zhizhi, she was still his own younger sister. Moreover, the events of the day were all due to his negligence. If something really happened to Li Zhizhi…
The more Li Xingzhi thought about it, the more uneasy he became. After walking for an unknown amount of time, he suddenly heard a rustling sound up ahead. Startled, he called out, “Who’s there?”
The air immediately fell silent. After a moment, a timid and familiar voice came through, “Eldest Young Master?”
Li Xingzhi was overjoyed, raised the lantern, and walked towards the direction of the voice. The faint yellow light revealed a fragile figure huddled beneath a tree. She was trembling, likely out of fear, curling herself up like a small rabbit. She looked pitiful and vulnerable, unmistakably Li Zhizhi.
She lifted her face, her pretty eyes slightly reddened, hinting at tears. Just a blink would cause them to roll down. Her voice carried a hint of a sob as she said, “I’m sorry, I’m so clumsy that I couldn’t find my way back home.”
Hearing her words, Li Xingzhi felt a mix of emotions. His mouth moved, but for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. Clearly, it was his negligence, yet Li Zhizhi didn’t blame him. Instead, she thought it was her own fault. How did she manage to navigate through so many unfamiliar streets to find her way back here?
Li Xingzhi remained silent for a while before extending his hand to the young girl. In a soft voice, he said, “Let’s go back.”
Li Zhizhi grasped his hand and stood up. With a soft sigh, Li Xingzhi asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Zhizhi furrowed her brows and whispered, “My feet hurt.”
After walking for such a long time, how could her feet not hurt? Li Xingzhi hesitated for a moment, then handed her the lantern and turned around, squatting down. He said, “I’ll carry you.”
Li Zhizhi wasn’t one to stand on ceremony, but she still pretended, saying, “I can still walk. I just need a rest, and I won’t trouble you, Eldest Young Master.”
Li Xingzhi replied, “You’re walking slowly, and I can carry you faster.”
Upon hearing this, Li Zhizhi slowly climbed onto his back and mumbled, “I’ll take a deep breath. That way, I’ll become lighter, and you won’t feel tired.”
Her words were almost childishly naive, making it hard not to chuckle. Li Xingzhi did indeed chuckle. He couldn’t help but think that his sister was perhaps not as annoying as he had imagined, and even had a hint of charm.
But… why didn’t she call him ‘brother’ anymore?