Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 5: That's The Thrill Of Meeting One's Match.

　　An Jiu hadn't felt down for long when a commotion of footsteps echoed outside the dilapidated temple.

　　Before long, a group of people burst into view, led by a young man and woman.

　　The man appeared to be in his early twenties, handsome with a straightforward and honest face. He wore a simple brown short outfit, his black hair tied up high, and he carried a long sword in a black sheath slung diagonally across his back.

　　With sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, he exuded a righteous aura, clearly a heroic figure.

　　A young woman in a long, green dress accompanied him. She appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old, with distant brows, eyes like autumn water, skin as white as snow, and red lips and white teeth. She looked lively and charming. 

　　The young woman also wore a long sword at her waist. The scabbard was inlaid with delicate gold floral patterns and hung with a golden sword tassel. Even though she was a woman, her aura conveyed unwavering resilience, like the daughter of some renowned and upright family.

　　This was none other than the male lead, He Ziqing, and the female lead, Lin Qingyan, from the book.

　　Surrounding them were another seven or eight people; two were dressed in constable uniforms, three in luxurious brocade garments, and a few were attendants and maids who had come along with them.

　　An Jiu's eyes sharpened. Before she could speak, someone cried out, “Miss! Miss, she's really here!”

　　The crowd stirred, and a group of people rushed into the dilapidated temple.

　　The first to cry out was a maidservant, who appeared to be fifteen or sixteen years old. As soon as she saw An Jiu, she rushed over and embraced her, weeping profusely; her tears flowed freely.

　　An Jiu recognized the girl as Ji Xiang, An Jiu's personal maidservant, who had grown up with her from a young age and was fiercely loyal to An Jiu. Even when An Jiu had tried to escape her marriage, Ji Xiang had followed her and even helped her plot her escape.

　　Therefore, when An Jiu fled ²Shangsu Mansion, she had brought Ji Xiang along.

　　If it hadn't been for Ji Xiang taking care of her along the way, the delicate young lady An Jiu, who had never even touched water, would never have made it to Jiufang City.

　　The little maid was completely devoted to An Jiu. Ji Xiang's name had appeared in the original text as well; when An Jiu was abducted and went missing, Ji Xiang was the first to wake from her stupor. While everyone else was in a state of panic, she rushed to report to the authorities and just happened to encounter the male and female leads who were searching for clues.

　　However, later on, An Jiu had left Ji Xiang behind in Jiufang City to join the main characters on their journey.

　　What happened to Ji Xiang in the end, An Jiu couldn't know, but she guessed it wouldn't be good.

　　Minister An had power and influence, and it was only a matter of time before he uncovered his daughter's whereabouts. Ultimately, An Jiu had died, leaving behind a maid like Ji Xiang, who had helped her escape her marriage—one could imagine how that would turn out.

　　These thoughts flashed through her mind as she looked at the little maid hugging her arm and crying uncontrollably, and she felt a headache coming on, pressing her forehead.

　　“Ji Xiang, stop crying. Your lady is not dead yet.”

　　While wiping her tears, the little maid sobbed, “Miss, let's go home, okay? It's too dangerous outside!”

　　An Jiu disliked this clingy behavior. She pushed Ji Xiang's arm away, frowning and shaking her head. “I'm not going back. You can go back if you want.”

　　At this moment, He Ziqing, who had knelt down to examine the person on the ground, said, “This person is undoubtedly the flower thief. He has the scent of ¹Liuxiang on him, but why is he unconscious?”

　　As soon as he spoke, everyone's attention shifted to An Jiu.

　　He Ziqing stepped forward and asked An Jiu, “Miss An, can you tell us if this person kidnapped you last night? Did you encounter anyone else?”

　　An Jiu met his gaze. With him coming closer, she could feel the righteous aura emanating from the male lead, which made her feel at ease.

　　She relaxed slightly and replied calmly, “That's right. This person took me from Lin Manor to the dilapidated temple last night. He intended to assault me, but fortunately, I encountered a hero who came to my rescue, which is how I managed to escape.”

　　Upon hearing this, the expressions of the crowd varied.

　　Many looked at An Jiu with a hint of shock. The girl had just experienced such a traumatic incident, yet she showed no signs of fear on her face and could respond calmly to their questions, which was indeed admirable.

　　“Miss An, do you know who the hero that saved you is?” 

　　Seeing the admiration in He Ziqing's gaze as he looked at the girl, Lin Qingyan's expression changed slightly, and she quickly interjected.

　　An Jiu shifted her gaze, taking in the expressions of those around her. It seemed the female lead was already developing feelings for the male lead.

　　She averted her gaze, no longer looking at He Ziqing; she didn't want to go against the female lead.

　　“I don't know. That hero didn't leave his name. He told me someone would come at dawn. I slept for a while, and when I woke up, he was gone.”

　　As she spoke, An Jiu's thick eyelashes drooped, hiding her bright, captivating eyes, and her tone turned somber. Anyone could easily detect the girl's current dejected mood.

　　“However, he did leave behind a piece of clothing for me to keep warm.”

　　An Jiu quickly regained her composure and turned to retrieve the neatly folded white robe from the altar in front of the temple. She cherished it in her arms and smiled lightly, the corners of her eyes bending with joy.

　　The girl had bright, pearly teeth and skin as delicate as porcelain. She possessed beautiful peach blossom eyes with long, thick eyelashes that slightly curled upward at the ends, naturally exuding a hint of alluring blush.

　　Such enchanting eyes might seem overly seductive on others, but An Jiu's gaze carried an air of arrogance, as if she were above others. This charm was subdued, transforming into a bright and striking allure that made it hard for anyone to look directly at her.

　　As she smiled gently, her expression filled with emotion, she instantly radiated charm and became the center of attention.

　　In an instant, several people were captivated by her beauty.

　　This scene happened to catch the eye of someone who arrived a moment later. Dressed in white as snow, with his black hair neatly tied up with a jade hairpin shaped like clouds, he appeared to be physically impaired. He was pushed by a sturdy male servant sitting in a wheelchair, which made a faint rolling sound as it rolled over the ground.

　　The attention of everyone present was focused on An Jiu and had not noticed his arrival.

　　An Jiu was facing the outside of the temple and casually glanced over, but lost interest and turned her gaze away.

　　He Ziqing wanted to inspect the white robe, and An Jiu reluctantly handed it over, nervously explaining, “That hero is definitely not a bad person. He was just a passerby who helped me when he saw injustice! Please don't wrong a good person!”

　　Lin Qingyan's gaze swept over the girl's slightly flushed cheeks, and she smiled knowingly, saying, “Don't worry, we are just having a look; we won't arbitrarily accuse anyone.”

　　He Ziqing examined the robe and then returned it to An Jiu, saying, “I can't tell anything from it; it's just an ordinary piece of clothing.”

　　An Jiu thought to herself, of course, it's unremarkable.

　　After she pointed out the medicinal scent on the robe last night, she had no idea what Pei Ji had done in the middle of the night. By the time she woke up the next day, the scent of medicine had completely dissipated.

　　Lin Qingyan's eyes shifted, and upon seeing the young man in white in the wheelchair, a smile immediately appeared on her face. She waved at him, saying, “Pei Ji, come take a look! This flower thief has been unconscious for so long, and we don't know why. If you can wake him up, we can interrogate him and find out where the women he's hiding have gone.”

　　They had been investigating the case of the flower thief for several days. A few days ago, they had even encountered the thief face-to-face, only to have him cleverly escape. Pei Ji had created a special scent, Liuxiang, and applied it to the flower thief, which led them to this dilapidated temple.

　　As Lin Qingyan spoke, the crowd finally noticed the arrival of the young man in white, turning to greet him.

　　“Doctor Pei.”

　　“Young master Pei, we appreciate your help.”

　　From the actions and words of the crowd, it was clear that there was a mixture of respect and reverence.

　　After all, Pei Ji was renowned for his exceptional medical skills, and people were always fearful of illness and death.

　　The young man known as Pei Ji had a fair complexion and striking features. He had long, narrow phoenix eyes that sparkled with clarity, seemingly holding a gentle smile at all times. Below his high nose bridge were thin lips that naturally curved upward, radiating a warm and gentle smile that felt like a breath of spring.

　　This was An Jiu's first real encounter with Pei Ji.

　　Contrary to her expectations, An Jiu had thought that even if Pei Ji pretended to be gentle and kind, he couldn't hide the darkness in his nature; there would always be some signs of it.

　　However, in reality, no one who met Pei Ji would ever suspect that he was anything but a good person.

　　His white clothes, much like the impression he gave off, were as pure as snow, unblemished.

　　He appeared more gentle and humble than anyone else, more compassionate and sympathetic.

　　“Alright,” Pei Ji replied with a pleasant demeanor, his voice warm. He turned to the person behind him and said, “Ah Qi, push me over.”

　　Throughout the process, he didn't look at An Jiu, behaving as if he were just like anyone else. No one would guess that they had met just last night.

　　An Jiu also acted as if she didn't care much.

　　Yet, in truth, the moment he appeared, she was paying attention to him.

　　As soon as Pei Ji spoke, An Jiu noticed that his voice had changed. 

　　Fei Yi's voice was deeper and more resonant, like that of a man in his twenties. In contrast, Pei Ji, being the same age as her, was only eighteen, and his voice was clearer and more melodious.

　　Indeed, even if he had suddenly devised a plan last night, he had executed it flawlessly.

　　Goodness, he was even better at disguising himself and acting than she was.

　　For some reason, a surge of warmth suddenly welled up within An Jiu. She felt her heart racing, and it was the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent.

　　The wheelchair rolled forward with a soft sound, coming to a stop in front of the unconscious flower thief. The young man in white leaned down to examine him briefly, then pulled out a small cloth pouch from his sleeve. When he unfolded it, it revealed a row of gleaming silver needles.

　　“This person has been affected by a sedative, which is why he remains unconscious. I'll administer the antidote, and that should suffice.”

　　As Pei Ji spoke, his slender fingers deftly grasped a silver needle, and in the blink of an eye, he swiftly inserted it into the flower thief. In just a moment, the previously unconscious flower thief began to groan.

　　Seeing the flower thief awakening, He Ziqing and Lin Qingyan immediately surrounded him.

　　Pei Ji's wheelchair was pushed out of the crowd, and only then did he slightly lift his head to look at An Jiu.

　　“I wonder who this young lady is…”

　　An Jiu didn't join the commotion. Holding the white robe in her arms, she glanced down at him from her elevated position and replied coolly, “What does it matter to you who I am?”

　　“How dare you speak to the young master like that!” 

　　Ah Qi, the servant pushing the wheelchair, instantly showed anger, wanting to step forward, but Pei Ji waved his hand, smiling calmly, “Ah Qi, mind your manners.”

　　Ah Qi, fuming, retreated, his eyes wide and glaring at An Jiu like copper bells.

　　Ji Xiang, the little maid, was frightened by the fierce expression of the servant and trembled, yet she bravely stepped in front of An Jiu, wanting to protect her.

　　Unfazed, An Jiu glared back, “What are you staring at? Keep looking, and I'll gouge your eyes out!”

　　Pei Ji clasped his hands in a gesture of apology. Even though he was the one offended, he seemed unfazed and instead carried a hint of regret as he said, “I apologize, Miss. My servant is uncouth, and it's my failure to discipline him. But may I ask, how have I offended you? Why do you greet me with such a cold demeanor upon our first meeting?”

　　The proud young lady let out a cold snort, lowering her gaze to look down at him. Perhaps she realized she was in the wrong; she bit her lip and replied irritably, “I just find you unpleasant to look at. What's wrong with that?”

　　After saying that, she took Ji Xiang's hand and walked away without looking back, standing off to the side.

　　As she walked, she muttered something under her breath, her voice so low that almost no one could hear.

　　Only the young man in white, left behind, keenly picked up on her faint words.

　　“Fei Yi looks better in white. He's just a cripple trying to wear the same color. How annoying.”

　　Such was the nature of the young lady—willful and headstrong, disliking someone without any real reason, perhaps simply because he wore the same color as the person she admired.

　　Pei Ji lowered his gaze, yet the faint smile remained at the corners of his lips, as if he was completely unaware of her murmured complaints.

　　Only An Jiu could hear the electronic sound ringing in her ears.

　　【Pei Ji's favorability towards you +5, current value -106.】

________________

Glossary:

¹Liuxiang : Literally meaning lingering fragrance. A fictional herb that is used for tracking in this story created by the author.

²‘Shangshu Mansion’ refers to the residence of Minister An. ‘Shangshu’ (尚书) is his official title, translated as ‘Minister’ in this story.

……

T/N: Greetings, fellow bookworms! A belated Happy Eid to all who celebrate! My apologies for the belated wishes – I've been unwell. 😅 Been under the weather again, so my surprise Eid plans went poof. Sorry about that!

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