The Runaway Bride in a Substitute Marriage 05

"Miss Jiang, do you know who my master is?"

Ban He, who had been trailing behind Xie Qingyan, could no longer hold his tongue. His expression stiffened—even if the young lady before him was his master's betrothed, she had no right to speak of his master that way.

"Ban He." Xie Qingyan released the slender wrist he had been holding, his gaze shifting to his attendant.

Ban He lowered his head and muttered, "Yes, Master. I'll say no more."

In his view, his master was far too magnanimous to be provoked by such rudeness. But matters of his master's affairs were not for a servant to comment on, so Ban He could only nurse his indignation in silence.

"I don't care..." what status you have?

Chen Yao's voice suddenly faltered. As she lightly shook the hand she had just pulled back, she instinctively sized up the man before her.

Of course, since she wasn't truly a noble lady of an ancient marquis household, she couldn't discern any hidden significance from his appearance.

Still, his robes were of fine material, his ink-black hair was bound with a white jade crown, and his entire bearing exuded an air of refined elegance and noble reserve. The jade pendant hanging from his sash, with its warm luster and restrained gleam, was clearly no ordinary piece.

Chen Yao nodded to herself, convinced she had figured it all out.

Xie Qingyan noticed that the girl before him, who had been flustered and furious just moments ago, now bit her lip slightly, as if she had only just realized something.

Chen Yao's heart grew uneasy, especially when she recalled the purpose behind Lady Hou bringing her to the temple to burn incense. Her mind snapped to full alertness.

So the man before her couldn't be... the young master of the Xie household, could it?

Chen Yao's lashes trembled incessantly, like the delicate wings of a butterfly gently fluttering, casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes.

She thought: If Mother finds out, I'm done for.

Xie Qingyan found it somewhat amusing to watch the girl's feelings written plainly across her face, and he felt the anger he'd barely harbored begin to dissipate entirely.

He picked up where she had left off, one eyebrow lifting slightly as if deliberately asking, "You don't care about what?"

"Why should I explain myself to you?"

Chen Yao widened her eyes and shot him a glare, refusing to drop her haughty air. With a huff, she turned to leave.

By then, Chuntao had already come running from a distance, but before she could voice her concerned questions—

Chen Yao gave her a small tug, then stomped off with heavy steps, chin raised and looking positively imperious.

Xie Qingyan watched the girl's receding figure, and after a long moment, shook his head.

"Master, Miss Jiang dropped her handkerchief." Ban He, sharp-eyed, pointed it out.

Xie Qingyan lowered his gaze to the silk handkerchief lying at his feet. The peach-pink color was vivid and bright, much like its owner's personality.

Even though his master hadn't spoken, Ban He, quick to read the situation, bent down and picked up the handkerchief.

Then he presented it with both hands. "Master."

Xie Qingyan's fingertips twitched slightly, but in the end, he reached out and silently took the handkerchief, holding it in his grasp.

The cloth was soft and fine, woven from the finest silk, with a small peony meticulously embroidered in one corner—its layered petals traced in threads of pink and white.

Xie Qingyan's thumb gently brushed over the little peony, thinking of the girl's radiant and dazzling beauty, her national grace still evident even in her moments of embarrassment and anger.

It suited her well, he thought.

Then master and servant watched as the maid, who had just left with Chen Yao, came running back again, breathless.

"Please forgive me, young master. My lady left her handkerchief behind here." Chuntao curtsied, her head bowed demurely.

Chen Yao had hurried away a short distance before realizing her silk handkerchief was missing.

In these times, a young lady's handkerchief was a rather private item, and thinking it over, she guessed it must have fallen at the man's feet.

That sort of dramatic bit—wasn't it the kind of scene a vicious supporting female character like her shouldn't be having? So she'd immediately ordered her little maid to run back and fetch it.

"Mm." Xie Qingyan nodded.

Ban He obligingly took the handkerchief from his master and returned it to the maid who had come looking.

Chuntao curtsied again. "Thank you, young master. I'll take my leave now."

*

Now that the handkerchief had been recovered, Chen Yao didn't want it anymore.

"It must have fallen on the ground—it's filthy."

She pouted slightly, a look of disdain washing over her brow. "Chuntao, just get rid of it however you like."

She quickly made her way back to the guest room in the side courtyard.

Chen Yao didn't bother finding fault with anything; the first thing she did was chug a large bowl of tea, gulping it down noisily.

The apricots she'd just picked had fallen, and the tea Chuntao had prepared had spilled on the ground. Heaven knows her throat had been parched to the point of smoking.

"What tea is this? Coarse as dry grass."

She set down the bowl, catching her breath before mustering the energy to be picky.

Chuntao chimed in, "You've suffered, miss. The tea leaves at the temple are never as good as those at home."

Chen Yao felt that being a maidservant wasn't easy either—Chuntao had walked a long stretch with her and likely hadn't had a chance to drink any water herself.

"Hmph, well, this tea isn't fit for this young lady to drink anyway. Chuntao, you drink it."

A servant naturally wouldn't dare disobey her mistress's orders, and besides, Chuntao was already dying of thirst.

She thought: Miss probably said that just so I could quench my own thirst. She always speaks harshly but has a soft heart.

She didn't stay long in the side room—after all, it was already high noon, and Lady Pingyuan sent someone to summon her for the midday meal.

In ancient times, the barrier between men and women was strictly observed, so the dining hall at Yunfu Temple was naturally divided into separate sections for male and female guests.

When Chen Yao arrived, she saw that Lady Pingyuan and Madam Xie were already deep in cheerful conversation, with the female lead sitting nearby, graceful and demure, looking very harmonious indeed.

"Mother." She called out softly.

When facing outsiders, Chen Yao's first impression was always one of obedience and propriety—after all, she was merely willful and spoiled, not reckless enough to court death.

Daring to embarrass her in front of Lady Hou would guarantee she'd have no good outcome at home. The bloodline suppression from one's own mother was no joke.

"Yaoyao, you've come." Lady Pingyuan smiled. "This is Madam Xie. Come and greet her."

"Greetings, Madam Xie." Chen Yao stepped forward and curtsied slightly.

The girl's voice was crisp and clear, ringing like a silver bell, and one could sense the vibrant life radiating from her.

Madam Xie looked up at her future daughter-in-law and immediately felt her eyes light up.

The girl wore a peach-pink ru skirt today, with a water-green silk sash draped loosely over her arm, her hair styled high in a cloud bun. Even beneath her heavy adornments of pearls and jade, her breathtaking beauty could not be concealed.

Truly a peerless beauty of striking elegance and charm.