Qi Yunting’s heart was pounding wildly, almost like it would jump out of his throat.
He had been inquiring for months.
Since Qi Jin disappeared, he couldn’t eat or sleep, every day he was dazed and confused, not knowing what he was doing.
But after all this time, there was no news at all!
Every time he thought about what kind of hard life Qi Jin might be suffering out there, he hated it so much that he wanted to rush to Mingyue Pavilion and kill Qi Yuan.
But that d*mned woman was cunning and ruthless; he simply couldn’t defeat her!
Fortunately, heaven had pity.
Finally, he learned where Qi Jin was.
Qi Jin was the most delicate—had to eat well and dress well.
These past months outside must have been full of hardship, poor food, and poor clothes.
He wanted to make it up to her properly.
Qi Yunting exchanged his silver, then went to the city’s finest silk shop and bought several bolts of phoenix brocade—all in colors Qi Jin liked.
Next, he went to the treasure pavilion and bought many jewels and accessories.
Altogether, spending two thousand taels of silver down to the last penny, even using all five hundred taels of his own private money.
But what was that?
His Qi Jin deserved all the best things in the world.
He took the fully loaded cart to the Hat Alley where Qi Jin was staying.
He knocked loudly on the courtyard gate. A little maid opened the door, glanced at them, and asked, “Who is it? Who are you looking for?”
Qi Yunting was so nervous he didn’t know where to put his hands and feet. He pressed his lips and whispered, “I… I’m here looking for Qi Jin. Does she live here?”
The little maid looked at him, said “wait a moment,” and went back inside.
When she returned, Qi Yunting’s eyes widened, barely able to contain his excitement: “Ah Jin! It’s really you, I finally found you!”
Seeing him, Qi Jin showed no happiness at all. Her voice trembled nervously: “Brother, why is it you? How did you find this place?”
Then she hurriedly widened her eyes: “This is not a place for you! You must go back now and never come again!”
She tried to have the maid shut the door.
Qi Yunting had finally found her—there was no way he would let her shut the door on him.
He firmly blocked the door and shouted loudly: “Ah Jin, do you really not want to see me?”
Dealing with him was a piece of cake for Qi Jin—she didn’t even have to think.
Just a few tears, that was enough.
Hearing him, Qi Jin immediately dropped her hands and crouched on the ground, covering her face and crying bitterly.
Qi Yunting’s heart shattered.
He pushed into the courtyard, instructing his servant to open the side door and bring in the goods.
At the same time, he gently patted Qi Jin’s back: “It’s alright, Brother is here now. It’s all Brother’s fault; Brother let you suffer.”
Qi Jin completely broke down, throwing herself into his arms and crying loudly.
Qi Yunting hesitated briefly, then wrapped his arm around her and comforted her softly.
Meanwhile, Qi Yunting kept cursing the arrogant Qi Yuan.
He sneered: “She’s so proud now—her dog even struts around the Marquis residence.”
Qi Yuan’s dog really did love roaming about the estate.
Though Mingyue Pavilion had a courtyard, it was too small. Little Yellow ran about happily in the yard but didn’t have enough space to expend all his energy.
So Qi Yuan had the dog keeper Chen Xiu take Little Yellow for a walk in the garden every evening.
She herself took advantage of the opportunity to visit the separate villa.
Qingtao and Lihua were there.
Though she said the villa was for their placement, she couldn’t feel at ease without checking in person.
When they saw her, Qingtao and Lihua were so happy they didn’t know what to do.
Especially Lihua, tears welling, clutching Qi Yuan’s wrist: “Sniff sniff, Miss, I thought you didn’t want me anymore!”
Such a child.
Qi Yuan smiled and stroked her hair: “How could that be? I just had things to do before, so I didn’t have time to come. Now I’m free, so I came to see you.”
She asked them, “How are you here? Has anyone bullied you?”
Qingtao and Lihua quickly shook their heads.
Seeing their bright eyes and rosy faces, Qi Yuan realized they had adapted well to life on the estate and smiled.
She asked what they usually did.
Qingtao was quieter, but Lihua was more lively: “Actually, we don’t have to do much. Shen Mama doesn’t let us do heavy work. On the estate, we just clean the upstairs rooms and take care of the garden flowers and plants. It’s easy!”
After a pause, she looked at Qi Yuan: “It’s all good, but… we miss the Young Mistress a lot.”
Qi Yuan laughed out loud, then raised an eyebrow thoughtfully: “Alright, then do me a favor, okay?”
This time it wasn’t Lihua speaking out—the bright-eyed Qingtao replied: “Just say what you want, Young Mistress! We’ll do it!”
Qi Yuan nodded: “Good. Then you two will study, alright?”
Study?
This time both Qingtao and Lihua looked at Qi Yuan incredulously.
Why make them study?
Isn’t studying something only men do?
At worst, only daughters of noble families study.
Qi Yuan said softly: “I will need literate people by my side in the future. So if you want to stay with me, you’d better learn to read, okay?”
Both girls agreed without hesitation.
Qi Yuan instructed Shen Mama to teach Qingtao and Lihua how to read.
Shen Mama was Old Madam’s attendant and had previously managed accounts—she could read, write, and do calculations.
She smiled at the two girls and sighed: “The Young Mistress is really too good to them.”
Qi Yuan smiled without speaking, stayed for lunch with Lihua and Qingtao, then hurried back to the Marquis residence.
When she returned to Mingyue Pavilion, Baizhi was crying with snot and tears, kneeling fearfully at her feet: “Young Mistress! Bad news! Little Yellow is missing!”
Qi Yuan felt her spine stiffen for a moment.
A chill crawled from her feet to her head.
She heard a buzzing in her mind.
Little Yellow from those years ago was the same.
She had gone out to gather firewood and returned home, but Little Yellow was nowhere to be seen.
She asked Li Xiuniang, who slapped her lightly and said coolly: “It’s dead. Winter’s come. Your father was calling to eat dog meat to warm up, so it was killed.”
The scene seemed to repeat.
Qi Yuan immediately snapped out of her daze and asked calmly: “Have you asked everyone? In such a big mansion, even a cat can hardly escape, let alone a dog?”
Nothing disappears without reason.
There must be an explanation.
She glanced at Baizhi coldly: “Stop crying. Stand up and talk.”
Baizhi sighed in relief and said through sobs: “I’ve asked everyone. They all say they haven’t seen Little Yellow…”
