Chapter 95 - 94: Only Someone as Strong as Shi Changying Can Control Pei Xuan
Chapter 95: Chapter 94: Only Someone as Strong as Shi Changying Can Control Pei Xuan
Pei Xuan did not get out of the car. Resting one arm on the window, he cast a glance at Housekeeper Pei. "What are you shouting for? Why aren’t you going in?"
Housekeeper Pei immediately quieted down. He composed his expression and walked through the open gates. Upon clearly seeing the visitor’s face, Old Sir Xu sprang to his feet as if his pants were on fire. "You... why are you here?" he asked, his voice trembling.
This Housekeeper Pei held a much higher status than the administrative managers of ordinary families, overseeing a great deal of affairs. Whenever Pei Family Members did not step forward personally, it was always Housekeeper Pei who handled negotiations. He had been with them since Mr. Pei took power, which showed his importance.
Pei Xuan’s street-racing skills had left Housekeeper Pei feeling a bit dizzy; even after getting out of the car and walking a few steps, his stomach still churned. However, his extremely high professional standards allowed him to quickly get into character. His expression wasn’t stern, and his voice was gentle as he said, "Making a little girl kneel in the ancestral hall so late at night—this is quite inappropriate for the Xu Family, isn’t it?"
Although these words carried no aggressive force, a layer of cold sweat broke out on Old Sir Xu’s back. Housekeeper Pei’s words did not just represent himself, but the intentions of the head of the Pei Family!
Old Madam Xu was also somewhat at a loss. She hurriedly explained, "That’s not it. It’s because this child, Changying, was truly too out of line at the banquet today. As her elders, we can’t just stand by and watch her go astray."
"So that’s how it is. However, the Young Master holds a different opinion from you two," Housekeeper Pei said with a beaming smile. "The Young Master believes that in such a shameless, oppressive environment, she not only didn’t cower but dared to challenge authority. He truly appreciates that."
Old Sir Xu and Old Madam Xu both froze in shock.
Housekeeper Pei continued, "The fault in this matter lies entirely with the Meng Family. Relying on their seniority to bully a child, only to be humiliated by that very child—it is indeed embarrassing. Sigh... You two, you should be grateful to have a junior who cannot be easily suppressed."
Shi Changying raised an eyebrow. These words actually suited her perfectly. But then again, she had never been a kind person to begin with, and had absolutely nothing to do with words like "well-behaved" or "obedient."
It was only then that Housekeeper Pei got a clear look at Shi Changying’s appearance, and his eyes instantly lit up. Mr. Pei had worried himself sick over Pei Xuan’s marriage prospects and had instructed Housekeeper Pei to keep an eye out for girls of an appropriate age. As a result, Housekeeper Pei had cultivated an eye for beauty.
Shi Changying naturally couldn’t fail to feel his gaze. She swept her eyes over him, looking him up and down. Housekeeper Pei’s heart clenched, pausing for a split second.
He thought, "How is her aura even more imposing than our Young Master’s? But strong is good! Only someone strong can keep our Young Master in check. Mr. Pei must be really looking forward to this day!"
Feeling delighted on the inside, Housekeeper Pei maintained a calm exterior and asked politely, "Why have you two stopped talking?"
Old Sir Xu and Old Madam Xu’s old faces flushed with embarrassment. Housekeeper Pei’s perfectly courteous demeanor meant they couldn’t vent their anger even if they wanted to. Moreover, they didn’t dare to. They could only say awkwardly, "You are right to lecture us."
"You two, if only you had a fraction of her spirit to defy authority, the Xu Family wouldn’t be cowering in a corner of Jianghuai," Housekeeper Pei added. "It’s getting late. If you two wish to continue, then by all means, go ahead."
With that, he took his leave, not even bothering to look at how awful Old Sir Xu and Old Madam Xu’s faces had become.
Shi Changying was getting a little hungry from waiting. She ate a slice of watermelon before asking, "Are we continuing?" She needed to stretch her muscles after eating; otherwise, her body would become stiff. But to her slight disappointment, not only did Old Sir Xu and Old Madam Xu refrain from continuing with the family punishment, their attitude toward her had softened considerably.
Old Sir Xu asked tentatively, "Changying, do you... know the Young Master of the Pei Family?"
"I don’t," Shi Changying replied flatly. She didn’t know him now, but the her from four hundred years ago did. However, the Pei Family’s genes remained highly typical even after four hundred years—born rebellious and full of defiance.
Just as Old Sir Xu was about to ask something else, Shi Changying was already heading upstairs with a box of fruit in her arms.
"She... look at her!" Old Madam Xu only now dared to lose her temper. "Who knows what exactly she learned in Ming Village? I wouldn’t even be willing to set foot in that place!"
Old Sir Xu didn’t speak, lost in deep thought. Housekeeper Pei’s late-night visit to the Xu Family was actually to protect Shi Changying. For him to do such a thing, it was undoubtedly under the Young Master’s orders. If Shi Changying had earned the Young Master’s appreciation, then the Xu Family would need to reevaluate and observe her in a new light.
Old Madam Xu also saw through Old Sir Xu’s thoughts and laughed out of anger. "You don’t seriously think she can hook up with a Pei Family Member, do you? She was just lucky today. What kind of status does the Pei Family have? Relying on such crooked means might work once, but her true colors will be exposed the second time!"
"What you say makes sense," Old Sir Xu said, letting out a long sigh. "Everyone says Pei Xuan has an eccentric temperament, and it’s true. No one can figure out his preferences. If we could only know what he likes, we could prescribe the right medicine." He had heard that Pei Xuan had been collecting Jiuzhou antiques scattered abroad. The Xu Family had bought a few antiques and sent them to the Pei Family, but the Pei Family had donated them all to the local Jianghuai museum. This path wouldn’t really work.
Old Madam Xu pressed her temples. "Wait until Master Yan arrives. Have her study calligraphy properly to grind down her temper."
The night deepened. A multitude of stars and a solitary moon hung in the sky, appearing somewhat desolate.
"Young Master, mission accomplished," Housekeeper Pei said beamingly. "Actually, I think even if you hadn’t come, that little girl might not have been unable to handle it herself. She might have even handled it better."
Pei Xuan looked at him, his tone unreadable. "Are you saying I acted unnecessarily?"
"Young Master, how would I dare?" Housekeeper Pei felt wrongfully accused. "I just think the little girl is quite impressive. Moreover, she’s really beautiful! If Mr. Pei saw her, he’d be slapping his thighs in approval!"
"I’m not interested in the opposite sex," Pei Xuan said lazily.
Housekeeper Pei pulled a bitter face. He thought, "If Mr. Pei hears this, he will definitely lament our family’s misfortune and then chase Pei Xuan with a slipper to thrash him."
Pei Xuan cast a glance at Housekeeper Pei, immediately knowing what he was thinking. He sneered coldly, "Put away your dirty thoughts. I’m not interested in anyone else either."
Housekeeper Pei choked on his words, then asked cautiously, "Then who do you consider your own people?"
Pei Xuan didn’t speak, quietly gazing out the front of the car. One was naturally his sister, the head of the Twelve Masters of Mingjing, Poetry Master Pei Jiang. The other was the King he had sworn to follow to the death, Taichu Empress’s Master Yao Guang.
Across all of Jiuzhou, there were hundreds of people named Pei Jiang, but there were fewer people sharing Shi Yaoguang’s exact name—only three, in fact. But he had gone to see them all, and none of them were the people he was looking for. Perhaps, unlike him, their names in this life were not the same as in their previous lives. Perhaps they had different names now. But among over a billion Jiuzhou people, trying to find two individuals was no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.
Pei Xuan closed his eyes and said flatly, "You drive."
"Yes, Young Master!" Housekeeper Pei immediately agreed. "Leave a trivial matter like driving to me; you don’t need to worry about it!" He gripped the steering wheel and let out a long sigh of relief. He finally wouldn’t have to suffer from carsickness anymore.
**
Early the next morning.
After finishing her morning routine, Shi Changying went downstairs with her backpack, planning to pack some breakfast to eat at school.
Old Sir Xu had gotten up very early today. Or, to be precise, he had actually been waiting for Shi Changying. Upon seeing her, Old Sir Xu said, "Changying, your aunt has hired a teacher for you. Even though your senior year studies are heavy, you can learn something else on Sundays. It never hurts to have more skills."
Shi Changying didn’t immediately refuse. She asked, "What do they do?" For her, who hadn’t been in the modern era for long, she needed to learn many new things to enrich herself. But Empress Taichu also had her own special way of employing people. She would even use despicable people, though after she was done using them, she would send them where they belonged.
Seeing that she looked quite compliant, Old Sir Xu said amiably, "He’s a young calligrapher, very skilled."
"A calligrapher? Very skilled?" Shi Changying raised an eyebrow. "Is he more skilled than Cui Jinghan?"
If he wasn’t more skilled than Cui Jinghan, she wouldn’t bother learning.