Jiu Zhang Ji: The Daily Life of the Reborn Daughter

Chapter 109: Xi Yan

When Qiao Lili returned to the door of the room, Yu Jingyan had just finished washing and opened the door to see her. Seeing that she looked strange, he hurriedly pulled her in and asked what was wrong.

Qiao Lili was afraid that the waiter who came to deliver food would hear what they said, so she pulled Yu Jingyan into the inner room and closed the middle door.

"Brother Ajing, when I went downstairs just now, the waiter told me that he could give us a room for free." Qiao Lili told Yu Jingyan everything the waiter had said.

Yu Jingyan also frowned. Why?

"Do you want to separate us and defeat us one by one?" Qiao Lili guessed.

"We didn't offend anyone when we first arrived here. If they were assassins from the capital, wouldn't it be easier to deal with us if they put us together?" Yu Jingyan was puzzled.

"Ali, don't panic, just wait and see. Maybe they really want to give you a room out of kindness." Yu Jingyan grabbed Qiao Lili's hand to comfort her. As long as the people who came were not a large number of top masters, there was nothing he couldn't handle.

Qiao Lili wasn't really scared, it was just so confusing and she always wanted to find the answer.

At this moment, there was an unexpected knock on the door, which frightened Qiao Lili, who was concentrating so much that she trembled. Yu Jingyan comforted her, "It should be the dinner that was delivered. I'll go open the door."

Yu Jingyan turned around and came back with a lunch box. He opened the box and placed the dishes on the table one by one. There were actually eight dishes. The portion of each dish was not big, but they were all delicious.

Yu Jingyan sniffed each dish cautiously: "Eat it, it's not poisonous."

I didn't have lunch and I was really hungry now. Qiao Lili didn't care about anything else and wanted to eat first. Even if bad guys came at night, she would have the energy to fight them after eating.

The dishes were extremely suited to her taste, and they even gave her some of the flavor of Zhaixinglou in the ancient city of Dunhua. The dishes at Zhaixinglou were indeed delicious, and it had little to do with the chef; it was because the ingredients were good. That’s why she could eat delicious seafood dishes in this seaside town.

Yu Jingyan saw that Qiao Lili really liked the boiled shrimp dish, but she was a little reluctant to remove the shrimp shells by herself. It was not her fault, as she had always been served by maids and had never even picked up dishes by herself, let alone peeled shrimp shells by herself.

He put down his chopsticks, shook his head, and said lovingly, "Little fool." He pulled the plate of shrimps in front of him, peeled one and fed one into Qiao Lili's mouth.

Qiao Lili did not refuse. Since she had been branded as a fool, she should at least get some benefits. She ate with a clear conscience, and just like that, the whole plate of shrimps was finished in a short while.

Qiao Lili was full, so Yu Jingyan ate up all the food she had left and called the waiter to clean the table.

Although they were very full, they couldn’t sleep right away, so Qiao Lili suggested going to see Wuzong and Wuying. She was a little worried about her horse.

"Okay, let's go together and take a walk." The two put on their coats and went downstairs. There seemed to be more people eating in the lobby than when they came. Why was the business so bad?

After asking about the location of the stable, the two men walked over calmly. Two horses were eating grass in a small room. They had been washed clean. The grass was indeed the best grass, and the water was also clean water with a layer of bran sprinkled on it.

"No problem." After each of them stroked their horses a few times, the two men left the stable.

Walking out of the inn, Qiao Lili said, "How about we take a walk on the street?" They checked in early, so it was only the end of the evening.

Yu Jingyan was nervous about going back to the inn, so he decided to take a walk and relax.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Yu Jingyan wanted to hold Qiao Lili's hand and walk away. Qiao Lili felt that she was wearing men's clothes after all, and it would be a bit strange for two men to hold hands.

So, she decisively refused and quickened her pace to walk in front of Yu Jingyan.

The street of the inn may be the busier street in the town. At this time, many shops selling food are open, and there are also small stalls selling wontons, fish balls and fried shrimp cakes on the street.

There were also people selling strange local fruits, Qiao Lili bought a few of each and went back to try them. She met an old lady selling dried fish, most of which were fish she couldn't name, Qiao Lili bought all the leftovers, which could be kept for a long time and would not spoil easily.

The moonlight was bright, and lanterns like street lamps were lit on both sides of the street. The sound of waves hitting the shore and the sound of nails hammering coming from nowhere added some rhythm and rhyme to the night of this small town.

There were not many people on the street, only occasionally two or three people were walking towards them, and there were also a few customers at the small stalls. What surprised Qiao Lili the most was that there were still women walking on the street so late, some walking alone, some walking in groups. None of them looked as if they were in a hurry to go out on the street, nor were they strong and powerful martial artists. They were just ordinary women, walking calmly and naturally as if they were in the daytime, and some even bought some food to take away.

The public security of this small town might be ranked first in the whole of Dayan.

Yu Jingyan caught up with Qiao Lili and helped her carry the fruits and dried goods she bought. They soon reached the end of the street and saw a flower girl packing up her stall. The girl saw the two of them coming and said, "Two young men, buy some flowers for your mother and sister. There are only two left, so I'll give you a discount."

When Qiao Lili looked over, she saw that they were actually two bunches of calamus. She felt unwell because she suddenly remembered that the Dragon Boat Festival had passed.

She was a little disappointed. She was on the road and on the levee for these days. She didn't even know what day it was. She only stared at the water level on the levee. How could she remember the Dragon Boat Festival? It was over. Her grandmother must have known that she had sneaked out. If it was a normal day, Concubine Yun would have no problem letting her stay in the palace for a while. But it was the Dragon Boat Festival. How could she not let her go home?

Thinking about the scolding I would receive when I got back, I suddenly felt depressed.

Yu Jingyan noticed her emotional fluctuations and asked hurriedly, "What's wrong with Ah Li?"

Qiao Lili whispered, "I forgot about the Dragon Boat Festival. How could I not go home during the Dragon Boat Festival? My lie was exposed. I will be punished by the family rules when I go back." What Yu Jingyan wanted to say was, isn't it certain that the lie will be exposed? It has been so many days since she came out. How can her mother hide it? Even if she can hide it, it won't be exposed during the festival. Then, what about the carload of gifts? They were wholesaled in Yunxiao Palace?

But he didn't dare to say anything, so he could only coax her: "It's okay, it's okay, I'll let my mother plead for you, and tell you the consequences if you don't come. Grandmother will definitely reward you, not punish you."

Well, if she sticks her head out, she will be cut by the sword. If she hides her head, she will also be cut by the sword. Even if she knows that her grandmother will punish her severely when she returns, can she not come?

Of course not.

That's it.

It took Qiao Lili a second to reconcile with herself.

Yu Jingyan was trying his best to comfort her, but she just walked away. She turned around and asked the flower girl in a brisk voice, "How much are these two bouquets of flowers?"

The flower girl smiled gently: "I give it to you, no money required. I'm sorry, I just realized that you are also a girl. If you can't sell these flowers, you can't wait until tomorrow to sell them, so I give them to you."

Qiao Lili was not a pretentious person. She took the flowers handed to her by the flower girl and gave her half of the fruits she bought. The flower girl happily accepted them.

"My name is A Li, what's your name?" Qiao Lili felt that she got along well with this flower-selling girl. She was different from the noble ladies she had met in the capital. Although she was just a flower seller, she was so generous, free and confident, with a demeanor that none of the noble ladies in the capital could match.

"My name is Xiyan, nice to meet you."

"Do you live here?"

"Well, we have lived here for generations, and you don't seem to be from here."

"I'm from the capital."

"That's very far. How many days will it take by carriage?"

"I rode for three days."

"You can also ride a horse, you are amazing."

The two of them chatted back and forth like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, and Yu Jingyan was completely forgotten until Xiyan's mother came looking for him. Only then did Qiao Lili realize that at 11:00 p.m., all the lanterns on the roadside would be extinguished, the vendors would have to pack up, and the shops would also close.

The two of them parted reluctantly.

Qiao Lili turned around and saw Yu Jingyan holding flowers in one hand and dried fruits in the other, looking at her with resentment on his face.

Qiao Lili took the flowers and held his hand. The lanterns were out and no one could tell whether they were a man or a woman. Even if they could see clearly, so what? They were strangers. They would leave tomorrow, so what?

When Yu Jingyan was held by Qiao Lili's little hand, his feeling like an abandoned puppy was instantly healed.

Tonight, the moon is bright like frost, the wind is as gentle as water, and the scenery is infinite.