[CYM] 28 – Precarious Situation

Just as she was about to give up from exhaustion, she spotted the slingshot in the grass. She reached for it, eager to leave.

“Ah.”

But as she almost touched it, it was pushed away by the wind, and again as she reached out, it teasingly moved further away. At first, she thought it was just the wind’s trick.

It was moving. Tauntingly, little by little.

She emerged from the bushes and charged at the slingshot. It not only skittered across the ground but also flew into the air, returning to the hand of someone who had been watching this entire scene from a distance.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“Ah, I apologise. I was just retrieving my item and then I’ll leave... young master?”

Sitting on the fence, toying with the string tied to the slingshot, was a familiar face. Seeing the young master play with the slingshot, she couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Why was he, who should be at the feast receiving the attention and questions of many, lurking here?

It was a mystery.

“I greeted you earlier. Why did you ignore me?”

“What are you doing? Please give it back.”

“This?”

He grinned, showing his teeth.

“It looked fun.”

“Have you seen Yunhu?”

“When I call, he doesn’t come.”

His response was evasive when asked if he recognised Yunhu. Perhaps his earlier gesture was an invitation.

“How dare you come to the place where the young master sits? From now on, you cannot even enter this house.”

“Why?”

“The young master’s illness is cured, so there is no reason to come.”

The grandee had given us a reward for our services, marking the end of their business here.

“We have no more business with you.”

The sound of footsteps approached. The young master didn’t seem to take her words seriously.

He reached out to her silently, his hand trembling. Should she take his hand with her dirty palm? While she hesitated, he grabbed her and pulled her up.

“Father told you not to come?”

Silence fell for a moment.

“Aha.”

Realising something, the young master looked at her hand and then relaxed his grip.

“Well, then, I’ll be on my way.”

She turned back with Yunhu’s retrieved item. Footsteps followed. She ignored them and walked to the hole in the fence, but he was persistently following. Turning around, she saw the young master standing quietly with his hands behind his back.

“Please go.”

He gestured towards where the feast was in full swing. She wasn’t sure how he had slipped away, but there were already people looking for the missing young master. Being seen with him would break the grandee’s promise, and she, in need of money, was anxious about having to return what she had been paid.

“Today, there was an old man waiting for his medicine instead of you, someone who must be at least seventy.”

“That man is the young master’s physician.”

“And you?”

“As I said...”

“Will you come tomorrow?”

“No.”

The young noblewoman’s straight eyebrows twitched. Tranquillity faded away, replaced by a hint of annoyance. She watched her silently, then fixed a hard glare on the slingshot dangling from her hand, furrowing her brows as if displeased, and approached her. Even with her face slightly scrunched up, she was a man of graceful demeanour.

“Though you were worried about me.”

“Worry is one thing, but...”

She looked around cautiously. After all, the head of the household had given strict orders, and she was trying not to show any signs of association with him. She inadvertently backed through a dog hole, pushing her waist through it.

It was then that a hand, cold and damp like waterweeds, coiled around her ankle. A chill ran up her spine as if she had been doused with icy water. She tried to flee through the hole but froze in an awkward position, stuck halfway. She shook her leg, trying to shake off his grip, but he did not let go.

The position was slightly embarrassing. Her upper body was stuck over the wall, while her lower body was held by the young nobleman, leaving her unable to move either way.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to see me?”

“Please let go.”

“Were you not worried? You said you wanted to see my face. Now that you have, do you no longer need me?”

“Just a moment...”

Suddenly, unfamiliar footsteps approached. Seizing the moment when the young nobleman’s attention was drawn away, she kicked her legs free like a wild horse and scurried through the opposite hole.

“Young master, what are you doing here? The master has been looking for you.”

The uninvited guest was a nanny responsible for taking care of the Ki siblings.

“Let’s go, please. It’s not proper for you to be out here alone.”

An argument ensued between the one who wanted to take her away and the one who wanted to stay.