Touching his swollen, aching left leg, a vicious, sinister light flashed in Song Yaozu's eyes. He no longer had the face to return to the academy—his father's gaze toward him was filled with dissatisfaction and disappointment.
After staying holed up at home for two days, he was finally able to walk normally again. Yet the moment he stepped outside, Lai San came looking for him.
"What are you doing here?" Song Yaozu hurriedly glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, he let out a breath and pulled Lai San into a narrow alley, lowering his voice.
"What do you think I'm here for?" Lai San rubbed his bruised, darkened eye and stared at Song Yaozu with ill intent. "That one tael you gave me—you only said you wanted us to steal watermelons. You never said there'd be someone guarding the place. My brothers didn't take that beating for nothing!"
Song Yaozu lowered his head, hiding the vicious look in his eyes. Thugs were thugs—once they latched onto you, they were impossible to shake off, like dogskin plaster.
"Then how much do you want? I don't have that much silver on hand!"
"You're responsible for our medical expenses, aren't you?" Lai San pointed at the bruises on his body. "Not a bit more, not a bit less—five taels of silver!"
Five taels! He really had the nerve to ask.
Song Yaozu ground his teeth, wishing he could punch him twice on the spot. But he knew better—those who understood the situation survived. If he started a fight, he'd be the one beaten in the end. He wasn't some reckless brute who relied only on fists.
"What? You don't want to pay?" Lai San narrowed his eyes and threatened, "If you don't, I'll go stand outside the academy and publicize Young Master Song's glorious deeds—let your classmates and teachers know exactly what you've been up to!"
"I don't have that much money right now," Song Yaozu could only compromise helplessly. "Can you give me two days?"
"Fine. Two days," Lai San said. "Two days from now, at dusk, we'll meet at the City God Temple outside the city."
Knowing the Song family's circumstances, Lai San understood that Song Yaozu truly couldn't produce the money immediately. Still, before leaving, he issued a vicious warning.
"Remember—if you don't show up, you know what'll happen."
Song Yaozu stared at Lai San's swaggering retreating figure. A malicious plan—one that could kill two birds with one stone—flashed through his mind.
---
"This is your payment for this shipment. Please accept it."
Since the day Shopkeeper Song signed the supply contract with Qin Ke, he had sent a servant every morning to collect watermelons. This time, after finishing the loading, the servant pulled an invitation from his robes and handed it to Qin Ke with a bow.
"Our shopkeeper asked me to deliver this invitation to you, sir."
Qin Ke took it and saw that Shopkeeper Song was inviting him to dine at Caiyue Pavilion that evening to discuss a matter.
"Tell your shopkeeper I'll be there on time tonight."
After the servant left, Qin Ke turned to Lu Youqing and asked, "What do you think Shopkeeper Song wants with me?"
"I can't guess either," Lu Youqing replied after some thought. "We'll find out when we get there."
Qin Ke agreed—it would be clear enough once they reached the restaurant.
That evening, Qin Ke took Lu Youqing with him, and Han Qi drove the cart to town. He didn't notice that after they left, a furtive shadow crept toward his courtyard.
---
"Brother Qin, and sister-in-law, you're here! Please—have a seat!"
Qin Ke glanced casually at the table, which was covered with beautifully prepared dishes, their aroma rich and enticing.
Since they were already here, he went with the flow and led Lu Youqing to sit down.
"Come, Brother Qin, try our restaurant's dishes," Shopkeeper Song said warmly.
Qin Ke first picked several bites for Lu Youqing and placed them in her bowl before tasting the food himself.
It had to be said—achieving such quality with limited ingredients was no small feat.
Worthy of being the number one restaurant in Great Yan.
"Come, Brother Qin, try our house wine."
This was Qin Ke's first time drinking since arriving here. He raised his cup and cautiously took a small sip.
Ancient wine was brewed from grain, unlike the chemically blended spirits of later generations. It wasn't nearly as harsh.
"Shopkeeper Song, may I ask what this dinner invitation is about?" Qin Ke finally asked after drinking a cup.
"Have you heard who stands behind Caiyue Pavilion?" Shopkeeper Song lowered his voice and leaned closer.
"I've heard a little—only that the Gu family has extensive businesses across many regions."
"Then you may not know," Shopkeeper Song continued. "In recent years, the old master of the Gu family fell ill, and Miss Gu gradually took over the family businesses. This year, she fully assumed control of the entire Gu estate."
Qin Ke raised an eyebrow, not quite seeing how this concerned him.
"Miss Gu must already know about the watermelons," Lu Youqing said with a faint smile, setting down her chopsticks.
"Exactly! Sister-in-law is sharp!" Shopkeeper Song slapped the table excitedly. "While the family head was in Jincheng recently, I had someone send the watermelons over. Unexpectedly, she took great interest in them and even changed her itinerary to come to Yong'an Town."
The more he spoke, the more excited he became. He never imagined that someone of such stature would one day come to their small town.
And in the end, it was all thanks to the watermelons Qin Ke had grown.
"Then you invited me here because…?"
"The Gu family head specifically sent word that she wants to meet you. According to her schedule, she should arrive by tomorrow evening, so I came to inform you in advance."
At last, Qin Ke understood the purpose of this banquet. Coincidentally, he himself was curious to see what kind of woman could command such vast commercial power in a feudal society.
---
By the time they returned home, Qin Ke was already a little unsteady. He hadn't drunk much at the table, but his tolerance was poor, and once in the cart, he became dizzy.
Seeing his unfocused eyes and stiff posture, Lu Youqing sighed and sat beside him.
The moment she sat down, Qin Ke leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder, mumbling incessantly, "Wife… wife… my head hurts…"
Helplessly, she pressed a hand to his fuzzy head as it rubbed against her and coaxed him softly, "Alright, stop it. We'll be home soon."
Instead, Qin Ke slid down and lay across her lap, his warm breath brushing against her lower abdomen. In the next moment, his arm wrapped around her as well.
Seeing that he had finally quieted down, Lu Youqing slowly lowered her head and gently stroked his hair. Her gaze was tender, full of affection, and she whispered, very softly,
"Who are you, really?"
The murmur dissolved into the pitch-black night, unanswered.
---
Currently at chapter 166 for advance chapters
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