Chapter 96: The Jade-Faced Fox

Nangong Xin’s expression darkened at once.

Xiao Zhiying asked her, “Xin Xin, did you get the tickets that Young Master Xi gave out?”

Luo Liya also turned to look at her.

Unable to keep up appearances, Nangong Xin could only force herself to say, “I’m not short of money for a few measly tickets!”

But the truth was that the front-row seats for every performance by Xi Junle were reserved for a few of the Xi family elders, along with certain distinguished guests. The rest of the seats were so hard to get that people had to fight tooth and nail for them.

When had Nangong Xin ever gone to support him without paying out of her own pocket? If Xi Junle had truly given those three front-row tickets away, then the recipient would have to be someone with considerable standing.

Could he really have given them to Xianyu Qing? If so, why hadn’t she said anything to her this time? Nangong Xin speculated to herself.

Meanwhile, Xianyu Qing had no idea of any of this. She only thought that Young Master Xi had simply had a few extra tickets and given them to her.

The three of them were chatting idly over here, while over in Luo Lina’s corner, Zhai Yan’er’s attendance had made her the center of all attention. Those young ladies from wealthy families all rushed forward to greet and flatter them.

Luo Lina knew very well that their real purpose was to curry favor with Zhai Yan’er; but so what? Tonight, she was the star of the show, and Zhai Yan’er was the honored guest she had invited.

Once the spotlight had been fully enjoyed, she invited Zhai Yan’er into the VIP lounge, wearing a deeply apologetic look. “Yan’er, I’m terribly sorry! I only wanted to invite you to join in the fun, but instead I ended up letting everyone swarm around you. You must be exhausted, right?”

Zhai Yan’er truly disliked being surrounded by a crowd offering perfunctory greetings, but since Luo Lina had helped her, and since she had agreed to come and show her support, she had already prepared herself for it.

“It’s fine. It’s rare that I attend gatherings like this, and everyone has been so warm to me.”

That’s because you’re the sister of the eldest young master Zhai, of course! Luo Lina grumbled inwardly, but on her face she wore a look of concern. “As long as you don’t mind how noisy they were. I was quite nervous before, worried that your brother wouldn’t want you coming to an event like this.”

“My brother always dotes on me. How could he not want me to come?” Zhai Yan’er laughed awkwardly, a little guilty.

Zhai Mu-li certainly had not wanted her to attend outside gatherings, but he was not in the country now, so he could not control her.

Zhai Yan’er had only been able to come because she had coaxed and pressured Old Gao into agreeing.

Luo Lina let out a breath. “That’s a relief. If you made your brother angry, then not only would he refuse to let you attend your birthday banquet in the future, he might even stop you from having any contact with me.”

“My brother isn’t at all as cold and heartless as those people outside say. They’re just spreading nonsense!” Zhai Yan’er was fiercely protective of her brother as well. “Next time my family holds a banquet, I’ll be sure to invite you!”

“Really? Then I’ll be looking forward to it.” Luo Lina smiled sweetly.

Her plan had gotten off to a very successful start.

Zhai Yan’er left before the party ended.

That was because Zhai Mu-li had set her curfew for ten o’clock.

But the moment she stepped inside, Zhai Mu-li was already seated on the sofa in the downstairs hall, calmly and unhurriedly watching her.

Zhai Yan’er felt a little regretful. She should have stayed out a bit longer at least; that way, she could have been scolded less.

As expected, before she could even explain, Zhai Mu-li had already begun his lecture. “You’ve grown quite capable, haven’t you? Now you know how to use threats and inducements? Did you learn that at Liyang Academy?”

“No...” Zhai Yan’er protested softly.

“No? Then was it that Miss Luo who taught you?”

“No, no, Sister Lina isn’t that kind of person! She only helped me, and I just wanted to come support her a little.”

“Support her a little?” Zhai Mu-li arched a brow. “Is Miss Luo some kind of celebrity? You go and ‘support’ her?”

“Brother, how can you say that about her? She invited me out of kindness, and she treated me exceptionally well. Everyone else was warm and friendly too. None of the scheming nonsense you’re talking about was there...”

Zhai Mu-li did not want Zhai Yan’er taking part in gatherings like that, partly for her safety, and partly because he knew his sister was innocent by nature and easily led astray.

And he had to blame himself for it too. Because their mother had died young, and their father had been preoccupied with that little woman, he had always feared his sister would be bullied. He had been so overprotective of her that he had raised her into such a gentle, naive girl.

“Yan’er.” Zhai Mu-li sighed. “The so-called scheming is not the sort of bickering and sparring you can see with your eyes. It is something that can control you even while smiling and chatting with you.

“You are too inexperienced to know that those people are different from you. In their eyes, there is only profit and power, use and deceit.”

Zhai Yan’er did not accept her brother’s view. “Not everyone is like that! Bai Liyao and Qing Qing wouldn’t be, and Sister Lina wouldn’t be either...”

“Bai Liyao?”

This was not the first time Zhai Mu-li had heard that name. He knew that Zhai Yan’er had become interested in astronomy because she had been inspired by that man’s writings.

But recently, when he had been investigating Bai Luomei, he had learned that she had a younger brother named Bai Liyao.

He guessed that his sister did not know the connection between Bai Liyao and Bai Luomei, and perhaps did not even know that Bai Luomei was one of Nangong Ao’s most capable lieutenants.

After a moment’s thought, Zhai Mu-li asked, “Are you very close with that Bai Liyao?”

Zhai Yan’er’s little face suddenly fell. “He hasn’t been paying any attention to me lately.”

“What happened?”

“Because of me, the boys at school kept harassing him, and it almost stopped him from working on his project!”

Zhai Mu-li remembered now. The last time, Zhai Yan’er had asked him to help drive away the “flies” at school. Most likely, she had meant Bai Liyao.

“Is that why he’s been cold to you?” Zhai Mu-li’s expression was not pleasant.

“He’s been beaten by people more than once...” Zhai Yan’er looked very wronged, though she was really feeling sorry for Bai Liyao.

Zhai Mu-li was somewhat surprised. Bai Luomei was such a formidable woman, and yet her younger brother was being bullied, and she simply let it be?

Most likely she had no time to deal with it. Recently, Nangong Ao had been suppressing their NK Group, and because of the grudges between the two of them from before, Bai Luomei had become even more ruthless in her methods.

Zhai Mu-li’s fingertip brushed lightly over the row of fine scars in his palm. Remembering the pain of the night she had bitten him so fiercely, a flicker of light moved in his eyes. “You want to help him?”

“Yes, but he won’t let me.” Zhai Yan’er said helplessly.

Zhai Mu-li stood. “Leave this to me.”

“Huh?”

Zhai Yan’er froze for a moment, then reacted at once. Delighted, she bounced forward and threw herself at him, grabbing his arm and shaking it.

“Thank you, Brother. You’re the best!”

Watching his little sister’s childishly adorable manner, Zhai Mu-li’s expression was both helpless and indulgent.

“All right.” He reached out and pinched her soft, round cheek, warning her mildly, “You’re not allowed to go to such gatherings on your own again. You must get my permission first. Remember that?”

Zhai Yan’er nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes! I remember. From now on, I’ll report everything to Brother!”

Only then was Zhai Mu-li satisfied. “Good. Go to the study upstairs and reflect on your mistake for half an hour.”

“What?!” Zhai Yan’er cried miserably.

“When you do something wrong, you accept the punishment. The rules do not change.”

Outsiders all said that Zhai Mu-li was a jade-faced fox, refined and courteous on the surface, black-hearted beneath. It was not false in the least.

“You’re awful, Brother!”

Zhai Yan’er punched her brother’s arm with her small fist in indignation, then stomped upstairs in a huff. Even the study door was slammed shut with a loud bang.

Zhai Mu-li shook his head with a faint smile, straightened his sleeves, and said to the steward behind him, “Have someone warm some milk and send it up to the young lady.”

“Yes, sir.” The steward bowed respectfully and accepted the order.