Chapter 1429: No Chicken Drumsticks Ever, Bad Person!

Unlike Niu Youdao’s threat, Guan Fangyi’s warning had the exact opposite effect. Her expression stiffened, and her heart gave a jolt. She knew perfectly well what would happen if this one truly became angry.

She had not even delivered Yin’er back into the city yet, and already she had stirred up trouble. If she handled this badly, she might even lose her own life.

Under Yin’er’s furious glare, Guan Fangyi’s expression changed instantly. Forcing a smile, she reacted quickly, reached back into the oiled-paper parcel, pulled out another chicken drumstick, and waved it.

Yin’er immediately snatched it away.

Once the drumstick was in hand, she decided not to hold the matter against Guan Fangyi. One drumstick in her left hand, another in her right, she was perfectly satisfied. She forgave her and went back to munching noisily.

But Guan Fangyi still had to remind her. “Yin’er, Dao-Dao said that if you mention him again, he’ll be unhappy. Then he won’t give you chicken drumsticks anymore.”

In any case, she no longer presented it as her own idea. She pushed the entire thing onto Niu Youdao.

Yin’er turned her head again. She looked at Guan Fangyi, then at the drumsticks in her hands, and appeared to think very seriously. At last she took a fierce bite, chewed, and said indistinctly, “Dao-Dao gets angry. Can’t mention Dao-Dao.”

Guan Fangyi immediately relaxed and smiled brightly. “Exactly, exactly. We won’t mention him.”

Once she finished smiling, worry returned to her face. With that muddled little brain of Yin’er’s, could she really guarantee she would not let something slip? Fortunately, this glutton rarely managed to say anything coherent enough to expose much.

Along an old road beneath the setting sun, the carriage entered the city and arrived at the Prince’s residence.

It did not enter the residence directly. Instead, it turned into the narrow lane running between two adjoining compounds at one side of the estate, the same route Shang Shuqing’s students used going to and from lessons.

Shang Shuqing was already waiting outside the schoolhouse, pacing along the road.

When she heard that Yin’er, who had been missing for so long, had returned, she had been full of anticipation. She had even dismissed her students early for the day.

Naturally, Guan Fangyi had informed her beforehand. This was one part of the arrangements made in advance. They could hardly dump Yin’er in front of Shang Shuqing without warning. Whether Shang Shuqing was willing to take her in had to be confirmed first.

Of course, neither Niu Youdao nor Guan Fangyi believed Shang Shuqing was the sort of person who would find Yin’er troublesome and refuse to care for her.

Even so, the delighted way Shang Shuqing immediately and repeatedly said she was willing had surprised Guan Fangyi somewhat.

What Guan Fangyi did not know was that, to Shang Shuqing, Yin’er was the one person who truly judged no one by beauty or ugliness, and who trusted her.

She was also the only person before whom Shang Shuqing never had to care about her own appearance.

When Guan Fangyi’s carriage entered through the lane, Shang Shuqing stopped pacing and looked eagerly toward it. Anticipation was already plain in her eyes.

The carriage stopped. The aroma of meat drifted out from behind the curtain, making Shang Shuqing’s nostrils twitch.

Guan Fangyi bent down and emerged, jumped from the carriage, nodded to Shang Shuqing, then pointed toward the carriage to indicate that Yin’er was inside. She lifted the curtain and called, “Yin’er, we’re here. Come down.”

A head poked out. With that pure, innocent face, it was indeed Yin’er. She looked around while biting into a drumstick with one hand and clutching the oiled-paper parcel in the other.

It really was Yin’er, exactly the same as before. Clearly so pure and pretty, yet forever wearing the look of a glutton. Shang Shuqing could not help covering her mouth, nearly laughing aloud. She truly was delighted.

“Come down.” Guan Fangyi beckoned repeatedly before Yin’er reluctantly jumped from the carriage. Still eating as she looked around, she showed some wariness toward the unfamiliar surroundings, or perhaps simply discomfort. Fortunately, the chicken drumstick helped.

Guan Fangyi tilted her head in indication, and Old Six Xu drove the carriage away.

“Yin’er, look who this is. Do you still recognize her?” Guan Fangyi called repeatedly.

Shang Shuqing, standing nearby with a hand over her mouth, immediately lowered it and smiled warmly at Yin’er.

Yin’er glanced over casually and frowned. She bit the drumstick, turned her head to peer at Shang Shuqing, took another bite, still looking puzzled, then took yet another. But the chewing in her mouth gradually slowed. After swallowing with some effort, she tentatively asked in a timid little voice, “Qingqing?”

Guan Fangyi sighed inwardly. Not only was she a glutton, her memory was poor too. Still, no matter what else, she at least remembered Shang Shuqing as Qingqing. Guan Fangyi herself seemed to have vanished entirely from Yin’er’s memory. Even after repeated reminders inside the carriage, Yin’er had failed to remember her. It was essentially as though they had met all over again.

Shang Shuqing smiled and nodded repeatedly. “Yin’er.”

Yin’er’s eyes immediately lit up. Waving the mostly gnawed drumstick, she called again with a touch of shy reserve, “Qingqing.”

Guan Fangyi understood now. This glutton seemed naturally fond of Shang Shuqing. She could even show bashfulness and restraint around her. With Guan Fangyi, by contrast, Yin’er would glare at the slightest provocation as though saying, Believe it or not, this old lady will beat you up.

Whatever the reason, so long as Shang Shuqing could keep this demon under control, Guan Fangyi could relax. “Commandery Princess, I’ll leave her with you. Please remember what I told you before.”

Shang Shuqing nodded. “Sister Hong, don’t worry. I’ll keep her beside me. She’ll even sleep with me, just like she did before at Maolu Villa.”

“With the Commandery Princess saying that, I can rest easy. Later I’ll transfer two monks over from Nanshan Temple. Same arrangement as before: they’ll cook separately for her.”

Shang Shuqing could not help covering her mouth and laughing again. It was true. This glutton could eat from morning to night without tiring of it. As long as there was food, Yin’er was easy to direct and extremely obedient.

With the person properly handed over, Guan Fangyi checked the sky and saw it was already getting late, so she took her leave. Before going, she did not forget to instruct Shang Shuqing that if anything seemed wrong with Yin’er, she should immediately send word to Maolu Annex across from the Prince’s residence.

Shang Shuqing bowed slightly in farewell. Then she smiled and beckoned. “Yin’er, come with me.”

Yin’er had no objections at all. Slowly gnawing on her drumstick, she followed with a bashful, awkward little shuffle. They had been separated too long, and some unfamiliarity between them was inevitable.

...

When word spread that Yin’er from the old Maolu Villa had returned, Shang Chaozong and Feng Ruonan, both of whom had long heard of her, came especially to see her.

Unfortunately, Yin’er had little sense of courtesy. Her behavior left the visitors rather awkward, and neither stayed long before leaving.

After Yin’er finished an entire large parcel of chicken drumsticks, Shang Shuqing had a servant bring water for washing so she could clean those greasy claws.

Yin’er disliked strangers and refused to let the servant touch her. The moment anyone tried, she became unhappy. Shang Shuqing had no choice but to dismiss the servant and wash Yin’er’s hands herself.

Once only the two of them remained, Shang Shuqing asked with genuine concern, “Yin’er, I haven’t seen you for all these years. Where did you go?”

Yin’er looked blank. She herself did not know where she had gone and shook her head.

Shang Shuqing knew her mind did not work very well and tried another question. “You don’t know where Master Dao sent you?”

Yin’er shook her head. “Can’t mention Dao-Dao.”

Shang Shuqing was surprised. “Do you hate Master Dao for sending you away?”

Yin’er shook her head again. “Dao-Dao said can’t mention him.”

Shang Shuqing assumed this referred to an instruction Niu Youdao had given long ago. She also assumed Yin’er still did not know that he had died. Her nose suddenly stung, but she forced a smile. “Don’t hate Master Dao. Things weren’t easy for him either. He must have had his reasons for what he did back then.”

Yin’er emphasized it again. “Can’t mention Dao-Dao.”

“All right, we won’t mention him.” Shang Shuqing smiled, picked up a towel, and began drying Yin’er’s hands.

But when she inadvertently tugged Yin’er’s sleeve upward, she saw streaks of dried blood on her arm.

Shang Shuqing immediately pulled the sleeve farther back. Yin’er’s arm was covered with many wounds and patches of bruising.

She stared in surprise. “How did you end up like this?”

Yin’er had no idea herself and shook her head blankly.

Shang Shuqing’s heart ached for her. With Yin’er’s poor head, it seemed she had suffered quite a lot outside. “Hongniang told me not to ask too many questions, so I don’t know what happened. But if Master Dao arranged things, there shouldn’t have been anything wrong. How did you end up like this? Yin’er, where did Hongniang find you?”

Yin’er answered, “Dao-Dao told Yin’er to come back with Honghong.”

Shang Shuqing tried to interpret her words. “Master Dao told you to come back with Hongniang?”

The moment the question left her mouth, she froze. Suspicion and uncertainty appeared in her eyes.

Yin’er shook her head again. “Can’t mention Dao-Dao.”

Shang Shuqing’s chest began rising and falling a little faster. She asked, “Why can’t you mention Dao-Dao?”

“No chicken drumsticks.”

Shang Shuqing tried again. “If you mention Master Dao, he won’t give you chicken drumsticks?”

Yin’er immediately nodded hard.

Shang Shuqing carefully probed, “Before you came back with Hongniang, did you see Master Dao?”

Yin’er nodded, then immediately shook her head. “Can’t mention Dao-Dao.”

Shang Shuqing’s breathing quickened. She asked again, “This time, before you came back, you saw Master Dao?”

Yin’er shook her head. “Can’t mention Dao-Dao.”

Shang Shuqing bit her lip, lowered Yin’er’s rolled-up sleeve, and strode quickly to the doorway. She beckoned a servant over and instructed, “Go into the street at once. Buy a basket of hot chicken drumsticks and bring them back. Quickly.”

“Yes!” The servant hurried away.

Inside the room, Yin’er stood there blankly, while Shang Shuqing paced around her, plainly restless.

A servant came to invite her to dinner. Shang Shuqing simply said she was not hungry and refused.

At last the servant returned with a basket of roasted chicken drumsticks. Shang Shuqing took the basket, dismissed the servant, and personally closed the door.

The familiar aroma was irresistible. Yin’er swallowed and followed closely with eager eyes.

Shang Shuqing led her into the inner room and lifted the cloth covering the basket, revealing the golden roasted drumsticks inside.

Yin’er reached out to grab one.

Shang Shuqing pressed her hand down and shook her head.

Yin’er obediently stopped, but she looked terribly wronged. “Qingqing, hungry.”

Shang Shuqing set the basket on the table, took out one drumstick, and told her, “Yin’er mustn’t lie. Tell me the truth, and I’ll give you chicken drumsticks to eat. All right?”

Yin’er immediately nodded. “All right.”

Shang Shuqing handed it over at once. Yin’er started eating the moment it reached her hand, her face instantly full of contentment.

After hesitating briefly, Shang Shuqing asked, “Before Hongniang brought you back, was Master Dao there too?”

Yin’er did not stand on ceremony. Someone’s threat had lost its power now. If one person refused to give her chicken drumsticks, someone else would. She nodded and gave a soft “Mm.”

Shang Shuqing’s heart began pounding, but she still did not entirely trust the words of this glutton. Yin’er’s mind was not very sharp. She might simply have misunderstood the question.

So Shang Shuqing confirmed it from another angle. “Before you came back, Master Dao told you not to mention him, or else he wouldn’t give you chicken drumsticks. Is that right?”

Yin’er nodded vigorously, then immediately betrayed Niu Youdao with righteous indignation. “No chicken drumsticks ever. Bad person!”

Shang Shuqing instantly covered her mouth with both hands. Disbelief flooded her eyes, and tears filled them.

Yin’er froze. Reluctantly, she held out the half-eaten drumstick in her hand. “Don’t cry. You eat!”

[End of Chapter 1429]