Behind the Mask - Chapter 23
Chapter 23: A Little Chat
Bai Ning and Chu Ye waited outside for quite a while before Yao San finally arrived, fashionably late. Behind her was a woman in green robes, her swaying figure graceful, her eyes and brows full of charm.
It was the renowned Lady Qingliu.
Bai Ning's gaze swept over Yao San's slightly flushed face, and she immediately sensed something subtle. The mottled marks on Yao San's neck were even more suggestive. A few days ago, she had heard that Yao San had poached Qingliu from the Drunken Red Mansion, which she already found incredible. Seeing them today, she was even more astonished.
This Yao San, how could she and Qingliu... have gotten together?
But Bai Ning had always been composed in any situation, and this time was no different. Upon seeing Yao San, she simply stood up, smiled, and greeted her.
"You're finally here. I was just about to visit you at the Bamboo Manor," Yao San said to Bai Ning with a forced smile. She felt uncomfortable all over. That damn woman, Qingliu, had to go and cover her neck in love bites, and now everyone must have seen them.
Bai Ning said, "The weather is lovely today, so I thought I'd come over for a visit and try some spring tea."
"Of course. The best tea must be saved for Second Miss Bai to appreciate." Yao San noticed Chu Ye beside Bai Ning. She wasn't wearing a mask today and had such a beautiful face—no wonder she could steal Second Miss Bai away.
Chu Ye also smiled sweetly at Yao San. Since she was meeting Bai Ning's good friend, she hadn't worn her mask.
Yao San instructed a maidservant to prepare tea and snacks.
"Oh, so this is Second Miss Bai." Qingliu raised a slender eyebrow, her bold gaze raking over Bai Ning. "You truly are as beautiful as a celestial fairy."
Hearing this, Yao San shot Qingliu a fierce glare. They had already reached this stage, so couldn't this damn woman rein in her flirtatious nature?!
Chu Ye hadn't seen Qingliu in a long time. Meeting again, she was still the same as ever. The way Qingliu was sizing up Bai Ning made her uncomfortable—very uncomfortable!
She subconsciously took half a step forward, protectively positioning herself in front of Bai Ning.
Bai Ning maintained her faint smile and replied politely, "You flatter me."
"Young ladies from prominent families really do have a different air about them. So gentle and lovely, it makes even me feel protective." As Qingliu spoke, her gaze shifted to Chu Ye at the side. "No wonder this little beauty pines for the Second Miss day after day, unable to forget her."
Chu Ye: "..."
Yao San gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. In front of her guests, she would endure it for now and settle the score later.
As Bai Ning lowered her head in silence, her smile deepened slightly.
"You're even more beautiful than I imagined without your mask." Qingliu's attention was drawn back to Chu Ye. Jingzhou City truly was a wonderful place, with all sorts of beauties. She walked up to Chu Ye and examined her closely, her voice softening. "Little beauty, how are your zither score studies coming along? Do you want your big sister to keep teaching you?"
Keep teaching? Bai Ning glanced at Chu Ye.
Chu Ye hadn't wanted to pay Qingliu any mind, but hearing her speak so ambiguously, she retorted coldly, "When did you ever teach me?"
Qingliu just laughed. "What, are you afraid your Second Miss Bai will get jealous?"
Chu Ye didn't want to engage with her any longer. She turned to look at Bai Ning, who remained calm, her face still holding a very cultured, faint smile that was hard to read.
"She has someone to teach her hand-in-hand. What does she need you for?" Yao San, who had been holding back for a long time, snapped at Qingliu.
Qingliu moved closer to Chu Ye. "Little beauty, we haven't seen each other in so long, and you're not being very warm to your big sister. I've missed you, you know."
Chu Ye turned her face away, putting on an expression of unfamiliarity.
"Qingliu!" Yao San could no longer hold back and roared, her cheeks puffed with anger, "Do you think I'm dead?!"
Seeing the pretentious Yao San finally explode, Qingliu laughed until she swayed like a flower in the wind. She said breezily, "I was just joking. What are you so worked up about?"
Yao San was at a loss for words.
Chu Ye also sensed that the relationship between Yao San and Qingliu was not simple. She saw that both of them had similar marks on their necks. In the past, she certainly wouldn't have understood, but after being with Bai Ning, she knew very well how those were made.
"You two are..." Bai Ning found it novel to see the ever-fearless Yao San finally meet her match.
"We're the same as you two." Yao San didn't try to hide it, admitting it frankly. "We're together."
Hearing the words "we're together," Qingliu looked at Yao San with a hint of disbelief.
What kind of reaction is that? Yao San yelled at her, "What? You don't want to admit it?"
Qingliu smiled sweetly but said nothing.
Chu Ye and Bai Ning exchanged a look. They both understood.
Just then, the maidservant finished setting out the tea and snacks.
Yao San was so angered by Qingliu that her temples were throbbing. It was a good time to drink some tea and calm her emotions.
Bai Ning lifted the celadon teapot. Her movements for warming the cups, rinsing the leaves, pouring the water, and steeping the tea were elegant and beautiful. Chu Ye, heedless of whether it was proper or not, simply stared at Bai Ning.
"Have a taste." Bai Ning poured the brewed tea into the cup in front of Chu Ye.
"Mm." Chu Ye smiled happily as she looked at Bai Ning. Although Bai Ning was always gentle and courteous, she was different with her. With her, Bai Ning was even more gentle and considerate, filled with the unspoken love they shared.
That was why when Qingliu flirted with Bai Ning, she only felt uncomfortable, not jealous. Bai Ning wouldn't pay any mind to others; in Bai Ning's eyes, there was only her.
A few cups of clear tea were perfect for a leisurely chat.
"How did you two meet?" Bai Ning asked Yao San.
"Well, it's like this..." Qingliu began to explain.
Fearing Qingliu would say anything and everything, Yao San cut in before her. "I heard she had a private collection of out-of-print zither scores, so I went to exchange a few pointers on zither skills with her. After a few visits, we got to know each other."
Qingliu's zither scores? Chu Ye took a sip of tea, thinking of those "zither scores" she had flipped through.
"Yes." Qingliu went along with Yao San's story, a cunning smile on her face. "At first, little sister Yao came to find me at the Drunken Red Mansion every day to study zither scores, and that's how we became acquainted. We hit it off while exchanging pointers day and night. She thought my zither skills were good, so she started clinging to me and wouldn't let go. She's quite the clingy one."
Yao San corrected her, "Who was clinging to you?! You were the one sending me notes every day, begging me to come find you."
Exchanging pointers day and night... Chu Ye, of all people, understood the hidden meaning. The tea went down the wrong way, and she choked. "Cough—"
Bai Ning, not understanding why, rubbed her back and chuckled at her. "Be careful."
"Mm." Chu Ye's face was red from choking.
"Does Miss Chu need some?" Qingliu looked at Chu Ye. "I can send you a few volumes. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask your Second Miss. The Second Miss is brilliant and will surely learn very quickly."
Bai Ning was curious now and asked Qingliu, "What kind of zither scores are they?"
Chu Ye and Yao San both frowned in unison.
Qingliu, however, was generous. "Since the Second Miss wants them, I'll have someone deliver them to your manor another day."
Yao San really couldn't listen anymore. If she let Qingliu keep talking, with Qingliu's personality, she would inevitably steer the conversation toward those things and who knows what kind of lewd remarks she'd make. So, she changed the subject, saying to Bai Ning, "You've played your cards well. After refusing the marriage proposal from the Minister's Manor, the whole city now knows that the Second Miss has no worldly desires and is devoted to entering a nunnery. Now no one dares to come proposing marriage anymore."
Bai Ning smiled without speaking.
"What about after this? What are your plans?" Yao San asked with concern.
Chu Ye didn't answer, looking instead at Bai Ning with anticipation.
They had been friends for many years, so Bai Ning didn't hide anything. She told Yao San truthfully, "We're going to Xizhou."
Chu Ye smiled.
Going far away. Yao San hadn't expected that Bai Ning, who seemed so conventional, would have such an open-minded heart. She also came from a prominent family and understood Bai Ning's state of mind. "That's good too. If you stay in Jingzhou, in the Bai Manor, you may enjoy wealth and glory, but you'll also be bound by shackles."
Bai Ning nodded. Between glory and freedom, she had nothing to hesitate about.
"Xizhou?" Qingliu mused. "I hear Xizhou is a nice place."
Chu Ye lifted her eyes. How rare. That was the only thing Qingliu had said that she found pleasant to hear.
"Do you want to go?" Yao San asked Qingliu.
"I do." Qingliu suddenly sighed with a serious expression. She really wanted to go to a place where no one knew her. Then, no one would know she was the famously alluring Lady Qingliu.
Yao San stared at her, infatuated. She had never seen her look so serious.
Yao San enjoyed lively company, so she had Bai Ning and Chu Ye stay for a while longer. It wasn't until the afternoon that the two left Linglong Workshop.
When they returned, it was dusk.
The gentle twilight sprinkled through the bamboo forest, serene and warm.
"Are you tired?" Bai Ning was worried that staying out for so long today would be too much for Chu Ye.
"I'm not tired. I'm much better now." Chu Ye felt that Bai Ning was being overly anxious about her. "I've had even worse injuries before. Elder Sister thought I wouldn't make it..."
Chu Ye stopped halfway, realizing that saying this would only make Bai Ning more worried. She smiled. "I'm fine."
Bai Ning: "Mm."
When they arrived at the Bamboo Manor, Chu Ye got out of the carriage first.
As Bai Ning was getting out, her legs gave way, and she started to fall.
Chu Ye reacted quickly, catching Bai Ning in her arms in time. It seemed Bai Ning was the one whose body couldn't take it.
"Miss, have your knees not healed yet?" Nuan Hua saw what happened and came forward, concerned.
"Knees?" Chu Ye realized something was wrong. She looked down and asked Bai Ning nervously, "What's wrong with your knees?"
"They're just a little uncomfortable," Bai Ning said with a smile. "It's nothing to worry about."
Seeing Bai Ning say this, Nuan Hua didn't dare say any more.
Chu Ye realized that Bai Ning's legs had clearly been bothering her these past few days. Bai Ning walked very slowly, and she had thought it was to accommodate her own injuries.
In the evening, it was time for Bai Ning's medicinal bath again.
Worried about her legs, Chu Ye pestered her, "I'll go with you."
Ever since Chu Ye was seriously injured, Bai Ning hadn't allowed her to join her, afraid the two of them wouldn't be able to control themselves... Hearing Chu Ye say this again tonight, she said, "Didn't I say we'll wait until you're better before we... Don't think about it right now."
Chu Ye felt wronged. "I'm not."
Bai Ning pinched her cheek. "Be good."
Chu Ye: "..."
After Bai Ning went to the bathing room, Chu Ye stopped Nuan Hua, who was preparing clothes. "What's wrong with the Second Miss's knees? Is she injured?"
Nuan Hua froze, looking troubled.
Chu Ye frowned. "Tell me."
Nuan Hua pouted. "The Miss told me not to tell you."
Chu Ye grew anxious and pressed her for an answer.
Nuan Hua also felt sorry for Bai Ning. "That day, in order to get the Madam to agree to call off the engagement, the Miss knelt in the courtyard all day. Her legs were already weak, and she injured her knees. They still haven't fully healed. The Madam only agreed because she couldn't bear to see the Miss's legs suffer any longer."
So she had been hiding it from her. Chu Ye knew things hadn't gone as smoothly as Bai Ning had said.
Bai Ning was untying her inner robe when she heard footsteps. Thinking it was Nuan Hua, she said, "Just put the clothes down and leave. You don't need to wait on me."
But the footsteps continued to approach.
Bai Ning turned around. The person who had brought the clothes was not Nuan Hua, but Chu Ye.
Chu Ye's expression was downcast and serious. She walked up to Bai Ning. "Let me see."
Bai Ning gave a helpless smile. "See what?"
Chu Ye pulled her to the side to sit down, then knelt and pushed up the leg of her trousers. Her legs were porcelain white, making the dark bruises on her knees look especially shocking.
She looked up at Bai Ning. "Why didn't you tell me? You said you wouldn't lie to me..."
Bai Ning guessed that Nuan Hua had told Chu Ye. She took Chu Ye's hand. "It's much better now. It doesn't hurt as much anymore."
But Chu Ye just frowned at her.
"I didn't mean to hide it from you. This was a special situation." Bai Ning thought she was angry that she had lied. "It won't happen again."
Chu Ye fell silent. Hearing Bai Ning coaxing her in turn made her feel even worse. She wasn't angry at Bai Ning at all; she just felt heartache and resented her own powerlessness. She was so injured that she didn't even have the ability to protect Bai Ning.
Bai Ning pulled Chu Ye to her feet and continued to coax her. "Forgive me this once, alright?"
"That's not what I'm angry about..." Chu Ye lowered her head and said to her earnestly, "I can get hurt, but you can't. In the future, I will definitely protect you."
Bai Ning was moved, then smiled at her foolishness. "You can't get hurt either. It would break my heart."
Chu Ye paused for a moment, thinking that Bai Ning had a point.
Finding her adorable, Bai Ning couldn't help but kiss her on the cheek and say softly, "Go on out now. I need to bathe."
Chu Ye didn't leave. She looked at Bai Ning and whispered, "I'll join you."
Bai Ning was silent for a moment. Usually, she was the one pulling Chu Ye along. This was the first time she had heard Chu Ye suggest it herself, as Chu Ye was usually very shy.
Without waiting for Bai Ning to say anything, Chu Ye brazenly began to undo her own clothes.
Bai Ning watched her and gave her tacit approval.
Chu Ye smiled secretly to herself. In truth, as long as she was a little shameless with Bai Ning, Bai Ning would always indulge her.
"Are you and Qingliu very close?"
Chu Ye looked at Bai Ning, startled for a moment. "No."
Bai Ning smiled faintly and said nonchalantly, "When you're protecting me, I've never heard you sweet-talk me and call me 'Elder Sister'."
If you enjoy my translations, please consider supporting me!
Comments
Post a Comment