On the transfer day, Xiao Wu gave Xiao Zhi a large bouquet of roses.
“Mr. Xiao, love you!”
Xiao Zhi’s eyelid twitched. Disgust was written all over his face.
As an ancient person, this was his first time receiving flowers.
Yun Yi leaned to Xiao Zhi’s ear and whispered: “Red roses symbolize love.”
Even after the two walked far away, Xiao Wu still stood there, arms curved into a heart shape. That “Mr. Xiao, love you” was pickled into his voice.
Two apartments. The larger one for the pregnant woman.
Yun Yi hired a helper to care for Yu Lian’er.
Yu Lian’er was terrified: “Yun Yi, I can take care of myself. How can I let someone care for me?”
Yun Yi: “You’re carrying dragon seed. Xiao Qian will surely make you a consort. Then you’ll be a lady with a crowd waiting to serve you. Right now only one helper is caring for you—you’re already being shortchanged, alright?”
“…” Yu Lian’er was frightened by the word “consort.” “I—I never thought about…”
“Bah, then don’t think about it.”
The helper was cleaning. Yun Yi said with a smile: “Auntie, my sister-in-law has some pregnancy anxiety. Please keep an eye on her.”
“Naturally!” The helper was cheerful.
This helper had originally been a live-in helper for a neighbor in the complex. The neighbor had employed her for years and knew her thoroughly. Only then did Yun Yi feel safe keeping her.
“Mm. When it’s time for the confinement month, we’ll hire a confinement nanny. You rest easy and wait for the birth.”
On the sofa lay a new phone box. Yu Lian’er had unwrapped half.
“I’ll have He Su and Wang Delan learn to use phones first. Once they’ve learned, they’ll teach you.”
“Alright.”
Having settled things here, Yun Yi slipped like a loach to the opposite door.
Wang Delan was leaning against the kitchen island, worry on his face.
Seeing Yun Yi enter, he strode over: “Miss Yun, why are you here?”
“Tch.” Yun Yi frowned. “Even my sister-in-law has changed how she addresses us. If you’re unwilling, I won’t force you.”
Before Wang Delan could express thanks.
Yun Yi added: “I can only tattle on you.”
“No, no, no.” He really had no way out.
He Su had circled the complex and memorized all the routes.
Pushing open the door, he saw Yun Yi chatting with Wang Delan and asked: “Where did my master go?”
Yun Yi grinned: “Taking an exam.”
The two exchanged a glance, shock in their eyes.
The Emperor was going to take the imperial examinations?
.
Driving Theory Test, Subject One. Exam room.
Computer screen.
[Congratulations, you scored 100 on this exam. Passed…]
The man before the screen slowly exhaled.
In the restroom, Xiao Zhi washed his face. The man in the mirror had two dark circles.
Water droplets ran down his neck.
He cursed inwardly: Subject One is harder than the imperial exams!
Just as he entered the complex, Wang Delan and He Su came out to meet him.
He Su’s face was full of self-blame: “This subordinate failed to protect your side.”
Wang Delan likewise: “This servant failed to serve my master well.”
Xiao Zhi had deliberately not let them accompany him to the exam.
If he failed Subject One, where would he put his face?
Three grown men, wearing modern clothes, yet with long hair on their heads.
Sensing the security guard’s stare, Xiao Zhi said calmly: “Costume extras. Just off set.”
The guard’s eyes lit up. This man was more handsome than a celebrity. He immediately said: “Bro, with your looks, you’ll make it big sooner or later!”
This excuse had been used countless times. Xiao Zhi thought carefully—his three master and servants did indeed attract attention.
As luck would have it.
Outside the complex, an old man on a tricycle slowly passed by.
The loudspeaker on the front looped: “High price for long hair~ Bad cut, compensation~ Frizzy, compensation~”
Xiao Zhi looked up and met the old man’s burning gaze.
The two locked eyes for a moment.
Half an hour later.
Under the security guard’s shocked stare, the three “costume extras’” flowing long hair became crisp short hair.
The old man showed a mouth of yellow teeth and said proudly: “My craftsmanship isn’t bad, right? No worse than Tony!”
The three men’s hair was pure and natural, glossy and smooth. The old man was quick, paying immediately.
Before the Alipay notification even finished chiming, Xiao Zhi had already transferred the money out.
Yun Yi’s phone buzzed. She looked down. A message from someone popped up on screen.
She secretly glanced at the teacher, and while he turned to write on the board, she quickly unlocked it.
[Xiao Zhi: Transfer 5200.]
[Yun Yi: What’s this money for?]
The foreign teacher finished writing “a fervent, a solemn passion” and turned back to lecture.
Yun Yi, like a thief, put the phone under the desk.
Her gaze at a 45-degree downward angle, she peeked at the latest message.
[Xiao Zhi: I earned it. Take it and buy snacks.]
[Yun Yi: Did you go haul bricks at a construction site?]
Xiao Zhi retracted a line of ellipses.
The top of WeChat kept showing “the other party is typing.”
So long that the foreign teacher finished lecturing on Mr. Rochester’s fervent and solemn passion in Jane Eyre.
Only then did Yun Yi receive Xiao Zhi’s reply.
[Xiao Zhi: Isn’t the point the number itself?]
Yun Yi threw over a “bewildered” sticker.
The other reciprocated with a “pig head sticker” counterattack.
Only after class did Yun Yi grasp the trick.
5200.
Was it what she thought it meant?
The sunset was like evenly spread orange jam, gilding the new green branches with gold.
A young man leaned under the plane tree, holding a takeout bag of milk tea.
His haircut wasn’t exactly handsome—just cut shorter, clean and safe. Passersby’s gazes all fell on those beautiful eyes.
Yun Yi was unconsciously drawn to him too, taking an extra look.
The man pulled out his phone and tapped a few times.
Almost simultaneously, Yun Yi’s phone buzzed—
[Xiao Zhi: 5200 means a confession.]
Yun Yi suddenly looked up toward that direction.
The man unhurriedly raised his arm and waved at her.
His clear voice, mixed into the surrounding noise, rushed straight at her.
“Did you agree?”
Yun Yi jogged forward. The evening wind hit her face—not cool, but scorching hot.
“I—need—to—think—about—it!”
The evening wind carried her words, delivering them without a single character lost to Xiao Zhi’s ears.
“Alright.” Xiao Zhi secretly consoled himself. If she didn’t agree today, he’d send 52000 tomorrow, 520000 the day after…
Until the day he went bankrupt, this cruel woman would surely agree?
In three seconds he coaxed himself, then presented the milk tea: “Cherry blossom guava white peach.”
She suppressed her heartbeat, feigning calm.
Her gaze circled his head twice. Without changing expression, she changed the subject: “Where’s your hair?”
“Sold it.” Xiao Zhi’s tone was light. “Here, the money’s transferred to you.”
“So the 5200 just now was your selling-your-body—” She slapped her own foul mouth, switching words: “Selling-your-hair money?”
As she spoke, her inner glutton awakened. She nimbly opened the takeout bag.
“An emperor’s hair sells for that much?”
“Wang Delan and He Su cut theirs too.”
“…”
That 5200 yuan, Yun Yi accepted with a racing heart and red face.
Xiao Zhi handed over the milk tea. This time she didn’t take it. Little calculations rose in her heart—girls could act spoiled with their boyfriends. She pouted and sipped from his hand.
Sweetness seeped into her heart.
He faced the sunset’s afterglow, his pupils becoming two translucent ambers. “Is it good?”
“Good. This is a trendy milk tea shop. I heard you have to queue a long time.”
“Mm. Took 40 minutes to buy.”
Yun Yi was about to feel sorry for him when he added: “Wang Delan queued.”
“…”
Good grief. The little eunuch had become Young Master Xiao’s lackey.
Xiao Zhi said disdainfully: “Utterly useless. I sent him to queue, and he ran into someone walking their dog. A grown man, scared to tears on the spot.”
It didn’t make sense. Yun Yi wondered. The grand eunuch steward of the palace had seen much of the world. How could he be afraid of a dog?
Xiao Zhi pulled out the photo.
Wang Delan had fallen to the ground in fright from a small animal. The pet owner looked bewildered.
Yun Yi enlarged the photo. After seeing clearly, she slapped her palm hard against her forehead: “That’s a capybara!”
Xiao Zhi moved her hand aside. Fair skin indeed bore a faint mark: “You like them? I’ll buy a pair, keep them in the backyard?”
“No!” She was flushed and flustered, gripping the man’s warm large hand. “Inviting gods is easy, sending them away is hard. I don’t want a living creature that poops.”
Before, when they had Kelu, the whole family slept in. Only little her walked the dog.
The reason she didn’t grow tall was lack of sleep.
.
Xiao Family Village.
Xiao Zhi was Daoist Nun Xiao’s nominal brother.
“No need to visit me.” Daoist Nun Xiao accepted the gift. “I know you two are loyal and righteous, but next time—”
Yun Yi timely let out a heh heh and held up three fingers: “Sis! We still need three ID cards… wonder if you have connections?”
Daoist Nun Xiao pursed her lips. She knew it. Nothing good ever came from getting involved with these two.
“Xiao Zhi using my brother’s ID—that was a pillow delivered when drowsy. Pure luck.”
Xiao Zhi pulled out his phone and typed a string of numbers on the calculator: “After it’s done, this number.”
“This…” Daoist Nun Xiao bit her lip. Why test a cadre’s integrity!
“Sis, if it’s difficult domestically, we can consider neighboring countries. Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand…”
Daoist Nun Xiao relented: “I’ll try.”
Yun Yi squeezed Xiao Zhi’s hand. There was hope!
In the end, the three people’s identities were still settled by Daoist Priest Qingxuan.
The old temple master drew three talismans, and together with the three people’s portraits, cast them into the furnace.
After forty-nine days, the temple master finally emerged from seclusion.
Seeing the three waiting, he placed several ID documents on the table.
“Next time you do something that defies heaven and changes fate, remember to pay extra. This old bag of bones nearly got refined by you.”
The three silently stepped aside, making way for the door.
Outside the gate, two figures were stacked like acrobats. The girl rode on the man’s shoulders, stretching her arms, holding a talisman high.
The talisman was specially made by the temple master—yellow paper, cinnabar, adorned with a fiery red tassel. Its edge was slightly curled from her grip, faint creases.
“A little to the left.” Her clear voice carried a note of coquettishness.
“Oh.” Xiao Zhi shifted two steps left.
“Too far.”
He obediently shifted right.
The talisman was hung steadily on the branch by Yun Yi. The warm breeze blew, carrying the scent of wildflowers.
Daoist Priest Qingxuan looked up and his expression changed drastically. He stomped his foot at Wang and He: “Why didn’t you say Benefactor Xiao was here too!”
Wang Delan crossed his arms and snorted: “Otherwise how would we hear Daoist Priest Qingxuan’s lofty opinions?”
“Don’t tell him!”
Seeing his withered appearance, his energy utterly spent, they ultimately couldn’t bear to hold it against him.
“We want to hang that peace talisman too.” Now it was Wang Delan’s turn to be difficult. He wanted to seek peace for his master and the child in Yu Lian’er’s belly.
Daoist Priest Qingxuan: “Eunuch Wang, that talisman cannot be hung.”
“You’re the eunuch!”
Having come to the modern era, Wang Delan had finally shed the title of eunuch. He held his head high and started life anew.
“Benefactor Wang, don’t be angry.” Qingxuan explained. “That talisman is a love talisman Miss Yun sought. It’s truly unsuitable for you.”
“…”
“Done yet?” Xiao Zhi’s voice was gentle.
Yun Yi’s lips curved. The talisman was already hung. She suddenly had the urge to tease him.
“Not yet~”
“What kind of talisman is so hard to please?”
“You’re not allowed to say that. It won’t work if you do.” Yun Yi leaned down and ruffled his short hair to punish him.
Xiao Zhi laughed and looked up. Under the dense canopy hung hundreds upon thousands of yellow-orange talisman papers.
This whole tree of uniform “autumn leaves” carried tourists’ simplest wishes.
—Peace.
Only one was different.
He couldn’t see what was written on the back. Xiao Zhi asked with a smile: “That one—you hung it?”
The temple was deep and quiet. Wind came from nowhere. That talisman slowly turned.
On the back was writing in cinnabar, crooked and slanted—clearly her handwriting.
[Bless me and my boyfriend to last forever · Yun Yi Xiao Zhi]
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