Chapter 3, The Benefactor of the Cold Night

I have heard that you conduct business with honesty, treating both young and old fairly. If you do not have enough silver, come to Jinxiang Building tomorrow to collect it from me. He paused, then continued with a smile, "Well, I see that she is also too shy to eat much; five hundred taels a year is more than enough.

He smiled faintly, timely releasing her, and turned his gaze to the other side: "Tell your young ladies to wait for me."

He noticed the commotion but did not turn around, speaking casually: "I have something to attend to, so I will leave now. In the future, if you are hungry, feel free to come here."

Silence

She awkwardly wanted to withdraw her hand

The young maid agreed and went.

Recalling her father's helpless gaze, Bai Xiaobi felt increasingly sorrowful, unable to help but curl up, hugging her knees and quietly sobbing

A hand extended outside the cloak, holding a white folding fan

The footsteps came to a halt in front.

Bai Xiaobi's face immediately turned red, and she hurriedly lowered her head

Seeing him about to leave, Bai Xiaobi felt a bit flustered and stood up in response

The moonlight was chilling, the courtyard was in disarray, the room was empty as if washed clean, the tables and chairs were in a mess, the cabinets were wide open, and clothes and other items were thrown everywhere. Bai Xiaobi searched for half a day but could not find a single land deed. Finally, she gave up, silently walked out of the courtyard, and sat in a daze on the steps.

He casually instructed, "I have some matters to attend to, ask her to wait for me"

During the lifetime of Bai Gong, she followed and learned the family culinary arts. Unfortunately, no matter how well she cooked, Bai Gong often sighed. She certainly understood her father's concerns, which stemmed from the regret that the Bai family had no male heirs. For this reason, she always felt quite indignant. Now, calamity has indeed befallen them; not only can the family business not be preserved, but even their reputation is nearly lost. Today, she had firmly resolved to end her life, and had it not been for Zhu Quan's intervention, she would have already perished before the hall. Now, even knowing that their property has been usurped, what can a weak woman do?

Although Menjing County is small, life is not as dull as one might imagine. Some shops do not close too early at night, and there are places that remain lit both day and night for entertainment. However, at this moment, it is late at night, and there are not many pedestrians outside

The shopkeeper took the banknote, first glanced at the numbers on it, then looked at her with a face full of disbelief, and after that, lowered his head to examine the banknote carefully, only after a long while did he repeatedly agree.

Bai Xiaobi was momentarily taken aback before realizing that he was speaking to a young maid of about twelve or thirteen years old

The young maid pursed her lips and said, "Young master, why have you not returned yet? The young lady has asked me to come out and look for you."

Bai Xiaobi, unsure of how to respond, had already taken her hand: "After crying, how about we go eat first?"

The voice seemed somewhat familiar; she could tell it was a man speaking. Bai Xiaobi was startled and instinctively raised her face.

The time seemed to pass particularly quickly; before long, he led her into a well-established restaurant in the city, had the waiter bring the dishes, and then called over the manager, tossing him a banknote: "This is her meal allowance for a year; starting today, she will dine here."

Crying sorrowfully, I suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching, neither heavy nor light, coming slowly as if taking a leisurely stroll, allowing me to clearly sense the relaxed mood of the passerby at that moment

Bai Xiaobi felt a weight on her shoulder, and a snow velvet cloak had already been added to her body

In this moment, she suddenly wished that the person beside her was her own biological brother. Perhaps men are indeed born to play the roles of the strong and the protector. How wonderful it feels to have someone to rely on during times of loneliness and helplessness

Bai Xiaobi was momentarily taken aback, her guard completely lowered. Since this person knew she was the bride, they must have been present at the time and naturally heard the term "husband-killer." How could they possibly have any designs on her?

Infected by this leisurely atmosphere, Bai Xiaobi quietly lifted her eyelids and finally saw his face clearly. It was a very charming face, with slanted brows, a straight nose, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised, adorned with countless tenderness, and... It is hard to describe the feeling; in any case, it exuded a sense of mystery. At the very least, this face appeared very pleasant and likable, especially to young ladies.

The pace, neither fast nor slow, exudes a sense of stability and leisure.

Two people walk quietly on the street, stepping under the moonlight and streetlights

Bai Xiaobi opened her mouth, wanting to call out to him but not knowing what to say; she certainly couldn't just cling to him. In the end, she bit her lip and remained silent, her right hand tightly gripping the chopsticks. It was only after his figure disappeared outside the door that she realized she had not only forgotten to thank him but also failed to ask for his name. The cloak draped over her still carried a warm sensation, likely infused with his body heat, along with a uniquely pleasant fragrance.

"Bride?" He seemed to be appraising her, his voice laced with amusement, "Indeed, she is quite beautiful, but what a pity that her face is marred."

"Do you want revenge? Then live well, so that you can fulfill your wishes."

In Menjing County, with over a thousand households, it turns out there is nowhere to go.

Bai Xiaobi came to her senses and recalled her earlier relief at having escaped the forced marriage from the Fan family. She did not notice that she was still wearing the bridal attire. Remembering her father's tragic death, she felt a surge of anger and, disregarding the fact that the other party was a stranger, quickly unfastened the wedding dress and threw it on the ground, stomping on it fiercely a couple of times.

The attire of this young nobleman instinctively reminded Bai Xiaobi of Young Master Fan, causing her to take two steps back. Under the moonlight, a look of vigilance rose on her tear-stained face.

"If there are any mistakes, I will demand double the repayment." He smiled as he tapped the shopkeeper's chest with the handle of his fan and turned to walk out the door

I could not see his face clearly, but I felt that he was somewhat tall, draped in a thick, high-quality snow velvet cloak, which was adorned with some silver threads that shimmered with a faint silver light, appearing even warmer under the cold moonlight

The guest spoke pleasantly, and the shopkeeper smiled, patted his chest in assurance, and boasted a little more.

"It is good to still be able to cry." Someone sighed overhead

Everything felt incredibly natural, as if it were the bond between family members, held in the warm embrace of a large hand. Bai Xiaobi surprisingly did not resist, even forgetting the distinction between men and women. A woman should not be so intimate with a strange man. She only remembered a long time ago when her father held her hand in the same way, taking her out to play in the streets. The current situation was very similar to those days, bringing an inexplicable sense of reassurance, yet there was still a slightly different feeling.

On weekdays, she embroiders and writes in her boudoir, at most learning to tidy up the accounts. She does not go out much, so Bai Xiaobi does not quite understand and remains silent.

The heat flowed continuously from his hands, and Bai Xiaobi felt her hands becoming hot. Gradually, this warmth spread to her face. Having lived for sixteen years, she had never been this close to another man besides her father, not even to Young Master Zhang from the south of the city.

He lifted her sleeve with the handle of a fan, his demeanor casual and slightly frivolous, yet his tone was filled with gentle admiration: "What an extraordinary girl you are. When you wear a real wedding dress in the future, that will be truly beautiful"

He slightly turned to the side, looking at the distant lights atop the building: "Are you hungry?"

The night brings with it a great deal of chill

Bai Xiaobi was also taken aback, as it prominently displayed the words "five hundred taels" along with the seal of the bank that facilitated transactions. Although her family could be considered well-off, she had never seen her father take out such a large banknote in her entire life.