“Really?” She cast a sideways glance at him.
He furiously nodded while keeping his eyes lowered. It made him look very pitiful.
Ji Yunshu didn’t force him, instead turning back to face the dishonest shopkeeper. “Listen up, if you dare to cheat people again I’m going to have to ‘invite’ you over to the yamen. The paddles haven’t been used for a long time.”
“Y-y-yes, I understand. This humble one will remember the young master’s words. I won’t dare to do so again.” The shopkeeper bowed his voice filled with flattery!
‘Some people are just like this; without teaching them a lesson, how would they understand their wrongs?’ Thinking to this point she couldn’t help but smiled wryly, inwardly laughing at herself!
If it wasn’t for that promise she made two years ago, she wouldn’t have to remain here and swallow her anger at every turn! In that Ji Mansion, without being servile or overbearing, she waited while enduring the countless contemptuous gazes and beating!
Her heart was uneasy, but it had nothing to do with her grievances. ‘When will he come back? Or is he never coming back? Ji Pei… It has been two years already. Where are you now?’ Her train of thought had been derailed so she brought herself back to reality.
Seeing that the shopkeeper had a good attitude in admitting his mistake, she left the jewelry shop and went on her way. But, there was a new addition boorishly trailing behind her – Wei Yi.
If she walked faster, he accelerated!
If she walked slower, he slowed down!
In the end, Ji Yunshu stopped and turned around to look at him. She saw that his head was slightly lowered but he didn’t avert his gaze when it met with hers. His fingers were twirling in front of his chest without rest as he openly peered at her.
‘That guy is acting so adorable!’
“Why are you following me?” Ji Yunshu asked.
He pursed his lips but didn’t reply.
“I am asking you a question. Why are you following me?”
He carefully step forward before speaking, “I… don’t know where I should go?” That tone was very innocent!
“You can go home.”
“But I don’t want to go home.”
Ji Yunshu could feel a headache coming. ‘Even if you don’t want to go home, you don’t have to follow me!’
“I am busy right now so I have no time to play with you. Go find a place to sit and stay there until you feel tired before going home.”
Having spoken, she planned to continue walking but Wei Yi blocked her path. A brilliant smile blossomed on his face as he looked at her with a pleading gaze. “Big brother, where are you going? I like to play with you, so can you take me with you too?”
“No.” An immediate rejection.
“Why?”
“No reason.” She went around him before proceeding forward.
But who knew for some unknown reason, Wei Yi decided to pull on her arm. Perhaps it was because he didn’t know how to control his strength properly, that tug had caused pain to spread from her back to her tibias. She furrowed her brow from the painful sensation and let out a soft cry.
Wei Yi was terrified by her sudden painful cry. His hands quickly let go and he madly shook them left and right.
“I-I didn’t do it on purpose. Big brother, I didn’t mean it.”
“It’s not your fault.”
Ji Yunshu cradled her arm. After the pain had eased up, she let out a breath before looking at Wei Yi, who had been scared out of his wits.
Finally, she relented, “Didn’t you want to follow me? Hurry up.” Ji Yunshu walked forward while hugging her arm while Wei followed.
“Big brother, did I hurt you?”
“No.”
“Then why were you in pain?”
“Because…”
Two silhouettes, one tall and the other short, made their way to the Grand Canal Manor, leaving a trail of footprints of different depths in the snow.