Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Eating

Finally, Xie Jingchen ended up sitting across from Su Jin, enjoying the delicious dishes prepared for him by the kitchen housekeeper. As for Xingxing, a loyal Hidden Guard picked her up like a chick straight off her small stool.

At first, Xingxing resisted with all her might, refusing to comply. In the end, the Hidden Guard bribed her with two plates of braised pork and ten chicken legs, and she happily trotted after him.

Su Jin couldn’t help but laugh.

Xie Jingchen glanced at Su Jin, his eyes saying: You, the master, weigh less in your maid’s eyes than braised pork. What’s so funny?

Su Jin felt a rush of anger stuck in her chest.

Who does he think he is?

She put down her chopsticks and called out to the maid, "Xingxing."

Xingxing turned back, waving her hand, "Miss, I’m off to eat braised pork. I’ll be back soon."

Su Jin’s smile froze.

Xie Jingchen chuckled softly.

But soon, the situation flipped.

Xingxing caught her breath and shouted loudly, "Miss, if something urgent comes up, just use the Duke. I’ll be back in no time."

The Duke, "...."

Xingxing, good job!

Su Jin shook her shoulders, picked up her chopsticks, and said, "See? The one who weighs less than braised pork is you, Young Master Xie."

Xie Jingchen’s face darkened. In all his life, he’s never seen such a bold maid, openly encouraging Su Jin to treat him like a servant. Does she have any sense of being a maid at all?!

Seeing Su Jin happily eating her meal without realizing the severity of the issue, he said, "Properly discipline your maid. Even combined, the maids of the entire Duke Zhen Country Mansion aren’t as bold as yours!"

Su Jin had to admit this.

Xingxing indeed had a big personality, which was tied to her nature. This maid had a great memory, remembering everything Marquis Dongxiang and Mrs. Tang said and not only fully believing it but also drawing inferences from it.

Su Jin accidentally hit the Emperor once; there’s no one in the world she couldn’t hit.

Xingxing had talked to the Emperor; there’s not a soul in the world she couldn’t chat with. If she wasn’t afraid to talk to the Emperor, why would she fear anyone else?

She’s someone from Feihu Village on Qingyun Mountain.

Her young lady ranked third, and she was the most trusted by her young lady. As long as she didn’t provoke the heavens or the Emperor, she could walk horizontally on her young lady’s turf, and even ruffling the Marquis’s feathers was potentially doable, as he ranked fourth, under her young lady.

With the Marquis and the young lady backing her, she was fearless, never considering her Marquis and young lady weren’t as powerful as she thought...

Simply put, Marquis Dongxiang painted an idealistic picture, hung it on the wall, and this maid first picked up the crumbs from it and ate them with relish.

Xie Jingchen’s underlying message was clear to Su Jin—Xingxing had a strong bandit aura. If not disciplined now, it would be too late once trouble brewed.

But what she wanted to say was, if even a maid was so bold, wouldn’t the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion reek of bandit air?

Xingxing simply got influenced; the real roots lay with her parents...

Feeling Xie Jingchen’s gaze expecting her response, could she be someone to side against her kin?

"I’ll convey your praise to Xingxing for you," Su Jin said earnestly.

Xie Jingchen almost choked.

"Preaching to the deaf," he muttered through clenched teeth.

Su Jin blinked, "Why do you change your tune so fast? The meal’s not done yet, and you’re already wanting a music performance. I don’t know how to play."

The cow, "...!"

Xie Jingchen picked up his bowl and the plate of squirrel fish, heading indoors for his meal.

He worried if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t survive this meal.

Su Jin nibbled on her chopsticks, her shoulders almost dislocating with laughter.

Outside, the sun shone bright, and the air was filled with birdsong and floral scents.

Xingxing returned with a food box and saw Su Jin eating contentedly. Scanning around, she didn’t see Xie Jingchen.

She walked over quickly, with the Hidden Guard following close behind.

When they discovered Xie Jingchen eating inside, both were taken aback.

The Hidden Guard’s disappointment was clear on his face. He went through the trouble of shooing away the maid to make room for the Young Master, and before long, the Eldest Young Madam had sent him inside to eat. She had five dishes, he had one. That was too much. Master, how will you establish authority at this rate?

Xingxing looked at Su Jin and seeing her reach out with chopsticks to pick a dish, remarked, "Miss, you’re being a bit much. The Duke’s out of money, and you’re not even letting him eat his fill."

Su Jin’s chopsticks came up empty, and the sumptuous shrimp ball was taken away by Xingxing and brought inside.

Approaching you could hear Xie Jingchen snapping at the Hidden Guard inside, "What’s with that expression? Your master isn’t that weak. It’s just that I find her too noisy; I prefer eating in peace."

The Hidden Guard agreed that Young Master Xie wasn’t so feeble, and then... Xingxing got mad.

Just when she felt sorry for the Duke being pitifully bullied and brought him food, it turned out he thought the lady was noisy! Making her wrong her lady!

Then, even the Young Master didn’t have a plate of squirrel fish left.

Xingxing retrieved the squirrel fish and placed it back on the small table, enthusiastically saying, "Miss, have a little more."

Su Jin raised a hand and poked Xingxing’s forehead, saying, "Now you see you’ve wronged me. Remember this, your Miss here is kind-hearted and has reasons for everything she does."

"I’ll remember, miss."

The master and servant were laughing, while inside, the Hidden Guard couldn’t stop twitching his mouth at seeing his Master’s half-bowl of rice. He tried offering a step, "Master, you should be full, I’ll take the bowl back."

"Full of air!"

The master and servant wouldn’t let him eat dishes; sticking together, even his loyal guard didn’t bring him more food, and even refused to let him finish the rice.

Xie Jingchen placed down the bowl, saying, "Inform them that I won’t accompany the Eldest Young Madam for the return visit tomorrow, adding three more layers to the return gifts."

Hearing this, Xingxing looked at Su Jin, "Miss, is it just the two of us going back tomorrow?"

A dangerous gleam flashed in Su Jin’s eyes.

Being threatened when her life was at risk.

Yet, she had no choice but to yield, without Xie Jingchen accompanying her, she didn’t know how many rotten eggs their carriage might endure on their return visit.

The smell...

Su Jin took a deep breath, weighing the situation carefully. Picking practicality over passion, she lifted the dishes and went inside, eyeing the Hidden Guard, "Your Young Master shouldn’t keep facing annoyance, yet you intentionally provoke him."

Hidden Guard, "...."

Who was the one provoking, and yet, it all fell on deaf ears.

Su Jin placed the dishes before Xie Jingchen, saying, "Being full of annoyance doesn’t substitute hunger. Eating still requires appetite."

Xie Jingchen glanced at the two dishes, lacking appetite.

Su Jin rolled her eyes, "Xingxing, bring all the dishes inside."

Once the dishes were set on the table, Su Jin eagerly filled Xie Jingchen’s bowl with food until it was piled high. Only then did he lift his bowl, taking a bite and complaining, "Cold."

"Do you need me to warm them for you?" Su Jin smiled.

"...No need."

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