Huangfu Jingchen chased after Xia Wenjin and shouted, "Little thief, whatever you're up against has nothing to do with me. If you don't return my silver, I'll have you caught and sent to the authorities!"
The term "little thief" wasn't exactly flattering, but Xia Wenjin just let out a light chuckle. In her past life, because of her excellence, her opponents cursed her as a thief woman, bandit wife, female outlaw...
She's heard worse, so Huangfu Jingchen's words were just like a child's tantrum to her. She ran without stopping, humoring him as she said, "Alright, alright, I'll pay, I'll pay, as soon as I have the silver!"
"Did you really spend all that so soon?" It hadn't even been two days, right? Huangfu Jingchen kept pace effortlessly, pressing her for an answer.
As Xia Wenjin ran, she counted off on her fingers, "Bought a house for 4,300 taels, a shop for 3,000 taels, added some furniture for 300 taels, bought two maidservants for 50 taels, medicine cost 35 taels, gave away 100 taels. Now I have 7 taels left, and it's all right here!"
How does that even make sense? In just one day, she went and bought a house, and in Jinzhou City no less, along with a property. The price outside the city was only a tenth of that. And she bought maidservants? He was furious and grabbed her to a halt, "Where's the title deeds then?"
Xia Wenjin spread her hands, "Gave them away!"
Gave them away? Just like that, over 7,000 taels given without a care? They weren't even her own, and she feels no pain?
"That's not my problem; I only care about one thing: pay back the silver!" In the mansion, that sum was just a number to him, but now that he was outside... And this young lad showed no guilt, which only made Huangfu Jingchen more infuriated.
Xia Wenjin rolled her eyes but quickly smiled, saying, "Isn't it just 7,792 taels? I'll round it up and return 8,000 taels. But there's none now, and even if you sell me, you wouldn't get 8,000 taels!"
She really had no concept of silver, whether 8,000 taels or 80,000 taels, her father would hand her whatever she wanted.
But they were broke now, weren't they?
The two stood there, poverty-stricken, staring at each other.
Huangfu Jingchen was infuriated, his gaze sharp as a knife as he looked her up and down.
Xia Wenjin immediately crossed her arms over her chest, warily saying, "What are you doing? I perform for a living, not sell myself!"
Huangfu Jingchen: "..."
He looked at her with disdain, "You're overestimating yourself!"
What's that supposed to mean, you rascal?
Xia Wenjin reflexively checked herself out. Ahem, it was bound too tight, couldn't tell!
Her eyes moved, and she turned to him, feigning helplessness and saying, "Young Master Huang, since you know Jing Xian, you should know her background. She's a kind-hearted person who made herself homeless to save an abandoned infant. Yet she never gave up on that infant. Worse still, that infant is incurably ill. A weak woman and an infant, with no livelihood, barely scraping three meals a day, on the verge of starvation. The house, the shop, all the silver was given to them—consider it a good deed, no? To save a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda; this was saving two lives, Brother Huang. And for a mere 8,000 taels, you got fourteen stories. You've earned a fortune! I don't even want your thanks, and you're still asking for your silver? Can your silver only be spent on courtesans, and not on saving lives?"
"When did I ever spend my silver on courtesans?" Huangfu Jingchen was angry—not that, what was he even arguing with her about? Even more furious, he added, "It's my silver, and how I spend it is my decision, not yours!"
"Then what do you want? No silver, just my life!" Xia Wenjin said straightforwardly, shamelessly.
Huangfu Jingchen gritted his teeth, "You..."
How could someone be so shameless? First, she acted all simple and honest to win his trust, then she swept away all his wealth. When he tracked her down, she refused to admit it, twisting and squirming, and when cornered, she resorted to acting pitifully and cheekily, finally becoming outright shameless.
Once again, he took a serious look at the youth before him.
Brows like art, eyes like shining black gemstones, with a smirk that was part cunning, part cheeky, part mischievous, and part... innocent?
Yes, truly innocent. So genuinely honest, making one want to trust at first sight.
How did all these expressions come together on one person? And so miraculously harmonious?
If he weren't the one duped, he might have instantly believed in this person.
Xia Wenjin's eyes darted around, suddenly breaking into a full blown smile, feigning shyness as she said, "Young Master Huang, are you looking at me because you're interested in me? Oh, really, you're too much! Staring at me like that, it makes me embarrassed!" She finished by covering her face and stomping her foot.
Huangfu Jingchen's face darkened. No matter how handsome, you're still a boy, not a girl, and you're only twisting around to disgust him, right?
Sorry, but he had no such preference!
While Huangfu Jingchen was stunned from her antics, Xia Wenjin's eyes gleamed slyly, and without hesitation, she turned and ran.
Huangfu Jingchen snapped back, realizing that the boy had been putting on an act to distract and disgust him! This was all a ploy to escape using the cicada shedding its shell strategy? Look at how cleanly and swiftly he ran, as if a rabbit unbound.
"Where do you think you're running to?" Huangfu Jingchen took off after him. Was there such a cheap trick in the world? Ever since Huangfu Jingchen was born, he'd never suffered such a great loss. He didn't care where the lad spent his silver; he had to get every bit back.
One ran, one chased, moving further away from the forest.
Xia Wenjin had suffered on the official road, so this time she took the opposite direction.
She had some confidence in her movement technique.
Unexpectedly, Huangfu Jingchen wasn't weak either. Not only did he not fall behind, but she couldn't keep her head start either. Huangfu Jingchen kept an eye on her without any other action, just repeating, "Repay the silver!"
Xia Wenjin firmly said, "No money, just my life!"
They were back to square one. Moreover, her expression became more innocent, her tone more shameless, and her demeanor even more irritating!
Huangfu Jingchen's face was dark with anger. His fingers curled into a hook, ready to grab her.
Xia Wenjin was already on guard, her movement technique slippery as she leaned and dodged, narrowly avoiding him. She turned back, earnestly saying, "Brother Huang, we're on the run now. You have to have the awareness of escaping for your life. By messing with me here, you're aiding and abetting murder, understand?"
Huangfu Jingchen said coldly, "Return the silver, and I'll naturally stay far away from you! Otherwise, even if those people let you go, I won't!"
Xia Wenjin shook her head, looking at him with disdain. She scoffed, "Brother Huang, do you know what it means to be rich but not benevolent? What is silver? Silver is a filthy, dirty bastard! You're willing to be an accomplice to killers over filthy, dirty bastards. Aren't you ashamed?"
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