Big Boss – Chapter 32

She’s taking a bath

For her, thinking of another person’s name at a time like this is very dangerous.

It means dependence.

Meanwhile, in the Duke’s residence, Ye Youqing had just awakened from a deep sleep, facing the window with drawn curtains, easing her drowsiness, and then stretching lazily.

The door opened, and a pair of small hands reached out to her, handing her a cup for rinsing her mouth.

“Ci Ke, today…” She absentmindedly picked up the cup, but the words took a turn in her mouth and retreated back down her throat.

“Qin Xin?” Ye Youqing exclaimed in surprise, putting her long legs down from the bed.

“It’s me, Eldest Miss.” Qin Xin pouted, sounding sulky.

“Where is Ci Ke?” Ye Youqing asked.

“Ci Ke said she has some matters to attend to, so she let me take care of you. She also mentioned that you slept late last night and should wake up late today, asking me to heat up the water later.” Qin Xin replied.

Matters to attend to? What other matters does Ci Ke have, could it be…

She had always known that there were secrets in Ci Ke, but she had never asked, anyway, that secret must not be beneficial to her.

I’m just hosting her for a few days, she thought to herself.

“No matter, let her go.” Ye Youqing said, sipping on her tea. After grooming herself, she continued, “Today, I intended to discuss with Ah Gou about opening a branch outside Bianjing. We need his unique recipes. Qin Xin, come with me.”

“Yes!” Qin Xin exclaimed excitedly at the news, her eyes squinting into narrow slits as she smiled.

The weather today was not as scorching as yesterday, quite overcast, with dark clouds looming over the city. It seemed like a heavy rain was brewing. Ye Youqing specifically asked Qin Xin to bring an umbrella and put on a black dress that wouldn’t easily get dirty before they set off for outside the residence.

Perhaps influenced by the weather, the streets today were not very lively. Many vendors did not come out, and the strong winds swept up some remnants of flower petals and last year’s old leaves. Despite it being spring, there was a desolate air reminiscent of autumn.

Braving the strong winds, Ye Youqing slowly made her way to the entrance of Jinlingzhai, with her hair already tangled messily behind her.

She had expected the discussion this time to take longer, but to her surprise, as soon as she began speaking, Ah Gou quickly ascended the stairs and brought down a stack of recipes, joyfully placing them in front of Ye Youqing.

“My father said, Si Rongwang is the lifesaver of our entire family. Since you are a relative of Si Rongwang, you are also our benefactor. Therefore, no matter what you need, I, Ah Gou, will definitely help wholeheartedly!” the disheveled young man grinned. (LP: I might have mistranslated “Si Rongwang” but without more context to who he is, I’m not quite sure yet.)

Ye Youqing suddenly felt a warmth in her heart, reached out to tousle his messy hair, and softly thanked him.

“Shi Li? Is she slacking off again?” Ye Youqing looked around, perhaps due to the weather, there were only a few people dining in the room.

“She…” Ah Gou’s previously cheerful face instantly fell, “Last night, I told her not to drink, but somehow she managed to sneak into the wine cellar and ended up getting completely drunk. It took several laborers to carry her back to her room, and she almost twisted their heads off.”

Ah Gou grumbled, “She’s still out cold now, can’t even wake her up no matter how much we try.”

Ye Youqing sighed deeply. Her master, in all aspects, was fine, but she seemed to live without any vigor, as if nothing mattered to her except getting drunk.

Perhaps she would improve greatly if she could meet the Noble Consort one day.

Ye Youqing leisurely finished her breakfast at Jinlingzhai, waiting until the restaurant grew crowded and noisy before taking her leave.

Returning to the Duke’s residence with Qin Xin, she instructed Qin Xin to attend to Zhao Qingrou and retired to her room, glancing around.

Ci Ke had not returned.

Her heart sank, a shallow anger rising within her, intertwined with a hint of worry that she had ignored.

After all, working by her side, how could one simply leave without a word? What kind of reasoning was this?

Ye Youqing entered the tidy study with a serious expression, taking out Ah Gou’s recipes to transcribe. If she were to open more stores, she would need more than one set of recipes.

Recipes were crucial; such tasks could not be entrusted to untrustworthy individuals.

At noon, rain began to fall outside. The sound of rushing water hitting the rooftop filled the air, with raindrops connecting in a continuous downpour. A curtain of rain poured down from the eaves, blurring the view outside.

Ye Youqing was vexed by the noise of the rain. She got up to close the leaking window, then walked to the door. She gazed at the curtain of rain for a while, feeling as if the heavens and earth had merged into one. The splashing water resembled smoke, permeating the entire courtyard.

Her inexplicable restlessness grew stronger. Ye Youqing paced back and forth on the porch for a long time, until her shoes were soaked by the splashing rain. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh, grabbed the umbrella by the door, and stepped into the pouring rain.

If she were to encounter Ci Ke on the road, Ye Youqing thought angrily, she would definitely give her a proper scolding.

The rain seemed to be getting heavier. There was not a soul on the street, only the carts of some leftover vendors. Presumably caught off guard by the sudden downpour, people had scattered in all directions without time to push their carts.

It felt like Ye Youqing was the only person left in the entire city. At times, she felt as though she was walking in a vast expanse of water, and at other times, she felt like a small boat swaying in the wind and rain.

The long main street was nearing its end, and before her stood the majestic Imperial City. The eaves of several palaces protruded from the rain, blending with the thunder and lightning roiling in the sky.

Ye Youqing unconsciously turned her head, but abruptly halted her steps. At the end of a long alley beside her, there were many haystacks scattered around as if intentionally knocked over.

Feeling her heart race, she coughed lightly and briskly walked into the dim alley.

The rain was heavy, and there was a considerable amount of standing water in the alley, almost reaching her ankles. Occasionally, some trash floated by along with the rainwater, but Ye Youqing focused her attention and didn’t notice anything unusual.

It was only when she passed by a darkened haystack soaked by the water that she lifted her head and furrowed her brow. Beneath a tile that was shielded from the rain, she saw a small patch of fresh blood.

Without hesitation, Ye Youqing stepped lightly on the slippery wall, grabbed onto the wall with her hand, and effortlessly flipped over to the other side.

However, when she landed on a large patch of moss, she stumbled and almost fell onto another pile of haystacks. She cursed under her breath and turned around to see that the moss had already been tread upon, leaving multiple footprints.

Moreover, they all seemed freshly trodden upon. The image of a group of people slipping and falling at this spot, passing each other like a relay race, flashed through Ye Youqing’s mind. She instinctively wiped the rainwater off her forehead before securing her umbrella in her hand.

“Ci Ke?” she tentatively called out, her voice low, but there was no response.

It appeared to be a courtyard meant for horse-keeping, but it had been abandoned for a long time. The ground was covered in slimy moss, now vibrant green under the heavy rain. Ye Youqing took small steps around the archway and came upon a similarly dilapidated residential building, with no windows or doors in place.

There was no one inside, yet Ye Youqing suddenly heard a muffled sound. Her body tensed up, and she swiftly circled around the house. The sight that greeted her eyes left her deeply shocked, nearly causing her to cry out in surprise.

Luckily, she managed to stifle the sound by covering her mouth with force.

On the ground, rainwater mixed with faint blood traces accumulated in various-sized deep pits. Some blood seemed to linger on the walls as well, but due to the rain, it was barely visible.

In a heap of dried yellow and fresh green weeds, it appeared as though a person lay sprawled within.

The smell in the air was unbearable, causing her stomach to churn. Ye Youqing quickly turned away, pressing against the wall and coughing a few times. Fortunately, the body was clad in black, indicating it was not Ci Ke.

Having lived for over twenty years, this was the first time she had witnessed such a scene. The impact it had was overwhelming, sending a shiver down her spine from the inside out.

This level of brutality, unlike what she had seen in modern society governed by law, was displayed before her in such a raw and direct manner for the first time.

She suppressed the nausea and emerged from behind the wall, cautiously making her way through the weeds behind the house, deliberately avoiding the unmoving body, choosing not to take another look.

However, she had yet to spot Ci Ke, which only served to heighten her fear.

After rounding another corner, she finally saw the woman.

Ci Ke sat with her back to Ye Youqing, oblivious to the dirt on the ground and the pouring rain overhead. Her shiny black hair cascaded behind her, her clothes clinging wetly to her body, accentuating her straight and elegant shoulders. In her hand, she held something.

Ye Youqing took a deep breath, slowly advancing towards her with small steps. She raised the umbrella over Ci Ke’s head, but to her surprise, the umbrella had developed a hole at some point. Rainwater streamed through the hole, showering down on Ci Ke’s head like a pillar of water.

Ci Ke sensed her arrival and swiftly turned around. With a sharp and dagger-like hairpin in hand, she ruthlessly aimed it towards Ye Youqing’s throat. Ye Youqing’s pupils dilated in shock as she reached out to grasp Ci Ke’s wrist.

Fortunately, Ci Ke’s motion abruptly halted, freezing just an inch away from Ye Youqing’s throat.

Her eyes were bloodshot, exuding a sense of extreme hostility. However, upon seeing Ye Youqing’s face, Ci Ke swiftly masked her expression, transforming her demeanor into one of fear. She discarded the hairpin, retreating while supporting herself with her hands on the ground.

Ye Youqing’s rigid body finally regained movement. She discarded the broken umbrella in her hand and suddenly crouched down, extending her hand to shield Ci Ke’s head from some of the rain.

“It’s okay,” she spoke softly.

The woman before her began to tremble. She then moved closer, grabbing onto Ye Youqing’s clothing with gentle hands, pressing her face against Ye Youqing’s chest.

The warmth pierced through the cold clothing, forming a lump of emotions.

When Ye Youqing brought Ci Ke to Jinlingzhai, her mind was still in a daze. Ci Ke seemed greatly frightened, and Ye Youqing was hesitant to ask for details.

After guiding Ci Ke inside, she had Ah Gou fetch a pot of hot wine and made her drink several sips to warm her up before finally feeling some warmth returning to her body.

“You should change out of your wet clothes first, don’t catch a cold like this,” Shi Li said, wiping the remaining water off Ye Youqing’s face and handing her a handkerchief.

“Alright,” Ye Youqing nodded.

“After changing your clothes, go and see Ci Ke in a while. She mentioned wanting to see you just now,” Shi Li shook her head, sluggishly getting up and covering her head, groggy from the effects of alcohol.

“Master, if you keep drinking like this, you’ll become obese,” Ye Youqing called out to her retreating figure, but received no response.

She finished the rest of the wine and slowly ascended the stairs, thoughts lingering on Ci Ke’s expression just now. The murderous intent and ferocity had almost made her tremble, but she always knew she couldn’t understand Ci Ke.

Forgetting to change her clothes, she approached Ci Ke’s door, taking a deep breath and reaching out to knock. However, just then, Shi Li’s voice came from behind her, holding a bucket of hot water, stopping Ye Youqing. “Wait a moment before going in, she’s taking a bath.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Youqing hastily took a few steps back, nodding awkwardly. But then, the voice of a woman came from inside the room, soft and pleasant, with a slight tremor in her tone.

“Sister Shi Li, please let her in, okay?”

LP: Sorry for the no updates yesterday, cleaning took a lot of time than I expected.