Big Boss – Chapter 68

I’m afraid of the dark

“Young master, young master!” Lian’er called out with a sob, her fair face smeared with dust, her slender body curled up into a ball, looking extremely pitiful.

However, Ye Youqing was unmoved. She clasped Lian’er’s wrists behind her back with one hand, then lifted her face with concern, “Are you alright?”

Ci Ke was momentarily stunned, then shook her head hurriedly. Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Ma Xiao came over, her half-worn boot dragging. Upon seeing Lian’er on the ground, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Young master, it was my negligence. Usually, even a slight noise wakes me up. Today, I don’t know why, but I slept very deeply,” Ma Xiao said, scratching her head. “What’s the matter with her…”

“Young master, I didn’t do anything. Please, young master…” Lian’er sobbed softly, her thin body trembling continuously. “I was just worried about the pigeon and wanted to snatch it back from this young lady.”

Ye Youqing didn’t say anything. She glanced at her, then stood up and lifted her from the ground with one hand.

Lian’er’s snow-white face was smudged with dirt, her hair was disheveled, looking extremely miserable. She backed away while sobbing, as if she had suffered a great grievance.

Ye Youqing looked at Ci Ke, who was squinting and watching from a distance, and couldn’t help but laugh. Suddenly, she furrowed her brows and said to Lian’er, “It’s alright, but she has been weak since childhood and can’t withstand your tugging. Be more careful in the future.”

Hearing this, Lian’er opened her mouth to say something, but forcefully swallowed her words. No matter how aggrieved she was, she didn’t dare speak again.

Ye Youqing ignored her, picked up the pigeon she was holding, examined it in the moonlight, and finding nothing unusual.

“Alright, causing a ruckus in the middle of the night, be careful not to disturb the neighbors.”

“Ma Xiao, take her back,” Ye Youqing said, then paused, reaching out to pull Lian’er close, her hand gently brushing over her clothes.

Lian’er’s face turned truly red this time, wanting to evade but too timid, “Young master…”

Ye Youqing gave her a light glance, and she froze, not daring to move. She watched as Ye Youqing’s hand moved from her sleeve to her waist, then to her collar.

Instinctively, she stepped back, but Ye Youqing had somehow grabbed her shoulder, and after a few shakes, she was fixed in place.

Ye Youqing’s slender, clean fingers slipped into her collar. Feeling something, she pulled hard, extracting a small sewn bag. The bag was flat, and rubbing it revealed fine powder inside.

Lian’er’s face instantly turned pale, the tear mole at the corner of her eye trembling.

Ye Youqing held the bag and placed it in Ma Xiao’s hand. Ma Xiao poured out a bit, watching it drift away in the wind, and exclaimed in surprise, “Datura powder?”

(LP: Datura is a genus of nine species of highly poisonous, vespertine-flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family. They are commonly known as thornapples or jimsonweeds, but are also known as devil’s trumpets. Other English common names include moonflower, devil’s weed, and hell’s bells.)

“Whose person are you?” Ye Youqing suddenly asked, her voice low and calm.

Lian’er lowered her eyes, paused for a moment, then suddenly knelt, tears streaming down her face, “This slave belongs to no one. This slave bought this medicine from a wandering doctor to escape from my master, to knock out the guards in the house.”

“Then why did you use it on Ma Xiao?” Ye Youqing reached for a dagger from Ma Xiao’s waist, pressing the sharp blade against the woman’s soft throat. She immediately fell silent, tears falling like raindrops.

The tears flowed down her pointed chin, soaking Ye Youqing’s hand.

“I didn’t…” The woman bit her red lips, shaking her head slightly.

The blade touched her skin, then cut into it, and the woman closed her eyes tightly, trembling with fear.

Ye Youqing looked at her, then lowered the dagger and handed it back to Ma Xiao.

“Rope,” Ye Youqing said calmly. Ma Xiao hurriedly ran off, returned with a coil of rope, and placed it in Ye Youqing’s palm.

Ye Youqing silently pulled the woman’s hands together and tied them firmly, not sparing any gentleness.

“If you behave, I won’t kill you. But if you make any more moves, I won’t be merciful,” Ye Youqing said without emotion, as if talking about the weather.

The woman looked at Ye Youqing timidly, finally daring to breathe.

“Go back to sleep,” Ye Youqing said, letting go and watching Ma Xiao lead the stumbling woman away until she disappeared around the corner.

The pigeon, held in Ye Youqing’s hand, suddenly started fluttering. Ci Ke reached out, took the pigeon, and held it with both hands.

“Why, do you still want to keep it?” Ye Youqing shook her head.

“Since you can keep Lian’er, why can’t I keep a carrier pigeon?” Ci Ke brushed her disheveled hair back, tilting her delicate chin.

Ye Youqing detected a hint of jealousy and couldn’t help but laugh.

“You can keep whatever you want,” Ye Youqing said gently, “It’s already midnight. Why aren’t you asleep?”

“I can’t sleep,” Ci Ke said, following Ye Youqing as her white clothes fluttered toward the bedroom.

Ye Youqing’s hand dangled in front of her, nails rounded and clean, like they were coated with crystal powder in the moonlight. Her palm was long and fair.

Ci Ke reached out sneakily, but the hand suddenly dodged. Ci Ke pressed her lips together, feeling a pang in her heart.

Just then, the hand turned back, grasped Ci Ke’s five fingers, and wrapped them in her hand. Both their hands were warm and dry, Ye Youqing’s even hotter. Ci Ke hurriedly looked up at her profile.

“What is it?” Ye Youqing asked, smiling back.

“I’m scared,” Ci Ke said softly, moving closer to her, “I’m afraid of the dark.”