Chapter 126：Jealous

Ye Jiayao ignored Little Jing, already immune to how useless he could be. She asked Zhao Qixuan, "What happened after he beat you up?"

Zhao Qixuan replied discontentedly, "He dragged me back to a horse carriage and threw me at the front door before leaving!"

Ye Jiayao was speechless. She thought that Zhao Qixuan was the top! How could he be that weak?

"Zhao Qixuan, I think you should just give up. Even if Susu is a Ferghana horse, it is no use if you cannot dominate him," Ye Jiayao tried to sound him out.

"No way! I have a feeling, that as long as I endure it, I would succeed," Zhao Qixuan replied. "I have known Susu for so many years and this is the first time he beat me so badly. This means that he has nowhere to run. I can break through his defense soon and completely conquer him."

His swollen eyes show confidence.

"Forget it! You should train your combat capability first before you go anywhere near him again," Helian Jing said with a haughty scoff.

Ye Jiayao glared at him. "Stop being so discouraging."

She turned to Zhao Qixuan and said, "Not conceding despite multiple setbacks is the quality of a true man. I'll teach you some tricks to help you take him down." Ye Jiayao's mind was filled with ideas to help her friend out.

The three of them exchanged plans, muttering quietly to each other.

In the Su Mansion, the third young master, Susu, was idly drinking tea when he suddenly started shivering and sneezing.

Meanwhile, Xia Chunyu rushed back from Pu Ji Temple. He reported in the palace first before heading back home, prepared to wash up and change.

He was going to meet Yaoyao tonight.

Just as he got off the horse, the gatekeeper told him that earlier in the morning, someone from Heavenly Residence came and said that Head Chef Li got summoned to the palace. Xia Chunyu immediately spurred his horse back to the palace to check, his heart beating fast with fear. When the servants of the palace informed him that Yaoyao has already left, he felt a mixture of relief and anger. Why didn't she send word that she's okay? Does she enjoy making me worry?

For the second time, he rode back home from the palace, his thoughts uneasy. It was fortunate that Yaoyao was called to the palace for a good thing, but what if it had been something bad? He was not here and he could not protect her!

After a bath and a change of clothes, Xia Chunyu headed to Heavenly Residence, planning to have his dinner there as well. It has been days since he had Yaoyao's cooking and the glutton in him was protesting.

When he got to the restaurant and asked for Yaoyao, Deng Haichuan told him that she wasn't around and that she actually hasn't returned yet.

"Didn't he leave the palace already?" Xia Chunyu was confused.

Deng Haichuan replied, "I am not too sure. It was Young Royal Highness Jing's servant that came here and informed us that Brother Yao is okay."

Xia Chunyu frowned. "He is with Young Royal Highness Jing?" 

"He should be. When Brother Yao got summoned to the palace, he got me to tell it to you, but you were not around. I was afraid that something might happen to Brother Yao so I went to look for Young Royal Highness Jing. He went to the palace so I think he helped Brother Yao," Deng Haichuan said.

Xia Chunyu suddenly lost all his appetite. Why is that brat always in the way? He was a hundred percent certain that Little Jing's feelings towards Yaoyao were not simply that of a friend. Now they were off to god knows where and it was making Xia Chunyu's skin crawl.

He tried to stifle his anger because he could already feel his blood boiling. He decided to forgo his plan for dinner and instead headed to Uncle Jiang's place to wait for Yaoyao.

Ye Jiayao wanted to return to Heavenly Residence to work, but Zhao Qixuan insisted on having her stay for dinner and she couldn't very well decline his hospitality. She would just treat this as a break for her self.

A servant woman came in, saying that the Yong An Marquis Madam has sent her to deliver medicine to Zhao Qixuan.

Ye Jiayao's eyes squinted, finding the servant familiar. When the woman smiled sheepishly at her, Ye Jiayao recalled her as the one who insisted on buying the mooncakes before the birthday feast. 

The greedy owner was Zhao Qixuan's mother?

Finally, Ye Jiayao rose to leave as the sky grew dark. 

Zhao Qixuan said, "When the plan is put into action, you guys have to be there to support me!"

Helian Jing patted his shoulder assuringly. "Even if Yaoyao isn't free, I will definitely be there."

"Your presence doesn't matter. It's Li Yao that has to be there so he can give me courage," Zhao Qixuan replied.

Ye Jiayao rolled her eyes at him.

Little Shao was just about to send them out when Ping An arrived. He said that the Elder Princess has an urgent matter to discuss with Helian Jing and he has to rush back immediately.

Helian Jing scowled. He wanted to take Yaoyao home first.

"Yaoyao, I shall be off. I'm sorry I can't send you home. I'll look for you again tomorrow."

Ye Jiayao waved her hand dismissively, "Go on, go home now. Don't let your mother worry."

Ye Jiayao returned back to the courtyard and Jiang Yue opened the door for her. The younger girl whispered softly to her, "Sister Yaoyao, the Heir-Son Lord is here. He is drinking with my father! He doesn't look like he is in a good mood, and is drinking a little too much."

Oh, f*ck! Ye Jiayao slapped a palm on her forehead. She forgot to have someone inform Chunyu that she's alright.

"Okay, okay. Let me get changed first," Ye Jiayao said hurriedly.

Jiang Yue entered the dining hall just as her father was pouring another cup of wine for the Heir-Son Lord. She said, "Father, Heir-Son Lord, Sister Yaoyao is back."

Uncle Jiang stopped mid-pour and chuckled. "Your Sister Yaoyao is back early today. Ask her if she has eaten. If not, get her over to eat."

Xia Chunyu said blankly, "I'm sure she already ate from wherever she came from."

"Heir-Son Lord, Sister Yaoyao said she will be over after changing," Jiang Yue told him.

Xia Chunyu took the pot of wine and filled his cup.

Uncle Jiang and Jiang Yue glanced at each other. It looked like Heir-Son Lord's mood has not improved.

After Ye Jiayao changed, she headed out, bringing the token with her so she could tell Chunyu about what happened.

The atmosphere in the dining hall was a little awkward, so Jiang Yue gave Yaoyao a sympathetic look. Uncle Jiang said, "Yue-er, get your mother to make a few more dishes. I shall check if there is any wine left."

The father and daughter left hurriedly.

Ye Jiayao sighed, feeling a bit guilty. She knew she was in the wrong today.

"Chunyu, how long have you been here?" Ye Jiayao asked with a sweet smile as she sat opposite of him.

Xia Chunyu just glared at her and continued to drink his wine.

"Look what I got today." Ye Jiayao presented the token to him.

Xia Chunyu did not even bat an eyelid.

Ye Jiayao pushed with a pout, "Look at it. I spent a huge amount of effort to get this."

Xia Chunyu flicked a glance at the token but his face remained expressionless.

"I even ran into Liu Li in the palace! She said that she already forgives me, but do you think I can trust her with that? I'm still feeling a little bit uneasy!"

Xia Chunyu retorted, "What is there to be uneasy about? Young Royal Highness Jing is at your beck and call should you get in trouble."

What? Is he jealous of Little Jing? That was ridiculous. Little Jing was just like her little brother!

"What are you talking about? I went to look for you first but you weren't there," Ye Jiayao justified.

Xia Chunyu laughed in a self-deprecating tone. "Well, then, thank goodness for Little Jing, right? Even if I'm not around, at least he's there."

"Can you not talk like that? I admit, I forgot to inform you that I am alright. That was entirely my fault, I'm sorry," Ye Jiayao said. She did not like his sardonic tone.

"How do you want me to talk? Do you want me to talk like Little Jing? As though I'm a little puppy eagerly waiting for your attention?" Xia Chunyu asked with a mean smirk.

Ye Jiayao frowned, unhappy with this side of Chunyu. "What did Little Jing do to you? Why are you talking about him like that? If you are angry, then be angry at me. Why are you putting others down?"

"Am I putting him down?" Xia Chunyu seethed. Her quick defense of Little Jing was just making him angrier. "Aren't I just stating facts? He smiles like a fool when he sees you and whenever you are in the room, his eyes are glued to you. He wouldn't even go against you! Ye Jinxuan, don't tell me you are unaware of his feelings? Or maybe you're just enjoying his adoration?"

"You're jealous! Don't even deny it, I can practically see the green monster coming out of you!" Ye Jiayao exclaimed, laughing.

Xia Chunyu snorted. "Jealous? You think too highly of your self, Ye Jinxuan. Do you think that just because you're a Mobile Imperial Chef now, you're everyone's fantasy?"

The smile on Ye Jiayao's face froze. Chunyu's words felt like a physical barb striking her heart.

"Then why are you drowning your sorrows in wine here?"

"This is Uncle Jiang's home, not yours. If I want to sit here and drink, that's my business. I didn't invite you here to watch." 

Ye Jiayao poured a cup of wine for herself, hands shaking with the anger she was feeling. "For your information, Xia Chunyu, when I got summoned to the palace today, my first thought was you. I told Deng Haichuan to look for you, but he could not find you. Thankfully, he was smart enough to look for Little Jing. If it was not for Little Jing today, I would have died in Consort Mei's palace."

She then proceeded to down her cup of alcohol in one go and stood. "Enjoy your drink, Heir-Son Lord."

She wasn't interested to get into a squabble with someone who was clearly not in the right mind.

Only… I can't stay here any longer. He said that this was Uncle Jiang's home but they both knew that it was really Chunyu's. If he's willing, he will give her a shelter over her head. If he's unhappy, he could kick her out any time.

She detested that feeling of dependence on him.

That won't do.