Chapter 563: Chapter 563: My Life May Be forfeit

"Since he’s not here for you, lady, what exactly is Zhen Yubai here for? Could it be that he just loves teaching?"

Liu Ji frowned suspiciously, mumbling under his breath, "Leaving behind a comfortable life as a rich family’s son to become a teacher in our backwater, he must have a screw loose!"

Qin Yao looked up at the sky, exhaling a deep breath of frustration. Ignoring Liu Ji’s wild guesses, she said to Ah Wang:

"Zhen Yubai isn’t simple. It’s best not to hang around the school unnecessarily, lest he notices you. Some people are just naturally more perceptive than others."

Glancing again at Liu Ji, who was still speculating, Qin Yao hesitated to mention seeing Zhen Yubai meet with Gongliang Liao that night.

But it seemed pointless to say anything, so she decided against it.

Ah Wang nodded, remembering her advice. He gave Qin Yao a deep look, sensing that the lady knew something but wasn’t saying.

Liu Ji, seeing that Qin Yao wasn’t reacting, reluctantly caught up with her, "Lady, you’re just going to leave Zhen Yubai be like that?"

This didn’t seem like her usual style.

Normally, she would nip any sign of trouble in the bud immediately.

This out-of-character behavior, could it be—

"Lady, you wouldn’t be..." Have the hots for Zhen Yubai’s pretty face?

Liu Ji didn’t dare to finish his sentence and didn’t get the chance because the children came home from school.

Yin Le, guiding a cartload of children, stopped in front of the three, and Jinhua and Si Niang immediately jumped off.

"Mother!"

"Aunt!"

Two little figures, bundled up in thick quilts like balls of flesh, rolled into Qin Yao’s arms with the force of a charging baby calf. Qin Yao felt like she was being punched twice with a big sandbag.

"Such energy, it’s a waste not to practice martial arts." Qin Yao caught the two little girls, laughing.

Hearing this, Jinhua yelped and immediately retreated from her embrace, waving her little hands desperately to express her refusal, "I don’t want to practice martial arts. Seeing Brother Da Lang practice looks so hard, I don’t want to. Aunt, please spare me~"

The little girl was scared by her own words, looking pitifully at her aunt.

Before Qin Yao could say anything, Liu Ji stepped forward, patting the little girl’s shoulders and arms, clicking his tongue in admiration:

"Jinhua, I see you have a unique talent. You’re a natural martial arts genius. Are you sure you want to waste this gift?"

Jinhua’s almond eyes twinkled with delight, "Really?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Liu Ji nodded smugly, watching the light of expectation burst in Jinhua’s eyes, then shifted his tone to worry and said, "But practicing martial arts is tough. If you can’t persist, give up halfway, you might go astray and die from your Qi running backward..."

An accurate flick landed on the back of Liu Ji’s head. He yelped and angrily demanded, "Who hit me?!"

"I did." Qin Yao stepped forward, gently pinching the little girl’s terrified face and looked up at Liu Ji with a menacing smile for scaring the child.

Liu Ji inhaled sharply, his anger quickly turning into an awkward grin, "No problem, haha, haha."

Jinhua’s eyes welled up with tears, clutching Qin Yao’s hand anxiously, "Auntie, I don’t want to lose control of my Qi."

"Your uncle’s just scaring you. Don’t worry, you won’t lose control of your Qi, nor will we force you to practice martial arts. Good girl, go home now," Qin Yao said, amused.

Realizing she had been tricked by her uncle, Jinhua puffed up angrily, gave Liu Ji an indignant glare, "Uncle, I’m not speaking to you anymore!"

With that, she stomped off to the back of the carriage to retrieve her book box and dragged it home.

Halfway there, she turned back and said, "I’m going to tell Grandpa you bullied a child, shame on you, uncle!"

She rubbed her little hand on her face to demonstrate her retaliation, then strutted triumphantly through the old house gate.

Listening to her tattling from inside, Liu Ji awkwardly scratched his nose, "Such a little scrooge."

He quickly hurried over, helped Yin Le and laughing Jinbao off the cart, and gave the cheeky boy who dared to mock him a flick on the head, "Go, go, go, to your own home!"

He forcibly put Si Niang, who was clinging to her mother, back onto the cart, cracked the whip, "Let’s go home for dinner!"

Yin Le and Ah Wang looked silently at Qin Yao. With a husband who argues with kids, their master/lady had it tough.

Feigning ’resilience’, Qin Yao smiled, strode between the two of them, hands clasped behind her back, and strolled lazily towards home.

Yin Le looked at Ah Wang, Ah Wang looked back, their eyes met, and sparks flew.

Without a word, they began a short-distance sprint race!

It ended with Ah Wang sprinting through the gate three seconds ahead.

Qin Yao came in last, entering the yard, casting a disdainful look at the childish gang in the house, and smiled sweetly at Mrs. Li, "Time to eat."

Mrs. Li responded, beaming with joy. Her son Little Lai Fu successfully enrolled today, and tomorrow he could start schooling. Just the thought made her beam.

Carrying the dishes to the hall, Mrs. Li placed them down one by one but didn’t retreat as usual.

"Madam." With teary eyes, she deeply bowed to Qin Yao, who was seated at the head seat, "Thank you for sending Little Lai Fu to school."

Knowing Qin Yao’s character well, Mrs. Li didn’t utter those polite words of gratitude and compensation since she intended to show it through her actions henceforth.

Qin Yao smiled, gesturing for her to stand, "No need for thanks, it’s what should be done."

Mrs. Li shook her head, overwhelmed. How could this be something that ’should’ be done? It was clearly her lady treating them well.

Seeing Mrs. Li’s red-eyed, fearful she’d cry in her presence, Qin Yao quickly waved, "You go rest quickly."

"Oh, right." Qin Yao informed her, "Tomorrow Yun Niang and the others plan to go to the bookstore to buy books for the children. After breakfast, you could join them, bringing Little Lai Fu along."

Mrs. Li was overjoyed, couldn’t hold back, knelt to give thanks, and hurriedly left just in time before her lady became angry.

Little Lai Fu, lying outside the door and hearing everything from the hall, watched his mother come out crying and laughing. Mother and son looked at each other, full of anticipation for tomorrow’s trip.

With Mrs. Li’s departure, only then did the family begin their meal.

Second Lang ignored his father’s repeated reminders about table manners, quickly finishing the food in his bowl, and was about to leave.

"Where are you going?" Liu Ji called him back sternly, "Sit down."

"I just taught you the other day that during meals you should observe dining etiquette, you must wait for the elders to finish before the younger ones can leave the table."

Liu Ji said grumpily, "Now you’re the young master and lady of Mr. Scholar’s household. With such lack of manners, if you visit others’ houses as guests, won’t you embarrass me entirely!"

Second Lang looked helplessly at his father, "I have something to do. I promised to teach Little Lai Fu the lessons I copied earlier. We agreed that once he’s enrolled, I’ll help him become the top student."

After explaining, he sneakily glanced at the head of the family focusing on his meal, feeling confident, "Besides, this is at home, not at someone else’s place as guests, and Mother didn’t say anything..."

Although the last sentence was whispered, Liu Ji heard it clearly, his mood instantly exploding, slamming the table as he stood abruptly, "You rebellious child, you dare defy your father!"

Second Lang’s shoulder jerked, not from fear of his father, just startled by the sudden shouting, instinctively looking towards his mother.

Liu Ji immediately realized, this brat Second Lang actually deliberately provoked him!

Panic stricken, he feigned calmness as he looked towards Qin Yao. If he disturbed her meal, his life might be at risk.