Chapter 12

Just then, Mute Uncle walked in carrying dishes.

He placed a stack of salted fish in front of me, stifling a laugh as he left.

“If it weren’t for redeeming you! Would I be this poor?”

I reached out to Xie Yun angrily, “Pay me back, now!”

But Xie Yun grabbed my hand.

“What are you doing!” I glared at him.

He patiently took out a small porcelain bottle, dipped his index finger in the white ointment, and carefully applied it to the rough back of my hand.

A faint fragrance spread, and my hand became delicate.

Xie Yun’s hands were beautiful, like jade.

But my hands, after years of drawing bows and doing rough work, looked like pig’s trotters compared to his.

In winter, I’d even gotten chilblains-truly unsightly.

Xie Yun then took out a small comb, stood behind me, and slowly smoothed my messy hair.

Looking in the bronze mirror in front of me, I saw he had styled my hair into a simple bun and pinned a magnolia hairpin in it.

Xie Yun examined me, satisfied, and said, “I’ve wanted to comb this weed-like hair of yours for a long time. I’ve carried this comb with me for ages, and today it finally came in handy.”

I eyed him warily, “No one is kind for no reason-either a thief or a scoundrel! Xie Yun, don’t tell me you don’t want to pay me back.”

He promised to repay me tenfold-was he going to go back on his word?

Xie Yun didn’t answer but asked coldly, “Zhao Yunshu, you owe me an apology.”

I was so angry I laughed, “Me apologize to you? You owe me money and won’t pay, and you call me a salted fish, yet I should apologize? Are you still half asleep?”

“In just over two months, we’ll be married, yet you keep telling me to marry Zhao Mingyue. That’s very disrespectful to me.” Xie Yun’s tone was solemn, making me feel a bit ashamed.

I never intended to marry him!

When I first returned to Qingzhou, I planned to hand the Broker Army over to my grandfather.

But later I changed my mind, staying in Qingzhou to negotiate business with the people from Treasure Pavilion.

Once the deal was done, I’d return to Liangzhou-who would want to marry Xie Yun!

My eyes darted, and I smiled sweetly, “Fine, I’ll apologize. Xie Yun, pay me back first. I spent a hundred taels to redeem you, you don’t need to pay me a thousand. For good luck, just give me eight hundred.”

Xie Yun pinched my cheek lightly between his index and middle fingers.

He said coolly, “Zhao Yunshu, whenever you’re guilty, your eyes always wander. Did you ever intend to marry me?”

“Don’t push it! Do we even have feelings for each other, and I should marry you? I came to break off the engagement!”

“No feelings?” Xie Yun took a thin piece of paper from his sleeve and placed it on the table, speaking lightly, “I thought, after all we’ve been through together, there was some feeling between us.”

I looked at the paper on the table, my eyes widening instantly.

I picked it up and examined it closely, my mind going blank.

No wonder my mother insisted Zhao Mingyue marry Xie Yun!

I made a snap decision, grabbed Xie Yun’s hand, and said with deep emotion, “Husband! From now on, we’ll share the same bed in life and the same grave in death! If anyone tries to take you from me, I’ll cut her down with a single stroke!”