Chapter 6: Stop Right There! No, I Won't!

Xiao Ming looked up and met his scrutinizing gaze.

For some reason, an inexplicable panic welled up within her, as if caught in a compromising situation. "Young Master Ling, what are you doing here? Is there something you need?"

Ling Zhao’s expression darkened, and he cast a cold glance at Mo Shichang.

Sensing something, Xiao Ming hurriedly explained, "This gentleman is the second young master of the Mo family. A few days ago, I heard from the servants at home that a new cosmetics shop opened on Zhuque Street. I only had time to come by today to take a look and happened to run into Young Master Mo. We just had a brief chat."

Ling Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly, a more appraising look creeping into his gaze. So this was the Mo family’s young master.

The smile on Mo Shichang’s face vanished completely as he cupped his hands respectfully. "General Ling, I am Mo—"

Ling Zhao, evidently impatient, cut him off by turning his gaze back to Xiao Ming. "Are you not coming over?"

Mo Shichang’s face stiffened. His previously casual and amiable eyes now gleamed with a subtle sharpness.

Xiao Ming noticed Ling Zhao’s attitude toward Mo Shichang and felt the restraint in her own eyes begin to fracture.

Young Master Mo hadn’t done anything wrong. Their relationship was pure and innocent; what right did Ling Zhao have to act so imperiously?

Clenching her fingers white-knuckled, Xiao Ming dared not defy Ling Zhao. She bowed slightly toward Mo Shichang. "Young Master Mo, I’ll be going now."

Mo Shichang tugged at the corner of his mouth, reluctant though he was. Many words stuck in his throat, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to speak them. He cupped his hands in return. "Very well. Miss Xiao, take care."

Ling Zhao watched as Xiao Ming boarded the carriage, then gave the reins a sharp flick. With legs pressing against the horse’s flanks, he galloped away without so much as a glance back at Mo Shichang.

Mo Shichang stood rooted in place, watching the carriage fade into the distance.

—

The carriage stopped at the main gate of the Ling residence.

Xiao Ming stepped down and immediately saw Ling Zhao standing outside, his face cold as he waited.

"I’ll be going in first," Xiao Ming said coolly and turned to leave.

"Are you not going to explain what happened just now?"

Xiao Ming paused, a sudden surge of stifled anger rising within her. She turned back, her clear eyes fixed on him. "I don’t see what I need to explain to General Ling."

Ling Zhao’s gaze locked onto her face, which was tinged with barely concealed irritation. The fury behind his eyes threatened to overflow.

"What did you say?"

This time, Xiao Ming held her ground. "I first met Young Master Mo at your coming-of-age ceremony. Our relationship has always been pure. As you saw, we barely spoke. Earlier, we just happened to meet on the street. He took pity on me and invited me to the birthday banquet of the eldest Miss Mo. That’s all."

She couldn’t deny her fondness for Mo Shichang. Though her words skirted around the issue, nothing improper had happened between them, had it?

Ling Zhao raised an eyebrow, his eyes unreadable. "Is that so?"

She faltered slightly. "You don’t believe me? Fine, then I dare ask: if the person you saw on the street had been another woman, would you have bothered to ask at all?"

Ling Zhao frowned deeply. Wasn’t that obvious? What business would he have with some other woman?

Seeing his silence, Xiao Ming knew her guess was right, which only fueled her anger.

"In my opinion, General, you’ve already prejudged me, convinced I’m a restless woman no different from a courtesan, so no matter what I say or do, you’re never satisfied. You think I’m a flirt! If that’s the case, then you only believe what you want to believe. Why should I bother explaining?"

The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. Her naturally enchanting almond-shaped eyes, now tinged with anger, made her all the more captivating.

With that, she strode past him and into the residence without a glance back.

Ling Zhao remained at the gate, stunned as he watched her storm away in anger. It took him a long moment to realize—she had just lost her temper with him?

She was something else.

What was going through that foolish woman’s mind? He had taken her in, reclaimed her family’s estate for her, handled her distant relatives, even remembered to reopen the case files at the Dali Temple while fighting on the southern frontier.

She could investigate the case or seek justice all she liked. He had done everything for her—and yet, for a man she barely knew, she dared to show him such insolence?

Seeing this, brothers Sui Feng and Jin Sheng held their breath, silently watching. Having followed Ling Zhao for many years, they understood his temperament well.

Jin Sheng finally spoke up, risking everything to advise, "Master, you must pursue her!"

Once the opening is given, one must follow through.

Ling Zhao’s face darkened further as he strode after Xiao Ming.

"Stop right there!"

"No."

"A mere birthday banquet, and you’re so eager to attend it? Is it worth getting angry with me over?"

Xiao Ming halted immediately, but he didn’t stop in time and bumped her from behind, causing her to stumble. Luckily, he was quick and caught her before she fell.

She shook off his hand forcefully, straightened her clothes, planted her feet firmly, and glared at him, her anger not diminished but intensified.

She hated this feeling. When they barely interacted before, she hadn’t minded. But since returning from the southern border, she didn’t know what had come over him—he contradicted her at every turn, nitpicking her constantly.

She really regretted it. With so many sons in the Ling family, why had she knelt before him?

Determined, she embraced a reckless defiance.

"Ling Zhao! All my life, I’ve never had the chance to attend these banquets meant only for highborn ladies, but I am still a daughter. I love lively gatherings, and I’m curious! Young Master Mo did not look down on me—he invited me to go with the Ling family ladies, and I accepted. So what? Have I broken some sacred rule? Or do you think that because of my humble origins and low status, I simply do not! deserve! to go?"

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she shouted, breathing heavily. After a tense silence, Ling Zhao finally spoke.

"Of course, a young lady can attend a birthday banquet."

Xiao Ming was stunned. She had prepared herself for a fierce confrontation but hadn’t expected him to be so reasonable.

Still, she refused to show him any gratitude and retorted stubbornly, "I wouldn’t dare go, lest I stir up trouble and ruin the Ling family’s centuries-old good name."

"From now on, you can go whenever you want. Just don’t let them bully you," Ling Zhao said softly. "When is the banquet?"

"In three days."

He gave a flat "hmm" without expression and turned to leave.

Xiao Ming stood there, dumbfounded. She had expected a battle to the death with Ling Zhao, a man who had never met resistance in his life.

"Thank you, Young Master."

Suddenly buoyed by a bright mood, she jogged to catch up with him.

Under the dimming sky, they reached the corridor and stopped.

To the left, through the hanging flower gate, lay Xiao Ming’s Moon Embrace Pavilion. To the right, past the octagonal pavilion, was Ling Zhao’s Azure Cloud Pavilion.

Xiao Ming glanced at the sky outside the corridor and said, "Young Master, I’ll go in now."

Just as she turned, a warm hand suddenly grasped her arm and pulled her back.

Xiao Ming raised an eyebrow, looking at Ling Zhao. "Is there something else?"