The banquet held by the Japanese Consulate was for Kuromiya Keiko’s birthday. Not many people came, and they were all people who were on good terms with the Japanese. As for inviting Duan Yelin, it was only because he was the one in charge of Hezhou City now, and a strong dragon could not defeat a local snake, so they had to give him some face.
The banquet was halfway through when the most distinguished guests finally arrived.
As the door opened, two figures walked in, one handsome and the other pretty.
The man was wearing a blue and purple suit with dark patterns and a wolf head brooch on his shirt pocket. His peach blossom eyes made him look a little enchanting. The pretty girl had a high ponytail and was wearing a knee-length black and red dress with one shoulder exposed. She was not sexy enough but very cute.
They were the Chief of Staff’s only children, Zhang Xiuming and Zhang Yinxi, who were known to everyone.
As soon as the two came out, many flatterers came up to them and toasted them with wine.
“Oh my, Mr. Zhang is really magnanimous!”
“You two must have had a hard time coming from afar. Do you have any plans for the next few days? If not, please give me some face.”
“Miss Zhang is really the most beautiful girl today. Come, I’ll drink first to show my respect.”
What a bunch of noisy sparrows, chirping and chattering.
Zhang Xiuming had a half-smile on his face, and he just nodded to everyone, being very polite. However, Zhang Yinxi was much more impatient, frowning and pouting: “Why is everyone here to toast?”
The disdainful tone made everyone feel embarrassed. She was indeed a rich and powerful person with high standards.
Kuromiya Keiko came forward with a smile and said, “It is I that is neglecting Little Sister. Come, sit over here.”
She took Zhang Yinxi’s hand and walked forward two steps, then turned around and said to everyone, “I’m taking this fairy-like little sister away first. Don’t blame me, she’s just a shy little girl. If there’s wine, leave it for me. And any dirty talk? You should still save that for someone with thick skin like me!”
She blinked at the end of her words.
The trained socialite, with just two or three sentences, not only praised Zhang Yinxi but also relieved the guests’ embarrassment, livened up the atmosphere, and even acted in a coquettish way that made people feel itchy.
Compared to that beautiful but piercing girl, this beautiful lady with a round and smooth figure is more considerate.
The sharp ones raised a few toasts, then made their way down the stairs.
Zhang Xiuming was chatting with other people at the banquet, while Kuromiya Keiko was sitting on the sofa chatting with Zhang Yinxi.
Today was their first meeting—a mere chance encounter. There was no need to rush into anything major, so they simply spent the time chatting.
The reason Zhang Yinxi followed her brother here was because she wanted to see for herself what was so special about Hezhou City—a place her father often spoke of as being full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, occupying his thoughts day and night.
It seems… nothing special?
Seeing that Hezhou City fell short of Shanghai in every aspect, she naturally sneered, holding her chin high. The men who came to flatter her seemed more unimpressive one after another, leaving her with no mood for laughter or small talk.
Until Duan Yelin and Qiao Song came in, dressed in military uniforms.
She raised her eyebrows, and her eyes lit up.
She whispered in Kuromiya Keiko’s ear, “Sister Keiko, this is Commander Duan, right?”
Kuromiya Keiko replied, “Yes, haven’t you seen him?”
“I’ve only seen his younger brother Duan Zhanzhou before, the two brothers do look alike,” Zhang Yinxi has always been ambitious, and it’s not easy to hear her say anything that doesn’t insult others. “I heard my father talk about Commander Duan’s deeds at home, saying how capable and brave he was and how he had amazing strategies. I originally thought it was an exaggeration, but now that I’ve seen him in person, I may believe it a little bit.”
“With Commander Duan here, we of the Japanese Empire wouldn’t dare make a move. Besides, the two officers who opposed him both died in an accident—it must be something serious.”
Zhang Yinxi couldn’t help but take a closer look: “Oh? Is he that powerful?”
Kuromiya Keiko tapped her nose with her finger: “Little girl, are you interested? Look, Commander Duan was blocked by those rich ladies as soon as he came in, you have to hurry.”
Zhang Yinxi took a glance and snorted, with an arrogant look between her eyes: “I was born different from those vulgar women. It has always been their men who come to pay me respects. When is it my turn to devalue myself? Besides, I just think he is more pleasing to the eye than others.”
While the two of them were whispering, Duan Yelin had already sent the others away and walked towards Kuromiya Keiko.
Out of the corner of her eye, Zhang Yinxi noticed Duan Yelin approaching, but she remained as still as a mountain, her gaze fixed on the red wine glass in her hand, acting as if she had no interest in him at all.
From childhood to adulthood, no matter what the occasion, she will always be the protagonist in the eyes of men.
According to her experience, the next thing this Commander Duan would do would be to ask her to dance with him on the dance floor. She would usually refuse outright, and only when the man begged her repeatedly would she reluctantly agree.
Men are just servile. If Commander Duan was sincere, she might consider giving him this face.
Sure enough, Duan Yelin stopped in front of her.
“This Miss…”
Here he comes.
Zhang Yinxi smiled smugly in her heart and was about to put down the red wine glass, waiting for Duan Yelin to extend his hand to invite her before standing up slowly.
“Could you please move aside? I’d like to offer a glass of wine to Miss Kuromiya.”
“Ah?” Zhang Yinxi blinked in surprise, her wide eyes fixed on Duan Yelin—she hadn’t heard what she expected and was clearly caught off guard.
Did she hear it right?
Duan Yelin repeated it with a frown.
It took her only a moment to steady her emotions. Zhang Yinxi felt as if she’d been slapped in the face—ashamed and angry all at once. But she maintained her composure, lifted her skirt gracefully, and stood up.
But she still sounded a little unpleasant when she spoke: “Here, please.” The hand holding the skirt tightened secretly.
Kuromiya Keiko had been watching the scene unfold with great interest, a faint smile playing on her lips. She rose to her feet as well and said, “Commander Duan, if you don’t know her, then allow me to introduce her. This is Miss Zhang Yinxi, the Chief of Staff’s daughter. It was you who sent your men to pick her up this morning—so why do you suddenly seem so unfamiliar now?”
It was only at this time that Duan Yelin looked at Zhang Yinxi seriously. For some reason, Zhang Yinxi’s deer-like eyes looked at him with a hint of dissatisfaction and arrogance.
“So it was Miss Zhang. Nice to meet you.” He said with a perfunctory nod, then turned away without sparing her so much as a glance.
Zhang Yinxi’s face looked a little stiff.
At first, she had thought that Duan Yelin had ignored her because he wanted to toast the host first, but now that she had been introduced, his continued coldness left her feeling even more snubbed.
She was still thinking in her heart that if Duan Yelin wanted to shake hands with her, she would definitely give him a cold eye and make him awkward for a while, but who would have thought that this man would just… nod?
She deliberately said in a controlled tone, “Sister Keiko, Commander Duan is very busy and would naturally not remember a nobody like me.”
She looked so pitiful that ordinary people would feel sorry for her.
Kuromiya Keiko scratched her nose: “If you are a nobody, the other ladies at the banquet will all be ashamed.”
Zhang Yinxi showed her little girl’s anger: “Sister Keiko…”
Duan Yelin was too lazy to watch this clumsy banquet flattery. He glanced at it casually and said in a bland tone, “Please forgive me, Miss Zhang. I’m getting old and my memory isn’t what it used to be—I only remember the important things.”
The implied meaning was clear, There’s no need to pay attention to something as insignificant as you.
It hits the nail on the head and has strong lethality.
Zhang Yinxi’s smile was unnatural. This was the third time tonight that Duan Yelin had hurt her internally.
Is this guy playing hard to get, or is he really so arrogant?
No one had ever dared to treat her so perfunctorily. She felt a kind of anger at being neglected in her heart, and she gritted her teeth secretly.
At this time, Zhang Xiuming inserted himself into the group of three people and greeted Duan Yelin. The two of them had met several times before, and they were neither familiar nor unfamiliar.
Duan Yelin didn’t like Zhang Xiuming very much, because this man was cunning and looked dangerous, not the type to play the pig and eat the tiger; naturally, as a member of the Zhang family, Zhang Xiuming didn’t have a good impression of Duan Yelin either.
The two clinked their glasses hypocritically.
“Brother Duan is now the king of Hezhou. We, brother and sister, will need you to take care of us now that we are here.”
Duan Yelin adjusted his shirt buttons and said, “I don’t deserve to take care of you all, let alone be the king. I only did what I was supposed to do, and that’s why I’ve lived this long.”
The implication was clear: the previous two had died because they were too restless. It was also a subtle threat to Zhang Xiuming—if he acted recklessly, he could easily become the next short-lived ghost.
“I will definitely remember what Brother Duan said.”
The two looked at each other, and there was a sense of a back-and-forth game.
“By the way, I don’t quite understand what you two are asking me to do,” Duan Yelin pretended to be concerned and asked, “What kind of servant did Miss Zhang lose? If you think that person is not considerate, why don’t I find another one for you?”
He observed their expressions closely. Zhang Xiuming shot a glare at Zhang Yinxi, causing her to feel a flicker of guilt.
Zhang Yinxi didn’t expect Duan Yelin to bring up this matter here, so he said, “Commander Duan is kind, I am very touched, but I am used to that person and don’t want to change him.”
When he saw her evasive eyes, he knew she was hiding something.
He then pretended to be dignified: “Miss, don’t blame me for being reckless. The soldiers in Hezhou City are used to protect the safety of the people, not to seek wealth and honor. If he is really just a servant, I think… my soldiers are not capable enough to find him.”
“What are you talking…” Zhang Yinxi was dissatisfied with Duan Yelin’s attitude.
“Commander Duan, please forgive us!” Zhang Xiuming knew what kind of person his sister was. He was afraid that she would speak out without restraint, so he tried to smooth things over. “This person stole some treasures from our family. While they may not be worth much, some of them were my mother’s dowry, so I paid special attention to them. A slave, of course, isn’t as valuable as Commander Duan’s men. We can find him ourselves.”
Duan Yelin pretended to be enlightened and said half seriously and half jokingly, “Is that so… but this is Hezhou, not Shanghai. If you want to find someone, I won’t help you, but if you search the city and disturb the people, you will go to jail.”
Zhang Xiuming’s peach blossom eyes flashed with a charming yet slightly mischievous smile. “Commander Duan, you’re joking. A slave—how could they be worth the trouble?”
The wine glasses clinked together, and each person, with his own thoughts, drank from them, and naturally the tastes were different.
Kuromiya Keiko was unusually quiet today, resting her chin on one hand as she watched the scene unfold. She glanced at the next person expected to appear in Hezhou City, all the while plotting her own next move in her mind.
The banquet had ended, but sounds of temper flared from the dressing room.
“Brother! What did you say in front of that person just now? What do you mean by not searching anymore? That despicable guy must be caught and killed!”
In the room, Zhang Yinxi put her hands on her hips and yelled at Zhang Xiuming, her nature as a young lady was fully exposed.
Zhang Xiuming stood in front of the window with his hands in his pockets, watching Duan Yelin’s departing convoy, his eyes narrowed slightly: “Didn’t you understand what he said? We just arrived in Hezhou. Don’t forget Father’s instructions, don’t be too ostentatious.”
“What are you afraid of? Father is the chief of staff. So what if he is known? I just can’t stand his rebellious look.”
“As I see, you’re clearly fed up with the way he doesn’t try to please you, right? There are times when people don’t buy into our little princess either.” Zhang Xiuming was the opposite of her, and his mood was not affected at all.
“Hump!”
Zhang Xiuming frowned and said, “I still have something to say. How foolish can you be to let Duan Yelin’s people help you catch the person? If this gets out, do you think you’ll have any dignity left?”
Zhang Yinxi blushed but still said stubbornly, “I… I… that’s why I said he was just a servant. I thought the adjutant would just order others to look for him, but I didn’t know they would think so much like this…”
“That’s called stupidity.” Zhang Xiuming criticized her rudely.
“Fine, fine, fine, blame me! It’s all my fault!”
Seeing his sister lose her temper, Zhang Xiuming curled his lips and smiled helplessly and could only coax her, “Alright, alright, don’t worry, big brother will definitely help you find him back.”
“Don’t try to fool me!”
“He is my sister’s most important medicine. Besides, if we don’t catch him, who will explain this to Ghost Master? Hmm?”
Zhang Yinxi sat down angrily: “This shabby place is really annoying everywhere! If I found that person, I must kill him!”
Then there were some sporadic curses, and then there was silence.
The two of them were talking in this unfamiliar place without any taboo, and they felt that it was not a big deal. But who knew that a maid serving at the door heard it, rolled her eyes, and took note of it all?
Two hours later, those very words were sold for two thousand silver dollars—first reaching Qiao Song, and soon after making their way to both Duan Yelin and Xu Hang.
That night, the maid boarded the ship and left Hezhou.
Although there is not much information, it is still worth pondering.
In addition, Duan Yelin told Xu Hang what happened at today’s banquet as a joke, and Xu Hang gave a very interesting comment after listening.
“One is a vase of straw, another is a smiling wolf.”
Duan Yelin smacked his lips, thinking that the evaluation was very accurate. It is said that a dragon gives birth to nine sons, each with its own unique characteristics. The Zhang siblings really didn’t seem like they came from the same mother.
“Really nothing.”
Xu Hang handed the soup made from Dendrobium officinale to Duan Yelin and said, “Have you really stooped so low as to use an eavesdropping method such as today?”
“Use different methods on different people,” Duan Yelin took a sip, and the taste was sweet. “If it weren’t for this, I’m afraid I wouldn’t even be able to drink your bowl of soup today.”
When Xu Hang heard this, he really took away the soup, leaving Duan Yelin empty-handed. “Clearly, you’re looking into his background for your own benefit. Don’t pretend you’re doing it for me.”
Sometimes Duan Yelin really didn’t know whether to love or hate his powerful mouth, so he stretched and said, “Looks like the Shen Jingmo hiding in your backyard is exactly who they’re after.”
Thinking of Shen Jingmo, Xu Hang couldn’t help but frown.
Seeing this, Duan Yelin flicked his forehead and pretended to be fierce: “If you keep thinking about other men all the time, see what I’ll do to you!”
Xu Hang glared at him with a reproachful look, which made Duan Yelin’s heart warm, and he blew out the light immediately.
Although the newly bought jade-frame and bamboo-mat bed was sturdy, it was not as good as the wooden one. The shaking sound was much louder, so it was also very uncomfortable.
Pale skin pressed against the cool mat as whispered curses and incoherent words slipped from his lips, his body tossing restlessly, lost in a tangle of confused thoughts.
But there is one advantage of the cool mat: the sticky water stains flow through the gaps between the bamboo strips and are much easier to clean than bedding.
If that delicate young lady knew that the supposedly unromantic Commander Duan was now lying on someone else—growling, sighing, and rambling nonsense, all while clearly being quite skilled in the ways of romance—she’d be so furious her nose would go crooked.
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