The Patrol Bureau's carriage stopped in front of a relatively quiet inn on East Second Street.
The inn wasn't large, and its façade was simple and elegant. It was one of the Qin Family's properties.
These days, Yang An and his wife managed it on the family's behalf. It was both their livelihood and their home.
Senior Brother Gong Tian's words had stirred a storm of thoughts in Yang Ning's heart. But he was home now; he shouldn't wear his worries on his face and give his family cause for concern.
He straightened the Patrol Bureau cloak he still wore and headed toward the inn.
"You really are a busy man, Yang Ning!
It's been days, and I've only managed to catch you today!"
A crisp, girlish voice, with a hint of imperiousness, suddenly rang out, interrupting Yang Ning's thoughts.
He looked toward the voice. Across the street, a carriage with tasteful decorations was parked by the roadside. Its window was open, revealing the bright, pretty face of a young woman with a trace of reproach in her expression.
It was the Qin Family's second young lady, Qin Yuhui.
The carriage rolled closer and stopped in front of Yang Ning.
The coachman set down the step. A maid climbed out first, then carefully helped Qin Yuhui down.
Today, the second young lady wore a pale yellow ruqun beneath a light green vest. Pearl flowers adorned her hair, lending her a charming, delicate air.
After alighting, she looked him up and down, her gaze sweeping over the conspicuous blue-and-white uniform.
"So that's why you've been nowhere to be seen these past few days. You went and found yourself a job like this, and even put on the Patrol Bureau's 'hide.'"
Qin Yuhui curled her lip, her disdain plain in her voice.
In recent years, as the government had lost its authority and officialdom had grown corrupt, the Patrol Bureau had become little more than a pack of lackeys who took their pay without doing their jobs in the eyes of ordinary people.
And to a young lady of a great family like Qin Yuhui, only the handful of high-ranking officials in the government carried any weight.
Low-ranking Patrolmen and trainee patrolmen were no different from the guards and servants who were ordered around in wealthy households.
Their status was even lower. Wasn't the Patrol Bureau uniform just a set of "dog skin" that anyone could order around at will?
As it happened, the cloak Yang Ning wore so casually was the most ordinary Patrolman's uniform.
"What's the matter?
Was the position of Qin Family retainer not good enough for you?
Was the stipend too small? Or did you not have enough resources? Why else would you run off to the Patrol Bureau to be some lousy Patrolman?"
Qin Yuhui lifted her delicate chin and rattled off the questions.
Yang Ning's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He couldn't be bothered to argue with a spoiled heiress.
He merely replied in a calm, even voice:
"Miss Yu Hui, you're mistaken.
Yang is grateful that the Qin Family thought highly of him and hired him as a retainer. He will remember this kindness.
A retainer is a guest and an official, not a guard, much less a servant.
If the Qin Family has need of me, I will do my utmost to help, without hesitation.
But a retainer has the freedom to make his own choices.
Outside the Qin Family, the path Yang chooses and the future he seeks are hardly things...
that Miss Yu Hui has the right to dictate, are they?"
He paused, then looked calmly at Qin Yuhui and asked in return:
"What's the matter?
Did you come all this way to wait by the street just to question Yang about his 'career prospects'?
Or...
Does the Qin Family have some task that requires my help?"
"You... you..."
Yang Ning's unyielding yet subtly barbed words left Qin Yuhui's pretty face flushed red.
A lump caught in her chest, and she pointed at Yang Ning, unable to get a complete sentence out for a long moment.
For some reason, whenever she saw Yang Ning, she felt an inexplicable urge to provoke and put him in his place.
Perhaps it was because he had shown her "disrespect" when they first met. Perhaps it was because, despite his humble origins, he was always so calm and unconcerned, as though nothing mattered to him.
Or perhaps...
Even she couldn't say.
But every time, she seemed unable to gain the upper hand. More often than not, he left her at a loss with just a few words, as he had now.
Just as the awkward, delicate standoff spread through the night, a child's bright, cheerful voice broke through the tension like a ray of sunlight.
"Second Uncle! Sister Yu Hui!"
A small figure peered out from the inn's entrance. It was Xiao Hua.
She was holding an empty little bamboo basket, apparently about to head out.
The little girl had sharp eyes and spotted Yang Ning and Qin Yuhui on the street at once.
She cheered and hurried over on her short legs, her face alight with innocent joy.
"Sister Yu Hui?"
Hearing Xiao Hua call her that, a flicker of confusion crossed Yang Ning's eyes. He murmured the words under his breath.
He had no idea how the Qin Family's second young lady had become so familiar with his little niece.
When Qin Yuhui saw Xiao Hua running over, the anger vanished from her face like snow melting beneath the sun.
A bright, radiant smile bloomed in its place. The speed of her change of expression even made Yang Ning look twice.
"Xiao Hua!"
Qin Yuhui crouched down and took Xiao Hua's hand affectionately. Her voice turned soft and sweet.
"Have you been good at home?
What are you going out to do?"
Xiao Hua blinked her big eyes and answered obediently:
"Second Uncle, Sister Yu Hui, my father and mother have had lots to do at the inn today. They're really busy.
They told me to buy some food from the eatery at the street corner and bring it back."
Qin Yuhui heard this and stroked Xiao Hua's head with sympathy. Then she immediately turned to the maid beside her and gave an order:
"Xiao Yue, bring out the food box I prepared."
The maid named Xiao Yue answered and took a rosewood food box from the carriage.
Qin Yuhui handed the box to Xiao Hua, her voice gentle:
"Xiao Hua, look. These are the pastries from Guifang Garden I told you about last time. They're so fragrant and sweet.
I brought them just for you.
There are a few hot dishes and soup in here, too.
Your parents haven't eaten this late. They must be starving, so take these back for them.
You should eat plenty, too, so you can grow tall. Understand?"
"Thank you, Sister Yu Hui! You're the best!"
Xiao Hua hugged the food box, which was a little heavy for her, and her little face blossomed into a smile as she thanked Qin Yuhui sweetly.
After that, Qin Yuhui affectionately pinched Xiao Hua's cheek, then stood up and turned back to Yang Ning.
The warm smile on her face faded somewhat. She raised her chin with a hint of pride.
"Don't flatter yourself!
Why would I wait here for you every day?
I only came by today to see Hua'er and bring her something to eat and play with."
She paused, and her tone grew a little awkward:
"My elder sister and brother returned to the Inner City two days ago because of some trouble that came up after the incident at Chunhua Restaurant.
Before leaving, my sister specifically told me to keep an eye on this part of East Street and watch what certain people were up to. After all, she'd promised to look out for them.
Some people really don't know a good thing when they see it.
Otherwise, who would care what 'dog skin' you wore or whether you went to the Patrol Bureau?"
After saying that, the second young lady, who said one thing but meant another, stopped looking at him. She simply waved to Xiao Hua again with a smile.
"Hua'er, I'm off. I'll come see you again!"
Then, with Xiao Yue helping her, she turned and climbed back into the carriage.
The coachman flicked his whip, and the carriage rolled away.
Watching it about to leave, Yang Ning fell silent for a moment. In the end, he raised his voice slightly and spoke clearly toward the carriage:
"Yang is grateful to Miss Yu Hui for keeping him in mind these past few days, and for caring for and looking after his niece."
His voice carried through the rising night breeze toward the carriage.
Inside, Qin Yuhui was leaning against the carriage wall when she heard every word.
She froze for a moment.
Then, for no reason she could explain, the corners of her mouth curved gently upward.
The awkwardness and arrogance she'd shown earlier seemed to have ebbed away.
"Hmph, what a blockhead..."
She murmured softly, so quietly that only she could hear.
"He may be a little foolish and inflexible, but...
at least he has good manners and upbringing,
and he's... rather interesting, too."
The carriage rolled farther and farther away, disappearing among the lamplight along East Second Street.
Yang Ning looked away and lowered his gaze to Xiao Hua, who was hugging the food box and gazing up at him.
The hard look in his eyes, which had lasted the whole day, softened, filling with warmth.
"Come on, Hua'er. Let's go home and eat."
He took Xiao Hua's hand and naturally picked up the heavy food box, filled with pastries and warmth, with his other hand.
Then he headed toward the warm light of the inn, where a lamp had been left burning for him.
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