Xiao Baijiao

Duan Rong and Kong Bin each carried a bundle on their backs as they followed behind Zhao Mu, their steps light.

Whenever Duan Rong thought of Old Sun's wonderful expression when he heard that Duan Rong had advanced to apprentice, he secretly reveled in it. The pent-up foul temper he had been suppressing for days had finally found an outlet.

Old Sun was just like those twisted frontline managers from Duan Rong's previous life. They only knew how to squeeze menial disciples like them dry while loafing around and cutting corners themselves.

Yuan Shun Escort Agency was divided into the Front Courtyard, Middle Courtyard, and Back Courtyard.

The woodshed where Duan Rong and the others practiced martial arts, as well as the Horse Stable where he worked, were both in the Front Courtyard. Ordinary menial disciples had no right to enter the Middle Courtyard or Back Courtyard.

Zhao Mu led Duan Rong and Kong Bin to a Moon Gate leading from the Front Courtyard into the Middle Courtyard.

The moment Zhao Mu approached, a Guard standing before the Moon Gate with his arms around a saber smiled and said, "Little Mu, where are you off to?"

"Brother Liu, it's your shift today! These two boys are newly promoted apprentices from this batch, so I'm taking them around to familiarize them with the place."

Zhao Mu greeted the Guard with a smile. After they chatted for a few moments, he led Duan Rong and Kong Bin into the Middle Courtyard.

This was Duan Rong and Kong Bin's first time entering the Middle Courtyard, and they could not help looking around everywhere.

Inside the Middle Courtyard, the houses stood in neat rows, screened by bamboo groves. It was clearly nothing like the cluttered Front Courtyard.

Zhao Mu brought Duan Rong and Kong Bin to the Middle Courtyard's administrative office, where they collected Waist Tags and keys to their dormitories.

With the Waist Tags, they would be able to enter and leave the Middle Courtyard freely from then on.

The dormitory numbers were marked on the keys: Bing Seven and Ding Three respectively.

With great patience, Zhao Mu led them to their respective dormitories and told them to leave their bundles inside first.

After advancing to apprentice, each of them was given a single dormitory room. Though crude and cold, it was still far better than the Large Shared Bed.

The two were not assigned to the same courtyard, but Bing Courtyard and Ding Courtyard stood side by side.

Beyond the dormitory courtyard gate stood a row of low houses lined up next to one another. The two found their own rooms and placed their bundles inside.

After showing them their dormitories, Zhao Mu headed toward Xiao Zongting's place. Along the way, he pointed at a screen wall and said that around the corner was the Middle Courtyard's dining hall, where the food was much better than in the Front Courtyard.

East of the dining hall was the Middle Courtyard's Martial Arts Field. The two of them could practice there in their spare time.

Zhao Mu did not actually need to explain things in such detail, but he was in quite a good mood today. Xiao Zongting's teaching had been satisfactory, lifting the stone that had long weighed on his heart.

Thus, the more he looked at Duan Rong, the more pleasing he found him, and he could not help saying a little more to leave a good impression.

Zhao Mu brought Duan Rong and Kong Bin to Xiao Zongting's courtyard. It was a well-situated residence within the Middle Courtyard, a refined and antique two-courtyard home.

As Zhao Mu led the two inside, they saw a red-clad girl of thirteen or fourteen. Her body had not yet fully developed, yet both hands tightly gripped the wooden crossbar of a bucket as she carried a full pail of water.

The bucket was nearly as wide as two of her waists. It swayed from side to side before her, splashing water now and then...

The moment Zhao Mu saw the girl in red, he called, "Little Seven, tell Old Xiao that I've brought them."

The girl merely turned her face slightly, then carried the bucket into the Back Courtyard.

Duan Rong was puzzled. He did not know whether the girl had agreed, but seeing Zhao Mu leisurely admiring the scenery all around, he felt his concern was probably unnecessary.

Sure enough, not long after, the girl in red came out, rolled her eyes at Zhao Mu, and said, "Go in. Old Xiao is having tea in the Back Courtyard study."

"Ah, thank you, Little Seven." Zhao Mu agreed happily. Duan Rong had not seen him this enthusiastic the entire way here.

Zhu Xiaoqi was amused by Zhao Mu's comical manner and smiled faintly. She shot him another glare, wiped her damp little hands on the apron before her, then turned to gather the dried green beans spread across the Stone Steps in the Front Courtyard.

Only then did Duan Rong clearly see Zhu Xiaoqi's appearance. She was not tall and rather slight, with a pointed chin and a somewhat sallow complexion. There were freckles beneath her pair of black eyes, but her little lips were moist and tender, like freshly peeled lychee flesh.

"Did you see that girl just now? So young, yet she does all the work inside and outside this courtyard by herself. A girl like her has calluses on both hands... Ah... If you're going to marry a wife, you should marry one like that..."

Zhao Mu muttered all the way, visibly excited.

Duan Rong gave a silent laugh. It seemed Zhao Mu was interested in that girl called Little Seven.

Zhao Mu led Duan Rong and Kong Bin to the entrance of the study in the Back Courtyard.

Standing at the doorway, Zhao Mu called, "Old Xiao, their dormitories have been arranged. I've brought them to you."

Xiao Zongting took a sip of tea, spat out the tea dregs, and lifted his eyelids slightly. "Come in."

Just as Zhao Mu was about to lead Duan Rong and Kong Bin through the door—

Xiao Zongting glanced at him and said, "I told them to come in. You can piss off!"

Rather than becoming angry, Zhao Mu was delighted. He cupped his fists and said, "Old Xiao, then I'll be off first."

Xiao Zongting set down his teacup without a word.

Zhao Mu pushed Duan Rong's shoulder, pointed at the empty space diagonally opposite Xiao Zongting, then took off running toward the Front Courtyard.

Duan Rong turned to look at Zhao Mu's departing back, a trace of amusement flashing through his brows.

He was certain that Zhao Mu had run off to the Front Courtyard to find that girl called Little Seven.

Duan Rong stepped over the threshold and obediently stood opposite Xiao Zongting. Kong Bin followed closely behind and stood beside him.

Xiao Zongting's gaze swept over Duan Rong and Kong Bin, and both of them shuddered inwardly.

Xiao Zongting rose to his feet and limped toward the doorway.

Watching Xiao Zongting's back, Duan Rong felt puzzled. He did not know why, but he had always been somewhat afraid of this thin, lame old man.

Facing the old man felt as though the tip of a spear were pressed against his brow, making him tremble with fear without even realizing it.

At the doorway, Xiao Zongting pressed a hand against the doorframe, leaned half his body out, and shouted, "Baijiao, bring two contracts over!"

After shouting, Xiao Zongting limped back to the Tea Table and leisurely resumed sipping his tea.

Before long, a figure in purple stepped into the room.

She was a girl of seventeen or eighteen dressed in purple robes, graceful in figure and soft in bearing. Yet her fair, delicate face was shrouded in an unmelting sorrow.

Xiao Baijiao extended arms as white as lotus roots and placed two contracts on the Low Table. Then she turned, carrying a wisp of fragrance with her, and drifted away.

Duan Rong and Kong Bin both froze on the spot.

Kong Bin was one thing, but Duan Rong had lived two lives. In his previous life, he had even owned a 200G hard drive, yet he too stood there dumbfounded.

Duan Rong turned to look at the now-empty doorway, while Kong Bin was still staring blankly like a stone statue.

"Truly pure and seductive!"

Duan Rong sighed and looked somewhat enviously at the thin old man before him.

He had already learned from Zhao Mu that Xiao Zongting's wife had passed away, though he had two daughters.

His eldest daughter, Xiao Yu, was a famous female martial hero of Xiangu County. Recently, she had followed an escort caravan to Ruyang Prefecture.

His second daughter, Xiao Baijiao, had been sickly since childhood and unable to practice martial arts. She was raised in seclusion and rarely went out.

From Xiao Baijiao's appearance and bearing alone, one could imagine the elegance Xiao Madam had possessed in her youth.

"This old man truly has good fortune!"

Xiao Zongting looked at Duan Rong and Kong Bin, pointed at the brush and box of ink paste on the Low Table, and said coldly, "The two of you, sign the contracts, and remember to press your fingerprints!"