Bai Qingqing: “?”

Still completely baffled, she sat down before realizing what Ning Yan’s words implied. “You saw Fu Yi? That can’t be—he just left! How would you know which chair he sat in?”

This was getting bizarre. The look she gave him grew increasingly suspicious as she glanced around the room. Had he been hiding in here the whole time?

“Don’t worry about how I know,” Ning Yan said coolly. “The Fu family has done nothing but harm you, and yet you treat this Fu Yi differently?”

Bai Qingqing’s voice softened as she tried to explain, “It’s not like that. Fu Yi and I share some history… and he’s not a bad person at heart…”

For some reason, Ning Yan’s eyes darkened even further. “How long have you known him that you’re so sure of his heart? What, you like his looks? Don’t tell me you’re thinking it might’ve been better to just let the Fu family succeed in marrying you off to him?”

Bai Qingqing froze for a moment, then her expression shifted. “Why would you say something like that? I’ve never thought that way.”

“Oh? Never thought it, or just didn’t dare say it out loud? Didn’t you just tell him he could come whenever he wants? The more he comes, the more chances he gets, right?”

A flush of angry red spread across Bai Qingqing’s cheeks. She hated it—hated the way Ning Yan talked when he got like this. Her chest rose and fell sharply as she pointed toward the door, snapping, “Get out!”

“Heh.” Ning Yan’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You want me gone, but he’s free to come and go as he pleases?”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelBin; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

In the next instant, his hand clamped around her chin. The grip was rougher than usual, enough to bruise—but this time, Bai Qingqing didn’t cry out. She stared him down, stubborn and furious, even as pain brought a red sheen to her eyes.

Ning Yan ground his teeth audibly before releasing her with a sudden shove. The angry red mark blooming on her chin stood out starkly.

Heartless woman!

With a loud bang, he kicked the table. A teacup toppled over, rolled to the edge, and crashed to the floor with a sharp crack, shattering into pieces.

Ning Yan’s footsteps faded. Bai Qingqing slowly closed her eyes, tears slipping from the corners, born of pain—and fury.

What was he even mad about? She hadn’t done anything. He barged in just to vent his bad mood on her? And he’d been eavesdropping on her conversation with Fu Yi?

Bai Qingqing wiped her tears dry, her heart seething. No wonder people said he was moody and unpredictable—today, she’d witnessed it firsthand.

…

At the gates of the Jinyiwei yamen, Ning Zhao spotted Ning Yan from afar. He lit up with a smile and started forward—but the moment he caught sight of Ning Yan’s expression, he made an immediate U-turn and bolted in the opposite direction like his life depended on it.

Let the poor souls inside fend for themselves. His uncle clearly wasn’t in a good mood—no, scratch that, he was in a very bad mood. And when that happened, the people around him always paid the price.

Ning Zhao made up his mind: he wasn’t setting foot in the yamen for the next few days. Not even if the emperor himself came knocking!

In hindsight, it was a wise decision. Wen Jiang, unfortunately, wasn’t so lucky. Several unlucky souls who’d been caught loafing off got dragged in, interrogated within an inch of their lives, and nearly didn’t make it out. Wen Jiang was run ragged tending to their injuries, grumbling like a dog.

Eventually, he tried to speak up. “Sir, I mean, sure, they deserved punishment—but not to this extent, right? Honestly, the yamen’s been so grim lately it’s like the gates of the underworld in here.”

Ning Yan shot him a look colder than death. Wen Jiang rubbed his nose, then braced himself and added, “I mean, if you’re in a bad mood, maybe find a way to cheer yourself up? With your abilities, unless it’s a woman, anything else should be easy to handle…”

There was murder in Ning Yan’s eyes. Wen Jiang felt a chill slide down his spine and instinctively took a step back. “Wait—don’t tell me I hit the mark? It is a woman?”

Would he get killed for accidentally gloating?