novelhk Chapter 330: Please spare me this time!
Chapter 330: Please spare me this time!
Before he could finish speaking, Master Hua was already furious, his face instantly turning bright red, like a ripe tomato. He suddenly raised his hand and, with a loud "smack," gave the old butler a resounding slap across the face.
The slap left the old butler dizzy and stunned. He stood there dumbfounded, clutching his rapidly swelling cheek, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror. His once eloquent mouth was now stuffed with cotton, and he could only mumble incoherently, "Master, I... I..."
Master Hua was trembling with rage. He pointed at the old steward and roared, "Insolence! You dog of a servant, stop spouting nonsense and apologize to this young master right now!"
The old butler looked bewildered and aggrieved, his distorted expression seeming to ask: What's wrong with you, sir? Why did you suddenly attack me?
Upon seeing Pei Yan, Master Hua immediately forced a fawning smile onto his face, unconsciously bending his back slightly, and asked Pei Yan in an extremely obsequious tone, "Young Master, how did you end up trapped in such a filthy place?"
Fang Xiaoxiao was not about to let this opportunity slip by. She rushed forward and said in rapid succession, "Master Hua, you have no idea!"
We came here with good intentions to save Miss Hua Ruyan. She's been suffering from a cold for a long time, but we have a secret remedy that will surely cure her.
But who could have imagined that this old butler, without batting an eye or distinguishing right from wrong, would so arbitrarily and unreasonably detain us?
Upon hearing this, Master Hua's face instantly turned incredibly dark, his anger seemingly about to burst from his eyes. He turned to the old steward and launched into a furious tirade: "You ungrateful wretch, how dare you act so recklessly!"
The old steward, being a seasoned and shrewd man, quickly devised a response after a swift movement of his eyes. He knelt on the ground with a thud, sobbing and wailing, "Master, please investigate! I did all this for Miss's safety!"
Just imagine, two strangers suddenly appear out of nowhere, claiming they can cure the young lady's illness.
How could I not have doubts? What if this is a trap set by someone with ulterior motives? If anything happens to Miss, I would be guilty even if I were to die a thousand deaths!
"I was so panicked and confused at the time, only thinking of protecting Miss, that I made this foolish mistake. Master, please forgive me this time, for the sake of my many years of loyalty!"
As the old butler spoke, he stole glances at Master Hua's face. His cunning and shameless appearance was truly infuriating.
Seeing the old steward's tearful state, Master Hua was furious, but remembering the old man's thirty years of diligent service in his household, he couldn't help but soften. He frowned, sighed helplessly, waved his sleeve, and said, "Fine, fine. Considering your many years of service to the Hua family, I'll let you off this time. But remember this: if there's a next time, I won't be so lenient!"
Immediately afterwards, Master Hua ordered Pei Yan and Fang Xiaoxiao to be released. Not only that, but he also thoughtfully arranged for them to stay in the most comfortable guest room in the mansion.
In this way, Fang Xiaoxiao and Pei Yan were finally freed from their predicament and were able to get a good night's sleep.
The next day, the bright sunlight, like golden threads, gently streamed through the carved windows, illuminating every corner of the room. Hua Ruyan learned from the maid that Pei Yan had been released by her father, and her joy was like the blooming flowers of spring, radiating a unique glow.
She couldn't wait to carefully dress up, choosing her favorite pink silk dress and adorning herself with dazzling pearl flowers. She happily headed straight for Pei Yan's residence early in the morning.
However, when she eagerly pushed open the door to Pei Yan's room, she found it empty. Hua Ruyan's smiling face instantly fell, her delicate brows furrowing, filled with doubt. After some questioning, she learned that Pei Yan had been chatting in Fang Xiaoxiao's room.
Suddenly, a sour feeling welled up in her heart, and Hua Ruyan's little mouth unconsciously pouted. She took short, angry steps and hurriedly ran towards Fang Xiaoxiao's room.
As soon as she stepped into the room, Hua Ruyan saw Pei Yan at a glance and immediately walked over to him. Her coquettish voice seemed to drip with honey: "Brother, brother, what are you doing here?" As she spoke, she twisted her body, insisting on squeezing in with Pei Yan.
Pei Yan blushed deeply at her sudden and slightly intimate gesture, feeling awkward and at a loss for what to do.
Seeing this scene, Fang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but cover her mouth with her handkerchief and giggle incessantly.
Looking at the chaotic yet amusing scene before her, Fang Xiaoxiao's eyes were full of sly smiles. She deliberately dragged out her tone and teased Pei Yan in a sarcastic tone: "Oh my, our young master Pei is truly irresistibly charming!"
Look at him! Wherever he goes, he can attract women's hearts like a magnet. I think his charm is even more dazzling than the warm spring sun. It's something we can only look up to with envy!
Fang Xiaoxiao's words were like a fire, burning Pei Yan's face bright red. He stamped his feet anxiously, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, and he kept muttering, "Xiaoxiao, stop teasing me, this... this really isn't what you think, I don't even know how to explain it."
Just then, Hua Ruyan heard Fang Xiaoxiao's words. Instead of feeling shy or backing down, she straightened her chest, stared at Pei Yan with affection in her beautiful eyes, and said loudly and resolutely, "That's right! Pei Yan is the one I've chosen for this life. I will marry no one but him! No matter how many difficulties there are, I will never change my mind."
Hua Ruyan's firm words echoed in the room, and for a moment, the atmosphere became increasingly subtle and awkward.
Upon seeing this, Pei Yan felt as if he had been stung by a scorpion. He hurriedly distanced himself from Hua Ruyan, shaking his head vigorously like a rattle drum, and said solemnly, "Miss Hua, you mustn't! I am already a married man, and I hope you will not harbor such thoughts."
To everyone's surprise, Hua Ruyan snorted lightly upon hearing this, raised her eyebrows slightly, and casually fiddled with the valuable jade bracelet on her wrist, saying arrogantly, "Married? So what!"
"I've got plenty of money. I can just buy you back from your wife. In this Great Yu Dynasty, aren't men like commodities? As long as I pay enough, can't I buy them?"
After saying that, she glanced at Pei Yan sideways, her eyes seeming to say, "You are nothing but a piece of my pawn."
Pei Yan was stunned by her words, his face turned pale, and he didn't know how to respond for a moment.
Fang Xiaoxiao, standing to the side, also frowned and couldn't help but say, "Miss Hua, what you're saying is absurd! How can you treat people as commodities to be bought and sold at will?"
Hua Ruyan, however, curled her lips indifferently, crossed her arms, and said arrogantly, "Hmph, what's so absurd about it? You poor slobs would never understand the intricacies of this."
"If a man is over eighteen and still unmarried, he must be conscripted for forced labor; that's the law. By paying him, I'm giving him a way out."