Clap, clap, clap.
Outside came the sound of knocking on the door again.
"Come in," Yan Xiaohu called, with a hint of tension in his voice.
"Master Yan..." coming in was the old procurer, swaying her waist gracefully as she entered the room, "Oh, Miss Rouyi is really fortunate. Just as a lord official made an appointment with her, she had just entered, and you came soon after. We are open for business and cannot drive people away... You'll have to wait a little longer as Rouyi will come over as soon as she's finished dealing with that."
While the procurer spoke, she approached Yan Xiaohu, but he seemed to pay no attention to her words, staring at her footsteps as if afraid of her getting closer.
Seeing the procurer about to sit next to him, Yan Xiaohu immediately moved aside, gesturing to a seat with its back to the screen, "You can sit here, just don't get close to me."
"Alright, alright..." the procurer smiled, "We've known each other for so many years, and you're acting so strange. I can assure you that Rouyi cares about you. The other day when you didn't come, she secretly mentioned you to me..."
"Rouyi mentioned me?" Yan Xiaohu brightened a bit upon hearing this.
"Huh?" The procurer looked around, puzzled, "I had called the two maids to serve you earlier, but I don't know where they've gone. So rude."
"You'll see them soon..." Yan Xiaohu said weakly.
"Hmm?" Just as the procurer was puzzled, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head and everything went black.
Her seductive figure collapsed.
Chu Liang put away the brick behind her, shaking her head, "This one isn't it either."
Yan Xiaohu took the initiative to get up, dragging the procurer to behind the screen, where he laid her next to the other two maids, lining them up neatly.
As he dragged, he asked, "Chu Ge, why do I have to attract this painted-skin ghost? Can't I just go home and have my men protect me?"
"You can, as long as you never leave the house," Chu Liang said, "But only thieves worry for a thousand days, there's no such thing as a thousand days of preventing theft. Unless we catch the painted-skin ghost early, you'll be in perpetual danger. Are you willing?"
"In that case..." Yan Xiaohu relented.
As he was still in the midst of dragging, he suddenly heard a clattering sound of fighting from outside.
In the blink of an eye, the door was pushed open, and two bodyguards stumbled in.
"Oh, young master, she insisted on coming in, we couldn't stop her!" a bodyguard got up, wailing.
"Hmm?" Yan Xiaohu was about to get angry, but looking up at the person who barged in, he suddenly froze. "Instructor Song?"
Song Qingyi too frowned, somewhat annoyed, "Do you know how dangerous it is for you? You're hanging out in a place like this, you..."
As she spoke, she also suddenly froze.
Because as soon as she looked up, she saw Yan Xiaohu dragging a fallen body, with two other girls lying on the ground.
And beside Yan Xiaohu, stood Chu Liang...
"What are you two... What outrageous thing are you doing here?" she immediately questioned.
"It's all ordered by Brother Chu!" Yan Xiaohu quickly let go, shouting loudly.
Okay then.
Blaming others is really quick.
Chu Liang was speechless for a moment, then explained to Song Qingyi, "I thought the ghost might approach Yan Xiaohu, so I came to protect him."
Song Qingyi glanced at the three unconscious women, then looked at Chu Liang, still with suspicion, as if she was looking at a pervert.
"These are just to check if they are a Painted-Skin Ghost, a small side effect." Chu Liang immediately explained.
"Never mind, you two, get out first!" Yan Xiaohu drove the two bodyguards out, then said, "Song, how did you come here?"
"I also came to protect you." Song Qingyi was still somewhat puzzled and asked Chu Liang, "Is your way of checking if they are Painted-Skin Ghosts... to hit them and see if they fight back?"
"..." Chu Liang looked distressed.
...
Knock knock knock.
After a while, the knocking on the door sounded again.
"Come in." Yan Xiaohu immediately tensed up again.
"Young Master Yan..." This time, a graceful and charming young woman, dressed in a simple palace dress, came in, her refined brow and eyes exuding a charming and soft demeanor.
"Rouyi, you finally came." Seeing this woman, Yan Xiaohu's eyes suddenly straightened, and most of the tension in his eyes faded away.
"I've kept you waiting for a long time, do you bear a grudge against me?" Rouyi walked forward gracefully and asked in a coquettish manner.
"How could I, as soon as I saw you... my anger disappeared." Yan Xiaohu scratched his head and smiled.
"I knew it, only you truly love me and treat me well, unlike those stinky men." Rouyi pouted and sat down with her back to the door.
"Uh..." Yan Xiaohu hesitated, but still pointed to the seat behind the screen, "Rouyi, sit there."
"Uh?" Rouyi was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled, "Hehe, why are you acting so strangely today."
"Nothing, I just want to see your face more clearly." Yan Xiaohu said.
"Alright, alright." Rouyi reluctantly agreed, and as she got up, she asked, "Today isn't a rest day, why didn't you go to the academy?"
"I just... didn't feel like going." Yan Xiaohu couldn't mention the fact that he had been beaten up at the academy and felt embarrassed to go back, especially since the assailant was now behind the screen.
"You said that the new teaching assistant at your academy has half my beauty and that you've been itching every time you see her in class, so why suddenly don't feel like going to see her?" Rouyi said, "Men, they really lose interest quickly."
"Where..." Yan Xiaohu sat up straight, "Don't talk nonsense, Rouyi."
"Okay, okay," Rouyi agreed again, then looked at the wound on Yan Xiaohu's face and exclaimed, "Young Master Yan, are you injured? What happened? Did you get into a fight with someone?"
"Um... kind of," Yan Xiaohu hesitated.
After all, it's difficult to distinguish between a fight and assault.
"It's really heartbreaking, I've never seen you injured before." Rouyi pouted and continued, "The person who hurt you is so bad! I curse him for you..."
"No, no, no!" Yan Xiaohu wished to cover Rouyi's mouth, and said hastily, "Don't say these things..."
"Hmph, it's not necessary," Rouyi said, "Surely that person will have a miserable end now. You said your father has warned that anyone who dares to harm you will either apologize on their knees or their whole family will be killed. I'm scared just thinking about it..."
"But that's not true..." Yan Xiaohu quickly waved his hand, "My ancestors have been law-abiding citizens for six generations..."
"Huh?" Rouyi was puzzled for a moment.
Yan Xiaohu seemed a little impatient, and said directly to Rouyi, "It might hurt a little later, you'll have to bear with it."
"Annoying..." Rouyi blushed, about to complain.
Bang.
Another muffled sound.
The beautiful lady fainted.
Revealing Chu Liang and Song Qingyi standing shoulder to shoulder behind her, looking at Yan Xiaohu with a cold smirk.
Yan Xiaohu looked innocent.
At this awkward moment, the sound of fighting rang out outside the door again...
In no time, two bodyguards skillfully rolled in, got up, and wailed, "Young Master, he insisted on breaking in, we couldn't stop him!"
"Couldn't stop him couldn't stop him..." Yan Xiaohu erupted, and said irony, "Why don't you just pack up and leave, don't be bodyguards tomorrow, go find a job as a doorman at a restaurant, I guarantee a thriving business!"