Miss (1)

Once through the gate of the Miao Yu Pavilion, the memory of Qin Xian'er's shy and indignant expression when responding to his inquiries brought Lin Wanrong immense satisfaction, akin to the pleasure derived from consuming exquisite medicinal pills. "You, little girl, regardless of your varied enchantress persona, are ultimately no match for this young master."

Contemplating the young master, Lin Wanrong suddenly slapped his forehead, realizing his oversight. "Oh no, the young master is still inside. I departed in haste and forgot to inquire from Qin Xian'er about the whereabouts of Master Guo. What a miscalculation."

In the midst of regret, a figure, stumbling and erratic, emerged from the Miao Yu Pavilion. Judging by the silhouette, it appeared to be the young master.

Quickly hastening towards him, Lin Wanrong called out, "Young Master!"

The person raised his head, lips adorned with vivid traces of lipstick. It was none other than Guo Wuchang.

"Young Master, what is the meaning of this?" Lin Wanrong hurriedly inquired.

"That little girl is quite spirited," Guo Wuchang, emanating a strong scent of alcohol, grinned with amusement.

Without the need for further explanation, Lin Wanrong deduced that Qin Xian'er had arranged for a courtesan to pacify the young master. While he was engaging in intellectual discourse with Qin Xian'er, the young master sought solace in the company of a woman. Lin Wanrong shook his head inwardly, reflecting on the paradox of men, unable to resist the allure of beautiful women.

This young master reeked of cosmetics, with lipstick imprints adorning his face, evidence of intimate encounters with numerous maidens. Adding to his intoxicated state, his gait was now unsteady and unsightly. Left with no choice, Lin Wanrong assisted him, proceeding towards the Xiao residence.

As they approached a location not far from the mansion, the rhythmic sound of hooves, accompanied by the clatter of carriage wheels, reached their ears. Lin Wanrong turned to look, and a carriage, escorted by a man on a white horse and several servants, slowly passed by.

"Squeak..." With a few light sounds, the carriage gradually came to a halt. From within, a crisp voice inquired, "Is that Cousin Guo outside?"

"Not Cousin Guo, but your Brother Lin," Guo Wuchang, whose weight was no trivial matter, struggled as Lin Wanrong supported him. Feeling displeased, he responded without regard for the identity of the speaker.

"Daring." A man's stern rebuke came as the man on the white horse approached, brandishing a riding crop and pointing it at Lin Wanrong. "You, this servant, possess audacity to speak so insolently."

This man, in his twenties, with a similar stature to Lin Wanrong, had an imposing appearance, featuring thick eyebrows and large eyes. His resemblance to Zhu Shimao was striking. At this moment, astride the white horse, his anger emanated a commanding presence.

White Horse Prince? The term flashed in Lin Wanrong's mind. Undeniably, this man possessed good looks, exuding a martial aura that appealed to women, unlike the delicate scholars. He was truly attractive to young ladies.

Damn, does riding a white horse automatically make one a prince? Perhaps he is Tang Sanzang, acting like he owns everything. Lin Wanrong thought inwardly.

Seeing the man glaring disdainfully at him, Lin Wanrong, while supporting Guo Wuchang, retorted defiantly, "You, this equine-like creature, blocking my path, what is your intention?"

The man, not one to be trifled with, issued an angry command. Leading the white horse towards Lin Wanrong, he menacingly pointed the riding crop, saying, "You insolent servant, how dare you speak disrespectfully? I shall teach you a lesson on behalf of Miss Xiao."

This man in his twenties, with a noble demeanor, strikingly similar to Zhu Shimao, approached on his white horse with a hint of arrogance, provoking Lin Wanrong.

Lin Wanrong's mind was momentarily shocked. This surname Tang may not be as benevolent as it seems. This man's appearance was remarkably good, exuding a sense of heroism. However, Lin Wanrong inwardly scorned him, thinking that even if he was a prince, he might as well be one from the eight hundred thousand varieties.

Witnessing the man casting a scornful glance, Lin Wanrong felt irritated. However, instead of looking at the man, he shouted loudly at the white horse, "You equine creature, blocking my way, what's your purpose?"

The man was infuriated, but before he could strike, a clear voice from inside the carriage intervened, saying, "Young Master Tao, please cease."

"Sister Xiao, allow me to discipline this servant for you," Young Master Tao said, glaring at Lin Wanrong.

Miss Xiao remained silent for a while before saying, "This is a matter of our Xiao family. Brother Tao, let me handle it."

After only a short while, Brother Tao and Sister Xiao were calling each other, and Lin Wanrong couldn't help but feel amused. This Tao brother seemed to be courting Sister Xiao, and Lin Wanrong's provocation had allowed him to let off steam.

Brother Tao, full of annoyance, approached Lin Wanrong and retorted, "You insolent servant, speaking frivolously. I shall teach you a lesson on behalf of Miss Xiao."

In response, Lin Wanrong mocked, "Miss Xiao, this servant's conduct is none of Brother Tao's concern."

Lin Wanrong secretly admired Brother Tao's control, noting that he had quieted down after Lin Wanrong's sarcastic comment. This person was not to be underestimated.

Miss Xiao, on the other hand, remained silent, exuding an air of grace and composure. Lin Wanrong couldn't help but think, "When did the mansion gain this new servant? Why have I never seen him before?"

As the conversation continued, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, revealing a slender woman who gracefully stepped out.

This woman, in her twenties, possessed picturesque features—brows like distant mountains, eyes reminiscent of autumn water, lips resembling vermillion dots. With an oval face, almond-shaped eyes, and a refined nose, she was exceptionally beautiful. Her countenance shared a striking resemblance of six or seven points to Madam Xiao, explaining the convincing imitation in the portrait that even Xiao Yusong found challenging to discern.

Even if he used his buttocks to think, Lin Wanrong knew that this woman must be Miss Xiao. Lin Wanrong sighed inwardly, realizing that tonight had taken a turn for the worse.

Miss Xiao, appearing fatigued from a long journey, bore traces of dust on her face. Displaying a resolute demeanor, her expression carried a hint of concern, lacking the flirtatious charm possessed by Qin Xian'er. A maid, who had alighted from the carriage, supported Miss Xiao, guiding her descent. Brother Tao hurriedly approached, attempting to assist her.

Expressing gratitude with a smile, Miss Xiao said, "Thank you, Brother Tao." However, she did not permit him to help and directly held the hand of the maid as she disembarked.

Guo Wuchang, who had rolled on the ground, had sobered up a

 bit. Hearing his cousin's voice, his soul almost departed from his body. He hastily grabbed Lin Wanrong's hand, saying, "Lin San, it's my cousin who's returned. Let's hide quickly."

Having shared a forbidden meal, the two men now faced the prospect of being caught red-handed. Their synchronized movements betrayed their intentions, as they turned away to slip away quietly.

"Guo Cousin, where are you going?" Miss Xiao's voice came from behind, recognizing Guo Wuchang. Observing him attempting to evade, she inquired curiously.

Lin Wanrong felt relieved, as it seemed Miss Xiao had no intention of pursuing responsibility for their actions.

Realizing that escape was futile, Guo Wuchang reluctantly halted his steps, saying, "Ah, Cousin, it's you, finally returned. Aunt and Cousin Yusong are both eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Xiao Miss, after walking up to them, glanced at Lin Wanrong and pronounced a sentence that left him stunned, "You, this servant, speaking frivolously. A punishment of twenty slaps on the face."

Lin Wanrong stared dumbfoundedly at Xiao Miss. This young lady was quite ruthless. Although her appearance was not bad, she immediately resorted to such harsh measures. It was truly heartless.

Seeing the servant staring at her without manners, Xiao Miss said with anger, "Are you unwilling?"

Brother Tao walked over and said, "Sister, let me discipline this servant for you."

Miss Xiao, having allowed the situation to develop to this point, could not go back on her words without validating the servant's comment. Though seasoned in business, she lacked Lin Wanrong's thick-skinned audacity. If she punished him, it would acknowledge the accusation of impropriety.

Lin Wanrong, employing a clever tactic of feigned distress, exclaimed, "Frivolous? Miss Xiao, what do you mean? Just now, I heard someone call for Cousin Guo, and I thought I must have misheard. Hence, I made a playful remark. Does Miss Xiao believe that I would be frivolous towards you?"

Knowing Lin Wanrong was employing crafty rhetoric, Miss Xiao felt slightly surprised. She had heard about a contracted worker named Lin San before leaving. However, due to the hurried departure, she hadn't had the chance to inquire further. Now, seeing this tall and presentable servant, it turned out to be Lin San, the contracted worker.

"I don't care who you are. As long as you are a servant of the Xiao family, punishment for your frivolous remarks is necessary," Miss Xiao said coldly. Being seasoned in the business world, she exuded an air of a strong and capable woman.

"Frivolous? Miss Xiao, what do you mean?" Lin Wanrong pretended to be shocked. "Earlier, I only heard someone call Guo Cousin, and I thought I might have misheard. So, I made a little joke. Does Miss Xiao really believe I would be frivolous towards you?"

Miss Xiao, who was experienced in the business world, exhibited a composed demeanor. Lin Wanrong, recognizing her to be an extraordinary woman, secretly thought, "Abusing eloquence will not lead to greatness."

Witnessing the servant's artful maneuvering, Miss Xiao couldn't help but feel a certain level of disdain. However, with Lin Wanrong's final statement, she found herself at a loss for a reply. While she knew Lin Wanrong was trying to wriggle out of the situation, the statement made it challenging for her to proceed with punishment without validating his claim.

In the midst of their exchange, Brother Tao, although bearing a slight grudge, remained silent. Lin Wanrong, inwardly impressed by Brother Tao's control, couldn't help but acknowledge that this person shouldn't be underestimated.

Miss Xiao, observing the ongoing situation, decided to counteract Lin Wanrong's clever words. "Idle talk will not lead to great achievements," she said with a cold smile.

"Frivolous words will not lead to greatness. Your attempt at eloquence is futile," Miss Xiao said with a cold smile.