This scholar is a bit cruel

Chapter 329 New Year’s Eve
New Year's Eve dinner.

The streets and alleys of Lin'an were filled with the joyous sounds of firecrackers and children playing.

Inside the Bai residence, the family gathered for a meal.

Luo Zijun took the opportunity to mention that she would be leaving on the second day of the Lunar New Year to find Miss Bai, and might need to be away for a while.

Upon hearing this, everyone began to inquire.

Luo Zijun casually brushed it off, saying that "the Queen has given some instructions that must be kept secret."

Seeing this, everyone naturally refrained from asking any further questions.

Dinner's ready.

Bai Qingtong left with him, and when they reached the backyard, she begged him, "Brother-in-law, please take me to find my sister."

Luo Zijun refused: "I still have a mission to complete."

Bai Qingtong snorted, "Brother-in-law can lie to them all he wants, but do you think you can fool me? The Queen didn't give you any tasks. Brother-in-law just wants to go out alone so he can easily go around flirting with other women, right?"

"What are you talking about? Is your brother-in-law that kind of person?"

"Yes!"

Luo Zijun ignored her and waved her hand, saying, "Alright, you can go back now. I have to go out for a bit."

"Where to go?"

Bai Qingtong immediately became alert.

Luo Zijun didn't hide anything and said, "First we go to Baoan Hall, then to Chujian Bookstore, and then..."

"And then we'll go to the Grand View Garden, right?"

Bai Qingtong sneered, "Brother-in-law is really busy. On New Year's Eve, he's running around to family reunions and spending time with other women."

Luo Zijun explained, "I'm just letting them know that I'm leaving."

"Then I'll go with my brother-in-law!"

Bai Qingtong clung to her.

Luo Zijun looked at her and said, "The former Miss Bai was broad-minded, free-spirited, and never hypocritical. When did she become like this?"

Bai Qingtong snorted coldly and said, "From the moment my brother-in-law started lying!"

When did I lie?

Luo Zijun asked curiously.

Bai Qingtong snorted, "My brother-in-law lies a lot. He always says he studies hard at home, but he often sneaks out to flirt with other women."

Luo Zijun was speechless: "Where did I go flirting with other women?"

Bai Qingtong counted on her fingers: "Bao'an Hall, Chujian Bookstore, Grand View Garden, the outer city, and... Cangyun Mountain!"

"Cangyun Mountain?"

Luo Zijun was taken aback.

Bai Qingtong snorted, "Yes, Cangyun Mountain. Doesn't my brother-in-law often sneak off there? He even saved me there before, didn't he?"

Luo Zijun asked in surprise, "When did you find out?"

Bai Qingtong glanced at him and said, "I knew that when I found out my brother-in-law was a martial artist."

Luo Zijun shrugged and admitted, "Okay, I did go to Cangyun Mountain often before, but it was just for hunting and honing my combat skills. What does it have to do with women?"

A hint of sarcasm flashed in Bai Qingtong's eyes: "Of course it's related. The people my brother-in-law goes there to hunt and hone his combat skills are those pretty and charming female warriors, aren't they?"

"what?"

"What's going on?" Luo Zijun felt completely baffled.

Bai Qingtong suddenly sneered, "Brother-in-law, are you still going to play dumb? A while ago, a girl named Xu Ziyin came to the manor to see you. She said she owed you a lot of money and wanted to come to our Bai manor to work as a guard to pay off her debt. She even specified that she wanted to be your personal guard."

Luo Zijun: "..."

Bai Qingtong said, "But I refused. She also said that her brother-in-law often tears her clothes, likes to tie her up, likes to touch her, and has already touched her whole body."

"She lied!"

Luo Zijun immediately denied it.

"My brother-in-law is the one lying!"

Bai Qingtong looked at him coldly and said, "She made it very clear that her brother-in-law often likes to tie her up, then take off her shoes and socks, and touch her feet. She said her brother-in-law likes her feet the most. If she's lying, how does she know about her brother-in-law's fetish?"

"Perhaps they heard it from someone else? After all, good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast."

Luo Zijun naturally could not admit it.

Bai Qingtong said, "Brother-in-law, are you still going to argue? Should I bring her here to confront you? She has an older brother named Xu Xian. Back in West Lake Academy, you were quite close to him, weren't you?"

Luo Zijun: "...Qing Tong, you actually investigated me secretly?"

Bai Qingtong snorted, "I'm not that bored. I only learned about it from Miss Sun's friend Huang Zhaodi when I went to visit her. Miss Huang also said that you said at the academy that you liked Xu Xian's sister, which is why you approached that Xu Xian."

Luo Zijun's lips twitched, and she asked, "What else did Huang Zhaodi say?"

Bai Qingtong said, "They said a lot, including that you kissed her and that Miss Sun, and that you often slapped them very brutally."

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Is my brother-in-law going to continue making excuses?"

Bai Qingtong snorted coldly.

"Um, I have something to do, let's talk next time."

Luo Zijun did not linger and left immediately.

Bai Qingtong was about to follow him when she saw him turn his head and whisper, "It's the middle of the night, and we're just a man and a woman alone. It wouldn't be good if someone saw us. Um... you go back to your room and wait for me."

"..."

Bai Qingtong paused for a moment.

It took her a while after Luo Zijun left to realize what had happened.

Hua'er and Chen'er, who were carrying lanterns ahead, looked at each other in confusion. Hua'er couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Miss, the young master told us to go back to our rooms to wait. Is it our own rooms, or... the young master's rooms?"

Chen'er blinked and said, "Hua'er, the young master said that Miss should go back to her room and wait alone. Did he mention us? Are you just imagining things?"

Hua'er's cheeks flushed instantly. She pinched her, both ashamed and anxious, and said, "Miss, that's not what I meant, I... I..."

While laughing and dodging, Chen'er said, "Miss, Hua'er is lovesick."

The two maids played around for a while, but then they saw their young mistress standing there, her brows slightly furrowed, looking somewhat lost and hesitant, as if she was really thinking about which room to go to.

The moon is very round tonight.

A night market had opened on the street, with a dazzling array of goods on various stalls. In the open spaces, there were monkey shows and street performers. Children played and ran around, while adults chatted and laughed. It was a lively and festive scene.

Luo Zijun walked and looked around, and soon arrived at Baoan Hall.

At this time, Baoan Hall was still open.

The lights were on inside, but it was cold and quiet, lacking the lively atmosphere of other families' New Year's Eve celebrations.

Qingwen was pounding medicine in the corner, while her senior sister was checking the herbs in each drawer of the counter.

My master has disappeared.

After entering the store, Luo Zijun lit a string of firecrackers that she had just bought from the street.

Suddenly, a series of crackling sounds rang out in the shop, startling Qingwen into screaming "Ah!" Her face paled, and her beautiful eyes were filled with terror.

Firecracker debris flew everywhere, and wisps of smoke rose. Immediately, the master's shouts and curses came from upstairs: "Which bastard threw firecrackers into the shop?"

As he spoke, he stormed down the stairs with a stick in his hand.

Luo Zijun emerged from the smoke and said, "Master, please calm down. It's me. I saw the shop was deserted, so I set off some firecrackers to liven things up."

Su Dafang was so angry that he glared and puffed out his beard: "You brat, you can set off firecrackers all you want, but why did you bring them inside the house? Are you trying to burn my shop down?"

Luo Zijun said, "I just wanted to scare my senior sister."

As he spoke, he looked into the counter.

Su Qingling continued to carry him on her back, checking the medicinal herbs in each drawer. Even the sudden sound of firecrackers did not make her turn around; she remained calm and composed.

"Sweep it clean!"

Su Dafang muttered something and put down the stick.

Luo Zijun picked up a broom and began sweeping up the debris on the ground, asking, "Have you eaten?"

Su Dafang ignored him and went to the backyard.

Qingwen clutched her chest, her face still showing lingering fear. She glared at him with a hint of annoyance and said, "Not yet, we're just waiting for you, young master."

"wait for me?"

Luo Zijun was taken aback upon hearing this.

Qingwen said, "We finished making dumplings before it got dark. Master was starving and wanted to cook dumplings, but Miss... Miss wouldn't allow it."

As she spoke, she glanced at her mistress.

Just then, Su Dafang called out from the backyard, "Qingwen, come quickly and make dumplings! I'm starving! Aww!"

Qingwen chuckled and said, "Look, Master is starving again."

After saying that, he smiled and went to the backyard.

Luo Zijun looked at the counter and, thinking of the words she would have to say when she left, felt a surge of guilt and unease.

"have you eaten?"

At this moment, Su Qingling closed the last drawer, turned around, looked at him, and asked in a calm tone.

That stunningly beautiful face also wore an expression as calm as still water.

Luo Zijun said, "I haven't eaten."

"lie."

Su Qingling continued to look at him with a calm expression.

Luo Zijun could only say, "I ate a little, but I'm not full yet. I'm saving my stomach for the dumplings my senior sister made."

Su Qingling said, "Then eat more later."

Luo Zijun nodded and said, "Yes, Senior Sister, you should eat more later too."

Su Qingling said, "I won't eat."

Luo Zijun asked curiously, "Why? Aren't you hungry, Senior Sister? Even if you're not hungry, you still have to eat. Tonight is the New Year's Eve dinner."

Su Qingling said, "Grandpa made all the dumplings, and he didn't wash his hands."

Luo Zijun: "..."

Su Dafang suddenly walked up from behind and said angrily, "You little brat, I didn't even touch those dumplings! You and Qingwen clearly made them, and yours were the ugliest. It's obvious at a glance. You'll be struck by lightning if you slander your grandfather!"

Su Qingling ignored him and lowered her head to fiddle with the abacus on the table with her slender fingers.

After Luo Zijun cleaned up all the firecracker debris in the room, Qingwen brought out the first bowl of dumplings from the back.

The dumplings in that bowl were indeed ugly, crooked, of different sizes, and some even had their filling spilling out.

Luo Zijun said, "Master, aren't you very hungry? You eat first."

Su Dafang ignored him and went straight to the kitchen in the back.

Qingwen smiled and said, "Master thinks the dumplings Miss made are ugly. Young master, you should eat first."

Luo Zijun deliberately said, "I don't want it either, I want to eat the one you made."

Qingwen's smile froze. She glanced at the figure behind the counter and immediately said, "Young master, the ones I made are for you and the master. There's none for you!"

At this moment, Su Dafang came back from behind carrying a large bowl. While eating, he said, "Qingwen, there's no share for you either. I've already served all the dumplings. The three of you can eat the remaining ugly dumplings together."

Qingwen: "..."

"I like dumplings even if they're ugly! As long as they're made by my senior, I'll love them no matter how pretty or ugly they are!"

Luo Zijun quickly picked up the bowl on the table and glanced at the counter.

Inside the counter, Su Qingling was holding a thick rolling pin, looking at him expressionlessly.

Qingwen chuckled to herself as she went to the backyard.

Luo Zijun ate one and said, "Where's the filling? It's all skin."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Su Dafang laughed heartily, but ended up choking on a dumpling wrapper that came out of his nostril. He then sucked it back in and swallowed it in one gulp.

Luo Zijun's expression changed, and she quickly picked up the bowl, went to the counter, and looked at the stunningly beautiful woman inside. Only then did she feel nauseous.

"Master, go eat in the backyard."

"I'm going to make you sick!"

Su Dafang chuckled and ate them one after another.

Luo Zijun had no choice but to unleash her ultimate weapon: "If I can't eat anything later, it's all your fault. Be careful, your senior sister might get angry and confiscate all the money you've hidden in your room for your funeral!"

Su Dafang's expression changed: "I don't have any money for my coffin in my room!"

Luo Zijun said, "Alright, I'll go to your room with my senior sister to look for it later. I remember when we were little, my senior sister and I asked you for money to buy candied hawthorns, and you said you didn't have any. So, while you were dozing off in the courtyard, we went to your room and found a lot of copper coins. We used them all to buy candied hawthorns and even gave away a lot of them. Did you think we wouldn't find it just because you hid it in the chamber pot?"

Su Dafang jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide with rage, and roared, "So, you two little bastards stole my money that time! No wonder those kids in the alley were all carrying two strings of candied hawthorns, and they greeted me with beaming smiles... No wonder that little girl from the Qin family was licking her candied hawthorn while saying thank you to me..."

Ok?
Luo Zijun suddenly felt a chill coming from behind the counter.

Su Qingling looked at him coldly and said, "You gave it to her too?"

Luo Zijun blinked, puzzled.

Su Dafang immediately realized what was happening and loudly complained, "Yes, Ling'er, this kid not only gave that little girl from the Qin family candied hawthorns, but he gave her three skewers, more than any of the other kids!"

Su Qingling narrowed her eyes slightly. The rough rolling pin that she had just put down had somehow returned to her hand.

Seeing this, Su Dafang immediately added fuel to the fire with schadenfreude, saying, "Ling'er, that wretched boy actually tricked you into stealing my money to buy candied hawthorns for that little girl from the Qin family! By the way, that little girl was eating the candied hawthorns while she was happily and proudly saying that Brother Zijun hugged her, kissed her little mouth, and licked the sugar syrup off her little mouth."

When he got to the last sentence, he actually spoke in a high-pitched voice, imitating a little girl's childish voice, and he did it very well.

Just as Luo Zijun was getting goosebumps, the thick rolling pin inside the counter came crashing down on him with a "whoosh".

He could have easily dodged it, but he didn't.

"boom!"

A muffled sound!
The rolling pin tilted and slammed heavily onto the counter next to him.

The bowl of steaming dumplings on the counter bounced up slightly, spilling some of the broth.

This blow startled both Su Dafang and Qingwen.

Luo Zijun's heart skipped a beat.

(End of this chapter)