Chapter 122.1

Editors: Casey and Sahloknir

Shi Qing had the feeling that Jiang Bieyu opened a door that he shouldn’t have.

How else would you explain this guy apparently coming to terms with everything in the span of a half-hour nap?

“Qing-er’s awake. Please let us servants assist you in dressing.”

Upon seeing their little master awake, the maidservants approached to carry out their individual tasks.

Since he was sleeping, Shi Qing had been stripped down to a single inner layer. What did it matter to him when other people managed his clothes for him? All he needed to do was raise his arms.

As things proceeded as usual, the little master’s mischievous nature struck again. While he let the maidservants serve him as he continued to lie in bed, his gaze suddenly landed on Jiang Bieyu, who was still grinding ink. Shi Qing inclined his chin at the man.

“You. Come here and serve me.”

“Qing-er?”

The maidservants grew worried again. After all, someone as tall and strong as Jiang Bieyu didn’t seem like the type to know how to serve others. Furthermore, he wasn’t just an ordinary servant bought the orthodox way, he was taken back to the manor against his will after a heavy lashing.

This kind of person was likely to be careless, whether it was on purpose or not.

They heard this man was a young master of the Jiang family, albeit a concubine-born one. His status was still above servants like them, so how would Jiang Bieyu be willing to do something so beneath his status?

They were afraid that Jiang Bieyu would act out due to shame, but the well-built man who had been maintaining the same posture this whole time calmly set down the inkstone. He washed his hands before obediently walking over to Shi Qing’s bedside.

A maidservant was kneeling there while carefully securing the little master’s belt. Jiang Bieyu copied her and knelt as well.

That maidservant shot the tall man a hesitant and fearful look. Then she turned to Shi Qing.

The little master raised his chin and gestured for her to back away. Thus, she quickly obeyed, feeling both relieved and anxious.

So Jiang Bieyu was the only one left kneeling on the floor.

His strong figure made it so that he didn’t appear careful and weak like that maidservant even when kneeling. Instead, he calmly and naturally reached out with his big hands to tie the soft and long belt.

Shi Qing’s clothes were all cumbersome due to their luxurious nature. Because the Shi family came from Jiangnan, their style of dress differed from the norm in Crane City. For example, their outfits contained more accessories and belts than one could count on their hands.

Although this was Jiang Bieyu’s first time encountering this kind of clothes, he had the maidservant’s actions as reference. Thus, his actions were slow but flawless.

But the little master was not happy with the delay.

The man concentrating on tying the belt was motionless and calm. His slender hands were the only part that never stopped moving.

It was like he didn’t notice how the little master, who had been spoiled since birth, was deliberately swaying in front of his chest.

Shi Qing didn’t mind the occasional contact. He continued on like it was just normal, even using his foot to provoke Jiang Bieyu in various ways.

The maidservants on the side, including Jiang Bieyu himself, all thought this was an attempt to humiliate the man.

Not only did he make the man kneel and serve him, he even used his foot to further instill on him the shame.

The maidservants didn’t even dare to breathe too deeply. They were worried out of their minds that Jiang Bieyu would lash out any second now after being humiliated like this. All of them were ready to pounce on him and protect their master should something go wrong.

But Jiang Bieyu didn’t react in the slightest. As calm as ever, he continued to focus on inferring the correct way to put on the accessories and belts. Once he was finished, he lowered his hands and knelt motionlessly on the floor, awaiting the next command.

The little master seemed rather excited as he looked at the man who was like a tamed wolf kneeling at his feet. He extended one of his fair feet and deliberately directed it into Jiang Bieyu’s collar.

His foot wasn’t ice cold or anything since it had been snugly covered by a warm blanket moments ago.

So Jiang Bieyu wasn’t chilled by the contact. However, this move by the little master was even more humiliating than the last.

The maidservants in the room all held their breaths. They were astounded by how gutsy their little master was.

Just look at how fierce this man’s appearance was! Even if Shi Qing wanted him to be a servant, it would be better to send him to a guard station for training first, right?

Was this show really necessary? After all, Jiang Bieyu was still a young master of the Jiang family at the end of the day.

Plus he was particularly fierce-looking.

Jiang Bieyu knew that Shi Qing was doing this on purpose. He looked up and met the little master’s fearless and pleased gaze. Those beautiful eyes were guttering with anticipation, like their owner was having a lot of fun.

The man wordlessly looked down. He offered no resistance as that soft foot deliberately stepped all over his body.

Shi Qing was pleased by his submission. He asked, “Why aren’t you avoiding me?”

Jiang Bieyu’s voice was hoarse. “You didn’t say I could.”

What an answer.

A smile immediately blossomed on the little master’s fair and dainty face. He retracted his foot and waved for servants to bring in some food. In particular, he instructed:

“Make sure to bring in lots of pastries. A person as tall and strong as him definitely has quite the appetite.”

One of the maidservants went to inform the kitchen of his demand. Soon after, a platter of pastries was delivered.

The little master personally retrieved a cloud layer cake and brought it to the kneeling man’s mouth.

“Good answer. Here’s your reward. Say ‘ah’.”

Jiang Bieyu obediently opened his mouth and took a bite. A savoury taste spread over his tongue, followed by a soft sweetness.

It was almost too sweet. The people of Crane City preferred salty things, and Jiang Bieyu was no exception. He found it hard to swallow.

When the little master let go and left the remaining portion with him, he hesitated over whether to finish it or not.

Jiang Bieyu suspected this might be another one of Shi Qing’s pranks. But before he even swallowed the bite in his mouth, the man saw the little master plop a piece into his own mouth.

As a sweet and soft taste filled his mouth, Shi Qing narrowed his eyes in pleasure, savouring the cloud layer cake.

He ate a lot faster than Jiang Bieyu, reaching for another piece as soon as he had swallowed. When he went for his fourth piece, the maidservant holding the platter backed away. She carefully peeked at Shi Qing’s expression as she murmured, “Qing-er, did you forget? Furen said you can only have two pieces a day.”

All of the little master’s previous satisfaction melted away. But he didn’t lose his temper. Instead, he negotiated with that maidservant.

“If you’re a good girl and don’t tell Mother, then she’ll never know.”

Saying that, he poked at Jiang Bieyu’s chest with his fair and soft foot again. His soft voice seemed sweeter after those cloud layer cakes.

“You saw it, didn’t you? I got these cakes for Jiang Bieyu. If my mother asks, you can just tell her that he ate the rest.”

Jiang Bieyu looked up at the little master shamelessly throwing the pot to him.

What reward? Shi Qing obviously wants to use me as an excuse so he can eat these pastries himself.

The maidservant didn’t respond to Shi Qing’s words. She collapsed to her knees with a resounding thud.

“Qing-er, please let this servant off. If Furen finds out that this servant was deceitful, she will definitely expel me from the manor.”

There was nothing more frightening to these maidservants who followed the Shi family all the way from Jiangnan than to be chased out into the streets of this foreign Crane City.

They were unaccustomed to everything about the north. The men here were tall, strong brutes, the cuisine here was unpalatable, and military personnel on horseback raced through the streets at times due to the civil unrest, trampling any civilians in their way.

How were they to survive out there?

Jiang Bieyu watched Shi Qing. He noticed how the little master acquiesced to the maidservant’s pleading despite his obvious desire for the pastries. He grimaced and dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

“Fine, fine. I won’t have anymore, alright? You’re dismissed.”

“Yes.”

Like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, the maidservant who still had tears in her eyes smiled in relief and retreated with the platter after a curtsy.

The little master’s eyes followed those cloud layer cakes out.

It was only when they left his sight that Shi Qing reluctantly withdrew his gaze. He turned and noticed a large piece left uneaten in Jiang Bieyu’s hands. His displeasure made him immediately kick the man again.

Due to him having little strength, Jiang Bieyu’s body didn’t even falter from the blow.

The man who was kicked randomly didn’t have any anger or humiliation in his expression. He held the cloud layer cake as if nothing had happened, quietly regarding the little master with his light-coloured eyes.

He continued to watch as Shi Qing’s expression shifted from misdirected frustration to something thoughtful. In the end, joy flashed across those beautiful eyes.

The little master who couldn’t eat his fill of sweets just now became haughty once again. His sticky voice could be heard:

“Where’s my kitty? Where did it go?”

“It’s here somewhere.”

The maidservants in the room immediately started searching for the cat after their master’s words.

The cat was previously hiding under Shi Qing’s covers, but it scuttled off the bed with all its hair standing on end when Jiang Bieyu came over. No one noticed where it went since everyone was busy dressing Shi Qing.

Thank goodness the door was closed due to the cold weather. The cat had to still be in the room.

As expected, the maidservants located their other master under the wardrobe. Ignoring its petulant struggles, one of them carefully carried it over to Shi Qing.

“Qing-er, here’s your cat.”

“Put it on my bed.”

Shi Qing lifted his chin at the cat who grew increasingly obedient as he was carried over. He didn’t personally receive it, instead ordering for it to be placed on the bed.

When that cat was set down, it didn’t dare to escape because it sensed that Jiang Bieyu was nearby. It was so frightened that it dove under the covers once again.

The haughty and prideful demeanour Jiang Bieyu noted before was nowhere to be seen.

The man lowered his head and listened to the musings of the puzzled little master. “Why is my kitty so submissive today? It’s usually rather rambunctious.”

The man who ‘scared straight’ the cat with a single glance remained silent.

Luckily, Shi Qing didn’t pursue the matter. He shifted his entire body onto the bed again.

Jiang Bieyu thought he was going to play with the cat there again, but surprisingly the little master waved him over.

“You come up too.”

The astonished man raised his eyes.

Translator’s Corner

Hi guys. You might have noticed how I’ve been updating later and later in the day for a while. Unfortunately all of my final exams and term projects happen to be next week…ugh. This isn’t really fair to you all so on Wednesday (April 14th) I will be putting up all three updates for the week. Regular schedule will resume next Wednesday. Cheers!