Zhao Ya said, "Are you all murderous demons? The person is just a passerby, why do you treat them this way?"
"Ah?" The three of them were startled.
Zhao Ya commanded, "All of you, sit down, donāt move."
At this time, the three of them knitted their brows and glared, looking vigilant.
Now, Zhao Ya came over to Chen Jie with a wine cup in hand, holding a wine jug.
In an instant, Chen Jie felt a tingling in his scalp. Trouble had found him so easily; he took a deep breath to maintain a composed expression.
Zhao Ya approached Chen Jie with a smile and said, "Excuse me!"
Upon hearing her words, Chen Jie deliberately lowered his voice, "Ah, whatās the matter?"
At this moment, Zhao Ya looked down at Chen Jie. His face was very unfamiliar, but that voice?
Zhao Ya always felt it was somewhat familiar but couldnāt recall where she had heard it before.
Moreover, those eyes, they also seemed familiar?
Zhao Ya frowned slightly. Cold sweat began to form on Chen Jieās forehead. Could it be that she had really recognized something?
While thinking this, Chen Jie tried to steady himself and asked, "Does this young master need something?"
"Oh, oh."
Zhao Ya snapped back to reality, looked at Chen Jie, and said, "Oh, this brother, I am new to Mianshui County today and I donāt know what good food and fun places there are, so Iāve come to ask for your advice."
"Oh, thatās easy. Mianshui is by the river, so naturally, the fish and shrimp here are delicious. As for fun places, thereās a temple fair in East City on the fifteenth of every month. If youāre interested, you can take a look."
"Oh, oh, thank you, brother."
"Youāre welcome, youāre welcome."
Chen Jie replied cheerily, managing to look quite composed.
In his heart, he prayed, please just go away already.
But at this moment, Zhao Ya found her interest peaked and didnāt leave. Instead, she sat down on the bench to Chen Jieās right and said, "Brother, you look quite familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"
Zhao Ya squinted her eyes at Chen Jie.
Chen Jieās hand, hidden under his sleeve, clenched into a fist, but he still kept a smile on his face, "Hehe, I have a very common face, and there are many people who resemble me. Could the young master have mistaken me for someone else?"
Zhao Ya replied, "Is that so? I donāt know why, but I always feel you resemble someone I once knew."
"An old acquaintance?"
Chen Jie deliberately said, "Could the young master be mistaken? Are you here in Mianshui to visit relatives or for business?"
Chen Jie intentionally tried to divert the topic.
However, Zhao Ya didnāt fall for it and just continued staring at Chen Jie, "Are you a local from Mianshui County?"
This question stumped Chen Jie. Zhao Ya was an Inspection Envoy, and sooner or later she would meet with Yelu. As the head of the local guild, it was very likely that Chen Jie would also meet her. At this moment, if he lied and it was exposed later, he would probably fall under suspicion.
With this in mind, Chen Jie said, "Oh, somewhat. Iāve been in the city for over a year."
"For over a year."
Zhao Ya responded, "Then where were you from before?"
Chen Jieās heartbeat sped up, but he maintained his composure, "Xiantao Town, a not very large town. Does the young master know of it? The scenery is quite nice there. If youāre free, you could visit and have some fun."
"Xiantao Town?"
Zhao Ya murmured to herself. In fact, she didnāt even know where she had been taken the last time she was abducted.
Because she had been inside a sack the entire time, she only knew she had been taken to a town outside Mianshui County City, but whether it was Xiantao Town, Yang Family Town, or some other town, she couldnāt remember.
However, the documents reported to Huangzhou Prefecture stated that Ni Manzi had passed through seven towns, including Xiantao Town.
Thinking of this, Zhao Ya looked at Chen Jie and said, "In your town, is there anyone with the name..."
After a momentās thought, Zhao Ya fell silent because the scoundrel had worn a hood, and she couldnāt describe his appearance. She just let out a wry smile, as she kept dwelling on that period within the last year.
Being abducted and taken away by Ni Wenjun for an entire month had been a time of hardship for her.
During that month, she suffered greatly at the hands of Ni Manzi, confined daily inside a sack. Fine, Ni Manzi was bullying her, and it took both her teachers from Xuanbing to rescue her because he was a formidable expert.
But in the meantime, there was a little thief who also bullied her.
It was simply detestable. In that filthy cellar, Zhao Ya would never forget that humiliation; he had actually made her wet herself in front of him.
How hateful. Just you wait, once I catch you, Iāll see how I can torment you. I want you to endure total humiliation!
Dwelling on these thoughts, Zhao Ya squeezed her wine cup until it creaked, causing Chen Jie to flinch. How much must she hate him? If she caught him, he feared heād be finished.
Thinking this, Chen Jie swallowed and said, "Young master, do you need anything else? If not, Iāll take my leave once I have finished eating."
"Oh, my apologies, I was lost in thought. To meet is fate; letās have a drink, until we meet again in Jianghu!"
Zhao Ya raised her cup, and Chen Jie, who initially wanted to lift his cup with his right hand, remembered the scar on his right hand and instead used his left hand to clink cups.
Zhao Ya didnāt even think sheād meet the little thief from the cellar on her first day in Mianshui and thus did not treat Chen Jie as such. She didnāt pay attention to Chen Jie holding the cup with his left hand and assumed he was left-handed.
So she clinked cups with Chen Jie, and then both drank down their wine.
Chen Jie stood up, pretending to settle the bill but actually pulled the waiter aside and said, "Keep an eye on these four people. Iāll send someone to inquire."
The waiter replied, "Rest assured, Grandpa Chen."
With that, Chen Jie bid farewell to the waiter and left the inn, feeling a weight in his heart. The arrival of the Mulan peopleās Inspection Envoy had made things even more complicated.