The passersby all looked questioningly at the two men, one wearing an Ox-head and the other a Horse-face mask.

How unique.

​​

Qingzhou City was not short of unique people though, so everyone quickly got used to it. There were quite a lot of people wearing masks in Dragon Gate Inn alone.

After settling down in her room and covering the children with blankets, Qi Qingyao finally relaxed. She rubbed her tummy, which felt flat given her lack of food. She had been about to go downstairs for a meal, but when she opened the door, she was assaulted by the loud noises clamoring outside. She recoiled and gestured for a servant at the inn to come over.

"Make us some of your trademark dishes. Four meat dishes, four vegetable dishes and a pot of soup. Add six bowls of rice to that too."

"Sure, madam. Should we send them over to your room?" the servant asked.

"Send them over to the room next door…" The children were asleep and she did not want to wake them up. However, Qi Qingyao quickly paused and said, "No, send them over here."

The servant replied affirmatively and left.

Qi Qingyao quickly knocked on the door of the room next to hers and said, "Come over to my room for dinner."

After a short while, when Qi Qingyao was done sorting things out, the servant carried the food into their room. After the servant left, Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin entered the room quietly. They scanned the interior of the room once before sitting down.

Jiang Yeqian asked, "The children are all asleep. Are you sure you don't want to go over to our room?"

"To be safe, we'll eat here." When Qi Qingyao was still a spy, she would occasionally have some free time. She had watched many dramas and read many novels. The next step, if everything progressed according to some cliche plot, would be that a villain would come and snatch her kids away, or kidnap and kill her children in exchange for some cash, under the assumption that Qi Qingyao was rich just because she was staying in a Sky Room. The children would then become victims of unexpected misfortune.

Qi Qingyao said with a big smile, "I think the children will sleep well now that they have full stomachs."

Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin took their masks off, and the three of them sat at the table and dug into the food. As they ate, Jiang Yeqian asked after some thought, "What plans do you have for the future?"

"What have I planned, you ask? I should be the one asking you this." Qi Qingyao glared at him while shoving rice into her mouth and chomping on a piece of braised pork rib. She spat the bone out and said, "I'm not short of money now. I'm finally rich! I won't return the IOU to you yet, as it's proof that you still owe me a thousand taels, but I don't want to feed you anymore. If you want to leave, then do so. You can give the money back to me next time we meet."

Jiang Yeqian's hands paused midair. He looked at Qi Qingyao with disbelief, "You're driving me out!"

"I'm not!" Qi Qingyao massaged her temples and pursed her lips. She said exasperatedly, "I'm letting you go free pops!"

'Who the hell's your pops? This woman!' "Why not set him free?" Jiang Yeqian pointed at Si Jin, who was already digging into his third bowl of rice.

Si Jin pouted. He put his bowl down, rice staining the corner of his mouth. He licked his lips and said innocently, "I'm so cute, I can slaughter pigs and I can also be Elder Sister's personal servant! I'm very useful. Right, Elder Sister?"

Qi Qingyao caressed the top of Si Jin's head gently. This boy, whose words always came true, was pretty cute and he had no family. When she thought of how his words always came true, she said with a smile, "How would I be so cold as to let my little Si Jin walk on the streets alone when you're so cute? Si Jin will be with me of course. Elder Sister is generous. I can provide you with a monthly pay of five taels per month! How does that sound?"

"Elder Sister's the best!" Si Jin raised his chin at Jiang Yeqian's direction gleefully.

Jiang Yeqian did not get it. He looked on in complete disbelief. "You would rather feed him than me? How am I inferior to him?" He could warm Qi Qingyao's bed too!