The Laid-back Life of a Stepmother

Wen Ye's guess turned out to be correct. Xu Jingrong didn't even fear his own father and only cared a little about his mother. The only person he dared not act out in front of was his second uncle, Xu Yuejia.

Reporting Second Auntie Wen Ye's secret to Second Uncle?

It sounded easy when spoken aloud, but the thought of actually doing it made Xu Jingrong shudder. He couldn't even imagine the scene. Second Uncle would probably pull out a copy of the *Analects* and make him recite it right then and there, just to determine if he had actually gone mad to even think of sharing such an absurd secret.

Being called foolish didn't bother Xu Jingrong much, but having to recite passages? That was a much bigger problem.

With a deep sigh, Xu Jingrong conceded, "Alright, Second Auntie, I'll take you up the hill to catch a rabbit tomorrow."

What could a rabbit possibly become as a birthday gift?

A rabbit cake? Smoked rabbit? Spicy rabbit head? Or perhaps braised rabbit?

Wen Ye added, "And after catching the rabbit, you have to treat me to a meal."

Xu Jingrong: "......"

He couldn't help but wonder who exactly was the elder here.

Xu Jingrong silently calculated the remainder of his allowance. It seemed... just barely enough.

Wen Ye's subordinates investigated quickly. The very next morning, they presented her with the results.

However, she hadn't demanded an immediate answer. Did these people not sleep at all? They were working so hard.

Wen Ye gazed at the thick stack of papers before her. Flipping through them, not a single word was related to gambling. Instead, they were filled with details of Xu Jingrong's recent takeout orders from various restaurants over the past few months.

She read through from start to finish, and even just glancing at the dish names made her feel a bit hungry.

It seemed the boy had truly spent all his money on eating. Madam Lu would probably be quite relieved to know this, wouldn't she?

Wen Ye mused uncertainly in her mind.

After breakfast, unaware that his secrets had been thoroughly unearthed, Xu Jingrong said, "Second Auntie, I have a few classmates who want to join us. Would that be okay with you?"

He had considered that if Second Auntie didn't like too many people around, he would ask them to stay a bit farther away.

Of course, if everyone could go together, that would be even better. The more, the merrier, right?

Wen Ye wouldn't mind at all. Xu Jingrong's classmates were all around ten years old, no older than twelve. Plus, the more people there were, the greater the chance of catching a rabbit.

So she replied, "As long as your wallet doesn't mind, I'm fine with it."

Xu Jingrong: "......"

He clutched his chest, feeling as though a knife had pierced his heart.

Indeed, Xu Jingrong's classmates were all quite young, the oldest being eleven. However, they all shared a common trait: they were extremely lively and never seemed to run out of things to say.

When they learned that Wen Ye was Xu Jingrong's second aunt, the five boys politely performed a junior's salutation.

In front of outsiders, Wen Ye always maintained a gentle and approachable demeanor. She spoke softly, "Don't mind me. It's Xu Jingrong who insisted on catching a rabbit from the hill behind the academy to let me try it."

Hearing this, Xu Jingrong widened his eyes.

How could Second Auntie just make things up so easily? The rabbit was clearly her idea, but now it was too late to refute her in front of his classmates. It wouldn't be proper to contradict an elder like that.

Among Xu Jingrong's classmates, two were from Sheng Jing, while the other three included two local to Orchid City and one, slightly more introverted, who was the young son of the Prefect of Orchid City.

Of the first three, Wen Ye recognized two after hearing their introductions. One was the youngest son of Fourth Lady Meng's elder brother, Liu San, from the Liu Family, which hadn't yet been divided. The other was the youngest brother of Xu Yuejia's seventh aunt, Lady Yu, who was the sixth son in his family.

He was the eldest among them, already eleven. In fact, when counted properly, he was even a generation older than Wen Ye.

Recalling the earlier salutation, Wen Ye couldn't help but wonder if she was shortening her life by accepting it.

The two locals from Orchid City were cousins, Chen Yong, the older one, and Chen Shang, the younger.

Xu Jingrong wasn't even the youngest among the group. That title belonged to Zhuo An, the son of the Prefect.

After Wen Ye had a basic understanding of everyone, Xu Jingrong added, "Jiang's Second Uncle is preparing for an upcoming exam and needs to focus on his studies. He asked me to apologize to Second Auntie on his behalf."

The Jiang's Second Uncle Xu Jingrong mentioned was the younger son of Xu Jingrong's aunt. He had been at Pine Mountain Academy for several years, about five or six years older than Xu Jingrong.

Wen Ye replied, "Let him focus on his studies. Schoolwork comes first."

After all, they weren't exactly close.

Wen Ye instructed Xu Jingrong to gather everyone and prepare to head to Pine Mountain.

The Pine Mountain Academy was named after this very mountain.

Pine Mountain wasn't far; a carriage ride took only about half an hour. As Wen Ye stepped out of the carriage and gazed at the endless mountain range in the distance, her spirits lifted.

Xu Jingrong and the others had already donned quiver bags and held small bows specially made for their age.

They all shared a common interest—playing with bows and arrows—which was why they got along so well.

The mountain offered a beautiful view and fresh air. Wen Ye walked for a bit, then found a relatively large rock to sit on, enjoying the scenery and taking a break.

Xu Jingrong held his small bow and said, "Second Auntie, I'm going to catch a rabbit for you."

Wen Ye nodded, "Go ahead."

Xu Jingrong dashed off excitedly but didn't go too far, staying within the outer perimeter of the mountain.

Being so young, their archery skills were still basic, and their aim was limited. Catching a few wild chickens or rabbits would be considered exceptional.

Wen Ye had sent a few guards to follow them, while she remained comfortably seated, enjoying the early autumn breeze and letting her mind wander.

However, before long, Xu Jingrong returned with a plump, fluffy gray rabbit, excitedly declaring, "Second Auntie, I caught one!"

It was his first time catching a rabbit all by himself, and in such a short time too.

Wen Ye opened her eyes and looked over. The rabbit's leg had a wound, blood dripping from it, likely caused by Xu Jingrong's arrow.

She asked, "Do you have one that's white?"

Xu Jingrong looked down at the gray rabbit in his hands, puzzled. "Is white rabbit meat better?"

Wen Ye shook her head but said, "White rabbits match your second uncle's temperament better."

Xu Jingrong: "......"

That answer was even less clear than just saying the meat from different rabbit colors might taste different.

Although they hadn't caught a rabbit that met Wen Ye's preference, Xu Jingrong wasn't planning to let this one go. He wanted to show it off to the others.

Among the group, although Xu Jingrong wasn't the eldest, being from a military family, his skills were better than theirs.

Only he initially dared to go at it alone. However, after learning that Wen Ye wanted a white rabbit, Xu Jingrong had no choice but to cooperate with the others.

Yu Liu, upon hearing Xu Jingrong's explanation, said, "Then let's catch a white rabbit for your second aunt."

Chen Yong and Chen Shang also nodded, echoing, "As guests, it's our duty. We know this mountain well and where the rabbit holes are."

Zhuo An's father had only been transferred to Orchid City for less than half a year, so he was less familiar with the area than Xu Jingrong and Yu Liu, who came from Sheng Jing.

He quietly followed behind the group.

Chen Yong and Chen Shang led everyone to a rabbit hole. It was said that a cunning rabbit has three burrows. They needed to find the other entrances and smoke out two of them. Then, two people would guard the remaining hole.

When the rabbit was forced out, they would grab it.

This method had the advantage of not injuring the rabbit, as Xu Jingrong assumed Wen Ye might want to keep the white rabbit as a pet. Injured rabbits would be difficult to raise.

After smoking the holes for a while, the rabbits were finally driven out through another entrance. Xu Jingrong chose the fattest, snow-white rabbit among them.

Yu Liu said, "This should satisfy your second aunt now."

Xu Jingrong nodded, feeling the same way.

When Wen Ye saw the rabbit in Xu Jingrong's arms, her face lit up with satisfaction. "Xu Jingrong, you guys are impressive. That's quite the catch."

The boys, with soot smudges on their faces from the smoking, tried to contain their smiles but were clearly proud.

Wen Ye, holding the soft rabbit, declared generously, "Let's go. I'll take you all to the restaurant for a meal."

Zhuo An's eyes immediately brightened. "Are we going to Cloud Pavilion?"

Wen Ye said proudly, "Wherever you want to go, I'll take you."

The boys cheered with excitement.

Although they were all young, having the opportunity to study at Pine Mountain Academy and enjoy outings during breaks, their families certainly wouldn't be short on funds for a meal at a restaurant.

However, their allowances were limited, and the food at Cloud Pavilion was known to be expensive.

In the midst of the cheering group, no one noticed that Xu Jingrong's shoulders slumped slightly the moment Wen Ye shouted, "Let's treat everyone!" He stealthily touched the purse hanging at his waist and silently wept inside.

Sister-in-law Yu is so heartless.

Wen Ye handed the rabbit over to Tao Zhi, then turned her smiling gaze toward Xu Jingrong, who looked discomfited, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

On the way to the Cloud Pavilion, Xu Jingrong kept sighing repeatedly. Zhuo An, puzzled, asked, "Jingrong, aren't you the one who loves the dishes at Cloud Pavilion the most?"

Xu Jingrong looked at him with a face full of agony, opened his mouth several times, but in the end, only managed to utter, "You wouldn’t understand."

Zhuo An: "......"

Liu San patted his shoulder and said, "Don’t worry, we won’t embarrass you."

Xu Jingrong fell silent. Was it a matter of saving face? No, it was about his purse meeting its end at the Cloud Pavilion today, yet none would know.

How could he possibly tell his friends that, on the surface, it was his second auntie treating everyone, but in reality, he was the one paying?

Overcome with a faint sorrow, Xu

Jingrong gazed out the window.

No one could truly understand his heart.

The Cloud Pavilion finally arrived.

Wen Ye looked at the bustling restaurant and softly sighed, "It’s indeed a lively place."

The waiter at the Cloud Pavilion was sharp-eyed. From a distance, he recognized the group was no ordinary folk and hurried over to greet them enthusiastically, "Please, esteemed guests, come inside!"

Wen Ye requested a private room, and they were lucky—it was the last one available. It was on the second floor by the window, offering a view of the street scene outside.

Wen Ye let them order whatever they liked.

Xu Jingrong looked at her pleadingly, whispering so only the two of them could hear, "Second auntie, we have small appetites. Ordering two dishes should be enough."

Wen Ye playfully retorted, "How can two dishes be enough? You don’t need to save money for me."

After saying that, she took a menu for herself, glancing through the pastry section. She occasionally looked up to ask, "What kind of pastries do you like? Hazelnut pastry or osmanthus cake? How about the walnut pastry here?"

At this point, Yu Liu chimed in, "Jingrong can’t eat walnut pastry; it makes him break out in hives."

The others nodded in agreement.

Initially, they hadn’t known about his allergy, but after one incident where they accidentally gave him a pastry with walnut flour, they discovered his sensitivity.

Wen Ye looked surprised and turned her gaze to Xu Jingrong, asking, "You can’t eat that either?"

Xu Jingrong nodded. "Yes, only my cousin Xuan and I can’t eat it at home."

Wen Ye understood and said, "Then we’ll pick something else."

After ordering, they waited for the dishes to be served. During this time, Xu Jingrong couldn’t help but ask, "Second auntie, what do you plan to do with that rabbit? Are you keeping it?"

Wen Ye took a sip of tea and replied, "Have you all previously kept the rabbits you caught?"

Xu Jingrong shook his head and honestly said, "We ate them."

Wen Ye asked, "How did you prepare them?"

This time, it was Zhuo An who answered, "We roasted them."

Wen Ye just 'oh'ed and said, "Then this time, I’ll try braising it for you all."

The rest: "......"

Jingrong’s second aunt seems a bit different from what they imagined.

When the dishes arrived, they were too busy eating to chat. They acted like they hadn’t eaten in two days. If Wen Ye hadn’t been there, they probably would have started grabbing food.

Was it really that good?

Wen Ye tried a piece of braised pork.

After savoring it, she slightly frowned. This level of dish could be made by Hongxing as well. It was good, but Wen Ye wasn’t particularly impressed.

She really wanted to try the Pine Mountain Academy’s cafeteria food to see how bad it must be to make these students consider even a regular restaurant dish a gourmet masterpiece.

Seeing that Wen Ye wasn’t eating much, Xu Jingrong asked, "Second auntie, why aren’t you eating?"

Wen Ye pretended to feel gratified and said, "Seeing you all enjoying yourselves makes me happy."

Xu Jingrong didn’t have time to reflect on the oddity in her words. He had to be quicker than the others to get the last piece of braised pork.

Wen Ye noticed and instructed Yun Zhi to tell the waiter to bring another plate of braised pork.

Xu Jingrong saw this but decided not to stop it. If he could enjoy delicious food, then let the bottom of his purse be empty. By next month, he’d be back to being a good lad.

In truth, Wen Ye never intended for Xu Jingrong to pay for this meal. She just wanted to tease him a bit.

A teenager is most entertaining when being teased.

As they were finishing up, she quietly had Yun Zhi go pay the bill.

After the meal, they left the restaurant. Xu Jingrong fell half a step behind and whispered to Wen Ye, "Second auntie, why did you pay for the meal?"

Wen Ye glanced at him and said, "If you’re feeling moved, I wouldn’t mind taking your purse."

Who wouldn’t want extra money in their pocket?

Xu Jingrong instinctively gripped the purse at his waist and stayed silent.

Moved or not, the purse wasn’t going anywhere if it could be avoided.

Second auntie was a strange mix of good and bad, making it hard to read her.

Xu Jingrong was feeling quite conflicted.

"Huh? It looks like there’s someone arguing up ahead," Yu Liu turned back and said, walking at the front.

"Who is it? Do you know them?" Xu Jingrong stepped forward to ask.

Yu Liu took another look and hesitantly shook his head, "I don’t recognize them, but I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before."

Wen Ye looked over and saw a somewhat familiar face.

Seeing the crowd around them grow, Yu Liu suggested they go take a look, just in case they could help.

Approaching closer, they saw a young man with an arrogant demeanor, stepping on a middle-aged man with a fierce appearance, loudly shouting, "Little lord here has never tried to forcefully abduct a woman in public, yet you dare do it right in front of me? What a shameless creature!"

"Does she even want to go with you? You’re not even a man! Little lord will kick you to death!"

The young man’s attire wasn’t ostentatious, but he had a bodyguard by his side who looked daunting. The crowd guessed he must be a spoiled young master from some noble family.

However, Wen Ye knew he wasn’t just any ordinary young master. He was Prince Wen, the current emperor’s half-brother.

She wondered how he ended up in Orchid City.

Wen Ye pondered in her heart.

Yu Liu stared at the face of the slightly older young man for a long time but still couldn’t recall where he’d seen him before. He turned to Wen Ye and asked, "Second aunt of Jingrong, should we help?"

Wen Ye was the only adult among them. As Yu Liu’s question fell, everyone turned their gaze toward her.

Under their attention, Wen Ye shook her head, "Didn’t he say the man on the ground is a scoundrel who tried to abduct a woman in public? Let him kick a few more times."

Next to the young man’s bodyguard, there was indeed a woman covering her face, trembling.

Yu Liu thought about it and agreed. The young man’s actions, while somewhat improper, were indeed satisfying.

After the young man had kicked a few more times, officials from the Prefectural Government Office arrived and took the scoundrel away.

Initially, the officials also wanted to take the woman with them, but the young man stopped them. Unknown to the crowd, the bodyguard had whispered something to the officers, and they left with just the scoundrel, not expressing a shred of reluctance.

Everyone saw the young man send his bodyguard to escort the woman home before leaving himself.

With only half a day off, Yu Liu and the others had to return to the academy in the afternoon. Xu Jingrong had taken a half-day leave earlier and didn’t have to go back.

At the fork in the road, they parted ways. The distance to the courtyard was only a street away, so Wen Ye and Xu Jingrong decided not to take a sedan chair and rather stroll back to aid digestion.

But barely a few steps in, they encountered the young man again, this time on his own.

The young man was leisurely swinging a paper fan as he strolled in another direction.

Wen Ye and Xu Jingrong were standing in a semi-blind spot. As the young man was about to turn the corner, his gaze naturally swept over, catching sight of Wen Ye and the maid standing to her side, Tao Zhi.

Wen Ye exchanged a brief glance with the young man before he abruptly raised his head arrogantly and snorted disdainfully.

His expression seemed to say: "You’re not worthy of little lord’s attention."

Wen Ye: "......"

Actually, just average.

Xu Jingrong had the same feeling as Yu Liu. He said, "Second auntie, I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before."

Wen Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "Really?"

Just as her words were about to fall, the young man was suddenly grabbed by two black-clad men with lightning speed.

Xu Jingrong immediately stepped forward to chase after them.

Wen Ye swiftly grabbed the back of his collar and asked, "What are you doing?"

Xu Jingrong exclaimed, "Saving him! Second auntie, he was just doing good by punishing evil; he’s a kind person!"

Wen Ye still didn't let go and scanned him from head to toe, saying, "You're relying on this scrawny body of yours?"

Xu Jingrong protested for himself, "I'm a general!"

Under Wen Ye's silent gaze, he reluctantly added, "In the future."

Wen Ye retorted, "So you're not one right now, are you?"

Xu Jingrong retorted with frustration, "But... but we can't just stand by and watch someone die, can we?"

He couldn't just let it go.

Wen Ye looked down at him and said, "I'll let you help eventually."

She instructed Xu San, their guard who had been following them discreetly, to keep track of the situation and leave markers along the way. Then, she turned to Xu Jingrong and said, "This isn't a battlefield, and the only thing you can do now is to go and report it to the authorities."

Based on her years of reading novels, rushing in headfirst would only get them both killed. Standing still wasn't an option either, as their faces were definitely spotted by the criminals, and going back to the small courtyard was out of the question.

Wen Ye recalled Xu Yuejia mentioning that Prefect Zhuo, was the emperor's man.

They should gather Granny Jiang and A Shi, and head straight to the Prefectural Government Office for the safest option.

"Report to the authorities?" Xu Jingrong found it hard to accept.

As a future great general, he had to resort to reporting to the authorities instead of taking action himself.

How embarrassing this was.

Wen Ye snapped back at him, "With your three-legged cat skills, who do you think you can save?"

Xu Jingrong hurriedly replied hurriedly answered,"Fine, alright! I'll go report it! Let's go together, Second Aunt."@@novelbin@@