Chapter 57

"Mo Mo, you know, I'm always rational. If it were me, I would definitely break up with him," Sang Li said as she looked at her. "Have you ever thought about how you two were bound to break up eventually? We don't belong here!"

"But didn't you support me being with him before?"

"Let me be honest with you. I supported you being with him because I wanted you to use him to get the treasure map."

Sang Li sighed, "But I was afraid you would disagree, so I never brought it up with you. My intentions were clear - we need to go back, we can't stay in the book forever."

"Sister Li, you...you wanted me to take advantage of him?"

"Yes," Sang Li nodded honestly. "Otherwise we'd never be able to get the treasure map."

"I can't do that!" Su Mo stood up. "How could I possibly take advantage of someone I have feelings for?"

"Forget it..." Sang Li stood up as well, taking her hand. "Since he told you in the letter to wait for him, just wait for him. Since he said that, maybe he has a way to make it work for both of you."

Su Mo thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright...I'll wait a few days. If he doesn't come back, I'll go look for him."

...

The Four Beauties Pavilion only opened in the afternoons and evenings, so everyone slept in late in the mornings.

Over the past couple days, Gu Zhi had learned a lot from Xia Miaomiao, and even got up to make tomato egg noodles for everyone.

Sang Li's bowl in particular was made very thoughtfully, with two fried eggs added.

"Sister, try it and see if I've improved," Gu Zhi looked at Sang Li expectantly.

Xiao Han looked over with a meaningful smile. "Why does Sister Li get two eggs when the rest of us only got one?"

Gu Zhi blushed slightly. "I...I gave her my egg."

Sang Li looked at the noodles in the bowl, then used her chopsticks to put one of the eggs back into Gu Zhi's bowl. "Have it yourself, I can't eat that much."

Gu Zhi's eyes drooped slightly, but he didn't say anything.

Seeing his reaction, Sang Li took a bite of the noodles and praised, "You made it very delicious."

Gu Zhi's face lit up with a smile. "As long as you like it, Sister." Su Mo had no appetite at all. She put her egg into Xiao Han's bowl, "Little Han, you can have this. I don't have much of an appetite."

Xiao Han didn't refuse either. She glanced at Su Mo and casually asked, "What's wrong with your eyes? Didn't sleep well last night?"

"I'm going to the Four Beauties Pavilion first." Su Mo got up and left after speaking.

Xia Miaomiao watched Su Mo's departing figure, then nudged Sang Li with her elbow. "Sister Li, what's going on with Mo Mo? She seems to be in a bad mood."

"What else could it be other than lovesickness?"

"Wu Ying still hasn't come back?"

"No, he probably won't be back for a while."

Xiao Han drank the last sip of noodle soup, then set down her bowl. "If you ask me, why bother with romance? Men only add to your troubles! Being single is carefree and liberating, isn't it? Look at how Mo Mo was never this melancholy before. She used to be delighted just from looking at handsome guys. But see how she is now!"

Xiao Han let out a long sigh, then suddenly belched very loudly.

The others looked at her in shock.

Xiao Han was confused. "What? Is it that weird to burp after eating your fill?"

"Hehe..." Xia Miaomiao chuckled awkwardly. "Little Han, who's going to marry you in the future if you act like this?"

"If I can't get married then I just won't! I'd be perfectly happy alone. Your future kids can just call me their godmother - all the joy of motherhood without the pain. Isn't that great?" Xiao Han laughed.

Sang Li suddenly said, "Little Han is right. At least you all can't fall for someone here like Mo Mo did. Otherwise you'll suffer in the future! Mo Mo is a prime example!"

Xiao Han waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry, I definitely won't!"

Xia Miaomiao obediently raised her hand. "I won't either!"

Yu Yifan and Gu Zhi sitting next to them didn't really understand what they were talking about.

Why couldn't they fall for someone here?

Gu Zhi looked at Sang Li, a flash of loneliness in his eyes.

...

Four Beauties Pavilion

Starting today, the Four Beauties Pavilion was no longer free.

There were indeed fewer people, but some who enjoyed it still came to play. The girls were finally not as busy.

Plus, the drinks Xia Miaomiao specially made were very popular. She even tried selling some jars of spicy sauce. That evening, Sang Li was surprised to see Lady Bai come to the Four Beauties Pavilion.

"Lady Bai?"

"Miss Sang, may I have a word with you?" Lady Bai looked very solemn.

Sang Li hesitated, then brought Lady Bai upstairs to a private room.

"May I ask why Lady Bai has come today?" Sang Li asked.

"I want you all to leave Lan City!" Lady Bai said directly.

"I already told you, Lady Bai, you don't have the right to make us leave Lan City. We've already left the Bai family. You have no right to interfere in anything else regarding us."

Lady Bai reached out her hand and Wang Fu beside her gave her a stack of silver notes.

"Is this enough?" Lady Bai pushed the silver notes in front of Sang Li. "This should be enough for you girls to live comfortably for the rest of your lives."

Sang Li looked at the silver notes on the table and chuckled lightly. She never thought a scene like this would play out in her own life.

If this was modern times, she might have taken the money without hesitation and swaggered off.

But things were different now. She didn't care about money like this at all.

"Lady Bai is so eager to drive me away. Could it be that you've had a falling out with Young Master Bai?" Sang Li deliberately poked at Lady Bai's sore spot.

Lady Bai's brows furrowed slightly. "Yesterday, Han came to find you. What exactly did you say to him?"

Yesterday, after Bai Yunhan returned and secretly ordered someone to investigate the drugstore owner's death, she had already grown suspicious.

"Oh, I merely told him that the drugstore owner wasn't killed by Wu Ying." Sang Li looked into Lady Bai's eyes and asked, "Lady Bai, who do you think did it?"

"You..." Lady Bai looked at Sang Li in shock. She had always known Sang Li was clever, which was why she had used them to expose Third Madam. But she never imagined Sang Li would be this clever.

Lady Bai's gaze grew colder. "Miss Sang, sometimes being too clever is not a good thing..."

Sang Li pushed the silver notes back to Lady Bai. "Lady Bai, I don't want to get involved in matters of the Bai family. As long as you don't come disturb our lives anymore, we will have nothing more to do with each other. As for Young Master Bai, I have no designs on him, you can rest assured."

"But Han has refused the marriage prospects I arranged for him multiple times because of you!"

"That's his problem. Even if I leave Lan City, if he's unwilling, there's nothing you can do about it, right?"

Lady Bai gave Sang Li a look, then stood up to leave.

"Miss Sang, it seems I underestimated you."

Sang Li smiled faintly. "Thank you for your praise, Lady."

Lady Bai snorted and turned to exit the private room.