Hearing Murong Ye praise Ye Chutang, however indirectly, made her deeply unhappy.

Of course, she couldn’t let it show. She simply feigned a slight jolt of surprise and put on a confused expression.

"Mr. Murong, why the sudden interest in this?"

"It’s not me. A few of my friends are dead set on checking out the scene at Yunlai Tavern."

Those who ran in Murong Ye’s circle were, naturally, the scions of other powerful families.

Yunlai Tavern had positioned itself as a high-end establishment from the day it opened. The only guests who could book its private rooms were individuals of distinguished status. And while these young men hailed from good families, the Capital City was a place with no shortage of dignitaries.

What’s more, Yunlai Tavern only accepted a limited number of guests each day, turning away all others without exception.

They had taken turns trying to get a table, but all were politely refused. To this day, not one of them had managed to get a proper look inside.

After a long discussion, they pinned their last hopes on Murong Ye.

After all, his father, Murong Yang, held the Second Rank, and he himself was one of the most prominent young talents of his generation.

Even if Yunlai Tavern wouldn’t show him deference, they would at least have to take his father’s reputation into account.

But Murong Ye was unwilling to use his father’s name. ’At the end of the day, it’s just a tavern. Why go to all this trouble?!’

’Besides, the owner behind it all is Ye Chutang!’

"You’re close with your cousin. Do you happen to know what the rules are at her establishment?"

Murong Ye phrased the question delicately, but Ye Shixian understood him perfectly.

’He was asking, plain and simple, how to book a private room at Yunlai Tavern!’

A knot formed in Ye Shixian’s chest, making it hard to breathe. She forced the corners of her lips into a tight smile.

"Well... my cousin has never told me about any of this. I have no idea what the situation is over there, either..."

She had intended to imply that Ye Chutang was cunning and guarded against her, but when Murong Ye heard her words, his expression froze for an instant.

"How could that be? Hasn’t the misunderstanding between your father and her family been resolved? Besides, you went to ask for her help before. I thought—"

Ye Shixian’s expression stiffened. She quickly lowered her head, terrified he might see through her.

"Sh-she went to Feiyun Temple that day and hasn’t returned since. I haven’t been able to see her..."

She cursed herself inwardly. ’How could I have forgotten about that!’

’At the time, she’d only wanted to embarrass Ye Chutang and force her to help. She never imagined that not only would she fail to get help, but her actions would come back like a boomerang and hit her right in the face!’

A flicker of disappointment was obvious in Murong Ye’s expression.

"I see..."

’He didn’t really care about Yunlai Tavern, but if he couldn’t even handle this, he might as well kiss his reputation goodbye!’

Ye Shixian began to cough softly.

Murong Ye patted her shoulder and finally changed the subject. "Did you catch a chill?"

Once September began, the skies over the Capital City were perpetually overcast and drizzly, making it easy to catch a cold.

Especially since she had just gone through a major family upheaval.

As he spoke, he put an arm around Ye Shixian’s shoulders and guided her toward the house.

"You just focus on getting better. Don’t worry about a thing for now. As for your father, I’ll send some men to make inquiries. Perhaps there’s still a chance for him to return."

These were merely words of comfort, of course. Everyone knew there was absolutely no possibility of Ye Heng’s return.

But Ye Shixian still clung to a sliver of hope, and her eyes brightened at his words.

"Then I must thank you, Mr. Murong."

Murong Ye said, "The day after tomorrow is the Chongyang Festival. I’m afraid I won’t be able to visit, so please take good care of yourself."

A nerve in Ye Shixian’s mind snapped taut.

"The ninth day of the ninth month... Isn’t that the day my cousin plans to move the graves of my eldest uncle and his family?"