Chapter 11: Setting off firecrackers: I'll make so much noise if you don't open the door

Damn it, she dared to come back—did she think she wouldn't be prepared?

After cursing a few times, she took out the firecrackers and flower rockets she had bought earlier, tore open the packaging, lit them, and set them off.

The continuous "crackling" and "whooshing" sounds instantly shattered the tranquility of the street. Firecrackers exploded on the ground, and flower rockets bloomed in the sky, creating a scene of great liveliness.

Before a long, long, long string of firecrackers burned out, she leaned against the stone lion at the entrance and sang loudly.

"I planted a seed and it finally bore fruit, today is a great day..."

"You make every tomorrow meaningful; though life is short, I will love you forever! Never! Leave! You!"

"You are my little, little apple, no matter how much I love you, it's never enough; your rosy little face warms my heart, lighting up the fire, fire, fire of my life..."

On the doors, windows, and walls opposite the Xia Estate, several heads popped out; the neighbors couldn't help but gaze curiously.

Xia Yulin was a mess, yet she appeared completely carefree. Seeing the neighbors come out to spectate, she even smiled and waved at them.

She didn't have any special talents, she was just super optimistic; even if the sky were falling, she would seize the opportunity to enjoy life.

Her master always said to her: "This is the one thing I admire about you; otherwise, why would I have taken a liking to a little rookie like you who just graduated?"

She automatically judged her master's words to be a compliment.

Just like now, she was sincerely and heartily happy about her rebirth, unable to stop herself from singing in celebration, without a hint of pretense.

A carriage, not grand but cleaned and decorated with elegant simplicity, drove out from a large mansion diagonally opposite the Xia Estate.

An elegant voice drifted from inside the carriage: "Is someone singing?"

The young pageboy sitting in the front driving the carriage listened intently for a while before shaking his head. "This lowly one didn't hear anyone singing, only heard the Xia Estate setting off firecrackers at the entrance."

The sound of these firecrackers was so boisterous; his ears were filled with nothing but the explosions. How on earth did his young master hear singing?

The person in the carriage smiled. "Pass in front of the Xia Estate; I want to see what good thing is happening there."

"Understood." The pageboy responded and turned the carriage around.

"You are my little, little apple, just like the most beautiful clouds on the horizon, spring has come again and flowers bloom across the hills..." Xia Yulin sang while setting off firecrackers. She was already on her sixth repetition, showing none of the sorrow of being locked out of her own doors.

Would the Xia family open the doors first, or would she surrender first?

We'll see!

While she was singing happily, a carriage drove up from the end of the street. The beautiful young boy in the driver's seat kept glancing at her with a face full of curiosity.

Seeing that he was cute, Xia Yulin waved at him while singing. To her surprise, he actually blushed, lifted his chin, gave a heavy "hmpf," and turned his head away.

A *tsundere* type, too! Xia Yulin laughed even harder. The person served by such a beautiful young boy must surely have excellent taste, right?

A gust of wind blew, sweeping the carriage curtain open.

The person inside had black hair and white clothing, with skin as fair as jade and snow; her profile was like a perfect statue.

Xia Yulin immediately found herself unable to look away.

Suddenly, that person turned her head and gave her a slight smile.

"It's just gonna go... go... go..." Xia Luokui's voice suddenly cracked. She forgot how to sing and could only stare blankly at that person.

There was a phrase for this—what was it? Right, "a fleeting glimpse, life like a dream"—that was exactly how she felt right now.

However, it was only for a single glance!

She had only looked once before the wind stopped and the curtain fell, leaving her unable to see anything more. That person's peerless, jade-like face was obscured once again.

Yet, her time remained frozen at the very moment she saw that person.

She didn't know if that person was male or female, where they came from, or where they were going. She desperately wanted to follow them, just to catch another glimpse of that peerless elegance...

"Eleventh Miss, you've finally returned—" Just as Xia Yulin was losing her soul to beauty, the large gates behind her opened.

Several servants ran out. "Why didn't you say anything when you returned? We could have sent someone to fetch you..."

They had received orders to keep the gates closed and ignore the Eleventh Miss, but since she was continuously setting off firecrackers at the entrance, it looked very bad. After holding back for a long time, they still didn't dare to open the doors.

Xia Yulin snapped back to her senses and gave them a squinty smile. "I was wrong. Next time I return from the underworld, I'll be sure to come find you all first."

The servants instinctively shrank their necks: "..."

The events at the yamen had long since spread through the estate; the Eleventh Miss was indeed different from usual.

Xia Yulin ignored them, walked straight through the gate, and limped toward the backyard.

Stepping through this gate made her feel terrible, but she believed others must feel even worse. Thinking of this, she felt a little better.

"Oh my, isn't this Eleventh Sister? I heard you were sentenced to death and were to be executed after autumn. Why are you here now? You wouldn't have escaped from prison, would you?"

Before she had even walked a few steps, a very coquettish, sugary voice drifted into her ears.