Li Shiyan felt he had come too late!

And was destined to have no hope!

Whether five years ago!

Or five years later!

Between him and her, it was impossible.

But—

Who was that man? Why was Shu’er embracing him?

Jingrong, who was being tightly embraced by Ji Yunshu, suddenly sensed an unfamiliar presence nearby. His eyes narrowed, his expression stern. He turned his head to look, his gaze falling on a pillar not far away, dimly making out a human figure standing there.

“Someone’s there!”

As he pushed Ji Yunshu away, he simultaneously pulled her behind him, then drew his sword and thrust it toward that direction. His speed was extremely fast, the sword’s edge flashing with silver light as it stabbed toward Li Shiyan’s chest.

Li Shiyan snapped to attention with a start, but the approaching person was simply too fast. He no longer had time to evade and could only fight desperately for his life. His entire body twisted to the side, but he still wasn’t fast enough. The sword viciously pierced into his arm, penetrating straight through. He was forced backward repeatedly by that force, finally stopping only when he crashed into a wall behind him.

“Ugh!”

The intense pain from his arm was almost equivalent to taking his life. In the next moment, Jingrong swiftly withdrew the sword!

“Ah!” Li Shiyan let out a heart-wrenching scream, his entire body in such pain that he dropped to one knee, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Blood from his arm also spilled all over the ground.

Jingrong stood before him in a commanding position, placing the blood-soaked sword directly against Li Shiyan’s neck.

He demanded, “Who are you?”

Li Shiyan’s body had lost its strength. He gasped incessantly, a mouthful of fresh blood smeared inside his black mask, covering his entire face in blood. He tightly clutched his bleeding arm and struggled to lift his head, only to see standing before him a man wearing a half-mask, his entire being radiating an oppressive aura that sent chills down one’s spine.

He asked in return, “You… who are… you?”

This was the first time Jingrong had encountered such an assassin!

Clearly dressed in night clothing and having broken into the Su residence, yet he still asked others who they were!

Truly audacious!

Jingrong’s eyes narrowed. “If you don’t speak now, I’ll kill you!”

As the words fell, Jingrong’s wrist exerted force, and the sword in his hand pressed slightly into Li Shiyan’s neck, drawing blood.

With just a movement of his hand, he could take this person’s life in an instant.

Suddenly—

“Stop!” Ji Yunshu quickly walked over. She looked down at the “assassin” dressed in night clothing with his face covered. She found those “assassin’s” eyes extremely familiar. Looking more carefully, she exclaimed in shock, “Shizi?”

Li Shiyan?

After hearing these two words, Jingrong immediately withdrew his sword. He knew the Shizi—over these three years, he had come drilling into the Su residence every few days, a typical sticky pest.

How could he be here?

And dressed like this?

Li Shiyan could no longer hold on. His entire body collapsed directly to the ground.

“Shizi?” Ji Yunshu crouched down to support him, removing the black mask from his face. Fresh blood had dyed almost half his face red. “Shizi? How can it be you? How could you…”

When Li Shiyan saw her, he suddenly felt his entire body no longer hurt. His blood-covered mouth grinned at her with a smile. “Shu’er, I’ve finally… finally seen you.”

After finishing the last word, he fainted.

Soon, this incident alarmed Su Ziluo. He immediately sent someone to summon a physician into the residence and ordered the household not to reveal this matter to outsiders, lest it disturb the Marquis of Kangding.

Fortunately, that boy Li Shiyan was blessed with great fortune. Though his arm had been pierced through, he could still remain safe and sound. The physician stopped the bleeding, applied medicine, carefully bandaged everything, and poured medicine into his mouth before matters were settled.

The physician said, “The wound looks serious, but it’s not life-threatening. With some rest and recovery, he’ll be fine. Nothing major.”

Yet he prescribed a whole heap of medicines!

Most were for replenishing blood.

Li Shiyan sat leaning against the bed, looking at his bandaged arm, truly not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Su Ziluo sat in the room, saying, “Your life is truly blessed. Nothing happened even with this. Listening to the physician, it sounds like you were merely bitten by a mosquito.”

Li Shiyan furrowed his brow, pointing at his arm wrapped like a dumpling, saying pitifully, “Ziluo, you’re really too heartless. I’m in this state, and if I didn’t have great fortune and a strong life, I’d already be dead.”

“You won’t die yet. Even if you wanted to die, the King of Hell might not accept you!”

“You… you’re even mocking me, truly heartless.”

Su Ziluo glanced at the night clothing tossed aside, asking suspiciously, “What were you doing coming to my residence late at night dressed like this?”

Li Shiyan felt embarrassed and laughed. “I just… just came to see you!”

“Why would seeing me require dressing like this?”

“…”

Su Ziluo also guessed he had come to see Ji Yunshu. Shaking his head helplessly, he said, “No wonder Lichuan struck to kill you. If it had been the household guards, you’d probably be dead already.”

His tone was extremely stern!

Upon hearing this, Li Shiyan’s eyes narrowed. “You’re saying… that masked person who tried to kill me is called Lichuan? Who exactly is he? I saw with my own eyes… him and Shu’er embracing. Shu’er she…”

“Lichuan is Jingrong, that Prince from Dalin!” Su Ziluo didn’t hide it from him. It was really because Li Shiyan was like a sticky plaster—if he didn’t tell him, this night-clothing incident would likely happen a second time. Rather than let him make a bigger mess of things, better to tell him directly and make him behave properly without causing trouble.

Upon hearing that Lichuan was Jingrong, Li Shiyan nearly jumped off the bed. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait, you’re saying… that masked man is Prince Rong? What’s going on here? Shu’er is at your residence, Prince Rong is also at your residence. In just one short day, how does it seem… I… I feel my brain is completely muddled!”

Su Ziluo told him in a bland tone, “Don’t ask so many questions. Stay here tonight, and hurry back to your residence tomorrow.”

“But I still haven’t figured it out!”

“Understanding too much won’t benefit you. Consider today a lesson, and don’t do it again next time.”

“…” Li Shiyan knew he couldn’t argue with him, so he could only give up. He asked, “Then where is Shu’er? I want to see her.”

“Have you forgotten already? I said, everything waits until tomorrow. If you want to see Miss Ji, you must also wait until tomorrow.”

It seemed today he definitely wouldn’t be able to see Ji Yunshu!

He himself had precisely not listened to his words, so he entered the Su residence at night and ended up being stabbed with a sword.

Unable to persist, he could only sigh and say, “Since I can’t see Shu’er today, then I’ll head back to the residence first. Otherwise, if my father discovers I snuck out, I’m afraid I won’t be able to come here again.”

“But in your current condition, if you return to the residence, the Marquis will definitely know.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I have my own methods.” As Li Shiyan spoke, he directly threw back the covers and got out of bed. “Quickly prepare a carriage to send me back. Otherwise, if my father discovers I ran out, I truly won’t be able to come out for the rest of my life.”

He still needed to see Ji Yunshu!

If his old man discovered he had run out, he would definitely confine him. By the time Ji Yunshu left Qujiang, he probably wouldn’t be able to see her even once.

Seeing that he could still climb out of bed and his spirits were still pretty good, Su Ziluo concluded there were truly no serious problems. So he ordered someone to prepare a carriage and sent him away.

Only after Li Shiyan left did Su Ziluo go to see Ji Yunshu.

Ji Yunshu asked worriedly, “How is the Shizi?”

“He’s fine. He’s already returned to his residence.”

“That’s good.”

Su Ziluo looked around the room and asked, “Where is Li… Jingrong?”

Ji Yunshu pointed outside. “He’s outside.”

After a brief silence, Su Ziluo said, “Then rest well. Let’s discuss everything tomorrow.”

“Mm!”

On the other side.

Li Shiyan had the carriage take him to the back gate. He knocked on the door several times. Xiao Luzi, who had been waiting inside, had nearly fallen asleep. Upon hearing the sound, he immediately jumped up. Opening the door, he saw Li Shiyan standing outside.

“Shizi, you’ve finally returned. It’s almost the hour of Zi.”

Li Shiyan deliberately hid his arm behind him. “It’s fine, let’s go back to the room.”

He stepped through the doorway.

Xiao Luzi closed the door and hurried to catch up, asking very curiously, “Shizi, when did you change clothes? Where’s your night clothing?”

“Lost it!”

“Then these clothes?”

“Borrowed from the Su residence!”

Xiao Luzi scratched his head, not quite understanding what he meant.

And Li Shiyan didn’t mention being injured, keeping his wounded arm hidden inside his sleeve the entire time.