Suzhen shrugged, completely indifferent.

But Leng Xue’s eyes filled with extreme suspicion: “You’d make a losing deal?”

She spread her hands behind her head as a pillow, smiled slightly, and said nothing.

Both were precious, beloved items, yet the blue-robed man had used his own to cover his seventh brother’s debt. This kind of behavior suited her taste. A gentleman doesn’t take what others treasure—she had her own priceless possessions.

Some night had fallen outside the window. After Leng Xue finished preparing the floor bedding, he said: “I’m going out to buy you some snacks for tomorrow’s journey.”

Suzhen glared at him: “What do you mean by bribing me with food?”

Sure enough, Leng Xue said: “Tomorrow you and I continue taking the small paths.”

As he moved to leave, Suzhen clutched her stomach and moaned softly. Leng Xue was startled and immediately turned back, then raised his eyebrows: “Don’t try to trick me—you were full of energy just now.”

Suzhen shook her head, saying she feared her monthly cycle had come.

There was no need to be evasive with Leng Xue. He’d been in her household for years and knew about her menstrual pain. Hearing this, his brow furrowed and he moved to help her lie down.

Suzhen shook her head and stopped him. She’d read many books and understood some medical principles, so she wrote out a prescription for Leng Xue to get medicine for her.

Without a word, Leng Xue took the prescription and immediately went out. He worked efficiently—having the waiter brew the medicine and deliver it to her took only the blink of an eye.

Looking at the pitch-black medicine and smelling the intense bitterness assaulting her senses, Suzhen absolutely refused to touch it. This made Leng Xue so angry he wanted to beat her. He frowned, selected a preserved plum from the newly bought candied fruit, and held it to her lips: “Eat this, then take the medicine.”

Suzhen said: “If you drink it with me, I’ll drink it.”

This time Leng Xue’s face turned completely black, but in the end he still drank two sips from the bowl, then stared at her fiercely: “Your turn.”

But Suzhen quickly got up from the bed.

Leng Xue’s expression changed, his brow turned severe, and he smashed the bowl. Then his body trembled and he collapsed heavily onto the bed.

“This isn’t some body-strengthening medicine. You… schemed against me!”

He stared at her intently, his voice deep with anger.

Suzhen stood beside the bed, nodded, and said word by word: “When we were young, I lied to you about mosquitoes biting me. You would secretly guard my room at night, staying awake all night to drive away mosquitoes for me. How could such a you bear to lead me on forest paths? When you said you were going to buy snacks just now, you actually wanted to take the opportunity to go out and gather information, right? My father is someone full of bad ideas—no one has ever known his thoughts and schemes. Him having me disguise myself to take the scholar examination isn’t something he couldn’t do, but it doesn’t rule out another reason, such as… avoiding disaster.”

She looked deeply at Leng Xue, who was desperately struggling to stand up. Knowing that her suspicions hidden deep in her heart for days might be true, her heart sank, and she quickly left the guest room.

Since Leng Xue intended to hide things from her, with his personality, even if she killed him, she definitely couldn’t get anything out of him. This was also why she’d never asked and didn’t need to ask him now. If she’d questioned him earlier, she would have certainly alerted him, making a surprise attack nearly impossible. Moreover, his martial arts were superior—even a surprise attack might not necessarily succeed. She’d waited bitterly for days precisely so he’d be completely unguarded, tricking him into drinking the anesthetic soup she’d personally prepared.

She stood in the courtyard, hands clenched tightly. For the first time in her life, her heart ached unbearably.

Something might have happened to the Feng family! Her father had found a way to drive her away to help her avoid disaster… Heaven protect them—she only hoped she could still make it in time!

Just as she was rushing madly toward the stable, a dark shadow wielding a long sword suddenly leaped down from the eaves toward her, and a thick bloody smell penetrated all her senses.