Smell?

Ji Yunshu wrinkled her nose and sniffed at herself.

Jingrong was actually an honest one—his body leaned over and he pressed his nose hard against her body to sniff.

Her shoulders shrank as she stepped back two paces to the side.

“I didn’t tell you to smell like that.”

“If I don’t smell like this, how would I know if you have a smell or not?”

He said it very seriously.

Yet with a roguish air.

His peach blossom eyes seemed like they wanted to bore a hole through Ji Yunshu.

Making her somewhat uncomfortable, she simply walked forward quickly, unwilling to acknowledge him.

Jingrong chased a few steps, leaning his body halfway, pressing against her small, slender shoulder, saying as he went, “Yunshu, oh Yunshu, there is indeed a smell on you, only that smell is neither salty nor bland, neither turbid nor clear. What is it? It seems like… a woman’s fragrance.”

Pfft—

Ji Yunshu almost spat blood and glared fiercely at him.

Then, she extended her ten slender fingers, turning them back and forth before him several times, raising those clear, clean eyes to meet Jingrong’s wicked gaze.

“You guessed wrong. It’s not a woman’s fragrance, but the smell of corpses. Just now after I finished touching Old Master Zhang’s body, I apparently didn’t have time to wash my hands yet. Why don’t you smell more carefully and see if it’s the smell of corpses?”

As she spoke, she moved both hands toward the tip of Jingrong’s nose.

Jingrong’s face filled with disgust, immediately jumping back as if he’d stepped on dog shit.

“Ji Yunshu, you’re deliberately disgusting this prince.”

“Clearly you’re the one disgusting me. What woman’s fragrance? You should really have Muruo treat that nose of yours.”

“…”

Speechless!

At this moment, Jingrong even had the heart to strangle her, but the thought only flashed by. After all, during the long night, this woman was his sleeping pill!

Ji Yunshu frowned and said softly again, “Actually, it’s not your fault you can’t smell it. After all… you’re not a cat.”

After speaking, she walked forward quickly.

Behind her—

“Hey, hey, hey, Ji Yunshu, explain yourself clearly to this prince. This prince was never a cat to begin with—I’m a dragon!”

I’m a dragon!

I’m a dragon!

A genuine dragon, alright?

Hearing this, Ji Yunshu secretly smiled.

Sometimes, Jingrong was even cuter than Wei Yi!

Before long, the two arrived at the Anfu Prison!

When entering, Ji Yunshu didn’t let Jingrong follow but went alone to see Zhanmo.

Inside the prison, the dampness was very heavy, reeking with a foul, stuffy, wet smell that was extremely unpleasant.

She frowned, her brows tightly knit.

Looking at the woman in the cell sitting on the ground, her back against the ice-cold wall, that theatrical costume on her body beaten until it had many torn openings, seeping with one blood stain after another.

Ji Yunshu crouched before her, one knee on the ground, reached out, and pinched her cheeks, the force of her fingertips neither light nor heavy.

But it forced her to meet her own gaze.

On Zhanmo’s pale face still hung stage makeup that the jailers hadn’t washed clean, stuck to her face like paste.

Her eyes were hollow and powerless, and the corners of her mouth raised slightly in a smile.

Yet it was extremely bitter!

She asked, “Have you come to save me?”

“No!”

Brief and concise.

“Then what do you want to know?”

Ji Yunshu said in an even tone, “It depends on what you want to tell me.”

Interesting!

“The answer?” Zhanmo’s tone was very weak!

“I didn’t come for answers, but for the process.”

“The process?” Her eyes blinked once.

Ji Yunshu’s hand gripped her jaw so she couldn’t break free, and her pale lips parted again in a smile, saying, “In the court hall, that young master said to have me wait for you here, then tell you everything. Fine, I’ll tell you.”

As she finished speaking!

Ji Yunshu released her.

Zhanmo’s head leaned back powerlessly, resting against the wall, her slightly narrowed eyes carrying an emotion that was difficult to penetrate.

“It’s been so long, truly so long…”

Her voice was very thin—so thin that if one didn’t listen carefully, one couldn’t hear it at all.

Ji Yunshu didn’t interrupt her, wanting to continue listening.

She only heard Zhanmo say, “My mother said I was born in a mass grave. From childhood, I depended on my mother for survival. When I was five, she passed away and could only sell me to a theater troupe as an apprentice, hoping I could earn food and shelter. This stay lasted twenty years. The Southern City Theater was like a dream. Over these years, I’ve sung countless performances of ‘The Villager’s Dream.’ But Sir, do you know the story of ‘The Villager’s Dream’?”

Ji Yunshu nodded. “The story of a suffering woman.”

“Yes, the story of a suffering woman—a suffering woman born into a wealthy family who fell in love with the master of a wealthy household. In the end, she became pregnant but was beaten to death with clubs by the household’s madam, then thrown into a mass grave. Fortunately, she survived, and the child was born too. This story is poignant and desolate.”

Speaking of this, tears fell from the corners of Zhanmo’s eyes.

Ji Yunshu still listened attentively!

At the corners of Zhanmo’s lips, a smile always remained. She looked at Ji Yunshu.

“Sir, can you understand the pain of being kept alive only by medicine jars from the moment of birth? Can you understand the pain of wanting to die but being unable to die?” She shook her head slightly. “No, how could you understand? I’ve taken medicine for twenty-five years without daring to stop. Fortunately, heaven gave me a golden voice. All these years, I’ve sung countless operas, sung ‘The Villager’s Dream’ countless times, as if reenacting my mother’s path. Every line I sing tears my heart apart with pain.

I deeply understand that one cannot have both fish and bear’s paw. Heaven gave me a golden voice but stripped away my right to live. My illness cannot tolerate Buddha Ginseng, yet taking Buddha Ginseng makes my voice better. To become famous, I chose to take Buddha Ginseng. Finally, a month ago, the Zhang household sent an invitation. The Southern City Theater was invited to perform at the household. I knew my opportunity had come. I also knew it would be my last time singing ‘The Villager’s Dream.’ From then on, there would be no more ‘The Villager’s Dream,’ and my mother’s story would finally end. I wouldn’t have to walk through that dream over and over again. How wonderful.”

Released!

Zhanmo turned her head to look at a small window on the side wall. Remaining light penetrated through, divided into rays of light.

Sprinkling on the damp straw in the cell, surrounded by faint white mist.

She slowly raised her hand, her slender five fingers spreading open. When touching those rays of light, the five fingers slowly curled, wanting to grasp them, but that beam of hazy light, the moment she clenched her fist, penetrated her skin like flowing yellow sand, leaking out from between her fingers.

Not a trace remained!

Then, she took a deep breath.

“But… why didn’t she die?” Zhanmo said.

In her eyes lingered unwillingness.

She? Who was she?

Ji Yunshu straightened up, looking down at this wounded woman.

And told her, “Rest assured, after singing ‘The Villager’s Dream’ for so many years, you will definitely have the best ending, and it will certainly be the ending you expect.”

She raised her head, looked at Ji Yunshu, and said “Thank you.”

Then asked, “Sir, can you help me with one more thing?”

“Speak.”

“I have an incense burner—my mother left it to me before she died. If I die, please tell the people at the Southern City Theater to bury that incense burner with me in the yellow earth.”

“Alright.”

Ji Yunshu said nothing more and turned to leave.

In the cell, Zhanmo’s eyes closed heavily, and that originally clenched fist gradually opened…