To win a beauty’s smile?
Ji Yunshu’s face stiffened!
At that moment, Wei Yi walked over, sizing up Jingrong from head to toe before pointing at him.
“I’ve seen you before, last time at… at the Guang… Guangqu Academy, I saw you.”
As if seeing an old friend!
Jingrong looked at him and smiled faintly: “I’ve seen you too.”
High alert ahead—this is a romantic rival!
Wei Yi grinned at him: “My name is Wei Yi.”
“I know—’wei’ as in ‘seat position,’ ‘yi’ as in ‘one person.'”
“You’re really smart.” Wei Yi even gave him a thumbs up.
This child!
Though Jingrong regarded him as a romantic rival in his heart, Wei Yi wasn’t malicious by nature, so naturally he wouldn’t target him.
By now, the shopkeeper had already wrapped up that set of writing implements and carefully presented them to Jingrong.
Jingrong accepted them, then offered them to Ji Yunshu: “Master Ji, fine things should be matched with those who know how to use them. I hope you won’t refuse my goodwill regarding this set of writing implements.”
Ji Yunshu truly didn’t dare accept this goodwill!
She understood the principle of not accepting unearned rewards.
If she accepted this gift, it might be equivalent to agreeing to return to the capital with him!
“Master Ji, this gift has no other meaning—you needn’t worry too much.”
“…”
The next moment, before Ji Yunshu could accept it, Wei Yi at her side snatched the gift away.
He said triumphantly to Ji Yunshu: “Shu’er, this older brother is giving it to you, so accept it. My father said gifts from people asking favors can’t be accepted, but gifts of sincere intent can be. Shu’er, I’ll hold it for you—this is very heavy.”
Ji Yunshu didn’t even have time to stop him before Wei Yi had the writing implements clutched firmly in his arms.
“Wei Yi, how could you…” Ji Yunshu was somewhat angry.
“Shu’er, this is very heavy—I’m holding it for you.” He emphasized it again.
Speechless!
However, Jingrong’s face had turned rather pale!
He asked Wei Yi: “What did you call her?”
Oh my, so that’s what you’re focused on!
Wei Yi replied innocently: “Shu’er, of course! She’s Shu’er, so naturally I call her Shu’er!”
This was a hundred times more intimate than calling her “Yunshu”!
Jingrong stared at Ji Yunshu, his eyes full of jealousy.
Ji Yunshu was startled by his stare, her head starting to ache. She grabbed the writing implements from Wei Yi’s hands and immediately stuffed them back into Jingrong’s hands.
“Thank you for your kindness, young master. The writing implements are too precious—they don’t suit me.” Having said that, she pulled Wei Yi along: “Let’s go.”
The two of them hurriedly left the Ink Treasure Studio.
Jingrong’s face was full of angry frustration. He tossed the writing implements in his hands to Lang Bo at his side, then chased after them.
But just as Ji Yunshu and Wei Yi went out, they happened to run into bailiffs from the yamen.
“Oh my, Master Ji—just the person we needed to find!” The bailiff was gasping for breath, looking anxious.
“What’s wrong?” Ji Yunshu asked.
“The magistrate… the magistrate wants you to come to the prison.”
“What for?”
“It’s that Sister Yu—she’s still holding her daughter’s corpse even now. The body has started to rot, and we’ve tried persuading her several times, but she just won’t listen. The magistrate said to come find you, saying you have many solutions.”
She didn’t have many solutions!
Though she did have plenty of knives for cutting corpses!
But after thinking it over, Ji Yunshu still nodded: “Alright, I’ll go now.”
Unexpectedly, Wei Yi pulled on her: “Shu’er, where are you going?”
“Wei Yi, do you know the way back?”
He shook his head: “I don’t.”
Helplessly, she could only say: “Then fine, come with me.”
“Good, I’ll go with Shu’er.”
Just as he finished speaking, Jingrong, who had caught up to them, also said: “I’ll come along too.”
Hey, hey, hey—that’s a prison! Are you all going to watch the excitement?
But in the end, everyone went together!
Because Ji Yunshu was worried Wei Yi would feel uncomfortable after going in, she asked two jailers at the entrance to help watch over him.
Jingrong also left Lang Bo outside.
He specifically instructed him to take good care of Wei Yi.
Why did his tone carry some kind of underlying tension!
Ji Yunshu didn’t think much of it and followed the jailer inside.
Jingrong followed behind her.
As if he was accustomed to such things, seeing such a damp prison, Jingrong didn’t feel uncomfortable at all!
When they reached Sister Yu’s cell, the foul stench was even more unbearable—pungent while also carrying a thick, nauseating quality!
Wrinkling her nose, Ji Yunshu furrowed her elegant brows and looked into the cell.
She saw Sister Yu with her back to them, her arms holding A’Yu, still gently rocking back and forth, humming a tune that hadn’t stopped.
“Open the cell,” she said.
The jailer hesitated: “This…”
“If you don’t open the cell, how can I carry A’Yu out?”
True enough!
The jailer smiled awkwardly and unlocked the chains on the door.
Ji Yunshu prepared to enter but was pulled back by Jingrong behind her.
“I’ll go in first.”
It wasn’t a request—it was an order!
Ultimately, he was worried about this woman’s safety!
Pulling Ji Yunshu behind him, he entered first.
Inside the cell, the foul odor pervaded everything, stinging their eyes so much they could barely keep them open.
The two slowly approached Sister Yu, making no aggressive movements to prevent the woman from going berserk.
“Sister Yu.” Ji Yunshu called out softly.
No response.
Ji Yunshu took another step closer, bending down slightly and reaching her hand toward Sister Yu’s shoulder.
The moment those slender fingers touched Sister Yu’s shoulder, she suddenly turned her head.
Those bloodshot eyes glared fiercely.
It was hair-raising.
And in that moment, Ji Yunshu had already been sheltered behind Jingrong.
Both were startled by Sister Yu’s eyes!
“Sister Yu?”
“You’re all evil people—only he, only he treated me the best!”
Huh?
He?
Who was he?
Ji Yunshu had an ominous premonition stirring in her heart.
She asked aloud: “Who is he?”
Sister Yu laughed coldly, turned her gaze away, fixed it on her daughter, and began crying again.
“A’Yu, I’m sorry—Mother was wrong. Forgive Mother, you must forgive Mother.”
Ji Yunshu wouldn’t give up. She pushed Jingrong aside, crouched directly in front of Sister Yu, grabbed her arm, and continued asking: “Is there something else you haven’t said? Tell me, is there? Who is this ‘he’ you mentioned?”
Sister Yu laughed loudly, then took on a crazed appearance again, ignoring Ji Yunshu and hugging A’Yu in her arms even tighter.
She muttered repeatedly: “A’Yu, it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt at all—it’ll be over in a moment. My good A’Yu, Mother is sorry. Don’t be angry. Mother will sing you a hometown lullaby, and when I’m done singing, you won’t hurt anymore.”
“Sister Yu, A’Yu is already dead. If you know something, you must tell me. Sister Yu…”
“It doesn’t hurt anymore, it doesn’t hurt anymore—my A’Yu doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Sister Yu kept repeating these few phrases over and over.
Ji Yunshu gritted her teeth, reached out to take A’Yu, grasped her thin waist, and with a forceful pull of her arms, pulled toward herself.
The moment that force was secretly applied, Sister Yu became alert.
“What are you doing? She’s my A’Yu—don’t take my A’Yu away, don’t…”
Sister Yu’s eyes widened excitedly, her face contorted, holding A’Yu tightly, pressing her chin down on the child’s head, absolutely refusing to let go.
Ji Yunshu had just been secretly trying to snatch the child!
Even Jingrong standing to the side was stunned!
However, the attempt to take the child failed.
Jingrong reached out to pull her up from the ground while saying: “Don’t do this—she won’t listen to you. You’ll only hurt yourself.”
Ji Yunshu twisted away, avoiding his hand reaching to pull her.
No—she had to try again.
If force wouldn’t work, she’d try gentleness!
Her expression became grave. She took a deep breath and said slowly: “Sister Yu, I’m not trying to take A’Yu from you. I just want to take her to rest. Look, she’s already asleep. It’s very cold here—she’ll catch a chill. Give her to me, won’t you? I’ll hold her and let her rest, and then she won’t be cold.”
“No… no, A’Yu is mine, she’s mine…”
“Look, A’Yu is really very cold. She’s shivering. She doesn’t want to stay here. If you want what’s best for her, give her to me, alright?”
Sister Yu’s gaze wavered, somewhat hesitant. Her arms holding A’Yu also loosened slightly. Touching A’Yu’s face, she suddenly shuddered.
“Yes, my A’Yu is really very cold.”
“Will you let me hold her? When she wakes up, I’ll bring her back to see you.”
“Really?”
Ji Yunshu nodded: “Really. I promise—when she wakes up, I’ll bring her to you.”
But A’Yu would never wake up again!
After a moment of hesitation, Sister Yu finally let go.
The moment she released her, Ji Yunshu snatched A’Yu into her arms, stood up, and retreated several steps, afraid Sister Yu would regret it and fight her for the child!
But Sister Yu was very quiet. After releasing A’Yu, she just sat there in a daze, doing nothing, saying nothing more.
Extremely quiet!
As if A’Yu no longer existed in her world at this moment.
After retreating several steps, Ji Yunshu backed directly out of the cell. Once Jingrong followed her out, the jailer locked the cell.
Holding his nose, the jailer gave Ji Yunshu a thumbs up: “Master Ji, you’re amazing! We tried persuading her for ages and couldn’t get the child away.”
Ji Yunshu held the feather-light A’Yu. Though the foul stench was strong, she didn’t mind—instead, she felt deeply heartbroken.
“Give her to me.”
As Jingrong spoke, he took A’Yu from her hands.
Without the slightest hint of disgust.
The jailer didn’t recognize Jingrong, so naturally he wasn’t surprised. Instead, he pointed to the jailers’ rest area in the prison, saying: “We’ve laid out cloth over there. Just carry her there, and we’ll send her to the charity morgue later.”
Ordering a prince around—you must be tired of living!
Yet Jingrong wasn’t angry at all!
He carried A’Yu over and laid her on that white cloth.
Though Ji Yunshu was surprised by his actions, she was also somewhat moved. After he placed A’Yu on the white cloth, she wanted to thank him.
But inadvertently, she caught sight of A’Yu’s open palms.
She was somewhat shocked!
Without another word, she pulled both of A’Yu’s hands up and spread the palms flat.
The left palm was rather rough and covered with layers of calluses, with very prominent palm lines clearly visible.
But the right hand was different—it had few calluses, and the palm was soft and supple!
“A’Yu was left-handed!”
The moment she reached this conclusion, Ji Yunshu herself was startled.
Jingrong didn’t understand: “What do you mean?”
“Do you remember the positions of those twenty-plus knife wounds on Master Jiang’s skeletal remains?”
Thinking carefully: “Most were on the right side of the skeleton.” Pausing slightly, his brows furrowed: “You don’t think…”