“Master…” Qi Yeyun finally came to his senses, approaching Zhu Yan somewhat embarrassedly, scratching his head. “I just…”
“You should go back first.” Before Qi Yeyun could finish, Zhu Yan interrupted him and asked him to leave.
Qi Yeyun felt guilty, looking at Zhu Yan with unease. “Is Master angry? I shouted without understanding the situation. Master, I…”
“I’m not angry. I just have some things to discuss with your brother-in-law. You go back first.”
“Alright.”
Hearing this, Qi Yeyun reluctantly nodded and left, leaving only Zhu Yan and Shen Du in Furong Garden.
At this moment, all was quiet. Shen Du’s expression remained impassive, while Zhu Yan lowered her head as if pondering something.
At this point, Zhu Yan understood some things.
From the way Zhang Baohuan looked at Han Shiyuan, it was clear they knew each other. Her third brother-in-law had some connection to the palace.
This surprised Zhu Yan, and she also understood why Shen Du refused to save them.
But she had already spoken harsh words and even bit his hand. Would it be too undignified to apologize now?
As Zhu Yan was wondering how to begin, Shen Du spoke coldly, “Let’s go.”
With that, Shen Du left first, and Zhu Yan dared not say more, quickly following him.
Upon returning to Shen Manor, the first thing Zhu Yan did was to get some medicine and bandages from the pharmacy to treat the wound.
She couldn’t bring herself to apologize, but it was necessary to make amends for her mistake.
Zhu Yan carried a tray with both hands to Shen Du’s study, casually closing the door with her foot, and placed the medicine and bandages on the table.
“What are you doing?” Shen Du was reading a book and looked up in confusion at Zhu Yan’s sudden appearance.
Zhu Yan carefully poured the medicine onto the bandage, speaking with a guilty tone, “You were bitten but didn’t treat the wound. Come here quickly, let me bandage it for you.”
Hearing this, Shen Du glanced at the teeth marks on the back of his hand, the corner of his lips curling upward.
“It’s just a small wound, nothing to worry about.”
“If it gets infected, it won’t be good,” Zhu Yan insisted. “When I tell you to come over, just come over. Why give so many excuses?”
Shen Du still didn’t move, saying coldly, “The wound is on my body. If I say it’s fine, it’s fine. You don’t need to treat it.”
Seeing Shen Du still being stubborn, Zhu Yan put aside her pride. She brought the bandages and medicine to the desk, took the book from Shen Du’s hand without a word, and carefully began to bandage his wound.
“Winter is coming, and wounds don’t heal easily. If not treated quickly, it could easily get infected,” Zhu Yan said.
Looking at the deep teeth marks, her face flushed hot. Had she gone mad? How could she have bitten so hard?
Seeing Zhu Yan’s careful manner, the corner of Shen Du’s lips inexplicably curved upward. “So now you realize your mistake and come to atone?”
Hearing this, Zhu Yan felt uncomfortable. “What mistake? Couples often play fight. It’s just that this time it was a bit more serious. And you, getting injured and not knowing to bandage it yourself, making me come and do it.”
Zhu Yan’s twisted logic came easily, leaving Shen Du somewhat helpless. He let Zhu Yan apply the medicine, while his thoughts returned to today’s case.
“Today’s case is unusual, identical to the previous Buddha Swallowing Sins case. If you think carefully, you can draw this conclusion. But there’s one point I don’t understand.”
Zhu Yan finished bandaging Shen Du’s wound, her brows furrowing. “Thinking carefully, this case is indeed strange, but I’m more puzzled by my third brother-in-law’s reaction.”
“Oh?” Shen Du looked at Zhu Yan, puzzled. “Have you discovered something?”
While tidying up the medicine and bandages on the tray, Zhu Yan said, “I can’t say exactly, but Han Shiyuan’s attitude towards Zhang Baohuan was quite cold and distant. They know each other, so why pretend to be strangers? Are they deliberately avoiding something?”
“It’s understandable for people from the palace to pretend to be strangers,” Shen Du shared his view. “But one thing is indeed strange. If they know each other, and Zhang Baohuan saved both of them, why did Han Shiyuan seem so ungrateful?”
The cabinet files stated that the two knew each other, but Shen Du didn’t know the specifics of their relationship. What’s unknown is what they don’t want you to know.
Prompted by Shen Du, Zhu Yan now recalled that when Han Shiyuan was just rescued, Zhang Baohuan had already noticed him.
But his attitude towards Zhang Baohuan was very cold. After all, she had saved his life, and they had known each other before.
Even without any social connection, he should have shown gratitude. There must be some secret between these two.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yan was still puzzled. “This is just the beginning. There’s a lot we don’t know yet. Let’s investigate slowly. Anyway, Zhang Baohuan has handed the case to you now. Good luck with your investigation.”
Having said this, Zhu Yan had finished tidying everything up. Just as she was about to leave, Shen Du suddenly called out to her, “Where are you going?”
Zhu Yan turned back, puzzled. “Back to my room, of course. What else?”
“From what you’re saying, you don’t plan to get involved in this case?”
Shen Du deliberately asked, and Zhu Yan stopped in her tracks. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want me interfering in your business? Now that this case has been handed to you, I trust your abilities.”
“Heh…” Shen Du chuckled, his tone full of meaning. “As a Department Director, do you think it’s possible to stay uninvolved when a case occurs?”
Zhu Yan raised an eyebrow. “I never intended to stay uninvolved. You’ve been the one preventing me from investigating.”
Shen Du’s eyes darkened. “These are two separate cases, two different matters.”
Hearing this, Zhu Yan shrugged. “If that’s the case, I’ll go rest now. Good night, Grand Coordinator.”
With that, Zhu Yan walked straight out of the study.
Shen Du was speechless. This woman was going to make him laugh with anger. Who gave her such audacity to act so presumptuously?
At this moment, Shen Du seemed to notice something amiss. Why did the hand that Zhu Yan had treated now itch unbearably?
Shen Du unwrapped the bandage and discovered that many small bumps had appeared around the edges of the wound on the back of his hand!
This… was an allergic reaction?
Shen Du brought the bandage to his nose and sniffed it. Suddenly, a shocking thought flashed through his mind – this woman had applied the wrong medicine!
Despite this, Shen Du wasn’t angry. Instead, he let out a light chuckle. “This silly woman…”
Since it had happened, Shen Du naturally had to go find Zhu Yan for an explanation.
At this time, Zhu Yan had just finished washing up and was arranging her hair in front of a bronze mirror when there was a knock at the door.
Zhu Yan opened the door, looking somewhat surprised at Shen Du standing there.
Shen Du’s face was ashen, giving the impression he had come to demand an explanation. Had she done something wrong?