Yu Jin waited for her answer with an almost reverent anticipation. He approached her cautiously, step by step, having wanted to ask this question for a long time. If she was willing, he would overcome any obstacle in their path to marriage. If she wasn’t—he would naturally wait until she was.
Yu Jin asked the question lightly, but after her initial shock, Jiang Si’s face turned pale with anger. He was trying to coax her into nodding in confusion, just like in her previous life. But back then, she at least had the status of the Wumiao Holy Maiden, while now she was merely a young lady from an Earl’s manor who had recently broken off an engagement.
If she nodded, could he truly marry her as his princess with a grand wedding procession? This thought flashed through Jiang Si’s mind, and her head became increasingly clear. In this life, she wouldn’t allow him to take advantage of her again.
“I’m not willing. Please don’t make such jokes again, Young Master Yu,” Jiang Si raised her hand, wiping her forehead where he had kissed her with the back of her hand.
For a moment, she thought she saw the light in the young man’s eyes suddenly dim, but it might have been her imagination. When she looked again, he appeared as calm and unruffled as ever.
“Forced melons aren’t sweet. Since Miss Jiang is unwilling for me to take responsibility, let’s forget about it and continue our previous topic,” Yu Jin said nonchalantly.
“Speak frankly, Young Master Yu. You witnessed my actions tonight, what do you intend to do?” The sudden kiss had confused Jiang Si’s heart; she felt that the person before her exuded danger from head to toe.
“I want to know Miss Jiang’s plans going forward.”
This girl was incredibly bold, daring to come to a strange place in the dead of night to play tricks. Who knew what shocking things she might do next?
“I will go to the temple to burn incense and pray for those innocent women who died tragically.”
“Is that all?”
“That’s all. My Second Brother will accompany me then, so Young Master Yu need not worry.”
Jiang Si had no intention of seeking Yu Jin’s help. Since she had decided to stay far away from him in this life, it wouldn’t be right to ask for his assistance when facing troubles.
“Is Miss Jiang certain that Official Zhen will seek justice for Miss Xiu?”
Jiang Si smiled, “There’s a saying: do your best and leave the rest to fate. I’ve done what I can.”
“Official Zhen is a scholar of the classics. He may not believe in ghosts and spirits.”
“A truly good official who serves the people would rather believe such things exist in cases like this.”
That’s why she needed to make a trip to Lingwu Temple, to find the family of another victim. When people came to accuse the Marquis Changxing’s heir consecutively, and for the same matter, even those who didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits would waver.
“It seems Miss Jiang has great confidence in Official Zhen.”
Hearing these words, Jiang Si felt emotional. To be honest, her confidence in Official Zhen came from the man standing before her. She had to admit, that although this man had played with her feelings, he made her feel at ease in other aspects. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fallen for him…
“I should go back now. I hope Young Master Yu will keep his word and not mention tonight’s events to my Second Brother.”
Yu Jin followed her out.
Jiang Si paused her steps, “Young Master Yu needn’t see me off.”
Yu Jin smiled and pointed to the large dog lying in the courtyard, “Let Er-niu escort you back.”
Er-niu came over, sniffing Jiang Si’s hand pleadingly.
Jiang Si was silent for a moment, then nodded.
Yu Jin stood motionless in the courtyard, watching Jiang Si walk away with Er-niu’s company. He looked down at his hand, recalling the scene of the young lady wiping her forehead.
She seemed to despise him even more than he had imagined. It was truly an unpleasant feeling.
Yu Jin took out a handkerchief and pressed it against the wound on his palm where his nails had pierced the skin. The snow-white cloth quickly became stained with blood.
The night deepened.
Er-niu returned and, seeing Yu Jin still standing in the courtyard, excitedly approached him, circling.
Yu Jin reached out and tugged at Er-niu’s ears, sighing, “How is it that I’m not as likable as you?”
Truly, humans were worse than dogs!
Er-niu whimpered twice and tucked its tail. Was it a crime to be likable? It was innocent!
In Haitang Residence, A-Qiao kept checking the water clock, pacing anxiously. It was so late, why hadn’t the young miss returned? Had something happened? She shouldn’t have allowed the young miss to act recklessly with A-Man!
Just as A-Qiao was regretting for the hundredth time, there was finally a sound at the door.
A-Qiao rushed out, almost flying, to welcome Jiang Si and A-Man inside.
“Young Miss, you scared me to death,” A-Qiao looked Jiang Si up and down, and seeing she was unharmed, burst into tears.
Jiang Si patted A-Qiao’s arm comfortingly, “It’s alright, nothing happened. Is the hot water ready?”
A-Qiao nodded repeatedly. The last time the young miss returned in the middle of the night, she had bathed. She had experience now. Heaven forbid this experience would be needed again in the future.
Immersed in the steaming bathtub, Jiang Si was too exhausted to even move her fingertips. This fatigue wasn’t due to Miss Xiu’s matter but stemmed from that man.
To Yu Qi, she was a substitute for his deceased lover. Upon suddenly discovering her existence, he would go to any lengths to obtain her, to fill the void in his heart.
But for her, he was the only man she had ever loved, the husband she had lived with lovingly for a year.
How could she possibly gain the upper hand in their encounters, given their circumstances?
How pathetic!
Jiang Si covered her face with both hands and slowly sank into the water, feeling frustrated.
The next day, a scream broke the tranquility of Wang Family Village.
Most people in Wang Family Village had the surname Wang, all descending from the same ancestor. Naturally, the village head was also surnamed Wang.
Village Head Wang’s house was the only one in the village built with blue bricks and large tiles. Last year, after his first wife died, he married a young widow from a neighboring village, barely eighteen or nineteen years old.
Early this morning, when the young wife opened the door to empty a basin of water, she saw a bare white bottom. She directly splashed the water onto that white bottom, followed by a high-pitched scream that attracted all the neighbors to come and watch.
“Oh my, isn’t that Gou Sheng, the old bachelor from the west end of the village?”
They were all from the same village; did he think they wouldn’t recognize him just because he was stripped naked?
“Heavens, why is there a cut on Gou Sheng’s bottom? Could it be that he had designs on the village head’s young wife and was slashed by the village head?”
Village Head Wang listened to the villagers’ discussions with a livid face. In the long days to come, he would punish the old bachelor who lay naked at his doorstep playing the hooligan, over and over again.
Amidst such a lively morning, no one noticed the girl once praised as the village’s beauty, the tofu seller, quietly leaving the village with a small bundle. It wasn’t until several days later that someone belatedly realized the mad woman who had lost her daughter hadn’t been seen for a long time.
Jiang Si got up early to pay her respects to Old Madam Feng, then returned to Haitang Residence for a nap. It was nearly noon when she finally opened her eyes.
A-Man brought good news: “Young Miss, A-Fei has returned.”