Chapter 227: Exposed

Fang Yuan hastily stopped him while panting, “Don’t! This is a horse carriage!”

“It doesn’t matter if this is a horse carriage! It’s not like this is the first time!” The man grunted, before flipping his body over with great urgency.

…

The horse carriage stopped outside the gates of the Fang residence half an hour later. Soon, Fang Yuan was finally seen walking out, her face flushed red and her eyes brimming with tides of spring as she tidied her disheveled hair.

Zhang Yun also alighted the horse carriage. He coughed lightly before walking towards the Fang residence, his face akin to a spring breeze.

After walking through the gates of the manor, the two of them headed towards the front courtyard. On the way there, the maidservants, nannies, servants, and gardeners all engaged in private conversations behind Zhang Yun’s back. They laughed discreetly, and when they saw Fang Yuan, their eyes were filled with even more scorn and disdain.

The two of them did not have an inkling on what was going on. They stepped into the reception room and realized that Madame Sun and Fang Mingtai were both present.

When she saw Zhang Yun, Madame Sun rose and went forward to welcome him heartily. “It’s a blistering day today! Are you feeling hot?”

After she said this, she turned around and instructed the servants, “Hurry up and serve Master Zhang some iced tea!”

Several maidservants were standing at the door, and they sounded an acknowledgment. However, when their eyes brushed at Zhang Yuan’s back, they burst out laughing. The sound of their laughter seemed to carry a hint of embarrassment.

“What are you all laughing for? What a lack of propriety! Hurry up and go!” Madame Sun reprimanded.

“Yes!” The maidservants lowered their heads and suppressed their laughter before walking out.

Before she even took a seat, Fang Yuan hastily stepped forward to report, “Mother, today, your daughter and Master Zhang went out for a joy ride on a boat and bumped into Elder Sister! Elder Sister… Elder Sister, she…”

She paused mid-sentence, as though she was finding difficulty in spitting the words out.

“What happened to your elder sister?” Fang Mingtai opened his mouth to ask.

“Elder Sister hooked up with a married man! Today, that man’s wife was also present, and she scolded Elder Sister for being a vixen and a shameless slut. She attracted the attention of all the people on the boat, and it was truly embarrassing!” Fang Yuan painted a vivid and colorful scenario, as though everything she mentioned was true.

“Impossible!” Fang Mingtai frowned and said, “Zhen’er is not that kind of person!”

“Your daughter saw it with her own eyes!” Fang Yuan immediately added.

Madame Sun pursed her lips and smiled dryly. “If Zhen’er seriously did this, then she has truly destroyed the Fang Family’s reputation,” she said. “A distinguished and dignified noble lady like her… will she have no choice but to be someone else’s concubine?”

“Zhen’er will not be a concubine! I also don’t believe that Zhen’er will do such a thing!” Fang Mingtai said solemnly.

“These kinds of things are hard to tell!” Madame Sun spoke in a tone that denoted her years of experience.

Fang Yuan turned her head to look at Zhang Yun. “Father, if you don’t believe it, then you can ask Master Zhang. He also witnessed it personally!”

“Yes, your son-in-law and Yuan’er saw the situation unfold on the boat!” As Zhang Yun said this, he turned and walked towards a chair at the side.

Fang Mingtai raised his head in anger, but suddenly, his eyes froze and landed on Zhang Yun’s back. He asked, “What is that hanging on your back?”

When Madame Sun heard this, she looked over, and her face instantly reddened. Behind Zhang Yun, a woman’s pink undergarment embroidered with mandarin ducks (1) was hanging on his belt. With every step he took, it swayed back and forth just like a curtain.

“Isn’t that Yuan’er’s?” Madame Sun finally asked.

When Fang Yuan saw it, she was so embarrassed that she wished she could just bury herself into an underground hole. The two of them found it extremely difficult to rein in their lust just now, and after smooching passionately for a while, the horse carriage reached its destination before they could conclude matters.

When the horse carriage was still moving, the bumpiness was still able to conceal their movements. The moment it stopped, however, it became obvious. Fearing that the maidservants would come over, Fang Yuan pushed Zhang Yun off in a panic.

After messing around, her undergarment had unknowingly caught onto Zhang Yun’s belt.

When she remembered that all the servants in the manor had seen them on the way in, Fang Yuan was so ashamed that she felt like hitting her head against the wall to kill herself.

The two of them had yet to wed, but they had done taboo things. If this was spread out, her reputation would be ruined, and even after marrying into the Zhang Family, she would still be mocked by others.

Fang Yuan scurried over and plucked the undergarment off Zhang Yun’s back. She was so ashamed that she did not dare to see her parent’s expressions. Instead, she lowered her head and ran out.

Zhang Yun also found the situation awkward. He stood there, at a complete loss of what to do.

Fang Mingtai slammed the teacup onto the table, flicked his sleeves, and walked out with a frosty expression.

“Your son… son-in-law will take his leave!” Zhang Yun conveyed, before turning around and scampering out.

Madame Sun continued to remain rooted in place, and her expression was unsightly. She hated her daughter for being so disappointing. She had originally come to report Fang Zhen’s circumstances, but ironically, she had stepped into a pile of sh*t herself.

Her eyes turned and Madame Sun summoned her trusted maidservant in, before whispering several words into her ear.

The maidservant sounded an acknowledgment while nodding her head.

Very soon, word that the Fang Family’s Miss was caught seducing a married man spread far and wide. With someone fanning the flames in the background, the story became more and more twisted as it passed on. Fang Yuan and Zhang Yun’s scandal was soon suppressed by the gossip surrounding the Eldest Miss of the Fang Family.

After disembarking the boat, Su Jiu and Qiao An went their separate ways back home.

When she arrived at the Ji Manor, the sky was already dark. Upon stepping into the inner courtyard, Mo Yu went forward to receive her with a smile. “Young Mistress, you have returned! The Eldest Master is waiting for you to have dinner!”

Su Jiu sounded an acknowledgment, before returning to her room to wash up and change her clothes. Afterward, she walked towards the dining room.

When she pushed open the door, the man was sitting on a chair, with a hand propping up his temples as he read a book. When he realized that she had returned, he turned his eyes and flashed a faint smile. “You lost track of time after going out. Are you hungry?”

Under the yellowish lantern light that eluded warmth, Su Jiu stepped in. When she was in the Ji Manor back then, Ji Yuxian would always be waiting for her whenever she returned late.

Two years had passed, and it appeared as though nothing had changed.

Su Jiu walked over and sat on the man’s thigh. Her arms hooked around his neck, and she smiled brightly like a blooming flower. “I encountered an interesting scene today.”

“What interesting scene? Tell me about it!” The man’s almond eyes were warm and gentle, and his lips were curled into a smile. He extended an arm and pinched the girl’s fair and tender cheeks, caressing it fondly.

Su Jiu recounted everything, from how she had accompanied Qiao An on a joy ride in a boat, to how she had bumped into the Fang sisters.

“Fang Family?” A glint flashed past Ji Yuxian’s eyes. He said nonchalantly, “Fang Mingtai is an official under the imperial censor, but he has not made any major contributions. Even after serving as an official for a few dozen years, he is only a seventh-ranked Secretary General.”

Ji Yuxian’s eyes deepened. He slightly lifted his head and took possession of her soft lips, slowly savoring them. “There’s no need to rush things. As long as two people are fated, they will end up walking together,” he continued, his voice seductive and mesmerizing.

“Mm!” Su Jiu mumbled. “But the Second Miss of the Fang Family and Zhang Yun are both despicable!”

“Your husband will help you vent your anger!”

Ji Yuxian kissed her and held her waist, helping her to stand up. They then walked towards the dining table and took their seats. Under the candlelight, the depths of his almond eyes were hidden and carried a trace of desire. “Eat first! we still have things to do after dinner.”

“What things?” Su Jiu’s pink lips were now swollen as a result of his kissing. Spring water rippled in her eyes as she stared straight at him.

“We have a mission to produce a son!” the man said in a deadpan manner.

Su Jiu burst out laughing, and she bit the man’s lips. “Is it okay if you let me rest for one night?”

The man forcefully returned the kiss. “Your period is coming tomorrow. You can rest the next day.”

Su Jiu stared at him in shock. “How did you know?”

Ji Yuxian smiled faintly. “Naturally, your husband remembers when it comes.”

Su Jiu’s pupils constricted. “What if it doesn’t come tomorrow?”

Ji Yuxian frowned. “Then it means our mission was a success.”

“Why does it look as though my husband isn’t very happy?” Su Jiu crooked her head and asked with a smirk.

Ji Yuxian’s Adam’s apple undulated. “After getting a taste of the meat, I’ll need to go vegetarian for another ten months. Should your husband be happy or not?”

Su Jiu could not help but giggle. “Then, do you want us to succeed or not?”

“I want us to!” Ji Yuxian trailed kisses on her, his voice husky as he said, “But it’ll be best if you let your husband eat meat for a few more months. Once I get past this addiction, then we can succeed.”

“Husband, why don’t you take in a concubine? That way, my husband will have meat to eat all the time!” The way Su Jiu looked when her eyes curved into a smile was very adorable.

“I don’t want to! Your husband is very picky about his food. I’d rather go without,” the man immediately responded.

Only then did Su Jiu’s smile finally contain a few traces of sincerity. She whispered in his ear, “The food is getting cold, so let’s eat. Don’t stuff yourself too much, I’ll let you have a feast later on!”

The man’s breathing immediately became ragged. He was annoyed that he could not just carry the girl in his arms away to relish his feast right then and there.

However, it would be better if he fed his woman first. He could not let her suffer from an empty stomach.

When they ate, they were already used to doing without any servants attending at their sides. Ji Yuxian refilled a bowl of black chicken herbal soup and fed it to her.

Su Jiu pinched her nose and reclined on his shoulders. She said coquettishly, “I’m not drinking this!”

“Be good!” The man’s voice was doting. “You need to nourish yourself before your period comes.”

“Who said that?”

“Old Gu said that!”

Su Jiu gaped at him in shock. “You ask Old Gu about stuff like this?”

Ji Yuxian’s beautiful eyes blinked. “It’s for the sake of my wife! Your husband doesn’t find it embarrassing!”

Su Jiu gritted her teeth and glanced at him. “But I do!”

“You belong to your husband, you can’t be thrown out!” (2)The man grinned and brought the spoon into her mouth.

At night, Su Jiu was tormented a total of three times. Before she fell asleep, she suddenly remembered that Ji Yuxian was afraid that they would succeed, and hence chose to eat his fill in advance.

The next day, Su Jiu’s period came right on the dot.

The man’s delighted appearance made Su Jiu feel as though the matter of producing a child was not that important to Ji Yuxian.

After two days, the Second Miss of the Fang Family, Fang Yuan, passed by the Drunken Joy Pavilion while being on the streets.

To emphasize their nobility and dignity, every time the daughters of influential families passed by such establishments, they would intentionally plaster an expression of disdain on their faces.

The Second Miss of the Fang Family was not an exception. She had been leaning against the windows of the carriage, enjoying the cool breeze and watching the pedestrians on the streets when she suddenly caught sight of the Drunken Joy Pavilion. She immediately drew the bamboo curtains and flipped her head to the other side.

However, her maidservant said, “Miss, take a look over there! Isn’t that Master Zhang’s horse carriage?”

“Where?” The Second Miss of the Fang Family asked in surprise.

“At the gates of the Drunken Joy Pavilion!”

The Second Miss of the Fang Family stood up with a whoosh.

She ordered the carriage driver to park at the opposite, before parting the curtains to have a look. Sure enough, it was the horse carriage that Zhang Yun would use when he went out. The carriage driver sitting in front was also the manservant that would follow Zhang Yun wherever he went.

Zhang Yun was here to drink with courtesans!

The Second Miss of the Fang Family was so upset that she almost exploded right where she was!

The two families had already started to discuss marriage, and she had heard her mother mention that the wedding date was most likely going to be fixed the following month.

Usually, she would endure her feelings of jealousy when Zhang Yun’s eyes wandered towards Fang Zhen, but he dared to solicit prostitutes during this time!

The Second Miss of the Fang Family stormed into the Drunken Joy Pavilion, intending to catch the cheating man red-handed.

After spending ten taels, she easily obtained information about Zhang Yun’s room. When she pushed open the door, the scene in the room caused her innocent little maidservant to flush red.

The Second Miss of the Fang Family took big strides over and swept the bed curtains aside. Two people on the bed stared at her, completely naked.

She had caught an adulterer in bed. If the Second Miss of the Fang Family was ambitious, she would have slapped Zhang Yun and gone back to rescind the marriage after going back.

However, the Second Miss of the Fang Family could not bear to lose Zhang Yun. Hence, she vented all her fury on the girl under Zhang Yun instead.

In her opinion, Zhang Yun would not have come to this type of place if it was not for that girl’s seduction.

To her, there was a high possibility that the girl had stood at the gates of the Drunken Joy Pavilion and forcefully dragged Zhang Yun inside.

Hence, the more Fang Yuan mulled over this, the more viciously she beat the girl up.

However, that girl had a feisty personality, and even though she had to fight while putting on her clothes at the same time, she was not at a disadvantage.

The two of them fought inside the room, before continuing outside. Alas, the Second Miss of the Fang Family’s prowess was inferior to that of the prostitute. Her face was scratched, and her clothes were torn. She could only sit on the floor and wail.

Zhang Yun realized that things were not looking good, and he stealthily found an opportunity to slip away.

When the prostitute saw that Zhang Yun had fled, however, she called over some of her sisters with decent fighting skills, and they began to throw punches and kicks at Fang Yuan.

And on that day, the Fang Family and the Zhang Family became infamous.

There were rumors that Fang Mingtai fainted in anger, and took court leave for three consecutive days.

Everyone assumed that the Fang Family would make a huge fuss with the Zhang Family to rescind the marriage agreements, but strangely, both families remained quiet on the matter. This made the gossiping commoners extremely disappointed.

Naturally, only the people in the Fang Family knew why the families had to reconcile.

Meanwhile, Su Jiu sat in the commercial house, her nimble fingers fiddling with the abacus. She was in a good mood.

Ji Yuxian told her that he would help her vent her anger. Sure enough, he had made a move.

But Su Jiu was very curious as to how Ji Yuxian managed to do it.

As she was making wild guesses, a servant came in to report, “Master Jiu, the Buyi Medical Hall opposite has sent a letter of invitation.”

Su Jiu received the letter, opened it, and skimmed through the contents. She realized that Wu Yi had invited her for an afternoon meal. The reason he gave was that neighbors along the same street should have more interactions together.

Su Jiu gripped the thin piece of paper. A glint flashed past her eyes as she smiled. “Go back and tell Master Wu that I’ll be right on time at noon!” she instructed.

“Yes!” the servant sounded an acknowledgment before taking his leave.

Su Jiu tidied up the accounts until noon. She retrieved a vat of wine from the commercial house and walked over to the opposite side.

When she went in, Wu Yi just so happened to be sending off his last patient. When he saw Su Jiu enter, he flashed a bright smile. “The Mistress has honored us with his presence. It is a great privilege!”

Yan Shu walked over from the back of the counter, with a veil covering her face. “The dishes have already been prepared. This way, Mistress!”

Ever since Su Jiu encountered this girl, she had never once removed her veil. On this day, she was going to have a good look. Would the girl remove the veil during a meal?

In the dining hall in the rear courtyard, the servants had already arranged the dishes. Three of them took their seats, and Su Jiu placed the jar of wine she brought onto the table. She smiled while saying, “As the saying goes, proper behavior is based on reciprocity. You guys have invited me for a meal, and so I shall treat you to the wine.”

Yan Shu smiled and replied, “Mistress, we have invited you for a meal to thank the Ji Manor for taking care of us master and disciple in Shengjing over the past few days. Moreover, it is to show my gratefulness to you for personally bandaging me in the mine shaft that day. I wanted to find an opportunity to properly convey my thanks!”

After this, Yan Shu picked up a cup of wine that had already been prepared on the table and said to Wu Yi, “Master, let’s toast a cup to the Mistress together!”

“Mistress, a toast!” Wu Yi lifted the wine cup towards Su Jiu, with a faint smile on his face.

The man’s visage was ordinary, but every time he smiled, it was breathtaking.

Su Jiu raised her head and took a swig of wine. At the same time, her eyes darted towards Yan Shu.

Yan Shu slowly lifted a layer of the veil, only to reveal another layer of muslin underneath, with a hole at the area in front of her mouth. She brought the wine cup to her lips and slowly took a sip.

Su Jiu was baffled.

What on earth was the reason why this girl refused to reveal her true appearance? She had concealed herself so thoroughly.

“Mistress, have a taste of this cherry apple crab. How does it taste? This was the first dish that I learned to make when I arrived in Shengjing!” Yan Shu earnestly picked up the dish for Su Jiu with her chopsticks.

“I heard that the Qingxin Tavern along this street was opened by you, Mistress. The dishes at the Qingxin Tavern are top-rated within Shengjing! Your palate must naturally be very fastidious!” Wu Yi complimented with a faint smile.

Apart from the rarely seen temper tantrum that he threw at the mine that day, he was usually courteous and gentle.

Su Jiu sampled a few dishes, and they did not taste bad.

“One day, I’ll treat Master Wu and Lady Yan to the Qingxin Tavern for a drink!” Su Jiu said.

“If it’s your invitation, I will always be available!”

They drank for half an hour. When the bottom of the wine jar could be seen, Su Jiu felt her mind becoming a little groggy. She could see Wu Yi and Yan Shu’s lips parting, and they appeared to be having a conversation. However, she could not discern what they were talking about. In the end, she could not even make out their faces. Her mouth closed, and her entire figure slumped onto the table.

“Mistress, you’re drunk!” Yan Shu said.

“Then carry her inside!” Wu Yi added.

“Then I must trouble my master to shut the doors of the shop!” Yan Shu said politely.

“Nicely said! My disciple is so polite!” Wu Yi stood up.

The two people got up, with one supporting a figure and the other walking away to close the shop doors.

After the time it would take to brew a cup of tea, inside a secret room in the rear courtyard, Su Jiu was lying atop a bed of ice, in deep sleep.

Yan Shu stroked Su Jiu’s face and sighed. “Tsk tsk! Such a devastating beauty. What a pity…”

Wu Yi carefully wiped a long and sharp knife. He said with a smirk, “You want her life, and yet you’re still here shedding crocodile tears.”

“Every single person loves and appreciates beauty. Master, have you never felt anything for this girl?” Yan Shu lifted her head slightly and glanced at Wu Yi.

Wu YI’s peach blossom eyes glanced apathetically at the person on the bed. “It’s just a bag of skin. Your master has already seen all kinds of beauty under the heavens. Why would I be attracted to her little bit of good looks?”

Yan Shu giggled, before restoring her composure as she asked, “Are the arrangements to leave Shengjing complete?”

Killing Su Jiu was easy, but the Ji Manor and the Dragon Conqueror Gang behind her would not be easy to deal with. Hence, they needed to have all measures in place.

“Don’t fret. Ji Yuxian will only discover Su Jiu’s body tomorrow morning at the earliest. After we kill her, we will immediately leave Shengjing. I have already prepared fast steeds outside the city. We will head west.”

“Why must we head west?” Yan Shu asked. “Even if we go straight to the Eastern Sea and board a ship, Ji Yuxian may not be able to catch up with us.”

Wu Yi glanced at her, as though she was an idiot. “Ji Yuxian won’t be able to catch up, but the influence of the Ji Manor encompasses the entire Daliang. Before we even manage to find a boat at the Eastern Sea, Ji Yuxian’s men would already have blocked the entire port. Hence, we must head west, as this will be out of Ji Yuxian’s expectations. Following this, we will take a detour to Northern Xinjiang, traverse Yanyun Pass, and then take a boat to the Zizi River to reach the Eastern Sea. From there, we can head back to Jinli Country!”

Although the detours would lengthen their journey, this was still the safest option.

Yan Shu contemplated for a moment, before nodding her head. “Then, we can only do it this way!”

“Take the object out!” Wu Yi ordered.

Yan Shu turned around and retrieved a glass jar from a brocade box. It was as big as a palm, and through the semi-transparent glass, a vague shadow resembling a glossy ganoderma could be seen. It was wiggling incessantly within the jar.

After opening the lid, a rotting stench immediately wafted out, and a mouth sprouted on that “carnivorous glossy ganoderma.” The mouth opened and parted, just like a newly hatched chick crying piteously for food.

Yan Shu noticed the blade that Wu Yi had placed on Su Jiu’s slender wrist. She asked, “Do you need all her blood?”

“Mm!” Wu Yi replied expressionlessly.

Yan Shu frowned. When she saw Su Jiu’s tightly shut eyes, she felt a little hesitant. However, in the end, she still placed the jar under her arm.

The narrow blade that Wu Yi had sharpened slowly sliced towards Su Jiu’s artery.

Just when the blade came into contact with the girl’s skin, however, the sleeping girl suddenly bounded up. Her wrists flicked as she grabbed onto Wu Yi’s hand. The blade rapidly slashed towards Wu Yi’s neck.

Before the shock could even subside, the blade had already flashed right in front of Wu Yi as he was squatting on the floor. His reaction time was quick, and he leaped backward. He then stretched his arm out and aimed at the acupuncture points on Su Jiu’s hand. When she dodged, he swiftly shifted his body away.

Yan Shu also retreated to a corner while hugging the jar.

Su Jiu sat up on the ice bed and stretched out her arm to brush the hems of her dress. Her countenance was clear and outstanding as she said with a smirk, “So it turns out that the two of you are here for my blood.”

Yan Shu, however, asked with shock, “How did you wake up?”

When they were eating, she saw very clearly that Su Jiu finished all the wine, which had been tainted with anesthetic drugs, without spitting it out.

If she had faked losing consciousness, Wu Yi would have been able to tell.

Wu Yi also gawked at her, bewildered.

Su Jiu quirked her brows and said, “You must find this very strange, so let this master clarify your doubts! I predicted that the two of you had come to Shengjing with a motive. Previously, Yan Shu had failed to use the Glass of Ten Thousand Eyes to control me, and I knew that you guys would have even more ideas up your sleeves. There was a high possibility that you would use hallucinogens. Hence, I asked Old Gu for the antidote in advance, and I placed the antidote between my teeth just now. Right before I fainted, I bit the pill, I just regained consciousness now!”

They had already been exposed, and Yan Shu no longer needed to keep up the pretense. She stared coldly at Su Jiu and questioned, “Since you suspected us, why did you still accept our invitation for a meal?”

“If I didn’t come, how would I find out what both of you were up to?” Su Jiu’s eyes were radiating frost.

“It doesn’t matter if you found out. You won’t be able to leave today!” Wu Yi spat out curtly. He waved his sleeves towards Su Jiu.

The concentration of vital energy thickened as he rushed directly towards Su Jiu.

Su Jiu never imagined this quack doctor to be so skilled in martial arts. She spun her body and waved her palms, sending a strike towards Wu Yi’s neck.

Wu Yi’s pupils became slightly cold and were emitting killing intent. His gentle demeanor from before could no longer be seen, and every move he made was brutal and ruthless, each with the potential to be a killing strike.

Within that short period, the two of them exchanged dozens of moves inside that tiny secret room. It was difficult to discern who had the upper hand.

Their robes fluttered, and their shadows were like a phantom mirage. The two of them appeared to have met each other’s match, and the more they fought, the more excited they became.

Time slowly trickled by. Yan Shu said with a frown, “Master, time is tight!”

Wu Yi furrowed his brows. Suddenly, the layers of true essence shrouding his body thickened dramatically. He struck out at the center of the ice bed, causing it to shatter instantly. The surroundings were covered in ice and snow, which flew powerfully towards Su Jiu.

The air was blanketed with shards of ice, and there was no place to hide. Su Jiu sneered and leaped up, and her figure was as light as a feather as she flew right through the ice crystals. Her outstretched arm was like a mirage as the ice crystals started to condense within her palm, forming countless balls of ice. A slingshot suddenly appeared in her hand, and with a forceful tug, an ice ball shot towards Yan Shu at lightning speed, who was hugging the jar in the corner.

The momentum of the ice ball drew in the ice and snow in the air, before howling straight at her. If it managed to hit Yan Shu, the jar would shatter, and her entire body would be punctured like a sieve.

Wu Yi’s expression changed slightly. The narrow knife in his hand shot out and crashed into the ice ball, immediately disintegrating it and causing an explosion akin to that of the blast of a cannon.

Yan Shu gasped in shock and stumbled backward.

Before they could catch their breath, however, the second ball of ice had already been shot out.

Wu Yi knew that they would not be able to catch Su Jiu that day. He grabbed Yan Shu’s hand and broke down the door before running out.

Su Jiu chased after them, but their shadows had already vanished.

Behind her, snowflakes started to fall silently. The wooden door was shattered, and the floor was in a complete mess. Su Jiu stood in place, her entire shrouded in frost as her lips cracked into a faint smile. She sauntered out leisurely.

She knew that they would undoubtedly return next time!

The moment Su Jiu stepped out of the doors of the medical hall, she bumped into Ji Yuxian, who was about to walk in. When he saw her walk out safe and sound, his crumpled face immediately relaxed again.

When he saw the slingshot in her hand, Ji Yuxian narrowed his eyes and asked, “Where are Wu Yi and his disciple?”

“They fled!” Su Jiu answered.

Ji Yuxian’s forehead wrinkled slightly. He extended an arm and brushed off an ice crystal on her forehead. “What do they want?” he asked dryly.

“My blood!” Su Jiu’s eyes were lucent and clear as she spoke slowly.

Ji Yuxian’s brows knitted even more. “Did they mention why they needed your blood?”

Su Jiu shook her head. “They took out a jar, and there seemed to be some sort of blood-sucking creature inside. I’m not sure what they want to do.”

Ji Yuxian’s almond eyes turned, and he held Su Jiu’s hand. “I will deploy people to scour the entire city. Since they have not achieved their goal, they probably won’t leave Shengjing.”

It appeared as though they had already fixed their eyes on Su Jiu on their first meeting.

Su Jiu nodded her head slowly. “Don’t worry! They won’t be able to catch me!”

“You can’t be careless! Over the next few days, you should not leave the manor on your own. I’ll delegate another two people to protect you by your side!” Ji Yuxian raised his hand and stroked Su Jiu’s face, his heart still lingering with fear. If only he could tie her to his side every day for 12 hours!

Su Jiu grinned. “You don’t need to. I’m used to moving around alone. If you send two people to follow me, it’s like keeping surveillance on me.”

A helpless sigh came out of Ji Yuxian’s thin lips. “Then, you must be more cautious!” He grasped Su Jiu’s hands tightly.

“I will!” Su Jiu’s eyes squinted as she smiled while hugging Ji Yuxian’s arm.

The man casually wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her up. “Are you going home?”

Su Jiu shook her head. “There are still some matters to attend to at the trading company.”

“Let me follow you!” The man did not care that they were on the streets. He lowered his head and planted a kiss between her brows. After that, he held her hands as they walked back to the opposite side.

(1) Mandarin ducks symbolize a happy couple.

(2) A Chinese pun, embarrassment is equivalent to “throwing one’s face away.”