Chapter 427 - Guardian
Pei mansion.
"Sorry. I failed." Shi Jiu apologetically smiled and scratched his cheek, feeling embarrassed. "I can't find a good opportunity to talk alone with Li Huchong." He sighed.
Their drinking buddies are all groupies, as well as Li Huchong, so naturally, he can't find a chance to talk with Li Huchong about the Pei family and execute his plan.
"It's alright. Li Huchong is living in Anchuan, so you can try talking with him later when he returns home after the prayer." Yi Bing said.
Only the guests from faraway are currently staying in the Pei mansion. Meanwhile, the four of them was invited to stay because of Pei Li. Since they are a family member's guests, even if she's just a child, but it is just polite to invite the,.
"Thanks." Shi Jiu grinned.
"I'm sorry!" Jiu Ye also apologized. "The priestess was only talking with the people. She didn't find any clue, and I can't guess what she is thinking, so…" he lowered his head in shame.
"It's not your fault." Huo Ling spoke, then paused. "Of course, it wasn't the priestess's, too. She might be planning to start her investigation by creating a good impression with the people? You know, to get one's heart, you must first open their chest and dig it out… ehem. I'm just joking!" he said when he saw Yi Bing's gaze on him.
Jiu Ye's heavy expression because of failure really eased after hearing Huo Ling's words. He looked at him, his eyes are filled with gratitude. "I will do my best!" he said and foolishly laughed to hide his embarrassment, although his words are filled with determination.
Yi Bing, Huo Ling and Shi Jiu know that although Jiu Ye was sometimes slow, but he is diligent. Thus, they have faith in him.
"How about you two? Did you find a clue?" Shi Jiu asked.
"Yes." Yi Bing calmly nodded. "Let's talk about it later." He told them.
"Okay." Shi Jiu answered, and then the four of them focused on the funeral. Suddenly, they noticed something.
The priest has already arrived but Pei Tingsong still didn't appear. Even though he is sick, but it's just a cold. At present, no one in the family is sick except him, so their family doctors should be focusing on him. Yet, a day has already passed but he is still sick. Pei Tingming has already asked Pei Ru to treat Pei Tingsong, and Li hua begged her.
But. Pei Ru still is obstinate. For the sake of his son, and his crying concubine, Pei Tingming asked Pei Tingping to make Pei Ru relent and just take a look at Pei Tingsong's condition. Finally, Pei Ru agreed. She's still a doctor, after all, and she has an obligation to save anyone's life, no matter how disgusting or vile they are.
"Pei Ru is already here yet Pei Tingsong still isn't." Jiu Ye spoke as he looked around at everyone present. "Even if they are half-brothers, but aren't Pei Tingsong and Pei Tinghe more like brothers than Pei Tinghe and Pei Tingyi? So, why is Pei Tingsong missing in Pei Tinghe's funeral?" he asked. "Even if he doesn't want to attend, but he should've for the sake of his late younger sister, right?" he added.
Pei Tinghe and Pei Tingting died in succession, and only one funeral can be held, so naturally, it'll be Pei Tinghe's. Not only did Pei Tinghe die first, but he's also a child of the main wife, and more so a son.
Pei Tingting really lost a lot here. Her funeral can only be held on the second week after Pei Tinghe's funeral, since the family has to observe a one-week break between funerals, or misfortune will befall on them, as if it already hasn't.
Because Pei Tingting's funeral will be held a long time later after her death, Li Hua is very distressed. Her dear daughter, hers and Pei Tingming's only daughter, doesn't deserve this treatment, more especially after her death! And so, her hate towards Sun Ri increased.
"He must be very ill, I think." Huo Ling guessed. "Because Pei Tingting can't have a funeral right away, she is treating Pei Tinghe's funeral as her daughter's, albeit it is very disrespectful to the dead. She must've told Pei Tingsong about this, albeit Pei Tingsong could think of this method by himself, given how crafty he, who is bellyful of dark schemes." He explained.
Shi Jiu and Jiu Ye nodded, agreeing to what he said. This pair of mother and son should have black hearts, so the son definitely couldn't not have thought of this method, added to the fact that Li Hua must have told him this. Yet, in the end, Pei Tingsong didn't come. This proves that he is unable to come.
Although, with the successive deaths in the Pei family, they first thought that Pei Tingsong has died, but it obviously isn't the case because the Pei family still looks calm. Even though Li Hua's face is pale and she looked exhausted, but her eyes held no panic. So, Pei Tingsong must be ill. Although his illness might not be currently curable, but his condition must be a bit better.
"Huo Ling." Yi Bing called. "Try to get contact with Pei Ru before dinner and ask her about Pei Tingson's condition." He told him.
Since they can't get any more information of Xiao Hualing from Pei Ru because she left the Pei family during that time, then, they can only get information from her about the other members of the Pei family.
Huo Ling also knows this and he nodded. "Yes. I understand." He said.
"Shi Jiu, you, too." Yi Bing spoke. "Try to establish a contact with Li Huchong after the funeral." He said.
There is still some time before the dusk when the funeral ended. During that time, the cooks are already preparing their dinner while the guests can chat before they return to their rooms and found their warm dinner has already been served. As to why the Pei family and the guests can eat dinner altogether like during the breakfast and lunch, it's because their chat might take a long time due to unexpected topics and so their dinner will delay and might finish when it's already sundown.
"I will." Shi Jiu answered.
"What about me?" Jiu Ye asked as he pointed himself.
Since Ji Qiuxin doesn't know she's being followed by Jiu Ye, Jiu Ye naturally can't just suddenly talk to her. They don't have a common topic between them, and Ji Qiuxin, although the priestess that can't ever marry, still maintains a proper distance between her and men, and rarely talks to them. So, Jiu Ye only have Pei Li to talk to later after the funeral.
Yi Bing glanced at him. "Play with the little girl." He answered.
"Why?" Jiu Ye asked.
"It's because of her that we are able to stay here and makes contact with these people, deriving some information from them." Yi Bing answered. "Maintain this friendship with the little girl. Don't make her feel dissatisfied." He told him.
Jiu Ye's expression changed. "Yes!" he answered, feeling a very heavy responsibility is weighing on his shoulders.
In fact, befriending Pei Li is really a heavy task. Not only do they have to maintain a constant interaction with the little girl, but they also have to be careful not to offend her. A child's temper is very unpredictable, only second to a woman's temper. So, Jiu Ye's task is no less difficult than Huo Ling and Shi Jiu.
Shi Jiu smiled, feeling satisfied of Jiu Ye's situation. This way, not only can Jiu Ye become more mature by weighing his responsibilities, he can also gain more experience. He also would become braver and more confident to face any kind of situations. But, one of the best things about Jiu Ye is he's always humble. That's why Shi Jiu is very assured of him.
Yi Bing and Huo Ling also thought of this after they secretly observed Jiu Ye the past days and they feel happy not only for Jiu Ye, but also for Shi Jiu, since this is what Shi Jiu wanted to see from Jiu Ye – to become competent and reliable.
Raising a child is never easy. Raising a brother also isn't easy. Huo Ling thought and helplessly smiled, before his smile suddenly faded from his lips. He never had a child, nor a brother or even a sister. But, although he doesn't have them, but it doesn't stop him from understanding them. And, sometimes, it was the outsiders who can see the situation clearer than the ones involved. So, he knows Shi Jiu really cared about Jiu Ye, mor especially after their death.
Who knows there will be a life after death? And, even if you know, but who can say that you'll meet someone you know and when will you meet them? Before, he wasn't sure whether it is Jiu Ye's fortune or misfortune to meet Shi Jiu in the afterlife.
Now, he can say that Jiu Ye is very fortunate, since he has a guardian who is secretly protecting him, even after death.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢