Chapter 579: Chapter 567: I’m Really Afraid I Can’t Afford You
Shen Zhui let out a piercing scream; she was trembling with fear, but she stood protectively in front of Shen Hua.
And Shen Hua stood her ground, seemingly unmoved.
Shen Zhui thought, Sister must be scared out of her wits, she even forgot to run.
She was about to close her eyes, thinking she was going to die.
But in the instant He Chu came close to her, he was sent flying away.
Flying... flying?
Shen Zhui: ???
She was too astonished to speak. She mechanically turned her head toward the one who had acted, this time without any resistance.
Whoever says this money is not well-spent, I’ll have words with them!
She didn’t even see how Cui Yun made his move.
Cui Yun walked over and stepped on the back of He Chu’s hand that held the dagger, seemingly rolling his foot lightly, but eliciting a sharp scream of agony.
Soon after, Ji Qing came running to clean up the mess. They dragged He Chu away and without a word threw him into the government office.
County Magistrate Liu found trouble when he saw Cui Yun’s people.
"Young Master Ji, what happened now?"
Ji Qing, as if he didn’t see his forced smile: "Truth is, we never intended to bother Mr. Liu, but our master just arrived in Fengzhou and was nearly assassinated by some blind thug."
County Magistrate Liu: ...
He had a brain; he didn’t believe it.
Ji Qing seemed troubled: "I heard he visited the government office today and met with you, sir, so I especially came to ask if you have any dissatisfaction with our master which led you to instigate—"
Before he could finish his sentence.
County Magistrate Liu shivered in fear: "How dare I!"
"Someone! Take this man away and interrogate him thoroughly! Our Fengzhou City is a place of outstanding people and spirituality; we absolutely cannot tolerate any villain!"
"It’s unacceptable, not only because the one being targeted is Young Master Cui, but also because any citizen under my jurisdiction being subjected to such an atrocity is utterly unconscionable and heinous! They must be dealt with according to the law and severely punished!"
Meanwhile, after Ji Qing took the man away.
Cui Yun slightly lifted his eyelids, looking towards the girl opposite.
"Miss Shen’s courage is not small."
Upon hearing this, Shen Hua cooperatively raised her hand to cover her heart, and murmured in a weak voice: "How terrifying."
She did not forget to tremble slightly: "I almost lost my life."
After Cui Yun watched her finish acting, he finally said, "I’ll take you home."
Shen Hua only asked: "Do I need to pay extra?"
She placed her arm on Shen Zhui’s shoulder: "I’m really afraid I can’t afford the hire."
Cui Yun looked at her expressionlessly for a long while, his voice without any fluctuation.
"We’ll let it go this time."
"After all, it’s the first time doing business with Miss Shen, there should be some reciprocity."
No further incidents occurred on the way there.
After he had delivered them, Shen Hua, with her cold and noble demeanor, dismissed him to go back, only then did she step up the stairs and enter the threshold.
"Sister, did you know he would intervene?"
I knew, I knew that man wouldn’t let anything happen to me under his watch.
That’s why she was fearless at that time.
Cui Yun.
Brother Cui.
She thought they had become strangers, but when she saw him for the first time, Shen Hua instantly recognized him.
All the people and things she thought she no longer cared about and had forgotten resurfaced clearly before her eyes. Also, his words about visiting when he was free lingered, and she wouldn’t admit to the long, expectant wait.
Yangyang... is actually a very sentimental person.
But why should she remember him?
He left for a year, what’s the point of coming back now?
Who cares?
Shen Hua sternly went to pull Miss Shen’s ears.
"Have you grown up? Encountered trouble, yet you, Shen Zhui, put yourself forward to play the hero? Remember, when you see danger, run away, you should always be a bit selfish. My concubine only has one daughter; if you meet with misfortune, what hopes can she have for the future? If something truly happened to me, that would be my fate; I should be the one to face this calamity. Why should you be implicated?"
Shen Zhui was in so much pain she couldn’t stand it, tears welling up in her eyes.
Some people say you should be selfish; her sister was harsh on her, but always very generous.
"Sister."
"Did you hear me?"
"I heard... I heard you."
The sun slanted toward evening.
There weren’t many strict rules at the mansion; as long as Chun Yun wasn’t kept at the embroidery workshop, everyone would come to the main courtyard for dinner in the evening.
Aunt Liu brought the peace charm she had requested from the Daoist School. It was hung with a red rope braided by hand. Shen Hua glanced at it.
The peace charm was sewn inside an exquisite, small rabbit doll, with two polished black agate stones as its eyes.
The fluffy ears and fluffy tail certainly struck a chord in her heart.
Picky as she was, she brought her head closer and let Aunt Liu hang it up with a smile. Shen Hua picked it up, held it in the palm of her hand, and scrutinized it closely, tilting her head.
Then she looked towards the person striding inside. She stood up suddenly.
"Brother, why have you come back?"
"I told him to come back."
Chun Yun didn’t let the servants start serving dinner.
You Qing led all the servants attending inside the room to withdraw and closed the door.
Shen Zhi had hurried all the way back and was slightly out of breath now.
"Mama urgently summoned me; is there a problem at home?"
"It’s not a bad thing; no need to be anxious."
Shen Zhi breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Zhui brought over a cup of water and offered it to him.
"Brother, moisten your throat."
He accepted it, gentle as jade: "Zhui is becoming more and more sensible."
Shen Hua: "Hmph."
Shen Zhi against his will: "You are sensible too."
"Alright, enough chatter."
Chun Yun asked everyone to sit down. Her expression was slightly grave.
"The prison sent a message; he probably has only a few months left."
This one sentence made everyone hold their breath.
Chun Yun, having mentioned this man, had already passed the most difficult times, and so much time had gone by that now, bringing it up again, her heart felt no ripples, at most just relieved that he reaped what he sowed, glad that Yangyang was safe.
"Even if we are reluctant, we still need to go through the motions outwardly; people should live freely without being bound by worldly constraints or others’ gossip. But after all, we live in a worldly society, and one misstep could place us at the center of controversy."
"If he is gone, he’s gone, but Brother Zhi, you’re a scholar, you can’t bear the stain of dishonor; you still have to observe mourning for three years according to the rules. In reality, whatever we do in private, there is no big harm. Just one thing, within these three years, you can’t engage in any matters of marriage."
It’s said that Shen Zhi and Xiao Sesu are still a bit young to be getting married at this age today.
But...
"You Qing went to the Xiao Family today and saw that Sesu had an injury on her body."
Shen Zhi suddenly looked up.
"Don’t worry, she’s been treated with medicine."
"Was it done by her parents?"
Chun Yun shook her head: "Her parents are harsh, but they would never actually strike her."
Shen Hua sneered: "Aside from their precious son, who else could it be? At such a young age, he’s already learned how to sneak around; he must have been trying to steal something from Sister Xiao, and a conflict arose when she was unwilling."
Between their son and daughter, Sister Xiao’s parents naturally choose the former.
Shen Zhi’s face grew somber.
Even if two families have fixed the marriage, there’s no reason to take Xiao Sesu in for a long stay; it would spark rumors about the girl’s impropriety.
He does not want her to bear such dishonor.
"Mama, please prepare the marriage arrangements."
Chun Yun: "Have you decided?"
Shen Zhi was about to nod.
Chun Yun: "However, I need to set three rules with you: once Sesu enters our home, you can forget about sharing the bridal chamber; you must sleep in separate rooms. At least wait a few more years, then Mama will arrange it for you."
