The carriage had only been moving for a short while when Yu Mu lifted a corner of the curtain and reported in a low voice, "Miss, we have a tail behind us."
"Head straight back."
"Yes."
Shaoyao looked at Hua Hua's cold expression. "That Qi Qiu really is suspicious."
"A guilty conscience needs no accuser."
Shaoyao nodded. "When we were at the Yu residence earlier, Qi Qiu listened outside for a while before coming in. I already thought he was up to something then."
After returning home, Hua Zhi had Yu Mu track the tail back. Entering the room and seeing Yan Xi there didn't surprise her.
Gu Yanxi placed the warm hand warmer in her hands, studied her expression, and asked, "What happened at the Yu residence?"
Hua Zhi recounted the events and concluded, "Yu Weiwei probably noticed something, but with both her parents in the residence, she couldn't make a move."
Gu Yanxi nodded thoughtfully. "What's your plan?"
"Cao Cao, did you bring any sleeping drugs?"
Shaoyao nodded repeatedly. "I brought some."
Hua Zhi turned to look at Yan Xi. "I want to visit the Yu residence tonight and speak with Yu Weiwei face to face."
"What if she sides with her husband? Aren't you afraid she'll sell you out?"
"I'm not worth selling." Hua Zhi took a sip of hot tea. "At best, I'm showing concern for her, noticing something wrong and risking myself to save her. Even if this turns out to be a false alarm, it would just be me being overly worried. Why would that be worth selling out? I also believe Yu Weiwei isn't that kind of person."
Gu Yanxi smiled. He loved seeing A Zhi so full of confidence. "Alright, we'll visit the Yu residence tonight."
Shaoyao, who had been listening from start to finish, immediately stated her position. "If you're using my drugs, you have to take me with you!"
Hua Zhi inexplicably felt like they were three people playing together but had left Shaoyao out. Now that the left-out companion was expressing dissatisfaction, of course she had to accommodate. "We'll take you, we'll take you. No one said we wouldn't."
Only then was Shaoyao satisfied and went off to find something to eat.
Soon after, Yu Mu returned. "Master, Miss, the tail was sent by the Yu family."
"Just as I thought." Hua Zhi nodded. "This also means Qi Qiu has people in the Yu residence. We need to be careful tonight."
Gu Yanxi looked at Yu Mu. "Keep a close watch on the Yu residence. If you notice anything unusual, don't alert them. They're just pawns—they're not our target."
"Yes."
On a dark and windy night, even the moon was hidden behind layers of clouds. A group dressed in black almost melted into the darkness.
Yu Mu led a team hiding in the shadows, ready to provide support at any moment. Gu Yanxi carried A Zhi over the wall, with Shaoyao and Jia Yang following closely behind. The four of them silently infiltrated the Yu residence and, relying on their memory from daytime, headed to the third courtyard.
Shaoyao covered her face with a mask, crouched low, and entered the courtyard, while Jia Yang went to assist her.
Gu Yanxi gently set her down and pulled her into his arms in a completely protective posture. Listening for any movement, he kissed the top of A Zhi's head and held her even tighter.
Having lived two lifetimes, this was Hua Zhi's first time doing something so thrilling. Her heart was racing with excitement. Perhaps everyone harbors a latent sense of adventure, and hers had been awakened now. Even though she was engaged in dangerous activities, having Yanxi by her side left her completely unafraid.
Before long, Jia Yang waved to the two of them.
The maid keeping watch in the outer room was sleeping soundly. Inside the room, Shaoyao stood by the bed, the gauzy curtains already drawn aside. The couple was also sleeping deeply. Hua Zhi felt relieved that both were fully dressed, avoiding the most awkward situation.After exchanging a glance with Shaoyao, who understood her meaning and climbed onto the bed to carry Yu Weiwei out from the inner side, Hua Zhi immediately fetched the cloak hanging on the screen and draped it over her. Even though no one would know, neither of them let a man lay a hand on her.
Signaling for Jia Yang to stay and keep an eye on Qi Qiu, the three of them took Yu Weiwei out of the room. Shaoyao carried her directly to the side chamber, which should have been where the personal maids resided, but was currently empty.
Taking out a small bottle and holding it under Yu Weiwei’s nose, she immediately reacted, frowning slightly before slowly opening her eyes. Shaoyao, with foresight, covered her mouth.
Hua Zhi removed her face covering. "Weiwei, it's me. Please don’t scream, alright?"
Yu Weiwei’s terrified eyes adjusted to the darkness, and when she recognized who was before her, her heart finally settled. She couldn’t be sure of Hua Ling’s intentions, but a familiar face was far better than a stranger.
Only when she nodded did Shaoyao gradually release her hand, ready to cover her mouth again if needed.
Yu Weiwei, however, remained relatively composed. She tightened the cloak around herself, took a few quick breaths, and looked up at the three figures dressed in black. Shaoyao also removed her face covering, while Gu Yanxi stepped back and stood by the door.
"Weiwei, you can speak. Don’t worry, the others won’t wake up."
Yu Weiwei’s eyes lit up. "Really?"
Hua Zhi nodded. "Really."
Clutching her knees, Yu Weiwei took several deep breaths, then exhaled slowly and looked up at Hua Zhi with a faint smile. "Finally, I can breathe properly."
Hua Zhi helped her stand and sit at the table, adjusting the cloak around her. The room was heated, so there was no fear of catching a chill.
"Earlier today, when I asked if it was convenient to talk and you said no, I suspected something might be wrong in your household. Yesterday, when I met Miss Wang, she mentioned your unusual behavior, so I took the risk to come. If I’ve misunderstood, please don’t blame me."
Yu Weiwei grasped her hand, and Hua Zhi noticed she was trembling, her palm damp with sweat. Hua Zhi quickly held her hand in return. "Are you cold? We can’t use anything in this room…"
Yu Weiwei shook her head. "I don’t blame you. Given our friendship, you didn’t need to take such a risk, yet you came… I don’t even know how to describe how I feel right now."
"I have my own reasons, but rest assured, I won’t harm you."
Yu Weiwei smiled. Just the fact that Hua Zhi had appeared here tonight was enough to make her believe those words. How could she not? The concern in Hua Zhi’s eyes was overflowing.
"How much time do I have?"
Shaoyao answered, "Enough for you to say everything you need to say."
"Then I won’t rush." Yu Weiwei glanced at the person who had seemed reserved during the day but now appeared sharp, then turned her gaze back to Hua Ling. "My father’s health suddenly declined last April, worsening day by day. We invited every doctor in Jin Yang to the estate, but none could determine the cause. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but shortly after my marriage, I also began to feel unwell, with symptoms very similar to my father’s."Yu Weiwei lowered her head with a faint smile. "They probably don't know that my father has been secretly teaching me how to handle family affairs since two years ago. I witnessed every symptom of his illness from beginning to end, and with suspicions growing in my mind, I suddenly remembered something. Before falling ill, my father had gone out for several days at our eldest cousin's invitation. When he returned, he showed symptoms of catching a cold. It kept recurring and never truly healed, gradually worsening until now he's barely clinging to life."
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