Сhaptеr 44: А Раir оf Fated Rivals
Тurning аround, his impоsing figure envеlореd hеr.
Нe steрped forward, closing thе distаncе until Zhu Yan соuld smеll thе sandаlwооd sсеnt emаnating from Shen Du.
It wаs а fragrаnce Shen Du fаvored.
Нis warm breаth brushеd аgаinst hеr hаir, аnd her heаrtbеat inехрlicаbly quiсkеned, pоunding sо loudlу it seemed tо piercе hеr еardrums.
Rаising a hand, Shen Du gеntlу аdjusted sоmеthing оn Zhu Yаn’s hеаd.
It turned оut hеr hairрin had tаngled in her hаir, ruining its elеgаnсe.
Zhu Yаn lеt оut а soft sigh. What had bеen going on with her latеly? Her mind hаd been fillеd with wild thoughts аll dаy.
Аfter fixing it, Shen Du stepped back to create some distance. “There, this pearl hairpin looks perfect on you.”
Was he complimenting her?
Saying she was beautiful? Or was he just trying to highlight the beauty of the hairpin?
Zhu Yan didn’t ask. Instead, she lifted her gaze slightly to look at the man before her—tall and imposing, with handsome features, like an immortal descended to earth.
If he weren’t so cold, he truly would be an ideal husband.
“Let’s go.”
Seeing Zhu Yan lost in thought, Shen Du didn’t ask why. He simply took her hand and led her forward.
Perhaps caught off guard, Zhu Yan stumbled forward from Shen Du’s sudden pull. In the next moment, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, making her cry out, “Ah!”
“What happened?” Hearing her cry, Shen Du turned back to ask.
With a pained expression, Zhu Yan pulled her hand free from Shen Du’s grasp and leaned against a roadside tree, gingerly touching her ankle. “I twisted my foot.”
Shen Du frowned, observing Zhu Yan’s expression. It didn’t seem like she was faking it.
Perhaps feeling guilty, he stepped forward and scooped her up, carrying her toward the Shen residence.
Zhu Yan was stunned. Nestled in Shen Du’s arms, she resembled a frightened child too shocked to react, her mouth agape but no sound escaping.
Upon returning to the Shen residence, Jing Lin, who had been waiting at the gate, was equally astonished.
Wasn’t it said that one was hoping to become a widow while the other had only given her three months to live? What was going on? How had they become so harmonious?
Jing Lin even forgot what he had intended to report, staring blankly as the two entered the residence, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Zhu Yan’s heartbeat never slowed, and she dared not ask questions. The warmth radiating through his clothes made her feel comforted.
Accompanied by the faint scent of sandalwood, Zhu Yan felt a hint of attachment. This man’s embrace… was unexpectedly so captivating.
Just as her thoughts began to wander, a cold voice came from above her head. “Are you asleep? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Zhu Yan jolted like a startled deer, shivering as she snapped back to reality. “N-no, I’m not.”
Back in the room, Shen Du set Zhu Yan down. “You look quite slender, but why are you so heavy? My arms are sore.”
As he spoke, Shen Du stretched his limbs. “Rest early. I’m going back to the study.”
Her heart, which had just warmed up, felt as if doused with a bucket of cold water, chilling her to the core. He said she was heavy.
Was he disliking her?
“Wait.”
Just as Shen Du reached the door, Zhu Yan called out to him. She stood up and limped toward him. “What do you mean by that? Isn’t this all because of you? If it weren’t for you, would I have twisted my ankle?”
Shen Du turned around, giving Zhu Yan a strange look. “So you can walk after all. Why did you pretend to be in so much pain earlier?”
Words could truly infuriate someone to death.
Zhu Yan felt her blood boil with anger, her eyes glaring fiercely. “Who was pretending? Did you even ask me earlier? Who wanted you to carry me anyway?”
Seeing Zhu Yan’s outburst and her shouting at him, Shen Du clenched his fists tightly.No matter what, he had carried her all the way—if not for merit, at least for effort. And now, it seemed his kindness had been taken for ingratitude, all because of an utterly unreasonable woman.
"Utterly absurd."
With those four words, Shen Du turned and left. It was clear he, too, was angry.
"You're the one who's absurd, and you're the one who doesn't know what's good for you!"
Who knew where Zhu Yan found the courage to shout at Shen Du's retreating back before slamming the door shut with a loud "bang."
Only after her anger subsided did Zhu Yan come to her senses. She touched her neck, and a chill instantly spread through her body. Had she been too impulsive just now?
If Shen Du had been truly enraged and turned back to strangle her, it wouldn’t have been impossible.
The next day, after Zhu Yan got up, she learned that Shen Du had already left for the imperial court.
That was just as well—it saved her from being stopped by him. She had already decided to return to the Ministry of Justice for a while.
If she stayed with Shen Du any longer, she might one day provoke his anger and truly risk her life.
After leaving the Shen residence, she had just crossed an alley when she encountered Madam Tang.
Zhu Yan felt deeply puzzled by this encounter, as if it had been deliberately arranged.
"Madam Tang." Out of courtesy, Zhu Yan stepped forward and nodded in greeting.
Madam Tang seemed to be in a good mood today. Gently waving her jade fan, she spoke in a mild tone, "Madam Shen, I heard a new teahouse has opened in Chang'an. Why don’t we go and sit there together?"
Zhu Yan had initially intended to decline Madam Tang’s invitation, but what Madam Tang said next made her change her mind.
"While we’re at it, we can continue discussing the case. I’ve discovered some clues, though I’m not sure if they’ll be useful."
"Since a new teahouse has opened, it’s only right that I treat Madam Tang. Please lead the way."
Madam Tang gave a slight nod and walked alongside Zhu Yan.
Bamboo Green Teahouse.
The environment was tranquil, and the name was elegant—truly a perfect place for a conversation.
When the tea was served, a faint, refreshing fragrance filled the air, calming the mind.
"Madam Tang, with the case being so busy, I’ll get straight to the point."
Zhu Yan took a sip of tea and spoke directly, "What clues have you discovered?"
Madam Tang smiled faintly, gently swayed her jade fan a few times, and then turned her gaze elsewhere. "You’ve been investigating the case for so long, yet I suppose Madam Shen doesn’t know that Liang Chenzhong was engaged?"
"What?" Zhu Yan’s face showed astonishment—this was something she truly hadn’t known.
Madam Tang covered her mouth with a light laugh. "It’s a pity everyone praises Madam Shen for her intelligence. If you can’t even grasp the basic details of the deceased, how can you investigate the case?"
Mockery—it was absolutely mockery.
Zhu Yan’s expression immediately darkened. Although she was displeased with Madam Tang’s words, Madam Tang had indeed given her a clue.
"The tea has been tasted, and I have matters to attend to. Madam Tang, please take your time. Here is the payment for the tea."
Zhu Yan stood up, tossed the money onto the table, and turned to leave.
Madam Tang didn’t stop her, only watching Zhu Yan’s departing figure with a smile—one that was thought-provoking.
Zhu Yan hurried back to the Ministry of Justice and reviewed numerous case files, only to discover that all the deceased male victims had special circumstances.
Some were engaged, some were widowers, and others were either divorced or about to marry. This was a significant discovery.
Zhu Yan became even more convinced of her initial suspicion: the murderer was a woman.However, one point remained puzzling: a woman's strength alone would not allow for the smooth and secretive transport of two bodies, one male and one female. Using a cart or involving multiple people would be too conspicuous and would surely attract attention. How had the murderer managed this?
Just as Zhu Yan was pondering this, a messenger from the Zhu residence arrived to inform her that there was an urgent matter at home and she was to return immediately.
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