Xiao Jin Yu was taken aback. "From a coffin?"
Chu Chu's father nodded. "Late one night, a family came asking me to help prepare a corpse, saying a woman had died of illness. So I went..."
"It was pitch black when we carried the coffin back. Only when I tried to change her into funeral garments did I see she was heavily pregnant, already full-term. I felt the baby might still be salvageable, so I tried... never expected to pull out a living child..."
"That woman was the second wife among three daughters-in-law in her husband's family. They all treated her poorly - her mother-in-law would beat and scold her, locking her in the firewood room even when she was about to give birth. That's how this happened... I figured her family wouldn't want a child taken from a dead woman's belly, so I didn't tell them and secretly kept Chu girl as my own daughter. Never told her anything... People in town guess she's my illegitimate child from fooling around outside, but that's still much better than calling her a Child from a coffin..."
Xiao Jin Yu felt as if knives were cutting and needles were pricking his heart, the pain far worse than what he felt in his bones, so intense he could barely breathe.
Seeing Xiao Jin Yu frowning slightly without speaking, Chu He quickly said, "Our family never lies - this is the only time! If... if you punish our family because of this, please don't let Chu girl know. She's suffered enough. If she learns about this, she'll be miserable for life... Also, she truly likes you. When you tell her you won't marry her, say it slowly, don't tell her all at once. She definitely won't be able to take it..."
"I'll marry her... I will definitely marry her..."
The three Chu men were stunned. "What did you say?"
Xiao Jin Yu said clearly, "Don't worry, I will definitely marry her and treat her well..."
Grandpa Chu stared blankly at Xiao Jin Yu. "You really came to propose marriage?"
Xiao Jin Yu nodded seriously. "Yes..."
Chu Chu's father looked astonished. "Chu girl... she's a Child from a coffin. You... you don't mind her being unlucky?"
Xiao Jin Yu smiled faintly. "Didn't I also get my life back from a coffin... Since she doesn't mind me, why should I mind her..."
Chu He grinned so widely you could see his back teeth. "You really are highly educated! You must be a good official!"
"Thank you..."
Chu Chu's father waved his hands excitedly, his eyes reddening. "No, no! We should thank you for treating Chu girl well! Thank you!"
Grandpa Chu stood up with his cane, looking Xiao Jin Yu up and down. "It's just that your physique is too weak... Later I'll pick some prescriptions to properly regulate you. Don't delay important matters with Chu girl."
"...Thank you, Grandpa..."
As Grandpa Chu reached the door, he frowned and muttered, "Actually, being somewhat weak is good - won't have the energy to chase other girls..."
"..."
After the three Chu men left, a figure slipped quietly through the door.
A guard knelt pale-faced before Xiao Jin Yu's bed. "This humble officer deserves death for letting Wang Ye encounter danger again..."
The guard had arrived when the three Chu men were kneeling. Xiao Jin Yu had signaled him to hide and wait.
"It's nothing... Any movement from Prince of Wu Commandery?"
"He threw away his chessboard and pieces... then stayed lying in his room."
Xiao Jin Yu nodded slightly. "Go investigate something else for me... My illness flare-up tonight was probably related to the Chu family's dinner. Find out the cause for me..."
"Yes, Wang Ye."
☆、46 Four Happiness Meatballs (Five)After the guard left, Xiao Jin Yu lay down and slowly closed his eyes.
This episode of cadaveric poison was indeed somewhat peculiar.
Whenever one came into contact with decaying matter, the cadaveric poison would quickly take effect, so it must have happened nowhere else but at the Chu residence.
Although the Chu family also handled the business of collecting corpses and preparing them for burial, it was all done in the separate small room at the back of the courtyard. Items related to the dead would never be brought into the living quarters.
Before the poisoning occurred, only Chu Chu had touched him, and she had been with him all day without coming into contact with anything suspicious.
Calculating it this way, the only possible issue could be the few bites of food he had hastily eaten.
Pork rib soup, rice, stir-fried Chinese yam, and shredded pork with celery.
But the Chu family had been coroners for generations, so the possibility of a corpse mistakenly ending up on the dining table was extremely slim.
But if that possibility were ruled out...
As the lingering effects of the medicated wine washed over him, Xiao Jin Yu drifted into a drowsy sleep while pondering. He was awakened again by the pain, and by then, dawn was almost breaking. As his vision cleared, he saw Chu Chu sitting on a small stool by the bed, her head resting on her arm as she leaned over the bedside, her small lips slightly pouted, looking as if she were sound asleep.
Xiao Jin Yu reached out and gently touched her shoulder. He had only softly called her name when Chu Chu suddenly sat up, rubbing her eyes and mumbling groggily, "You're awake... I'll get the medicine for you. You need to take it..." As she spoke, she reached for the medicine bowl on the bedside table, but as soon as she picked it up, she frowned. "It's already completely cold... Wait a moment, I'll brew another bowl for you right away."
Xiao Jin Yu reached out and held her back. In the dim light, he saw her sleepy expression, and his heart warmed. Softly, he said, "Don't go... It's too late. Sleep first..."
Chu Chu shook her head. "Grandpa said you have to take the medicine when you wake up."
"I still want to sleep a little longer..."
Chu Chu put down the medicine bowl and sat back on the small stool. "Then sleep. I'll watch over you here."
Xiao Jin Yu patted the space beside him gently. "Come up and lie down while you watch..."
"Okay."
Chu Chu took off her outer clothes, climbed onto the bed, and slipped under the covers. Carefully, she nestled into Xiao Jin Yu's embrace, gently stroking his thin body through his clothes, as if afraid she might break him. Pouting, she murmured, "Grandpa said that if the cadaveric poison reaches the bones, it can hurt so much it kills a person... How come you didn't even make a sound?"
Xiao Jin Yu held her gently. Her expression, full of concern, made his own heart ache. "It doesn't hurt that much..."
"How did you end up nailed inside a coffin?"
Xiao Jin Yu gave a faint, bitter smile. "Pretty stupid, isn't it?"
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