Chapter 38 - 3#

Liu Shi worked here.

When she came to work today, she was in a hurry and left the decocted medicine behind. Fortunately, Cen Liang was resting at home and was able to deliver the medicine in time.

Cen Liang specially chose a time when the kitchen was not too busy to come over. Liu Shi smiled as soon as she saw her and said helplessly: “I’m really getting old, I even forget such small things.”

Xu Pozi on the side looked at Cen Liang with a smile and said: “With such a considerate girl, I’m too happy to be happy. If my child could be as filial as Liang’er every day, I would be happy to forget a few more times.”

Hearing Xu Pozi’s words, the people on the side also laughed. After Liu Shi came, she was quick with her hands and feet and did a good job. It was just that her weak body made it impossible for her to do heavy work, but she was good at making some light pastries. Later, she got the hang of it and gradually established a foothold in this kitchen.

But it was tiring after all. How could it not be tiring to help in the kitchen? Liu Shi was weak, and Cen Liang was worried about her. The medicine for each month was never late.

Cen Liang watched Liu Shi take the medicine and didn’t stay any longer to get in the way. She hurriedly said goodbye and left.

Xu Pozi only said a few words to others, and when she turned around, the girl was gone.

Xu Pozi said to Liu Shi: “Why didn’t you let Liang’er stay a little longer? She’s gone as soon as I didn’t see her.”

Liu Shi shook her head gently: “She is an outsider after all, it’s not good to let her wander around here.”

Xu Pozi didn’t care, leaned closer to Liu Shi, and said softly: “I see Liang’er is not young, haven’t you found a husband for her yet?”

When Liu Shi heard Xu Pozi’s words, she couldn’t help but smile bitterly in her heart.

This Xu Pozi was kind-hearted, but she was always a gossip. Especially when Cen Liang first came to deliver medicine to Liu Shi, Xu Pozi took a fancy to Cen Liang at a glance and always wanted her to be her grandson’s wife.

Liu Shi had seen Xu Pozi’s grandson. He was a scholar and looked a bit arrogant. Although he was not arrogant and condescending, he was not a good match.

She was afraid that Liang’er would be wronged if she went there.

She had tactfully refused several times, but Xu Pozi refused to give up and always talked about this matter again and again.

When Liu Shi returned home that day, she saw Cen Liang working at the foot of the wall, using the last rays of the setting sun. Her bright eyes were slightly narrowed, and she could barely see the embroidery in her hand.

Cen Liang’s action made Liu Shi walk over anxiously and snatch the embroidery from her hand.

“It’s so dark, what are you still doing? Hurry up and go inside.”

Her voice was rarely loud.

Cen Liang was engrossed in her work and didn’t notice her mother’s return. Caught by Liu Shi, she giggled and didn’t dare to ask for it back, following Liu Shi back to the house step by step.

Liu Shi put away the embroidery. Cen Liang was afraid that her anger would make her feel unwell and said in a low voice: “Mother, I was just engrossed just now and didn’t notice. Don’t be angry, I definitely won’t in the future…”

“Liang’er, today, Xu Pozi told me that the reason she proposed marriage to me several times was because her family’s Qingyun took a fancy to you.” Zhang Qingyun was Xu Pozi’s grandson. Liu Shi opened her mouth, “Have you ever thought about…”

Zhang Qingyun’s fancy and Xu Pozi’s own fancy were two different things.

“I won’t marry.” Cen Liang said seriously, “Mother, don’t worry about me getting married. I said I won’t marry, it’s useless no matter who comes.”

Liu Shi sighed: “If you get married, you won’t have to suffer so much…” Doing needlework was already very damaging to the eyes, but Cen Liang always secretly worked extra in the evening.

Today was clearly her day off.

But Cen Liang refused.

She knew that Liu Shi always felt that she was a burden and hoped that Cen Liang would get married early and stop taking care of her, but how could Cen Liang not take care of Liu Shi?

If it weren’t for Liu Shi taking her with her back then, she could have survived even if she remarried. Why work so hard?

“Mother, I heard a piece of news on the street when I came back today,” Cen Liang interrupted Liu Shi’s words, “Something happened to the Huang family.”

She didn’t want to argue with Liu Shi and directly changed the subject.

Liu Shi was just lighting the lamp with her back to Cen Liang. Hearing this, she immediately turned around, with a surprised and happy expression: “Is what you said true?”

“It’s true, Uncle Xu said it, he saw it with his own eyes that day.”

Uncle Xu was a peddler who walked the streets and alleys, and he had to travel around the capital every day. What he said was somewhat credible.

Cen Liang: “Uncle Xu said that on that day, officials entered the Huang residence and arrested Huang Qingtian.” And for several days in a row, there were carriages going in and out of the Huang residence, looking like they were going around asking for help.

When Liu Shi heard Huang Qingtian’s name, deep hatred inevitably appeared in her eyes. If it weren’t for this person, their family would not have been separated, and her husband would not have died for it.

She rubbed her temples and sighed: “It’s a pity that we don’t have any evidence, otherwise, I really want to go and file a complaint.” They didn’t know what crime Huang Qingtian had committed, but they hoped he would die early.

As for overturning the case…

Before Cen Xuanyin’s accident, he had once told Liu Shi that he had evidence that could make Huang Qingtian confess his guilt, but not long after, something happened to the Cen family.

Since then, Liu Shi had never seen Cen Xuanyin again, and naturally did not know where he had hidden the evidence.

If it was only Liu Shi alone, she would definitely go to the grievance drum, even if she had to hang herself outside the government office, she would make this matter stir up waves again, but she still had Cen Liang.

She couldn’t let her daughter continue to suffer, so she had to endure the eager hope in her heart and smiled at Cen Liang: “Liang’er, good and evil will eventually be rewarded. It must be that he has done too much evil, and it’s time for him to pay for it.”

Hearing this, Cen Liang was a little frustrated and sighed: “Even if he can pay with his life, father can’t come back.”

Then, she seemed to remember something more sad and lowered her head and whimpered.

“That Xu residence sold our courtyard.”

A few days ago, Cen Liang finally got some free time. When she came out to find food, she secretly went to see her former home again, but found that the sign hanging outside was no longer Xu residence, but Rong residence.

And inside and outside the door, it was no longer deserted.

There were many people coming in and out, looking like they were renovating, renovating the mansion that had been uninhabited for too long.

Taking advantage of this gap, Cen Liang greedily looked at the situation inside from outside the door for a few times.

Perhaps this courtyard fell into the hands of the Xu residence and was not very valued. The layout and furnishings inside were the same as before, but it was old and dilapidated due to disrepair for a long time.

She didn’t dare to look too much, for fear of attracting the attention of others. Not long after, she left in a hurry, wiping her tears as she walked.

Now that new people have moved in, their homeland is getting farther and farther away from them, as if they can never go back.

Liu Shi sighed and hugged Cen Liang, just like when she was a child, gently rocking her, as if comforting a baby, “Liang’er, mother’s good girl, don’t cry, mother will hum a tune for you.”

Cen Liang buried her face in Liu Shi’s arms and nodded silently, so Liu Shi slowly sang to her.

The tune had a bit of light sorrow, but it was full of vivid vitality at all times. It was a little tune that Liu Shi often hummed to her and her brother when they were young.

It wasn’t a very elegant tune, but it always managed to make them fall asleep peacefully.

Cen Liang closed her eyes, as if she had returned to a long time ago.

She and her brother Cen Wenjing liked to stay by the pond. Liu Shi was always afraid that they would catch a cold and watched them from the side.

But there were always times when she couldn’t watch them.

Sometimes, Liu Shi would just go to the kitchen to take a look, and taking advantage of this gap, Cen Wenjing would secretly go into the water.

Splash—

A loud sound scared little Cen Liang.

She stretched out her small hand and grabbed at the pond, “Brother Jingzhe, Brother Jingzhe—”

She called out in a baby voice, of course she couldn’t catch the boy swimming flexibly in the water.

When Liu Shi came back, she was greeted by a crying Cen Liang and a little wet dog squatting by the pond, shaking its head desperately.

Cen Wenjing smoothed his hair and giggled.

At a young age, he already had Cen Xuanyin’s shameless look, hugging Liu Shi’s leg and pestering her.

“Mother, I just went into the water for a while, a little while…”

Liu Shi held Cen Liang, helpless from his shaking. Liang’er in her arms was amused and giggled again.

“Good Jingzhe, stop shaking, Liang’er is about to fall.”

…As if in a dream, as if in reality.

Jingzhe woke up calling for his mother.

He looked at the dark palace and subconsciously touched the corner of his eye, only to find that it was wet.

Jingzhe slowly sat up and found that the place where Rong Jiu was lying was already empty. But now he had no time to think about where Rong Jiu had gone, he just buried his face deeply in his palms.

Speaking of which, he hadn’t dreamed of his family for a long time.

Jingzhe was also called Jingzhe at home.

He was born on the day of Jingzhe.

So Jingzhe was his nickname.

Liu Shi always liked to call him that, and so did Liang’er. Only his father would call him by his formal name, Cen Wenjing.

Jingzhe sat in the dark for a long time before slowly getting up. At this moment, he was almost awake and couldn’t sleep anymore.

Rong Jiu was also gone.

Jingzhe picked up the outer shirt placed by the bed and put it on, wrapped it around himself, and planned to go out for a walk.

During the day, he had barely familiarized himself with the layout of this room. He walked without stumbling much. He finally fumbled to the door, pushed it open, and saw several people standing under the corridor.

But it was obvious that a few of them had their waists bent so much that they were about to break, wishing they could kneel or prostrate on the ground.

Jingzhe saw Rong Jiu at a glance.

It was hard for anyone to compete with that figure.

Rong Jiu’s body had long carried an astonishing murderous aura, but in front of Jingzhe, it would often be unconsciously restrained.

Jingzhe rarely saw Rong Jiu so…

Oppressive.

Rong Jiu’s cold white skin became more like a solidified stone statue under the moon. The exquisitely carved eyebrows and eyes were cold and sinister. That cold murderous aura was like a life-taking rope, wrapped around each of them.

The terrifying pressure almost broke the waists of the few people in front of him. Even just looking at their half-bodies, one could sense their fear and panic.

In a trance, Rong Jiu seemed to be a demon from hell, and those people were the wronged souls he had strangled.

…Haha, Jingzhe smiled awkwardly.

He seemed to have come at the wrong time.

Jingzhe met Rong Jiu’s cold, knife-like gaze and couldn’t help but shiver. Okay… it’s not surprising that those people were afraid, he was also a little scared.

“I…”

Jingzhe was about to summon up his courage and say that this was just an accident, and let them continue, when he saw Rong Jiu had already walked up the steps, leaving those people behind and walking to his side.

Then, his beautiful brows furrowed.

“Why did you come out without shoes and socks?”

He looked down.

Jingzhe also looked down.

The innocent toes were exposed, indeed without shoes and socks.

Jingzhe moved his toes awkwardly and mumbled: “…Forgot.” After waking up from a dream, his mind was a little shaken, and he didn’t remember for a moment.

Rong Jiu raised his hand and wiped the corner of Jingzhe’s eye, his voice sinking: “Cried.”

Jingzhe said weakly: “Just had a dream.”

Rong Jiu was displeased and carried him away.

“…You outside…”

“No need to bother.”

Not long after, the lights in the room were lit.

The man should not be coming out for a short time.

At this moment, the few people standing outside the door dared to quietly straighten their waists, and then looked at each other.

Just now, they didn’t dare to look directly at that person’s appearance, but they could feel Emperor Jingyuan’s attitude.

The cruel coldness restrained, transformed into a cool aura. The emperor turned around, and thus, the violent killing intent also hibernated, turning into another distinct displeasure.

Oh, Emperor Jingyuan was not happy.

He was not happy that that person came out without shoes and socks.

It was really strange that one day, they could see His Majesty really angry when he was unhappy, instead of… chopping people up alive.

Just like the few of them who were on the verge of death just now, they almost lost their heads.

They touched their necks with lingering fear and subconsciously looked in the direction where the two had just stood.

“Who was that person just now?”

One of them asked, his face slightly pale, but his eyes were fixed on the position just now. A strange feeling emerged in his heart, as if urging him to… worship, or prostrate himself.

Was it because of Emperor Jingyuan… no, he was also afraid and revered His Majesty, but this was another strange desire…

He slapped himself hard, startling the other few people.

“Since His Majesty has something to do, we should withdraw.” He said with a half-swollen face, “What needs to be done, should be dealt with as soon as possible.”

He didn’t show any mercy when he struck just now.

The other few people looked at him strangely and nodded silently. So, they all retreated into the darkness, as if they had merged with the night, and no one could find their tracks again.

Inside the room, Jingzhe was struggling.

“I’ll do it myself!”

Jingzhe snatched the towel from Rong Jiu’s hand, quickly wiped his feet, and then quickly got into bed.

He regretted going out just now. Rong Jiu’s emotions were obviously on the rise, and it was a sharp killing intent.

Although it quickly hibernated after meeting Jingzhe, it quickly became fertilizer for desire and burned up rapidly.

Jingzhe wanted to cry, who was the king?

Was it really him?

“…You seem to, not want me to meet other people?”

Jingzhe hesitated and said uneasily.

“Am I causing you trouble by staying here?”

Rong Jiu’s movements were very fast just now, and he didn’t even let Jingzhe see much of the situation outside. It was also because it was too dark, and he could only see a little bit of the moonlight under the corridor.

But Jingzhe had gradually become familiar with Rong Jiu, and his actions just now were somewhat evasive.

Jingzhe carefully avoided some possibilities that would sting people’s hearts, trying not to think about it, just saying: “Although there are some risks, if I go back early, it’s also…” His words were interrupted.

By a sudden, strange, twisted sentence.

“I don’t want anyone to see you.”

Under Rong Jiu’s seemingly calm and composed voice, a frantic lava was roaring. Jingzhe really didn’t know how a person could make such a seemingly calm and restrained, yet full of fanatical voice.

“Can’t see, can’t hear, can’t have.”

Poisonous words flowed from those beautiful, bright red thin lips, silently weaving a huge hunting net.

The man half-knelt in front of Jingzhe, bending his proud spine. His head rested on Jingzhe’s thigh, and his hot breath scurried on his skin. The restraining force locked Jingzhe firmly, leaving him almost no escape.

Rong Jiu was like the most devout believer, humbly craving a little pity.

—“Only belongs to me.”

But he was also the most crazy and greedy believer.

Plundering, imprisoning, whatever means, he only allowed Jingzhe’s gaze to fall on him alone.

Author’s Note:

Jingzhe: Why can’t I go?

Rong Jiu: The truth, or a lie.

Jingzhe: Let’s have a lie first.

Rong Jiu: For your safety.

Jingzhe: Then the truth?

Rong Jiu: For the safety of others.

Jingzhe: …