Chapter 43 Injured and Fainted Since he said that, she couldn't hit him...

Since he said that, she couldn't slap him in the face.

So the girl could only obediently nod: "I understand. If it is Second Prince, no, if Your Highness has any instructions, you must tell me."

Overwhelmed with tenderness, Chu Yixin watched the girl's petite figure, reluctant to leave, turning back every few steps. He then gripped his whisk tightly and returned to his study.

The man was standing beside the desk, quickly glancing at a stack of letters in his hand. He noticed the approaching footsteps but did not look up.

"They stopped them?"

Chu Yixin nodded, her voice filled with pity: "She left crying! You didn't see how pitiful she looked!"

Qi Fan glanced at him indifferently: "Get out."

Chu Yixin choked on her words, flicked her whisk and turned around, her voice carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.

"If you regret it later, it might be too late!"

He uttered harsh words and left the study without looking back.

The man standing there slowly pinched the bridge of his nose: "..."

He slammed a stack of letters onto the table, the first few fluttering in the air, but no one paid any attention.

My gaze shifted to the slightly lower desk, as if the pretty little girl was still sitting there, head down, face furrowed, writing furiously.

She would glance up at his face every now and then, then carefully take a bite of pastry when she had a spare moment...

During this period, she has become less obedient and more spoiled.

"Oh dear, what happened to the tea that Jiang girl specially bought?"

Then, Chu Yixin's faint, high-pitched voice came from outside again.

The man paused slightly, raised his hand to pinch his brow, and a hint of self-reflection flashed in his eyes.

His greatest strength is self-control.

*

Jiang Zhuoying felt somewhat flustered; she hadn't seen that aloof man for two days.

Men's hearts are truly unfathomable.

Just a few days ago, he was coaxing her to call him "brother" and personally applying ointment to her ankle, but in the blink of an eye, he avoids her like the plague.

I don't know what medicine I took wrong?

All she wanted was to be a good maid who earned her master's trust, so why was it so difficult?

The day of her "grand plan" arrived in the blink of an eye.

Qi Fan ignored her for several days, and she hesitated whether to postpone the plan.

But then she thought about it again, and realized that according to her original plan, this was a sure-win attack.

If she risked her life to save Zhuozhuo, he couldn't just keep ignoring her, could he?

Shenshi (3-5 PM) was the auspicious time she had carefully chosen.

At this hour, the backyard is almost deserted, making it easier for Wujiu to escape.

Jiang Zhuoying went to the backyard at the appointed time. She squatted on the bank, staring at the big, fat carp swimming happily in the pond and muttering to herself.

"Zhuozhuo, how could your master do this?"

"Do you know that your master is such a heartless and ruthless person?"

"Your master is no human being!"

...

Suddenly, two whooshing sounds came from the air.

Jiang Zhuoying's expression hardened, and she immediately looked up, guessing that Wujiu had arrived.

She looked around but couldn't find a single person.

Could it have just been a coincidence?

According to the timing, it should be about time for them to arrive.

Since Wu Jiu was ultimately her man, Jiang Zhuoying didn't become wary. She simply lowered her head again and waved to Zhuozhuo.

"Come here, let me touch you again~"

Zhuozhuo's skin was cool and smooth, and it felt so nice to touch.

Jiang Zhuoying faced the pool and touched Zhuozhuo's head twice, but the latter suddenly sank into the water with a "whoosh".

Her heart skipped a beat, and she froze on the spot.

A black figure holding a knife slowly emerged from the reflection of the pool.

The newcomer was dressed in black and wore a mask, but Jiang Zhuoying had an inexplicable intuition.

This person is not without fault.

She immediately turned around and looked at the man in black: "Who are you?"

The newcomer had a pair of triangular eyes with a fierce and murderous look, but he was stunned the moment he saw her face.

Almost simultaneously, Jiang Zhuoying also confirmed that he was not Wujiu.

She was already squatting on the bank when she was suddenly startled, and then the man in black approached her with a knife. Jiang Zhuoying slipped and fell into the pond in fright.

In an instant, water splashed everywhere.

Zhuozhuo saw her go into the pond and happily swam towards her.

Jiang Zhuoying wiped her face and looked at the man in black on the shore again: "Who sent you?"

She still held onto a sliver of hope: Could it be... that something went wrong with Wu Jiu, so they had to replace him with someone else at the last minute?

But as soon as she finished speaking, the man suddenly raised his cold, gleaming blade: "If you want to save your life, young lady, get out of the way!"

Jiang Zhuoying realized almost instantly that this person had indeed come to kill Zhuozhuo.

As she turned to shield Zhuozhuo, she shouted, "Help! There's an assassin!!"

Zhuozhuo had already sunk to the bottom of the water, but because of her fall, she happily swam back.

Jiang Zhuoying knew in her heart that Zhuozhuo liked being close to her.

When people are too nervous, they forget to be afraid, just like Jiang Zhuoying at this moment.

She forcefully pushed Zhuozhuo away, while nimbly dodging the black-clad man's knife attacks behind her.

The first strike landed in the water, splashing water into her eyes.

"Get out!" the man shouted angrily.

Jiang Zhuoying ignored him, continuing to shout for help while her men desperately tried to protect the plump red carp.

"Who dares to trespass on His Highness's private residence?!"

In her frantic dodging, Jiang Zhuoying finally heard the voices of her own people.

Immediately afterward, the man in black seemed to become more aggressive, and Jiang Zhuoying desperately clung to Zhuozhuo, throwing herself into the water to the side—

Then she saw the bright red stain on the water.

Is Zhuozhuo injured?

My mind felt foggy, as if it were stuffed with cotton...

There was a lot of noise in her ears, so noisy, and she could almost hear that usually cold voice now tinged with anger.

Her body felt lighter, and she groggily opened her eyes, weakly clutching the small piece of fabric: "Zhuozhuo is injured..."

Her voice was strained as she replied, "It's fine, you're the one who's in trouble."

"I?"

What's wrong with her?

Finally, everything went completely dark...

*

When Jiang Zhuoying woke up again, she opened her eyes to a pinkish-red canopy.

She slowly recalled the events before she lost consciousness. The man in black had arrived, but it wasn't Wu Jiu. Then, she protected Zhuo Zhuo and fell into the pool.

The scene was quite chaotic at one point.

She moved even slightly, and a tearing pain in her shoulder made her groan in agony: "Ugh~"

The gauze curtain was immediately lifted, and Ah Liu's head was peered inside.

"Miss Jiang is awake!"

"Jiang girl is awake? She's finally awake! Ah Liu, keep watch over her, I'll go report to the master right away!"

Chu Yixin left in a hurry. "Master just went to the bathroom, how come he woke up already?"

Bah, I mean, he's awake. Why is it that I need to relieve myself now?

At that time, Qi Fan was washing his hands.

Chu Yixin rushed over anxiously, panting but with a happy expression: "Master, Jiang girl has woken up, please go and see her!"

The man paused, then glared at him: "What's the panic?"

My fingertips trembled slightly, and then a loud "bang" rang out.

The copper basin that had been neatly arranged on the shelf was now overturned on the ground, and the cold water instantly soaked the man's clothes and boots.

Chu Yixin immediately busied herself, bending down to pick up the copper basin: "Master, please go change your clothes first, I'll tidy up here."

Qi Fan frowned and left with his hands behind his back.

...

When the master and servant arrived, Jiang Zhuoying was leaning against the headboard, sipping warm water.

Ah Liu had already told her the general situation.

The assassin was caught red-handed by Qi Fan. Zhuozhuo was unharmed, while she had been slashed on her right shoulder, which was still throbbing with pain.

She was preoccupied with something, wondering where Wujiu was now.

Why didn't Wu Jiu come? Instead, an assassin who was about to kill Zhuo Zhuo did.

Is there any connection between Wu Jiu and this assassin?

Out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Zhuoying glanced over and saw the person she had expected.

Qi Fan sat on a round stool next to the bed. The little girl looked at him with empty eyes, her eyes filled with loneliness.

His heart tightened slightly, but following his heart, he reached out and gently stroked her forehead: "Does your wound hurt?"

The girl slowly lowered her eyes and shook her head: "It doesn't hurt."

The man felt relieved and looked around. The girl had a small, pale face, as white as paper, and her full lips glistened with moisture.

His gaze fell on the porcelain cup in the little girl's hand, which she had already emptied, and he reached out to take it.

But the girl suddenly shrank back, her eyes darting around: "Second Prince, no, Your Highness, I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

"It was all my fault that Zhuozhuo was in such a dangerous situation."

The man stiffened slightly, then his brows furrowed, and his voice deepened: "How did you harm it?"

Those upturned peach blossom eyes could no longer hold the surging tears; they fell in a steady stream, their long eyelashes damp.

"Zhuozhuo likes to be close to me. If I hadn't accidentally fallen into the water, Zhuozhuo, being so clever, would have hidden herself well."

The girl was sobbing, which was very endearing.

These words almost sound like an attempt to take responsibility.

If her fake brother still had even a shred of conscience, she could summon it.

Sure enough, the next moment, a silk handkerchief was presented to her eyes.

His usually cold and aloof voice sounded a little hesitant at this moment: "This matter has nothing to do with you, don't overthink it."

Upon hearing this, the girl looked up timidly, tears welling in her eyes: "Really? Your Highness, you truly don't blame me?"

"Yes, it's not your fault."

The man met her tearful, aggrieved eyes, and his tone became somewhat stiff.

Jiang Zhuoying clenched her handkerchief, hastily wiped her eyes, and then asked impatiently, "I heard from A-Liu that Your Highness has already captured the assassin. Who is that assassin? Why did he try to harm Zhuoyuo?"

She had already crumpled the handkerchief into a ball in her hand.

The man's gaze turned dark and deep, revealing a scrutinizing and discerning look.

Jiang Zhuoying forced herself to stay upright, not flinching, knowing that she was being scrutinized.

Can she truly enter his heart?

"Why is Your Highness looking at me like that? Is it because I shouldn't have asked? I am stupid, and if Your Highness is unwilling to tell me, then I will not ask."

The girl added fuel to the fire.

"All of you, step back."

Qi Fan gave the order without changing his expression, and Chu Yixin and A Liu inside the room both left as instructed.

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Author's Note: Yingbao: Oh no, could it be that Wujiu has revealed a flaw?

Qi Gou: Heart fluttering.jpg [dog head holding a rose]