Chapter 285 Don't we look like a pair of adulterous lovers having an affair in the middle of the night?

As soon as Chen Chu entered the house, Aunt Qiao rushed over with faltering steps.

She suddenly stopped a few steps away from Shen Chu.

She stood there, neither too close nor too far, her eyes filled with panic, fear, and even a hint of anticipation.

She clearly already knew about Shen Chu's situation.

She scanned Chen Chu from head to toe over and over again, until only despair remained in her eyes.

"I should have known better. I have a silver plate face, willow leaf eyebrows, and phoenix eyes."

You, however, have an oval face and almond-shaped eyes, bearing no resemblance to me, much less to the Marquis of Changning.

Such an obvious difference, and I didn't notice it at all.

Aunt Qiao stared blankly at Shen Chu, two lines of tears slowly streaming down her pale face.

Chen Chu took two steps forward and said softly:

"I'm sorry, Auntie, I didn't mean to hide it from you, but I promised Achu that I would never tell you she was not here unless you found out yourself."

The person she has always missed the most is you. She always imagines what her own mother looks like, whether she is gentle or shrewish.

With the help of the nanny and maid, she even drew a portrait of you...

"Stop talking."

Aunt Qiao suddenly lost her composure and screamed, interrupting her.

Chen Chu pursed her lips, but still insisted on continuing.

"She has so much to say to you, but since she can't see you, she writes it all down on paper."

Day after day, year after year, she bound six books, which were filled with her stories.

Every year on her birthday, she would sit foolishly at the entrance of the Taoist temple for a whole day, because the old woman told her that she would visit her on her birthday.

The time when you send someone to deliver the money each month is when she is happiest. She will even keep asking the servants who delivered the money about you.

She waited for you for seventeen years, but you never showed up even once.

Even so, the person she misses most is still you. She says you must have some unavoidable difficulties that prevent you from coming to see her.

So she must study hard and rely on herself to gradually return to your side.

"Please stop talking, I beg you, please stop talking."

Aunt Qiao squatted on the ground, crying her heart out.

"It's ridiculous that I couldn't even recognize my own child. All these years, I've been living in what I thought was a beautiful love."

For a man who wasn't worth it, she abandoned her child, leaving her unable to return home and unable to acknowledge her mother.

In the end, I even lost my life because of it! I was so foolish! Utterly foolish!

Aunt Qiao burst into tears, then suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself twice.

Shen Chu watched quietly, without stopping her.

The imperial guards behind him urged, "It's getting late, go back to your courtyard immediately."

Shen Chu took a deep breath, walked past Aunt Qiao, and left.

Suddenly, a shrill scream came from behind.

"My child, my Achu, I'm so sorry!"

Shen Chu closed her eyes, forcefully suppressing the stinging sensation in her eyes.

Ah Chu in heaven, can you see this?

I can help you take care of her, but she must always remember you!

Upon returning to her residence, the Imperial Guards immediately dispersed and surrounded the entire courtyard.

It was already late when Shen Chu quickly washed up, changed into a loose robe, and the Imperial Guards brought her dinner.

She barely slept a wink last night in death row, and went to bed after dinner.

While she was half asleep, she suddenly felt as if a hand was gently stroking her face.

She woke up with a start and threw a punch.

Her hand was firmly restrained, while her other hand covered her mouth.

Shh, it's me!

Pei Yuan's soft voice reached her ears, almost touching them, his gentle breath carrying a warm sensation behind her ear.

She unconsciously shrank her neck, only then realizing that Pei Yuan was sitting on the footstool under the bed, almost completely hidden in the darkness.

Shen Chu glared at him.

This guy is too bold. There are Imperial Guards guarding the place, and he still dares to break in at night.

Aren't you afraid that the Imperial Guards will discover this and report it to His Majesty?

Seeing that Pei Yuan didn't react, she realized that she had glared at him for nothing.

People simply can't see it.

She waved her hand, signaling him to let go of her.

Pei Yuan chuckled softly before releasing his grip.

Chen Chu lowered her voice and asked softly, "Did you touch my face just now?"

Pei Yuan's voice sounded completely innocent.

"Yes, you were sleeping so soundly that I couldn't wake you up. I was just trying to wake you up."

You know I'm blind, but somehow I touched your face.

If you're unhappy, you can touch it back.

Chen Chu.......

here we go again.

Pei Yuan became increasingly unserious and glib in front of her.

She gave a light snort, ignoring Pei Yuan's words, and instead got down to business.

"Your Highness is such a shrewd person, how could you fall into the Feng family's trap? They led you to the manor outside the city, and you just went?"

Pei Yuan scoffed, "If your maid hadn't said you weren't feeling well, do you think I would have chased after you?"

Shen Chu's heart skipped a beat, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "The Feng family is despicable; they even bribed the servants in my household."

"You believe the Feng family bribed your maid?"

"Isn't that right?"

“When I came back today, I had Sun Yan come over and ask. The maid who delivered the message is dead.”

"Dead?"

Shen Chu sat up in surprise, her voice rising slightly.

Pei Yuan waved his hand, signaling him to lower his voice.

"Yes, it was found in the well in your backyard. The person was already dead when they were pulled out."

Shen Chu thought about it carefully.

"Does Sixth Brother suspect that there is another force involved in this?"

Pei Yuan: "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I have a vague feeling that although the Feng family is powerful, they also have ways to bribe your servants."

The Feng family has plenty of reasons to leave the city.

But the ultimate goal of this plan is to use you to lure me to the village outside the city.

To do this, two conditions must be met: first, our relationship must be very close; second, I must be confident that I can use you to lure me out.

They chose the excuse that you were feeling unwell and that you should go out of the city with Luo Heng to see a doctor.

Since they are confident that they can lure me out using this excuse, it means that the person who devised this plan knows you and me.

I don't think the Feng family could know us that well.

The more Shen Chu thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

"If there really is a third force, that would be terrifying, because we have absolutely no idea who this person is."

Before he could finish speaking, there was a knock on the door.

The captain of the Imperial Guard responsible for watching him shouted from outside:

"Young Master Shen, who are you talking to?"

Startled, Chen Chu quickly pretended to have been woken up, yawning and saying, "No, I just had a nightmare and talked in my sleep."

"I see. It's getting late, young master Shen, you should get some rest."

But there was no sound of footsteps leaving outside the door.

The person is clearly still outside.

Shen Chu didn't dare to speak again for a moment.

Just then, Pei Yuan leaned close to her ear and asked, word by word, in a soft voice:

"Ah Chu, do you think we look like a pair of lovebirds having an affair in the middle of the night?"