Chapter 291 Shen Chu, I like you, I've fallen in love with you.

Noticing Pei Yuan's gaze, Shen Chu's palms became sticky with nervousness.

She stared nervously at Aunt Qiao, afraid that Aunt Qiao might blurt out that she was also a daughter in her delirium.

The Ning'an Marquis's mansion has just been exonerated, but she still has fifty strokes of the cane on her record.

If Aunt Qiao were to let slip the secret at this moment, there would be no way she could atone for her sins.

I'm afraid he'll be thrown into death row again this time.

"Ms. Qiao, I'm asking you a question. Do you think she's also a woman?"

Marquis Changning seemed to have glimpsed a chance to escape from a desperate situation. Ignoring the wound on his leg, he rushed over, grabbed Aunt Qiao, shook her violently, and kept asking her questions.

"Is it because he's also a woman that you didn't realize he was impersonating someone else? Speak up."

Aunt Qiao was shaken so badly that she felt like she was about to fall apart. Her dazed eyes looked blankly at Chen Chu.

Chen Chu's heart jumped into her throat.

Aunt Qiao stared blankly at Shen Chu for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Marquis Changning and let out a strange laugh.

"Yes, she's a woman too. Go and report her to His Majesty, and have His Majesty examine her."

If it's true, you'll have done a great service, and might even be spared punishment. Go quickly!

Marquis Changning's eyes lit up at first, then he remembered that the Crown Prince had brought the imperial physician to take Shen Chu's pulse earlier.

If Shen Chu were a woman, the imperial physician would have discovered it long ago.

Marquis Changning, his face full of anger, raised his hand and slapped Aunt Qiao.

"You wicked woman, you still want to harm me at this time! You're deliberately misleading me, trying to make me go to His Majesty and offend him."

"Pah, I won't fall for your tricks."

Aunt Qiao burst into tears and cried even more bitterly.

"If I hadn't been deceived by you, how could I not have discovered the identity he was impersonating?"

If I had just paid a little more attention, I would have discovered that Hongxiu was pregnant, and I would have found out that the child wasn't mine at all, and I would have known much sooner that my child wasn't born.

It was my fault, a terrible fault, that I caused my child to become a wandering ghost at such a young age.

Aunt Qiao's speech was incoherent, and she seemed to have gone mad with grief.

Chen Chu stepped forward, helped her up, and said softly, "Chu, ah, no, you said her real name is Miaomiao, right?"

Aunt Qiao nodded, crying, "It's hateful that I never even told her this name to her face."

Shen Chu pursed her lips.

"Once the Ning'an Marquis's residence is repaired, I will write Miaomiao's name into the Ning'an Marquis's family genealogy and make her my younger sister."

Miaomiao won't be a wandering ghost; she will be worshipped and offered incense in the future.

Aunt Qiao stared at her blankly, her tears falling even more rapidly.

"Okay, okay, thank you, Achu."

Shen Chu shook her head. "I promised her I would take care of you. I don't want her to have any regrets in the afterlife."

Aunt Qiao cried her heart out.

Shen Chu stood up and coldly looked at the Marquis of Changning, who was covered in blood.

"If there's a next time, I will never let you off the hook."

Marquis Changning trembled with fright and kept patting the ground, calling out to his servants.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and carry me home. I want to go home."

The servants of the Marquis's residence carried the Marquis of Changning away, trembling.

After the Marquis of Changning was carried back, he developed a high fever that very night and kept talking nonsense.

One moment he says he saw someone crying with their head in their hands, the next he shouts that someone is going to kill him.

Shen Yan and Shen Qingshuang stayed up with him for half the night, and saw him screaming incessantly, which was quite eerie.

The brother and sister both left, leaving only servants to guard them.

The servants closed the door and went off to drink and gamble.

When dawn broke, they discovered that Marquis Changning had died of fright while suffering from a high fever, and his body was already stiff.

Just then, the Ministry of Rites came to Shen Yan's door, urging him to vacate the Changning Marquis's residence as soon as possible.

The title of Marquis of Changning has been stripped, and they are no longer entitled to live in the Marquis's residence.

Shen Yan dared not delay. Before the coffin was properly prepared, he placed the Marquis of Changning into it and had it carried away for burial. Then he hurriedly took Shen Qingshuang and moved out.

That's a story for later, so let's leave it at that for now.

After the Marquis of Changning was carried away, Aunt Qiao also fainted due to exhaustion.

Shen Chu had no choice but to have her carried back to the courtyard and patiently wait for her to wake up.

After all that fuss, it was already getting dark.

She was utterly exhausted and walked out rubbing her aching back.

But she saw Pei Yuan standing quietly under the eaves with his back to her.

As the last rays of the setting sun shone down, he was bathed in a pale golden light.

Tranquil and beautiful, it's hard to look away for a moment.

Looking at the pale golden light and shadow, she walked over without even realizing it.

Pei Yuan turned around upon hearing footsteps, his peach blossom eyes shimmering with light.

Chen Chu's heart skipped a beat, and she turned around and sat on the railing.

Pei Yuan followed her example and sat down next to her.

The two sat side by side, looking up at the brilliant clouds on the horizon.

Shen Chu asked softly, "Do you... have anything to ask me?"

Even the Marquis of Changning suspected she was a woman, so someone as astute as Pei Yuan must have become suspicious as well.

She was conflicted, wondering how she should answer if Pei Yuan directly asked her if she was a woman.

Is it a vague and ambiguous attempt to cover it up, or a direct and honest explanation?

What would Pei Yuan's reaction be if he found out she was a woman?

While she was filled with inner turmoil, she was unaware that Pei Yuan was thinking about something else entirely.

In Pei Yuan's heart, he had long since stopped worrying about whether Shen Chu was a man or a woman.

Regardless of whether Shen Chu is male or female, he only recognizes Shen Chu as his true identity!

But Shen Chu's words made him tense instantly.

He thought Shen Chu was asking for the answer to the previous question.

Pei Yuan turned to look at Chen Chu, his eyes bright, but his voice was very gentle.

"I haven't answered your question yet."

Chen Chu felt extremely tired, so she changed to a more comfortable position and leaned against the railing.

Hearing this, he blinked, looking somewhat bewildered.

"What?"

Her dark eyes were clear and bright, and when she looked directly at someone, it made your heart race.

Pei Yuan pressed his hand to his chest, too nervous to look her in the eye, and turned to look at the setting sun on the horizon.

All around was quiet; in the stillness, he could only hear the sound of the wind.

And my own heart pounding like thunder.

After a long while, he clenched his hands and whispered the words that had already rolled over in his heart countless times.

"Chen Chu, I like you, I've fallen in love with you!"

As soon as the words were spoken, he tensed up even more.

What would Chen Chu say?

Shock? Rejection? Angry outbursts? Or will you...accept him?

The word "acceptance" washed over him, and he trembled slightly, a strong sense of anticipation rising within him.

After waiting for a while, they still didn't receive any reply from Shen Chu.

Shen Chu didn't respond to him at all!

His heart sank!

The surroundings were eerily quiet, so quiet that he could hear the even breathing of his own.

Even breathing?

Suddenly, a soft touch pressed down on his shoulder.

Pei Yuan lowered his eyes and saw Shen Chu leaning on his shoulder, her eyes closed, sleeping soundly.

Asleep!

His confession!

He was nervous for a long time and struggled to find the right words.

As a result, Shen Chu didn't hear a single word!

It's infuriating.

Pei Yuan decided to shake him awake.

He wants to say it again!