Chapter 25 Hawthorn But She is Still Shen Zhiwei
Shen Zhiwei didn't expect it to answer. He turned, pushed open the half-closed side door, and stepped out. Outside the door was a quiet alley, the bluestone slabs were damp, and the corners of the wall were covered with thin moss.
She didn't look back, but she could hear very light footsteps behind her. The sound of her paw pads stepping on the stone slabs was barely audible, yet it persisted stubbornly.
When she went fast, the sound got faster; when she went slow, the sound got slower.
Shen Zhiwei paused with a soft sigh, the wind from the alleyway blowing her hair across her forehead. She half-turned to look at the ball of black fur a few steps away.
It also stopped, squatted down, wrapped the tip of its tail around its front paws, and stared at her straight.
"I told you," Shen Zhiwei sighed, his tone not being very pleasant, "there's nothing to eat, nothing exciting to watch, and no karmic debts to collect."
The black cat tilted its head, a soft purring emanating from its throat. It stood up, strode closer, and gently nudged the hem of her skirt with its head. Its fur was soft, a touch of the cool dampness of the night dew.
Shen Zhiwei lowered his eyes and looked at it.
After rubbing against her, it looked up at her and called out again. This time the sound was a little longer and had a softer hook.
"..." Shen Zhiwei was silent for a moment, and finally bent down, stretched out his finger, and scratched its chin.
The cat immediately raised its head, purring even louder, and even rolled over on the ground, exposing its soft belly, four paws pointing to the sky, the tip of its tail gently wagging. It acted as if, since you've touched it so sincerely, I'll be merciful and let you scratch it again.
Shen Zhiwei looked at the defenseless furry belly and moved his fingertips.
Finally, he coughed softly, withdrew his hand and stood up.
"You can follow me. But don't make noise, don't cause trouble, and don't pluck my hair."
The black cat flipped over and stood up nimbly, shaking its fur, as if it understood, but also as if it didn't care at all. It followed Shen Zhiwei's footsteps in a few steps, this time no longer keeping a distance, but walking side by side with her skirt, the tip of its tail occasionally brushing her ankle inadvertently.
Hairy and a little itchy.
Shen Zhiwei didn't chase it away again.
A man and a cat, one in front and one behind, walked into the night of the capital.
The wind from the alley blew in with the hustle and bustle of the city. The lights on the long street lit up one after another. The hawking of vendors, the play of children, and the crisp sound of horses' hooves rolling over the bluestone slabs merged into a lively noise.
Shen Zhiwei stood at the entrance of the alley, squinting slightly.
It had been a long time since she had truly experienced this bustling world. In her last few years, she had spent most of her life bedridden, the changing seasons outside her window shrouded in the drowsiness of medicine.
The black cat clung to the hem of her skirt, purring softly. Its gilded cat's eyes reflected the flickering light, and it was hard to tell whether it was alert or curious.
She walked aimlessly along the street, her eyes passing by the steaming food stalls.
This body seemed to have some instinctive desire for sweets, and a sense of emptiness rose in her stomach. She stopped and paused in front of an old man selling candied haws.
The red hawthorns wrapped in shiny sugar shells look very tempting under the lights.
The old man saw her stop and greeted her with a smile: "Girl, would you like a skewer? It's freshly dipped, so crispy and sweet!"
Shen Zhiwei subconsciously touched the sleeve pocket, but her fingertips only touched the delicate fabric.
This dress is not hers, so naturally she doesn't have a penny to spend on it.
She was about to shake her head and leave when a gentle voice came from her side, so familiar that it made her back stiffen.
"Father, I want two skewers."
A bony hand reached out from the side and gently placed a piece of silver on the old man's open palm. The fingers were long, the nails were neatly trimmed, and there was a thin layer of callus at the base of the palm.
Shen Zhiwei didn't turn her head, she recognized the hand, and could also feel the man's focused and burning gaze on the side of her face.
The black cat seemed to be startled. It suddenly turned its head, bared its teeth in the direction of the person coming, let out a warning growl from its throat, and its tail spread out in a circle.
The man seemed to have just noticed the little thing at her feet. He lowered his eyes slightly, passing over the dark fur. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he returned to normal.
He didn't care about the hostility of a wild cat, and just smiled warmly at the boss and said, "No need to look for it."
The old man thanked him repeatedly, and hurriedly took out two strings of the reddest and brightest candied haws, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them to Shen Zhiwei first.
Shen Zhiwei didn’t answer.
She slowly turned around and looked at the person standing beside her.
Xiao Lingjun.
He looked younger than I remembered, and the gentleness between his brows had not yet been completely soaked by the later melancholy and calculations, but the graceful bearing of a crown prince had already taken shape.
He was wearing a dark blue casual suit, made of exquisite materials but not ostentatious. Only a mutton-fat jade pendant around his waist showed his extraordinary status.
When she raised her eyes, he was also looking down at her, his gaze was deep, as if he wanted to see something else through this face that belonged to Shen Zhiwei.
This face, these eyes, were the most familiar scenery to Shen Zhiwei in the past ten years of her previous life. Warm, smiling, and occasionally gloomy, she was aware of every change.
Others were used to seeing his smile that didn't reach his eyes, but this scene seemed a little new to her.
Shen Zhiwei's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then fell on the candied haws he handed her. The candied haws shell was crystal clear, reflecting the light, and also reflecting her reflection at the moment.
She has red lips, white teeth and a face as white as pearls and jade.
It's free food and free drinks, so why not accept it?
Shen Zhiwei stretched out his hand, his fingertips avoiding the place where he was holding the bamboo stick, and took the string of candied haws. The touch of the cold candy shell came through the oil paper.
"Thank you, sir." She thanked him with a frown, lowering her head to take a bite. The hawthorn was sour and astringent, while the candy coating was crisp and sweet. The taste spread across her tongue, strange yet familiar.
"Is it sweet?" Xiao Lingjun's voice came from above his head.
"Sweet," she smiled and shook the bamboo stick lightly, "Sir, do you like this too?"
Xiao Lingjun's fingers holding another string of candied haws tightened slightly. A hint of confusion flashed across his eyes, and then was covered with a deeper warmth.
"It's a good idea to try something new once in a while." He didn't take his eyes off her face. "Are you from the capital? You look familiar."
The black cat anxiously flicked its tail at her feet, the gurgling sound in its throat carrying an obvious warning, and its cat eyes stared at Xiao Lingjun.
Shen Zhiwei seemed unaware as he bit off another hawthorn, chewing it slowly. The sweet and sour juice moistened his throat, bringing a long-lost, vivid warmth.
"Maybe it's because I look ordinary, but you think everyone looks friendly," she said casually, holding a candied haws fruit in her mouth. She bent down and patted the cat's head, her tone relaxed and nonchalant. "This candied haws fruit tastes very good. Thank you for your money."
She ate calmly, without any of the shyness of a lady, nor the awe or shyness that ordinary women would have when facing him.
The attitude was more like that of a stranger who had just met on the street and had struck a chord with each other, and was being treated to a meal, with no need for either party to worry about anything.
The smile on Xiao Lingjun's lips faded a little, and his eyes scanned her eyebrows carefully.
"As long as it suits your taste," he said after a moment's silence. His voice was still gentle, but inexplicably deeper. "It's late at night, and you're all alone. It's best for you to go home early."
Shen Zhiwei nodded slightly at him.
"It's time to go back. Please slow down, sir."
She turned around without even glancing at Xiao Lingjun, biting off the last of the hawthorn and casually tossing the bamboo stick into the trash can beside the road. The sweetness still lingered on her tongue, and she smacked her lips, feeling it was a bit too sweet, making her throat dry.
The black cat followed her, its tail still puffed up, its eyes still glancing behind it warily. Shen Zhiwei felt a little funny and gently touched its butt with the tip of her shoe.
"Gone." The voice was a little vague, like the sugar shells stuck together.
The cat seemed to understand, and finally bared its teeth in Xiao Lingjun's direction, then turned its head and trotted to keep up with her pace, walking forward following the shadow of her skirt.
Sweet foods always make people feel better.
She strolled slowly along the long street, the sweetness of the candied haws still lingering on her tongue, a touch of bitterness tingling in the night breeze. A black cat followed her closely, its tail occasionally brushing against her slightly cool ankles, bringing a slight tickling sensation.
The lights stretched the shadows of people sometimes longer and sometimes shorter, and the noisy sounds, wrapped in the heat of the world, rushed towards her face. It was too vivid and made her feel a little unreal and trance.
This body was young, healthy, and walked with a briskness that was unfamiliar to her. There was no longer the stagnant pain and tightness that had lingered in her chest for years, and every breath was smooth, almost a luxury.
But she is still Shen Zhiwei.
The Eastern Palace companion who crawled out of the Ministry of Punishment, drank poison for ten years, and finally died in the snow.
She had no money, nowhere to go, and her uncle, the Grand Tutor, had just had his arm twisted by her.
trouble.
She looked down at her soft silk dress, then glanced at the pitch-black ball of fur at her feet.
He sighed, turned around and followed his memory towards the Lin Mansion.
The black cat followed with light steps, the tip of its tail sweeping across the ground silently.
The side door of the Lin Mansion was still ajar. She pushed it open and went in. The courtyard was quiet, just as it was when she left.
The deeper you go through the corridor, the more distinct the faint smell of blood in the air becomes.
The door of the study was closed tightly, and there was no light inside.
Shen Zhiwei didn't stop, walked straight forward, raised his hand and pushed it open.
The sound of the door hinges turning was particularly harsh in the silence. The room was dim, and only with the moonlight leaking in from the window could one barely make out a figure curled up in a wooden chair in the corner, pressing a handkerchief tightly against his forehead.
Lin Wenyuan heard the noise and looked up suddenly. He vaguely saw a slender figure standing against the light at the door. His pupils suddenly shrank, and the hand pressing on the wound subconsciously tightened. His throat rolled, but he couldn't make a sound immediately.
He obviously didn't expect that she would dare to come back, let alone come back so soon.
Shen Zhiwei closed the door with her backhand. She didn't go closer, but just leaned against the door panel, her eyes accurately locked on his disheveled shadow in the darkness.
"Uncle, is the injury serious?"
Lin Wenyuan's breath hitched, and his fingers, pressed against his forehead, turned pale. Blood seeping from beneath the handkerchief had soaked a small patch of fabric, sticking sticky to his skin.
He tried to sit up straighter and maintain the dignity of a former tutor, but the slightest movement caused his dislocated arm and the wound on his forehead to hurt, causing him to groan and fall back down.
"You...you are..." His voice was hoarse, "You are not Wei'er...you are..."
Shen Zhiwei didn't answer.
There was a very light clicking sound in the corner. She glanced in the direction of the sound and saw that the black cat had slipped in at some point and was squatting under the antique display cabinet, fiddling with a fallen porcelain brush washer with its claws. The cat's eyes were sparkling in the darkness, looking at her and then at the embarrassed Lin Wenyuan.
She withdrew her gaze and looked back at the person in the chair.
"It doesn't matter who I am," she said calmly. "What's important is that after thinking over what my uncle just said to me, I feel it's not quite right."
Lin Wenyuan's throat was dry. He tried to find any trace of familiarity on her face, but there was none. "...What's wrong?"
"Poisoning the prince, regardless of success or failure, I will inevitably die. My uncle, on the other hand, got away with it cleanly." She took two steps forward. "This deal is too bad for me."
"Why do you say that, Wei'er? If this is accomplished, in front of His Highness..."
"Uncle can certainly speak a few good words for me in front of His Highness," Shen Zhiwei interrupted him, "and perhaps even get some rewards to make life easier for my sister in the palace. But uncle, do you think I will believe it?"
She stopped three steps in front of him, leaned forward slightly, and her shadow completely enveloped Lin Wenyuan.
"My uncle entered the palace late at night to remonstrate with Consort Shu, and she died the next day of a sudden illness. You just happened to encounter the Third Prince's groom before he fell from his horse. And then there's the Fifth Prince's study partner who accidentally drowned... What do you think would happen if these things were reported to the Emperor, or if the Crown Prince learned that his respected teacher had done these things behind his back?"
Lin Wenyuan's face gradually turned pale in the darkness, even paler than the handkerchief he held in his palm. His lips trembled, and his eyes widened, as if he was truly seeing the person standing before him for the first time.
"You...what nonsense are you talking about?" His voice became shrill, but he lowered it down because of fear, for fear that he would be heard outside the door. "Where did you hear this nonsense?!"
"Whether it's nonsense or not, my uncle knows it well," Shen Zhiwei stood up and smiled, his tone flat. "I don't have any other requests. From now on, I will live in the mansion, and my food, clothing and expenses will be the same as before. You don't need to look for me for those important matters. My sister is in the palace, so please take care of her and let her grow up safely."
She paused, her eyes falling on his slightly trembling hands.
"As for those things of yours... Don't worry, I have no interest in enforcing justice for the time being. As long as my uncle stays in peace, they will remain nonsense."
In the corner, the black cat got tired of playing with the brush washer, stretched, jumped lightly onto the windowsill, and curled up, leaving only a pair of golden eyes looking over here.
Lin Wenyuan's chest heaved violently, cold sweat soaked his inner clothes and stuck to his back.
After a long moment, his shoulders slumped, and he slumped in his chair. He squeezed out a breath from deep in his throat: "...Okay."
"My uncle is seriously injured, he should rest early." Shen Zhiwei nodded, turned around, opened the door, and the moonlight poured in like water, outlining her thin silhouette.
"By the way," she paused and turned half sideways, "I need to add a charcoal brazier to my room tomorrow. It's getting cold."
After saying that, she waved her hand, walked out and closed the door behind her.
After the slight sound of the door hinge closing, the study returned to silence, with only Lin Wenyuan's heavy and suppressed breathing as the sound remained.
The black cat jumped off the windowsill, slipped silently through the crack of the door, and chased the receding figure.
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The author has something to say: Shen Zhiwei likes fluffy things, and Xiao Wangqing found out about this in the second year of his reign.
After that, there was no shortage of cats and birds in Xiao Shen's residence. They were all carefully selected and did not make any noise. It was fine for a short time, but over time, the little animals gathered in groups and chirped, which was a bit too noisy.
So the little animals and His Majesty himself were asked to leave for a long time.
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