Pattern
The sunlight dappled through the window as Zhou Yanzhi sat at his desk, his gaze fixed on a stack of documents, his heart heavy with confusion.
If that person is Xiao Yan's man, then why is he here?
Could it be Xiao Jiangsheng?
As soon as the idea came to mind, Zhou Yanzhi immediately dismissed it. The Xiao family case was clearly framed; there was a mole within the Marquis of Jin'an's household. Given Xiao Jiangsheng's personality, he would never use anyone from the Marquis's household again.
Zhou Yanzhi tapped his fingertips lightly on the table twice, then rubbed his temples. And his cousin—why did she react that way after hearing that person's voice?
Furthermore, why did she say yesterday that this person was an old friend of hers? Didn't she grow up in Danzhou? Why would she know someone from Xiao Yan's family?
Zhou Yanzhi's heart pounded as he thought of something.
That day, my cousin said that when she called him "brother," she was actually calling him. But what if she wasn't? If she was, what if she was calling Xiao Jiangsheng?
Unable to resist glancing at the canopy bed behind the screen, Zhou Yanzhi slowly conceived a thought that chilled him to the bone.
What if my cousin wasn't my cousin, but Xiao Yan?
...
The sound of snow dripping outside the window drifted through the glass, a soft, rhythmic patter, and one could almost hear a few birdsongs mixed in, all ringing incessantly in my ears.
Although it was a bit messy, it wasn't very noisy; instead, it had a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
Inside the room, Jie Xiangsi was awakened by someone staring at her. The gaze, which seemed almost tangible, fell on her face, making her feel a chill run down her spine even in her sleep. She simply couldn't sleep peacefully anymore.
She opened her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling, and unsurprisingly met a pair of meaningful eyes. Looking at the unreadable expression on Zhou Yanzhi's face, she tentatively asked, "...Cousin?"
What happened? Why is he looking at her like that?
It's a bit strange; it makes people feel uneasy.
After staring at the person in front of him for a while, Zhou Yanzhi coughed lightly and explained, "You've been sleeping for a long time. I was worried that you would get dizzy if you slept too long, so I'm getting you up to move around for a bit."
Jie Xiangsi: "?"
Yeah?
Although she sensed that Zhou Yanzhi was acting a bit strange, she didn't ask any further questions, simply nodded and got out of bed. But perhaps because she had slept for too long, her vision did indeed go black for a moment, and she felt dizzy.
After walking a few steps in the room, Jie Xiangsi paused, raised her hand with a strange expression, looked down at the plain clothes she was wearing, and a question suddenly came to mind.
Who changed my clothes?
She secretly glanced back at Zhou Yanzhi, and their eyes met. He asked, "What's wrong?"
Jie Xiangsi immediately turned her head and stammered, "N-nothing...it's nothing."
He must have had someone help him change it...
Pushing open the window, the chill of early spring rushed in, instantly clearing her head. Looking at the willows outside the window, which were already sprouting green buds, Jie Xiangsi blinked.
Wow, spring is here already!
Melted snow dripped quickly from the eaves, bursting into tiny water droplets on the woman's outstretched palm. The clear snow water brought a refreshing chill.
Jie Xiangsi's lips curled into a slight smile. Looking up, she felt the sunlight was exceptionally bright that day. Turning back to Zhou Yanzhi, she quickly walked towards him. "Cousin, I'm a little hungry. Shall we go out and get something to eat?"
"Okay." Zhou Yanzhi smiled and looked up.
...
They sat facing each other in the same restaurant.
Jie Xiangsi ordered a serving of sweet rice wine dumplings. The first bite was a sweet taste of rice wine and soft, glutinous rice balls. Unfortunately, Zhou Yanzhi said she was still recovering from her injury and only allowed her to eat a little.
Under the subtle hint from the person opposite her, Jie Xiangsi reluctantly put down her spoon, rested her head on her right hand, and sighed softly, "Cousin, how come you're just like Lord Su now?"
"Su Feng?" Zhou Yanzhi raised his eyes in confusion.
“Yes.” Xie Xiangsi blinked, a sly smile flashing in her eyes. “Just like Lord Su, she’s a worrier.”
Knowing that Xie Xiangsi was teasing him, Zhou Yanzhi didn't say anything, but just looked at her helplessly, ladled a bowl of soup in front of her, and said, "Stop being silly, drink up."
Jie Xiangsi smiled and pursed her lips, picked up a spoon and stirred the bowl a few times casually. Suddenly, she looked up and said in a sweet voice, "Cousin, I want to eat the chestnut cake from the shop downstairs."
After saying that, she pointed out the window, and Zhou Yanzhi looked in that direction.
Along the long street, there was only one pastry shop with a long queue, and the one Jie Xiangsi was referring to was this "chestnut cake". If he went down to queue now, he might have to wait for quite a while.
Before he could finish thinking, Xie Xiangsi's burning gaze swept over him, her eyes full of anticipation, "Cousin will buy it for me, right?"
Zhou Yanzhi: "..."
Can he still say he won't buy it?
Seeing that Xie Xiangsi's bowl of rice was untouched, Zhou Yanzhi turned his head and coughed lightly twice. After a moment, he turned back and said carefully, "You haven't eaten yet. I'll go buy you some more later."
"Oh? But I want to eat it now." A hint of deliberate teasing appeared in Xie Xiangsi's eyes.
Before Zhou Yanzhi could speak, she continued, "Cousin, are you unwilling?"
Seeing a hint of panic on Zhou Yanzhi's face, Jie Xiangsi decided to add fuel to the fire. She sighed and pretended to be aggrieved, saying, "My cousin says he likes me, but his actions don't show any sincerity. Now it seems that he's not so sincere after all."
Zhou Yanzhi: "..."
Zhou Yanzhi laughed angrily: "Ha—"
He stood up abruptly, walked up to her in front of her as Jie Xiangsi's eyes grew brighter, reached out and ruffled her hair roughly, and said in a low voice, "I was wrong, I'll go buy it for you now."
Jie Xiangsi chuckled, "Then thank you very much, cousin."
Watching Zhou Yanzhi walk away, the smile on Jie Xiangsi's face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of anxiety. She whispered towards the window, "Brother."
A gentle breeze passed by.
The next second, Xiao Jiangsheng, dressed in green, appeared in the private room.
"Yan Yan".
Xie Xiangsi hurriedly stepped forward and asked anxiously, "Brother, why have you come to Danzhou as well?"
If Xiao hadn't told her through the snow water when she opened the window, she wouldn't have known he had also come to Danzhou. She'd finally managed to coax Zhou Yanzhi out of the house; she needed to find out what was going on.
Xiao Jiangsheng didn't answer her question. Instead, he quickly and gently picked up her injured hand and asked in a serious tone, "What happened here?"
"This..." Xie Xiangsi's eyes darted away, and she slightly withdrew her hand, saying guiltily, "I accidentally scratched myself."
"Scratches?"
Xiao Jiangsheng didn't believe it. He knew his younger sister's lying manner all too well. She always avoided eye contact when she lied, and she had never changed since she was a child.
"Mmm." Xie Xiangsi nodded haphazardly, and before Xiao Jiangsheng could ask again, she said in a coquettish tone, "Brother, tell me first how you came to Danzhou."
She looked like she didn't want him to know the reason.
Xiao sighed helplessly, took out a bottle of ointment from his pocket, placed it in her hand, and instructed, "Take it three times a day."
"Okay, thank you, brother." Xie Xiangsi smiled so broadly that her eyes disappeared.
Looking at his younger sister, whose face was different but whose expression was exactly the same as in his memory, Xiao Jiangsheng's heart softened. He couldn't help but reach out and rub her head, saying gently, "Your brother isn't here, so you have to take good care of yourself."
After saying that, he continued, "I'm here to investigate someone."
Upon hearing this, Xie Xiangsi's heart tightened, and she asked, "Who is it?"
Is it He Yun?
Xiao Jiangsheng said, "Zhang Xu."
"Zhang Xu?" Xie Xiangsi asked, puzzled.
Xiao Jiangsheng explained, "I found out something. Since Governor Xie passed away, Yang Xu has taken over the position of governor. He also took over the remaining disaster relief funds placed in Danzhou."
At this point, he took out a piece of Xuan paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and revealed the pattern on it.
The design depicts a lifelike python coiled around a bamboo staff, its mouth wide open, as if it would plunge countless fangs into its prey's throat at any moment.
"This tattoo..." Jie Xiangsi asked, puzzled.
Xiao Jiang said in a deep voice, "I discovered that Zhang Xu has this tattoo, and the person who assassinated us on the way back to the capital also had it. Also, although the person who falsely accused the Xiao family of treason was the Fourth Prince, all the evidence I have collected points to the Sixth Prince. I want to start with Zhang Xu."
Upon hearing this, Jie Xiangsi's heart sank. Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Brother, do you know He Yun?"
"He Yun?" Xiao Jiangsheng frowned. "The one you rescued from the arena?"
"Hmm." Xie Xiangsi nodded and said in a deep voice, "Yesterday, when Zhou Yanzhi and I were checking the disaster relief funds, we unexpectedly discovered that the batch of disaster relief funds that were transported to Yangqu was hidden in Xie Xiangsi's room. Then, I met He Yun there."
At this point, her eyes narrowed slightly. "I suspect that He Yun has long been colluding with the person behind the scenes."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiangsheng frowned, looking at the unfamiliar face in front of him, and tentatively asked, "Did you come into this body because of him?"
“…Hmm.” Xie Xiangsi lowered her eyes and said softly, “It was because of him that the Xiao family was raided and their property confiscated.”
Seeing her like this, Xiao Jiangsheng, being of the same mind as his sister, knew exactly what had happened to her and what she was thinking. His gaze swept over her hands hidden in her sleeves, and Xiao Jiangsheng felt a pang of heartache. He raised his hand and gently stroked her head twice.
He said gently, "Human hearts are unpredictable; it's not your fault."
Xie Xiangsi raised her hand and wiped away her tears haphazardly. In order not to worry Xiao Jiangsheng, she forced a smile: "Yes, I will definitely kill him myself and avenge my clan."
Xiao Jiangsheng gently patted her head, "Let's do it together."
Afraid that she would burst into tears if she opened her mouth, Jie Xiangsi nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with even more intense hatred. She would definitely kill He Yun herself, and then go down to apologize to her clansmen.
Afterward, the brother and sister talked for a while. Xiao Jiangsheng suddenly remembered something he had always wanted to say to Xie Xiangsi, and solemnly said, "Yan Yan, don't get too close to Zhou Ce'an."
When Yang Qu and his sister recognized each other, they were in such a hurry that he overlooked many things, such as Zhou Ce'an's affection for his younger sister.
Later, he reviewed the situation again and discovered the truth. From then on, whenever he thought about it, he couldn't sleep, from Yangqu to Danzhou.
He wondered why he hadn't taken his younger sister with him when he left. His sister was being targeted, and by the notoriously aloof man in the capital!
After much deliberation, Xiao Jiangsheng felt that this matter was extremely dangerous. As the eldest brother, he felt it was necessary to give his younger sister a proper warning.
Jie Xiangsi: "..."
Jie Xiangsi: "Brother, it's not like you think."
Xiao sighed, "No need for further explanation, I heard everything just now."
Jie Xiangsi: "Huh?"
What did he hear?
Seeing that Jie Xiangsi was still pretending not to understand, Xiao Jiangsheng's expression suddenly became very serious. He earnestly said to the bewildered Jie Xiangsi, "Sister, no matter what, never sacrifice yourself."
Although he phrased it tactfully, Jie Xiangsi still keenly grasped her brother's meaning. She hadn't expected him to be thinking about that. After a moment of silence, she blushed slightly and stammered, "I understand."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiangsheng nodded in satisfaction, but still worried, he took out a firework from his pocket and carefully instructed, "If he dares to overstep his bounds, fire this signal flare, and your brother will come to save you immediately."
He accepted the signal flare and nodded again.
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