Though her voice was soft, every word was barbed: "A pair of adulterers, flirting in front of the child, do they think everyone else is blind? There are no rules on the road to exile, so don't bring your filthy thoughts into the open!"
Having managed her business for many years, she has seen all sorts of people and is known for her sharp and direct way of scolding: "Don't think you can hide your shame by pretending. Your wickedness is written all over your face!"
Lin Peirou's eyes reddened, tears welling up in them: "Miss Su, how could you slander me and my cousin like this? I only consider him my own brother..."
"How could you let your own brother hug you so tightly?"
Su Lingwei sneered, "Have some shame!"
Su Lingwei's younger sister, Su Lingyu, suddenly spoke up: "Sister! How can you say that about Miss Lin? She looks so pitiful..."
Despite her words, she glanced at Lu Jin and Lin Peirou with a knowing look in her eyes, then shouted to the officers, "Sirs, let's not worry about Miss Shen! She's holding the bear cubs, she might be able to escape on her own. Let's hurry, before the bear catches up again!"
She said she was thinking of everyone, but her eyes held a hidden malice towards Shen Qingtang.
Father Shen stamped his feet anxiously, pleading, "Sirs! Please save my daughter! She was trying to distract Xiong Cai..."
The head constable hesitated.
Lu Jin suddenly spoke up, his tone "righteous and awe-inspiring": "Father, don't make things difficult for the official. Qing Tang is my wife, she will be fine. Let's go to the ruined temple first, and I'll come back to find her when it's safe."
These words, seemingly out of concern, actually revealed that the speaker did not want to save Shen Qingtang and wanted to absolve himself of all responsibility.
"You're talking nonsense!" Shen Mingzhao was so angry that he was about to rush up and hit him, but his father held him back tightly.
The officials watched in the distance as Shen Qingtang, holding a bear cub, confronted the black bear.
Looking around at the arguing crowd, he finally sighed. They had just gone through a fierce battle and had no energy left to take any more risks.
"Brother Shen, I'm sorry." The constable looked away. "Let's go to the ruined temple first, leave a mark, and then make further plans once things have calmed down."
The Shen family watched helplessly as the procession began to move.
Su Lingyu was still urging him on from the side, trembling with anger. Meanwhile, Shen Qingtang, who was in the distance, seemed to have noticed something.
Grandpa Shen watched his granddaughter's figure disappear into the depths of the dense forest, carrying the bear cub.
Hearing the cold words of Lu Jin and the others behind him, he couldn't catch his breath, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and collapsed straight down.
"Grandpa!" Shen Minglan and Shen Mingzhao exclaimed and rushed over, hurriedly helping him up.
Old Master Shen, barely breathing and in his fading consciousness, gripped his two grandsons' sleeves tightly with his withered hands, saying haltingly, "Go...go save Qingtang...find your sister..."
The two brothers nodded with red eyes and were about to get up.
Lin Peirou suddenly grabbed the constable's sleeve.
Her voice was as soft as a breeze: "Brother Constable, what if they go looking for my sister-in-law and... what if they don't come back? Losing someone on this journey of exile is a big deal..."
Lu Jin immediately chimed in, "Rou'er is right. Qing Tang has always been proud and arrogant. She might just be trying to use this opportunity to escape. She can't bear the hardship of exile."
Lu Jiaojiao, hands on her hips, shrieked, "That's right! She definitely ran away! I knew it a long time ago, she didn't want to suffer with us!"
These words were like poisoned needles.
It caused the Shen family members a sharp pain in their hearts.
Old Master Shen barely opened his eyes and saw Lu Jiaojiao's heartless appearance.
Trembling with rage, her eyes bloodshot, she roared, "You wretched child! That's your own mother! How could you say such a thing about her?!"
"So what if she's my own mother?" Lu Jiaojiao retorted defiantly.
With his hands on his hips, he looked every bit the rogue. "She just wants to run away! She's selfish! You old man, what's it to you?"
"You...you..." Old Master Shen was so shocked by her retort that he almost couldn't catch his breath, and his vision blurred.
Shen Minglan, unable to contain her anger any longer, glared at Lin Peirou and the other two: "What are you up to? My sister lured the bears away to save everyone, and instead of being grateful, you're here gossiping!"
The head constable frowned as he looked at the chaotic scene. On one side were the seriously ill old man and the two anxious brothers.
On one side were Lu Jin and his group, who were constantly stirring up trouble, and he couldn't make up his mind.
Seeing the constable hesitate, Lin Peirou quietly added, "Brother Constable, we still have a long way to go. If we're late, we'll be in trouble..."
Lu Jin and Lu Jiaojiao also chimed in.
Every sentence revolves around "Shen Qingtang wants to escape" and "We cannot allow the Shen family to abandon their posts."
Grandpa Shen lay in the snow, listening to these distorted facts and looking at Lu Jiaojiao's harsh face that didn't match her age.
A chill ran through me; this child had truly been spoiled rotten.
They've lost even the most basic conscience.
With his last ounce of strength, he hoarsely said to his two grandsons, "Don't worry about them... go... go find your sister..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
