Chapter 9 Ikegishi Haru directly covered her lips
He obviously knew something, or even had something to do with the person behind the scenes.
Cui Yiluo hid the alertness in her eyes, a hint of doubt rising in her eyes: "What does this mean? Cousin, do you suspect someone is trying to harm me today?"
Jiang Yunjin had a complicated expression.
Facing the man's solemn and handsome face, Cui Yiluo couldn't help but lower her head and smile.
Seeing his frown, Cui Yiluo's eyes flashed with a cunning light, and the corners of her lips curved slightly as she asked, "Cousin, are you worried about me?"
Jiang Yunjin said coldly: "I am talking to you seriously."
Cui Yiluo blinked and said sincerely, "I am asking my cousin seriously, why doesn't he answer me?"
Jiang Yunjin stared at her with his dark eyes. He didn't say anything, but he was obviously a little displeased.
Despite the oppressive gaze, Cui Yiluo still smiled, but straightened her tone: "Since my cousin is worried about me, I should answer his questions seriously."
Jiang Yunjin's face became even gloomier after being teased by her again and again, but considering the important matter, he did not scold her, but used his eyes to signal her to answer.
Cui Yiluo's smile faded, and she seemed to be lost in thought. Her expression gradually darkened, and then a wave of hesitation and fear emerged. "Actually, at first I wasn't sure if I had accidentally fallen into the water, but after my cousin told me, I thought about it carefully, and realized someone had indeed pushed me. Since you asked, what did you find out? Was the person who pushed me today the same gang as the last time?"
A hint of expectation flashed across Jiang Yunjin's eyes.
Cui Yiluo caught this subtle detail. If it was true, there were only people accompanying Princess Hejia and Jiang Yang on the pleasure boat today. The people who pushed her into the water were on the same side as the group of thieves.
Seeing Jiang Yunjin silent and pensive, Cui Yiluo called out softly, "Cousin?"
Jiang Yunjin pursed his lips slightly, his expression stern as he spoke, "He didn't succeed today, so he won't act as conspicuously in the future. Hiding isn't a long-term solution, but it's safer to go out less often, and be more cautious when you do go out. If necessary, you can send someone to find out."
Isn't it the same as looking for him if she's looking for Wen Feng? He's always kept his distance from her, so why would he take the initiative to help her now?
Something is wrong.
He seemed to be able to see through her thoughts, and with a hint of explanation, he added: "You are now staying at the Jiang family. It is reasonable for me to ensure your safety."
Is that really the case? Cui Yiluo didn't believe it. He couldn't have helped her out of affection. He was indifferent to others and always kept to himself. He was very clear about the boundaries, so it couldn't be that he was helping her out of courtesy.
Then, it can only be because of the person behind the scenes.
Cui Yiluo lowered her eyes to hide the gloom in them, and her gaze suddenly stopped at her hand that had been pulling his sleeve.
Last time under the crape myrtle tree, she had pulled his sleeve in the same way, and he had ordered her to let go. But this time, he seemed so focused on his business that he didn't even notice she had been pulling for so long.
Jiang Yun is a gentleman who is restrained in his actions and behaves in a proper manner.
But Cui Yiluo is the one who is most willing to take advantage of others.
When Cui Yiluo raised her head again, her face was filled with emotion, her eyes sparkling with affection. "Thank you, cousin. With your help, Yiluo will definitely get through this disaster safely."
As she spoke, her eyes turned slightly red, and her fingers quietly reached out to Jiang Yunjin's hand, as if she wanted to hold his hand.
Half of the cloak opened slightly with the movement, revealing the undergarment that had been hidden under the cloak and had been hurriedly changed into. The summer clothes were made of thin material, and the curves of her delicate figure were faintly visible.
The moment her fingertips wrapped around the back of his hand, Jiang Yunjin's eyes darkened, and he dodged the hand as if he had finally reacted. He pulled up his cloak, and the half-open spring scenery closed in an instant. The series of movements were smooth and flowing.
He took a big step back, his eyes sharp and questioning, freezing her face, which was full of gratitude and shyness, inch by inch.
Jiang Yunjin's voice suddenly turned cold: "Have you completely forgotten what I said last time?"
Cui Yiluo raised her head, her clear eyes full of innocence. "It's just an act of gratitude. Why is my cousin so angry? Aren't we cousins?"
She said it as a matter of course.
Jiang Yunjin's face seemed to be covered with a layer of frost. "For seven years, men and women have not sat together. Miss Cui, you should understand the principles of etiquette, not to mention that you and I are not real cousins."
"You are engaged, so you should respect yourself."
He spoke bluntly and without any mercy, even changing his address to "Miss Cui". The last sentence directly nailed Cui Yiluo to the spot.
Cui Yiluo had bright eyes, and her eyes were like a clear spring, allowing people to clearly see any emotion in her eyes. At this moment, the hurt in her eyes was particularly obvious. Jiang Yunjin pursed his lips, and the fingers hanging by his side moved slightly.
The room was silent for a few breaths, and Jiang Yunjin turned his eyes to look outside the door: "Remember what I told you, I'm leaving first."
After he turned around, the grievance on Cui Yiluo's face suddenly disappeared, and her cold eyes were mixed with a hint of sarcasm.
The reaction was even more intense than the previous two times, and it seemed that a single touch could kill him. She, Cui Yiluo, was a heretic, and she didn't understand what kind of life he had been leading for the past twenty-one years, talking so much about propriety, righteousness, and morality, but didn't he feel any difficulty breathing?
"Cousin," she called out to him, "Why are you helping me if you don't want to see me?"
Jiang Yunjin didn't turn around. His tall, lean figure blocked out most of the light from the doorway. He spoke calmly, "Since I've made a promise, there's no reason to go back on my word."
What a gentleman, Cui Yiluo thought sarcastically.
The man was about to step out of the room, but he suddenly stopped, as if he noticed something, then quickly turned around and strode back.
His sword-like brows were pressed down, and his dark eyes reflected a sharp cold light: "Hide, someone is coming."
Is someone coming?
Cui Yiluo's hearing is not as sensitive as those who practice martial arts. Jiang Yunjin can hear the footsteps that she cannot hear, and can even use this to guess the person's height and whether he practices martial arts.
He was so anxious, which meant that he was the one who came to kill her!
Only then did she come to her senses. The palace maid who had taken the imperial physician downstairs to prescribe medicine had not returned for a long time. It was obvious that she had deliberately left her alone in the room. The palace maid said that the imperial concubine had ordered that no one should be left behind, but Jiang Yunjin was able to leave the hall. Perhaps Lan Hui and the other two were also deliberately sent away.
But the room was simply furnished and spacious, and outside the window was a corner of Qingle Lake. Where could he hide?
"It's too late."
Jiang Yunjin said again.
It seems that we can only hide under the lake, at least it can hold off for a while.
Cui Yiluo was about to speak when a big hand suddenly reached across her waist and pulled her into his arms.
The moment her back touched his strong chest, Cui Yiluo was stunned for a moment. Before she could react, Jiang Yunjin lifted her waist and stepped out of the window.
It turned out that there was a small piece of soil connecting the wall and the lake, but it was so narrow that only one person could stand.
Jiang Yunjin obviously realized it as well, and he tightened his arms around her waist. This time they were more closely fitted together, but he had no choice but to do so.
He almost picked her up. Cui Yiluo had her back to him and could not see his expression. She could only see the flowing lake water in front of her and the strong arms tied around her waist. He was wearing a wrist guard today. Unlike his usual thin and strong appearance in a wide robe, the neat muscle lines became particularly obvious.
Cui Yiluo put one hand on him, seemingly just holding on to maintain balance. As she expected, his whole body stiffened a lot, so she held on even tighter.
He held her in his arms and stepped carefully on the narrow mud surface, moving to the side wall.
This way, even if the other party looks out the window, they won’t be able to see them hiding outside.
There were footsteps in the room. Cui Yiluo's back was pressed against the left side of the man's chest. His rapid heartbeat hit her back again and again, and the heat from her back was even hotter.
Cui Yiluo turned her head slightly, and out of the corner of her eye she saw his chest rising and falling as he tried to suppress his breathing, and his Adam's apple rolling ever so slightly.
He mouthed: Don't move.
Cui Yiluo turned her head back again, with the corners of her lips slightly raised hidden in the darkness.
"Damn it! Where's the person? Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on him?"
A familiar high-pitched voice suddenly rang out from within the room.
It’s him!
"Bang!" The maid fell to her knees, her voice filled with panic. "Eunuch Xu, I didn't know. I just sent the medical officer away and went to meet you. Who knew Miss Cui would disappear in such a short time?"
Eunuch Xu raised his hand and slapped the maid hard, angrily saying, "Useless! The master ordered that the person be eliminated. Do you know how difficult it is to do it outside? If you make a mistake today and alert the enemy, it will be even more difficult to do it in the future! You failed to keep an eye on the person, which ruined the entire plan. Tell me, how should I deal with you to appease the master's anger?"
Eunuch Xu's voice became more piercing, like the hissing of a black poisonous snake, and even Cui Yiluo felt a chill in her heart when she heard it.
The word "master" he mentioned immediately reminded people of Xiao Ying. However, Cui Yiluo's intuition told her that it wasn't Xiao Ying. Judging from Xiao Ying's words and actions, she was just a favored princess who was naive to the ways of the world. Although she deliberately approached her, she didn't harbor any evil intentions.
Eunuch Xu appears to be serving Xiao Ying, but secretly works for someone else. Of course, it's also possible that Xiao Ying is actually quite scheming, and her innocent appearance deceives everyone and makes them let down their guard.
The maid was trembling so much she could barely speak. She kowtowed several times and cried, "Eunuch, please spare me. Considering the many years I've served you, please give me a chance to make amends."
Eunuch Xu chuckled, but his tone was cold: "Why don't you go find her quickly? I don't believe that she can escape. The people in Shuizhi Palace are all ours."
Cui Yiluo slowly tightened her grip on Jiang Yunjin's wrist, her soft thumb and index finger gripping outside the wrist guard, directly touching his hand.
The man behind him suddenly started breathing heavily, and the soft mud beneath his feet suddenly loosened, causing the two men to slide down.
Her waist felt tight, and the man quickly tied her waist to stabilize her body and turned to the side.
As if afraid that she would scream, he covered her lips with his bony hands. His palms were so large that they covered the lower half of her face. The hot air from her nose and the wetness on her lips were reflected on his palms.
The breath behind her was even heavier on her neck.
Inside the room, Eunuch Xu suddenly called out to the palace maid, "Wait! There's a noise outside."
Cui Yiluo bit her lips and held her breath. The sound they just made was extremely subtle, but was heard by Eunuch Xu. It can be seen that his martial arts skills are not low, and can even be said to be unfathomable.
The maid responded and walked to the window.
"Eunuch Xu, outside is Qingle Lake. It's unlikely that Miss Cui is hiding here."
Eunuch Xu also walked to the window to take a closer look, but there was indeed no sign of the Tibetans. He pondered the noises he had just heard and snorted coldly, "She must have jumped into the lake and escaped! The news reports never showed she could swim, and she even had to learn it herself. She's truly cunning by nature. Humph, who did she take that from?"
Cui Yiluo heard everything clearly and sneered in her heart.
This was because the Cui Mansion was a place full of tigers and wolves that she could not escape from. When she was twelve years old, her stepmother abandoned her in the wild. The first thing she did when she returned home was to find ways to secretly learn some self-defense skills. It was at that time that she learned to swim.
Eunuch Xu walked out of the room and said, "Let's go and search along the lake!"
The two of them left quickly, but not knowing whether it was a trick, Cui Yiluo and Jiang Yunjin tacitly did not move, and even pressed closer to the wall.
Only when there was no sound in the room for a long time did the two of them completely relax.
Jiang Yunjin was about to withdraw his hand, but it ran straight into the girl's eyes.
Most of her face was covered by him, leaving only a pair of lively eyes with a hint of smile exposed.
But that smile seemed like a mockery: Didn’t you say that I’m engaged, and you and I are not real cousins, so we shouldn’t cross the line.
So, what are you doing?
The author has something to say:
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A Luo: [Poor]
Next chapter will be on Tuesday (July 22) at 9am
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