Chapter 92 if·Modern Campus (3)
As usual, Luo Ze dropped his sister off at the school gate. Because of the heavy traffic, he stopped and left quickly, not noticing the handsome young man standing under the tree. Luo Yan then ran over to him with light steps.
"What a coincidence." She smiled brightly.
Zhu Yun looked slightly uncomfortable. Taking advantage of his height, he looked up at the blue sky and mumbled an "um".
From Luo Yan's perspective, the boy's ears were bright red, but that was all. She withdrew her gaze and said, "You're not quite what I imagined."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yun's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly examined her words and actions over the past two days.
To everyone's surprise, Luo Yan pointed at the wall and said, "Yesterday I thought you were one of those delinquent teenagers from TV dramas."
Meanwhile, Zhu Zhaoyue finally welcomed her mother, who had left the palace.
"Mother, why have you been gone for so long?"
Lan Hui smiled somewhat awkwardly, "The Imperial Concubine asked me to discuss the Lotus Banquet. She's unsure about some things and wants my advice."
Zhu Zhaoyue nodded: "By the way, Mother, I was thinking of taking my cousin out of the manor these past two days to buy some jewelry for the Lotus Banquet. I only found out today that my cousin's stepmother..."
She was rambling on and on when she noticed Lan Hui was slightly taken aback. A hand with distinct knuckles supported her slender arm. The large palm and long fingers could have easily encircled her completely, but the hand simply held her aloofly, strictly adhering to the etiquette of a gentleman.
Through the thin sleeve, Luo Yan could clearly feel the warmth of the man's palm, and even the roughness of the calluses on his hands and knuckles.
Luo Yan looked up at the man with tears in her eyes.
Zhu Yun dismounted from his horse at some point, and although he was holding her arm, his expression was extremely cold, as if a layer of frost had accumulated on his face.
The voice was as calm and still as an ancient well.
"I'll help you." Two days later, the weather was fine and sunny, a perfect day for going out. Luo Yan's foot injury had improved considerably, and she could walk with almost no pain, so Zhu Zhaoyue led her out.
"My mother had the clothes made to your measurements before you arrived. We can pick them up after we finish looking at the jewelry. Cousin, since you're new to the capital, let's go to Baoyue Pavilion, which I frequent."
Baoyue Pavilion is located in the most prosperous area of the capital. It usually receives high-ranking officials and nobles. Therefore, in addition to the Zhu family guards they bring, there are also many guards in the building.
"Take your time choosing your benefactors; only call upon your humble servants when you need something."
The innkeeper led them into a reserved private room, ordered the finest delicacies to be presented, and then brought out some good tea and fruit platters before leaving.
Zhu Zhaoyue picked up several hairpins, looking distressed: "Why do I feel like they all suit you?"
My cousin is so beautiful that she looks good in anything.
Luo Yan obediently let her gesture. After the two had been arranging things for a while, Zhu Zhaoyue drank quite a bit of tea and then led her people to the privy.
Luo Yan looked at the table full of jewelry, her smile vanished, and she showed no trace of her earlier interest. She calmly picked up her teacup.
Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a black hem.
Is someone in the corner?
The private room wasn't very big; a screen displaying a myriad of flowers was placed against the wall for decoration, but it actually made it easy for thieves to hide.
The guards stood at the door, and only she and Lilan were inside the room.
Luo Yan gestured to Li Lan with her eyes. Li Lan was startled when she saw the corner of the dress. She nodded slightly and slowly moved towards the door.
Luo Yan reached for the dagger hidden at her waist, pretended to get up and walk around, and closed the window next to the screen.
Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind blew. Luo Yan swiftly drew her dagger.
With a muffled groan from the man, the dagger fell silently onto the thick carpet.
"stop."
These words were spoken to Lilan, who turned around and was immediately horrified upon seeing them.
The man in black held a sharp sword to Luo Yan's throat.
The man's other hand, which was not holding the sword, was stabbed by a dagger and was bleeding profusely. Drops of blood fell slowly onto the carpet, leaving deep marks, but the man seemed oblivious.
His eyes were sharp and cold, and he exuded a terrifying murderous aura, like a hawk gripping its prey.
The man's voice was grim: "If you open the door, I will kill your master."
As he spoke, he pressed the sword even deeper against Luo Yan's neck, leaving a red mark on her fair skin in an instant.
Lilan, suppressing her panic, hurriedly said, "I won't open the door, young master, please release my young lady first!"
The man acted as if he hadn't heard.
Luo Yan lowered her eyes and stared at the dark cloud pattern on his sword blade. This sword seemed to be stained with the blood of many people. Even after being wiped clean, it still exuded a faint and unpleasant bloody smell.
She calmly asked, "Who are you? Knowing that my guards are outside the door, you still chose to make your move inside the room. Isn't that a bit too audacious?"
The man glanced down at her, surprised that a woman from a wealthy family could remain so calm even when being held hostage.
That makes sense, though. She wasn't some ordinary noblewoman. What noblewoman would carry a dagger around when she went out? And to discover someone hiding in the room and still calmly instruct her maid to notify the guards while she herself calmly closed the windows to prevent the person from escaping?
Not to mention the ruthlessness with which this person attacked, revealing their sinister nature.
He spent too little time observing her in the room, which led him to be deceived by her easygoing appearance and choose her as his helper. Little did he know that beneath her gentle exterior lay a thorny flower.
If he hadn't reacted quickly, he would have been trapped long ago.
The man said, "I don't want to kill you, I just want to ask you for a favor."
Why should I believe you?
The man sneered: "Do you have any room for negotiation with me now?"
He couldn't see the expression on Luo Yan's face, but he heard her chuckle softly: "That's not necessarily true."
He frowned slightly, subconsciously sensing that something was wrong. Just as he was about to ask again, he suddenly felt his whole body go limp, and the hand holding the sword also became weak.
There's medicine on the dagger!
He stumbled backward, nearly collapsing to the ground, before finally regaining his balance by leaning against a low mahogany cabinet by the window.
He curled his lips into a sinister smile: "I underestimated you."
The situation instantly reversed; Luo Yan picked up the dagger she had dropped and pressed it against his Adam's apple.
"Your physical condition is quite good, yet it took you so long to administer the medicine. Tell me, who sent you?"
The man looked at the woman's sharp features, forcefully pulled at the token at his waist, and sneered, "Miss, I wonder if you can bear the charge of delaying an important case?"
Looking at the dragon and cloud totem on the token in front of her, Luo Yan's expression changed slightly.
However, in an instant, she regained her calm expression and deftly sheathed the dagger.
"It turns out you are a lord from the Yunyi Guard. I mistook you for a thief and that's why I accidentally injured you. It was all a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" The man lifted his narrow eyes and scoffed, "You injured me and drugged me, delaying an important case. What is your punishment?"
Luo Yan's eyes turned cold.
The Yunyi Guards were imperial guards personally selected by the emperor, directly obeying his orders and serving him, demonstrating their considerable power. Although the man before them was not wearing official robes, his simple black clothing indicated that he held a high position.
Luo Yan took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and tossed it to him: "The antidote."
The man wasn't surprised by her behavior; his face still held a hint of mockery.
Seeing that he had taken the medicine, Luo Yan put on a beautiful smile and said, "Just now, you asked me for help, and I am happy to help you."
"However, I hope that you will not hold a grudge after this."
The man regained his strength, used his sword to brace himself as he stood up, and watched Luo Yan calmly change her attitude, a hint of amusement flashing across his cold expression.
He neither confirmed nor denied it, but instead said, "Do you see the maid next to the shopkeeper? The one with the small mole on her forehead."
Luo Yan has had an exceptional memory since childhood. "I remember."
"Find a way to bring them in."
Luo Yan immediately turned around. The man wanted to add that the person was cunning and that she shouldn't notice, but then he thought that Luo Yan was even more cunning, so there was no need to give her any more advice.
Luo Yan instructed Li Lan, "Tell her I want to see some jade pendants, and ask someone to bring some up."
She remembered that the maid was always responsible for serving jewelry and never served fruit platters or food. She must be the manager's right-hand woman. The jade pendant was not as valuable as the jewelry on the table, and it was she, not Zhu Zhaoyue, who called for someone. Such a small matter would not have bothered the manager.
Before long, the maidservant indeed came alone, carrying the jade pendant.
As soon as she entered the room, the maid was silenced and captured by the man. She raised her hand to retaliate against the man's chest.
The two exchanged a few blows, but she was clearly no match for the man. After he completely subdued her, he left through the window.
Before jumping out of the window, the man glanced back at Luo Yan, his dark eyes holding a profound meaning.
Luo Yan, who stood far away, only responded with a faint smile.
Only after the person had completely left did Lilan collapse to the ground, exhausted. Luo Yan's tense body also relaxed noticeably, but her face remained ashen.
"Miss, what bad luck to have run into Yun Yiwei today! And he even mistook him for the assassin who tried to kill you before. What should we do? Won't he take revenge on you in the future?"
Luo Yan recalled the look the man gave her before he left, and said with a dark look in her eyes, "After all, I helped him. If he still has any integrity, he wouldn't have made things difficult for me so openly."
Upon hearing this, Lilan looked even more troubled. How could she keep her word to Yun Yiwei?
Luo Yanyun cautiously instructed, "What happened today is between you and me, and must not be told to anyone else."
Lilan, still shaken, nodded: "Yes."
After all, apart from a few drops of blood left on the carpet, there were no signs of a struggle in the room, nor had anyone been alerted.
It was as calm as if nothing had happened.
Luo Yan's heart sank.
Her true self was revealed, and ironically, she was someone she couldn't kill.
The curtain was lowered, and the carriage started moving again.
The beautiful smile vanished instantly. Luo Yan looked at the bloodstain on the hem of her white sleeve. It was from when Zhu Yun injured the bandit leader with his sword. It had just splashed onto a small forsythia embroidered with pale yellow silk thread, and was so bright red that it was glaring.
Luo Yan gently stroked it with her slender fingertips, staring at it thoughtfully.
She asked in confusion, "What's wrong, Mother? Weren't you originally planning to bring my cousin along...?"
Lan Hui snapped out of her daze, shook her head and smiled, "Of course I'll bring them. I just didn't expect you to have already told Luo Yan. Go ahead, just put it on my tab, and remember to bring plenty of guards."
Zhu Zhaoyue beamed with joy upon hearing that she wouldn't have to pay: "Thank you, Mother. You're right. We haven't caught those bandits yet, but it's broad daylight, there are many of them, and the city guards are patrolling. I doubt they'll dare to make a move. I will bring my cousin back safely."
“Yes, they wouldn’t dare to make a move,” Lan Hui said.
Zhu Zhaoyue, having decided what to wear, left happily. Lan Hui's smile vanished completely, her eyes filled with exhaustion.
That was because Shangguan Wenyuan had been bombarding him with text messages. Luo Yan sent two in total, which were buried in the notification bar and he didn't even look at them.
But you can't blame it all on his father. He called in the middle of the night to ask for advice, "If a girl has a very outstanding boyfriend, how can I win her over?"
Shangguan Wenyuan, who was on a business trip overseas, wished he could teleport home and beat someone up.
Zhu Yun explained simply, then poked her shoulder with his finger: "I was wrong, I'll set a special reminder in a bit."
Once they had talked things out, the two reconciled and were as good as new.
They still didn't interact much at school, but they would walk into the classroom side by side from the school gate in the morning and do their homework together via video call in the evening. Their relationship was growing rapidly without anyone noticing.
Cui Wuyang was quite satisfied.
Firstly, his younger sister's physical and mental health, as well as her academic performance, remained excellent. Secondly, Zhu Yun no longer targeted him; she would give him points when playing basketball, and would nod and greet him when they met on the street—her friendliness was almost magical.
When Luo Ze privately inquired about his sister, he answered truthfully: "She's very well-behaved, seems to be in a good mood, and no suspicious blond-haired men have approached her."
Luo Ze was very pleased and decided to take Luo Yan out to a banquet to relax after the midterm exams.
She reassured Zhu Yun on her phone, then looked up and asked, "A dinner party? With whom?"
“We have a very good relationship with your uncle’s family, but you may not know that,” Luo Ze explained patiently. “Their child is also a senior in high school, and I heard that he has excellent grades. They were thinking of helping you become friends.”
"Sure, what's your name?"
“I didn’t ask for his name,” Luo Ze said. “His surname should be Shangguan.”
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