Chapter 93 if·Modern Campus (4)
"Shangguan?"
Compound surnames are uncommon, so Luo Yan immediately thought of Shangguan Chang, but wasn't he still in his second year of high school?
But Luo Ze didn't even know the person's name, so it's normal that he made a mistake.
She nodded, suppressing her excitement, thinking to herself: Zhu Yun is related to the Shangguan family, so if tonight's dinner goes smoothly, it will be easy for her brother to accept her feelings for Zhu Yun.
Of course, only Xuebao knew that she liked Zhu Yun.
Luo Yan took out her phone, wanting to find out if Zhu Yun was participating, when he just sent her a message:
[Back to room, video call.]
As the sunlight gradually turned golden, dusk approached. The clear lake water flowed gently, and the reflections of men and women on the shore were blurred and ambiguous.
Beneath the high palace walls, the man stood with his back to the lake, his tall figure completely enveloping the petite woman in his arms. If it weren't for the pair of embroidered shoes on the muddy ground and the corner of his cloak peeking out from under his robe, one would almost think he was alone.
At this moment, he had one arm around her waist and the other covering her face, their posture even more intimate and ambiguous than the last time on the mountain road.
Zhu Yun quickly withdrew her hand, saying, "Sorry."
Luo Yan said considerately, "In urgent situations, one must act expediently. I know that my cousin had no choice but to do this. Since it was a last resort, it does not count as overstepping the proper boundaries between men and women."
She looked up at his expression, the interest in her smile shining brightly in the sunlight, and Zhu Yun immediately looked away.
Not only that, he also leaned back slightly to avoid the black hair that brushed against his chin as she looked up, whether it was because it tickled him or because it was too intimate.
Recalling what had happened in the room, Luo Yan stopped smiling: "Cousin, is the 'master' that Eunuch Xu mentioned Princess Hejia?"
Zhu Yun pursed her lips slightly, "I don't know, but it's not He Jia."
Luo Yan frowned slightly. It wasn't He Jia; there weren't many people who could plant someone near He Jia. That person had made repeated moves, almost to the point of no return, and had even investigated her thoroughly beforehand.
Luo Yan glanced at Zhu Yun secretly. She could use him to protect her life, but he probably wouldn't tell her the truth behind it all. She could only rely on herself.
Zhu Yun spoke up, interrupting her thoughts: "This place is not safe to stay any longer. I will have someone escort you back to your residence."
Luo Yan rolled her eyes. "But my aunt told me to wait for her to come back..."
"I will inform my aunt." Xie Xiyun's condition was more serious than Luo Yan's, and she was taken care of carefully. The palace maids first brought a cloak for Luo Yan, and then went to find suitable clothes for her. Yuan Ling's outer robe was neatly folded and placed on a low mahogany table to the side.
Lan Hui and Zhu Zhaoyue stayed with her. It was inconvenient with so many people around earlier, but now that it was just the three of them, Lan Hui said, "Luo Yan, why were you so impulsive? Your aunt knows you have a kind heart, but saving a drowning person is extremely dangerous. What if something happened to you? Do you want your aunt to feel guilty for the rest of her life?"
When Lan Hui heard that Luo Yan had suddenly jumped into the water to save people, she was so frightened that she almost fainted on the spot. The shock was still lingering, her heart was still pounding, and she covered her chest as she spoke, her eyes reddening.
Zhu Zhaoyue comforted her, "Mother, my cousin is perfectly fine. Why are you saying such unlucky things? My cousin looks delicate, but she is actually very capable."
As expected, Lan Hui glared at him as soon as he finished speaking.
At this moment, the palace maids led the physician into the room.
"Second Madam Zhu, Miss Zhu, Her Highness the Imperial Concubine has summoned everyone to the main hall."
Clearly, Consort Qiong did not believe that Xie Xiyun's fall into the water was an accident and was determined to thoroughly investigate today's events.
Lan Hui hesitated, worried about Luo Yan, and intended to refuse.
Seeing this, the leading palace maid said anxiously, "Her Majesty ordered that not a single person should be missing."
Luo Yan suddenly spoke up: "Aunt, you and my cousin should go quickly. There are physicians here, so you don't need to worry about me."
Lan Hui hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, her face full of apology as she comforted Luo Yan: "Luo Yan, your aunt and cousin will be right back. You should have the physician examine you first."
After saying that, he hurriedly left with Zhu Zhaoyue.
The side hall was suddenly left with only the physician and a palace maid. After taking Luo Yan's pulse, the physician said that she had caught a slight chill and was fine. Then the palace maid took her away to write a prescription.
The room was empty. Luo Yan sat on the couch, her slender fingers casually playing with the two ties of her cloak.
Apart from her and Xie Xiyun, everyone else was summoned to the main hall by the Imperial Concubine, and Zhu Yun was certainly among them.
She had intended to use the excuse of a relapse of her foot injury to summon Zhu Yun, but the Imperial Concubine had ordered that no one should be missing, so it seemed that this plan would not work.
Recalling Zhu Yun's hurried figure just now, Luo Yan turned her eyes while hooking the ribbon. Although she couldn't see his expression because Yuan Ling's outer robe blocked her view, she could see the urgency in his posture.
Too much has happened today, offering a glimpse into the power struggles and intrigues among the elite families of Shengjing. Beneath the calm surface, turbulent waves surged. Xie Xiyun, who had fallen into the water, the panicked noble ladies and palace servants on the boat, and the person who wanted to kill her—all these events, amidst the chaos, facilitated her attack.
Luo Yan's eyes were deep and unfathomable.
Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door, steady and powerful; it was a man, not the palace maid from before.
Luo Yan's expression immediately turned sharp and cold as she swiftly gripped the dagger at her waist.
She turned and got off the bed, pressing her body against the lattice door in a defensive posture.
Xie Xiyun was nearby, and there must be many people watching over her. She just needed to buy time to hold off the people before the palace maids arrived. Maybe she could even catch the mastermind behind the attempt to kill her.
An uncontrollable tremor surged within her chest, a feeling that unraveling the mystery of the person behind her repeated attacks would bring something buried deep in darkness to light.
Why did that person want to kill her? What was it about her that they wanted?
The footsteps grew closer and closer, and they were only a few steps away from the room.
The dagger was slightly drawn from its sheath, and the cold, gleaming light reflected on Luo Yan's face.
The person walked in, and Luo Yan saw him clearly through the gap in the lattice door.
With lightning speed, she tucked the dagger behind her waist, concealing it with her cloak. With fluid movements, she turned and emerged from behind the lattice door, her eyes brimming with autumn water, as if the sunlight had just shimmered in her beautiful eyes.
"cousin."
Zhu Yun took a few steps closer, his gaze lingering on her cloak.
Then, with a calm expression, he said, "I have something to ask you."
Luo Yan asked the question that had been on her mind: "Cousin, did the Imperial Concubine order you to investigate today's events at this time?"
He remained noncommittal, his expression darkening and sharpening: "Why did you fall into the water today?"
Luo Yan blinked: "Cousin, haven't you heard? I saved Miss Xie."
Zhu Yun stared at her: "Did you voluntarily go into the water to save people?"
Luo Yan's expression hardened.
How could he know?
Everyone on both boats assumed that she had jumped into the water to save Xie Xiyun. Even Xiao Ying, who was closest to her and thought she had fallen into the lake, also assumed that she had jumped into the water to save Xie Xiyun after seeing her pull her ashore.
Zhu Yun wasn't even there, so why would anyone suspect that she was pushed?
And how did he leave the main hall?
Luo Yan's eyes, reflecting the dappled sunlight, revealed a sharp edge.
Luo Yan frowned, looking troubled: "But if I do this, won't others think that my cousin is so worried about my health that he personally sent someone to escort me back to the manor?"
Zhu Yun glanced at her foot. "I'm the one who injured your script, so I'll take responsibility. I'll also inform your aunt discreetly, so don't worry."
"It's all about so-called propriety," Luo Yan scoffed inwardly.
"I was worried about ruining my cousin's reputation, but since he said so, I have no worries and will listen to him completely."
Her voice was sweet and gentle. As she spoke, her hand moved lightly along the back of his hand. Previously, only her thumb and forefinger had touched the skin of his wrist, but now she held his entire hand in hers.
Luo Yan's knuckles intertwined with his fingers, her fingertips pressing against his palm, and he could clearly feel his hand instantly become stiff and hot.
"you……"
"How can I get back to the manor if my cousin doesn't take me back to my room first?" She blinked innocently. "Cousin, please don't drop me."
Zhu Yun fell silent, her jawline taut, forming sharp, flowing lines.
She felt the hand holding her tighten around her waist, and he led her along the wall, then climbed back through the window.
Almost as soon as he regained his footing, he immediately let go of her and stood three steps away from her.
Luo Yan smiled slightly: "Thank you, cousin."
Zhu Yun gave a soft "hmm," but then she said, "Cousin, don't worry. Luo Yan remembers everything you said today. You were just acting out of brotherly affection."
He was referring, of course, to the rule that boys and girls should not sit together after the age of seven.
It seems strangely ironic now. He had just scolded her for overstepping her bounds and told her to behave properly because she wanted to hold his hand, but not long after, he let her hold his hand. In fact, holding hands wasn't even the most intimate thing they had done just now.
Zhu Yun pressed his burning palms against his thighs, his face grim, trying his best to focus on the important matter at hand.
"If we leave, there's no guarantee they won't turn back."
Having said that, Luo Yan didn't elaborate further. She nodded and was about to follow when she suddenly remembered something: "Wait."
Zhu Yun turned around and saw her walk quickly to the low mahogany table, hold the folded black outer robe on her arm, then put on her cloak and followed her.
"Cousin, we can go now."
"Hmm." The moon rose above the willow branches, and in the quiet courtyard, a tall figure stood like a stone statue under the forsythia tree for a long time, the moonlight stretching the shadow extremely long.
Wen Feng stepped forward with concern: "Young Master, you've been standing for a long time. I'm worried you'll catch a cold. But has the matter the Second Young Master instructed you to handle today... put you in a difficult position?"
He could vaguely sense that the young lady's feelings for the young master were not simply those of cousins, and that they were not actually cousins in the first place. The second young master's order for the young master to protect her would certainly displease the young master.
Zhu Yun remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.
Wen Feng stood quietly, and seeing that Zhu Yun showed no intention of speaking for a long time, he was about to leave when he suddenly heard Zhu Yun speak:
"Is there such a thing as coincidence in this world?"
Wen Feng didn't understand why he suddenly asked this, but he still answered honestly: "Young master, as the saying goes, 'no story is complete without coincidences,' there are just too many coincidences."
Zhu Yun lowered her eyes and stared at the tree roots, then said softly, "What about fate?"
Wen Feng paused, then said, "You mean...?"
Zhu Yun interrupted him directly: "Step down."
Zhu Yun was clearly very familiar with the layout of the palace, leading her along secluded shortcuts, with high walls and lush trees on both sides, and they didn't encounter a single person along the way.
Luo Yan followed half a step behind him, her head slightly lowered in thought.
I almost forgot about Yuan Ling.
She tentatively asked, "Cousin, I saw you up ahead. Did you come with Commander Yuan?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yun glanced at her side slightly and asked, "You know him?"
It seems he doesn't know about Baoyue Pavilion.
Luo Yan remained noncommittal: "Commander Yuan is decisive and resourceful, deeply trusted by His Majesty, and has a illustrious reputation."
Zhu Yun glanced around and simply hummed in response, seemingly unconcerned by Luo Yan's words.
Furthermore, he adheres to the proper etiquette of a gentleman and would never speak ill of others behind their backs, even if Luo Yan's words were words of praise.
However, judging from his reaction, Yuan Ling not only did not tell him about Baoyue Pavilion, but they were also not very familiar with each other.
Luo Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Zhu Yun remained silent. The two walked for a while longer, and suddenly saw a majestic palace gate in the distance, with armored guards patrolling in formation, the palace heavily guarded.
Zhu Yun was meticulous in his work; he had arranged the carriages and horses in advance and even sent people to escort him.
On her way back to the manor, Luo Yan reviewed what had just happened, ruling out Zhu Zhaoyue and Yang Jingling, and then came up with a few suspects.
Zhu Yun was slightly stunned, recalling when he had pinned Luo Yan against the French windows, she was both shy and excited, and in order to trick him into ending it, she called out in a trembling voice, "Husband, hurry up."
He shook his head helplessly, watching the brother and sister walk out of the store while arguing.
The driver picked up Shangguan Chang first, and now stopped by the roadside. The boy leaned out and waved: "Brother, sister-in-law, Brother Yang—"
Luo Yan took her boyfriend's hand and reached out to pull her sulking cousin along with her other hand: "Everyone's here. Looks like we'll have to play cards tonight."
As the city lights came on, laughter mingled with the breeze.
It was another ordinary yet perfect day.
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