Chapter 72 When facing a heartless man, Chen Rongzhi
Everyone was shocked and turned to look at the door in the direction of the sound.
It was early morning, and the spring sunlight was clear and bright, neither too strong nor too weak, shining brightly on the blue bricks outside the door.
A figure stood quietly amidst the dazzling light.
With her back to the clear light, her figure was outlined with exceptional clarity, like a glass statue descended from the heavens. She seemed to be draped in a layer of pure, untainted radiance, so transparent that she seemed otherworldly.
Her figure was graceful and elegant, like a green bamboo in a deep valley that had withstood wind and rain. Her pure and strong spirit emanated from her very bones, keeping out the warm spring atmosphere behind her and bringing only a calm and chilling feeling that made people feel awe.
A gentle spring breeze caressed her, and a few strands of hair swayed beside her delicate face, but did not disturb her eyes, which seemed to be immersed in snow water.
She wore a peach-pink silk jacket with a lotus scroll pattern, the pattern was exquisite and the color was beautiful. Several round and lustrous South China Sea pearls were used as clasps at the front of the jacket, which shimmered with a warm glow in the bright spring sunshine.
Her thick, black hair was tied into a round bun at the back of her head, adorned with a small, gilded crown with a dragon design, and a delicate moon-shaped hairpin with dangling pearl necklaces...
Even dressed in fine clothes and adorned with pearls and hairpins, she couldn't hide the cool and aloof air that emanated from her very being.
In the hall.
Shen Rongzhi knelt on the spot in a daze, his usually smiling and gentle eyes now fixed on Lu Zhaoruo as if nailed to the spot.
The bewilderment of trying to explain herself was still lingering between her brows, before it was covered by a pure and unadulterated amazement.
Where in his eyes did he see the sickly, frail, haggard, and sorrowful abandoned woman he had imagined?
That face, which he once knew so well, and even grew somewhat weary of, had shed the restraint, subservience, timidity, and meekness of his memory, leaving only an aura of otherworldly detachment that made one afraid to look directly at it or to profane it.
At that moment, Lin Yingyu, mistress, and all explanations seemed to vanish from his mind...
He instinctively looked up at the figure, his Adam's apple bobbing dryly, a single thought buzzing in his mind: "How... how did she become like this?"
It was so unfamiliar that it made his heart flutter, yet so beautiful that he couldn't take his eyes off it.
Yet it also carried a sense of aloofness, like a fine needle suddenly piercing his heart, causing a sharp, intense pain.
Lin Yingyu's gaze was also fixed on Lu Zhaoruo, looking her up and down.
Tsk, she is indeed more beautiful than I expected.
Unfortunately, he had an aloof and otherworldly demeanor, so rigid and stiff, like a jade statue enshrined in a temple—beautiful, yes, but utterly lifeless.
Nothing can compare to my own agility and vibrancy.
only……
Didn't she pass away from illness?
Lin Yingyu subconsciously turned her head, but happened to see Shen Rongzhi's expression at that moment.
That unwavering gaze, that almost obsessive amazement, was a focus she had never seen on his face before.
Her fingers, which were supporting her pregnant belly, suddenly tightened, her nails almost digging into the soft fabric.
Gu Xian, sitting in her chair, was also completely mesmerized. She subtly nudged Xiao Yeming beside her with her fan and exclaimed in a low voice, "This Lady Lu, with just a little makeup, is as beautiful as a fairy from Mount Gusha! Now I understand how you fell head over heels for her when you saw her reading under a tree outside her courtyard..."
However, Xiao Yeming seemed not to hear.
His pupils, black and white like ink jade, seemed to be drawn to Lu Zhaoruo from the moment she appeared, fixed on her without blinking.
All the noise around him and Gu Xian's teasing seemed to be separated by a thick fog, no longer able to reach his ears or disturb his mind.
A faint yet persistent warmth crept uncontrollably up his pale earlobe.
Sister Lu, you're so beautiful!
The servants standing at the door suddenly began to whisper amongst themselves, unable to contain their emotions.
The scholar, who specialized in writing plays about unfaithful lovers, was so engrossed in reading that he forgot the occasion and excitedly whispered to the person next to him, "This...this is truly an excellent draft for a play! If it can be written, it will definitely be a huge hit..."
Before he finished speaking, Lu Zhaoruo had already stepped over the high threshold.
Her back was extremely straight, her neck was slender, and her chin was slightly raised, completely shedding her former cautious and timid demeanor.
Those willow-leaf eyebrows that were once accustomed to drooping down were now relaxed, slanting upwards towards her temples, and her calm eyes slowly swept over every face in the hall, whether surprised or horrified...
Ultimately, the blame fell on Shen Rongzhi and Lin Yingyu.
Her eyes were slightly upturned, her gaze clear and cold, the previous bewildered tears gone. Continuing from her previous words, she spoke softly and slowly, "If truly in the underworld..."
Her gaze shifted to Lin Yingyu's protruding belly, and she said sarcastically, "I'm afraid she's already been driven to despair by that faithless, heartless, and treacherous lover, and that shameless, arrogant, and presumptuous mistress, so angry that she's beyond redemption!"
"Then I'll transform into a vengeful ghost, crawl out of the underworld, and search for you two... shameless illicit lovers—"
She smiled faintly, her red lips curving upwards: "Take my life."
The color drained from Shen Rongzhi and Lin Yingyu's faces instantly.
Shen Rongzhi recalled the letter, written in black and white, which clearly stated that she had contracted tuberculosis, was vomiting blood incessantly, and the doctor predicted that she would not survive more than a hundred days.
My mother also said today that she passed away last night.
But right now... there's not a trace of someone who's terminally ill and on their deathbed.
Far from showing any signs of illness, her complexion was radiant, her eyes were clear, and she appeared calm and composed. She even displayed a healthier complexion and more energy than she had three years ago, a quality that comes from careful self-care.
What exactly happened?
Shen Rongzhi looked at Zhang Shi, who forced herself to calm down from her shock, adopting her usual harsh demeanor towards Lu Zhaoruo, and said in a shrill voice, "Lu Shi! You, you weren't already..."
The words "thrown into the sea of unicorns" were almost swallowed back, and he hurriedly changed his words: "Didn't he already die of illness last night?"
Lu Zhaoruo stood in the center of the hall, neither bowing nor kneeling, her posture upright.
This was the first time he had stopped bowing and scraping before the Shen family.
Her voice was still gentle, but there was no trace of her former humility: "My daughter-in-law has been bedridden for the past few months. The doctor diagnosed her with tuberculosis and said that she might not survive more than 100 days. Yesterday, her condition worsened and she was on her last breath. She thought her time was coming to an end."
Her gaze swept lightly over Shen Rongzhi, a smile playing on her lips: "Perhaps it was a divine intervention, an extraordinary act of mercy. Considering that my 'good husband' who has been at sea for three years is returning home with my 'good sister' today, and that it would be a great pity if I were to miss such a joyous occasion, my illness was miraculously cured overnight."
She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping over Lin Yingyu's protruding belly and Shen Rongzhi's pale face, before slowly adding the last sentence: "Fortunately, we made it in time and didn't miss this beautiful scene of love between the two."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
