Late-night confession
"When did you know I wrote a book?"
This question dispelled the ambiguity between the two. Cheng Yayin saw Pei Songsheng pursed his lips, but his expression was not surprised. It was obvious that he knew she would ask this question.
“I knew it from the moment you started writing your book,” he said.
Cheng Yayin was a little surprised: "How could that be?" She didn't expect it to be exposed so early.
Pei Songsheng sighed: "I'm not so foolish that I don't even know what my wife does every day."
A completely different feeling of shame from before surged into Cheng Yayin's heart. She bit her lip, thinking about how she had pretended to be a lady in front of him every day, but in fact, she had already been exposed. She was so ashamed and angry that she said incoherently: "You knew what I was doing from the beginning, but you said nothing, pretending to know nothing. You made me, made me..."
She didn't know how to describe her current feelings. Pei Songsheng looked at her face and seemed a little uneasy: "Are you angry?"
"Why should I be angry?" Cheng Yayin said dejectedly, "It's you who was manipulated by my writing about our family's reputation. It's you who was dragged to Fanle Tower and injured. It's you who lost consciousness after reading my book. You're not angry with me, so why should I be angry with you?"
"But since you've already read my book, why didn't you tell me? Do you also think what I wrote is absurd and unspeakable?"
"Of course not." Pei Songsheng said anxiously, "I didn't tell you because since you wrote the book under a pseudonym, you definitely didn't want anyone to know. Why should I expose you?"
"You said I find your writing difficult to talk about, which is even more unfair." He looked at Cheng Yayin and said seriously, "I have read every book you have written. I have repeatedly pondered and savored every word and sentence. I sincerely believe that your writing is excellent. Even among the many great works of ancient and modern times, it is one of the best."
Cheng Yayin had been writing for three years, and had received numerous praises under the name Song Lingjun, but this was the first time she had received such praise directly in her original capacity.
She was stunned for a moment, her heart almost flying because of his straightforward praise, but when her eyes met the handsome face she had been looking at for three years, she calmed down again.
Who is Pei Songsheng? A gentleman is reserved but not expressive, and keeps things to himself without flaunting them. Even if he likes something very much, he will never express it out loud like this.
"You don't have to coax me anymore." Cheng Yayin lowered her head in frustration. "I know you're just like my father. You've always only cared about the classics and history books. How could you possibly appreciate the frivolous words I write?"
She lowered her head after she finished speaking. She heard Pei Songsheng sigh, and then the candlelight in front of her dimmed. He leaned down slightly, followed her hiding face with his eyes, and asked:
"You don't believe in my ability to appreciate articles?"
His breath brushed against Cheng Yayin's forehead as he lowered his head, like a feather brushing against hers. She tilted her neck back, her gaze meeting his. After a pause, she said honestly, "No."
"So you think I'm someone who would say something against my will just to make others happy?"
"Of course not."
"If that's the case, why don't you want to believe what I say? I truly admire your book. I'm not biased because you're my wife, nor do I think what you're doing is beneath our family's dignity."
"Then why did you ask me for a divorce?"
Cheng Yayin regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth, and Pei Songsheng also showed a look of surprise, obviously not expecting her to ask this.
"You..." His voice suddenly lost its calmness and became cautious, as if testing something, "You don't want to divorce?"
"No." Cheng Yayin denied it faster than ever. After she finished speaking, she saw Pei Songsheng's lips tremble slightly. She realized that she spoke too hastily, as if she couldn't wait to divorce him. She must have lost face for him. She hurriedly explained: "What I mean is that although our divorce is a matter of time, you chose to bring it up at that time. I thought it was because of this matter. But there doesn't have to be a reason for our divorce. After all, you and I have no intention of each other."
Cheng Yayin glanced at Pei Songsheng's face as she spoke. It seemed that her words did not comfort him much. She felt annoyed and said simply, "Forget it. Now is not the time to discuss this. You still have important things to do."
She turned and walked to the inner room behind the screen. After a while, she came out. Pei Songsheng saw that she was holding a notebook in her hand, and his expression suddenly became serious.
Cheng Yayin handed the note to Pei Songsheng and briefly told him what Xue Zhi had said yesterday. He flipped through the booklet in his hand without saying a word, his brows slightly furrowed, and Cheng Yayin's heart also became heavy.
She glanced at the night watch in the room and said to him, "It's already very late. Go back and rest up first. Tomorrow I'll take you to the clinic to see Miss Du. If she is indeed the victim, then there's hope we can catch the murderer."
Pei Songsheng rubbed his eyebrows. After a turbulent day, he seemed to feel a little tired. He nodded when he heard this.
Du Lanxin was sent to a clinic near the orphanage. When Cheng Yayin and Pei Songsheng arrived there, they were complained to by the doctor as soon as they entered the clinic.
"Madam, when you sent her to me for treatment, you should have told me she had epilepsy. You don't know, but once she woke up, she went crazy. She smashed all the cabinets and shelves in my pharmacy, which contained many precious medicinal herbs."
The incident happened suddenly last night, and Cheng Yayin didn't have time to leave a message. Lan Yue Yixing was busy looking for her later and didn't pay attention. It was indeed her own negligence. She apologized, "I'm sorry, I will compensate you for all your losses."
The old doctor led the two to the pharmacy in the backyard. As expected, they heard howling sounds before they even entered the door. Once inside, they found that the place was indeed in a mess. Various medicinal herbs were scattered on the ground, with obvious signs of being trampled. Du Lanxin took chaotic steps, covering her head and shouting in fear: "Fire, what a big fire, my husband, save me!"
Several young men dressed as apprentices tried to approach her to comfort her, but she waved her hands and drove them away before they could get close. They didn't dare to get any closer for a while. When they saw their master coming with people, they all showed expressions as if they had been pardoned.
Cheng Yayin signaled the old doctor and his apprentices to leave, and they hurried out, leaving the venue to the three of them.
There were fewer people in the room, and Du Lanxin was no longer as frightened as before. She slowly retreated to the corner and squatted down, her hands still tightly holding her head, but her eyes were staring at Cheng Yayin and Pei Songsheng vigilantly.
Cheng Yayin was about to walk towards her, but Pei Songsheng grabbed her arm.
On the way here, Cheng Yayin had roughly told him about Du Lanxin's condition. Although he was mentally prepared, it was only when he saw her in person that he realized the situation was more serious than he had imagined, and that if it broke out, it would very likely hurt people.
Cheng Yayin shook her head at him, signaling with her eyes that she was prepared.
Pei Songsheng hesitantly let go of her hand, and followed Cheng Yayin slowly towards Du Lanxin, always keeping a step away from her.
When she was only three feet away from Du Lanxin, her whole body tensed up like a wild beast whose life was threatened. She was full of aggressiveness due to extreme panic and seemed like she would suddenly attack and hurt someone at any time.
Cheng Yayin stopped at the right time, took out something from her sleeve, and waved it in front of Du Lanxin with a smile.
"Lan Xin, look what I brought you."
Her fingertips, as thin as peeling onions, were holding a piece of bright red paper sprinkled with gold powder. Du Lanxin was immediately attracted by it, and her eyes moved slightly following her shaking fingertips.
Cheng Yayin lowered her voice and said softly, as if coaxing a child to sleep, "This is the marriage certificate. Your husband asked me to give it to you."
Hearing the word "husband", Du Lanxin's cloudy eyes lit up slightly, and she murmured hoarsely: "Marriage certificate..."
"Yes, your husband asked me to give this to you. He said he wants to sign a marriage agreement with you. As long as your names are written together on the marriage certificate, you will be husband and wife and will be together forever." Cheng Yayin pointed at the marriage certificate and smiled. "Look, your name is already written on it - Du Lanxin."
Du Lanxin's gaze followed Cheng Yayin's fingertips to her name, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Cheng Yayin suddenly frowned and said in distress, "But he forgot to write his own name. How can it be considered a marriage certificate if it only has your name on it? How about this? You tell me his name and I'll write it down for him."
Du Lanxin was slightly startled when she heard this, and frowned deeply, as if she was trying to understand what Cheng Yayin meant.
"Husband...name..."
Cheng Yayin did not urge her. She patiently watched her lower her head and mutter to herself as if in a dream. After a while, she raised her head and looked at the marriage certificate. A gentle look shone in her eyes, as if she was gazing at her lover tenderly. She opened her lips slightly and said:
“King…King…”
Cheng Yayin's heart was in her throat, and she stared nervously at Du Lanxin's slightly opening and closing lips. Pei Songsheng behind her also held his breath unconsciously.
Du Lanxin muttered to herself for a long time, but could not say anything more. Her eyes gradually became confused. She did not know what was churning in her chaotic mind. Pain gradually emerged from her eyes, becoming more and more intense. At a certain moment, her face suddenly twisted like a broken string, and she roared:
"But my husband doesn't want to marry me. He doesn't want me anymore!"
The sharp nails just grazed Salesian's chin.
Du Lanxin screamed and waved her hands wildly to scratch. Cheng Yayin couldn't dodge in time and the marriage certificate in her hand was knocked down. Fortunately, Pei Songsheng quickly pulled her behind him, otherwise Du Lanxin's nails would have scratched her face.
Du Lanxin's emotions had completely broken down. She sat on the ground and cried loudly, shouting "He doesn't want me anymore", as desperate and helpless as a child.
Cheng Yayin felt guilty for not getting any useful information out of him and for irritating him to this extent. She wanted to go forward and comfort him, but was stopped by Pei Songsheng.
"You'll only irritate her further. Let her calm down." Pei Songsheng shook his head. "She can't ask any more questions. Let's go."
When the two walked out of the pharmacy, they found that the old doctor and several apprentices were waiting outside the door. Hearing the noise inside, the apprentices were so scared that they shrank their necks and kept silent.
As soon as they left, the noise in the pharmacy died down a bit, and Du Lanxin's loud crying turned into continuous sobbing, which was so sad and painful, so pitiful.
The old doctor sighed and said, "I wonder what your relationship is with the girl inside. If you want her well, you'd better not stimulate her too much."
Cheng Yayin asked about Du Lanxin's injuries. The old doctor said that she had some burns on her body but they were not serious. She had been given medicine when she was unconscious. As for her madness, it was a long-standing illness and he had no way to treat it.
Cheng Yayin asked persistently, "She wasn't born with a mental disability, so is there really no cure?"
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