Chapter 72 Can I have a hug?
The next day.
Ruyi Embroidery Building in the East Market, second-floor wing room—
The finest silver charcoal burned in the brazier, and soft cushions covered the chair. Shen You, dressed in a plain blue dress, sat upright, drinking tea with her eyes lowered.
A cool breeze drifted in through the slightly ajar window, carrying the aroma of tea.
Lu Hao was speaking in a low voice about the situation at Ruyi Embroidery Building over the past few days.
The embroidery shop is doing well now, and there is a lot of competition among its peers. Although Shen You doesn't take any crooked or unethical approaches, she still needs to be wary of others.
Lu Hao has been busy with these things lately.
Fortunately, nothing went wrong.
Shen You put down his cup and looked out the window. Below was the bustling East Market Street, with people coming and going in a lively atmosphere.
Suddenly, her gaze sharpened, landing on a figure on the street.
"Granny, this person looks somewhat familiar."
Upon hearing this, Granny Zhao leaned closer to the window, looked down, her expression changed slightly, and whispered, "Miss, this is the young master who just returned from the Yong'an Marquis's residence."
Yong'an Marquis's Residence...
A hint of coldness suddenly appeared in Shen You's originally calm eyes.
This man was Wen Tingyuan from the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion, the one Shen Yao insisted Shen Xiangning marry.
However, the more I look at it, the stranger it seems.
Shen You focused his mind and fixed his gaze.
She felt he looked familiar because she had met him a few times when he was young in Lin'an.
Looking at him now, one can still vaguely see some of his childhood features, but for some reason, she always felt a strange feeling when she looked at Wen Tingyuan's face.
Seeing her cold expression, Lu Hao took the initiative and said, "Miss, would you like me to investigate?"
He knew nothing about the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion or the young master; he only knew that since Shen You had become suspicious, investigating people was his duty.
But Shen You shook his head. "No need to investigate."
She continued, "You go ahead and get busy."
"Yes," Lu Hao said, bowing respectfully before leaving the room.
After the door closed, Granny Zhao asked in a low voice, "Miss, didn't you want to investigate this Wen Tingyuan?"
Why are you saying you won't investigate anymore?
Shen You looked up at Zhao Mama, her expression softening slightly. "Mama, it's not that we don't want to investigate him."
"Just don't let Lu Hao investigate."
"Why is that?" Granny Zhao was a little confused.
Shen You slowly said, "Wen Tingyuan came back from Jiangnan. His maternal family in Jiangnan was a prominent family, and the Wen family in the capital is also a noble family with the rank of Earl. It may not be easy to find out who Wen Tingyuan is."
"If you won't let Lu Hao investigate, does the young lady have other candidates in mind?"
Upon hearing this, Shen You's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and when she looked up again, her eyes were clear and bright. "Of course, I've already thought it through."
She stood up and said, "Granny, prepare the carriage."
"Go to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
At this very moment, inside the main hall of the imperial palace—
Qi Jincheng was sitting behind his desk, his solemn gaze fixed on the memorials on the table.
On the other side of the table, Chu Xiao, dressed in a dark brocade robe, had an equally cold and solemn expression.
"That fire burned everyone beyond recognition, and the corpses were indeed difficult to identify."
“Yes,” Qi Jincheng nodded slightly, “you have never given up the investigation over the past few years.”
"If we can find anything this time, we should take advantage of the situation and eradicate it completely."
“Understood,” Chu Xiao said in a deep voice. “Lin’an City is heavily guarded, but they always go to great lengths, so it’s possible that they have managed to infiltrate.”
Finding someone in Lin'an without any clue is no easy task, but this matter cannot be delayed any longer and must be investigated as soon as possible.
Qi Jincheng looked at him and said, "I never worry about what you do, but you should also understand that you are not alone and you should always consider the people around you more."
Chu Xiao was willing to risk his life for revenge, and he has been on the verge of death countless times.
Qi Jincheng was afraid that he would act like before, so when he tried to persuade him, he could only bring up Shen You.
When Shen You was mentioned, the coldness in Chu Xiao's eyes dissipated considerably.
These past few days, Shen You has been spending time with Shen Xiangning, and the two have seen each other less often.
Now that the important business was finished, he was even more eager to see the person immediately.
Just as they were about to say goodbye, they heard a servant announce their departure from outside.
"My lord, someone from the Duke's mansion has come to tell you that Miss Shen is waiting for you at the mansion."
Upon hearing this, Qi Jincheng raised an eyebrow and was about to tell Chu Xiao to go back first when he saw him leave the main hall without looking back.
Qi Jincheng's gaze fell on his hurried and rapid steps, and he suddenly felt that he no longer needed to read the memorial today.
He also wanted to go back to find his wife.
***
Changningfang, the residence of the Duke of Zhenguo.
Uncle Chen, who was waiting by the door, did not expect that Chu Xiao, who had left home to enter the palace in a carriage, would return on horseback.
As evening approached and the sun set, the sound of horses' hooves accompanied the tall, upright figure of a man on horseback.
"Lord..."
Before Uncle Chen could even speak, Chu Xiao had already strode headed straight for Chenfeng Courtyard.
Uncle Chen followed behind him, calling out, "My lord."
"Miss Shen isn't in Chenfeng Courtyard; she's waiting for you in the side hall."
The man in front paused slightly, then turned and headed towards the side hall.
As dusk fell, lanterns were lit throughout the Duke's mansion. The servants and maids watched in astonishment as their mistress hurried along, her robes fluttering as she walked, her anxiety more palpable than ever before.
In the side hall, Shen You sat to one side, drinking tea with his eyes down.
Beside her, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, providing a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Before he had finished his cup of tea, he heard footsteps outside.
She guessed that Chu Xiao had returned, and just as she was about to stand up, she was pulled into the arms of a man who was rushing over at high speed.
Granny Zhao was startled, looked away, turned around and left, making sure to close the door behind her.
Just a door away, the cold wind howled outside, while inside it was warm and cozy.
Chu Xiao had just returned from outside, still carrying a chilly aura, but his chest, arms, and entire body were burning hot.
Even through the winter clothes, Shen You could clearly feel it.
He placed his large hand on her shoulder and another across her lower back, pulling her firmly into his embrace, his strength so great he wanted to merge with her.
Shen You barely managed to stand on tiptoe to accommodate his embrace, but this cooperation couldn't last long.
She pushed him, "Chu Xiao, you're going to strangle me..."
Chu Xiao quickly loosened his grip, "I'm sorry, I hurt you."
In such a passionate embrace, the hair ornament on Shen You's hair swayed back and forth. He raised his hand, clumsily trying to straighten it, but she slapped it away, saying, "Don't touch it."
What kind of aesthetic sense could a grown man have? Don't let her mess it up later.
Chu Xiao withdrew his hand, his long arm loosely embracing her, his narrow black eyes shining brightly.
Like a wild dog that runs back to its master at his call, it nestled close to her, looking on with delight and anticipation.
Shen You couldn't help but smile, but she had important business to discuss today, so she turned around to avoid focusing her attention on that intensely noticeable gaze.
But wherever she went, Chu Xiao followed.
Before she could even sit down, he had already taken the seat in the armchair, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her onto his lap.
The touch beneath his buttocks was warm and possessed absolute power, causing Shen You's spine to suddenly go numb. He quickly sprang up and sat on the other side, deliberately keeping a stern face, "Don't come any closer."
This is not how you talk about serious business.
Chu Xiao was silenced by her shout and could only obediently sit back down.
Shen You then cleared his throat and said seriously, "I would like to ask you for a favor."
"Go on," she said, her expression turning serious and her tone earnest. Chu Xiao realized she had something important to say, so he could only suppress the warm and tender feelings that had arisen in his heart because of her.
"I want to investigate someone."
"who?"
"Wen Tingyuan, the young master of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion."
"Wen Tingyuan?" Chu Xiao frowned slightly, and after a moment he remembered that there was indeed such a person among the scions of prominent families in Lin'an City. "He just returned from his maternal grandparents' home in Jiangnan. What do you want to investigate about him?"
Shen You pursed his lips and told him about Shen Yao's insistence on marrying Shen Xiangning to Wen Tingyuan.
"Shen Yao and Madam Wen of the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion have already finalized the marriage agreement and are just waiting to deliver the engagement letter after the New Year."
But Ning'er was unwilling to marry him.
"There are rumors that after Wen Tingyuan recovered from his illness in Jiangnan, he spent his days indulging in brothels and was good for nothing..." She paused, then continued, "There's no way to verify whether the rumors are true or false, so I'd like you to help me investigate."
“Investigate his behavior and conduct in Jiangnan.”
If the rumors are false, and he is an upright person, then as the elder sister, she will go to Wen Tingyuan's place to clarify things in person if Chen Xiangning does not want to marry.
If the rumors are true, then she needs to know herself and her enemy in order to successfully dissolve the marriage without causing any negative impact on Shen Xiangning.
"Okay, I'll check."
Chu Xiao agreed without hesitation, "Don't worry, this matter will definitely be resolved before the New Year."
“However…” At this point, Shen You suddenly recalled the strange feeling she had when she saw Wen Tingyuan on the street earlier today. “I remember seeing him when I was a child, but he seemed quite different from the one I just saw on the street.”
But Shen You couldn't explain where that different feeling came from.
Her eyebrows were tightly furrowed.
The next instant, the man's warm fingertips touched her.
He stood up, came to her, knelt down on one knee, looked up at her, and whispered, "Don't worry, everything will be found out."
"good."
In this matter, Shen You had absolute confidence in him.
That's why she came to find him.
His men are far more suited to this kind of work than Lu Hao.
Since it involves agarwood powder, there can be no mistakes, so it's better to be cautious.
He gently took her hand, which was resting on her knee, and his warmth enveloped her. She heard him say, "Chen You, I'm very happy."
Shen You asked, puzzled, "What's so exciting?"
But Chu Xiao didn't answer directly. He stared at her intently, his eyes slightly moist. "Give me a hug, okay?"
Shen You could sense that he was somewhat excited. From the moment he came in and embraced her, she had already heard his rapid heartbeat.
But now, I seem even more excited than before.
She didn't ask any more questions, but instead followed his words, leaned down slightly, and hugged him.
The girl's soft fragrance enveloped him, and Chu Xiao sighed with satisfaction, tightening his arms and pressing her whole body onto his shoulders.
She took the initiative to find him, was willing to tell him these things, and sought his help...
Does that mean he can assume that she no longer treats him like a stranger and that she has begun to trust him completely?
Just thinking about this made Chu Xiao feel as if a flame was burning in his heart, filling it with heat and making his breath hot and rapid.
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