Chapter 31
"Cousin, when did you arrive?"
Jiang Mian sat up, rubbed her eyes, and came to his side. She sat very close to him, her eyes full of trust and gentleness.
After that kiss, the two became much closer. Jiang Mian was worried that her cousin didn't like her that much, but now his attention to her gradually exceeded her expectations. She was delighted and felt a little sweet.
How wonderful it would be if I could continue to get along with my cousin like this.
“You haven’t been asleep for long.” Shen Ji glanced at her slightly loosened collar and subtly looked away.
"So that's how it is. When I woke up and saw my cousin, I thought I was dreaming."
"Did you dream about me?" Shen Ji was very patient; he was looking forward to Jiang Mian saying something related to him.
However, Jiang Mian just shook her head and said in a low voice, "If I were to dream about my cousin, it should be a pleasant dream, not a nightmare about him."
Her tone was intimate, and as she spoke, she slightly parted her lips. Chen Ji's gaze darkened for a moment as he saw the small tongue hidden behind her round, pearly teeth. He had kissed her during the day while she was awake, and the pleasure he felt then was unprecedented. He wasn't the type to indulge in such pleasure, but now, he found himself unconsciously drawn to her room.
“Tomorrow, we’ll go down the mountain,” Shen Ji said gently, his gaze falling on her.
Jiang Mian paused for a moment, and for some reason, a faint sense of loss swept through her heart. Although these days in the mountains were somewhat boring, compared to the pretense and scheming in the Shen family, she actually felt that these peaceful and tranquil days were not bad.
However, good days are always short-lived. Even if she doesn't go back now, she will have to go back sooner or later. But... Jiang Mian raised her eyes and looked at the person in front of her, who was as beautiful as a gentle breeze and the moon reflected in the water. She was actually very reluctant to leave.
But she still nodded and affectionately placed her hand on his wrist: "I'll listen to whatever you say, cousin."
The flickering candlelight fell on her delicate and beautiful features, adding a layer of girlish charm and allure. Chen Ji's eyes darkened, and he nodded.
Go to sleep early, I'll be here tonight.
Jiang Mian was somewhat surprised, but then couldn't hide her happiness. She thought that her previous strange feeling must have been unnecessary; her cousin seemed to care about her more than she had imagined.
Thinking of this, she nodded obediently, grabbed the quilt, and climbed onto the inside of the bed. She had intended to wait for her cousin to come and sleep with her, but to her surprise, Shen Ji just sat at his desk, seemingly having no intention of sharing the bed with her.
She pursed her lips, and in the next instant, she understood his thoughts.
If someone else had said those words to her, she would have thought that person was a lecher. But since it was Shen Ji who said them, she was not angry at all. In fact, she even hoped that he would be more intimate with her.
She had absolute trust in her cousin; she believed that her choice was right and that her cousin was the best person in the world.
However, she suddenly remembered something. She wondered how Bai An was doing now. Jiang Mian thought to herself, wondering what her cousin was discussing with that military governor. Recently, her cousin seemed to be with him quite often.
As sleepiness washed over her, Jiang Mian didn't think too much. Looking at that handsome and gentle figure, she felt exceptionally at ease.
The next day, just as dawn broke.
Jiang Mian woke up to find the room empty; Shen Ji was no longer there. She rubbed her eyes and suddenly remembered that she was leaving today. She quickly got out of bed and anxiously searched for him.
She didn't know why, but she always felt a strange emptiness in her heart when she couldn't see him. But as soon as she saw him, everything was fine.
Turning the corner of the corridor, she arrived at his room. She reached out and knocked on the door, but there was no sound from inside. Jiang Mian was puzzled and was about to push the door open when a voice suddenly interrupted her.
"Fifth Miss".
Turning around, Jiang Mian saw Yun Qing and casually asked, "Where's my cousin? Didn't you say you were leaving today?"
"Young Master instructed that Miss Wu be sent back first today, as he has some matters to attend to," Yun Qing explained.
Jiang Mian was stunned, feeling an indescribable sense of loss and bewilderment. Back at the manor, she was overwhelmed with many matters. She feared that she and her cousin would no longer be able to be so close. The thought that they would not even have their last moments together suddenly dampened her spirits.
As they descended the mountain, Jiang Mian looked dejected, leaning against the car wall with her eyes slightly closed. She wasn't very happy. Although it was related to Shen Ji, it wasn't entirely related to him. Thinking about everything she would face when she got back, she suddenly felt a little tired.
At the temple, she could express her feelings without any worries, and her cousin agreed. But what about when she went back? Jiang Mian knew clearly that she and her cousin would not be as close as they were now. Her aunt wanted to use her. She could get rid of this use by relying on Shen Ji, but this was not a long-term solution. In the future, she would eventually have to get married or leave.
Jiang Mian had no intention of getting married yet, but she certainly didn't think about marrying Shen Ji. Their relationship wouldn't last, so from the beginning, all she wanted was temporary pleasure.
Jiang Mian did not intend for her relationship with Shen Ji to last.
She was only slightly tempted, but she knew clearly that Shen Ji and she were not from the same world.
But she was greedy and couldn't resist wanting to get closer to him.
**
Birds and beasts scattered in the forest, and wisps of smoke rose slowly with the sun. Suddenly, a handsome and tall figure appeared in the white mist.
The man, dressed in white with ink-black hair, resembled a hermit living in the mountains. However, his sleeves were stained with blood, each drop sinking into the pristine snow, adding a touch of danger to his otherworldly aura.
"Thump—"
The person behind him casually tossed a burlap sack over, and the person inside struggled and whimpered, but his hands and feet were tied together, so he could only roll on the ground like a silkworm cocoon.
Shen Ji glanced down at her, a hint of coldness in his eyes.
"Did you get the goods?"
The person behind him immediately presented a sealed scroll. Shen Ji reached out and took it, his expression softening slightly. Bai Lie was the Crown Prince's confidant, specializing in handling all sorts of dirty and dark matters for the Crown Prince. The scroll in his hand was obtained from investigating the matter of the Crown Prince of Yong'an.
The scroll says that after the Xuanwu Gate Incident, everyone thought that the Yong'an Crown Prince's faction was doomed and that the entire lineage had perished in the fire that fell from the sky. However, there was one thing that raised a lot of doubts: the remains that were identified back then.
There were no remains of the thirteen-year-old boy.
In other words, the child may not have died.
Shen Ji sneered and threw the scroll into the fire pit beside him. In an instant, it burned to ashes. A faint chill filled his eyes. He then squatted down. The blood on his sleeve had already congealed. It was the skin of a rabbit that he had just skinned.
He was losing control.
If it weren't for the fact that this person in front of me is still somewhat useful, this blood might actually be rabbit blood.
"Young master, what should we do?"
The guards behind him said respectfully.
Suppressing the murderous intent rising in his heart, Shen Ji slowly stood up. He turned around, looked at the rabbit that was already roasted, lowered his eyes, and said in a low voice, "His right hand is ruined. Send it to the Bai residence."
The person inside the sack was Bai An, who was in a daze. He didn't know what was happening outside, but suddenly felt a sharp pain, and then he completely lost consciousness.
Shen Ji frowned and took a half step back.
So dirty.
It almost splashed on the hem of his clothes.
If Mian Niang saw this, she would probably be frightened.
The thought of Jiang Mian made his eyes crinkle into a smile, but the murderous intent in his eyes had not yet faded, and now they held an unpredictable danger.
The carriage bumped along the way, and Jiang Mian felt as if her bones were about to fall apart. Fortunately, it stopped after a short while. She lifted the curtain and saw the familiar scene before her, and her heart suddenly felt a little heavy.
However, as soon as she stepped inside, a familiar figure appeared. Jiang Mian paused for a moment, then saw that Shen Yan was also somewhat surprised to see her.
"Xiao Wu, where have you been these past few days?"
Jiang Mian felt a little guilty when asked the question and subconsciously avoided looking into her eyes, as she had been with her cousin for the past few days.
"Fourth sister, when did you get back?"
Shen Yan was captivated by her words and subconsciously replied, "Two days ago, my uncle's house was simply not a place for humans to stay. You don't know, the nanny that my aunt hired for me tormented me for a whole month."
They taught her to read poetry and embroider, forcing Shen Yan to behave herself for a month. Fortunately, New Year's Eve was approaching, and she was finally allowed to return. She was about to complain to Jiang Mian about her ordeal when a gentle voice suddenly came from behind her: "Sister Mian."
Jiang Mian was somewhat surprised. She looked up at the young man in blue standing not far away. He looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him before. After a moment, she remembered.
"Greetings, Young Master Jiang."
As Jiang Qiyu approached, she looked at the person she had been longing for day and night, and her breathing became lighter. Even after half a year apart, she was still as lovable as ever.
Jiang Qiyu smiled gently and said, "It's been a long time. Sister Mian, you still remember me."
Shen Yan was somewhat surprised; when did her cousin and Xiao Wu meet?
However, she still introduced him: "Xiao Wu, this is my cousin. Why don't you call him cousin like I do, or you can call him brother?"
The winter wind was biting, and a long track was left on the snow-white ground by the wheels. Jade-white, slender fingertips gently lifted the curtain, and a pair of dark eyes moved indifferently in this direction. They saw a familiar figure, graceful and slender, but in front of them was someone they did not want to see at this moment.
He was looking at her with anticipation and eagerness.
Shen Ji tightened his grip on the curtain slightly, and the next moment, he heard that familiar, sweet voice ring out.
"Cousin Jiang."
Shen Ji's eyes were filled with intense emotion as he looked at the man standing in front of Jiang Mian, smiling at her.
He lowered his eyes, very lightly and casually withdrawing his gaze, as if nothing had happened, and naturally got off the carriage and walked forward.
Shen Yan noticed the commotion first and called out, "Cousin, you're back!"
Jiang Mian stiffened and subconsciously turned around. When she saw the person she knew all too well, a soft feeling suddenly welled up in her heart. Then, she remembered something. She seemed to have called another man her cousin.
It's unclear whether Shen Ji heard it.
She pursed her lips, and seeing that his expression was normal, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He immediately stepped forward and respectfully greeted his cousin.
But no one noticed that where their sleeves met, Jiang Mian secretly squeezed her fingertips.
She only liked this cousin.
She had no interest in the rest.
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