Chapter 9 The Mirror in My Heart: I am from the Jiang family of Yingzhou, with whom my beloved is betrothed…
He certainly knew what she meant.
Even disregarding the information conveyed by the chaotic and noisy sounds he was born with the ability to hear, her hints were clear enough.
It was so obvious that it even made him "worried" for a moment, worried that it would be easily misinterpreted by anyone other than himself...
But what good would it do to know? He had no intention of keeping the appointment.
The mere sight of Jiang Geyun in his memories would unleash an uncontrollable urge in his mind. From the moment those four entered the manor, he had been able to sense her presence, let alone the closer contact they had.
He had never encountered a creature that affected him so deeply; things seemed to be spiraling out of control.
This unexpected encounter, which was rare, made him somewhat irritated.
With the previous matter just concluded, he was too lazy to change his identity and was preparing to casually resolve the current issues so that "Cheng Xi" would disappear as well. He didn't even remember the so-called reunion agreement.
Unexpectedly, I ran into her again.
However, he had no other ideas.
He has always been good at calming desires and planning before acting, and he has always looked down on people who are driven by straightforward and low-level desires.
He was simply surprised that she was still alive and well in such a crisis.
He coldly watched how Jiang Geyun waited for him and how she dodged the strangely shaped, distorted night watchman, preparing to observe her departure, but unexpectedly, he overheard...
He involuntarily closed his eyes.
Even he himself didn't know how he appeared.
By the time he realized it, he had already seen her rushing towards him. She wasn't wearing any perfume; logically, she should only have a faint soapy scent. But he seemed to smell the fragrance emanating from her skin, bones, and blood.
He looked down at her.
His gaze traveled from her collarbone, up to the black shackles on her neck that undulated with her breath, down to—the sharp object buried deep within her heart. It lingered, lingered, and finally returned to those clear, glassy eyes.
He thought he couldn't let himself be affected like this.
He excels at silently devouring and slaughtering.
He will use this to end this loss of control.
*
Noticing that Cheng Xi seemed to be looking away, avoiding her gaze, Jiang Geyun suddenly realized that in his eyes, she was... still a... suspect who had allegedly murdered his younger sister...
She hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward, breaking the safe social distance, and looked him in the eye.
Just as she was about to say something in her defense, she noticed that the person opposite her had taken a half step back, no longer smiling gently at her, and his gaze was as deep as a still pool.
Ah... just as I thought.
Perhaps due to the lingering effects of what she had just experienced, her heart was pounding rapidly, which only added to her anxiety.
Jiang Geyun took another half step forward and grabbed Cheng Xi's forearm.
Ignoring her momentary stiffness, she said urgently, "Young Master Cheng, I know your concerns, but..."
"I am truly not the murderer of Su Guang. I want to find out the truth of the case more than anyone else! Please believe me on this point!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xi's gaze shifted slowly, as if he were struggling with something, and he did not respond.
Jiang Geyun noticed this dilemma and realized: he still didn't believe in himself.
Indeed, who would believe such a thing if it were just empty words?
She didn't originally want to prove it this way...
Jiang Geyun took a deep breath, opened her outer garment, and took the dagger from her waist.
She held the dagger up with both hands and presented it to Cheng Xi, saying, "Young Master Cheng, you must recognize the Cheng family crest, right? Have you ever heard from your mother that you met me before?"
Cheng Xi glanced at the area where her forearm had been released.
The sleeves were still wrinkled and even retained some warmth.
He replied calmly, "My mother passed away many years ago."
This news was another blow to Jiang Geyun, who was already suffering from various setbacks.
Not long ago, she had imagined the scene of returning from the capital and meeting Cheng's mother, and thought about how to express her apologies to that mother.
Furthermore, she even considered what she could do for Cheng's mother during this time to ensure her safety, given that there wasn't enough time left and she was destined to be eliminated by the system.
...
Jiang Geyun shook her head, calming herself down.
She still held the dagger aloft, maintaining eye contact with Cheng Xi, and said, "I'm sorry to have brought up your painful past... but I still hope you believe that your mother must have mentioned to you that she arranged a marriage for you in Yingzhou?"
Cheng Xi's gaze was calm. The bright lights swept across his eyelashes, nose, and lips, casting some shadows on his face.
It's unclear whether he knew about this news.
Jiang Geyun bit her lip and said, "Even if it wasn't mentioned, you should recognize it as a token of the Cheng family. Besides, Su Guang shouldn't have such an item, so it couldn't have been stolen by me."
The person on the other side moved.
From the beginning of their meeting, he had been avoiding her, but now he finally reached out his hand to her.
His right hand gently brushed against the dagger in Jiang Geyun's palm, his gaze lingering on it, looking very focused.
This process was even more difficult than Jiang Geyun had imagined.
When she reached out to pull him in her haste, she felt nothing. But now, through the dagger, she could feel his movements in her palms, and...
Her throat felt a little dry, so she coughed softly.
Cheng Xi withdrew her right hand, letting it hang at her side, making the movement unreadable.
His tone carried a hint of doubt: "This is indeed a Cheng family item, so why does Miss Jiang have it? And what does 'marriage' refer to?"
Jiang Geyun's cheeks felt a little hot.
She didn't want to come across as coercive, only intending it as supporting evidence, but bringing up the "engagement" directly made her feel a little embarrassed...
But since it's already done, there's no need to keep hesitating.
She gripped the dagger with both hands, held it back to her chest, and said resolutely, "I am Jiang Geyun, the lady of the Jiang family in Yingzhou who is betrothed to my husband."
Having said that, without waiting for the other party's reaction, Jiang Ge continued without stopping, "I'm not saying this for any other purpose, but just to prove that what I'm saying now is out of good intentions. I hope you will believe me, sir. Besides, you personally witnessed me falling into the trap that day. I had neither the motive nor the time to kill Su Guang..."
By the end, she was somewhat powerless. It was more understandable that Cheng Xi didn't believe her and insisted that she was the murderer, just like Pei Xuexiao did.
Why should we believe her? A confusing explanation? A presumably fabricated alibi? A weak, one-sided story?
Jiang Geyun lowered her head dejectedly.
But then Cheng Xi said, "I believe in my wife."
She looked up with surprise at this unexpected trust.
This was a precious trust that had almost disappeared from her life.
Just as Jiang Geyun was about to say something, she suddenly heard the sound of the night watchman approaching.
She acted decisively, putting the dagger back at her waist, grabbing Cheng Xi's right forearm, and leading him in another direction.
Cheng Xi seemed a little puzzled, and her forearm moved slightly in her hand.
Jiang Geyun turned around.
Behind her, the candlelight shone like stars, her hair swayed, and her eyes were bright. The girl stretched out her finger and gently made a "shh" gesture.
Cheng Xi fell silent.
After walking a short distance in the opposite direction of the night watchman, the system determined that the two were temporarily safe. Jiang Geyun dared not stop, still holding onto Cheng Xi, and whispered instructions as they walked:
"Young master, you didn't encounter that night watchman on your way here, did you? There are many strange things in this manor, so it's best if we avoid that thing."
Cheng Xi responded softly, "Okay."
Jiang Geyun was very pleased with both the trust placed in her and the feedback she received.
She felt much better, but she remained cautious and careful, continuing along the path she had just replanned.
She said softly, "I don't know how you got to this garden, my lord. It was because the three Night Watchers wanted to lead me to see the princess. I suppose I accidentally violated a taboo on the way..."
No, the system itself has admitted that it was it that was behind it.
But I can't say this to Cheng Xi.
She said, "...I came here by chance. According to the Night Grim Reaper, I need to find the right exit to leave."
Cheng Xi's voice came from behind: "I see. With the Night Watcher by your side, you should be able to escape soon... Does Lady Jiang want to leave sooner?"
Jiang Geyun thought to herself that this was not something she could decide whether she wanted to or not, and said with some helplessness, "I'm afraid it's not as easy as you think, my lord. The three Night Watchers told me personally that they could not guarantee a smooth departure."
"Is that so?" Cheng Xi lowered her eyes.
Jiang Geyun was standing in front of him and couldn't see his expression, but guessed that he was somewhat worried and disappointed, so she comforted him:
"My lord, don't be anxious."
"Tomorrow morning we will bid farewell to the master together. You will come with us then. If you can leave safely, that would be best. Even if you cannot... please be sure to come with us."
At this point, she recalled the girl who had sat between the two of them at the evening banquet, and she turned around and asked, "My lord..."
Why was Cheng Xi keeping her head down?
Jiang Geyun wasn't sure if she had misread something.
After a pause, seeing that the other person looked up and remained as calm as ever, she continued, "Was that young lady at the banquet today a friend of yours, sir?"
Cheng Xi replied gently, "No, it was just a chance encounter in front of the door."
Jiang Geyun thought for a moment and said, "If we can persuade that girl to come with us, that would be a good thing. We can try it tomorrow."
Cheng Xi nodded in agreement, as if she had no objection to anything she said.
Before they knew it, they had arrived near everyone's quarters. Jiang Geyun released Cheng Xi's hand and smiled, "Thank you for entrusting me with this task, my lord."
For her, this was a long-lost treasure.
Aside from Su Guang and the Abbot of Yunshui Temple, probably no one else believes her anymore. Even Pei Xueyi, who appears friendly, is mostly only treating her as usual because of her confidence in her own abilities. She is secretly wary of her, and her attempts to test her are like needles hidden in cotton. When they walk together, it is mostly for close surveillance.
It was very deceptive, but Jiang Geyun was able to detect it. She considered herself very good at recognizing people, and this was a case in point.
Cheng Xi smiled, seemingly unintentionally, and said, "It might be cold tomorrow, my wife, please remember to wear warm clothes."
Looking at the person in front of her, Jiang Geyun's long-held vigilance crumbled slightly.
Leaving the sunless plum garden, this place, though a dormitory, is brightly lit all night long.
Jiang Geyun could clearly see Cheng Xi's gentle, light amber eyes, with a radiant light flowing within them, which made her pause in a daze.
Previously, she had jokingly wondered if the plot would create some kind of "suspension bridge effect" between Xie Jiming and Pei Xueyi, but now it seems...
She let out a soft breath, realizing that she was probably the one most affected by the suspension bridge effect.
Jiang Geyun had never encountered this situation before, and therefore never thought that this physiological reaction, besides the suspension bridge effect and a young girl's heart fluttering, might also be some kind of instinctive fear and vigilance.
Jiang Geyun said, "My lord, see you again tomorrow."
Cheng Xi nodded and said, "Madam Jiang, see you tomorrow."
*
It wasn't until they had been separated for a long time, and until they arrived at Jiang Geyun's current residence, that she finally came to her senses and her heartbeat returned to normal.
She felt that she hadn't finished saying what she wanted to say, and that they shouldn't part like this, but upon closer reflection, she couldn't think of anything else to say.
Jiang Geyun was quite unfamiliar with this kind of emotion. Lost in thought, she walked toward her room.
The shackles suddenly burned her, and she stopped, not understanding why. After the discomfort subsided, she continued walking.
Yunling Manor has plenty of spare rooms, enough for each guest to stay alone.
As they were traveling together, she lived next to Xie and Pei.
Whether anyone lives there or not, every room is brightly lit, making it impossible to determine whether anyone lives there or not, or what the condition of the people is, simply by looking at whether there are lights on or off.
When Jiang Geyun checked in, she was still nervous about whether her meeting that night would go smoothly, and she didn't say much to the servants. I wonder if anyone else tried to ask: Can the light be turned off when we go to sleep?
Her sleep quality isn't very good...
With that thought in mind, Jiang Geyun pushed open her bedroom door.
There are people inside the door.
The steaming tea on the table was wafting through the air. The young man in blue lightly touched the rim of the teacup with his fingers, tracing its outline. He only slowly looked up when he heard the door open.
Pei Xuexiao asked, "Miss Jiang, what brings you out at night?"
A note from the author:
----------------------
The summary has been revised.
Although I really like the neat and orderly update schedule and try not to modify the main text for this reason, there are still times when I want to change the author's notes, chapter titles, etc., which is annoying!
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