That evening, the two rode in a carriage into the city, intending to find an inn to stay in.
There were several tables of people eating on the first floor. As soon as Jiang Chuting stepped inside, he smelled the greasy aroma of food wafting over. He felt a rush of heat to his throat. He had been talking to Lin Zhi, but he covered his mouth and quickly turned to leave. Lin Zhi saw this and hurriedly followed, calling out, "Chu Ran!"
Jiang Chuting leaned against the wall in the corner, feeling nauseous and dry heaving for a while, but nothing came out. Lin Zhi gently patted his back to help him catch his breath, frowning.
When Jiang Chuting finally calmed down a bit, he straightened up and was about to say a few words to comfort Lin Zhi when he saw that Lin Zhi's eyes were red, his lips were tightly pursed, and his cheeks were slightly puffed out, as if he was trying hard to hold back his tears.
Jiang Chuting squeezed his hand back, her voice a little hoarse, but her tone was so gentle: "It's nothing, why are you making that face?"
Although the place was remote, several pedestrians passed by from time to time. Lin Zhi ignored them and pulled him into her arms, hugging him tightly. She sniffed and said in a choked voice, "Seeing you in pain makes me feel so bad too."
Actually, it wasn't just because of that. Lin Zhi had been feeling uneasy lately because he was always unwell, and seeing him vomit and turn pale just now made her think about the future.
Lin Zhi didn't care about age, but this person was indeed seventeen years older than him. Now, even the slightest discomfort in his body caused him heartache. If he had to wait another ten, twenty, or thirty years... the more he thought about it, the more panicked and sad he became, and the more wronged and distressed he felt.
So he hugged the person in his arms even tighter.
"Chu Ran, I will always love you and always be good to you. I will also walk with you to the end of my life."
Jiang Chuting never allowed him to make overly intimate gestures in public, but upon hearing this, she gave a short laugh and sighed, then hugged him back and whispered, "Me too."
The two embraced for a while, when Jiang Chuting suddenly felt a strong sense of being watched. She turned her head slightly and looked in a certain direction by instinct, but did not see anyone.
Jiang Chuting's eyelids twitched inexplicably a few times.
Jiang Chuting went upstairs to wait for Lin Zhi. Lin Zhi booked a room. The innkeeper, a very amiable middle-aged man, had seen Jiang Chuting run out and asked her a question. Lin Zhi told him the truth. The innkeeper paused for a moment, then said, "My wife had severe vomiting during her pregnancy. I bought some sour plums from a shop in town. Whenever she felt unwell, I would have her put one in her mouth, and it worked very well." He then smiled and added, "Of course, that young master is definitely not pregnant, but it wouldn't be a problem to buy some and try it. Perhaps it can stop the vomiting."
Lin Zhi's face lit up with joy upon hearing this: "Then could you tell me where this shop is?"
"It's not far from here, just a short walk away." The shopkeeper noticed his expression and smiled knowingly, "You seem to care so much about that young master, the two of them must have a very good relationship."
Lin Zhi understood that the feelings he was referring to were not the same as those feelings, but she still pursed her lips and nodded, saying, "Yes, the feelings are very, very good."
After Lin Zhi asked for the exact location, he expressed his gratitude and went upstairs.
The two entered the room together. Lin Zhi put down his bundle, took Jiang Chuting's hand, and sat down at the table. He smiled and said, "Just now, the boss asked me what our relationship was. I said I was your husband, which scared him."
Jiang Chuting was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle: "Nonsense." He knew Lin Zhi was just teasing him and wouldn't actually tell anyone.
Lin Zhi tilted his head and smiled: "What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't say anything wrong." His expression became serious again, and he cupped Chu Ran's face and said slowly: "Chu Ran, I know you don't want to make a fuss, but can you promise me that after my mother agrees when we go home this time... we can get married?"
Jiang Chuting stared at him intently for a long time, then slightly curved the corners of her mouth and said, "Okay." Would such a day really come for them to get married?
Lin Zhi was initially a little apprehensive, but upon hearing that he agreed so quickly, she was overjoyed. She leaned over and kissed his lips deeply, then excitedly stood up and said she would go buy him some pickled plums.
"Wait for me to come back soon."
Before leaving, he specially hung a small, thick, round bamboo tube around his waist.
After Lin Zhi left, Jiang Chuting meditated in the room. Before long, she broke out in a cold sweat. She got up to take out a piece of undergarment from her bundle, but found that the cloth covering the wooden hairpin had come undone.
After the wooden hairpin broke, Jiang Chuting would still sleep with it by her pillow, but she no longer had those vivid dreams. She usually kept it in her bundle.
Jiang Chuting was about to rewrap the hairpin when her fingers inadvertently touched the hairpin. Suddenly, it felt as if her head had been hit by something violent. After a moment of dizziness, a scene flashed before her eyes, complete with images and sounds.
Lin Xuan sat motionless in her chair, dressed in a dark embroidered dress. Her face was pale, and her black eyes seemed to be tinged with a chilling, sinister aura as she glared at the young man standing ramrod straight below. His hair was slightly disheveled, his figure thin, and his eyes bloodshot. His gaze back at Lin Xuan was filled with undisguised hatred and deep contempt.
It was Zique.
"You think you can go against me with the few people you've gathered? You're courting death." Lin Xuan's lips barely moved as he spoke, his eyes and words filled with contempt. "For Lin Xi's sake, I'll give you a chance. Choose one of the two glasses in front of you."
Zi Que glanced coldly at the wine glass in front of him and sneered, "Yes, you're so powerful, who can be your match? But Lin Xuan, don't be too smug. You've harmed so many people to satisfy your delusions! One day, the Lin family will be completely destroyed and suffer retribution. I'll be waiting to see!"
After saying that, he resolutely reached for the wine glass, and then the scene disappeared.
Jiang Chuting was startled. When she came to her senses, she tried to touch the hairpin again, but it wouldn't respond no matter what she did.
Jiang Chuting picked up the broken hairpin and pondered deeply. From Lin Xuan's words, he could guess that one cup of wine was poisoned, or perhaps both were. Zi Que reached out, so he drank the wine? Years ago, Zi Que told him he had committed suicide by poison because he had no will to live, and he believed him, because he knew Zi Que's choice to stay in the Lin family was painful.
Later, I dreamed that Zique was being chased by Lin Xuan and his men at night. I felt heartbroken for his oppressive situation in the Lin family, but I never suspected anything.
But the scene he had just witnessed made him begin to doubt the true cause of Zi Que's death.
Judging from how thin Zi Que has become, it must have been some time since his marriage to Lin Xicheng. Therefore, the poison in his body was most likely from that, rather than from suicide!
Jiang Chuting gripped the wooden hairpin, her hand trembling slightly. If that were truly the case, how could Lin Xuan have allowed Zi Que to see him one last time? What did Lin Xuan mean by "opposing" her? Had Zi Que caught her red-handed? What exactly had Zi Que discovered back then? A murder, connected to the Lin family…
Drug trials?!
His thoughts raced, and a memory suddenly surfaced in his mind: the words spoken by the young man in black he had encountered during his investigation with Lin Zhi.
"The last person who tried to track down and find evidence is dead."
“I think he definitely doesn’t want you involved.”
"It's best to stay away from the person next to you."
Jiang Chuting's breath hitched, and she slowly opened her eyes wide.
He had initially suspected the man had mistaken him for someone else, but now it seemed the man in black was referring to Zi Que as the last person he was investigating? Had Zi Que started investigating over a decade ago? Did the man in black know those murdered male prostitutes were connected to the Lin family, which is why he kept him away from Lin Zhi? When exactly did Zi Que begin to realize something was wrong? He remembered trying to take Zi Que away before his wedding, but he refused to leave, even deliberately provoking him. Was Zi Que already being watched by Lin Xuan at that time, and was he being driven away to prevent him from being implicated? Furthermore, Lin Xi loved Zi Que to the point of madness; how could she possibly allow Lin Xuan to kill him? Perhaps she didn't know the truth either? Or was there some hidden story? What kind of medicine was the Lin family testing on those innocent people? And after all these years, they're still carrying out this plan—what are they trying to achieve?
There were still so many unanswered questions. Jiang Chuting clenched her hands and slowly closed her eyes.
He truly couldn't imagine how many dangers and hardships Zi Que had endured under Lin Xuan's nose back then. He didn't know, and Lin Zhi knew even less; in his eyes, Lin Xi, who gave him life and raised him, was the most trustworthy.
Just like this time, Lin Zhi suspected that the drug trial was related to his family because of Qin Ye's behavior, and hurriedly insisted on going back to the Lin family with him, probably wanting to find Lin Xi and ask her for clarification. Would Lin Xi tell him the truth? Of course not, so besides not being able to refuse Lin Zhi's request, he also originally wanted to go into the Lin family to investigate further.
Now it seems that what he has been investigating is also related to Zi Que, so he can't give up even more.
Jiang Chuting felt increasingly choked up inside the house. Lin Zhi hadn't returned yet, so Jiang Chuting grabbed her sword, went downstairs, and asked the innkeeper for directions to the sour plum shop, intending to go find him and clear her head.
He quickly realized something was wrong; someone was following him, and it seemed they didn't know martial arts.
Jiang Chuting glanced back out of the corner of her eye, then continued walking as if nothing had happened. Reaching a crossroads, she was told by the innkeeper to turn left, but instead turned right.
Until they reached a rarely visited, broken bridge, Jiang Chuting stopped, turned around and looked at the approaching figure whose face was obscured by a hood, and said in a clear voice, "You have gone to great lengths to follow me for so long, I wonder..."
As the slender figure lifted his hood and slightly raised his head, revealing his beautiful face, Jiang Chuting stopped speaking abruptly, her eyes flashing with surprise.
It was Lin Xi! Why would she come looking for me?
Lin Xi stared intently at his face, her eyes filled with deep hatred, her voice cold and deep, "Why are you suddenly silent? Don't you recognize me?"
Jiang Chuting's brow twitched slightly. What did she mean by that? Did Lin Xi know his identity? He remained calm and said in a low voice, "Why do you say that? It seems like this is the first time we've met."
"First time meeting?" Lin Xi laughed a few times when he denied it, but when she looked at him again, her eyes were as sharp as blades: "You are really calm, but do you know that even if you were turned to ashes, I would still recognize you, let alone disguise? Jiang Chu Ting." The last three words were said through gritted teeth.
Although Zi Que married her back then, he was never at peace with himself. Every day, he would either avoid her to read books or bury himself in calligraphy and painting.
The calligraphy practiced was based on this man's name, and the painting was a portrait of this man.
His smile, his eyes, even his back—his demeanor and bearing were so lifelike. Sometimes, Lin Xi would see Zi Que speaking tenderly to the portrait, as if the image on the paper wasn't a painting, but the very person he longed for day and night.
Driven mad with jealousy, she once dragged all the paintings out into the yard and burned them. Zi Que just stared at her coldly and continued painting. She stopped burning the paintings after that and forced herself to watch him paint from the window, suppressing her jealousy and hatred.
Although Lin Xi hadn't met Jiang Chuting many times, she had looked at countless portraits of him during that period. She even felt that she knew him just as well as Zi Que.
She saw him with Lin Zhi outside the inn just now.
If it weren't for Qiao Xun's letter, she might not have realized it in such a short time. But this time, she already knew and came to confirm it in person. The moment she saw him, before her brain could even process it, her heart felt as if it were covered in frost and snow, a chilling coldness.
This keen and familiar intuition made her realize that everything Qiao Xun said was true.
Her precious son had indeed gone mad for the same man as her husband. This was practically a death wish on her!
When Jiang Chuting heard her call him by his name, his heart sank. It seemed he had indeed been exposed. He knew the truth couldn't be hidden forever, but he still felt it had all happened too quickly.
Moreover, if Lin Xi finds out, Lin Zhi definitely won't be able to keep it from her either...
There was no need to deny it anymore. Jiang Chuting tightened his grip on the sword and looked at Lin Xi with his cold, dark eyes.
Although this woman completely lacked Lin Xuan's methods and decisiveness, her almost pathological obsession was exactly the same as her mother's. She must have discovered his true identity beforehand, but instead of rushing to tell Lin Zhi, she came to find him alone.
He knew that Lin Xi was definitely not there to have a proper discussion with him.
Jiang Chuting was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you want to do?"
If he wanted to continue being with Lin Zhi, he would never be able to get past Lin Xi. He couldn't do anything to Lin Xi, but Lin Xi could act recklessly towards him, because Lin Zhi would soon find out the truth. In Lin Zhi's heart, Jiang Chuting was far inferior to his mother.
"What do I want to do?" As if he had asked a very funny question, Lin Xi chuckled before saying viciously, "Back then, you shamelessly seduced my husband, making a scene known throughout the martial arts world and losing all face. Now you've gone mad by disguising yourself to get close to my son and harm him. What do you think I want to do? Of course, I want to completely eliminate this scourge of yours! And then make sure you die without a burial place!"
Lin Xi never did anything to Jiang Chuting not because she was soft-hearted, but because Zi Que forced her to make a poisonous oath with the child in her womb before he died: if the Lin family dared to lay a hand on Jiang Chuting or hurt a single hair on his head, then her child would die in the womb, or even if it was born, it would die suddenly.
Lin Xi was heartbroken at the thought of losing him, and she tearfully agreed, making a vow in front of him.
Over the years, she has always remembered this vow and has not allowed Lin Zhi to go to Jiang Chuting, because she still has some reservations about it.
But she never expected that Lin Zhi would not only meet him, but also fall into his trap, be deceived and manipulated by him. How could she sit idly by? She was going to kill this person, and even if Zi Que found out, he had no reason to blame her!
However, she was afraid that even if Lin Zhi knew the man's true identity, he would still be obsessed, so she decided to strike first to eliminate any future troubles.
Upon hearing her words, Jiang Chuting couldn't help but think of Zique's death again, and said patiently, "Lin Xi, you should know best what kind of situation Zique was forced to by your Lin family back then. Don't deceive yourself, and don't try to fool Lin Zhi with this excuse."
Lin Xi sneered: "Self-deception? Is it? Isn't this common knowledge throughout the martial arts world? Why don't you go and tell Lin Zhi your story and see who he believes?"
Jiang Chuting was speechless for a moment.
Indeed, whether what was said was true or not was unimportant; what mattered was who Lin Zhi believed. In this respect, he was completely defeated.
Lin Xi was determined to kill Jiang Chuting before Lin Zhi discovered it, leaving no room for reversal. She stopped wasting time and clapped her hands to signal, and five people armed with weapons appeared in the blink of an eye—two men and three women, each exuding a murderous aura.
Jiang Chuting recognized them; three of them were people who had been with Lin Xuan back then, and all of them were highly skilled in martial arts. It seemed that Lin Xi had come prepared.
In the past, he would have been confident in his ability to fight, but now, he only has 30% of his internal energy left, and it would be difficult for him to escape unscathed.
Jiang Chuting drew his longsword, the clear light of the sword flashing across his dark, clear eyes. His hand holding the sword was fair and flawless, with distinct knuckles.
The disguise pill expired prematurely, and he suddenly regained his original appearance.
Upon seeing his true face, Lin Xi's hatred intensified, and her expression became ferocious. She roared, "Kill him! Quickly, kill him!"
Lin Zhi was also unlucky; when he got to the shop, he found it was already closed. After asking around and walking a while, Lin Zhi went directly to the owner's house and finally managed to buy some items.
He finished shopping and it was already dark. He hurriedly returned to the inn, but when he opened the door, the room was empty.
Lin Zhi was startled, but calmer than before, because the person carried the Thousand Mile Fragrance, which allowed him to track him wherever he went.
As they were going downstairs, they ran into the innkeeper, who told him, "That young master asked me for directions and then came looking for you. Didn't you two run into each other?"
So Chu Ran went to look for him. Lin Zhi breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking that he had gone to someone's house earlier, and since the routes were different, Chu Ran obviously wouldn't be able to find him at the shop.
Lin Zhi hurriedly ran outside to pick him up, carrying the pickled plums she had bought with her in her arms, intending to put one in his mouth as soon as she saw him, to see if it would make him feel better.
But when he returned to the sour plum shop, he didn't see the person he was looking for along the way.
Perhaps the two missed each other, or perhaps he had already returned to the inn... There were many possibilities, but Lin Zhi stood there blankly for a moment, watching the people coming and going, his eyelids twitching inexplicably, and he felt a little uncomfortable.
Could something have happened to Chu Ran?
Suddenly, the name "Jiang Chuting" popped into Lin Zhi's mind. He always seemed to be around her. Could it be that he really wanted to take advantage of Chu Ran? Although Chu Ran's martial arts were high, Jiang's swordsmanship was not bad either. If they really faced off... The more Lin Zhi thought about it, the more anxious she became. She opened the small bamboo tube at her waist, and a butterfly-sized flying insect fluttered out of it.
He should have used a small hunting dog to search faster, but since hunting dogs are inconvenient to carry, he switched to this flying insect called Gulan, which can also guide the way.
By this time, it was completely dark. The blue cricket shimmered with a faint blue light in the night, fluttered its wings, circled once, and flew off in a chosen direction.
This wasn't the way back to the inn. Lin Zhi hurriedly followed, her heart filled with anxiety, praying that Chu Ran had simply gone somewhere else and that nothing bad had happened to her.
Jiang Chuting's prediction was accurate. Although his moves were still intact, his internal energy was greatly reduced, making it very difficult for him to deal with the five people. In addition, they were following Lin Xi's orders, and every move they made was aimed at killing him. Before long, he was stabbed. Fortunately, after a fierce struggle, he finally managed to escape.
The only time Jiang Chuting was subdued to the point of being unable to move and at the mercy of others was when he was looking for Lin Zhi and ended up in Lin Xuan's hands.
This time, their desperate escape from pursuit was once again due to the Lin family.
The Lin family is probably his nemesis.
Although she had applied acupuncture to stop the bleeding, her chest was still completely soaked with blood. Jiang Chuting finally managed to shake them off and staggered into an abandoned house with its gate wide open. Her long sword, which she used to support herself, gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, panting.
He clutched his suddenly throbbing lower abdomen, closed his eyes, and painfully tilted his head slightly. The moonlight spilled into the desolate courtyard, enveloping his entire body and making his pale, blood-stained face appear even more bleak.
Even worse than physical pain is the pain in one's heart.
Now that things have come to this, how can he go back to face Lin Zhi? The thought that his former lover is about to find out the truth and be filled with hatred and hostility towards him is like a knife twisting in his heart.
In the evening, Lin Zhidu even said that he wanted to have a wedding ceremony with him.
Lin Zhi, Lin Zhi...
Jiang Chuting's eyes were sore and swollen. She took off the bracelet from her wrist and gently pressed it to her chest, hoping to draw some strength from it.
Suddenly a noise came from outside. Jiang Chuting reacted quickly, flashed to the door and stood against the wall.
Judging from the footsteps, there was only one person. The person quickly reached the door and suddenly stopped. Jiang Chuting didn't sense any killing intent, so it shouldn't be the group chasing him. But he didn't let his guard down, gripping his long sword tightly and listening intently.
Suddenly, a voice murmured, "Why do I smell blood... Chu Ran!"
Jiang Chuting was startled when he heard the sound. Before he could react, a flash of blue light appeared before his eyes with the sound of flapping wings, and Lin Zhi had already rushed in front of him.
Caught off guard, the two stared at each other's faces in surprise.
The moonlight was bright and clear. Lin Zhi stared at him with his dark eyes for a moment, then suddenly realized something was wrong. He quickly looked him up and down, his eyes narrowed abruptly, and he snatched the acacia bean bracelet from his hand. When he looked at Jiang Chuting again, his eyes suddenly became terrifying.
He reached out and grabbed Jiang Chuting by the neck, demanding in a stern voice, "So it really was you! Where did you take Chu Ran? Why are his hairpin, his clothes, and his bracelet all with you? Whose blood is on his clothes? Where is he?! What exactly did you do to him?!"
Jiang Chuting was pinched so hard that she couldn't breathe. Her vision went black, and her originally bloodless face began to turn red. Sadness spread from her heart to every part of her body.
Lin Zhi abruptly released him, roaring furiously, "Speak! Speak now! Why did you steal his things? Where is he?!"
Jiang Chuting was already injured and bleeding, and was nearly fainted from being choked. She swayed unsteadily before looking at him in a hoarse voice and whispering, "I didn't do anything to him, and I didn't take anything from him."
Lin Zhi's expression twisted in disbelief. He coldly questioned, "Then why are all his things with you? You're jealous that I love him, aren't you? So you attacked him? Let me tell you, if anything really happens to him, I will tear you to pieces!"
Jiang Chuting felt a surge of hot breath choke her throat, her eyes filled with tears as she gazed at Lin Zhi quietly and sadly.
If he had known beforehand that what happened at the inn might have been their last tender moment together, he shouldn't have let Lin Zhi go out to buy sour plums.
Lin Zhi's hands began to tremble under his gaze. Her irritability and anxiety intensified, and she also felt an indescribable stinging pain in her heart.
"Don't look at me like that!"
Jiang Chuting's eyelashes trembled: "Lin Zhi..."
Lin Zhi shouted again, "Don't call me by my name! Shut up! Shut up!"
He didn't want to see him, didn't want to hear his voice. Lin Zhi's chest heaved heavily. He had been so caught up in his shock and anger that he had momentarily forgotten that he had found Chu Ran through the Valley Blue Worm. Chu Ran must be nearby. If he could find where the Valley Blue Worm had flown to, wouldn't he be able to find him?
Lin Zhi forced himself to calm down as quickly as possible. Just as he was about to look for where the insect had flown to, he caught a glimpse of a faint blue light circling around Jiang Chuting and not going anywhere else.
The fragrance of a thousand miles is on the skin, so even if the person in front of him changed into Chu Ran's clothes, Gu Lanchong shouldn't mistake him for Chu Ran.
What's going on? Lin Zhi's mind went blank for a moment.
"Lin Zhi." Jiang Chuting called his name softly again.
Lin Zhi muttered to himself, "I really do need to change the hunting dogs."
"Lin Zhi." Jiang Chuting called again. Lin Xi already knew that her identity could no longer be hidden, and there was no need to hide it anymore. It was time to tell her the truth.
Lin Zhi finally looked at him. Jiang Chuting felt a chill run down his spine from Lin Zhi's emotionless gaze. He moved his lips and finally said in a low voice, "I didn't take his things. The hairpin and bracelet originally belonged to me."
Lin Zhi's head throbbed with pain. She raised her hand to cover her head, still desperately denying it, "Liar, how could this be! How could it belong to you?! Liar! Don't try to fool me!"
"I didn't lie to you. Why did I avoid you at first? Why didn't I dare to accept your feelings for me? Why did I always disappear and never tell you where my home is? Why am I wearing Chu Ran's clothes now, and wearing his hairpin and bracelet? Lin Zhi, don't you understand?"
Jiang Chuting gazed at him with tears in her eyes. When she spoke again, her breath trembled. With difficulty, she finally managed to say, "Because I am Chu Ran, and always have been."
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Because of certain circumstances, my writing state was consistently poor, my typing speed was unusually slow, and my mindset was off, so I felt very tired. Actually, I've wanted to give up for a long time, but I've never given up on VIP novels before, and I've gritted my teeth and persevered for so long. However, I was still triggered because I suddenly realized that after running this column for so many years, I don't have any friends, I haven't discussed any techniques with anyone, and I've just buried myself in writing so many books, more than three million words. In fact, the word count is even higher, but the more I write, the worse it gets, and the less I know how to write. My emotions suddenly collapsed, I became withdrawn, I felt like a failure, and I didn't want to write a single word, so I said in the synopsis that I was giving up. But actually, I'm still struggling inside. After all, giving up on VIP novels isn't good, and it would be letting down all of you who have supported me so far. Besides, after writing for so long, I still can't bear to part with the two main characters. So after I finish writing this list, I've decided to take a break and update less frequently. It might be a long time before I update again. If you can tolerate the snail's pace, then keep reading. But if you think I'm trying to delay updates and scam money, then you don't need to keep reading. This story is disheartening. For me, the meager earnings are negligible. It's much easier to just unsubscribe and return the money to you than to work myself to the bone to scam this little bit of money.
Finally, I am very grateful for everyone's tolerance and understanding. I will try my best to adjust my mindset and slowly fill this hole to give them a good ending.
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