...
Shen Tangning ran very fast; she was still recovering from her illness, and her breathing was heavy.
She had lived in this villa for several years and knew every brick and tile inside and out. Even Chi Jingyu himself couldn't compare to her.
Despite the renovation, the layout remained largely unchanged due to the short timeframe. For example, there is an inconspicuous dog hole in the southeast corner of the wall.
The area was covered by a large patch of ivy and was not very conspicuous. The dog hole was small, but it was no problem for Shen Tangning to squeeze through.
In the past, when she was sick, Xueqing would sneak out to get her medicine or sneak out to buy some snacks. After all, everyone in the manor was Shen Xiwei's person, and it was common for her to be cheated.
During her stay there, she walked the route many times and finally determined the shortest route from her room to the fire. The guards were all drawn to the fire, which was the perfect opportunity for her to escape.
Her mind was a little hazy, so she pinched her palm to keep herself awake.
She could faintly hear footsteps behind her, but she was still some distance from her destination, and running there now might get her caught.
In desperation, Shen Tangning gritted her teeth and sank herself into the lotus pond. The lotus pond was not small, the water had not dried up, and the sky was not yet frozen.
But as soon as she entered the water, an overwhelming chill swept over her, freezing her lips until they were numb. She heard a muffled sound coming from the shore:
"I'll go look over there, you guys go over there!"
Shen Tangning is a good swimmer and can hold her breath underwater for a long time, but she can't last too long. The water in winter is too cold, it seeps into your bones and is unbearable.
"There aren't any here!"
The person above lingered, reluctant to leave. She saw a lantern fall onto the water's surface, and the person seemed to be bending down to examine the situation in the water. Her heart tightened for a moment.
Just when she was about to give up, a "ee-yah-yah" sound rang out; it was Qinglan who had rushed over.
She pointed in a completely opposite direction to the guard, her expression urgent. The guard's face hardened, and without the slightest doubt, he ran over.
Qinglan glanced at the water, then turned and left with a determined look in her eyes.
She had served Shen Tangning for so long and knew where she often frequented. Logically, since she was receiving the young master's monthly allowance, she shouldn't be betraying him.
But she would always think of Shen Tangning's melancholy appearance and the fleeting tenderness in her eyes when she mentioned her husband.
She released the bird herself; the young master will surely be angry with her.
But she felt a sense of relief.
Because birds are meant to be free.
...
Shen Tangning surfaced, shivering as she climbed ashore, silently thanking Qinglan in her heart.
Undeniably, she had intended to take advantage of this innocent young girl from the very beginning, deliberately showing weakness in front of her to elicit her sympathy.
This sympathy did indeed come in handy at a crucial moment, just as she had hoped.
After she leaves, Qinglan may be implicated.
But it doesn't matter, she'll make sure Chi Kyung-ok doesn't live to see that day.
A flash of malice crossed her eyes, and without further hesitation, Shen Tangning fled the cage.
Driven by instinct, she stumbled and ran wildly until, when she was exhausted, she finally saw a figure.
Yuan Zhao, who was just about to abduct her, was surprised that she had escaped on her own and stepped forward to support her, asking, "Master?"
No wonder he was surprised, because Shen Tangning was soaking wet, her face was as pale as a ghost, as if she had just been pulled out of the water, and she was disheveled from head to toe.
After recognizing him, she tilted her head and fainted with relief.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
