Seeing her “accomplice” beaten unconscious, her knees went weak and she fell to the ground. Looking up at the approaching person, her face turned pale with fright: “Noble lady, noble lady, please spare me! I was forced into this by her, I had no choice but to go along with this evil scheme. Besides pretending to be ghosts and gods, I haven’t done any other bad deeds. I beg you to be merciful and forgive me this once!”

Shen Yao Xing opened her mouth, then closed it again. Seeing the woman kowtowing and begging, she was momentarily at a loss for words.

She turned back to look at the incense burner in front of the statue, walked over and took back the silver tael she had put in the merit box earlier that day.

Shen Yao Xing couldn’t really do anything to them. Since they had cheated the town’s people out of their money, she would just hand the two over and let those people decide how to deal with them.

After some thought, she still decided to explain things clearly to the innkeeper first, letting her notify the other people in town to take back their swindled silver.

The commotion continued until daybreak. Those who learned they had been deceived were so angry their teeth itched. They all cursed and spat at the two women tied up together, and some who couldn’t control their anger went up to punch and kick them.

The rest of the matter no longer concerned Shen Yao Xing. On her way back to her room, she encountered Meng Xin Yi who was watching the spectacle in the corridor. She looked at Shen Yao Xing with a half-smile, her tone teasing: “You really haven’t changed at all, still so eager to right wrongs.”

Shen Yao Xing, who hadn’t slept all night, yawned and glanced at her, pretending not to have heard. “What time are we setting off?”

The woman shrugged: “Now. However…” She looked at the obvious dark circles under the young woman’s eyes and kindly suggested: “Are you sure you don’t need to rest a bit more?”

Shen Yao Xing shook her head, walking past her straight towards her own room. “Give me a quarter of an hour and I’ll be ready.”

The fatigued Shen Yao Xing had clearly forgotten there was still an uninvited guest in her room. By the time she remembered, it was already too late.

Jiang Ming Yue, who had already changed his clothes, suddenly stretched out his long arm and grasped the person who was trying to flee out the door. His face was dark as he said, “Are you so unwilling to see me?”

Shen Yao Xing hurriedly pulled her wrist free, her gaze wandering as her mouth twitched: “Not really…” Yeah right.

The young woman’s face showed undisguised guilt. Jiang Ming Yue felt as if his throat was blocked, his heart feeling stuffy.

The two were standing quite close. He suddenly noticed the young woman seemed to have grown taller. Originally she could barely reach his chin, but now she had grown to the height of his lower lip.

A feeling suddenly arose in Jiang Ming Yue’s heart, as if he had watched the young woman grow up all along. For a moment, an inexplicable satisfaction filled his chest, diluting that stuffy feeling, and even bringing a hint of sweetness.

He lowered his eyes, his fingers trembling slightly. Without thinking, he raised his hand wanting to touch her face, but froze the next moment due to the young woman’s terrified gaze.

Jiang Ming Yue pressed his thin lips together, shifting his gaze slightly. “Where are you heading when you set off later?”

Shen Yao Xing hesitated, not really wanting to tell him.

Jiang Ming Yue didn’t mind, his gaze lingering on her face now and then as he continued: “Anyway, it’s on my way, so just give me a ride.”

Shen Yao Xing’s face turned slightly red from holding back. She hadn’t even said where they were going, yet this person was saying it was on his way. How could it possibly be on his way?

“Don’t you have your own carriage?” Just thinking that this person had intentions towards her made Shen Yao Xing ten thousand times unwilling to travel together, let alone in the same carriage.

“I left in a hurry and didn’t prepare a carriage.”

The man’s expression was too natural, making Shen Yao Xing unable to tell if these words were true or false.

Just as she was hesitating, the man suddenly turned his head and covered his mouth, coughing violently. She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but she felt his shoulders seemed to have become somewhat thinner.

Looking at that slightly pale face, the bit of guilt suppressed in Shen Yao Xing’s heart surfaced again. Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly: “Didn’t you drink the medicine I gave you?”

Jiang Ming Yue breathed heavily, a flash of light passing through his lowered eyes. He raised them slightly to look at her, saying softly: “This is an internal injury, how could it heal so quickly?”

“……” Shen Yao Xing felt even more guilty.

In the end, she agreed to let him travel with them.

Before leaving town, they were surrounded by the townspeople, with voices full of gratitude overwhelming them. Shen Yao Xing hadn’t expected this outcome; she had clearly told the innkeeper not to spread the word.

Fortunately, the townspeople were still rational. Knowing they had to set off, they didn’t delay them further, only seeing them off to the town gate.

Shen Yao Xing, having finally squeezed out of the crowd, hadn’t had time to breathe a sigh of relief before her expression froze at the subtle change inside the carriage.

The space that was originally just for her and Meng Xin Yi now included Jiang Ming Yue. He was currently disguised as Young Master Yin, wearing a face veil, with a faint coldness between his brows, just like before, giving people a feeling of being unapproachable.

Apart from the sound of the carriage wheels rolling on the ground, it was exceptionally quiet inside the carriage. None of the three spoke first.

Meng Xin Yi sat in the position furthest from the two, discreetly observing the man. Those delicate eyebrows and eyes quickly reminded her who this person was.

Hadn’t these two already canceled their engagement?

Why had he followed along now?

Although she was somewhat curious, Meng Xin Yi still chose to ignore the subtle feelings between the two.

After the carriage had traveled for some time, Shen Yao Xing couldn’t help but yawn. Not having slept well for two nights left her so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. She simply curled up in a corner, tilted her head, and fell into a doze.

In her hazy state, she felt as if her lips had been bitten by a mosquito. She carelessly scratched at it, turning her entire face towards the carriage wall, curling up even more.

Not knowing how long she had slept, Shen Yao Xing woke up to a jolt. Her features scrunched up as she lazily stretched out her arms wide.

As her sleepy eyes gradually cleared, she was shocked to discover that at some point, only she and Jiang Ming Yue were left in the carriage.

And they were very close.

What was more terrifying was that this person was staring straight at her.

“Hic,” Shen Yao Xing hiccupped as she woke, feeling her scalp tingle under that sticky gaze.

She couldn’t help but recall that night when he had looked at her just like this, his gaze entangling her fiercely like a venomous snake.

“You’re awake…” The man’s voice was as light as a dream whisper, his dark pupils clearly reflecting the young woman’s beautiful face, the bottom of his eyes filled with a sickly desire.

It was as if he had been waiting for her to wake up to continue something indescribable.

Cold sweat broke out on Shen Yao Xing’s back as she watched with wide eyes as he removed his face veil and leaned closer. His fair forehead pressed against hers as he murmured softly

“Smells so good…” His voice paused, then he raised his eyes to look directly into hers, “I like it very much.”

That suggestive hint made Shen Yao Xing’s head spin a little. She raised her hand to push his face away.

“Stay away from me”

A trace of disappointment flashed in Jiang Ming Yue’s eyes, but he truly obediently moved away a bit.

However, his fingers still rested on the edge of the young woman’s clothes, pinching a corner of the garment and tugging it gently.

Shen Yao Xing ignored this small, childlike action. She took the opportunity to sit on the other side of the carriage, further away from him.