Xu Lu Cha sat leaning against the edge of the bed. He raised his jade-white hand, seemingly still able to feel that person’s warm fresh blood. He could still clearly remember those bright warm eyes when that person told him to leave.

There was no one in the world more foolish than her.

Zi Yi never mentioned her again. Perhaps she had successfully survived.

Xu Lu Cha’s hand gently clenched, smiling self-mockingly.

Even though he kept consoling himself that her serious injury was her own fault, that she was foolish and didn’t understand how to see through people’s hearts, he still couldn’t help but recall again and again the scene of her throwing herself in front of him to block the knife.

He propped himself up with one hand and stood up. He patted his forehead, then shook his head.

What was the point of thinking about these useless things? Whether she lived or died had nothing to do with him.

······

“Young master, the tea is overflowing.”

Xu Lu Cha suddenly came back to his senses. He saw the white porcelain teacup slowly overflowing with pale green tea, and quickly put down the teapot. Zi Yi hurriedly used a handkerchief to wipe up the water stains on the table.

Xu Lu Cha stood up. He looked at Zi Yi, seeming to want to say something but hesitating. In the end, he didn’t say anything.

Zi Yi took the initiative to speak to him: “Young master, Sister Long came looking for you today. She said that in two days, on your birthday, she won’t be coming to the Xu residence anymore.”

Xu Lu Cha was startled, suddenly turning his head to look at Zi Yi: “She’s not coming anymore?”

Zi Yi nodded somewhat anxiously: “Because of Officer Zhang’s matter, Magistrate Zhong was furious and wanted to thoroughly investigate everyone who had contact with Officer Zhang that day. Sister Long doesn’t want to be implicated, so she’s unwilling to contact you anymore.”

Xu Lu Cha’s eyes gradually turned cold: “She’s certainly washed her hands clean of everything, but it’s not up to her.” He turned around, sweeping his sleeves, “Zi Yi, let’s go find her.”

Zi Yi hesitated: “She’s left Yun City, saying she wanted to avoid trouble.”

Xu Lu Cha stopped in his tracks, his fists gradually clenching.

Zi Yi: “Young master, Magistrate Zhong will eventually find out that Officer Zhang’s matter is related to you. What will you do then? Moreover, in two more days, the bridal sedan chair will come to receive you. Without Sister Long and Magistrate Zhong’s help, you absolutely won’t be able to refuse this marriage.”

In the matriarchal country, men’s marriages have always been decided by their fathers. If a man is unsatisfied with the marriage, apart from finding someone of reputation and ability to help stop the marriage, there’s no other way. If they can’t find those people of status to help, apart from threatening suicide or escaping the marriage, they can only muddle through and marry someone they don’t like. Of course, Xu Lu Cha had found the Qian family, the Qin family, the Blue Tiger Gang, and even had Zi Yi maintain contact with the government. But with the change in circumstances, now only the Qin family could be relied upon.

Zi Yi sighed: “Young master, you’ve always been thoughtful and deliberate, but this time you acted rashly because of Officer Zhang. I don’t understand why you, who are usually so calm and composed, always lose your rationality because of Officer Zhang.”

Xu Lu Cha turned back and said coldly: “No one has ever been able to make me lose my rationality. In the matter of Zhang Meng, even if I was careless, I don’t regret what I did.” His beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, “Even if only the Qin family helps me, or even if I’m alone, I absolutely won’t fulfill that old bastard’s wishes. The wife-master of Xu Lu Cha can only be chosen by me, no one else can interfere.”

······

“Madam, you don’t need to watch over me, go back and sleep.”

Zhang Meng lay on the bed, smiling at Zhong Huo. She was half-naked, with bandages wrapped around her back, the white bandages faintly stained with fresh blood. Although her lips were frighteningly pale, her spirits were still good: “Madam, you’ve watched over me for two days, aren’t you tired?”

Zhong Huo sat by the bed, stirring white porridge with a spoon. Her expression was very unpleasant, but she didn’t lose her temper with Zhang Meng, speaking stiffly: “Don’t worry about me, just quietly recover from your injuries.” She scooped up a small spoonful of white porridge and brought it to Zhang Meng’s lips.

Zhang Meng somewhat awkwardly turned her head slightly, avoiding it. But seeing Zhong Huo’s expression become even more gloomy, she quickly stopped her movement and opened her mouth to eat that spoonful of porridge.

Zhang Meng swallowed the somewhat overcooked porridge and said: “Madam, don’t feed me, it makes me feel like I’m disabled. Also, this porridge is very salty. Next time you can tell Aunty Zhang not to add so much salt, it’s bad for the stomach.”

Zhong Huo’s face stiffened: “Then don’t eat it!” Saying this, she was about to leave with the porridge. But after walking a few steps, she stopped again. She looked back at Zhang Meng, seeming somewhat aggrieved. She hesitated for a good while before speaking: “I cooked the porridge, it’s my first time cooking.”

Zhang Meng widened her eyes in surprise. Zhong Huo somewhat awkwardly turned her head away: “If it’s too salty, don’t eat it. I’ll go throw it out.”

Zhang Meng quickly called out to stop her: “No need to throw it out, that would be such a waste. You can add some boiled water to dilute the saltiness, it will still taste good.”

Hearing this, Zhong Huo’s expression softened somewhat. She chuckled: “You’re always like this.”

Always considering others, but this will really put you at a disadvantage.

Zhong Huo took out an exquisite sachet from her sleeve and threw it to Zhang Meng.

Zhang Meng caught it: “Madam?”

Zhong Huo coughed dryly: “It’s for you.” Seeing Zhang Meng widen her eyes somewhat flatteredly, she quickly clarified: “It doesn’t mean anything, just saw that you had no men admiring you, and thought it pitiful.”

Zhang Meng: “…Oh.”

Zhong Huo casually added: “I just embroidered it out of boredom. I’ve given many sachets to classmates and friends before, embroidering one for you was just incidental.”

Zhang Meng smiled: “Either way, thank you, Madam! I’m very happy.”

Zhong Huo looked at her smile, her black eyes slowly softening.

This should be enough, right? It wasn’t in vain that she stayed up for several nights, drew hundreds of drafts, pricked her fingers ten times, and didn’t dare bandage them for fear of being discovered.

“Madam, something’s happened, Zhang Men is dead!”

The door was suddenly knocked, and an anxious voice came from outside.

Zhong Huo’s expression tightened, and she quickly went to open the door. A woman dressed in red and white constable uniform stood at the door, anxiously speaking: “When I went to deliver food to the prison today, I saw she had hanged herself. After we took her down, she was already lifeless.”

Zhong Huo spoke in a deep voice: “Take me to see.”

Zhong Huo followed the constable for a few steps. She looked back at Zhang Meng and said: “Lie down, don’t run around.”

Zhang Meng nodded, waving her hand. Zhong Huo nodded slightly and quickly left.

······

Zhang Men, Zhang Meng… That criminal’s name was somewhat similar to her own.

Zhang Meng idly played with the sachet.

She remembered this criminal Zhang Men, who spent her days idling and loafing about. Because she developed a gambling addiction, she always asked her husband for money. At first, her husband would still give her some money, but later she became worse, selling all the valuable things in their home. The couple argued about this, and Zhang Men accidentally killed her husband.

She buried her husband in their backyard, then fled to another place. Her husband’s body was discovered by neighbors, who reported it to the government office. Zhong Huo sent people to arrest her. But Zhang Men had only been brought back to the government office for a few days when news of her death came today.

The case wasn’t settled yet, but the criminal had died. Zhong Huo would probably be busy again these next few days.

······

“Miss Qin, two days later, proceed according to plan. I’m counting on you,” Xu Lu Cha poured tea for Qin Long, moved it in front of Qin Long, and smiled.

Qin Long smiled: “Lu Cha, you can rest assured. I definitely won’t let you get on that bridal sedan chair. Since I’m helping you this time, in the future, you should also give me more guidance on business matters.”

Xu Lu Cha: “I wouldn’t dare speak of guidance, but Lu Cha will do his best.”

After leaving the Qin residence, Xu Lu Cha said to Zi Yi who was following behind him: “You go back to the mansion first, I want to walk by myself.”

After Zi Yi left, Xu Lu Cha walked alone on the main street. The street was bustling. He saw a stall selling jewelry. The stall owner was tall and sturdy, with heroic features, thick eyebrows and big eyes, red lips and white teeth, but his skin was quite dark, and there was an impatient, irritable air between his brows and eyes.

Xu Lu Cha frowned slightly. It was that ugly man again.

He detested him. Every time he saw him, he wanted to torment him.

He remembered not long after meeting Zhang Meng, for Zhong Huo’s sake, he deliberately tried to please Zhang Meng. All along, his beautiful appearance had always made women lose their minds, but unexpectedly, in Zhang Meng’s eyes, his outstanding appearance was less attractive than the pastries at Ying Yue Teahouse. He thought at the time that Zhang Meng was just not interested in men, but soon after, he accidentally heard Zhang Meng praising that ugly man.

“I think Lin Hao is a very good man. He’s not ugly at all. On the contrary, he’s very charming.”

The constable standing next to Zhang Meng asked in surprise: “Zhang Meng, you actually think Lin Hao isn’t ugly? Then do you think Xu Lu Cha is good-looking, or Lin Hao is good-looking?” Zhang Meng smiled and said: “They’re both good-looking, but I still feel more comfortable being with Lin Hao. Although Lin Hao seems bad-tempered on the surface, he’s actually a very easy person to get along with.” Zhang Meng mixed him up with that ugly man for comparison, how could he not detest that ugly man?

Xu Lu Cha looked at the man who was arranging jewelry, his slender fingers involuntarily lightly scratching the fan handle. Fine poison powder was hidden in his fingernails. He was about to walk towards that man when an anxious voice sounded from not far away.

“Lin Hao, Zhang Men is dead!”

Xu Lu Cha’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly looked towards the panting young man who was speaking.

Zhang Meng… was dead?

Lin Hao suddenly raised his head, his thick eyebrows deeply furrowed, his rough voice filled with unwillingness: “She actually died? She still owes me money!” The young man ran up to Lin Hao: “You go to the government office first to see if you can still get the money back. I’ll watch the stall for you.” Lin Hao nodded and hurried towards the government office.

Xu Lu Cha’s face was somewhat pale. He stood still on the spot for a long time before finally lowering his head.

Whether she lived or died had nothing to do with him.

He didn’t need to care.

He didn’t care.

☆、