Geschichte über einen Ehemanndiebstahl

Kapitel 69

Zhan Yun was taken aback by her words, and at the same time, a slight pain came from her injury, so she hissed softly, and the muscles on her shoulder twitched. Duan Chen paused in the hand holding the cloth, lowered his phoenix eyes, pursed his lips tightly, and wiped the bloodstains even more gently.

Zhan Yun smiled, his clear voice slightly lower, adding a touch of warmth: "I will be more careful and won't let the wound reopen. Chen'er, don't be angry."

Duan Chen was sprinkling medicine powder onto his wound when he heard this. His heart skipped a beat. He thought, "Why am I angry?!" As he pondered, his heart felt like a thousand threads tangled in a cocoon, becoming more and more chaotic, binding him until he could hardly breathe. His chest felt tight and slightly painful, his ears involuntarily burned, and even his cheeks felt hot.

Duan Chen lowered his phoenix eyes, suppressing the pounding in his heart, and tried to calm his breathing. He said in a calm tone, "Don't do such things again in the future."

Zhan Yun was slightly taken aback, but then smiled calmly again: "It's alright."

Duan Chen remained expressionless, his voice cold: "I can't reciprocate the feelings you expressed that day. So, don't do things like that anymore, it's not worth it." As he spoke, his fingers slowed their movements, tying a knot, and he stepped back two paces to tidy up the things on the table.

The door was pushed open with a "bang," and Zhou Yufei had barely uttered a "Xingzhi" when he suddenly noticed the two people at the table: Zhan Yun's robes were half-open and his hair slightly disheveled, while Duan Chen beside him had his head bowed and his face flushed. The two, one standing and one sitting, seemed to have just hastily created distance between them. Zhou Yufei was quite startled by the scene before him and his own assumptions. He staggered back three steps and left the room, saying "Excuse me" as he closed the door, before disappearing in an instant.

Zhan Yun remained expressionless, pulled the robe draped over her shoulder, and quickly tied it up with her left hand. Duan Chen finished packing and was about to leave when Zhan Yun reached out and blocked his way, quickly turning to the other side and stopping him: "Chen'er."

Duan Chen's expression remained calm and composed, his phoenix eyes fixed straight ahead, unwilling to look at anyone.

Zhan Yun sighed softly, placing her left hand in a gesture of protection in front of Duan Chen. Her crescent-shaped eyes fixed on Duan Chen's, she said gently, "I don't know what you've been through, but that doesn't prevent me from understanding who you are. The you I know, understand, and like is the you of today, and it has nothing to do with your past. Since you've decided to let go of the past, why can't you accept my feelings? If Chen'er dislikes me and doesn't like me at all, then I will never bother you again. But you don't hate me that much, do you?"

Duan Chen's ears, which had just regained their fair color, turned bright red again, her pink lips were tightly pursed, and her phoenix eyes looked to the side with a hint of panic. Zhan Yun continued, "When you like someone, you naturally hope that the other person can reciprocate the same feelings, but you don't like someone just for the sake of their reciprocation."

As Zhan Yun spoke softly, she discreetly observed Duan Chen's expression. Seeing his eyelashes tremble slightly and his brows filled with panic and helplessness, her heart softened, and she gently coaxed him, "Chen'er, when you help someone, do you expect them to repay you?"

Duan Chen's mind was already in turmoil. When he suddenly heard Zhan Yun change the subject, he thought for a moment, then gently shook his head, indicating that he wouldn't. Zhan Yun smiled slightly: "That's right. So, my liking for Chen'er doesn't mean I require you to repay me immediately. I can wait."

Zhan Yun's voice was soft and gentle, yet every word resonated deeply. Duan Chen was always clever, but not so adept at matters of the heart. He had only focused on clearly rejecting her, severing all ties to avoid future troubles, never realizing there were other considerations involved. Confused by Zhan Yun's series of questions and answers, he felt even more frustrated. Just then, the door opened, and Zhao Ting strode in. Seeing the two in such an intimate and romantic atmosphere, his brows furrowed, his thin lips parted slightly, and his voice turned cold: "You—"

Duan Chen, both annoyed and embarrassed, shoved away Zhan Yun's arm, which was now resting idly at his side, and ran out without even taking his things. Once in his room, he quickly went to his bedside, placed one hand on his chest, and took out his bundle with the other. He gently stroked the maroon bamboo flute, his heart still fluttering. After a slight hesitation, Duan Chen untied the red strings binding the flute's seven holes, gave it a gentle shake, and a delicate white jade flute fell out from one end.

Picking up his short flute, Duan Chen half-closed his eyes and gently began to play a tune. The flute's sound was originally clear and ethereal, but the melody was melancholic and sorrowful, and the combination of the two created a special sense of tranquility.

Inside Zhan Yun's room, Zhao Ting glanced at the gauze and medicine bottle on the table, a slight smirk playing on his lips. He chuckled, "Stealing someone's beauty when they're not looking—that doesn't seem like something the supposedly 'Jade-like and Cloud-like' Young Master Xingzhi would do!"

Zhan Yun smiled faintly and said calmly, "Xingzhi has always done things his own way, so there's no need for the young prince to worry about it."

Zhao Tingjian frowned and said in a deep voice, "Zhan Yun! Are you looking for a fight?"

Zhan Yun blinked, his face gentle and respectful: "Chen'er just told me before he left that we must not use force within half a month."

Zhao Ting didn't quite understand, and stared coldly at Zhan Yun with his deep eyes. The latter explained gently and patiently, "Otherwise it will aggravate the wound on your right shoulder."

Zhao Ting took a deep breath, his brows furrowing even more: "Xingzhi, what exactly do you mean?"

Zhan Yun smiled slightly, shook his folding fan, and gestured for him to be quiet and listen carefully. Zhao Ting had also heard some sounds before, so he stopped talking and listened intently. The flute music was deep and desolate, mournful yet flowing smoothly, like a heavy snowfall in the dead of night, or like blue flowers blooming in the wind on a cliff, causing a dull ache in one's heart and a sudden chilling feeling.

The two listened quietly as the flute music faded away. After a long while, Zhan Yun whispered, "Zhao Ting, I can never let her go in this lifetime."

As the music ended, a few soft creaks came from the door. Duan Chen slowly opened his eyes and, seeing the white jade flute in his hand, his expression changed. He scolded himself for being so careless and must have lost his mind, while quickly putting the flute away and getting up to open the door.

Xiao Changqing stood by the door with a smile, took Duan Chen's arm and led him into the house: "I didn't expect you to play the flute so well, Duan! What was the name of that piece you just played? It was so beautiful..."

Duan Chen's face paled slightly, and his voice trembled involuntarily: "Senior..."

Walking to the table, Xiao Changqing released his grip and sat down on the stool. He touched the outside of the teapot, picked up a cup, and poured two cups of tea. Duan Chen, feeling uneasy, hurriedly took the teacup and whispered, "Still no clues from Elder Liu's side?"

Xiao Changqing took a big gulp of tea, his cheeks still bulging, and hurriedly swallowed the water, nodding in agreement: "That's right! Isn't it strange? I asked around in several villages all afternoon, but I haven't heard of anyone going missing, let alone anyone dying."

Duan Chen frowned slightly, lost in thought. Beside him, Xiao Changqing's eyes darted around, a sly smile playing on his lips. He pulled something from his pocket and patted Duan Chen's arm, saying, "Little Duan, this is for you."

Duan Chen looked up and saw Xiao Changqing handing her a jade pendant, the very one Zhan Yun had worn at his waist earlier. Xiao Changqing's eyes narrowed with a smile, and she pulled Duan Chen's hand over, slapping the pendant into her palm: "Here! I always forgot about it before, but I just remembered. Remember to return it to him for me." She then picked up her teacup, took a large gulp, and shook her head, sighing, "Hey, I must say, this kid's actually quite something!"

Seeing Duan Chen looking at him with some confusion, Xiao Changqing poured another cup of tea and explained to Duan Chen with a serious expression: "Think about it, something that can mobilize the state government is no ordinary item. This jade pendant has been with me ever since we returned from Suzhou, and he hasn't mentioned it once. Such magnanimity is not something ordinary people can do. And how old is he? Only twenty-four or twenty-five years old. It's rare, truly rare!"

Duan Chen frowned as he looked at the delicate and smooth jade in his palm. It felt slightly cool to the touch, but his heart was burning slightly.

Xiao Changqing glanced sideways at Duan Chen's profile, a sly smile playing on his lips.

=============================================================================

The next morning.

Duan Chen and the others went out of the inn for breakfast, but when they arrived at the porridge shop, it was still closed. Xiao Changqing pouted, looking dejected, "Why is it closed again? I really want to eat their radish-filled buns and their vegetable porridge..."

Seeing his expression, Zuo Xin found it amusing and patted him on the head, advising, "Forget it, let's go eat somewhere else. We're going to Bianjing in a couple of days; there's so much good food there."

Duan Chen's face darkened, and he quickly stepped forward to knock on the door. After several knocks without response, he took a few steps back, gathered his strength, and leaped onto the roof. He quickly reached the other side and jumped down. Zhan Yun, Zhao Ting, and Xiao Changqing followed suit, entering the courtyard from the roof. Zhou Yufei glanced at Zuo Xin, who was still standing there, and smiled with obvious admiration: "Master Zuo is indeed very composed."

Zuo Xin sighed, patted his shoulder, and with a burst of energy, leaped onto the roof.

Zhou Yufei's smile froze slightly. After waiting for what seemed like forever without anyone opening the front door for him, he brushed his clothes aside, took two steps back in frustration, and leaped onto the roof. Before he could even reach the other side, he heard a creak of a door opening below, and a group of people rushed out. Zuo Xin said in a low voice, "Let's go back to the inn first. I'll send two people to find the elder and ask if the owner of this inn has any other lodgings in the village below..."

The morning breeze caressed his face, and the sun slowly rose. Zhou Yufei, still clutching the corner of his robe in one hand, remained in the same position he had just taken as he climbed onto the roof. He slowly turned around and watched the group of people walk away into the distance. Having only been in office for a few days, Lord Zhou suddenly felt a deep, profound desolation in his heart!

The group ate some porridge at a breakfast shop near the inn, and after a while, one of Zuo Xin's men rode up on horseback. After bowing to the group, he said, "The old couple did indeed have an old house in the village east of the town, but I heard that no one has lived there for many years. Also, that village is the same place where Kushui Village was before the town was built."

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this. Duan Chen's eyebrows twitched, and the corners of his lips curled slightly. Xiao Changqing, sitting at the opposite table, could clearly see the expression on Duan Chen's face. He swallowed the porridge in his mouth and asked, "Little Duan, what's wrong?"

Duan Chen's brows furrowed slightly as he said softly, "The story the old man at the porridge shop told us on our second day here seems to have some truth to it."

Zhan Yun raised one eyebrow slightly, somewhat puzzled: "But that day in the woods, Miss Lvmiao clearly said that the legend of the evil ghost's revenge was made up by Doctor Xia to scare people. She shouldn't have any reason to lie about this."

Duan Chen shook his head slightly, as if he had suddenly realized something, and smiled slightly: "No one is lying, we misunderstood." Most of the demons and monsters are fictional, but most of the stories passed down by word of mouth are true.

Author's Note: There will be an update tomorrow at 9 AM.

Meow~ Case closed tomorrow, next case: Xi Shi's Breasts

Zhanzhan and Tingting have basically made their relationship clear, now it's up to Xiaoduan to decide!

Speaking of which, the person Xiao Duan dislikes the most is Tingting, followed by Ranran.

So Zhanzhan got a natural advantage because of her family background.