Jiang Yumin also harbored a testing mentality, and after the two sides clashed, she immediately withdrew.
The two laughed at the same time; it seemed they were evenly matched!
Jiang Yumin asked the effeminate man, "What do you want?"
Such a calm tone made one feel that these two people were not uninvited guests who had sneaked into the house in the middle of the night, but simply two friends visiting.
"He's definitely not simple," Lin Zijing thought. If he knew that Jiang Yumin categorized him as effeminate, she wondered what he would think!
Lin Zijing smiled sweetly: "I've developed a new kind of incense, and I'd like to ask for your guidance!"
Upon hearing this, both Jun Yilin and Jiang Yumin were taken aback.
Jun Yilin thought, what kind of talk is this? Why would someone say something so absurd at a time like this?
Jiang Yumian's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt as if she were suspended in mid-air. How did this effeminate man know that she was good at making sleeping potions?
Jun Yilin approached Lin Zijin and secretly tugged at his sleeve, reminding him to get down to business.
Lin Zijing turned around and gave him a reassuring smile, meaning that she wasn't stupid and knew what she was doing.
Jun Yilin thought that he probably had some kind of plan, and he just needed to cooperate. So he stopped paying attention to him and just stood quietly to the side, focusing on guarding against Jiang Yumin.
Looking at that radiant smile, Jiang Yumin hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't know much about this, but it's worth a look."
Lin Zijing didn't take it seriously. She took out a paper package from her sleeve and was about to hand it over, but then she thought about it and opened the package herself before handing it to Jiang Yumin.
Knowing that Lin Zijing meant no harm by doing this to put her mind at ease, Jiang Yumin reached out and took the paper package. She rubbed it between her fingers, and a faint scent of rouge wafted out. Jiang Yumin's hand froze, her heart pounding wildly, unable to find any peace, yet she dared not show the slightest sign of anything amiss.
The mask on her face concealed her facial expression. Lin Zijing waited anxiously to see Jiang Yumin's reaction, but she couldn't see his face, so she could only wait for him to speak.
Jiang Yumin's mind raced. Who were these two people? How did they get this thing? She had gone through so much trouble to get to this point; should she trust them? Could they be sent by the Emperor to test her? No, she couldn't take the risk. She was dead; she had seen it with her own eyes. There was no way she could still be alive! They must have been sent by him to test her. Whatever their purpose, she had come this far with great difficulty, and she couldn't afford to give up everything!
"I don't know anything about incense making, but I find this fragrance to be very delicate and serene. Is there any secret to it?" Jiang Yumin's hoarse voice broke the silence.
Lin Zijing felt somewhat disappointed. From the moment she entered and saw Jiang Yumin, she had felt a special sense of familiarity and closeness, even though the two had never met before. Was her feeling wrong? Or did he have something he couldn't say?
"However, could you two please tell me your purpose and identity now?" Jiang Yumin's voice remained flat.
“I had a friend who was skilled at making incense, and his physique is similar to yours, so I came here today specifically to verify this. Since you don’t know how to make incense, then we’ll take our leave.” Lin Zijing spoke to herself, her disappointed expression touching Jiang Yumin. He almost couldn’t help but reveal his secret, but he desperately held back. For the sake of the grand plan, he had to endure!
But he was not satisfied with just letting them leave. He wanted to find out their identities and purposes, so he said, "Wait, do you think my Sikong Mansion is a place where you can come and go as you please?"
Jun Yilin sensed a strong killing intent. He stepped forward to block Lin Zijing. Lin Zijing looked into Jiang Yumin's eyes, but smiled and pushed Jun Yilin away, saying, "Don't worry, Lord Jiang won't make things difficult for us."
A strange feeling welled up in Jiang Yumin's heart, but he couldn't quite grasp what it was. He was surprised that this effeminate man wasn't afraid of the murderous aura he was deliberately radiating, and that he had even seen through his intention not to make things difficult for them. So he shamelessly asked, "What makes you think I won't make things difficult for you?"
"Based on my feelings for you, even though you don't admit to being my friend, I still feel very close to you!" Lin Zijing's eyes were a little moist.
Jiang Yumin was momentarily lost in thought. Why not take a gamble? But she knew it was impossible. What if she lost? And if she won, Jiang Yumin couldn't imagine the joy she would feel!
She had never felt so anxious and uncertain before. Her temper had always been unruly, but she had only restrained herself and entered the court as an official because she was determined to avenge her. She had put in so much effort and worked so hard to achieve her current results. If she were still here— Jiang Yumin gritted her teeth and endured the excruciating pain in her heart. How could she still be here?
Lin Zijin stared into Jiang Yumin's eyes, unable to see his expression, hoping to find some clue within them. Neither of them spoke, both somewhat lost in thought.
They were equally wary of the other party being Jun Yifeng's man, fearing that exposing themselves would ruin their grand plan!
They both fear that the other person is the one they've been looking for, and that missing this opportunity means losing the chance to meet again forever!
But someone has to take the first step, otherwise it will be a stalemate forever, a deadlock forever.
Lin Zijing remembered that poor girl who always clung to her, always blinking her watery eyes, whispering in her ear, "Never leave me again, you're my only family!" She decided to take the first step. After all, every gain comes with risk. She steeled her heart, gritted her teeth, and said, "Actually, she's not dead. If you want to see her, come with me. Don't bring anyone else. You know who I'm talking about!"
Jun Yilin kept watching the expressions of the two of them. After Lin Zijing finished speaking, she nodded to him, turned around and left, with Jun Yilin quickly following behind.
Jiang Yumin's heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She—wasn't dead? She—wasn't dead? Her blood seemed to boil.
I almost couldn't resist asking for clarification, but I knew she wouldn't tell me here. I had no choice but to go with her, no matter if it was a dangerous place or a den of wolves. For her sake, I had to take the risk! Otherwise, if I missed this opportunity, how could I be willing to give up?
In the blink of an eye, Lin Zijing and Jun Yilin had already climbed over the wall. Without thinking twice, Jiang Yumin tightened her robe and immediately followed them out. The two men in red at the door tried to follow, but Jiang Yumin shouted, "Don't follow us!" and then disappeared from sight.
The two were left dumbfounded. They rarely saw Jiang Yumin run out of the door in such a frantic and unruly manner, but they dared not disobey his orders and obediently stayed where they were.
Lin Zijing led Jiang Yumin to a house in the suburbs. The house had a trap set up in the ground, which Lin Zijing had ordered Dark Night Tower to build in secret for any eventuality. Once inside the house, if the trap was activated, no matter how skilled one was in martial arts, there would be no escape.
Seeing that Lin Zijing had led Jiang Yumin here, Jun Yilin realized that she was going to take a desperate gamble. If he hadn't been in the Piao Hong position, he probably wouldn't have seen the sunrise the next day! Jun Yilin silently calculated the location of the mechanism, determined to protect Lin Zijing and prevent her from getting hurt.
Jiang Yumin was unaware of the danger, or perhaps he was aware but couldn't bear to leave. He followed along wholeheartedly because of Lin Zijing's words, "She's not dead!" He was not afraid of any danger!
Whether it's true or not, it's always good to have hope. As long as there's even a glimmer of hope, I won't give up!
The three of them went inside and sat around a wooden table. No lights were lit, and in the oppressive silence, the sound of their breathing could be clearly heard. No one spoke first; each was lost in their own thoughts.
Finally, Jiang Yumin could no longer suppress her excitement and spoke, but she stammered a little because of her excitement: "You said she—she's not dead, where is she?" She didn't care whether she would be exposed or not, knowing news about her was the most important thing.
"Do you remember the first time we met? You were pretending to be a woman, but I saw through it. I used the sclerotherapy powder I just gave you to subdue you. Do you remember what color shoes you were wearing that day?" Lin Zijing's expression was not visible in the darkness, and his voice trembled slightly.
With a sudden jolt in his mind, Jiang Yumin felt as if his soul had left his body. The immense shock numbed his senses, and he subconsciously replied, "I'm wearing red clothes and red shoes, but you said I should be wearing red clothes and green shoes."
After he finished speaking, he realized that Lin Zijing had said "I". He stood up, his eyes wide, staring at Lin Zijing, his whole body stiff, trying desperately to see what he looked like!
Through the blur, Lin Zijing gave an awkward laugh and said, "That's right, it's me. You're also the person I've been looking for—my younger brother! Is that right?"
Jiang Yumin's face was wet with tears. He walked over and hugged Lin Zijin, sobbing, and said, "I'm not your brother, I'm the person closest to you!" His voice was still hoarse, but it felt very gentle, as if he was afraid of scaring the person in front of him.
Lin Zijing slowly stood up, tears already falling. She gently stroked Jiang Yumin's hair with one hand and said softly, "Yes, you are the closest person to me!"
Suddenly, Jiang Yumin shoved Lin Zijin away, her eyes sharp, and shouted, "You are not her!" Her eyes were fixed on Lin Zijin's chest.
Jun Yilin, fearing he might make a move, also stood up.
Lin Zijing was pushed away, a little confused, but then he understood and blushed. He said embarrassedly, "Well, this is a bit complicated. I am her, and yet I am not her. In short, I am her, but my body is not hers!"
Seeing that Jiang Yumin had calmed down, Lin Zijing slowly explained the situation regarding this body.
Jiang Yumin felt a pang of heartache mixed with relief after hearing this. He returned to Lin Zijing's arms and said coquettishly, "How come you've become a man? It's so strange! But you're still so beautiful!"
Lin Zijing patted his back with a smile and reached out to remove Jiang Yumin's mask, but Jiang Yumin grabbed his hand and said, "Don't look!"
Lin Zijin said stubbornly in a soft voice, "Stop fooling around!"
Jiang Yumin let go of her hand.
Lin Zijing gently removed Jiang Yumin's mask. Even in the darkness, she could vaguely see that his face was a terrible sight. Finally, she sobbed, "My poor Piaohong, how did she end up like this?"
Jiang Yumin was about to explain when she saw Jun Yilin standing to the side, his eyes blazing with anger as he stared intently at her and Lin Zijin, who were embracing each other, his fists clenched. She suddenly understood something, changed her mind, and remained silent. She simply held Lin Zijin tightly, both of them weeping, completely disregarding their masculine image.
One was the master of the Dark Night Tower, the number one tower in the world, and the other was the former number one assassin in the martial arts world, now the Minister of Works, who was second only to the emperor in the imperial court. The two of them clung to each other like children, shedding tears and enjoying the joy of their reunion.
Jun Yilin, standing to the side, was practically spitting fire in his eyes, his heart aching. Why wasn't he this happy when he reunited with Zijing? Why did he hug her so tightly? Didn't he know that men and women shouldn't touch each other? Not even between men!
"Cough cough" Unable to bear the two's intimacy without regard for others, Jun Yilin "kindly" reminded them that there were other people around.
Lin Zijing also felt embarrassed. How long had it been since she had released her emotions so completely? For some time now, she had been suppressing them, burying her emotions under hatred. But after seeing Jiang Yumin, it was as if she had returned to the past. And when she saw his face, the pain in her heart overwhelmed her reason, and she couldn't help but cry.
Lin Zijing gently pushed Jiang Yumin away. Jiang Yumin hugged Lin Zijing's waist and gently stroked his face with his right hand, wiping away the tears left on his face. Seeing this, Jun Yilin immediately took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to him. Lin Zijing looked at Jun Yilin gratefully, took the handkerchief and wiped his tears, then wiped Jiang Yumin's tears, and put the mask back on his face.
Jun Yilin's eyes lit up again when he saw this. He gently pulled Lin Zijin in front of him, affectionately tidied his slightly messy hair, and even gave Jiang Yumin a provocative look.
Jiang Yumin then looked seriously at the man who had been silently accompanying Lin Zijin. Jun Yilin felt his gaze and looked back at him defiantly. In the darkness, the two men began to fight with their eyes!
☆、Sixteen、Heartbreak
Lin Zijing was unaware that the battle between the two men was still undecided. He asked, "Piaohong, why did you do this? And the sound is also—" His distress prevented him from continuing.
Upon hearing Lin Zijing's question, Jiang Yumin ended the argument first, turned her head and looked at Lin Zijing gently, saying, "I'm fine, but you've suffered a lot. I will take care of you from now on and never let you suffer again!"
Lin Zijing figured he probably didn't want to talk about his painful past, so she didn't press him further and quickly introduced Jun Yilin to him. The two exchanged greetings, then silently gave each other a meaningful look.
"Oh dear, let's get out of here! This isn't a good place!" Lin Zijing said, patting her head.
Jiang Yumin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why?"
Lin Zijing stammered out her plan, and Jiang Yumin's hair stood on end: "You're going to kill me?"
"Uh? It's a long story. Now that we've confirmed your identity, we don't need to deal with you anymore!" Lin Zijing said apologetically.
"It's almost dawn, let Lord Sikong go back first, otherwise it will easily arouse suspicion!" Jun Yilin said, spoiling the mood, automatically ignoring the unfriendly look Jiang Yumin was giving him.
Lin Zijing agreed, saying, "Yes, that's right, we should go back. It wouldn't be good if someone found out!"
Jiang Yumin knew it was time to go back, so he said gently, "Okay, where do you live? I'll come find you tomorrow."
"We live in Fugui Pawnshop. I am Lin Zijin, the second manager, and he is Yi Lin, the accountant." After briefly explaining their address and new identities, Lin Zijin bid farewell to Jiang Yumin with reluctance.
Jiang Yumin glanced at Lin Zijin with lingering affection, then silently disappeared into the night.
Jun Yilin took Lin Zijing's hand and said, "Let's go back too!"
Lin Zijing was still immersed in the excitement and joy of the reunion, completely unaware that she had been taken advantage of, which made Jun Yilin somewhat disheartened.
The next morning, the newly appointed maid Xiaohe came in to report that a strange man wearing a mask had come to visit. Lin Zijing guessed that it was Piaohong and hurriedly asked her to come in.
Jiang Yumin entered the room and saw Lin Zijin and Jun Yilin having breakfast together. He also squeezed in next to Lin Zijin without any politeness, took a bowl and chopsticks, ladled out some porridge, and started eating by himself. The mask he was wearing today only covered most of his face, not his mouth and chin. There weren't many scars on his chin, but they were still quite shocking against his fair skin.
Lin Zijing felt a pang of sadness, but she held back, only smiling as she looked at him and occasionally putting food on his plate. Jiang Yumin couldn't see his expression, but his eyes shone with happiness.
Jun Yilin silently watched the two interacting, feeling very frustrated. He thought to himself, "When has Lin Zijin ever been so nice to me? Jiang Yumin is so hateful! He's definitely doing this on purpose!"
Just as he was feeling secretly heartbroken, Jiang Yumin gave him a fleeting, provocative look. Unable to contain himself, Jun Yilin said "Enough of this" and strode away. As he passed Jiang Yumin, Jun Yilin glared at him before pushing open the door and leaving.
Seeing Jun Yilin glare at her, Jiang Yumin smiled even more brightly. The two of them had another eye-fight early in the morning!
The oblivious Lin Zijing still didn't notice the fierce battle raging around her.
After breakfast, Lin Zijing asked Jiang Yumin, "Why didn't you disguise yourself when you came? What if someone recognized you?"
"Why disguise yourself? I came to see you openly and honestly!" Jiang Yumin said seriously. Seeing Lin Zijin frown, she had no choice but to explain, "Disguise can't fool him. It's better to be honest. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Lin Zijing thought to herself that this kid wasn't stupid; he was quite shrewd! Moreover, in the past few years, he had risen from someone with no background to become a high-ranking official. He was no longer the boy who used to fawn over her and seek warmth. He must have come prepared this time. With this in mind, Lin Zijing felt relieved and stopped worrying about it.
If Lin Zijin knew the serious consequences of his oversight, he might have persisted to the end.
The two recounted their experiences in detail and discussed their plans. As Lin Zijing had expected, Jiang Yumin's actions over the years were also aimed at avenging her.
Before he died, he forbade Jiang Yumin from killing Jun Yifeng, fearing it would cause chaos in the world. So Jiang Yumin came up with a plan: find a woman to have a child with, and then kill him, so that the world would not be in chaos!
Hearing Jiang Yumin's absurd idea, Lin Zijing put her hand to her forehead and smiled bitterly.
"Why bother, making yourself like this!" Lin Zijing knew that Jiang Yumin was afraid that Jun Yifeng would recognize her, so in order to avoid ruining everything, she disfigured herself and changed her voice.