The alley was silent, with nothing but a few cries from a raven outside.
The cries were weak and feeble.
The raven’s body was wrapped entirely in gauze, only its eyes, the size of green beans, were exposed.
It couldn’t fly, nor could it hop. It couldn’t get onto the tree at the Wei Family’s door and could only lie on the pit under the tree.
Its head was buried in the soil, pretending to be dead, motionless.
Footsteps approached from the other end of the alley.
"Sir, just ahead."
Yang Weiweng led the way, "This is my first ti here, so I’m not sure if it’s appropriate."
He Xuran casually glanced around.
He found it peculiar.
Compared to the bustling streets of Ze County, the alley was secluded, yet the location was ideal for living, with easy access to everywhere.
Of course, this was no match for He Xuran’s several private residences in Shangjing.
But...
If you didn’t have the right connections, buying a place here would be extrely difficult.
Even dressed in ordinary clothes, He Xuran’s tall and graceful stature, like well-grown bamboo, couldn’t be concealed. Aside from the Jade Token proving his identity as a mber of the He Family, he wore no other adornnts.
He Xuran intended to keep a low profile.
But even so, the difference between him and Yang Weiweng was stark.
Yang Weiweng, being a County Magistrate, wore a cotton coat that had been washed until it faded.
He Xuran wasn’t an oblivious noble unaccustod to the hardships of common folk.
dical visits and dicine costs money for ordinary families.
How could one afford to buy a house here?
He Xuran inquired, "I heard you say earlier that the Wei Family isn’t well off, right?"
Yang Weiweng didn’t think too much about it, "Yes."
"Both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are weak won and rarely go out. The roads are slippery in the snow; the ox cart is shabby and cold, making them shiver as they speak, with no relatives in town or county."
"The lord knows thugs co from poor rural areas, and there haven’t been a few cases these days prosecuting girls being snatched. Luckily the Wei Family’s new wife is dark-skinned and not particularly attractive, otherwise..."
"Otherwise, what if sothing happened?"
As they spoke, the two finally reached the end of the alley.
Yang Weiweng glanced at the half-old, tightly closed door of the Wei Family.
"Sir, it should be this house."
He Xuran: "Hmm."
Yang Weiweng took a few steps forward and knocked on the door.
"Is anyone there?"
He Xuran sensed sothing was off and moved towards the shallow pit under the big tree.
He Xuran: ???
What is this!
Strangely shaped.
It looks rigid like a mummy.
He Xuran frowned and was about to take a closer look.
"Who is it? Coming."
A clear female voice ca from inside.
He Xuran’s attention was sowhat diverted.
He stopped paying attention to the raven.
After all, he didn’t think it mattered what it was.
Suddenly, there was a creak as the door was opened from inside.
The girl was fair-skinned, her head wrapped in a triangular kerchief, her eyes as clear as autumn water, with a seductive tear mole at the corner.
The strands of hair beside her cheeks softly brushed her face in the breeze. Her luscious lips carried a smile, as radiant as spring flowers, as bright as the autumn moon.
Yu Tingwan was a bit surprised to see Yang Weiweng.
Yang Weiweng was stunned.
"You..."
Yu Tingwan then saw He Xuran behind Yang Weiweng.
He Xuran was also looking at her.
His pupils suddenly darkened, his brows unknowingly knitted. His eyes, deep and dark, seed to surge with stormy waves, viewing her with scrutiny and unconcealed astonishnt.
As their eyes locked, Yu Tingwan’s heart skipped a beat.
Why has He Xuran co!
Yang Weiweng clearly didn’t recognize Yu Tingwan, "Sorry, sorry, I knocked on the wrong door."
It was only then Yu Tingwan rembered she had forgotten to sar ash on her face.
She was quite grateful to Yang Weiweng.
Yu Tingwan smiled, "Hmm."
Then she openly slamd the door shut with a bang.
After doing so, a little panic appeared on Yu Tingwan’s face, she lifted her skirt and rushed back inside.
The girl carefully closed the room door.
"I’m done for."
She said to the sickly Wei Zhao, "He Yushi is outside."
"It looks like Yang Weiweng ca to see you, and he ca along."
"You should hide quickly, don’t let him see you."
Wei Zhao also heard the commotion outside.
He didn’t show the slightest panic, just propped himself up to look at Yu Tingwan.
Yu Tingwan thought about every corner of the room where soone could hide.
Wardrobe?
No, too small.
Ceiling?
No, she couldn’t get him up there.
Finally, she settled on a spot.
"How about you compromise and hide under the bed, husband?"
Wei Zhao: ...
No, he didn’t want to suffer such indignity.
Wei Zhao: "This is my ho."
Yu Tingwan: ...
Indeed.
Who hides from outsiders in their own ho.
Wei Zhao said calmly, "We’re not secretly seeing each other."
True enough.
Wei Zhao is now Wei Shen.
They were considered husband and wife.
Would they fear soone coming to catch them, saying she is harboring a man in her house!
But...
Yu Tingwan: "If we don’t open the door, they shouldn’t force their way in, right?"
Wei Zhao: "Yang Weiweng wouldn’t, He Xuran..."
Yu Tingwan: "Mr. He should be a gentleman."
Wei Zhao: "He would."
After all...
Wei Zhao’s eyes flickered slightly and he said slowly, looking into the girl’s eyes, "He saw you."
Yu Tingwan: ???
"The one who can’t be seen is you, not . Doesn’t my husband understand this!"
Rong Di wasn’t there, Shunzi wasn’t there.
There was no one to take Wei Zhao away silently.
The girl’s gaze lingered on a spot, silent for a long ti.
Following her gaze, Wei Zhao looked over.
Then...
His eyelid twitched hard.
————
Locked outside, Yang Weiweng felt deeply apologetic,
He Xuran had entrusted him with a heavy responsibility, allowing him to jointly investigate the disaster relief grain case, which clearly showed he valued his abilities.
But...
He had even led them to the wrong place.
Yang Weiweng’s face flushed red, "Sir, it’s my fault; I must have taken the wrong alley!"
He made a gesture of invitation.
"It should be the next alley ahead."
He Xuran, however, did not move.
That face...
Without deliberate disguise, it looked more similar.
He Xuran’s breath beca sowhat rapid.
Faced with corpses in a murder case, he could remain unflinching, but now...
The world is vast, coincidences happen, but if it were not a coincidence?
He Xuran sowhat dared not think further.
"Sir?"
Yang Weiweng: "You..."
Just as he said a few words, He Xuran steadied his mind.
"Knock again."
Yang Weiweng: ???
Though he didn’t understand, he complied with whatever the superior said.
The rhythmic knocking once again resounded.
It was unclear how long he knocked, but there was no response from inside.
Yang Weiweng turned his head, "Sir..."
He Xuran: "Kick it open."
Just then, the door was finally opened again.
The girl peeked out halfway.
"Is there sothing Mr. Yang needs?"
Yang Weiweng: ???
That voice!
He looked at Yu Tingwan in a daze, sowhat incredulous, "Mrs. Wei?"
"It’s ."
Yang Weiweng was stunned.
He quickly ca to his senses.
Of course, won always have to cover their looks when they go out; otherwise, it’s too dangerous.
But he didn’t understand.
Yang Weiweng stamred after a while, "Then... why did you close the door earlier?"
Yu Tingwan innocently said, "Didn’t Mr. Yang say you knocked on the wrong door?"
It seed... to be the case.
Yang Weiweng felt it made sense.
It was his lack of attention!
User Comments
0 comments from readers