{"id":3530,"date":"2026-05-23T04:04:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T04:04:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-24\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T04:04:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T04:04:30","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-24","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-24\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit Of Jade 24"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fan Chang Yu followed Chef Li to Yixiang Tower. The moment she entered, she saw an imposing landscape screen placed prominently inside. The floor was paved with exquisitely carved blue bricks, while the doors and windows were decorated with intricate hollow carvings of flowers, plants, beasts, and birds.

It wasn\u2019t mealtime yet, so there weren\u2019t many customers in the restaurant. At a glance, the main hall downstairs alone held more than ten large round tables draped in silk tablecloths. Even the chairs were luxurious\u2014not plain wooden seats, but furnished with matching embroidered cushions and backrests.

No wonder everyone in town called Yixiang Tower the Number One Restaurant.

Chef Li led Fan Chang Yu upstairs to a private room.

\u201cThe boss is inside. Just go in, girl.\u201d

After hesitating briefly, Fan Chang Yu pushed open the door\u2014

\u2014and immediately locked eyes with a young woman inside who had her sleeves rolled up and was enthusiastically gnawing on a braised pork knuckle.

An entire table of delicacies sat before the woman.

Fan Chang Yu glanced uncertainly toward the doorway again.

\u201cYou\u2019re\u2026 the owner of Yixiang Tower?\u201d

The woman quickly set down the pork knuckle and wiped the grease from her face with a handkerchief before giving a light cough.

\u201cYou must be Chang Yu, right? Sit wherever you like.\u201d

The moment she spoke, Fan Chang Yu knew this really was the owner.

She secretly thought the woman was rather different from what she\u2019d imagined, though she looked very approachable.

After sitting down, Fan Chang Yu asked, \u201cYou know me?\u201d

The woman smiled.

\u201cI\u2019ve heard Master Li mention you before. Your braised meat is exceptional.\u201d

Perhaps she\u2019d also heard about Fan Chang Yu confronting the Wang family earlier. She looked Fan Chang Yu up and down before smiling.

\u201cBefore meeting you, I never imagined you\u2019d be such a delicate and pretty young lady.\u201d

Unsure how to respond, Fan Chang Yu only returned a faint smile.

The woman continued cheerfully:

\u201cMy surname is Yu, given name Qianqian. I\u2019m a few years older than you, so I\u2019ll take the liberty of calling you Sister Chang Yu. I\u2019m sure you already know Yixiang Tower stopped doing braised meat business with the Wang family. I\u2019ve also had people buy some of your shop\u2019s braised meat to try, and honestly, it\u2019s much better than theirs. If you\u2019re willing, I\u2019d like to do business with you.\u201d

This was exactly the kind of opportunity Fan Chang Yu had once dreamed of.

But thinking of her current situation, she pondered briefly before politely refusing.

\u201cThank you for thinking highly of me, Shopkeeper Yu, but I truly can\u2019t take this business.\u201d

Yu Qianqian blinked in surprise.

\u201cEh? Why not?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu answered honestly:

\u201cI plan to leave Linshui Town after the New Year.\u201d

Yu Qianqian immediately sighed in regret before asking,

\u201cHave you decided where to go yet?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu actually hadn\u2019t decided yet, so she only replied,

\u201cI\u2019m still discussing it with my husband.\u201d

Yu Qianqian lightly tapped the table with her pale fingers, looking somewhat melancholy.

\u201cIf your braised meat disappears too, then this town will lose yet another delicacy.\u201d

There was a joking tone hidden in her words.

Though this was Fan Chang Yu\u2019s first time meeting the female owner, she found her very likable. Thinking that once she left town with Chang Ning, she might not return for many years, she said:

\u201cIf Shopkeeper Yu likes the braised meat, I can teach you the spice recipe. You can have your kitchen staff make it.\u201d

Yu Qianqian had once worked as a cook herself before becoming a restaurant owner, so she knew exactly how valuable recipes were.

She immediately waved her hands.

\u201cAbsolutely not!\u201d

Then she gave Fan Chang Yu a helpless look.

\u201cYou silly girl, you\u2019re really too straightforward. If you go traveling elsewhere, you\u2019ll need to be more cautious. Don\u2019t let people sweet-talk you into selling yourself off.\u201d

Fan Chang Yu could clearly feel her kindness and smiled.

\u201cThat won\u2019t happen. I only want to give you the recipe because you seem kind.\u201d

Yu Qianqian burst into laughter.

After thinking for a moment, she proposed:

\u201cHow about this? Business is busiest during the few days before New Year. We\u2019re fully booked with banquet reservations, so we truly need a large amount of braised meat. Those old gourmets are incredibly picky and keep complaining the restaurant\u2019s braised meat no longer tastes as good as before.\u201d

\u201cThe Wang family already betrayed me once, and now they\u2019re using Yixiang Tower\u2019s reputation to cooperate with other restaurants. There\u2019s no way I\u2019m swallowing my pride and returning to them.\u201d

\u201cSo why don\u2019t you help supply the restaurant\u2019s braised meat until New Year first? Afterward, I\u2019ll think of another solution.\u201d

Fan Chang Yu considered it carefully.

If they moved elsewhere, they\u2019d need silver to buy property and settle down. Selling the countryside pig farm and city shop might not be enough.

Earning more money now would naturally be best.

So she nodded in agreement.

Yu Qianqian was visibly delighted.

\u201cYou\u2019re helping me out of a huge problem. Previously, Yixiang Tower bought braised meat from the Wang family year-round at fifty wen per jin regardless of season. Meat prices rise around New Year, so I\u2019ll pay you sixty wen per jin.\u201d

\u201cWe sell at least ten braised pig heads per day. If your kitchen setup at home isn\u2019t convenient, you can use the restaurant kitchen directly. Payment will be settled daily.\u201d

Since her own house was still sealed by the authorities, Fan Chang Yu truly had nowhere suitable to cook.

\u201cI\u2019ll make it in the restaurant kitchen then.\u201d

By late afternoon, Fan Chang Yu went to the meat market with a Yixiang Tower servant and bought ten fresh pig heads.

Her family had previously run a butcher shop there, so most of the butchers on that street recognized her. Seeing her buy so many pig heads, one couldn\u2019t help asking:

\u201cChang Yu, is your shop reopening braised meat sales tomorrow?\u201d

The servant accompanying her from Yixiang Tower was quick-witted and immediately answered:

\u201cMiss Fan\u2019s braised meat will only be sold at Yixiang Tower now.\u201d

Yixiang Tower\u2019s reputation in town was enormous.

Ever since word spread that the Wang family lost Yixiang Tower\u2019s business partnership, their own reputation in town had sharply declined.

Quite a few familiar faces congratulated Fan Chang Yu.

Since her family\u2019s butcher shop closed, other butcher stalls had finally begun seeing better business. When Fan Chang Yu bought pig heads from them, they intentionally offered her cheaper prices.

Normally, fresh pig heads cost twenty wen per jin on the market and weighed around six or seven jin each.

But Fan Chang Yu only paid eighteen wen per jin.

Using Yixiang Tower\u2019s spices and kitchen, those enormous custom-made pots could braise four or five pig heads at once. Two pots were enough to cook all ten.

And the spices for an entire batch only cost about thirty wen total.

After calculating roughly, Fan Chang Yu realized she could still earn at least two taels and five qian of pure profit from these two batches.

She was momentarily stunned.

Back when she sold meat in her own shop, she worked from dawn till night. Selling pork meant endless haggling with aunties buying groceries, and after subtracting costs, she only earned around two taels per day.

Now she only needed to spend one or two hours selecting pig heads and braising them at Yixiang Tower\u2014

\u2014and she could earn even more money than before.

It was incomparably easier.

Remembering the sixty wen per jin Yu Qianqian offered her, Fan Chang Yu suddenly felt guilty.

She found Chef Li, who was currently simmering soup in the kitchen.

\u201cMaster Li, could you help tell the owner later that fifty wen per jin is enough for me?\u201d

Chef Li frowned.

\u201cWhy?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu scratched her head awkwardly.

\u201cThe owner is too kind. I feel like she\u2019s paying me too much, and it makes me uneasy.\u201d

Chef Li gave her a sideways glance.

\u201cIf the owner offered that price, it means she thinks your braised meat is worth that price. What\u2019s there to feel uneasy about?\u201d

\u201cDon\u2019t let her age fool you. The owner\u2019s business sense is ruthless. Even though the Wang family stabbed her in the back this time, when they used to cooperate, Yixiang Tower still profited steadily.\u201d

\u201cSo stop worrying.\u201d

Curious, Fan Chang Yu asked:

\u201cWhat exactly happened between the Wang family and the restaurant?\u201d

The moment Chef Li mentioned the Wang family, he started cursing.

\u201cThat old bastard only cares about money!\u201d

\u201cThe owner planned to open another restaurant in the county city before. To symbolize good fortune, she ordered twelve pig heads from the Wang family. They agreed without issue.\u201d

\u201cBut on opening day, they never delivered!\u201d

\u201cWhen the owner sent someone to urge them, they hadn\u2019t even purchased the pig heads yet! The entire order had been sold at a higher price to another restaurant in the county instead. They even signed several years of braised meat contracts with them!\u201d

\u201cDelaying pig head delivery on opening day ruined the auspicious timing. That\u2019s a massive taboo! The owner was furious and immediately cut off all business with the Wang family.\u201d

Only then did Fan Chang Yu realize there was such a reason behind Yixiang Tower ending cooperation with the Wang family.

Thinking again of the Wang family\u2019s young master\u2019s disgusting behavior, she couldn\u2019t help saying:

\u201cThe Wang family really behaved shamelessly.\u201d

Chef Li snorted coldly.

\u201cProfit-seeking scum.\u201d

Then he abruptly changed topics.

\u201cI heard the Wang family even hired people to smash up your shop?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu replied,

\u201cHis son hired them, but I personally went and got justice back.\u201d

Chef Li suddenly laughed while looking at her.

\u201cNo wonder the owner likes you, girl. In some ways, your personalities really are alike.\u201d

Embarrassed, Fan Chang Yu said:

\u201cThe owner is a capable person. How could I compare to her?\u201d

But Chef Li only sighed.

\u201cThe owner suffered a lot too. Back then she came to Lin\u2019an Town heavily pregnant and completely alone. Her circumstances were even worse than yours.\u201d

Fan Chang Yu had only ever heard how formidable Yixiang Tower\u2019s owner was. This was her first time hearing about Yu Qianqian\u2019s past.

\u201cWhat about the owner\u2019s husband?\u201d

Chef Li merely shook his head.

\u201cI heard he died.\u201d

Fan Chang Yu couldn\u2019t help sighing as well.

Chef Li glanced at her again.

\u201cThe restaurant\u2019s extremely busy these next few days. The owner has countless things to handle. That ten wen difference per jin means nothing to her.\u201d

\u201cSo don\u2019t bring up reducing the price again. The owner likes straightforward people. Acting hesitant and overly polite will only annoy her.\u201d

Since he\u2019d already put it that clearly, Fan Chang Yu naturally gave up the idea of finding Yu Qianqian again.

By the time she finished braising the meat and left Yixiang Tower, it was already getting late.

Remembering that the malt candy she\u2019d bought for Chang Ning earlier was nearly gone, she confidently marched into a candy shop carrying the two taels and seven qian she\u2019d just earned.

She bought two bags each of malt candy, pine nut candy, and dried orange peel candy.

Thinking about how Yan Zheng was actually afraid of bitter medicine made the corners of her lips unconsciously curl upward.

The man feared neither pain nor injury\u2014

\u2014but he was afraid of bitter medicine.

When she arrived home, Aunt Zhao had already started cooking dinner.

Chang Ning stood at the doorway like a little statue waiting for her sister, stretching her neck toward the alley.

The instant she spotted Fan Chang Yu carrying several packages, she immediately bounced over like a tiny round ball.

\u201cElder Sister\u2019s back!\u201d

Taking one paper package, she discovered it was full of candy. Her bright round eyes sparkled as she looked up eagerly.

\u201cIs all of this for Ning-niang?\u201d

Meeting those hopeful little eyes, Fan Chang Yu suddenly felt guilty for some reason.

\u201cYour brother-in-law hates bitter medicine. Should we share half with him?\u201d

Previously, every time she said the words \u201cbrother-in-law,\u201d she felt unbearably awkward.

But now, while coaxing Chang Ning, the words no longer felt quite so embarrassing.

Chang Ning generously nodded.

\u201cMm!\u201d

She herself often drank medicine too. Wrinkling her round little face, she said:

\u201cThe black goo is sooo bitter!\u201d

\u201cBlack goo\u201d was her special nickname for medicine.

Aunt Zhao came out carrying water and overheard the sisters talking.

She laughed warmly and teased Fan Chang Yu:

\u201cLooks like you\u2019ve finally learned to care for your husband?\u201d

Even Fan Chang Yu\u2019s thick skin couldn\u2019t withstand the teasing entirely, and she felt embarrassed.

Just then, the medicine had finished brewing.

When Fan Chang Yu brought the candy upstairs, she also carried the medicine bowl along with her.

The person inside wasn\u2019t asleep.

The moment she entered, he looked toward her and casually asked:

\u201cYou came back rather late?\u201d

It sounded ordinary.

Yet somehow\u2026 strange.

\u201cThe county office didn\u2019t find any new clues?\u201d he quickly added.

The odd atmosphere finally eased a little.

Handing him the medicine bowl, Fan Chang Yu replied:

\u201cThe case has already been closed.\u201d

Xie Zheng raised his eyes slightly in surprise.

But after seeing her expression, he immediately understood most of it.

Fan Chang Yu voiced her suspicions:

\u201cProbably because so many murders happened right before New Year. The magistrate feared losing his official position, so he rushed to blame everything on mountain bandits.\u201d

Xie Zheng said nothing.

That waist token belonged to the Wei family.

If the Wei family wanted the matter suppressed quickly, it wouldn\u2019t be difficult for them to pressure the prefecture into forcing the magistrate to close the case.

Regardless, though, the Wei family had already set their sights on Lin\u2019an Town.

It was no longer safe to remain here.

Looking at Fan Chang Yu, he asked:

\u201cIf these are people seeking revenge, they\u2019ll likely come again. What do you plan to do?\u201d

Originally, Fan Chang Yu intended to wait until his injuries improved before discussing leaving.

Since he asked first, she answered directly:

\u201cI plan to sell off the family property after New Year and take Ning-niang elsewhere to hide for a while.\u201d

But after hearing that, Xie Zheng immediately said:

\u201cIf you\u2019re leaving, sooner is better than later.\u201d

He knew that person\u2019s methods all too well.

So many Black-ranked assassins dying in a small town like Lin\u2019an would definitely attract serious attention.

Fan Chang Yu replied:

\u201cThere are only a few days left until New Year. I accepted work from Yixiang Tower making braised meat before the holiday. I can earn more money during these few days.\u201d

\u201cBesides, selling property and transferring deeds also takes time. It\u2019ll also let your injuries recover a little before we leave.\u201d

Since the topic had already reached this point, she naturally had to ask his plans too.

\u201cWhat about you?\u201d

Xie Zheng initially thought she was asking for his opinion and was about to urge her to leave immediately.

But halfway through speaking, he realized\u2014

She was asking whether he planned to stay or go.

Leave?

Before weighing any pros and cons, he instinctively hesitated.

Fan Chang Yu continued:

\u201cMy parents probably made enemies during their years escorting caravans. If you come with us, you might get dragged into it too.\u201d

\u201cI was thinking I could write divorce papers for you and leave you some money for future travel expenses. Aunt Zhao and Uncle Zhao are good people. I can ask them to care for you until your injuries heal.\u201d

The Zhao couple had no children.

Years ago, their only son had been conscripted into war and never returned. People said he died somewhere far away.

Fan Chang Yu intended to leave them some countryside land so they could collect rent from tenant farmers and have security in old age.

As for leaving Yan Zheng behind\u2014

She simply feared he\u2019d be implicated by her family\u2019s troubles again.

Listening to her calmly arrange everything for him, an inexplicable irritation rose inside Xie Zheng.

Even his voice unconsciously cooled.

\u201cI have my own plans. You don\u2019t need to worry about me.\u201d

Fan Chang Yu blinked at him in confusion, unsure how she\u2019d offended him.

Xie Zheng also realized his tone had been wrong.

Closing his eyes briefly, he reopened them with his expression already calm again.

\u201cIf you leave, it\u2019s best to do so within today or tomorrow. Don\u2019t bother applying for official travel documents. Traveling with merchant caravans is safer. Avoid leaving household registration records at checkpoints whenever possible.\u201d

Even someone as straightforward as Fan Chang Yu understood he was talking about hiding their tracks.

\u201cSo are you coming with me or staying behind to recover?\u201d

Once she asked so directly, Xie Zheng visibly paused.

The candlelight reflected in his dark eyes alongside the girl\u2019s figure.

After a long moment, he finally looked away and quietly answered:

\u201cI\u2019ll leave with you for now.\u201d

Lin\u2019an Town was no longer safe for him either.

And he was indeed curious about whatever those assassins had desperately searched for inside her home.

Those were the only reasons.

Hearing the word \u201cfor now,\u201d Fan Chang Yu understood immediately.

Once his injuries healed, he would still leave.

\u201cAlright. Tomorrow I\u2019ll go to the county office again and sell the shop and countryside pig farm to the government at reduced price.\u201d

When land was sold directly to buyers, naturally it fetched higher prices.

Only people desperate for quick money sold property cheaply to the government.

The authorities would then resell it later at full market value.

As for Yixiang Tower\u2014

She could simply hand the recipe directly to the owner.

Xie Zheng suspected the assassins still hadn\u2019t found what they were searching for and asked:

\u201cAre there any belongings from your parents you plan to bring?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu answered almost immediately:

\u201cOf course!\u201d

A faint flicker crossed Xie Zheng\u2019s eyes.

Then she added:

\u201cI definitely have to bring the butcher knife set! I can continue earning a living slaughtering pigs wherever we go. And if we encounter thieves along the road, it can protect us too!\u201d

Xie Zheng: \u201c\u2026\u2026\u201d

Still, his question did remind her of something.

\u201cThe county office already closed the case, but for some reason they still haven\u2019t removed the seal on my house. Tonight I\u2019ll climb over the wall and retrieve the property deeds.\u201d

Xie Zheng\u2019s eyes shifted slightly.

\u201cThe masked men who broke into your house pried up several floor bricks inside. They seemed to be searching for something.\u201d

Fan Chang Yu frowned.

\u201cWhat could my family possibly own that\u2019s valuable? Don\u2019t tell me they were looking for property deeds too?\u201d

\u201c\u2026Probably not,\u201d Xie Zheng replied.

Glancing outside, Fan Chang Yu said:

\u201cI\u2019ll climb over after dark and take a look.\u201d

Doing it during daylight would be too easy to spot.

Her house had basically become a haunted murder house now. Since it was sealed, no civilians were allowed inside. If someone reported her climbing the wall, she\u2019d only cause herself more trouble.

Xie Zheng asked:

\u201cDid your parents ever tell you there was something you absolutely had to take with you if fleeing for your lives?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu replied immediately:

\u201cMy younger sister.\u201d

Xie Zheng: \u201c\u2026\u2026\u201d

He pressed slender fingers against his forehead.

Suddenly, he no longer wanted to speak.

Seeing he still hadn\u2019t touched the medicine, Fan Chang Yu reminded him:

\u201cIf you don\u2019t drink it soon, it\u2019ll get cold.\u201d

By now, it truly was no longer hot.

Xie Zheng picked up the bowl and drank it all in one go.

Almost instantly, a smiling hand extended toward him holding a piece of orange peel candy.

\u201cI tasted this already. It\u2019s sweet and sour. Good for getting rid of bitter flavors too.\u201d

Her hand was fair and graceful, fingers long and elegant.

Not soft and boneless like pampered noblewomen.

Nor rough and jointed like a man\u2019s.

Flowers and wood each had their own unique structures.

And somehow she existed beautifully somewhere between the two.

The orange candy rested in her palm dusted with pale sugar powder. Under the warm candlelight, an utterly inappropriate phrase suddenly appeared in Xie Zheng\u2019s mind\u2014

\u201cBeautiful enough to feast upon.\u201d

Using that phrase on Fan Chang Yu\u2026

Even he himself fell silent.

Unwilling to let his thoughts wander further into strange territory, he picked up the candy and tossed it into his mouth.

\u201cThank you.\u201d

His expression remained stiff.

Fan Chang Yu assumed he was embarrassed about fearing bitter medicine and secretly found his awkwardness rather amusing.

Taking the empty bowl, she stood.

\u201cI\u2019ll head downstairs first. I\u2019ll bring dinner up for you later.\u201d

After the door curtain swayed shut behind her, Xie Zheng lowered his gaze toward the fingertips that had brushed against her palm while taking the candy.

They tingled strangely.

Numb and itchy all at once.

\u2014

When Fan Chang Yu went downstairs, she found Chang Ning feeding something to the falcon.

\u201cEat this\u2026\u201d

The poor falcon had already retreated all the way into a corner, its bandaged wings tucked tightly against itself. It absolutely refused to open its beak and stared with terrified little bean-like eyes.

It looked exactly like a helpless maiden cornered by a local bully.

\u201cWhat are you feeding it, Ning-niang?\u201d Fan Chang Yu asked.

Caught red-handed, Chang Ning immediately hid her hand behind her back.

\u201cN-Nothing\u2026\u201d

Fan Chang Yu simply looked at her silently.

Chang Ning feared that expression from her elder sister most.

Immediately, she obediently stretched out her hand again and lowered her head guiltily.

\u201cI gave Falcon-Falcon a candy\u2026\u201d

Candy was precious.

Giving candy to a bird would definitely earn her a scolding.

But seeing her younger sister like this, how could Fan Chang Yu bear to criticize her harshly?

Trying not to laugh, she explained:

\u201cFalcons don\u2019t eat candy. They eat meat.\u201d

Chang Ning\u2019s round grape-like eyes widened.

\u201cReally?\u201d

Aunt Zhao laughed from nearby.

\u201cThese birds are fierce out in the wild! The falcon that smashed the east window before was just as big as this one, and that thing was vicious.\u201d

\u201cThe one you caught is obedient though. It doesn\u2019t hurt people and even protects its owner.\u201d

Then she added:

\u201cIt just eats a bit too much.\u201d

One enormous bowl of meat per day.

If she and Old Zhao had to raise it, they\u2019d be eaten into poverty within days.

The more Fan Chang Yu looked at the falcon, the more she liked it.

\u201cMaybe Yan Zheng trained it before.\u201d

Originally, she\u2019d planned to keep the falcon temporarily, have Yan Zheng train it properly, then sell it for money.

But the bird was clearly intelligent and had even saved Chang Ning.

Fan Chang Yu now felt it would be better to release it once its injuries healed.

That evening, after dinner, Aunt Zhao carried the sleepy Chang Ning off to her own room with Old Zhao.

Returning and seeing Fan Chang Yu still sitting by the fire pit, she asked:

\u201cWhy aren\u2019t you upstairs sleeping yet?\u201d

The Zhao house was laid out similarly to Fan Chang Yu\u2019s old home.

Three rooms downstairs.

The central room contained the dining area and fire pit.

The south room belonged to the elderly couple.

The north room originally had a bed too, but after a falcon smashed the window earlier, Old Zhao temporarily filled it with lumber and furniture he was building.

At present, only the attic remained habitable.

Fan Chang Yu still planned to sneak back into her own house later and replied:

\u201cYou go sleep first, Auntie. I\u2019ll warm myself by the fire a little longer.\u201d

Having lived over half a lifetime, Aunt Zhao could easily tell the young couple still hadn\u2019t consummated their marriage.

Back at Fan Chang Yu\u2019s own house, they\u2019d slept separately too.

Clearly, this girl intended to spend the night by the fire pit instead.

Aunt Zhao immediately put on a stern face.

\u201cWhy stay by the fire pit all night instead of sleeping properly? Firewood doesn\u2019t grow on trees!\u201d

Fan Chang Yu hadn\u2019t expected Aunt Zhao to become so direct just to force her upstairs.

Thinking she could still climb onto the roof from the attic and sneak back home from there, she slowly stood up.

\u201cI\u2019m going upstairs now.\u201d

Then she asked,

\u201cDo you have an extra quilt?\u201d

She still planned to sleep on the floor.

Aunt Zhao rejected the idea instantly.

\u201cNo!\u201d

Fan Chang Yu tried explaining the fake marriage.

\u201cActually, Yan Zheng and I\u2014\u201d

But Aunt Zhao refused to listen.

\u201cI don\u2019t care what you think, but that boy Yan Zheng is wonderful! Look at this time\u2014your family suffered such a huge disaster, and even injured like that, he still risked his life to protect Chang Ning.\u201d

\u201cNow he\u2019s covered in wounds and sickness. Are you looking down on him?\u201d

Fan Chang Yu felt utterly helpless.

\u201cI\u2019m not looking down on him\u2026\u201d

Aunt Zhao practically shoved her upstairs.

\u201cThen why are you still thinking about sleeping on the floor? If I were that child Yan Zheng, my heart would already be cold!\u201d

\u201cHe risked his life protecting your sister, and in the end you still don\u2019t appreciate him\u2026\u201d

Fan Chang Yu felt exactly like some scoundrel son being lectured by his mother about mistreating a good girl.

Ultimately, she could only go upstairs in defeat.

The moment the door closed behind her, Aunt Zhao\u2019s scolding finally stopped.

Taking a deep breath, Fan Chang Yu turned and met Xie Zheng\u2019s calm eyes.

Realizing he\u2019d undoubtedly heard every word she and Aunt Zhao exchanged, embarrassment mixed with even greater awkwardness.

Walking toward the table, she said:

\u201cI\u2019ll rest at the table for a while. Once Uncle and Auntie are asleep, I\u2019ll climb over from the attic roof back to my house.\u201d

Her own attic still had bedding. After retrieving the things she needed, she could spend the night there and sneak back before dawn.

She never intended to tell the Zhao couple about climbing the wall.

Since the house was officially sealed, if they knew and failed to report it, they could also be punished.

Xie Zheng said nothing.

Once the candle was extinguished, darkness swallowed the room.

Fan Chang Yu rested her head on the table and closed her eyes.

From the bed, Xie Zheng\u2019s breathing remained shallow and silent.

Yet whether it was the night intensifying fear or Fan Chang Yu simply reacting slowly, once she remembered she planned to return to her own house\u2014

\u2014the images of the corpses littering her courtyard and the people she herself had killed suddenly began replaying vividly in her mind.

Outside, the northern wind howled like ghosts crying.

After changing positions countless times and still failing to get comfortable, Fan Chang Yu finally sat upright.

The bed remained silent.

Tentatively, she asked:

\u201cYan Zheng, are you asleep?\u201d

\u201cNot yet. What is it?\u201d

His voice sounded especially cool and clear within the darkness.

Fan Chang Yu pursed her lips and tried to keep her voice steady.

\u201cWhen you woke up at noon, you were covered in sweat. Did killing people give you nightmares too?\u201d

Silence stretched for a long while before a quiet \u201cMm\u201d finally came from the bed.

Fan Chang Yu immediately felt as though she\u2019d found a comrade.

Swallowing nervously, she admitted:

\u201cIt was my first time killing people too.\u201d

After hesitating briefly, she asked again:

\u201cAre you still afraid now?\u201d

The room fell silent once more.

After a very long pause, his calm voice finally drifted over.

\u201cCome here.\u201d

Actually, you don\u2019t need to be too afraid. Just imagine you\u2019re slaughtering pigs instead. Do you know how to slaughter pigs? I can teach you later. That way, even if you stop escorting caravans, you\u2019ll still have a way to earn a living\u2026\u201d

Though she kept talking, she\u2019d already made her way over to the bedside and sat against the bedframe.

After coughing twice, she finally regained some confidence.

\u201cYou should sleep. The elders always say butchers carry heavy killing intent, so ghosts don\u2019t dare come near them. If I stay here, you won\u2019t have nightmares anymore.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3530","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3530"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3531,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3530\/revisions\/3531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/tr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}