Chapter 85: The Hidden Fish

Yu Jingshuang lowered her gaze, her eyes resting quietly on the roster in her hands for a long moment. Finally, she closed it and tossed it back to the Pavilion Master. "...Forget it," she said. "Remove this person’s name from the Rainbow Pavilion. He likely won't be returning."

The Pavilion Master grew anxious at her words. "Ah... but, according to the rules, no one has ever..."

Yu Jingshuang cut him off, rubbing her furrowed brow. "I have some old ties with him. Over the years, he served me with utmost dedication... As per the rules, whatever the cost of removing his name, go find Xiao Xing and deduct it from my personal funds."

The Pavilion Master, who had been feeling resentful, immediately brightened at this. Beaming, he quickly agreed, "Alright, alright! Since that's the case, I won't stand on ceremony! I'll follow your instructions exactly!"

He was so delighted he almost pulled out a brush on the spot to cross out Qian Yu’s name from the roster right in front of Yu Jingshuang. But when Yu Jingshuang caught sight of those two neat, compact characters on the paper—so familiar, bearing a seventy percent resemblance to her own handwriting—she couldn’t help but draw a deep breath and sigh heavily.

"Go on, get out! Don't push your luck! Leave now!" She waved him away irritably.

The Pavilion Master, unoffended, happily took the roster and prepared to leave. But just before stepping out, he hesitated and turned back. "Lady Yu, there’s something I’m not sure if I should mention... Since you and he are old acquaintances, I thought I should tell you..."

He sighed. "When he first came here, he was already severely injured. These past two years, he's only been barely clinging to life. Now that he's disappeared, it's likely the Gu poison in his body became too much for him, and he passed away in some unknown place... The Rainbow Pavilion has never had the custom of retrieving bodies, but since he worked for us without asking for anything in return, I feel somewhat indebted to him. Lady Yu, if you have any of his belongings left, let the Rainbow Pavilion set up a memorial for him."

After saying this, the Pavilion Master quietly closed the door and left.

Yu Jingshuang sat motionless for a while before rising. She glanced around the courtyard. The magnolia tree in the corner stood silently, its branches stretching beyond the wall, a tangled mess of leaves that irritated her.

Staring at the magnolia, she hesitated, thinking: Last year... was the magnolia tree this unruly last year?

Oh, last year... last year, Qian Yu had taken the shears in advance and trimmed the excess branches.

She walked toward the room Qian Yu had once occupied. Pushing the door open, she found it empty. It seemed that after that day, he had slipped back quietly to take his belongings... though there hadn't been much left behind to begin with.

Yu Jingshuang closed the door behind her, her gaze suddenly falling on two small jars of wine neatly placed side by side near the pillar under the eaves. They were arranged properly, identical to the "specially brewed medicinal wine by the tavern attendant" she used to drink.

Ever since she had unmasked Qian Yu and exposed him, causing him to flee in shame, the wine that had been delivered every two days had stopped coming... It seemed the tavern attendant’s deliveries were just a front; the truth was that he had been secretly brewing the wine himself to please her.

Yu Jingshuang sighed, stepped forward, bent down, and picked up the two jars. Her fingertips brushed over the rough rims before she gently removed the seals. A familiar, faint aroma of wine wafted out. She poured herself a cup and began drinking it slowly, one sip after another, along with some green fruits on the table.

As the sweet-tart juice lingered on her lips, she suddenly recalled a long-ago memory. It was also in late spring, with pale sunlight and a gentle, warm breeze. Back then, she and Lan Chengyuan were only eleven or twelve years old. Returning from school in the afternoon, she lazily avoided writing the ten calligraphy sheets assigned by the teacher and threatened Lan Chengyuan into "helping" her. He obediently complied, imitating their different handwriting.

The inner courtyard was quiet, with only the sound of wind chimes under the eaves, while the front courtyard was bustling noisily. Her father had been promoted, and colleagues came to congratulate him. The banquet was filled with music, singing, and lively celebrations.

Yu Jingshuang sneaked away, taking some pastries and green fruits with her. She also managed to steal a cup of light wine without the maids noticing, intending to taste it secretly. Lying on the small couch, she sipped the wine, thinking how could there be something so sweet, mellow, and cool in the world? After finishing the cup, she still wanted more but didn’t dare to steal another, afraid her strict father would find out and punish her.

Lan Chengyuan, who was bent over the desk writing the ten calligraphy sheets for her, volunteered to steal more wine for her. He confidently claimed that he was small and wouldn’t attract attention—but the moment he touched the wine jug, he was caught red-handed. The consequence was a severe beating.

Yu Jingshuang sneaked in to see him late at night, feeling guilty when she saw his red, swollen palms from the punishment. Lan Chengyuan, however, comforted her instead. To this day, Yu Jingshuang could still remember that dark night when they dared not light a lamp for fear of attracting the nanny. Yet, Lan Chengyuan’s eyes shone brighter than candlelight or moonlight.

"It doesn’t hurt, not at all," he said.

He even smiled and promised, "Miss, I tasted that wine today—it’s nothing special... If you want to drink, when I grow up, I’ll find the recipe for the finest wine in the world and brew it for you!"

The wine in her mouth now perfectly blended a crisp intensity and richness, with just the right sweetness. It was smooth and left a lingering fragrance, truly deserving of the title "the finest wine in the world."

Yu Jingshuang tilted her head back and swallowed the last sip. A hazy warmth from the wine washed over her, and she let out a soft sigh.

In a small, secluded hut in the northern part of the capital, Qian Yu suddenly woke from his dream as if sensing something. The echo of Yu Jingshuang’s sigh seemed to linger in his ears. Cold sweat covered his forehead, and his fingers trembled slightly.

After fleeing in panic from the courtyard that day, he had been hiding in this small place. He no longer dared to seek out Yu Jingshuang, afraid of hearing those heart-wrenching words from her again, and even more afraid of the disgust and distance in her eyes.

Thinking of that day, when he overheard Jing Shuang speaking fondly and intimately about the "little dog" outside the courtyard, Qian Yu’s eyes darkened again. He shifted slightly but suddenly jostled the wound on his abdomen. A sharp, tearing pain shot through him, and he groaned, his face contorting in agony.

He looked down at his abdomen. Faint traces of blood were seeping through the bandages, a sight that would horrify anyone, but he remained expressionless. Calmly, he reached out—

He grabbed the blood-crusted bandages stuck to his skin and pulled them off in the opposite direction. The torn, whitened-edge wound was ripped open again without mercy, and fresh blood gushed out. Qian Yu gathered the blood-soaked bandages and tossed them aside casually before sprinkling healing powder directly onto the exposed wound.

His movements were rough, aimed only at stopping the bleeding quickly. He showed no concern for his pain, almost as if he were punishing himself with a sense of despair.

Unable to stay by Jing Shuang’s side, he had no idea where to go or what to do. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was in despair—but in his dazed state, Qian Yu remembered one thing: Lin Xiao, who lurked in the shadows, haunting him like a ghost!

Last time, it was Lin Xiao’s ambush that left him severely injured, forcing him to hide here and recover. Although Lin Xiao hadn’t come out unscathed—Qian Yu had nearly pierced his heart—the mere thought of that old fiend appearing near Jing Shuang’s courtyard...

Qian Yu shuddered deeply, wishing his wound would heal instantly so he could hunt down Lin Xiao, cut him to pieces, and ensure he never had even the slightest chance to approach Jing Shuang again!

Countless thoughts swirled in his mind—anxiety, hatred, and resentment intertwining—causing his movements to grow more forceful unconsciously. The jagged, gaping wound on his abdomen tore open once more, and a thick smell of blood filled the room.

Just then, Qian Yu’s eyes flickered slightly as he detected a faint noise outside. He looked up—"Creak," the door opened, and a face he knew all too well, elegant yet cruel, emerged from the darkness. A tall, slender figure accompanied by a sickening voice appeared before Qian Yu.

"...Wei Xie," he rasped, his voice low and hoarse. The very name filled him with disgust. In the past, he had held back for fear of Jing Shuang discovering his true identity as Lan Chengyuan, careful not to leave traces. But his restraint had allowed this man to survive... and later, it was indeed Wei Xie who exposed him in front of Jing Shuang!

And now he dared to show himself?!

A murderous intent flashed in Qian Yu’s eyes. He stared fixedly at Wei Xie, his hand gripping the hilt of his knife.

When rivals meet, their eyes blaze with hatred.

Wei Xie, too, was consumed by jealousy and resentment toward the man before him. Back in Shangyan, he had always looked down on those of lower status, especially Lan Chengyuan—a mere escaped slave who dared to dream of rising to prominence!

Later, after meeting and falling in love with Yu Jingshuang, he found himself drawn to her unknowingly. His feelings toward Lan Chengyuan shifted from mere contempt to deep-seated fear and envy!

He envied Lan Chengyuan for having a childhood bond with Shuang Shuang and hated him for leaving such a profound mark on her heart, even after betraying her. The thought of his beloved almost marrying and having children with Lan Chengyuan drove Wei Xie mad with hatred!

And even now, after both had wronged Jing Shuang and suffered greatly, why was it Lan Chengyuan who managed to return to Shuang Shuang’s side first, staying with her day and night?!

This scoundrel!

If not for him stealing his place, it would be Wei Xie who could reconcile with Jing Shuang and mend their broken relationship—

Wei Xie refused to admit it, but as he looked at Lan Chengyuan’s face and recalled the intelligence gathered by his subordinates over the past few days, every detail confirmed how wonderful Lan Chengyuan’s life had been while disguised as Qian Yu, lurking near Yu Jingshuang as her guard!

He gritted his teeth, admitting to himself that he was jealous of Lan Chengyuan! This vile man!

But no matter how much he loathed Lan Chengyuan, at this moment, to win back Yu Jingshuang and reclaim Shuang Shuang’s heart, Wei Xie had no choice but to humble himself—

He averted his gaze from the knife tightly gripped in Lan Chengyuan’s hand, pretending nonchalance. He curved his lips into a hollow smile and said to Lan Chengyuan, "I heard the identity you’ve been hiding was exposed in front of Shuang Shuang? How unfortunate. Shuang Shuang hates being deceived most of all—no wonder she drove you away..."

The words slipped out, revealing Wei Xie’s gloating. Seeing the fury in Lan Chengyuan’s eyes, he nearly laughed aloud with delight.

Recalling how Jing Shuang had regarded him with disgust, just as she had Lan Chengyuan, brought him a strange sense of relief—What does it matter that they were childhood sweethearts? What does it matter that he found Jing Shuang first? What does it matter that he stole those beautiful days with her?

In the end, aren’t you just like me, driven out like a stray dog?

Wei Xie’s mockery and gloating were almost palpable. Lan Chengyuan roughly wrapped the bandages around his waist, disdainfully glancing at Wei Xie. He had no desire to waste words on this man; the hatred and disgust boiling inside him only made him want to kill Wei Xie on the spot—if not for Wei Xie’s interference, how could he, how could he have...

Lan Chengyuan drew his knife. With a swift "swish—", he lunged forward, his blade carrying a deadly intent. "Clang—clang!" The sound of metal clashing echoed as two figures swiftly moved to shield Wei Xie, barely blocking Lan Chengyuan’s sudden attack.

"Cough—cough—Damn you, Lan Chengyuan!" Wei Xie stumbled back two steps, forced into retreat by the sudden murderous aura. A dark, sinister glint flashed in his eyes as he spat out venomously, "I’m not here to kill you today... Do you really think a wretched state like yours is worth my personal attention?"

His voice, eerie and haunting, reverberated in the small, dark room, lingering in Lan Chengyuan’s ears like a ghostly whisper. "You want to return to Jing Shuang’s side too, don’t you? You still love her, but she’s shut you out... I’m the same. No matter how I approach Shuang Shuang or how I repent, she refuses to give me another chance... I can’t accept it. And you, Lan Chengyuan, can you accept it?"

Lan Chengyuan’s grip on the knife hilt loosened slightly. He cast a slow, silent glance at Wei Xie. A smirk tugged at Wei Xie’s lips, though there was no warmth in his expression. "Why don’t we cooperate? Let’s work together to win back Shuang Shuang’s heart. We can start over..."

Lan Chengyuan stared coldly at Wei Xie’s face. "Jing Shuang’s heart has never been something to be manipulated... Dream on if you think you can earn her forgiveness."

His tone was dripping with sarcasm, but Wei Xie acted as if he hadn’t noticed, instead offering a strange, complicated smile. "If her heart can’t be controlled... I don’t believe it. As long as she’s by my side, her heart... I’ll win it eventually."

He continued, "Lan Chengyuan, I’ll ask you one more time: Will you cooperate with me? I have a plan. If we work together, it’s guaranteed to work. We can keep Shuang Shuang with us, so we’ll never be parted again..."