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墨書 Inktalez
The news about the Xu family spread throughout the city, and the reputation of Jiang Rou as a husband-killer followed her. People whispered behind her back, their gazes filled with judgment and suspicion.
Returning to her old, dilapidated house, the mocking laughter of her neighbors pierced through her like needles. Yet, she gritted her teeth and insisted on staying.
The furnishings in the house remained unchanged. A lantern hung at the entrance, and every day she prepared two meals. After finishing, she would often stare blankly at the extra portion left on the table.
She was waiting for him. Since no body had been found, could it be that he hadn’t died at all?
Her belly grew day by day, making movement increasingly difficult. After returning from selling goods, Jiang Rou noticed a few beggars at the corner. She slowly approached one of them, took out a bun from her pocket, and handed it over while softly saying, “I have food for you. If you listen to me and work, will you do it?”
The beggar said nothing but snatched the bun and swallowed it whole, his gaze fixed intently on Jiang Rou.
This beggar was not an ordinary one; his eyes were sharp and shrewd rather than clouded.
After he had washed up and looked refreshed, Jiang Rou stared at his face in slight astonishment, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes before she asked, “What’s your name?”
“Qin Jianyu.”
“A desperate swordsman.”
It was ironic that a desperate swordsman had fallen to such a state. Jiang Rou couldn’t help but laugh, her laughter tinged with self-mockery as she murmured to herself, “Your life is now mine.”
Aside from helping with daily tasks, Jiang Rou tasked Qin Jianyu with finding out the whereabouts of Xu Shaoji.
She never believed that Xu Shaoji was dead, nor did she trust that the Xu family would provide her with any information.
With her pregnancy becoming unstable, Qin Jianyu took great care of her while gossip circulated among the neighbors.
Upon hearing it, Qin Jianyu frowned slightly, displeasure evident on his face.
“They say I resemble someone,” he remarked.
Jiang Rou lay back in a wicker chair with her eyes closed as if resting. Her tone was calm as she replied, “Yes, he was my former lover.”
"What is his name?"
"Qin Yu."
"What does he do?"
"He wants to be a swordsman."
Qin Yu was an orphan, raised by the kindness of others. Once, he nearly got trampled by a mob, but was saved by a swordsman.
The first person Qin Yu killed was her younger brother. She had said that their parents loved him more than her. In retaliation, he took a rusty sword and stabbed his brother, who was not yet five years old.
When she was ten, Qin Yu was fifteen and eager to venture out into the world. He set fire to the the Jiang Family's house, flames soaring into the sky. He hoped she would have no attachments, but instead, he ended up killing her father.
At thirteen, unable to survive in Mei Town any longer, she finally left with him.
Yet he became obsessed with his life as a swordsman and abandoned her after just three short years.
Ignoring her love for him, he trampled on her dignity.
Loving someone was exhausting; upon returning, she chose to be loved instead.
The only one who did not hold her past against her was Xu Shaoji.
"You will help me find my husband, right?"
She closed her eyes, leaning back slightly in her chair, too lazy to even look at his face—the face that resembled Qin Yu's.
Qin Jianyu watched her with furrowed brows and a complex expression. His lips moved slightly as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a moment, he finally spoke: "Have you ever considered that I might be the Qin Yu you know?"
He said, "I was injured and lost my memory."
Even he believed it himself.
"If that's the case, then you owe me even more," she said, her tone flat yet undeniable, as if stating an established fact—he was to repay her with a lifetime of happiness.
If it weren't for the arrival of the Xu family, she might have continued to dwell in her memories.
The butler from the Xu family came with a midwife, who scrutinized Jiang Qiang's belly with sharp eyes, examining it thoroughly for a long while. After whispering a few words to the butler, she hurriedly left.
The butler turned back to Qin Jianyu, his expression serious. Clearing his throat, he reminded her, "Miss, with a child, at the very least you won't have to worry about living. Don't let any rumors spread; it wouldn't be good for either of you."
Jiang Rou seemed not to hear him at all, completely disregarding his words as she anxiously asked, "Do you have any news about Shao Ji? He isn't dead, right?"
"This..." The butler's face showed difficulty as he sighed softly. "Miss, please accept it; you must grieve and move on."
After sending off the butler, Qin Jianyu paused in her work, slowly setting down what she held. Her eyes fixed intently on Jiang Rou. "They all say Xu Shaoji is dead. Why do you still want me to find him?"
"I love Xu Shaoji," she replied, lifting her head slightly, determination shining in her eyes. "He is the only man who doesn't care about my past and is willing to love me."
Thus, she was willing to risk a dangerous love, willing to bear his child, willing to believe he had never deceived her—that he was still alive—and even willing to spend her life waiting for him.
"What good does it do to tell you this? You wouldn't understand."
With a self-deprecating smile curling at the corners of her mouth, Jiang Rou gently shook her head before rising and dragging her somewhat heavy footsteps into the house.
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