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墨書 Inktalez
Ms. Yun San stood outside, her voice trembling as she said, " Head Constable Chen, since Ms. Yuan is the daughter of the County Magistrate, we wouldn't dare to do anything to her. However, Qingxi Girl is still one of ours from Qixiang Pavilion. Besides, she has had some acquaintance with you, Head Constable Chen. You wouldn't just let her die without any explanation, would you?"
"Boss Yun, why don't you explain the situation clearly?" Head Constable Fang interjected at the right moment.
Ms. Yun San nodded repeatedly, wiping her tears with a handkerchief as she spoke. "Ever since Feng'er got involved with Boss Pei, the girl has been somewhat melancholic and has not been feeling well lately. Just after the Hour of Yo, a guest specifically requested to hear Qingxi Girl sing. I sent the new maid, Attendant Scribe, to call for her. Who would have thought that it was Ms. Yuan who opened the door..."
"Where is that maid named Attendant Scribe now?" Chen Wensi's expression was stern, his hawk-like gaze fixed intently on Ms. Yun San, creating an atmosphere so tense that it felt as if the air itself had thickened.
"She fainted from fright!" Ms. Yun San replied and instructed a maid who had just brought in tea, "Go and fetch Attendant Scribe. Tell her that the official wants to speak with her and to hurry!"
The maid hurried off and soon returned with a flustered-looking girl who appeared ordinary but was clearly terrified.
"Are you Attendant Scribe?" Chen Wensi's voice was deep and resonant like a bell in the room, his piercing gaze locking onto Attendant Scribe as if trying to see through her.
Upon seeing Qing Xi's lifeless body, Attendant Scribe turned pale and quickly looked away, lowering her head in fear. Her voice trembled as she said, "I... I don't know anything! Mama Yun sent me to call for the girl. I knocked for a long time without any response, and the door was bolted from inside; I couldn't push it open. I had no choice but to return and report. Who would have known... just as I turned around, I heard the bolt move, and when I looked back... I saw..."
Her lips quivered more violently as she slowly raised her hand, pointing directly at Yuan Xinruan. "It was her! She was the one who strangled the girl!"
"You won't think about anything tonight; just stay in jail for now," Chen Wensi said firmly. "Tomorrow morning after the Coroner examines the body, I'll take people back to Qixiang Pavilion for another look. I've already sent someone to guard there; if the murderer has been inside, there will definitely be traces left behind!" As he spoke, his gaze softened with compassion and affection as he looked gently at Yuan Xinruan's terrified face, reaching out to smooth back her disheveled hair.
Liu Zimu personally poured a cup of hot tea and quickly walked over to Yuan Xinruan, handing it to her while saying, "You always seem fearless; I thought you were a fierce tiger. Turns out you can be scared too?"
"Shut up!" Yuan Xinruan snapped, her irritation flaring as she snatched the teacup from him and shot him a glare. With a quivering voice, she continued, "Isn't this all your fault? I asked you to come with me to the market, but you refused. If you had been there, maybe this wouldn't have happened!"
Liu Zimu's expression darkened at her words. The moment he heard about Yuan Xinruan's mishap, regret washed over him. In that moment, he had been in turmoil over her safety, yet she had come to him with a bright smile, inviting him to accompany her to buy snacks for Chen Wensi. His heart was tangled with jealousy and confusion; how could he have agreed?
Seeing that she could still bicker with Liu Zimu eased Chen Wensi's worries, and a subtle smile crept onto her face as she gently said, "Alright, alright. Why don’t you tell us how you ended up alone at Qixiang Pavilion?"
"I... I can't really say why! Maybe I was just being foolish. After all, I really don't like that Qingxi Girl," Yuan Xinruan admitted, casting a glance at Chen Wensi that hinted at her grievances and dissatisfaction. "From the first moment I saw her, I felt uneasy! I always thought your gaze towards her was strange, not at all like how you treat others with indifference. Even though you've explained everything clearly to me, I can't shake off this inexplicable hostility towards her."
"Silly girl!" Chen Wensi sighed again, guilt flooding his heart. He reached out and tightly grasped Yuan Xinruan's cold little hand, as if that could provide her some warmth and strength. He inwardly lamented how he had underestimated her intuition.
Perhaps from the very beginning, he should have been honest about the déjà vu he felt towards Qing Xi; it was a familiarity that had nothing to do with romance but was simply an inexplicable sense of recognition.
Yuan Xinruan's heart calmed slightly at the warmth of his hand against hers.
She lifted her head slightly, her eyes distant as if lost in memories, a shadow of regret deepening in her gaze. It felt as though she had transcended time and space, returning to the small street in front of Su's Pastry Shop just hours earlier.
At that time, she had been cradling the warm Jade Pear Scroll in her arms, its heat radiating through the paper and warming her chest.
Suddenly, she spotted a woman cloaked in black emerging quietly from the back door of Qixiang Pavilion. The unfamiliar yet familiar sweet fragrance carried by the wind alerted her instantly; it was the faint Love's Essence Incense scent she had only ever detected on Qing Xi herself. It was this distinctive aroma that convinced her that the figure was indeed Qing Xi.
Underneath the night sky and in such a mysterious guise, it was hard not to recall the enigmatic woman Bai Yuan Chun had mentioned. If Qing Xi was that woman, perhaps she could follow this lead to uncover more valuable clues and reveal the secrets hidden in darkness.
Without hesitation, she followed closely behind, but after just a few steps, she was keenly noticed by Qing Xi.
"Ms. Yuan, out so late to buy pastries for Head Constable Chen?" Qing Xi turned around, lightly lifting the black veil from her hat, revealing a smile that was half provocative and half teasing. Her gaze fell on the package in Yuan Xinruan's hands. "Is it the Jade Pear Scroll he loves the most?"
"You..." Yuan Xinruan instinctively hugged the Jade Pear Scroll closer to her chest, her heart sinking slightly. This woman seemed to know Chen Wensi's preferences all too well, stirring an inexplicable sense of unease and jealousy within her.
"The Jade Pear Scroll is best enjoyed warm; it’s much more delightful that way. Would you like me to escort you back to the county office, Ms. Yuan? You know, things haven’t been very peaceful in Jinyang County lately..."
"Who exactly are you? You're the one Bai Yuan Chun mentioned who gave him money, aren't you?" Yuan Xinruan asked in a lowered voice. For some reason, facing this woman alone filled her with an indescribable dread, as if she were standing before an unfathomable abyss that could swallow her whole at any moment.
"That's right!" Qing Xi replied with unusual clarity, her voice carrying a hint of coldness and pride. "That beggar looked so pitiful; I once wandered the streets just like him. We are both lost souls in this world, so I acted out of kindness and gave him all the silver I had on me. In fact, he’s not the only one; many in Jinyang County have benefited from my generosity. Ms. Yuan, your clenched teeth suggest you think there's something wrong with Qing Xi doing good deeds?"
Doing good deeds?
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