"Where is the thing? Isn't it inside?" The young servant took two steps forward and picked up the box. Only then did he discover that the box was empty. There was no hairpin as the boss had mentioned.
His face turned pale, and he knelt down with a thud.
Didn't the boss say that the hairpin was in the future mistress's sleeve? How could it be empty now?
Shen Xiabai let out a laugh, then frowned slightly, turned his head, and covered his right ear.
It still hurt a bit. More importantly, the pain was in vain.
He casually lowered his eyes and looked at the empty box, his eyes filled with gloom.
His A Chu was full of clever ideas.
Yu Feng beside him took a glance at the empty box and then shifted his gaze.
Since the master had a future mistress, he had been doing embarrassing things. Yu Feng had already gotten used to it.
"Master, perhaps the mistress switched it."
Shen Xiabai said, "Do I need you to tell me that?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, rather urgent. Yu Feng walked over and opened the door. A man in black immediately rushed in. "Master, something has happened to Eldest Miss Cui."
The nonchalant look on Shen Xiabai's face vanished instantly. He suddenly stood up.
#
"Miss, it's too cold outside. Please go back inside the house," Xing'er kept persuading, but it had little effect.
The snow was falling harder and harder. Cui Yunchu's legs were a bit numb. She gently raised her eyes and looked at the cold and silent yard, her eyes cold.
Suddenly, there were footsteps behind her. She didn't turn around and said in a cold voice, "What are you doing here again?"
"A Chu." The steady and powerful footsteps stopped. The man's voice was low, mixed with deep concern.
Cui Yunchu's body stiffened. She slowly turned her head and looked behind her.
The man was dressed in white, standing in the snowstorm, looking like an immortal descending from a snow - capped mountain. His handsome features were very sharp.
Cui Yunchu's straight back suddenly relaxed, and the coldness on her face quickly dissipated.
It was as if she had suddenly returned to that day on the street when she had her hairpin snatched away and he had walked slowly towards her from the other end of the street.
At this moment, her state of mind was as if he was the god pulling her out of the swamp.
"Oh, it's you," Cui Yunchu said, pulling at the corners of her mouth.
She watched as he took off his cloak, walked up to her, squatted down, swept the snow off her body, and put the cloak on her.
Then he picked her up in his arms and walked towards the house.
Cui Yunchu leaned against his chest. Her face was expressionless, and her voice was soft. "Why did you come?"
"I guessed that you needed me," Shen Xiabai said as he placed her on the edge of the couch and squatted down to stroke her face.
Cui Yunchu closed her eyes slightly, and crystal tears slipped from her eyelashes.
Xing'er brought in a basin of hot water. Shen Xiabai wrung out a hot towel and wiped her hands and face.
Cui Yunchu was as obedient as a doll, sitting there motionless, allowing Shen Xiabai to be busy.
Shen Xiabai then told Xing'er to light a brazier in the house.
Finally, her body regained some warmth.
Shen Xiabai sat down beside her, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her into his arms. "You must be very tired today. Take a nap. I'll stay with you."
"I know who did it," Cui Yunchu suddenly said with her eyes closed.
Shen Xiabai's face was solemn. "Yes, I know too."
Cui Yunchu stretched out her arms and hugged Shen Xiabai tightly around the waist. She buried her head in his body. Soon, there came suppressed and painful sobs.
Different from the initial restraint, it was no longer silent but an unrestrained outburst.
Cui Yunchu's voice was hoarse. "Hold me tighter. I'm scared."
Shen Xiabai immediately tightened his embrace. He gently stroked her back to comfort her. "If you're scared, just hold me tightly. I'll always protect you."
#
Hearing her miss's suppressed sobs, Xing'er couldn't help crying.
"Do you know, Yu Feng? When Nanny Zhang died, she was still holding tightly the rouge and the fabric she bought for the miss. The fabric was stained with blood," Xing'er said.
Yu Feng stood under the eaves, his eyes fixed on the body covered with a white cloth in the yard. Hearing this, he clenched his fist so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palm.
During the day, she had said she would make clothes and shoes for him.
If it weren't for that, she wouldn't have gone out on the street and wouldn't have died.
Yu Feng's eyes were blood - red. "Don't worry. She won't die in vain."
With Yu Feng accompanying her, Xing'er was less scared. The two of them guarded outside the door all night.
The snowstorm raged all night.
Cui Yunchu didn't sleep well all night. Whenever she frowned and tossed and turned, Shen Xiabai would immediately hug her tightly, speak in her ear, call her name, and tell her, "A Chu, I'm right beside you. Don't be afraid."
Cui Yunchu would soon calm down. Sometimes, she would open her eyes a little, see Shen Xiabai, and then close them again and fall back asleep.
Before dawn, Shen Xiabai half - sat up. His warm palm carefully traced Cui Yunchu's eyebrows and finally stopped at her red - tinged brow. He lowered his head and gently kissed her.
"Are you leaving?" Cui Yunchu murmured.
"Going to court. I'll be back soon," Shen Xiabai replied.
Cui Yunchu opened her eyes. Her eyelids were heavy and a bit swollen.
Shen Xiabai said, "I'll be back soon. Wait for me."
Cui Yunchu nodded. "Remember to climb over the wall."
Shen Xiabai smiled helplessly, got out of bed, and Cui Yunchu poked out her little head, following Shen Xiabai's figure with her eyes as he moved.
"Be good," Shen Xiabai pulled the quilt up over her and covered her well. After getting dressed neatly, he opened the door and went out.
Yu Feng, who was leaning against the wall to rest, immediately opened his eyes and quickly stood up.
With a thud, Xing'er, who was sleeping on Yu Feng's shoulder, slumped to the right and hit the wall.
She hit it quite hard, but she was still a bit dazed.
Yu Feng instinctively wanted to support her. He bent down halfway but then stopped himself abruptly.
Shen Xiabai ordered, "Take good care of your miss."
Xing'er got up and responded.
The snowstorm was fierce. Shen Xiabai put on his cloak and walked into the cold wind. Yu Feng quickly followed.
He clenched the knife in his hand. "Master, where are we going?"
"To court."
To court? Not to avenge?
Shen Xiabai swaggered through the Cui Mansion, which made Yu Feng's scalp tingle. "Master, don't we go over the wall?"
If Prime Minister Cui found out, it would be a big problem.
Even if they were in love, it was still a secret meeting. Appearing in someone's mansion at this hour and being discovered, how could they explain it?
Just as he finished speaking, from another path, a servant carrying a glazed lantern appeared, followed by the figure of Cui Qingyuan, striding forward.
Yu Feng was so scared that it was as if his scalp was about to explode, like a mouse seeing a cat.
"Master, master, it's Prime Minister Cui."
Shen Xiabai said, "I see."
He stopped walking and looked at the man approaching with a calm gaze. Cui Qingyuan also saw him.
The young servant beside him was startled and was about to shout "Assassin!" but was stopped. "Shut up!" Cui Qingyuan's face was cold, and his words were full of threats. "If anyone dares to say a single word about today's matter, they will be beaten to death with a rod."
"Yes, yes, yes," the servant immediately stepped aside and didn't dare to make a sound.
This was a T - junction. Shen Xiabai came from the left, and Cui Qingyuan came from the right. Both of them were going to take the middle road to leave the mansion.
Cui Qingyuan stepped forward. His calm and cold eyes fixed on Shen Xiabai's face.
Shen Xiabai slightly bowed his hands and called out, "Prime Minister Cui."
Cui Qingyuan didn't respond and just walked out on his own. Shen Xiabai closely followed him.
Yu Feng, who was walking at the back, was so scared that he tightly grasped the hilt of his knife, ready to draw it at any moment. However, the sudden calmness left him completely bewildered.
