“He is my fiancé. You and I have already broken off our engagement, so how he treats me is none of your concern.” Chen Miaohe’s grievances reached their breaking point.
She glared at Shen Zilan through her tears.
“You—” The veins on the back of Shen Zilan’s hand bulged with anger.
“Young Master Shen, as Miss Chen’s fiancé, I believe it is only right that I ask what happened between her and her former fiancé.” The man wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He was clearly no simple, honest sort. Instead, he looked shrewd and capable.
“Even if the Shen family holds great power and influence, that is no reason to bully people like this.”
Tears streamed down Chen Miaohe’s face. “Yes, the Shen family is powerful and influential. Young Master Shen can decide to marry me or not marry me whenever he pleases.”
“But I don’t have that privilege. I made everything clear at the Chen residence that day. Why are you still meddling in my affairs? What exactly do you want? My reputation and the Chen family’s dignity have already been ruined because of you. Can’t you stay away from me and stop appearing in front of me?”
Chen Miaohe’s words pierced Shen Zilan’s heart like needle after needle. The dull pain made it hard for him to breathe.
“I…”
“I already told you! I’m not the same as Young Master Shen!!!”
The sharp, assessing gaze of the man beside them moved between Chen Miaohe and Shen Zilan.
For a moment, the room fell into silence.
“Hahahahaha—”
A burst of mad laughter suddenly rang out in the private room. The three of them turned at once to look at Cui Yunchu, who was laughing so hard she was practically swaying.
Cui Yunchu hurriedly covered her mouth and tried to suppress her laughter. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. Please, go on. Don’t mind me.”
She had always read scenes like this in storybooks, but today she was witnessing one firsthand, and Cui Yunchu was thoroughly entertained.
Of the three people involved, one was crying, one had tears in his eyes, and one had been beaten. Together, they formed a small little circle.
Cui Yunchu stood to the side, cackling with laughter.
After laughing, she did not forget to rub the top of her head. Chen Miaohe had once struck her there, leaving a large bump that had taken quite a while to disappear.
The thought made her even happier. Her trip today had not been in vain—she had gotten to watch quite a show.
The man knew Cui Yunchu’s identity and could only suppress his anger. Even when watching the spectacle, one had to show some restraint. Who had ever seen someone watch, eat, and openly mock others all at the same time?
Cui Yunchu finished gnawing on a chicken leg and shot the man a sideways glance. “What are you looking at? Those two are clearly in love with each other. You’re just the catalyst for their relationship. In storybooks, you’re called… the second male lead. Understand?”
“No, that’s not right. You don’t even qualify as the second male lead. At most, you’re cannon fodder. But don’t take it too hard. You should treat what happened today as a happy occasion. If she had waited until the wedding day to run off with another man, wouldn’t that have been even more humiliating?”
The man’s face turned ashen. Strangely enough, he actually felt that Cui Yunchu had a point.
“I’ll wait for an explanation from the Chen family.” The man flicked his sleeve and left.
Chen Miaohe broke down sobbing, while Shen Zilan stood there helplessly.
“I’ve ruined everything again. My parents will definitely be furious and disappointed. What will happen to the Chen family?”
“Y-You should stop crying first—”
Cui Yunchu flicked her wrist and hurled a chicken bone at Shen Zilan. “If she doesn’t cry, are you going to cry for her? If she has to break off another engagement, her whole life will be ruined. Other than becoming a nun, she probably won’t be able to marry anyone for the rest of her life.”
Shen Zilan: “…”
He might be impulsive, but he was not stupid. It was obvious that Little Aunt had kicked down the screen earlier.
The situation had become completely irreparable, and Little Aunt bore a large share of the responsibility.
Chen Miaohe began crying even harder.
“Even my being alive is an embarrassment to the Chen family.”
With that, she ran out.
“Miss Chen, let’s talk things through! Don’t do anything foolish! You must cherish your life!” Cui Yunchu called after her.
Shen Zilan glanced speechlessly at Cui Yunchu. Her neck was stretched out as she watched the commotion, her words full of concern while her face plainly showed that she was enjoying every moment of it.
“Little Aunt, I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Go on.” Cui Yunchu waved him away.
She had just watched such a wonderful show that her stomach hurt from laughing.
“Children really are entertaining.”
“Madam, you’re not much older than they are yourself,” Xing’er remarked.
“I’m an elder!!!”
Cui Yunchu left Wangyue Tower completely satisfied, still clutching a chicken leg in her hand.
She looked around for a while before the coachman asked, “Madam, are you looking for Young Master Shen and Miss Chen?”
He pointed in one direction. “The two of them ran toward the lake.”
“…They really are going to end their lives?”
Unfortunately, it would not be appropriate for her to go after them and watch the spectacle now.
Cui Yunchu climbed into the carriage with some regret and instructed the coachman, “Take me to the Criminal Justice Office.”
In the capital, hardly anyone—commoner or official—dared set foot in that place. The Criminal Justice Office was practically the palace of the King of Hell. Once someone entered, there was little chance of ever coming out alive.
People even pressed themselves against the wall when merely passing its gates.
They said that a cold, sinister wind blew over anyone who walked by, raising gooseflesh all over their skin.
So many people had died there that the heavy aura of death was inevitable. Cui Yunchu did not like the place either, but the person she loved was there.
She swaggered into the government office, and none of the guards dared stop her.
“Madam, Lord Shen is interrogating a prisoner at the moment. Perhaps this subordinate should first escort you to the room where Lord Shen is staying so you can rest?”
“No need. Take me directly to him.”
“…”
The soldier looked at Cui Yunchu several times before finally leading her inside.
Cui Yunchu had only caught a brief glimpse of the prison cells in the Criminal Justice Office once before, through the concealed door in the room where Shen Xiabai had been staying. That had been the time he tried to frighten her.
The soldier led her through a maze of twists and turns until they reached a place that resembled a cellar. When he opened the entrance, a flight of steps descended into darkness, seeming to lead straight to the depths of hell.
Cui Yunchu’s scalp was already tingling, but she continued following the soldier slowly downward.
Once they entered, the sounds of wailing and shrieking filled the air. Many of the prisoners saw a stranger approaching and rushed to the bars, stretching out their arms in an attempt to reach Cui Yunchu’s clothing.
“Back! All of you, back!” the soldier shouted, drawing his sword and frightening some of the prisoners away.
“Madam, don’t be afraid. They can’t get out, and they can’t hurt you.”
Cui Yunchu acknowledged him, but in a daze, she felt as though she had glimpsed the hell people always spoke of.
When she thought of her Shen Daren spending years on end in this place, a dull ache of sympathy filled her heart.
Though he was the one in control here, he must have been carrying pressures that ordinary people could never endure.
“Madam, we’re here.”
The soldier’s voice pulled Cui Yunchu back to reality. The place before her appeared to be where prisoners were interrogated. From within came screams of agony that sounded almost inhuman.
Even Cui Yunchu’s scalp tightened at the sound.
“Madam, please wait here. This subordinate will go inform Lord Shen.”
“No need. Go about your duties. I’ll go in myself.”
The soldier stepped aside.
Cui Yunchu walked in. It was noisy inside, and the farther she went, the clearer the voices became.
