Heart

It was likely that this “young master” and the shopkeeper who had gifted her the powder had an unclear relationship, which was why he was stained with this not-for-sale powder, a fact she had just unintentionally exposed!

‘But why would the shopkeeper, just after a clandestine meeting with this young master, turn around and give me the same powder, even emphasizing that it was a secret recipe?’

Lian Qiao thought for a moment. ‘It was most likely intentional. What a fine play of borrowing a knife to kill someone!’

If something were to happen to Miss He, she would be hard-pressed to escape the blame.

Lian Qiao quickly followed after them, just in time to see the new couple confronting each other in the corridor.

Miss He was exceptionally fierce. She directly threw the powder box, which hit Scholar Gu on the forehead, leaving a bruise and covering his face in powder.

Lian Qiao was stunned.

The pale, slender Scholar Gu, who had just been smiling, was clearly stunned as well.

But his temper was rather good. He elegantly dusted the powder from his face and first bowed to Lian Qiao. “This must be the immortal my father-in-law invited back. Please forgive the scene. Mei Niang has been… in a bad temper recently.”

Lian Qiao waved her hands repeatedly, indicating it was no problem.

Only then did Scholar Gu turn to Miss He. “Mei Niang, let’s talk things out properly. Why must you make such a scene in front of the immortal?”

Miss He said sarcastically, “A scene? Are you afraid of losing face? I’ve already become like this for you…”

She pushed out her belly. “I’m not afraid, so what are you afraid of? Did you go to see that widow too? Smell this scent! Besides that woman, who else smells like this? You come back reeking of her and then ask me what’s wrong. Gu Sheng, you’re really good at pretending!”

Gu Sheng remained calm. “Mei Niang, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Miss He raised her eyebrows. “Gu Sheng, I hate it most when you act like you know nothing! Do you dare say you have nothing to do with that widow? If you really don’t, why do you have her scent on you?”

Gu Sheng rubbed his brow, looking exhausted. “Mei Niang, how do you want me to explain? Today I was out helping my father-in-law distribute supplies. I just happened to deliver to the powder shop. It’s unavoidable to pick up a little scent. You’re always so suspicious. Even if we do get married, will you trust me then?”

The scholar’s tone was calm, his expression helpless. At first listen, it sounded like Miss He was being unreasonable, but upon closer thought, Lian Qiao felt something was wrong.

Lu Wu Jiu had also gone to distribute supplies, and had also happened to meet this same shopkeeper, but from the beginning, he had no scent on him at all.

The reason she was covered in such a heavy fragrance was because they had embraced… and embraced quite tightly.

Therefore, this Gu Sheng and the shopkeeper must have done more than just exchange a few simple words.

Miss He had probably caught him more than once.

Now, she didn’t care about outsiders being present. She pointed at Gu Sheng’s nose and cursed, “Gu Sheng, do you really have nothing? In the past, I believed whatever you said and just endured it. But now, our wedding is the day after tomorrow, and you’re still like this! Do you think you have me in your grasp just because I’m pregnant? That I wouldn’t dare expose your true colors?”

A trace of impatience finally appeared on Gu Sheng’s face. “Mei Niang, I’ve said it before, some things can happen once or twice, but not a third time. I have been patient enough with you. If you continue to be so unreasonable, I see no need for this marriage to happen!”

“What do you mean by that? You don’t want to marry me? You don’t want to take responsibility?” Although Miss He was still making a scene, her hand suddenly clenched the handkerchief extremely tightly.

Gu Sheng’s face was calm, but his tone was very firm. “It’s not that I want this, Mei Niang. It’s just that you’re always throwing such tantrums. No man can stand it.”

“I’m throwing tantrums?” Miss He laughed in anger. “Gu Sheng, you heartless man! You’re just a poor scholar. If you hadn’t seduced me into a secret rendezvous and gotten me pregnant, do you think my father would have agreed to marry me to you? Now that a more beautiful and richer widow has come to town, and she’s the county magistrate’s niece, you want to climb a higher branch, don’t you? You want to abandon me to get with her, right? Perfect, she has no parents, unlike me, who has a father who always looks down on you, right?”

“Mei Niang, don’t talk nonsense!” Gu Sheng cut her off sharply. “What happened between us was clearly consensual.”

Miss He found this utterly absurd and began to cry and wail. “You cruel, cruel man! I should have known back then. Once a cheater, always a cheater. How could a wolf in sheep’s clothing like you ever change… Since you don’t want to marry me, then there’s no need for me to cling to you. I’ll get rid of this child right now, and this wedding doesn’t need to happen. Let’s just go our separate ways!”

Gu Sheng, however, seemed very reluctant to have her bring up the past. He flicked his sleeve. “Since you’ve said so, what more is there to say! Then let’s just call it…”

At that moment, Councilor He suddenly came out from his study and rebuked them, “Nonsense! Such childish tempers! How can you just call it off?”

Seeing her father, Miss He made an even bigger scene. “He’s already treated me like this, am I supposed to just throw myself at him?”

Councilor He’s face was stern. “What’s wrong? Isn’t it just a box of perfumed powder? You were the one who threatened to jump into the river when you talked about abortion, and now you’re the one making a scene about abortion again. The invitations have all been sent out, the gossip has already spread. If you don’t go through with it now, where am I supposed to put my old face? Now, you will get married whether you want to or not. If you won’t, you’ll be tied up and married. Even if you get divorced after, it’s better than this!”

Miss He cried, “All you care about is your face! What about me? This is how you forced my sister to her death, and now you’re going to force me too! If you insist on me getting married, I’ll get rid of this child first, and then I’ll go jump in the river myself!”

Councilor He, a change from his usual gentle demeanor, stood with his hands behind his back. “I raised you. I know how much courage you have. I’d like to see if you’ll go today or not.”

These words were overtly directed at Miss He, but were in fact a warning to Gu Sheng.

The scholar’s lips were tightly pursed, and he said no more about calling off the wedding.

Miss He, naturally, did not have the courage to jump into the lake. She slammed her door and left, weeping.

But the night was far from over.

At youshi hour, Miss He suddenly complained of a stomachache. Gu Sheng went to see her, and after some unknown words were exchanged, left in a huff. Lian Qiao and Zhou Jiannan watched from outside, completely bewildered.

At haishi hour, Miss He again threatened to jump in the river to abort the child. Councilor He went, forbade it, and the two argued fiercely again. Councilor He came out clutching his head, and Lian Qiao and Yan Wushuang watched until the bags under their eyes nearly reached the floor.

Late into the night, Miss He’s courtyard became noisy again, for some unknown reason this time.

Having been tricked twice in a row, an angry Yan Wushuang threw her pillow at the window, indicating she was not going again.

Zhou Jiannan let out a wail from his bed, then pretended to be asleep and fell silent.

As for Lu Wu Jiu across the way, there was not a single sound from him from beginning to end.

Lian Qiao was conflicted, hesitating whether to get up.

Given the incident with Zhou Jiannan, she had given her protective spirit bracelet to Miss He when she left earlier. Neither demon nor spirit could get close to her.

So Lian Qiao decided to lie down a little longer, to prevent Miss He from continuing her drama the next day.

‘There are still many days left. How will we manage…’ However, just then, she suddenly heard several long screams—

The screams were filled with terror, the kind that could only be made upon seeing an extremely frightening scene.

Lian Qiao instantly got up. Pushing open the door, she saw that Yan Wushuang and Zhou Jiannan were already out. The three of them exchanged a glance, all sharing a bad premonition.

Looking again, Lu Wu Jiu’s door across the way was slightly ajar. He had clearly just left.

So the three of them also rushed to Miss He’s courtyard.

Before they even entered, they were hit by a thick smell of blood, mixed with a chaotic mess of screams and bloody footprints all over the ground. It was a vision of hell on earth.

Lian Qiao managed to grab a maid who was frantic with terror.

When the maid saw it was Lian Qiao, she quickly hid behind them, trembling and shouting, “Immortal, you’re finally here! It was the demon, the demon came to rip out a heart and kill again! There’s a huge bloody hole in our lady, and also…”

She stopped halfway, bending over and vomiting uncontrollably.

Lian Qiao knew something terrible had happened. Just as she was about to push the door open, Lu Wu Jiu, coming out from inside, blocked her way. “There’s nothing more here. Go see if you can find anything else over there.”

His tone was commanding. ‘Why should I listen to you?’ Lian Qiao thought.

So she pushed past his shoulder and insisted on going in.

“I insist on seeing.”

That one glance was almost too much to bear.

Miss He lay in a pool of blood, the quilt soaked through, dripping steadily onto the floor.

From her heart downwards was a long, deep scratch mark, a bloody hole literally torn out.

Even the contents of her womb had been partially dragged out, faintly discernible as a newly formed hand…