Chapter 9 - Conspiracy (2/2)

The things are still there, but you are no longer by my side. My sister tells me that you will come back soon.

To a woman in love, one day apart seems like three years. Nobody knows how much I miss you.

The moon is rising in the inky sky, emitting cool light through clouds. Is everything all right with you?”

San was soon ready. Ci gave Li Qiufeng some bank notes and said, “This is the money for San’s journey. There must be some surplus. Please accept the remaining money.”

At approximately 10:00 p.m., the wind slapped at the door. Ci thought that Yang Zhen was outside the door, but when she opened the door, there was only a white cat lying prone on the ground, mewing sadly.

“You can rest assured that I will not die,” Ci said to the cat. “I know you’re worried about me. I promise you that I will not die.”

On hearing this the cat quietly climbed up to the roof like a ghost. Ghosts lived inside cats and cats were ghosts.

Yang Zhen walked over swaying her hips and said, “Let’s go. My house is commodious. I’m sure you’ll enjoy living there.”

Ci removed the hairpin from her head and pinned it in Yang Zhen’s hair. “Sister, it’s your hairpin. Please take it back. I don’t need it anymore.”

Yang Zhen was dazed for a second.

All the servants turned a blind eye when Ci and Yang Zhen walked out of Nima Mansion. Maybe they saw Ci but had no intention of stopping her. Maybe they were afraid of getting into trouble, so they kept quiet. After all, the primary duty of the domestics and guards was to guard Nima Mansion and prevent outsiders from entering the mansion. As for the people living in the mansion, the servants had no right to stop them from leaving.

Ci had no idea how long she had been walking with Yang Zhen. A stretch of barren land spread in front of her. She couldn’t help but ask, “Sister, how far is it to your personal house?”

Yang Zhen smiled, “It’s not too far from here. If you are tired, we can stop and have a rest.”

“I’m not tired. I once travelled enormous distance on foot.” Ci gazed up at the moon overhead. A dark cloud drifted by and covered the moon. The fields were shrouded in darkness. A chilly wind blew hard across the open spaces and will-o’-the-wisps blinked in the darkness. Ci was not afraid of ghosts. She thought that humans were more horrible and crueler than ghosts.

Yang Zhen pushed open the door and led Ci to the bed. The room was elaborately decorated. Ci lay down on the bed and said, “Thank you, Sister Yang Zhen.”

“You can set your mind at rest and have a good sleep tonight. I’ll bring you some daily necessities tomorrow,” said Yang Zhen.

Ci stared at the hairpin in Yang Zhen’s hair and nodded.

Yangzhen returned to Nima Mansion and went to Ju Juxian’s bedroom. The light was on. Ji Jing was sitting at the table with a big belly.

“Have you taken her to your house?” Ju Juxian, who seldom smiled, now wore a big smile, her face creasing.

Yang Zhen answered, “Yes. I have done as you wished.”

Ji Jing asked, “What if Master comes back and knows everything we have done and are going to do?”

Yang Zhen touched Ji Jing’s belly and said, “As long as you give birth to a son, everything will be fine.”