Kang Run lay motionless on the rooftop, gazing towards the direction of the street corner. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened, and he swiftly rolled off the roof, jumping through the window into the room where Zou Qing still lay unconscious on the bed. He shook Zou Qing and urgently whispered, "Wake up! The soldiers searching for us are here."
Zou Qing's eyes remained tightly shut, showing no response.
"Tsk, you're really weak, can't even wake up after being poisoned," Kang Run muttered in disgust. He took a silver needle from his pocket and pricked Zou Qing's acupuncture point. Seeing his eyelids quiver, Kang Run quickly continued, "There's a hidden cellar near the back door. Hide there, and I'll keep an eye on the soldiers outside. Don't come out without my signal, got it?"
However, Zou Qing seemed not to have heard a word Kang Run said. After waking up, he immediately touched his face, then let out a cry of shock upon seeing blood on his hand. He looked at Kang Run with fear, "My face! What happened to my face? Kang Run, I thought you were just detoxifying me. Why does my face look like this? Is it ruined?"
"Quiet!" Kang Run, frustrated by Zou Qing's reaction, regretted waking him up. He raised his hand to give him a slap, but to his surprise, Zou Qing, in his agitated state, agilely evaded the blow and grabbed Kang Run's arm. He continued to cry out, "Kang Run, save me! Save my face! I don't want to live like this. Please, save me!"
Estimating the time it would take for the soldiers to reach the house from the street, Kang Run became increasingly anxious. He tore himself away from Zou Qing, threatening, "If you scream again, I'll throw you out! If you don't want to die, shut up and go to the back door, quickly!"
Zou Qing, terrified by the anger in Kang Run's eyes, hesitated for a moment, then let go of Kang Run's arm and moved towards the back door.
Suddenly, a slight stinging sensation shot through his forearm. Anxiously, he paid it no mind. Seeing that Zou Qing was finally obeying and heading to the back door, Kang Run turned and approached the window to check the situation outside, his right hand reaching for the concealed soft sword at his waist.
"Kang Run."
He stopped in his tracks, turning irritably to Zou Qing. "Why haven't you gone yet? Do you want to die that badly?"
With his face covered in a mess of bloodstains, Zou Qing suddenly smiled and waved at Kang Run. "Thank you for saving me, and also, I wish you a smooth journey to the afterlife."
"What on earth are you talking about? Don't you hurry—" His words were abruptly cut short as an excruciating pain, as if his flesh was being scraped off, suddenly surged from his arm and rapidly spread throughout his body. He stared at Zou Qing in disbelief, and his soft sword slipped from his grasp. He collapsed to the floor, face down.
Zou Qing kicked him once and wiped his face with his sleeve. He blew on his nails with a cold smirk. "Men are indeed useless and unreliable... You useless waste of space! My grandmother trusted you for nothing!" Crouching down, he searched Kang Run for hidden weapons, then listened for any sounds outside the courtyard before heading towards the back door.
When he woke up from his slumber, it was already pitch black outside, and Shen Tingwei had not returned. His depleted mental strength had somewhat recovered. He got up, freshened up, and called for a guard. "Did you catch the culprit?"
The guard lowered his head. "General, we followed the direction you provided and indeed found traces of the jailbreakers. However, the culprits... have disappeared."
"Disappeared?" He was surprised and sat up. "How could they disappear? What about Kang Run?"
"When we arrived, Kang Run was already lying on the ground, severely poisoned, and he has remained unconscious. The general is currently with a physician, trying to treat him."
Severely poisoned? He rubbed his forehead, struggling to make sense of this unexpected turn of events. He had expected to see the main character and Kang Run arrested when he woke up, but what he got was a surprise... Could it be that the reason for the 50% chance of falling in love was this? Did the main character poison Kang Run? A weakling who had been locked up for a few days poisoning an assassin?
Taking a deep breath and enduring the returning pain in his head, he said weakly, "Take me to your general; I have some questions for Kang Run."
The guard hesitated for a moment and then bowed even lower. "Kang Run has been unconscious all along. The poison in his body is too strong and unusual. It will take some time for them to develop an antidote."
Really frustrating... He waved his hand and walked out, saying, "It's alright; I can cure him of the poison. Let's go."
The guard was momentarily stunned, then quickly followed, his eyes filled with surprise and admiration. The general's wife could even cure such unconventional poisons. Earlier, she accurately pinpointed the hiding place of the culprits for the general. She was amazing!
Kang Run had been placed in another inn, surrounded by soldiers from all directions, inside and out, ensuring he had no chance to escape, even if he woke up.
Ye Zhizhou pushed open the door and nodded in acknowledgment to Shen Tingwei, then went to the bedside. He activated the scanning function on a small mirror and examined Kang Run's body. After obtaining the results, he took out a detoxification pill and fed it to him.
Shen Tingwei asked, "Why did you come here? It's getting cold at night. Why aren't you wearing a cloak?" He picked up his own cloak from the chair and draped it over Ye Zhizhou.
"I was in a hurry when I left. I didn't have time," Ye Zhizhou replied, suddenly feeling the chill. He tightened the cloak around himself and then took out another porcelain bottle, opening it and wafting it under Kang Run's nose. Finally, he sighed with relief. "Fortunately, I made it in time. Another half hour later, not even a deity could save this person."
Shen Tingwei sat down on a chair by the bedside, and together, they watched Kang Run. His tone was grave as he said, "It's no use; regular antidotes won't work. The poison in his body has spread too quickly and has already infiltrated his organs."
Only now did Ye Zhizhou remember that his lover was unaware of the large supply of special antidotes he had in his possession. He forced a smile and handed another detoxification pill to Shen Tingwei. "The poison has been neutralized with this one. Keep it; it should be enough for the future. I have plenty."
Shen Tingwei was unusually stunned.
As if to confirm his words, Kang Run on the bed suddenly twitched, awakening. Upon realizing there was someone beside him, his immediate instinct was to sit up and attack. However, the lingering pain throughout his body made him gasp involuntarily, causing him to curl up.
Shen Tingwei reached out to restrain him, but Ye Zhizhou stopped him in time. "I have questions for him; don't make him faint again." With that, he took out a pill with the effect of relaxing muscles and forcibly fed it to Kang Run.
As the pain gradually subsided, Kang Run looked at Ye Zhizhou with resentment. "What did you feed me?"
"Something that saved your life. Do you enjoy the taste of poison?" Ye Zhizhou couldn't help but feel irritated whenever he looked at Kang Run, as it reminded him of the protagonist who was currently missing. "I don't know why you went to save Zou Qing, but now you're experiencing the consequences of saving him. Where is Zou Qing? Where is he most likely to hide after poisoning you? Or which direction is he most likely to have fled?"
His memories from before losing consciousness slowly returned, and Kang Run gritted his teeth. "That scoundrel!"
[Kang Run's probability of falling in love with the protagonist has dropped to 20%. Please continue your efforts, Host.]
Even after almost getting poisoned to death by the other person, this probability of falling in love hadn't decreased completely? Impressive. Ye Zhizhou became even more frustrated and continued, "There's no time for you to reflect now. Tell me, where did Zou Qing go?"
Kang Run gave him a sinister glance and then turned his head away. "That guy's no good. Just kill me!"
Ye Zhizhou was infuriated. How could there be someone like this in the world? This kind of attitude was making him regret saving him! Although there was no issue of the pills provided by the system becoming less effective with continued use, those medicines were not something you could just casually consume like candy! Kang Run's attitude was simply pushing him to regret helping him!
Shen Tingwei's face turned dark at Kang Run's words. He approached Kang Run, poked him a few times, and then, Kang Run, who had been perfectly awake a moment ago, rolled his eyes and fainted again.
"What did you do to him?" Ye Zhizhou was surprised, tugging at Shen Tingwei's sleeve. "I haven't found out Zou Qing's whereabouts yet..."
"It's okay; he'll wake up in the time it takes to have a cup of tea." Shen Tingwei calmly held his hand, pulled him up, and led him toward the adjacent room. "Leave the interrogation to me. You can rest next door; it won't take long."
Ye Zhizhou followed him passively, feeling somewhat skeptical. "Are you sure you can handle it? Kang Run looks like a tough nut to crack, especially considering how he's been treated by Zou Qing."
Shen Tingwei reassured him with a firm grip on his hand. "Don't worry. I've got this. You rest; it'll be fine soon."
"Trust me," Shen Tingwei touched his face and half-coaxed, half-forced him into the adjacent room. He also ordered some supper for him.
Five minutes later, a fragrant bowl of beef noodles was placed in front of Ye Zhizhou. Just as he picked up his chopsticks to take a bite, a scream from the next room pierced through the heavens.
His chopsticks trembled, and the noodles slipped back into the bowl.
He glanced at the adjacent room in surprise, hesitated for a moment, and decided to pretend he hadn't heard it, burying his head in his meal. After all, in ancient times, interrogation methods were somewhat violent. If his lover had truly harmed someone, he could secretly heal them later.
Fifteen minutes later, he had filled his stomach, and the screams from the adjacent room had ceased. Two more minutes passed before Shen Tingwei pushed the door open. He still wore the same emotionless and stern expression.
Ye Zhizhou put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth, then asked quietly, "Is it done?"
"It's done." Shen Tingwei approached and checked his half-empty bowl. He ran his fingers through Ye Zhizhou's hair with reluctant satisfaction and helped him up. "I haven't asked for all the details yet. Let's go together; he won't resist anymore."
There was no gruesome scene as he had imagined it. Kang Run's limbs were intact, and his face showed no major issues. However, his gaze towards Shen Tingwei had turned resentful and fearful, like a mouse facing a cat.
Ye Zhizhou cautiously asked a few questions, and to his surprise, Kang Run answered them all without any concealment. After the questioning, he grabbed Shen Tingwei in amazement, examined him from head to toe, and asked, "What did you do to him? How did he become so obedient? He's behaving like a well-behaved cabbage you can pluck."
"Just a combination of carrot and stick, it's quite simple," Shen Tingwei enjoyed the look in Ye Zhizhou's eyes at this moment, and his tone softened a bit more. "Alright, go rest now. I'll handle the rest of the matter."
His mental strength hadn't fully recovered, and he did feel a bit weary at the moment. However, he had learned from the previous experience where the plot went haywire after he left everything to his lover and didn't intervene. He couldn't afford to let his guard down now.
"I'll go with you," he firmly held onto Shen Tingwei's hand. "I won't feel at ease until we find Zou Qing."
Shen Tingwei frowned, pinched his hand, and, seeing that Ye Zhizhou was staring at him without speaking, reluctantly agreed, "Then come with me, but don't wander off."
He nodded eagerly. "No problem!"
As the couple joined forces, they surprisingly... didn't have any effect.
The city had been sealed for three days, and there had been numerous thorough searches. Yet, Zou Qing seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, and there was no trace of him. The people of Luzhou needed to resume their lives, and the city gates couldn't remain closed indefinitely. Thus, after a final check, the authorities decided to reopen the city gates.
Another week passed, and the surrounding villages, towns, and forests were all searched again, but they came up empty-handed. The Emperor was pressuring Shen Tingwei to return, and Yuan Hui from the Zou family was urging Ye Zhizhou to return. Helpless, they set off for the capital.
After returning to the capital and resting for a day, Ye Zhizhou, accompanied by Shen Tingwei's personal guards, arrived at the Zou residence. They apprehended Madame Zou and all her servants. Zou Qing, who had been brewing his reprimand for almost half a month, was shocked by this extraordinary move before he could utter a word.
"What are you doing?" He stepped forward, trying to push away the guards holding Madame Zou, but they blocked him with their swords. He angrily glared at Ye Zhizhou and shouted, "You've already arrested your own brother, and now you want to harm your own grandmother? What exactly do you want to do?"
"Father, please take a closer look. Is this really my grandmother?" Ye Zhizhou paid no attention to his anger and opened a portrait, extending it toward him. He spoke in a deep voice, "This is a portrait that my grandfather painted for my grandmother. Father, you should take a good look."
Zou Qing's gaze fell on the portrait, and after a few glances, he frowned. "What are you trying to stir up again? This is your grandmother, isn't it? Release your grandmother at once!"
This man is blind... He truly deserves to have mistaken an imposter as his mother for all these years!
"Take a closer look at the earlobes and the right side of the forehead, especially the earlobes." Ye Zhizhou continued to extend the portrait almost to Zou Qing's face. He coldly said, "The real grandmother has large, full earlobes, and the right sideburn is deeper than the left. But that person..." He pointed to the "Madame Zou" who remained silent, maintaining the appearance of a noble lady, "has small, thin earlobes, symmetrical sideburns on both sides. Clearly, she is not the same person as in the portrait!"
Zou Qing, upon hearing this, looked at the portrait and then back at the "mother." He was bewildered. "What's going on?"
"Father, pinch your own earlobes and try to remember Aunt Tao's earlobes. Do you notice anything?" Ye Zhizhou put away the portrait and handed over a tattered genealogy book. "This is the genealogy book of my grandmother's family. After reading it, you'll understand."
Zou Qing quickly grabbed the genealogy book and started reading it rapidly.
"You don't need to read further." Suddenly, Madame Zou took a step forward, her face calm. "Qing'er, I'm indeed not your mother. In terms of blood relations, you should address me as your aunt."
Zou Qing's hand holding the genealogy book tightened, and he stared at her, his expression contorted. "Are you the aunt who sought refuge with our family but unfortunately got killed on the way?"
"It's me." She adjusted her sleeve and fixed her hairpin. She spoke calmly, "I killed your mother, and you killed my daughter. We're even." Then she looked at Ye Zhizhou, smiling with a sinister grin. "You were the biggest unexpected factor in my plan. I should have killed you back then."
"Unfortunately, you didn't." Facing this old monster, Ye Zhizhou had plenty of ways to provoke her. He said leisurely, "You no longer have the opportunity to kill me, but I have the chance to kill your grandson."
The old lady's withered face twitched for a moment. Suddenly, she took out a pill from her pocket and swallowed it, bursting into laughter. "Regardless, I have succeeded in my lifetime! As for all of you, you're all my manipulated failures! You're all just toys in my hands!"
Ye Zhizhou looked on as she laughed heartily, then coughed up blood and fell to the ground. He said disdainfully, "When her plans are exposed, she chooses to die directly. She's truly courageous. Living her whole life using someone else's identity, suppressing her true nature to play the role of another person, even not daring to let her own daughter call her 'mother.' After death, she won't be buried in the ancestral tomb, and she'll have no family in the afterlife... If such a life is considered successful, then I admit, she was an excellent self-deceiver. Don't worry; your grandson won't follow your path of 'success.' He has another path to tread."
"No..." She convulsed slightly, her eyes gradually dimming. She clenched the cracks between the bricks on the ground with her fingers, her throat emitting a hoarse wheeze. "Qing'er... You're the true Zou family member... Xiaodong, Xiaodong..."
The genealogy book in Zou Qing's hand fell to the ground. He knelt down in despair, clutching his hair, crying in agony, "No, this can't be true... It can't be true..."
Ye Zhizhou looked at him, then at the old lady lying on the ground. He sighed. His words from earlier were also a reflection of himself. He had lived multiple lifetimes using someone else's identity, trying to imitate the original host's character in front of the original host's relatives. Upon reflection, it was just as despicable and ridiculous.
Yuan Hui, who had been observing from outside the courtyard, approached and stopped behind him. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Qingqing, lunch is ready. Mother personally cooked your favorite drunken duck. Let's go; the dishes will get cold if we're late."
He snapped out of his sudden dark thoughts and turned to her with a smile. The mission wasn't over yet, and the act had to continue. He just hoped to stay true to his own intentions and do his best to ensure that the people the original host cared about could live peaceful and happy lives.
Half a month later, the Zou family situation had stabilized. Zou Qing didn't arrange a funeral for the fake Madame Zou and only announced that she had returned to her hometown to recuperate. Later, Zou Qing fell seriously ill, and Zou Yuan, the eldest son who had been studying away from home, finally returned. Yuan Hui's burden was lifted, and Ye Zhizhou no longer had to run back and forth between the two families.
Several peaceful months passed, but Zou Qing remained as elusive as ever, like he had vanished into thin air. The chances of love between the two remaining soul flags stubbornly remained at 20%. Even though Fei Jinchu and Kang Run had grown to despise Zou Qing, it seemed impossible to change the odds.
On a typical afternoon, the Chunxiu Garden was hosting a performance from the Shen residence for Madame Shen. Ye Zhizhou lounged in the garden pavilion, nibbling on grapes, feeling lazy and reluctant to move.
[The chances of love between Fei Jinchu, Kang Run, and the protagonist have increased to 30%. Host, please pay attention. Host, please pay attention!]
He jolted and sat up abruptly, nearly choking on a grape.