Edited by Elanor
He Yuanqi’s business interests were varied, with the primary focus on restaurants. As a newcomer, he couldn’t compete with the old established Qi Family, so he didn’t immediately open high-end luxury establishments, instead opting to cater to the average citizen.
This tavern by the river was of modest quality, with simple and accessible decor. Its advantages were clear: it was spacious, with four floors offering both private and public seating, and its location right on the street made it easy to find. Set beside the pier, it was conveniently situated amidst high foot traffic, ensuring it always had a steady stream of customers.
Perhaps because of this ease of access, He Yuanqi often conducted his business here.
Due to the tavern’s high foot traffic, Xie Tingyue initially never suspected this establishment. No clues had turned up in the private residences, so he changed his line of thinking; though this tavern was busy, most patrons were simply passing through, and paid little attention to their surroundings. He Yuanqi was different. Having operated this tavern for many years, he was intimately familiar with the premises and held considerable control over it.
Without any tangible evidence, Xie Tingyue’s suspicions remained unconfirmed, so he decided to investigate on his own, without telling anyone.
This wasn’t his territory, and he wasn’t part of the official government. He couldn’t simply declare that he wanted to search a certain neighborhood as he pleased, lest he alert the enemy. So, even upon arrival, he didn’t immediately enter the establishment, but instead circled around it.
Is there really something hidden here?
The street was ordinary, as were the neighboring shops. Even the sounds of the flowing river outside didn’t seem particularly noteworthy. It was easy to miss the subtle sounds when one wasn’t paying attention, but they would become irritating background noise when one sought quiet.
Have I been thinking about this all wrong?
Xie Tingyue frowned slightly.
As he pondered whether he should try another approach, a burly man with a dark face blocked his path.
“What are you doing, lurking around here, boy?”
The man’s figure was tall and muscular, his face darkened by stubble and an unfriendly expression.
Brother Dong swiftly moved to stand before his Young Master. “Who are you, and what do you mean by blocking my Young Master’s way? Are you here to extort money because he’s well-dressed, or are you sent by an enemy to cause trouble?”
Despite his rather diminutive stature, his tone was remarkably belligerent. He had also deliberately mentioned Xie Tingyue’s status as a Young Master—someone with wealth and connections. No matter what you’re thinking, don’t make the wrong move lest you invite trouble!
Yet the bearded man showed no sign of retreating. Instead, he scoffed, “What’s so special about a Young Master? We’ve seen plenty while we’ve been out here.”
Xie Tingyue’s temples twitched. Dammit, he thought, I’ve been careless. If he had found nothing suspicious after those two rounds, or if he had been stopped by someone who recognized him as a person of status and let him pass without further ado, there would be nothing unusual about this occurrence. Most likely, he’d simply gone to the wrong place.
But he had been stopped, and by someone who was not only cautious but also intent on getting an answer.
But were these people really so dumb? No. Anyone out here had to be wary, had to be knowledgeable; this was not a place where such carelessness could exist. So, if they weren’t dumb, then they must have been doing it on purpose…
This place had been prepared ahead of time.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
This sudden twist gave Xie Tingyue hope: Shen Sanniang and Qi Yingfei could very well be imprisoned here!
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His tone dripped with derision.
Xie Tingyue fell silent.
Before he could come up with a response, the burly man waved for others to come forward.
“He’s obviously up to no good. Come, Brothers, take him down—”
Xie Tingyue was already contemplating whether he should force his way through.
Xie Tingyue had brought plenty of people with him, but he didn’t like being surrounded, so most of his retinue had lingered at a distance. This brutish man might not be capable of forcing him to leave, but if he tried, and Xie Tingyue’s guards rushed in to protect him, alerting the hostage-takers, what then?
Caught between two difficult choices, a familiar voice suddenly rang out. “How silly are you? Still haven’t found me?”
It was Chu Mu, dressed all in white, seated in a wheelchair. His features were delicate, his smile elegant.
Xie Tingyue relaxed at once. He needed no cue; a single line, a single glance, and he understood the act.
Xie Tingyue glanced at the burly man sheepishly. “Oh, I… got lost.”
Chu Mu lowered his gaze and rubbed his legs, suddenly dejected. “I know. You’re just being considerate. With these legs of mine, I can’t even play games of hide-and-seek with my wife. I feel regret and don’t wish to burden you; I want to grant you your wish, but instead, you’re only…obliging me.”
With these few words and that despondent expression, a vivid tableau emerged.
This was a newlywed couple. The husband was disabled, unable to play even the simplest games like hide-and-seek—“You come catch me, you come catch me”—and felt remorse for his wife. Wanting to give it a try, he nevertheless found himself met with a wife who, out of compassion, pretended to run fast and “lose his way,” giving him all the face he needed.
It was an incredibly moving scene, one that would make any observer weep.
In the face of this beautiful couple, the burly man felt he must be the villain, a truly wicked person. Yes, how could anyone possibly get lost in such an obvious place? It had to be an intentional act! But the lost man had done so out of love for his husband—what right did this man have to question his motives? Did he have no heart?!
Chu Mu’s performance still continued, his slender and pretty right hand pressed to his left chest, as if something inside ached. “My Madam has never shown any disdain for me, and I am eternally grateful for the heavens’ grace. Yet sometimes, I wish he did disdain me, that he would abandon me and walk far away… My Madam deserves someone better, a happier life.”
Xie Tingyue was at a loss for words. If he hadn’t already lived a lifetime, his resolve would have cracked right there. Chu Mu’s acting was too convincing, and his words were so heartfelt, so sincere, that even Xie Tingyue almost believed him.
When he considered the schemes and methods this man had deployed, then thought about the restrained yet passionate man in his dreams, the one who had tied him up, pressed him against a wall, and kissed him… Such a thing could never happen! Even if Xie Tingyue were to abandon his post and run away, this man might very well chase him down and lock him back up by his side.
A chill ran down Xie Tingyue’s spine, but he forced himself to suppress his instincts and walked over to hold Chu Mu’s hand instead, his gaze as gentle as he could muster. “Since you understand all this, cherish our time together. If you say such things again, I won’t allow it.”
Cough… What a sweet couple, these two lovebirds. The black-faced burly man’s expression could no longer remain stoic; even tough men couldn’t withstand such tender affection. Damn, this pair was truly too moving!
Indeed, if someone intended to do something illicit, why would they bring a crippled man along? Were they afraid the plan would go too smoothly, and they needed someone to slow them down?!
Chu Mu held the Madam’s hand, his gaze warm and affectionate, filled with both adoration and reluctance. “You must be tired after such a long walk, my Madam. Why don’t we go inside and rest?”
Xie Tingyue said nothing, instead choosing to look straight at the burly man.
The burly man: “…..”
After a long moment of silence, the burly man moved aside, gesturing toward the door with his free hand. “After you, honored guests.”
Xie Tingyue and Chu Mu were respectfully ushered into a private room.
“Too close,” Xie Tingyue whispered once they were alone. He pulled his hand from Chu Mu’s grasp and poured tea from the pot. “Thankfully he doesn’t recognize us, or we’d have been exposed. Oh right, what were you doing here?”
With the warmth of Xie Tingyue’s hand gone, Chu Mu felt instantly cold. He clenched his fist and tucked it behind his back, as if trying to grasp and hold onto that last bit of heat. “Even if he knew us, we wouldn’t have been exposed.”
“Hm?” Xie Tingyue replied.
Chu Mu kept his thoughts to himself: Because it’s true.
Xie Tingyue wasn’t particularly invested in this question; he had only mentioned it in passing. He intended to ask the next part: “When did you arrive? Why are you here?”
Of course Chu Mu wouldn’t say, I followed you here to help you out, because otherwise you’d have been completely unaware. Instead, he tossed out his perfect alibi: “I’ve been meaning to speak with Master Qu of Jishi Hall ever since the incident with the Lan Ying Herb. With the year coming to an end, Master Qu has been quite busy, and I only received a response today, so I set out.”
“Really?”
Xie Tingyue wasn’t refusing to believe him, but rather, those mistaken images from earlier resurfaced. That fleeting glimpse of a white-robed figure—Was it not an illusion after all? Was it Chu Mu?
Did Chu Mu have something to hide?
“Hm? Why do you ask?” Chu Mu seemed surprised by this line of questioning.
Xie Tingyue recounted the events of earlier in the day, “I thought I saw you earlier, just then. Have you truly never been to He Yuanqi’s private residence?”
Chu Mu lowered his gaze, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips, as if delighted. “It’s said that dreams and illusions are a manifestation of one’s deepest desires; perhaps you were thinking of me, and thus saw me in your daytime reverie?”
Xie Tingyue nearly choked on his tea, shooting a glare at him. “You’re the one who’s thinking such nonsense! You haven’t suffered enough from your illness, and now you want me to beat you too, is it?”
Chu Mu covered his lips with a hand, stifling a laugh, and pointed out the window with his other hand. “Look, my dear.”
Xie Tingyue followed the direction of his gesture and spotted Qu Qi.
The man’s brows were slightly furrowed as he strode toward their carriage, likely finished with his business and preparing to depart.
“Does the Madam now believe me?” Chu Mu asked.
Xie Tingyue nodded. The truth was right before his eyes; he had no choice but to believe it.
Little did he know, Chu Mu was internally letting out a huge sigh of relief. It was all thanks to his careful planning ahead of time. After realizing he’d slipped up, he knew where the Madam would come, so he swiftly ordered his subordinates to make arrangements, notifying Qu Qi to change locations, just barely managing to pull this off…
But Chu Mu was Chu Mu, and as Xie Tingxing had aptly put it, a “fake immortal.” To him, “playing pretend” had become second nature. His composure remained unflappable even under immense pressure, and he had seamlessly covered up the truth. How could he ever fail?
He even casually turned the question back on Xie Tingyue. “And what brings Madam here?”
“I came here following a clue…”
Xie Tingyue didn’t harbor any suspicion toward Chu Mu in this regard and explained every step he’d taken, every thought and concern he’d harbored, in full detail.
“That’s why I thought this place was suspicious. The big burly man didn’t have to stop me, but he did, and he was extremely wary. I think something’s up with this tavern.”
Chu Mu considered the situation and agreed with Xie Tingyue’s suspicion. “But this tavern has four floors and plenty of rooms; if Shen Sanniang and Qi Yingfei are indeed being held here, how will we find them?”
They weren’t law enforcement, and even if they were, they couldn’t conduct a full search without probable cause. How could they possibly turn over every room, and what excuse could they possibly use? They couldn’t cause a scene, alerting the authorities and alerting the person behind the scenes…
Even Chu Mu, with all his intelligence, couldn’t think of a suitable plan.
“Unless…we keep playing hide-and-seek?” Chu Mu’s eyes glistened brightly as he looked at Xie Tingyue.
Xie Tingyue rolled his eyes.
Sure, it was a cute idea, but no married couple played hide-and-seek every day, and certainly not to the point of obsession. Were they trying to make everyone think they were dim-witted?
In times of crisis, Xie Tingyue could always rely on his education.
An idea popped into Xie Tingyue’s head, and his eyes gleamed. “I’ve got it! Brother Dong, come here!”
Brother Dong had always been obedient, and he was quick on the uptake too. After hearing his Master’s plan, he chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then thumped his chest in assurance. “Don’t worry, Young Master, leave this to me!”
What did Xie Tingyue want from Brother Dong?
Chu Mu, never waste any chance to tease his wife. Salute.
I love how he still entertains the thought he could get anything past Chu Mu 😂😂
How come I didn’t know CHM is such a great actor!
Thank You for the new chapter (๑ơ ₃ ơ)♥
Thanks for the chapter 😁😁😁
Never thought that Chu Mu would be such an amazing actor and of course Xie Tingyue is wonderful as well,☺️☺️
This scheming husband pair is too funny.
Thanks for the chapter