Chapter 151
Chapter 151: The Pursuit
Shen An Ran stood in the depth of night, her delicate brows knitting deeper as she watched the distant silhouette of Ruan Zhen Hui vanish into darkness. She hesitated briefly, knowing it was wrong to secretly follow her own mother, but tonight Ruan Zhen Hui’s strange behavior worried her deeply. Unable to calm her heart, Shen An Ran decided at last to quietly trail behind her.
Not long after, Ruan Zhen Hui moved swiftly, like a nightingale soaring silently through familiar paths. With intimate knowledge of the villa’s grounds, she effortlessly avoided servants and guards patrolling in the darkness. Shen An Ran followed closely behind, her footsteps light as a feather. But the further they went, the more uneasy Shen An Ran became, for the path her mother took led unmistakably towards her father Shen Lian Cheng’s residence.
At the same moment, Li Mu Sheng, who had searched in vain for Hu Rui An’s whereabouts, now perched atop a courtyard roof. His narrowed eyes spotted the mother and daughter moving swiftly through the shadows, and with raised eyebrows he thought to himself:
[These two seem quite familiar with the villa grounds. Perhaps I should ask them for directions?]
Deer Slaying Manor was indeed vast, its pathways intricate and confusing, each courtyard looking nearly identical, making the task of finding someone incredibly difficult.
While Li Mu Sheng pondered, Ruan Zhen Hui stopped in front of a dignified, imposing courtyard. The place was engulfed in complete darkness; the door slightly ajar, no lights flickered within, hinting that no one was inside. She lingered anxiously at the entrance, hesitated for a moment, then cautiously called into the darkness:
“Lian Cheng, are you there?”
Her clear voice echoed softly through the night, but no response came. Seeing this, Ruan Zhen Hui’s expression shifted slightly, and she tried once more. Still met with silence, she seemed to relax, releasing a breath of relief. Then, in an instant, she slipped through the partly-open door and vanished into the shadowed yard.
Watching from a distance, Shen An Ran’s porcelain-smooth face flickered with uncertainty. She struggled to believe that her mother would secretly sneak into her father’s courtyard, behaving like a thief. But quickly regaining her composure, Shen An Ran did not reveal herself nor did she leave. Instead, she stepped deeper into the shadows, quietly waiting outside the courtyard.
Knowing her mother’s character well, she trusted there must be some hidden truth behind these strange actions. Now she only wanted to silently discover why her mother was doing this.
Not long after, Ruan Zhen Hui emerged from the yard with joy evident on her face, holding a peculiar porcelain bottle. She paused no longer, swiftly returning the way she’d come. Shen An Ran followed quietly, without making any unnecessary movements.
In deeper shadows, Li Mu Sheng thoughtfully rubbed his chin, eyes drawn to the porcelain bottle in Ruan Zhen Hui’s hand. It appeared exactly like the one carried by the villa’s steward, the antidote to the Drunken Immortal Poison.
[Could this aunt secretly have taken the antidote to save someone?]
With curiosity growing, Li Mu Sheng silently moved to follow. He had no clue where Lord Hu, poisoned as he was, had disappeared to. Right now, chasing this lead was his best chance.
Moments after Ruan Zhen Hui and the others had vanished, the seemingly empty and silent courtyard suddenly stirred. A figure dressed in dark robes embroidered with cloud patterns emerged like a ghost. It was Shen Lian Cheng, standing with hands behind his back, his dark eyebrows deeply furrowed. Gazing toward the direction Ruan Zhen Hui had departed, his eyes gleamed thoughtfully. In the next instant, he silently melted into the night, pursuing them without a sound.
Ruan Zhen Hui moved even faster on her return, safely reaching her own courtyard without incident. Immediately upon arriving, she lit a lamp, lifted the bed curtain, and anxiously checked Hu Rui An’s condition. She understood clearly that someone deeply poisoned with Drunken Immortal Poison might fall into eternal sleep if left untreated too long.
Quickly administering the antidote, she soon saw Hu Rui An’s eyes slowly flutter open. Still weak, unable to circulate martial Qi or speak, he lay quietly on the bed.
At this same moment, on the rooftop above, Shen An Ran, clad in her long emerald dress, carefully lay on the tiles, gently removing one tile to secretly peer down. Shock filled her eyes as she saw a strange man lying on her mother’s bed, with Ruan Zhen Hui gently feeding him medicine.
She nearly gasped aloud, struggling to comprehend what she was witnessing. Just in time, she clamped her hand over her mouth, holding in her shock. However, suddenly a young man’s voice came from right beside her, startling her deeply:
“So, he was hiding here. Lord Hu really has some skill.”
Shen An Ran’s heart jolted violently, every muscle in her body tensed as she swiftly turned to look beside her. To her shock, a handsome young man was crouching there, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, looking curiously down into the room through the gap in the tiles. She had no idea when or how he appeared so close to her without being noticed. Had he not spoken, she might never have realized someone was right next to her.
Alarmed, Shen An Ran instantly circulated her Qi, swiftly withdrawing her body like a startled swallow. She landed soundlessly several yards away, silently standing guard with heightened caution. Her gaze locked on Li Mu Sheng in anxious uncertainty, yet she dared not speak, fearing her mother below might hear.
Li Mu Sheng, on the other hand, appeared unbothered by Shen An Ran’s reaction. He remained crouched, his expression turning strangely amused as he watched Hu Rui An and Ruan Zhen Hui below.
Truly, he never imagined the esteemed Lord Hu would behave like this. Earlier, Hu Rui An claimed he was secretly entering Deer Slaying Manor to remove obstacles for their operation against Fallen God Peak. Yet here he was, secretly entangled with the manor’s lady.
Li Mu Sheng shook his head, inwardly sighing.
[Lord Hu, normally so dignified, now sneaking around on secret trysts at his age—truly, you never know what someone’s really like.]