Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Plot-Rewrite Progress +1
The person Jiang Jiang had in mind was Huang E Er.
The Huang family lived in the Inner City, and Huang E Er had always carried a soft spot for Jiang Chao Sheng. With the Shang Si Festival in full swing, Jiang Jiang decided to give fate a little shove.
At noon, outside the Cloudcoming Inn, the shove arrived.
As Jiang Chao Sheng brought Jiang Jiang back from strolling the streets, they “coincidentally” ran into Huang E Er at the inn’s entrance.
“Brother Jiang! Sister Jiang Jiang!” Huang E Er had received Jiang Jiang’s letter that morning. She’d dressed with care and waited here early, all smiles, acting as if it were pure chance.
Effort paid off. She caught them the moment they returned.
She lifted her chin slightly, cheeks pink, and looked at Jiang Chao Sheng with gentle eyes. “I didn’t expect to meet you here. We… we really are fated, aren’t we?”
“Miss Huang.” Jiang Chao Sheng nodded politely—neither warm nor cold.
“Sister E Er, long time no see!” Jiang Jiang beamed, looping her arm through Huang E Er’s without hesitation.
“Sister Jiang Jiang, you really do look much better,” Huang E Er said, matching her enthusiasm.
Before Jiang Chao Sheng could even process it, the two girls were already arm-in-arm, gliding into the inn like they’d been friends since the cradle.
Jiang Chao Sheng could only trail behind, baffled.
Since when was his sister this close with Miss Huang?
Of course, what he didn’t know was that the two girls had their own plans—and those plans meshed beautifully.
By nightfall, Huang E Er still hadn’t left. She and Jiang Jiang were debating where to buy powder and rouge, and which river lanterns would look best floating downstream.
Only then did Jiang Chao Sheng begin to feel something was… off.
Unfortunately for him, it was already too late.
Right before they were meant to head out, Jiang Jiang suddenly clutched her stomach. “Oh no. I think I ate something bad.”
And with that, she sprinted toward the latrine.
A moment later, she returned looking pale and weak, as if a single gust might knock her over.
“Sister Jiang Jiang, are you all right?” Huang E Er asked anxiously. “Should we find a physician?”
Jiang Chao Sheng’s brows knitted. “The Peaceguard Clinic isn’t far. I can take you—”
“No need.” Jiang Jiang waved him off. “It’s a holiday. They’re probably closed already. I’ll rest in my room for a bit.”
Then she turned to her brother, eyes wide with perfect innocence. “Brother, you go with Sister E Er and release river lanterns.”
“Me?” Jiang Chao Sheng froze, instinctively ready to refuse.
Jiang Jiang pushed him, urgent and relentless. “Hurry up! The results come out tomorrow. Make a wish tonight—maybe heaven will be moved.”
Jiang Chao Sheng hesitated. He was confident by nature, but… the spring exam was never as easy as people pretended.
“Let’s go,” Huang E Er urged softly, looking up at him. “Brother Jiang.”
In the end, Jiang Chao Sheng nodded. Before he left, he still told Jiang Jiang to rest well.
“You two have fun!” Jiang Jiang waved brightly. “It’s fine even if you come back late!”
She kept smiling until their figures disappeared into the crowd.
Then her hand dropped.
Done.
The moment she was sure her brother had been successfully lured away, Jiang Jiang slipped out of the inn and headed straight for Ru Yi Street.
She didn’t know when Chen Jin Ting would strike, or when he’d flee into the back alley.
So she had to get there first.
If she arrived too late and Chu Yun Yue had already saved him, she’d lose out on a fortune.
Ru Yi Street, behind the Chu Residence.
Jiang Jiang returned to the narrow, familiar alley. It was clean—no people, not even a stray cat.
She couldn’t stand out in the open. Luckily, this area was a maze of side lanes and forks. She tucked herself into a tight corner at the mouth of the narrow passage she’d chosen earlier and waited, barely daring to breathe too loudly.
When was Chen Jin Ting coming?
What if he didn’t come at all?
Time crawled. The darkness thickened. Jiang Jiang’s skin prickled with impatience and unease.
Then fireworks bloomed in the distant sky.
Fireworks.
Jiang Jiang’s eyes lit up. The Shang Si Festival really was something—fireworks in the capital, bold and bright, cracking the night open like it owed them money.
And beneath the cover of those booming bursts, a shadow stumbled into an alley not far away and collapsed with a dull, heavy thud.
The sound disappeared perfectly into the fireworks.
Jiang Jiang held her breath.
Was that him?
My money…
She didn’t rush in. What if he wasn’t fully unconscious?
She waited, watching. The figure lay still for a long time.
Only then did Jiang Jiang creep forward, careful as a thief in a temple, and slip into the alley.
“Are you… are you all right?” she asked softly, putting on the voice of an innocent passerby.
No response.
She tried again, a little louder. “Hey. Can you hear me?”
Still nothing.
Fine. If he’s dead, he’s dead.
Jiang Jiang shut her eyes, crouched beside him, and forced herself to look.
When she opened them, a cold, stern face filled her view.
Another handsome one.
As expected—no ugly men anywhere near the female lead’s territory.
“Sorry. Sorry.” Jiang Jiang muttered, already moving. She patted him down quickly, efficiently—like she’d rehearsed it in her head all day.
In seconds, her fingers found a thick stack of banknotes… and several odd books.
The banknotes were enormous.
Five hundred taels each.
Jiang Jiang’s heart nearly leapt out of her throat.
Jackpot.
She slid out three bills, then glanced at the books.
Martial manuals?
Could her brother use them?
Jiang Jiang didn’t hesitate. She grabbed one at random, stuffed it away, and whispered, “Hero Chen, I’m borrowing this silver for now. Easy to borrow, easy to borrow again. When you’re in trouble someday, I’ll help you. I swear!”
Then she turned and ran.
This place was not safe.
In the blink of an eye, she vanished into the night.
“That little girl runs fast,” a man’s low voice murmured.
A man in fitted black clothes stepped out of the shadows and nudged the unconscious man with his boot. Surprise edged his tone. “It really is the wanted criminal Chen Jin Ting. The Chancellor was truly brilliant.”
Before he could say more, footsteps sounded at a nearby wooden door.
Someone was coming out.
Lin Jing frowned. In one smooth motion, he hoisted the unconscious Chen Jin Ting onto his shoulder. Then his body blurred—and he disappeared into the darkness.
Creak.
The small wooden door opened, and Chu Yun Yue peeked out with an innocent, confused face.
But the alley was empty.
Silent.
The person who should have been there was already long gone.
Gu Yan Qing — Plot-Rewrite Progress: +1
Jiang Jiang: …