After Transmigrating, My Younger Brother Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 19

Yan He strode up to Zhao Lin, towering over him as he said, If you came to Changding solely to find those three, then I haven’t seen them.

Zhao Lin narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the man before him. Seeing Yan He’s expression was calm and sincere, he glanced back at the obedient figure behind him and sneered, Your subordinates captured them, yet you let them escape? You two are utterly useless.

He stood up, smoothing the wrinkles from his robes. Enough. What trouble could three wet-behind-the-ears brats possibly cause?

As he reached the door, Zhao Lin paused as if remembering something. Settle matters in the city quickly. His Highness has summoned you both back to the capital.

That meant abandoning the city.

The iron gate slammed shut, plunging the room back into silence.

Zhu Zhenzhen’s legs felt alien, numb and tingling like they’d been struck by lightning. When the cabinet door opened, they couldn’t even support her weight as she tried to step down.

Losing her balance, Zhu Zhenzhen was about to fall face-first onto the ground when she frantically reached out for support.

Unfortunately, her hand slipped for some reason, and her head was about to hit the ground.

But the expected pain never came. Instead, she inhaled a crisp, pine-scented fragrance that was surprisingly pleasant.

Looking up, Zhu Zhenzhen realized she had fallen into Song Heng’s arms. She quickly thanked him and scrambled out of his embrace, a strange feeling stirring in her heart.

Song Heng’s arms instantly felt empty. Watching the woman hurry toward the stone table, he slightly curled his fingers and took steady strides forward.

Lu Yin also peeked out from behind the bed curtains and emerged.

Zhu Zhenzhen sat on the stone chair, slightly lifting her leg to massage her tense calf muscle. What did Zhao Lin mean by that? she asked.

Yan Guiyun relaxed her tense nerves and replied, If I’m not mistaken, Changding City will never again be infiltrated by Prince Jin’s forces. After a moment’s thought, she added, I stayed in Changding City for two years. Most of Prince Jin’s orders simply demanded silver tributes from me.

Zhu Zhenzhen’s hand paused mid-motion as she analyzed the situation.

Now that Li Jiadong has fallen ill, no one in Bian City can transport people out. The human trafficking trade has vanished, and the cost of purchasing medicinal herbs for drug trials is a significant expense.

Changding City was like a bottomless abyss with an insatiable appetite. Abandoning it was far more cost-effective than investing more money.

Yan Guiyun praised, Excellent.

Zhu Zhenzhen returned her smile, feeling a thrill at being complimented by such a brilliant and beautiful woman.

Liu Sheng, now completely unafraid of people, asked with a hint of excitement, So, those black-clad villains are leaving? No one will be watching us in the city anymore?

Without guards, they would no longer have to live in constant fear, where even finding food was a luxury. From now on, they could live openly and legitimately in their homeland.

Yan He nodded with a smile. Do you know why Li Jiadong fell ill?

Why? Zhu Zhenzhen’s curiosity was piqued.

Yan He replied, We owe this to a beggar in Bian City.

Oh? Could this beggar be…?

Song Heng glanced at the astonished woman beside him.

Yan He continued, After the Bian City beggar transmitted tuberculosis to Li Jiadong, he immediately panicked. That very night, he rode at full gallop to Changding, demanding to see Guiyun and obtain a cure.

But two years passed, and aside from the deaths of a few more condemned prisoners, the medicine yielded no progress whatsoever.

Li Jiadong refused to believe it. After futilely pestering Guiyun, he began ransacking her residence. He discovered a hidden passage leading to a medicinal concoction, which he mistakenly believed to be the antidote. Before anyone could explain, he snatched it and drank it down.

Yan He spread his hands helplessly. From that moment on, whether the beggar was infected or not, Li Jiadong was certainly doomed.

Zhu Zhenzhen involuntarily straightened her posture, her lips parting slightly, her face etched with astonishment.

Everything had unfolded with such uncanny coincidence, yet with perfect logic.

Hesitantly, Zhu Zhenzhen confessed her actions in Bian City that day, earning three blank stares in return.

After a moment, someone—it was unclear who—burst into laughter, instantly filling the room with an air of relief.

The return journey was smooth and swift. They took the shortest route, reaching Bian City in just a day.

For Song Heng, this trip had been truly rewarding. Yet, ever since leaving Changding City, Zhu Zhenzhen hadn’t spoken a word to him.

With a mere glance, he could see her playing and laughing with Lu Yin.

His grip tightened on the bamboo basket he carried, then tightened again. Finally, he stopped walking and tugged at Zhu Zhenzhen’s sleeve.

Zhu Zhenzhen turned back, her expression puzzled.

Song Heng lowered his voice, a barely perceptible hoarseness creeping into his tone

Are you resentful?

Resentful that I agreed to the Yan siblings’ request without consulting you? Resentful that I didn’t tell you about my martial arts? Resentful that I didn’t reveal my true identity?

Crimson flowers bloomed at their feet, their petals brushing against her white boots in the breeze, adding vibrant splashes of color to the pristine footwear.

Resentful? No, not at all.

Everyone has secrets they can’t voice—that’s perfectly normal.

What Zhu Zhenzhen couldn’t deny was that when she realized Song Heng had his own secrets, relief outweighed curiosity.

Song Heng had secrets, and so did she.

Her gaze lingered quietly on him, a soft light gradually gathering in her eyes.

You’re overthinking things, Song Heng.

Her red lips parted slightly, revealing a glimpse of her pearly white teeth. With a laugh, she tugged him off balance. Let’s go. We mustn’t waste this auspicious hour.

Her gently curled hair cascaded to her waist, and her eyes held a soft, smiling warmth he’d never noticed before. She extended her slender, pale hand, as if awaiting his response.

Song Heng was momentarily lost in thought. When he snapped back to reality, his hand had already reached out slowly.

The warmth of her palm left him momentarily dazed, but he knew he couldn’t let himself be swept away.

The day passed quickly, and the trio found themselves once again standing before the gates of Bian City.

Though less than two weeks had passed, seeing the majestic city gates looming before them felt like a lifetime ago.

Zhu Zhenzhen took a deep breath, clutched her token, and boldly strode through the gates once more.

By midday, the market was bustling with vendors’ calls, customers streamed in and out of teahouses and taverns, and the streets teemed with traffic.

Unlike the desolate Changding City, Bian City thrived with vibrant prosperity.

At the Sun and Moon Inn, Zhu Zhenzhen cornered a waiter carrying wine. Where’s Cheng Jiuxiao?

Her words were gentle, but a closer look revealed a clear undercurrent of interrogation in her expression.

The innkeeper rubbed the back of his head, his eyes darting nervously as he forced a smile. Young Master Cheng will be back tonight, tonight.

They genuinely hadn’t expected these guests to return so soon.

Zhu Zhenzhen didn’t take offense. She smoothed out the innkeeper’s collar, which she had just grabbed. No problem. Young Master Cheng is a busy man. We three are currently penniless and need a place to stay. What do you say?

Zhu Zhenzhen’s hand lingered on his neck, sending a palpable sense of threat through the innkeeper.

Of course, of course! he stammered. Besides, you have the Violet Token, don’t you? You’re all VIPs, VIPs!

The innkeeper winked at Zhu Zhenzhen, grinning as he continued, The finest rooms—how many will you need?

Three! Zhu Zhenzhen blurted out almost instinctively.

Song Heng’s fingers twitched slightly. One room per person would certainly make things easier, he thought.

The innkeeper quickly led them to their rooms.

The upper-class accommodations were undeniably luxurious, with bedding far superior to the lower-class rooms.

After bathing and changing, washing away their fatigue, it was time for dinner.

Zhu Zhenzhen and Lu Yin pored over the menu, ordering everything that looked good. By the time the dishes arrived, the table was piled high with food.

After all, it’s free.

As the meal drew to a close, a familiar figure slowly entered through the doorway.

Song Heng was the first to notice him.

Cheng Jiuxiao exchanged a few words with the waiter before turning and walking toward their table.

He wore the same robes he had worn during their last meeting, but his aura felt different this time.

Seeing him approach, Zhu Zhenzhen greeted him warmly, calling out, Brother Cheng, come sit down! She gestured for him to join them.

Cheng Jiuxiao paused briefly before continuing to sit down.

Zhu Zhenzhen leaned forward to pour him a cup of wine, the landscape-carved jade pendant at her waist swaying gently.

She deliberately softened her voice as she said, Brother Cheng, we’ve already given the jade flute to City Lord Yan. After a pause, she added, We handed it to him personally.

In the next moment, a pale hand extended toward him, palm open, fingers curling slightly.

Cheng Jiuxiao couldn’t help but smile wryly. He unfastened his money pouch from his waist, didn’t bother counting the silver, and simply handed it over.

Zhu Zhenzhen hefted the pouch lightly and immediately knew it contained more silver than she had expected.

She was somewhat satisfied, but there was still one matter to address.

Zhu Zhenzhen used the communal chopsticks to place a pork rib on Cheng Jiuxiao’s plate. Brother Cheng, have you forgotten something?

Cheng Jiuxiao ?

Zhu Zhenzhen withdrew her hand, covering her lips with her sleeve, but her eyes curved into a sly smile. Brother Cheng, have you forgotten that we still need to go to the Capital for work?

Cheng Jiuxiao remembered, but his first instinct was to glance at Song Heng.

That fleeting glance carried a weight of unspoken questions.

Song Heng frowned slightly, unable to decipher its meaning.

Cheng Jiuxiao shifted his gaze back to the woman across from him, whose eyes held a hint of anticipation. He felt a pang of helplessness.

He pressed a hand to his temple and asked, How much this time?

Zhu Zhenzhen had been waiting for this question. If she was being forced to work for him, she deserved some compensation.

But she wasn’t being unreasonable. Her gaze swept over the diverse crowd gathered from all corners of the land. The daily revenue of the Sun and Moon Inn must be considerable, wouldn’t you say?

Her words hinted at a substantial demand.

Cheng Jiuxiao braced himself, mentally tallying his resources as he waited for her next move.

Instead, she said, I don’t want money this time. But you must take us in for at least three years.

Cheng Jiuxiao immediately understood her plan. In three years, the martial arts tournament would be held.

Zhu Zhenzhen’s calculations were as clear as a ringing bell. Since the remaining forty taels wouldn’t sustain them for three years, they might as well secure a long-term meal ticket first.

Although the wanted posters had been removed upon their return, staying here remained the safest option, just in case.

Seeing Cheng Jiuxiao agree without hesitation, Zhu Zhenzhen raised an eyebrow and placed another piece of braised pork knuckle on his plate.

She immediately concluded that Cheng Jiuxiao was a straightforward man, and she’d made a good friend.

Cheng Jiuxiao glanced at the food on his plate, raised an eyebrow, and smiled faintly. A cup of wine had cost him forty taels, a rib had secured three years of lodging in a premium room—what would this pork knuckle cost him?

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Cheng Jiuxiao scanned the crowd before raising his cup to Zhu Zhenzhen’s and draining it in one gulp.