Late at night, Ji Mingshao lay in bed, unable to sleep. Did she discover his weakness and want to threaten him? Or was she simply teasing him? Despite his reason rejecting the thoughts, he felt involuntarily attracted.
Ji Mingshao turned over, trying to suppress the chaotic thoughts in his mind and sort out recent events.
Eight days ago, he received a message from Zhao Sihai, the master of Wuying Pavilion and his sworn brother, asking him to meet in Sishui. Upon entering Sishui City, he was ambushed and arrested by the authorities. He was tortured for three days at the county yamen. While he wasn’t a member of Wuying Pavilion, he was close to two of its pavilion masters. The authorities sought information about the organization, but he endured the interrogation in silence.
On the fourth day, the authorities unexpectedly charged him with theft, sentencing him to exile. He was escorted by four constables for three days before realizing they intended to kill him. He orchestrated a counterattack in the dense forest and temporarily escaped.
However, questions lingered: who leaked his whereabouts? Why did the interrogations cease suddenly? Who bribed the constables for his assassination? He regretted not leaving one constable alive for questioning but felt too weak at the time to take the risk.
Ji Mingshao turned again, feeling melancholic. Eight days had passed; news of his capture must have spread.
He had left markers during his escort, so Zhao Sihai and Yu Qiu would find him soon. But should he just leave like this?
Ji Mingshao unconsciously touched his chin, recalling Ruan Ning’s coquettish smile: “From now on, you’re mine…”
Meanwhile, Ruan Ning was inquiring with the system. “Jiaojiao, Ji Mingshao doesn’t seem ordinary. Does he have a secret? He was acting strange earlier.”
When she was at his bedside, he appeared ready to attack her. Although she wasn’t afraid, something felt off. If he wanted to attack because he didn’t want to marry her, he had plenty of opportunities and wouldn’t have defended her when Liu attacked. So why did he suddenly try to attack?
The system replied, “The sick patient indeed has secrets, but his identity is hidden information that the host must discover.”
