The Husband I Snatched Is Not Right!-Chapter 256 - 254: That’s It?

"I asked Wan Niang’s in-laws, and they said the couple went out seeking medical help. They didn’t reveal anything else. That Wei Family couple are ordinary folk, and they get scared at the sight of officials, so I fear frightening them."

They are unwilling to share, but He Xuran can investigate.

Yet the result is the same as the Yu Family fire, with no trace to be found.

He Xuran is worried.

Could it be that the same forces are blocking his investigation, deliberately burying the truth?

Is Yu Tingwan in danger?

Perhaps sensing his concerns, Gu Fuju’s cold eyes are downcast.

"No."

He is overly certain.

Though He Xuran is astonished, he trusts Gu Fuju and doesn’t question it.

He feels slightly relieved.

The thick stack of papers on the table has been read by him countless times, documenting the life experiences of Yu Tingwan.

Finally, He Xuran handed it over to Gu Fuju.

In the Yu Family, the girl was well taken care of. But after going to Xilin Village...

The countless grievances and endurance there cut He Xuran to the heart while reading.

This is a girl who should be cherished by the Gu Family.

He Xuran: "Does Sister know about Wan Niang..."

"Not at the moment."

Gu Fuju’s face turned somber as he flipped through page after page.

The more he read, the uglier his expression became.

Finally, he paused.

It was a portrait.

Drawn by He Xuran.

It was when he saw Yu Tingwan for the first time at the execution ground. He was restless upon returning and took up a brush.

He was already skilled in painting.

It looked exactly like the real person.

After finishing it, he felt ridiculous and wanted to burn it.

He shouldn’t keep a portrait of a girl just because she looks like her, as it’s not the proper thing to do.

Yet somehow, he kept it until now.

With a few strokes, the girl stood gracefully, soft as jade and gentle as flowers, yet her back was straight and her gaze determined.

Gu Fuju stared at it for a long time.

As if he could see the real person through the portrait.

She was very much like the young Jiasan.

————

Wuyang City.

The sky was gloomy, and firecrackers were set off in front of the Zhu household.

Drums and gongs resounded.

Many people had already gathered.

The lion dance was set to start early from the Zhu house, winding along the street stalls, stopping intermittently, and dancing all the way to the Goddess Temple.

The servants of the Zhu household hadn’t slept, they were bustling around.

The common folks exclaimed in amazement.

"Oh, these lanterns are beautiful. There’s one every few yards hanging all the way to the Childbirth Goddess Temple. I wonder how many are needed. Must have cost a lot of silver."

The Zhu family’s servants straightened their spines.

"This money is nothing to the Zhu Family."

"Our Young Master has had smooth sailing these years, all thanks to divine protection. He’s about to get married soon, and there’s great joy at the mansion. Old Master is happy and he announced this morning. Everyone will be getting wedding pastries to share the joy."

"Of course, of course."

"Once Young Master Zhu gets married and blesses the mansion with a few chubby sons, the prosperity of the Zhu Family will continue, and Old Master’s fortune is still ahead."

In contrast to the outside hubbub,

in a small, inconspicuous courtyard, the candle has already burned halfway down.

Yu Tingwan’s watery eyes were filled with springtime hues, breathing deeply, only to be pulled into another kiss once more.

This was a bit too much.

He didn’t mind the dirt.

But Yu Tingwan minded herself.

Wei Zhao didn’t rinse his mouth.

"Look outside."

Wei Zhao suddenly said.

Yu Tingwan was perplexed, her tear-marked eyes looking pitiful. Stretching out her delicate arms, she lifted the curtain.

He asked, "What did you see?"

Yu Tingwan: ...

He was asking, "Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Yu Tingwan glanced at Wei Zhao, knowing full well his intentions, and with a soft lingering voice, she said, "I don’t care."

Yu Tingwan: "Going to sleep."

She good-naturedly consulted him, "Is that okay?"

But would Wei Zhao let her off?

With patience, the man asked again, "What did you see?"

"Saw... saw..."

Yu Tingwan: "...it’s dawn."

When she was young, Father brought back a delicate glass bottle for Yaoyao after returning from a long trip.

She loved it and didn’t forget to show it off.

In Yaoyao’s room, there was also a beautiful pebble.

She had picked it up from outside.

The pebble was large, about as thick as an arm, and Yaoyao once whimsically tried to stuff it into the glass bottle.

But the neck of the glass bottle was narrow like a slit, and no matter how much force she used, how could she possibly fit it in?

The girl’s face turned pale with pain, tears as big as beans welled up in her eyes, dropping onto the pillow, soaking it in a dark wet stain.

But soon...

Their expressions both changed.

Wei Zhao’s face turned as dark as ink.

Yu Tingwan was astonished: "Is it over already?"

She didn’t want to admit that Wei Zhao was more about appearances than substance.

How long had it been?

Just... just...

What a shame.

However, such matters somewhat hurt one’s self-esteem, especially for someone like Wei Zhao, a privileged one.

Yu Tingwan didn’t care about the pain, she comforted and reassured him: "I don’t mind."

Wei Zhao couldn’t accept it.

"And I won’t tell anyone."

Wei Zhao didn’t want to speak.

"Don’t be upset, men can’t be perfect in every way. You can read, fight, have skills, and are steady...one must have some flaw, not all advantages can be monopolized."

Not a word of it was what Wei Zhao wished to hear.

"This way, it saves time too."

If smaller, it would be better!

Who else would be as considerate as Yu Tingwan!

Trying hard to find excuses for him.

"Don’t mind these external matters, perhaps...maybe you weren’t like this before, you used to be incredible. It’s just a subsequent injury impacting you physically."

Wei Zhao looked at her prattling on with indifference.

Yu Tingwan patted his shoulder: "If you’re bothered by it, have Doctor Ge take a look, at worst, we treat it. Don’t refuse treatment out of pride."

She said all she could.

Yu Tingwan felt like she hadn’t missed anything.

She was about to get up to drink water, but he pulled her back.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly.

Yet the begonia flowers were inherently fragile, unable to withstand destruction.

Terrified of wind and rain.

On the winding path, deep and bottomless, with its twists and turns, the delicate jade petals trembled, while the rain pounded relentlessly, mercilessly beating down upon the blossoms.

Leaving no shelter.

The heavy downpour was fierce and unceasing.

The begonia flowers, rushed to bloom early, blossomed all the more beautifully.

Indoors, the candle had burned out, leaving nothing behind.

Outside, the sound of children’s laughter reverberated through the streets as the temple fair’s festivities began.

The rhythmic beating of drums and gongs, mingled with joyous laughter, never ceased.

But within and without the courtyard were two entirely different worlds.

Yu Tingwan couldn’t imagine how ridiculous her previous suspicions were that Wei Zhao had fallen from the mountain and injured something crucial.

On this day, the liveliness belonged to the citizens of Wuyang City, not to her.

Indeed, she couldn’t attend the temple fair.

Because the girl hadn’t even gotten out of bed.

Not even hard labor had been this exhausting.

Indoors, the light was bright and cheerful.

The curtains were drawn aside.

A fair and smooth arm reached out, gripping the bed’s edge hard, leaving only a smear of sweat.

The girl’s flushed face emerged.

Her black hair dampened by sweat, her temples disheveled.

"Enough, enough."

She said through tears.

Yet the man’s strong arms followed out, pushing her back in.