How could there be such a woman!
Zhu Zan glared.
Miss Jun tilted her head back and laughed heartily, brushing past his shoulder and wobbling forward casually.
"Hey."
Behind her, Zhu Zan's embarrassed and angry voice called out.
Miss Jun kept her hands behind her back, walking forward with a smirk, ignoring him.
Zhu Zan quickly caught up in a few strides.
"Hey," he called again.
"Who are you calling?" Miss Jun replied indifferently.
"Miss Jun," Zhu Zan said, "Enough is enough, alright?"
Miss Jun.
Miss Jun suddenly realized that he seemed to never call her by her actual name, the name Jiuling.
He—why...
She abruptly turned her head to look at Zhu Zan.
Zhu Zan also quickly stepped backward.
"Ha." His expression was tense and defensive, "What are you trying to do? Your eyes look like you want to eat me."
Miss Jun couldn't help but burst out laughing, pressing her eyelids lightly with her fingers.
"Are my thoughts that obvious?" she asked.
"Your thoughts have always been obvious," Zhu Zan replied.
Miss Jun scratched her nose, her gaze circling around him.
"See that, see?" Zhu Zan immediately pointed at her, retreating another step, "It's like there's someone other than you watching me."
Miss Jun's expression froze.
Indeed, beneath this facade, someone else was watching him.
He saw it?
Or maybe, ever since the day Zhu Zan left that flower at her grave, she had always been watching him with Chu Jiuling's eyes, never trying to hide it deliberately.
"Hey, hey, why are you laughing? What's with that strange laugh again?"
Zhu Zan's voice rang out again beside her.
The corners of Miss Jun's mouth softened into a broader smile, and she tilted her head back and laughed openly.
Her laughter carried a slight raspiness, tinged with a hint of bitterness.
"Alright." She suddenly cut off her laughter, reaching out to pat Zhu Zan.
Zhu Zan had already anticipated this and jumped away.
"Zhu Zan, rest assured." Miss Jun smiled and said, "I have no ulterior motives for your family."
Zhu Zan also stopped with the exaggerated defensive stance, straightening up and calmly watching her.
"Giving up the Qingshan Army to secure their future," he said. "Miss Jun, you're so magnanimous—who among those whose futures you've secured wouldn't sacrifice for you?"
Miss Jun chuckled softly.
"This isn't something I've calculated—it's fairness. Someone once summed up fairness in a single sentence," she said. "They said, 'Power is mutual.'"
What kind of person says something like that? Just hearing it sounds like they're not very proper.
Zhu Zan sneered.
"These people have contributed so greatly, they're so capable, and plus, they're people you entrusted. My father will definitely regard them as confidants—he'll give them the best positions, the best treatment, and he'll make sure they become even stronger," he continued.
Miss Jun still wore a faint smile.
"Power being mutual—that's not a bad thing for your father," she said.
Zhu Zan stared at her.
"What do you actually want?" he asked.
"I don't want anything. I just want to do something, that's all," Miss Jun said with a smile. "And what I'm doing isn't a bad thing for you all."
Zhu Zan wanted to say more, but Miss Jun cut him off first.
"Zhu Zan, whatever you've figured out, your father can also figure out," she said. "If your father isn't afraid, what are you afraid of?"
Zhu Zan smiled faintly, taking a few steps forward to stand closer to her.
When he was calm—neither sad, angry, nor happy—he carried both Madam Yu's dignified seriousness and the Duke of Chengguo's gentle composure. This dignified seriousness made him appear imposing, while the gentleness added an air of mystery.
"Miss Jun, we've crossed paths a few times now—you know me, and I know you. I've never been afraid of anyone trying to plot against me," he said. "Each gets what they need; fairness and justice."
"Then what are you worried about?" Miss Jun said with a smile.
Zhu Zan gazed quietly at her.
"You're very strange," he said. "You're strange towards me—and towards my whole family."
Miss Jun smiled, nodding at him.
"Yes, I am different towards your family," she said.
"Why?" Zhu Zan asked.
Miss Jun thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"I can't say," she said with a slightly self-deprecating smile, letting out a breath. "In short, I just want to do what I can do—and what happens to benefit you all. Don't worry, Zhu Zan."
She turned and began walking away.
"Hey." Zhu Zan called from behind, shouting "Hey, hey," several times.
Miss Jun could only stop walking.
"I have a name," she said.
"Miss Jun," Zhu Zan said. "Power indeed is mutual—but be careful, too much power may hurt you. My father may seem grand and glorious, but within that glory lies danger. Getting entangled with our family isn't necessarily a good thing."
When his words landed, the young woman suddenly turned around, her expression solemn.
"Zhu Zan," she said seriously.
What did she want to say?
The reason?
Zhu Zan's expression also became serious as he looked at her.
But then, the young lady's brows and eyes curved into a smile.
"Are you worried about me? Is that why you don't want me to get involved with your family?" she asked with a wink.
Zhu Zan's face stiffened, then quickly turned livid with anger. Meanwhile, Miss Jun burst into hearty laughter and turned away.
This unorthodox… woman.
She had teased him again.
"Just look at how proud you are!" he shouted. "Saying such things—aren't you afraid of biting your tongue?"
Miss Jun laughed heartily without turning back, her hands behind her back as she walked away, swaying casually.
"Don't let me see you again!"
Zhu Zan flung out this angry remark behind her and strode away.
But unfortunately, not long after throwing those words out, he found himself picking them back up.
Zhu Zan stood in the courtyard, startling Zhao Hanqing, who was just stepping out of the house.
"Why are you here?" she asked, startled.
Zhu Zan was equally startled when he saw her.
"You..." he said in shock, staring at Zhao Hanqing's face.
Zhao Hanqing had grown accustomed to not covering her face in the courtyard. Due to frequent use of medicine recently, her face felt uncomfortable.
She didn't seem uneasy at his surprise.
And Zhu Zan quickly regained his composure.
"Why wouldn't I be here? I'm the Lord Heir," he said matter-of-factly.
"Hanqing, it's time to take your medicine," Miss Jun's voice called out from inside.
Zhao Hanqing responded with an "Oh" and ignored Zhu Zan, stepping into the house.
Only then did Miss Jun come out of the house.
"Driven out by your mother?" she teased with a grin.
Since he had agreed to maintain the pretense as her fiancé, Madam Yu must have insisted Zhu Zan come here often, showing affection.
"Don't rely on my mother owing you..." Zhu Zan began dourly.
Miss Jun immediately interrupted him.
"Zhu Zan," she said gently. "Actually, you shouldn't focus on what your parents owe me. Have you forgotten? You owe me too."
Zhu Zan's face stiffened.
Indeed—he seemed to owe her something...
"Madam Yu and the Duke have already settled their debt with me—we're square," Miss Jun continued with a calm and serious tone, "So, when do you plan to repay me? Will you repay it, or not? If not, then how do you intend to compensate for it?"
Zhu Zan raised his hand to stop her.
"It's just a stalk of grass, isn't it?" he said, "I'll go find it for you right now."
With that, he turned and strode away.
Miss Jun exhaled lightly, turned back, and adjusted her sleeve.
"Alright, that's settled—now I can work in peace," she said, "Hanqing, prepare the ink and brushes."
From inside, Zhao Hanqing responded, and the sound of gently grinding ink echoed.
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Sorry, I went out for the weekend, only one update today. This was a rare weekend—go play and enjoy yourselves!
Thanks to Nan Fang's Bing Yi and Yi Cun Chen Xiang for gifting He's Bi (*^__^*) hehe…
Thanks everyone.