Shi Nian returned to Huangfu Huazhang’s castle, the entire castle had quieted down, evidently everyone was resting.
Shi Nian tiptoed inside, only to see Huangfu Huazhang sitting in the living room on the first floor. By the light of a tea lamp on a corner table, a book lay open on his lap, halfway through.
Shi Nian stopped: "You haven’t slept yet?"
Huangfu Huazhang usually would never sit alone in the first-floor living room unless entertaining guests. The living room on the first floor was too spacious, too transparent; he preferred quiet, relatively enclosed spaces.
Huangfu Huazhang put down the book, stood up in the amber glow, walked through the ancient furniture, and ca straight to kiss her.
She stiffened, not avoiding.
He lifted his head, looked at her face in surprise, then kissed her again. Until Shi Nian gradually softened.
He then breathed against her forehead: "What’s wrong, my little girl?"
Shi Nian lowered her head, letting out a gentle sob: "Sothing happened. A disciple of my dad’s, whom I call Senior Brother, was supposed to help the police escort a suspect, but unexpectedly beca the scapegoat, accused of murdering a witness. Now he’s detained in M Country for quarantine investigation, not allowed to return ho. He only knows in M Country, but I don’t know how to help him."
Huangfu Huazhang glanced at the servants standing like shadows by the wall, who sensibly withdrew.
He sat down, taking Shi Nian on his lap, almost like indulging a child.
"Tell , what’s going on?"
Shi Nian explained the situation succinctly, her head bowed in sorrow: "In my view, the case isn’t complex, but the complication arises because the flight was international, requiring evidence collection between two countries. Like that stewardess, she can’t co to M Country to testify for Xiuqi."
Shi Nian raised her eyes to Huangfu Huazhang, tears barely contained in her eyes, along with uncontainable anger: "The critical thing is, the witness they were escorting was Yanwu Square’s Father! That bastard definitely had sothing to do with Nisha’s death. He hasn’t paid for Nisha’s life yet, how could he just die like this? I’m not content!"
Her grief in the amber light seed like pieces of shattered glass, crystalline and dazzling yet fragnted, heart-wrenching.
Huangfu Huazhang reached out to wipe her tears: "But he’s dead, which counts as a life for a life in Nisha’s case."
"That’s not the point!" Shi Nian stared at him tearfully: "I don’t want him to die so ambiguously, I want him to stand in the defendant’s seat in court, to clear up Nisha’s death, and then face the law’s judgnt. That scum, I want him to die in sha on the execution table, in front of everyone; I don’t want him to die quietly and silently like this. I’m not content, I can’t account for Nisha and her daughter!"
Huangfu Huazhang held her tightly, as if giving her strength with his arms. He gazed into her eyes: "Are you sure he’s dead?"
Shi Nian nodded vigorously, tears cascading down: "... That person is very clever, since he arranged the setup on the plane, he must have used enough drugs to ensure Father could not co back. That person always does things with precision, how could he possibly make a mistake, how could he fail!"
Her eyes were misty with tears, her body trembling slightly with anger: "Four years ago... My Senior Brother also assisted my dad in solving cases. This ti, that person not only used my Senior Brother’s hand to kill Father, such an important witness, but also used Father’s death to drag my Senior Brother down with him. What exactly does that person want, does he want to destroy everyone involved from four years ago, so I can never find the truth, is that it?"
Huangfu Huazhang narrowed his eyes, the blue pupils deep and tinged with the night: "But from your account, it seems your Senior Brother boarded the plane unexpectedly. So maybe that person’s intention wasn’t to directly harm your Senior Brother."
Shi Nian laughed through her tears, coldly: "That’s right, my Senior Brother boarded the plane temporarily. But even if my Senior Brother hadn’t boarded the plane, that person could still use Father’s death to fra Mr. Jia. Mr. Jia is also a good detective; if he died, this case would also be affected."
"There were only three people on the plane, yet that person killed three birds with one stone, making them all his prey."
Huangfu Huazhang reached out to cover Shi Nian’s eyes, helping her close them. He rested her head on his shoulder, gently soothing her: "I understand... but this isn’t sothing that can be solved imdiately now, you need to get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll work out a solution together tomorrow."
Yet Shi Nian continued crying in his palm: "Sir, I can’t sleep."
"No, you can sleep." He held her, gently patting her back, like comforting a child.
Curiously enough, his body warmth along with his calm and gentle words washed over her like warm spring water, enveloping her and relaxing her.
As her mind relaxed, her eyelids began to droop, she unwillingly yawned, resisting slightly: "... I don’t want to sleep, I can’t sleep."
He then lowered his lips to kiss her, prying open her teeth, entwining with her patiently and endlessly.
Shi Nian only felt her body heavy with suffocation, wanting to dodge but unable. He used his lips and tongue to kindle a strange fire within her, sending a shiver down her soul.
She shook her head, murmuring in resistance: "... I want to sleep now. Sir, don’t disturb ."
With those words, she fell into slumber, obediently leaning against him, sleeping soundly. He raised an eyebrow and sighed, sowhat unwilling but having to move his lips and tongue away.
Looking down at her soft and lovely sleeping face, he couldn’t resist dropping his lips on her again.
It was just a fleeting touch, yet it caused his heart to tremble imnsely.
.
She woke in the dim light around dawn.
The first thing that caught her eye was the luxurious yet rustic four-poster bed.
Shi Nian sat up in shock.
This bed was in Huangfu Huazhang’s bedroom!
She hastily looked down to check herself—thankfully, she was still dressed, though her coat was removed.
She panted in surprise and looked around blankly, but there was no trace of Huangfu Huazhang. He hadn’t shared the bed with her, nor was he in this room.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the floor barefoot and walked to the window.
Her coat and briefcase were on the sofa. She fished out her phone and stood by the window, facing the bluish-green morning light outside.
Closing her eyes, she pondered for a mont, but still pressed the number to call.
At this hour, she didn’t expect the call to be answered. Yet, the phone rang only twice before it was quickly picked up.
Xiang Yuan’s voice was slightly weary but decidedly firm: "Shi Nian, speak."
Shi Nian frowned, feeling a bit guilty, her finger quickly gliding to the hang-up button. If he asked tomorrow, she would say she accidentally dialed the number while her phone was under the pillow tonight.
But faster than her fingertips, Xiang Yuan nearly shouted fiercely: "If you dare hang up, I’ll co find you right now. Don’t think I don’t know where you are, you’re in Huangfu Huazhang’s castle!"
Shi Nian closed her eyes and had to relent, taking a deep breath: "A Yuan, I need a lawyer."
Xiang Yuan didn’t even think: "I’ll co to you."
Shi Nian frowned: "But..."
Forgive her, at this mont she still felt a bit of reluctance.
"No buts." Xiang Yuan quickly replied: "I’ll see you at your company tomorrow morning."
.
Putting down the phone, Shi Nian couldn’t fall asleep again.
Staring at the now silent phone, she looked out the window.
In truth, she wanted to call soone else the most, but being in this castle, she couldn’t do so.
Although it was still early and the day had just broken, she couldn’t fall asleep. So she wrapped herself in her coat, opened the door, and walked back to her room along the dim and narrow corridors of the castle.
Opening the door, she was stunned.
There was soone on her bed; it turned out to be Huangfu Huazhang.
The tall, elegant man lay quietly under the covers, as if he was having a long, calm dream. The corners of his lips even curved up slowly, as if he was smiling in the dream.
Shi Nian stared at him, completely unexpected.
In a castle with so many rooms, she hadn’t thought that he would give his bedroom to her and co to her room himself.
In truth...this isn’t even her room, just a temporary guest room for her here. The room still belongs to him, yet he chose to sleep here, which carries special aning.
She hesitated whether to turn and leave so as not to disturb his dream, but in the mont she turned, her fingers were caught by him.
"...Don’t go."
Shi Nian took a deep breath, eting his now silently open eyes. Even though just awakened from a dream, his eyes were clear and calm, without a hint of dreamlike confusion.
She smiled awkwardly: "I didn’t want to disturb your beautiful dream, sir."
He smiled: "You are my beautiful dream. Just now, I was standing at the wedding altar, watching you walking towards through the floral shadows."
Shi Nian bit her lip: "Even if it was a dream about , my real presence interrupted your dream."
"Who said that?" he gently smiled: "Look, you’ve now co to my side, letting hold your hand. My dearest girl, your arrival makes my dream a reality; otherwise, no matter how beautiful, it’s just a dream."
He sat up, interlocking his fingers with hers: "To , the most beautiful dream in this life is simply you being truly and vividly by my side, never disappearing."
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