Cheng Chi smiled bitterly.
To actually clamor like this at such a moment, in such circumstances.
Cheng Chi took several deep breaths before his body slowly calmed down. But his heart felt as if a piece had been gouged out—hollow and empty, making him feel urgency.
“Then it’s settled!” He stood up, walking outward while saying, “We’ll meet in the capital. Same old place, same old time. Be careful, don’t let anyone catch any weaknesses. Don’t treat the capital’s constables like those constables from poor remote areas!”
Huating and that honest-looking man cupped their hands, respectfully seeing Cheng Chi out.
Cheng Chi also didn’t hesitate to lift the curtain and prepare to leave.
“Wait, wait.” Xiao Zhenhai simply couldn’t believe his eyes. He had just said he would do something big with Cheng Zichuan, and Cheng Zichuan turned around and abandoned him here. He grew anxious, saying, “What about me? You have to arrange a task for me!”
But Cheng Chi didn’t stop his steps at all, continuing forward as he said, “Didn’t I already arrange for you to help Huating collect information from the jianghu?”
“What?!” Xiao Zhenhai said blankly, “Isn’t that what you had me doing before?”
“Yes!” Cheng Chi lifted the curtain and said, “Just keep doing it!” With that, he left the guest room.
Xiao Zhenhai stood stunned for a good while before snapping back and chasing after him.
“Cheng Zichuan, Cheng Zichuan.” It was still curfew outside, so he didn’t dare shout loudly. He darted out of the guest room in a flash, saying, “You can’t fool me like this! Every day now I’m just helping you supervise those people to hand over those trivial things they hear and see to Huating…”
Outside, heavy snow had started falling without anyone noticing.
In the sky full of snowflakes, Cheng Chi’s figure had already vanished without a trace.
Xiao Zhenhai couldn’t help but stamp his feet.
Cheng Chi knew of a place where he could evade the city guards and enter the city, but he wanted to save that route for a critical moment.
He stood by the window of the courier station’s guest room, watching the heavy snow slowly turn the ground white, watching the night watchman pass by the courier station, watching sounds arise in the courtyard as people feeding horses, sweeping snow, and lighting fires to cook gradually increased… He instructed Huai Shan, “We’re entering the city!”
Huai Shan had also not slept all night.
He was dozing on the side. Hearing this, he immediately stood up, responding with “Yes,” all sleepiness already gone from his eyes.
Cheng Chi smiled slightly. Without eating breakfast, he rode his horse straight toward Chaoyangmen.
Returning home, the sky was just beginning to show a faint light on the horizon.
The main gate of the Cheng family residence at Chaoyangmen was tightly closed. The entire courtyard was quiet, still immersed in the night.
Cheng Chi tiptoed back to the inner chamber.
Chun Wan, who was on duty, slept on the large kang in the reception room, sleeping soundly.
The mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquered bed curtains hung deep. Zhou Shaojin’s brow was slightly furrowed as she curled up in the bright red quilt, sleeping very restlessly.
Her head full of black hair was scattered across the pillow.
He bent down, gathering those strands of hair behind her head bit by bit.
As if even in her dreams Zhou Shaojin could sense someone in the room, she restlessly burrowed deeper into the bedding.
Only then did Cheng Chi notice she was holding something in her arms.
He hesitated for a moment, then gently lifted the corner of the quilt.
Zhou Shaojin was holding the pillow he slept on when at home.
Tightly, held in her arms, as if it were a treasure.
Cheng Chi suddenly felt that braving that sky full of heavy snow to rush back was such a wonderful thing.
He softly called Zhou Shaojin’s given name and kissed her forehead.