Chapter 31: Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell

  Gao Liren's gaze kept sweeping back and forth between Qin Congwen and Li Dafu, hoping to find a clue from them. But what made him disappointed was that both of them had a thoughtful expression.

  "Sir, what do you mean by this? Are we, the Qin family, going to harbor that thief after all? My daughter was injured so badly that her life was almost in danger. A young girl's reputation has been tarnished because a thief broke into her boudoir. How can you say such things at this time?" Although Qin Zongwen understood the principle of not fighting with officials, the young man's words were too disrespectful to the Qin family. Such a dirty trick was thrown out, who could still bear it?

  "Sorry, sorry. Lord Qin, please don't mind. I absolutely didn't mean that. This thief not only stole the city guard's documents, but also hurt the young lady of the mansion this time. It's really unforgivable. Brother Qin also wants to catch the thief and avenge the young lady as soon as possible, right?"

  Qin Congwen hummed softly and didn't insist anymore. He then said to the people around him, "Go ask, who was it that went to invite the doctor last night? Tell him that this old master has a reward, let him come over!" A servant next to him quickly went off, and before long, he brought back a refined-looking young man in his early twenties.

  "Reporting to the master, it was I who invited Dr. Li yesterday." The young servant came to Qin Congwen's side, hastily bowed and replied, then lowered his head and stood aside.

  "Is it really you? Or have you come to bestow your favor upon me?" Qin Zongwen's tone was cold, devoid of any emotion.

  "I don't dare, I really don't dare. I am Qin Yong beside Da Gongzi, Master should know me."

  Qin Congwen took a closer look and indeed it was the familiar face he had seen every day. Qin Rong was originally Qin Zichen's study companion, and when he grew up, he became his personal attendant. Although there were many people in the mansion, Qin Congwen could still recognize the few who often showed their faces.

  "Sir, call the guard who was on duty at the gate to come and take a look, see if it's him. Also, please ask Doctor Li to take a look."

  Mr. Li went forward and took a look, and indeed it was the handsome young man he had hastily invited last night to dress his beard. Mr. Li hurriedly spoke up: "It's this young fellow, I recognize him. It would be better for the adults to come and identify him as well."

  Gao Liren had some of the guards who were stationed at the gate last night brought over and instructed them to carefully identify whether this Qin Rong was indeed the servant who had gone out to fetch a doctor the previous night.

  Several people took a look and said it was the real deal. At this point, Gao Liren's face became uncomfortable, and he hastily threw a punch at Qin Zongwen: "Please don't take offense, Brother Qin! I'm just doing my duty, can't be too careful!" Afterwards, he consoled him with a few more words, saying that he would personally come to apologize. Only then did he lead his team away with a loud whooshing sound.

  "Sorry, Mr. Li!" Qin Zongwen apologized repeatedly and hastily ordered his servants to send Mr. Li back. After a noisy night, he really didn't have the energy to say any more polite words.

  A young servant quickly walked up to Mr. Li and supported him, saying: "Mr. Li, I'll see you home. You've had a long night, let me support you, it's safer that way."

  Li Daifu thanked him for his kindness, and the two of them left the courtyard of Changxiao Garden, walking towards the gate of the Qin Mansion.

  Qin Zongwen ordered a few servants to stand guard outside the house, not leaving for a moment. If Miss wakes up, go and inform him immediately. He himself was going back to his study to rest properly for a while, after all, he was also over 40 years old, and it was really unbearable to come down like this all night.

  Li Daifu was safely sent back home, but the little servant who sent him home did not return to the mansion. He walked onto the street and saw that there was no one around, so he hid into an alley and disappeared from view...

  Before Qin Dai fell into a coma, the only thing she thought about was that this time it had gone a bit too far. The position of the knife in her chest was carefully calculated by her, neither fatal nor leaving any sequelae. However, lying in bed for a month might be unavoidable.

  Qin Dai's first thought after waking up was that she still didn't know the name of the man she had saved twice. If he were to turn his back on her and deny the 50% commission, wouldn't all her efforts be in vain?

  Looking at Ruyi and Chunli sleeping beside her, Qin Dai's heart immediately warmed up. Both times she fell into a coma, the two girls had been guarding her side. In the future, if they met a suitable family, let them take off their slave status and get married!

  Qin Dai Xin tried to move, and it was okay. This body had made great progress after training. If it were the former Qin Dai Xin, she might have lost her life from this one knife.

  "Miss, miss you're awake?" Ruyi was overjoyed, with tears welling up in her eyes.

  "Ru Yi, Chun Li, you both look thinner, it's been tough on you." Her voice sounded weak and hoarse, just like someone who had just recovered from a serious illness.

  "Not tired, not tired." Ruo Yi hastily shook her head, happily wiping away tears with her sleeve, and choked out: "Miss, you're awake."

  "Hmm, as I wish, who helped me pull out the knife?" This must be asked clearly.

  "It's Li Ye, the same one as last time. But don't worry, miss, I and Chunli were by her side all along, it was me who covered her chest and applied the medicine." As a woman, how could she not care about these intimate matters?

  It seems that Dr. Li's medical skills are indeed very high, and I will have to visit him sometime to thank him for saving my life!

  "Chun Li, what happened that day after I was stabbed? Tell me." Qin Dai thought that the person should have escaped smoothly, but she didn't know why she still felt a little uneasy and had to hear it with her own ears to feel at ease.

  "Miss, you scared us to death! You don't know how much blood you lost when we all rushed in. That thief's legs were fast and he escaped through the window. The city guards searched for him all night until dawn, but they didn't even see a shadow of the thief. Later, they thought that maybe the thief had disguised himself as one of our servants and took advantage of the opportunity to escape when Dr. Li was invited over. Who knew that the one who came was actually the young master's personal servant, Qin Yong? It wasn't until the official apologized to Master that the matter was dropped."

  Qin Dai Xin listened roughly and also figured it out in her heart. It seems that he is quite clever, as long as nothing happens, it's fine. She didn't expect that lying down like this would actually be for three days.

  "Chunli, go tell Auntie that I'm fine now, so she won't worry." It's likely that Madam Su has been worried and frightened for the past few days, and probably hasn't rested well.

  "Alas." Chunli secretly blamed herself for forgetting this matter. She should quickly tell Auntie about waking up the young lady, she would definitely be delighted. Thinking of this, her footsteps quickened, and in a short while, she ran to the courtyard of the Su family. As soon as she entered the house, Chunli was out of breath and gestured to Mrs. Su and the wet nurse: "Young lady...young lady."

  "Chunli, why aren't you staying with Miss and running around here?" asked the nanny in puzzlement.

  Chun Li panted heavily: "Miss is awake."

  Su Shi was stunned upon hearing this, and after a while, she reacted and rushed to Qin Dai's small courtyard without waiting for the wet nurse to support her. The wet nurse had no choice but to follow closely behind, although she was excited in her heart, but being older, she was much slower than Su Shi. Chunli grabbed a maid and instructed her to inform Master in the main courtyard, while she followed behind the wet nurse, hurrying back quickly.

  When Chunli entered the house, Qindai Xin had already spoken to Su Shi for a while. Although she was still very weak, her complexion looked good. Su Shi and the wet nurse had cried so much that they became tearful people, scolding the thief to death. Qindai Xin kept advising, this knife was stabbed by herself, don't let the retribution fall on herself in the end.

  The master and servant spoke for a while, when Qin Zongwen's voice came from outside the door. It wasn't until he sat down beside her bed, speaking softly to Qindai Xin, that she realized it wasn't just Su Shi who looked haggard. The elegant and refined scholar-merchant now had a tired look on his face, with an air of decadence about him. Qindai Xin's heart warmed at the sight, thinking that this father of hers didn't seem so bad after all. Although this was one of the rare conversations between the two, she could tell he was genuinely worried about her injury.

  Third Miss was indeed exhausted and had lost a lot of blood. She had just woken up and chatted with her parents for a while, which naturally made her tired. Madam Su saw that her daughter looked exhausted and considerately told her to rest well. Only then did she withdraw with Qin Zhongwen and the wet nurse.

  "This time it's really thanks to heaven. I'll accumulate good fortune for Third Miss by eating vegetarian food for half a year. And also go to the Universal Dharma Temple to recite scriptures. What do you think, Master?"

  Out of Qindai Xin's courtyard, Qin Zongwen went into the Sus' garden. Perhaps worried about his daughter's injury, he hadn't slept well these past few days. In order to calm his heart a bit, he had been sleeping alone in the study every night. Until today when he heard from the servant that his daughter woke up, his worries dissipated. Thinking of accompanying Su Shi to chat for a while, who knew she would say such a sentence.

  "Eating vegetarian is good, but now that you're pregnant, you also need to think about the one in your belly. You don't have to go to Pu Fa Temple anymore! Can't recite scriptures anywhere? At worst, you can invite a Bodhisattva or Arhat back home, just like what happened last time when we were coming back from Pu Fa Temple."

  "Master, I'm doing this to accumulate good fortune for Third Miss. How she's been since childhood, outsiders don't know, but you should know? Heart twice hung by a thread, Master doesn't feel heartache, but as her own mother, I do."

  "You..." Mr. Qin was scolded by Su Yilan, and he couldn't speak for a moment. But he knew her temper best, thinking of the hardships she had endured since marrying him, his heart softened, and he said helplessly: "Lan'er, just stay in the mansion at ease, don't go to that Pufa Temple. Xiner has just woken up, her body must still be weak! With you by her side, I can rest assured."

  Su saw Qin Congwen yield, and the anger in his belly also dissipated. Thinking again, what he said was indeed reasonable, and his daughter was not yet well-behaved! If she really went to Pufa Temple, he might not be at ease himself. After thinking about it, he nodded in agreement.

  Two men were talking in the house when they suddenly heard someone outside knocking on the door: "Master, the city guard has arrived. He's come with that young man from last night. The young master has already shown them to the main hall and is waiting for you."

  Seeking monthly tickets, seeking collection, seeking likes, seeking clicks, seeking comments, seeking rewards, seeking gifts, all kinds of seeking, whatever you want, just throw it over!