Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 191 Childhood Memories
Looking at Su Changying's appearance, Zhou Zhao's sullen and frustrated mood instantly vanished.

Twice in a row, just when they were about to find clues and make some progress, the person died.

Seeing that Zhou Zhao looked much more relaxed, Su Changying ignored the burning pain on her face and smiled slightly, "You were very impressive when you played Cuju (ancient Chinese football)."

Zhou Zhao was taken aback, but recalling her invincible figure on the Cuju field, she immediately perked up again. She waved her hand and said, "This is nothing. The fun we had playing together back then was real! I could always see you by my side when I was playing football!"

No matter how difficult the situation, she would always find Su Changying at the most comfortable angle for her to kick.

She didn't even need to turn her head to look; she knew he would be there.

Recalling his childhood memories, Zhou Zhao became even more spirited. "Haha, actually I wasn't the best. The best was Ah Huang. None of those balls could withstand three kicks from him. Once, he kicked one ball straight through the hole!"

When others tried to stop him, Ah Huang would dart away like a frightened rabbit at the sight of people! I remember one time he was blocked from all sides and had no way out, so he resorted to a bull-like charge, and guess what happened?

Su Changying had witnessed Liu Huang's incredible strength in lifting the cauldron. Imagining that scene, he couldn't help but twitch his lips. "The person just flew out?"

Zhou Zhao nodded emphatically, "That's right, Ah Huang broke through the encirclement wearing a straw hat and passed the ball directly to you. You kicked a high ball, and the ball flew in front of me. I jumped up and did a bicycle kick, and the ball flew directly towards the hole!"

Little did anyone know, by sheer coincidence, the person Ah Huang kicked away crashed directly into the hole and couldn't be pulled out..."

Su Changying thought about it and couldn't help but chuckle, "This isn't your fault!"

Zhou Zhao's eyes lit up instantly. "Right? That's what you said to my father back then, but he wouldn't listen. He dragged me to his door to apologize, and guess what crime he accused me of?"

Before Su Changying could answer, Zhou Zhao burst into laughter, "Bullying the weak! You didn't see the look on that family's face! This isn't an apology, it's a slap in the face!"

Su Changying couldn't imagine the family's expression, but he could picture Zhou Zhao with his chin held high, looking like he was asking for a beating.

Zhou Zhao laughed and then cleared his throat at Su Changying, saying somewhat embarrassedly, "Back then, we were always causing trouble everywhere, so you see, even after you returned to Chang'an, none of your friends came to visit you."

We fought those who deserved it, and we fought those who shouldn't have.

Looking around, Chang'an City was filled with "Han Ze".

Su Changying chuckled. He looked at the fluttering headband on Zhou Zhao's head and finally understood why he had written the eight characters "Heavenly justice is clear and all taboos are eliminated" for Zhou Zhao back then.

"Zhou Zhao, there's no need to rush the spies. As long as we keep an eye on them, they'll eventually slip up. I'll send Xu Yuan over."

Zhou Zhao thought for a moment, "Have Xu Yuan keep an eye on He Tingshi, and Tian Quan keep an eye on Jing Yi. I can keep an eye on Li Youdao from the Left Courtyard, and it's even easier for you to keep an eye on Han Ze while he's on duty in the Northern Army. Li Youdao..."

Zhou Zhao thought of Li Youdao's drunken old face and couldn't help but purse his lips.

Li Youdao was her master after she entered the Court of Justice. Although the old man did not teach her how to solve cases, just giving her opportunities was enough to earn him the title of "god".

She didn't want to suspect Li Youdao, but all four people who had been in contact with Dai Changming today were suspects.

When Zhou Zhao saw Su Changying staring at her hair, she remembered that she was still wearing the white robe she wore when she played Cuju (ancient Chinese football), and there was a red rope tied around her forehead. She took off the red rope, rolled it up, and put it into her sleeve pocket.

"The Court of Justice and the Imperial Household Department will probably not compete in Cuju (ancient Chinese football) anymore." The question is, whenever someone sees a ball, they think of a corpse hidden inside; even when they look up at the moon, they feel that there is a face hidden inside that round object.

Su Changying sensed the regret in Zhou Zhao's tone and couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile.

He thought for a moment and said, "Lord Lu said he wants me to take you back with me when I have time."

Zhou Zhao's eyes flickered. "There's no time like the present. It's a rare day off, so why not go? Speaking of which, I'm quite familiar with the Lu Marquis's residence."

As they talked, the two walked towards the Court of Justice. After Zhou Zhao changed into his everyday clothes, they went side by side to the Marquis of Lu's residence.

Do you know why we got engaged?

As Zhou Zhao spoke, he looked at Su Changying, "The bright sun and moon shine upon Changying. On New Year's Day, we commemorate the straight path..."

As expected, Su Changying did not have any special reaction.

Zhou Zhao was not disappointed. She knew that the Su Changying who wrote "Letter to My Deceased Wife" was the Su Changying after her death, not the person in front of her.

“Our two mothers used to be best friends. My mother was soft-hearted and indecisive, and she was often deceived before she got married. Every time she was deceived, she cried every time, and she never learned her lesson. Your mother was a brave and valiant woman from a military family. She couldn’t stand seeing my mother being such a soft-hearted, tearful girl, so she became her pillar of support.”

Even my father was chosen by your mother. She said that since my mother married into the Court of Judicial Review, who would dare to lie to her?

Su Changying listened intently, without blinking, as if blinking would cause him to miss what Zhou Zhao was saying about his mother.

“I was born on New Year’s Day. The two of them had arranged to go to the nearby City God Temple to offer incense, but my mother went into labor early on the way… Speaking of which, the first time we met was on the straight road, and you held me before my father did!”

Su Changying's ears turned slightly red when she heard Zhou Zhao's last sentence.

What did Zhou Zhao look like when she was first born? Was she fair-skinned, tender, fragrant, and soft...?

Just as he was thinking this, Zhou Zhao said, "Haha, don't get the wrong idea, because I was born before I was a month old. My mother said I was red back then, like a monkey. Except my hair was exceptionally thick, making me look like I was about to burst into flames."

We looked at each other and burst into tears! You were crying because I was ugly, and I was crying because I was hungry…

Su Changying froze, looking at Zhou Zhao suspiciously, only to see Zhou Zhao burst into laughter.

"Why is Lord Zhou lying to people?"

Zhou Zhao blinked. "How did I lie to you?"

She did lie to Su Changying. She was about to be born, and her mother was going to burn incense and pray for her. This was because Su Changying's mother's old illness had relapsed and she was already in poor health.

He cried because his mother said, "Changying, your mother is relieved now. Even if your mother is gone, you will not be alone in the future."

Zhou Zhao will always be with you, so you must protect her.