A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 198 I'd even be willing to get beaten up!
Song Shuyu felt relieved. "I did this voluntarily, and there's no need for anything in return... Oh no, there can be something in return. You, you think about it, what do I want most?"

His change of attitude was so swift, from nonchalant generosity to greedy desire, it only took him a moment!

Mu Qingcheng pondered for a moment and said, "I wonder if the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review have any bounties for capturing serious criminals recently. I work at the Jingzhao Prefecture during the day and can also do some extra work at night. Catching a few fugitives should earn me a good amount of money..."

"This isn't repaying me, it's clearly an attempt to infuriate me!"

Song Shuyu didn't want to hear a single word. He turned his head to the side, truly not wanting to look at her again! Because of his pout, he twisted his neck as much as possible, until the exposed half of his neck visibly showed blue veins. Mu Qingcheng was very worried, afraid that he would break his neck at any moment!
Mu Qingcheng was both amused and exasperated, and reminded him, "My lord, a broken neck is very painful. You can't lie down, you can't sleep well, and you can't even eat properly. You have to be careful!"

"Who told you to talk nonsense?" Song Shuyu was quite angry. He leaned closer to Mu Qingcheng and blatantly threatened her, "You can only spend my money and owe me a favor! Otherwise, I'll punish you!"

The two were so close that they could hear each other's breathing.

Mu Qingcheng subconsciously raised her hand and placed it on Song Shuyu's chest.

The man's star-like eyes drew her in like a magnet. A strange tension made her heart pound wildly. She saw her own helpless reflection in his pupils.

"M-Master..." Mu Qingcheng stammered, a rare occurrence for her, her fair face quickly flushing crimson. "You, are you going to kiss me again?"

Accustomed to being straightforward, Song Shuyu was caught off guard by Mu Qingcheng's preemptive strike and found himself embarrassed to say "yes." But he truly wanted it; from their first meeting, when she suddenly rushed out, hugged his leg, and looked at him with those gentle yet lively eyes, he had harbored ulterior motives.

Therefore, Song Shuyu wrote to his elder brother for advice.

My brother said he didn't know what it was like to like someone, but he was sure that he would feel annoyed just by looking at someone he didn't like, let alone get close to them.

So at that time, he made up his mind.

So later, he accidentally stumbled into the morgue and saw her disheveled. Under the pretext of protecting his reputation, he boldly proposed to her.

Song Shuyu was shrewd after all, and quickly came up with a solution. He grasped her fair wrist, pressed her hand against his face, and tempted her with his good looks, "Can I kiss you?"

His face was as hot as her heart, so hot that Mu Qingcheng curled her fingers and unconsciously stroked his soft face. She murmured with her red lips, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Can I say no?"

Song Shuyu looked at him with pleading eyes and a pitiful expression. "Well... that's possible, but I don't want any other reward, I just want this."

"If I kiss you, I'll get beaten up." Mu Qingcheng bit her lip lightly, her face turning even redder.

Song Shuyu, however, sensed an opportunity, and his dark eyes lit up instantly. "I'm willing."

Mu Qingcheng was cornered and had no way out. Just as she was wondering what to do, Song Li's voice suddenly came from outside the carriage: "Master, the Duke's mansion is just ahead. Shall we go back to the mansion tonight or back to the yamen?"

This little incident disrupted the ambiguous atmosphere in the carriage, but it saved Mu Qingcheng in time. She immediately pushed Song Shuyu away and sat up straight.

Song Shuyu was so angry that his head ached. He shoved open the car door and scolded, "Didn't I tell you before? Unless otherwise instructed, you're staying at the yamen! Are you brainless or just getting old and deaf?"

Song Li was stunned by the scolding, "Master, I just said it offhand..."

"What are you talking about? I think you're just too nosy and meddlesome! You never study properly and don't even understand the meaning of 'being pragmatic.' What use are you to me? You're docking your salary for half a year!"

"..."

Song Li's attempts to defend herself were all swallowed back under Song Shuyu's murderous gaze.

Withholding wages was a minor matter. Over the years of accompanying his master as he grew up, the family fortune his master had provided him was enough to feed him for two lifetimes. He just couldn't understand where he had gone wrong. So, for the rest of the return journey, the three of them were each preoccupied with their own thoughts.

After scolding Song Li, Song Shuyu wanted to continue, but Mu Qingcheng looked serious and wouldn't give him any more chances to get close, so he had to give up the idea in a huff.

Little did Mu Qingcheng know that she was torn between two conflicting emotions. Song Shuyu's actions were becoming increasingly audacious, but he was also doing more and more for her. She could no longer distinguish whether her feelings for him were out of gratitude or affection.

Finally, the carriage returned to Jingzhao Prefecture.

Mu Qingcheng didn't even bother with proper etiquette. After getting out of the car, she headed towards the side room without looking back.

Song Li originally wanted to ask her for advice to find out why he was scolded, but seeing that she ran faster than a rabbit, as if a wolf was chasing her, he didn't dare to speak.

On the way back to the main courtyard of the rear office, Song Li finally couldn't help but ask, "Master, where did I go wrong? Please tell me so that I can correct myself in time and not make the same mistake again."

"You... figure it out yourself!"

Song Shuyu couldn't bring himself to say it, and his pace suddenly quickened, showing a somewhat embarrassed feeling of fleeing in disarray.

Song Li remained silent.

After a moment of silence, a sudden thought struck him, and he realized that perhaps those two people were in the train carriage at that time...

No, no, he couldn't let his imagination run wild; he was afraid of getting a sty.

……

The side room.

After returning home, Mu Qingcheng immediately fetched water to wash her face, trying to cool down the inexplicable heat in her heart.

Before long, Lin Fu, the clerk, came to the door, carrying a box of fresh fruit. When he handed it to Mu Qingcheng, his face was flushed an unnatural red, perhaps because of the lanterns in the courtyard.

“When I passed by Sifang Street, there was an old lady who had some fruit left to sell. She was shivering in the cold weather, so I bought it all. I couldn’t finish it all by myself, and since I was going to discuss the case summary with you, I brought some for you. I’ve tried it; it’s sweet, sour, and crispy—quite delicious.”

"Thank you, Secretary Lin is very kind."

Mu Qingcheng took the fresh fruit with a smile on her face, "It's cold outside, would you like to come inside and sit down?"

Lin Shuban hesitated for a moment, "Is that alright?"

"Why not?" Mu Qingcheng said dismissively. "We're discussing official business; there's no need to be so formal."

Lin Shuban nodded, raising a gentle smile.

However, upon entering the room, Lin, the clerk, glanced around briefly, and his expression was replaced by surprise. "The layout of this side room..."

"It was purchased with my father's private savings," Mu Qingcheng said frankly without hiding anything.

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(End of this chapter)