Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 346 Familiar Footsteps
However, he did not hear any unusual noise.

He made a slight movement and walked towards the house on the left.

Jiang Liuyun breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

Fortunately, the secret room was made of special materials, so no matter what sounds Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang made inside, it was difficult for people outside to hear them.

Jiang Liuyun picked up the pace and followed Lu Huai's steps.

After entering the laundry room on the left, Lu Huai carefully looked around but found nothing wrong.

After emerging from the laundry room on the left, he stopped in the middle of the courtyard, his gaze constantly shifting between the laundry rooms on both sides.

Jiang Liuyun narrowed his eyes. Although he was afraid that Lu Huai would go to the laundry room on the right to check, he could not show any expression.

Having dealt with Lu Huai and Lin Zhiqing so many times, he knew that Lu Huai was a very meticulous person. Giving too much feedback through actions or expressions would only arouse suspicion.

Lu Huai was unaware of Jiang Liuyun's inner thoughts. After observing him carefully, he walked towards the laundry room on the right.

Upon entering, a strong smell of soapberry wafted towards me.

However, the smell is rather faint, and you can't smell it outside.

Afterwards, Lu Huai also saw many clothes hanging in the house to dry.

That's normal. It's been raining a lot in Shengjing lately, and if clothes are left out to dry, they risk getting wet.

His gaze shifted from the clothes, and he walked step by step toward the innermost part of the room.

Jiang Liuyun looked at the hollow wall on the inside, and his heart tightened slightly.

Lu Huai's steps were slow, and there was a strange sense of rhythm to them.

In contrast, Jiang Liuyun's steps were much more casual.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Hearing the sound from inside, Lin Zhiqing quickly turned around and looked in the direction of the hollow wall.

She recognized Lu Huai's footsteps!

And judging from the direction of the sound, Lu Huai was walking towards the hollow wall.

Lin Zhiqing immediately pulled Lin Yangyang, who was still calling for help outside, and turned her towards the hollow wall:

"Cousin, the people who were outside have already come in."

“I suspect that this secret room must have been made of some kind of special material. We can hear the faint sounds outside, but the people outside can’t hear us.”

"Moreover, that wall we just saw was a solid wall, which has a better sound insulation effect. Let's go and see the hollow wall, which has a slightly worse sound insulation."

"Hmm." Upon hearing this, Lin Yangyang walked towards the hollow wall without hesitation. She pressed her ear against the wall and indeed heard footsteps.

An excited expression flashed across her face, and she immediately started banging on the wall, trying to see if the people outside could hear her.

After tapping it several times, there was no particular effect.

Lin Zhiqing shook his head slightly, his expression somewhat grave:
“Those outside shouldn’t be able to hear it.”

Lin Yangyang refused to give up: "I'll try shouting a few more times. If that doesn't work, how about we just break through the wall?"

Lin Zhiqing quickly thought it through in his mind. If the person outside was the same Lu Huai from before, then breaking through the wall would be a feasible solution.

But if it's Lu Huai now, what would be his purpose in coming to the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence? Can he be trusted?

These mixed-up thoughts left Lin Zhiqing's mind somewhat confused.

She rarely has moments when she can't make up her mind.

Lin Yangyang was getting anxious: "Qing-meimei, what are you hesitating about? If you don't make a decision soon, it will be too late." Lu Huai, oh Lu Huai, Lin Zhiqing closed her eyes, and the image of Lu Huai's first appearance at the Lin family flashed through her mind.

At that time, Lin Zhiqing regarded him as a temporary savior, but now it seems that this is not the time to reminisce about those things.

As reason gradually returned, Lin Zhiqing tried to think about the problem from a rational perspective.

If Lu Huai knew they were at the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence, or saw them leaving the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence, would he take any actions against them?

The answer is no!

He had no right to do that. Even though he had concealed many things from his past, Lin Zhiqing had never doubted his character and morality.

Thinking of this, Lin Zhiqing took a deep breath:

"Cousin, breaking through the wall is feasible!"

Upon hearing these words, Lin Yangyang seemed to receive some kind of command. She clenched her fist, focused her energy in her dantian, and punched the hollow wall without hesitation.

"boom!"

A faint sound rang out, and Jiang Liuyun's eyes narrowed as he looked away.

He reacted quickly, flicked his wrist, and a needle shot out, instantly hitting the bamboo rack where clothes were displayed closest to him.

The bamboo frame was impacted and quickly fell to the ground, the sound of which instantly drowned out the previous noise.

Lu Huai frowned, looked at the bamboo frame, and then at Jiang Liuyun.

Jiang Liuyun remained calm and called out to the outside:
"Guards! This bamboo frame has been in disrepair for years and it has broken down at this time. We mustn't let Lord Lu see our Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion as a laughing stock."

Servants quickly arrived and carried the fallen bamboo frame out.

Lu Huai's gaze did not linger on the bamboo frame for long; he walked back towards the hollow wall.

Jiang Liuyun's heart tightened, and he quickly followed.

Lu Huai reached out and touched the hollow wall, then spoke seemingly casually:
"Your mansion's walls are indeed well-built."

Jiang Liuyun's heart skipped a beat. He had no idea why Lu Huai would suddenly ask such a question out of the blue, so he could only bite the bullet and answer:

"What's wrong? Is the wall in Lord Lu's residence in bad shape? Shall I send a few craftsmen over to help you repair it?"

"No need for that, the Lu family's walls are very strong." After saying this, Lu Huai turned and walked outside, no longer paying attention to the walls.

Hearing this, Jiang Liuyun breathed a sigh of relief.

But Lin Yangyang, who was inside, was getting anxious. She looked at Lin Zhiqing and said, "Sister Qing, the person outside is Lu Huai!"

"But he doesn't seem to have found any trace of us. Is he about to leave?"

Lin Zhiqing nodded; she had also heard what Lu Huai had said earlier.

The two are in the same space, but their circumstances are completely different.

Seeing Lin Zhiqing's calm demeanor, Lin Yangyang became even more anxious.

The fact that the hollow wall hadn't broken down was already beyond her expectations.

The situation was out of control. She bit her lip and pushed Lin Zhiqing aside.
"Qing-meimei, step aside, let me try again. Maybe this time I can get Lu Huai to notice the unusual activity here!"

Lin Zhiqing grabbed her wrist: "Cousin, don't try it again."

"This is indeed a secret chamber of the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence. Both the Zhenyuan Marquis and Jiang Liuyun were martial artists, so when this place was built, they probably considered the possibility that martial arts masters might emerge from their cocoons."

"If they were prepared in advance, no matter how many times you try, it will be useless. You should save your energy for now."

"Besides..." she paused here:
"How do you know whether Lu Huai didn't hear it, or whether he heard it but pretended not to?"