Dream of the Red Chamber: I can see the hidden labels of the beauties.

Hearing Jia Can's concern, Qin Keqing felt a warmth in her heart, but outwardly she shook her head slightly, gazing at him and whispering:

"You don't need to worry about me. That old beast still has some reservations and doesn't dare to really use force. He's just forcing me repeatedly."

"Just now, he came to me again and asked me to submit to him. Of course, I refused. Although he was extremely angry, he had no choice but to say a few harsh words and leave in a huff."

In the end, he sighed softly, a sigh tinged with helplessness, yet also with a hint of relief.

After listening, Jia Can gently comforted him:

"Qing, fortunately, this beast still has some restraint and doesn't dare to make things too big. Don't worry, as long as I can get the news out, this beast's death is not far off."

"Besides, it's not like no one can suppress this beast. My cheap old man is alive now, but he's practically useless. He spends his days in the Taoist temple outside the city, pretending to be a Taoist priest, and doesn't care about anything in the manor."

"If all else fails, we can only complain to him and tell him what Jia Zhen has done. After all, he is Jia Zhen's father, and no matter how outrageous his actions are, he will not sit idly by and do nothing about such a disgraceful thing."

"At least this beast will behave for a while, buying us some time."

Hearing that he had thought things through so thoroughly, Qin Keqing felt much of her unease dissipate and was completely at ease.

She gazed at him tenderly, her eyes filled with affection and trust, and softly replied:

"Yes, I believe you. I'll wait for your good news."

These words were filled with deep affection, as if she regarded Jia Can as the only person in the world she could entrust with her life.

Hearing this, Jia Can's heart skipped a beat again. For a moment, he almost wanted to stay a little longer and hear Qin Keqing say a few more words.

But in the end, he suppressed the slight unease in his heart, calmed himself down, and bowed to take his leave:

"Then I'll be going now. Keqing, you should rest early. Good night."

Qin Keqing opened her mouth, wanting him to stay a little longer, even if it was just to stay quietly.

However, considering that it was already late and that the maids and servants that Jia Zhen had specially sent away would probably be back soon, she ultimately did not try to persuade him to stay. She simply nodded silently and followed behind him to see him out.

The two had just arrived at the door, and before the door was fully opened, a maidservant hurriedly pushed the door open and almost bumped into Jia Can.

The maid was dressed in a light green vest, with her hair styled in double buns. She had a pretty face and was none other than Ruizhu, one of Qin Keqing's personal maids.

When Ruizhu entered the room, she was stunned to see Jia Can and Qin Keqing walking out of the inner room one after the other. Her eyes widened and her mouth was slightly open, and she was speechless for a long time.

In the middle of the night, the younger brother-in-law and his niece-in-law were alone in a room, a man and a woman, with the door closed, which inevitably aroused suspicion.

Although I dared not think in that direction, the scene before me was so unexpected that I didn't know how to react for a moment.

Upon seeing this, Qin Keqing's pretty face flushed slightly, but she quickly suppressed it and asked calmly:

"Ruizhu, where have you been? Why are you only coming back now?"

Ruizhu then came to her senses, quickly lowered her head, suppressed the surging doubts in her heart, and replied in a low voice:

"Reporting to...Grandma, the master asked us to go to the kitchen to help move things. He said a new batch of porcelain has arrived, and he's worried the servants might break it while they're clumsy, so he specifically asked our Tianxianglou staff to lend a hand."

"This servant dared not refuse, so I went with the maids and only managed to return after being busy for half a day."

Qin Keqing knew perfectly well that this was just a pretext Jia Zhen had deliberately created to get rid of the people around her so that he could carry out his plans more easily.

Though he harbored resentment, he merely frowned slightly, revealing a hint of displeasure, and lightly rebuked:

"Since it was the master's order, you should have gone. Why didn't you leave anyone downstairs to keep watch? If anything happens, there won't even be anyone to relay the message. If you are negligent like this again, you will be severely punished."

Ruizhu quickly lowered her head and admitted her mistake, repeatedly saying, "Yes...it was my oversight. I will never do it again next time."

Seeing that she had admitted her mistake, Qin Keqing said no more and simply gave the following instructions:

"What are you standing there for? Take Uncle Can back to his courtyard. The road is difficult to travel at night, so be careful with your lantern and don't fall."

Ruizhu didn't dare to think too much about it, and quickly nodded in agreement, stepping aside to make way for the doorway, and respectfully said, "Yes, Grandma."

After saying that, he went behind the door to get a lantern, lit the candle, and held it in his hand, waiting to the side.

Jia Can remained silent throughout, his expression calm, as if none of this concerned him.

He secretly admired Qin Keqing, seeing how well she handled the situation, how flawless her expression and words were, and how she easily dispelled the maid's suspicions.

No wonder it took so long for the scandal involving Qin Keqing and Jia Zhen to be exposed in the original novel; it must have been largely due to Qin Keqing's skill in concealing the truth and her thoroughness in handling matters.

He gave Qin Keqing a deep look, his gaze containing both admiration and a hint of something else.

Qin Keqing met his gaze and nodded slightly as a farewell.

Jia Can then turned and stepped out of the room, slowly descending the stairs.

Ruizhu, carrying a lantern, immediately followed. The lantern's dim light flickered in the stairwell, casting their shadows, which appeared to be of varying lengths.

Qin Keqing stood on the pavilion, leaning on the railing, watching Jia Can's figure walk through the flower path in front of Tianxiang Tower and gradually disappear into the depths of the night.

The night breeze lifted a few strands of her hair at her temples and brushed against her cheeks, but she was completely unaware of it. She simply gazed quietly in that direction, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

She had an indescribable feeling, a mix of emotions, including nervousness, anticipation, and a hint of excitement.

But more than anything, there's anticipation, hoping Jia Can will bring good news.

Once Jia Zhen is dead, she will no longer have to live in fear and trembling, no longer have to guard against that old beast's harassment every day, and no longer have to live like a caged bird in Tianxiang Tower.

At that time, she could even openly associate with Jia Can, without having to hide or worry, and live the carefree and happy life she had always dreamed of.

Thinking of this, a look of longing appeared on Qin Keqing's pretty face, her eyes, as clear as autumn water, curved slightly, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Standing in the night, letting the evening breeze caress my clothes, I lingered there for a long time.

...

Ruizhu, carrying a lantern, followed Jia Can at a leisurely pace. The night breeze blew, causing the candlelight inside the lantern to flicker and cast shimmering shadows on the ground.

Stealing a glance at Jia Can in front of her, she saw that he walked steadily with his back straight, a stark contrast to his usual hunched-over posture, as if he wanted to hide in the ground.

Ruizhu was secretly puzzled, feeling that this Second Master Can was completely different from usual, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was different.

It seemed that most of his original timidity had dissipated, replaced by an indescribable calmness and composure.