After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Jiang Dusheng seemed to be deep in thought.

The Second Prince Chu Jingshen, whose maternal family is not prominent, has such cunning and ambition.

So... was Chu Yanzhao's visit today at the Second Prince's behest, or was it his own idea?

Xie Jinchen seemed to see her doubt and continued, "His idea to find you today was most likely his own, and it's even possible that he acted on his own without the Second Prince's knowledge."

"The Second Prince is currently busy playing the role of a filial and benevolent ruler in front of His Majesty. He wouldn't risk offending me at a time like this, as it would only attract attention and be a loss for him."

"Governor Jiang has been impeached repeatedly in court recently, and his position is unstable. Chu Yanzhao, as his sure-fire future son-in-law, is driven by his own self-interest and has a high opinion of himself. He is unwilling to be tied to a sinking ship."

Xie Jinchen said sarcastically, "He must have seen that you possess extraordinary skills, your reputation is rising, and you are even becoming more and more involved with Princess Yongning, Minister Xu, and the Duke of Wei's mansion. He felt that there might be another opportunity, so he had the idea of ​​breaking off the engagement and marrying someone else. That's why he couldn't wait to come and test you."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng's gaze turned cold. "In that case... let's make a bigger fuss about clearing Ruan Guyan's name."

She looked at Xie Jinchen, "I need concrete correspondence between the two of them, especially the kind that hits the nail on the head. Can you get your hands on that?"

Xie Jinchen answered without hesitation, "Sure. The Second Prince is naturally suspicious, but Chu Yanzhao may not be as cautious."

He has people under him who are good at this kind of investigation.

After the important business was finished, the room fell silent.

Xie Jinchen lay on the couch, quiet for a while, but his gaze involuntarily followed Jiang Dusheng's figure moving around the room.

Watching her pour water for me, her profile looked exceptionally gentle under the light.

He suddenly looked up at Jiang Dusheng, who was walking back with a water glass, and called out:

"Jiang Dusheng".

"Hmm?" Jiang Dusheng came over with a cup of warm water, thinking he was thirsty, and handed the water to him.

Xie Jinchen didn't answer, but suddenly spoke:

"Could you...sleep in the same room with me tonight?"

Jiang Dusheng paused in handing him the water, looking at him in surprise.

In the past, she was the only one who had ever said those words.

Jiang Dusheng quickly came to her senses. She put down the water and quietly pulled a talisman from her waist.

However, before she could even put it on, her wrist was grasped by a warm, large hand.

Xie Jinchen propped himself up slightly. Although the movement aggravated his wounds and made him frown, his grip on her wrist remained firm.

"Don't stick it on." He lay flat in that position.

Caught off guard, Jiang Dusheng fell to the edge of the couch, almost falling into his arms, following the force of his pull.

The two suddenly closed the distance between them, and she could almost feel his chest rising and falling slightly due to the pain, his warm breath brushing against her forehead.

"I am not possessed by anything dirty, nor am I delirious," he whispered, his voice unusually clear due to the close proximity.

Xie Jinchen paused, his gaze fixed directly into her eyes. "Just think of me as a demon that you've enlightened. All the shackles and malevolent energy I used to put on myself have... dissipated because of you."

"I was too attached to appearances before..." He admitted it readily, but there was no regret in his tone, only the ease of seeing the light after the storm.

He turned his head, his warm lips almost touching her earlobe, his breath brushing against her, his whisper like a seductive allure, yet also like a devout confession:

"Those formalities... those rules and boundaries that I clung to so tightly, are no longer important now."

Before he finished speaking, he turned his head slightly, wanting to kiss Jiang Dusheng.

however…

"Snapped!"

A hand covered his lips, which were about to succeed.

Jiang Dusheng looked up, deliberately pressed his lips lightly with his fingertip, and said with a smile:

"No, I think..." she drawled, savoring the fleeting look of surprise in his eyes, before speaking decisively, "It's still quite important."

Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in concentration, she deftly twisted her wrist, breaking free from his loose grip, and gracefully took two steps back, creating some distance between them.

"You're sleeping by yourself tonight."

After saying that, without paying attention to his instantly crumbling face, Jiang Dusheng turned and walked towards the door.

As she reached the door, she thoughtfully turned back and added, "By the way, Dazhuang is right next door. If you're thirsty or in pain, just call him."

Then, he closed the door.

The room fell silent again, with only Xie Jinchen lying on the soft couch, facing the closed door and the faint, refreshing fragrance that belonged to her in the air.

After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, buried his face in the cushion, and let out a low sigh full of self-mockery:

"...You reap what you sow."