Chapter 365: Xiao Liu’s Premature End?

By the time Zhu Ziwen stepped out of the Zhu family estate, night had already blanketed the sky. His task was straightforward—escort his cousin back home. Yet, as they reached the door and pushed it open, there stood someone outside, lingering under the moonlight—a face he instantly recognized.

His grandmother’s words echoed faintly in his mind, the ones she had whispered to him before he left. It wasn’t much of a puzzle; she hadn’t spelled it out, but he didn’t need her to. Her message was clear as day, even in the dim glow of the night.

He arched an eyebrow, sharp and knowing.

Seriously?

Just one person thinks they’re enough to come here and whisk my cousin away?

Bold, aren’t they?

"Why are you here?" Hua Zhi smiled and approached.

"To pick you up," the man replied.

Zhu Ziwen looked at his cousin's smiling face and was momentarily stunned. He had long understood the intricacies of emotions and knew why a strong person would soften. His cousin's unconscious behavior revealed too much.

Looking at the man again, despite the scar on his face, he was not unattractive. On the contrary, he exuded a strong aura. And yet, a person like him being gentle towards his cousin indicated that his feelings were not unreciprocated.

"Cousin, you go back. It's safe in this city," Hua Zhi said.

Zhu Ziwen shook his head. "I'll escort you."

Hua Zhi didn’t object, so the two of them escorted the carriage back to the Hua family estate. Zhu Ziwen didn’t hang around long; he headed straight home. As expected, the entire family council was already assembled—his grandparents, his father, and his uncle.

Before they could bombard him with questions, he cut to the chase. “That man came to pick her up.”

“The one with the scar on his face?” the old lady asked, her curiosity piqued.

“That’s the one.”

She pressed further, “And? What’s your impression of him?”

Zhu Ziwen gave a dry chuckle as he sank into a chair. “Not really my place to judge, is it? But I’ll say this—he’s definitely paying attention to the details. When they got to the house, he even bent down to lift my cousin’s dress so it wouldn’t get dirty. That’s not something you do if you’re just going through the motions.”

He paused for a moment before adding with a faint smile, “Honestly, it’s not that it’s impossible to do something like that. It’s just... it wouldn’t even cross my mind. The most I’d probably do is give a quick ‘Watch your step.’ That alone feels like I’ve done enough.”

The old lady’s stern expression softened, but concern still lingered in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Zhu Haodong honed in on a different detail. “Wait. Did that man go inside the Hua residence?”

"Yes."

“And at this hour?” Zhu Haodong glared at his nephew, irritation flaring. “You didn’t think to stop him?”

“Uncle, I tried!” Zhu Ziwen protested, throwing up his hands in mock defeat. “But Cousin said she had business to discuss with Mr. Lu. What was I supposed to do? Stop him at the door? If I messed up her plans, I’d be the one getting an earful—or worse.”

His reasoning, though sound, didn’t do much to lighten the mood. The room fell into a tense silence as Zhu Haodong turned to his father. “What do you think we should do, Dad?”

The old master exhaled slowly, his voice calm but firm. “Zhi’er doesn’t need us meddling in her affairs. Keep an eye on things, sure, but she knows what she’s doing. She’s not one to be easily swayed. If she brought up this Mr. Lu, it means she’s already weighed her options.”

The old lady nodded reluctantly. “True, she’s not impulsive. But still, the fact that he’s followed her north twice already… it says something. He’s clearly deliberate. But those scars… even if we wanted to elevate him in society, that alone might hold him back.”

“Maybe he doesn’t need us to elevate him,” the old master replied thoughtfully. “If Zhi’er trusts him, there’s more to him than meets the eye. And when the time comes, if she does need our support, we’ll do what’s necessary. For now, we watch.”

He leaned back, considering the man’s potential connections. If Zhi’er’s recent insights stemmed from this Mr. Lu, then there had to be more to his background. Official or not, ordinary people don’t carry themselves—or get involved—in such ways.

Furthermore, Zhi'er isn’t one to throw her admiration around lightly. If someone’s managed to catch her eye, they must truly have something exceptional about them.

“Dong’er,” the old man turned his sharp gaze, “focus on your responsibilities. Keep those accounts clean and organized—don’t let greed muddy the waters. Frankly, your behavior is an eyesore, and I won’t tolerate it.”

"Yes."

"And you,” the old man’s attention shifted to the eldest, “keep your scheming thoughts in check. Zhi’er sees everything clearer than you think. Don’t drag your political ambitions into family matters. I’ve been around longer than you, and I know better.”

Zhu Haocheng flushed with embarrassment but couldn’t help protesting, “I’d never mix up that nonsense with Zhi’er. I’m her uncle—of course I’ll protect her! What do you take me for?”

The old man scowled. “Don’t delude yourself with noble intentions. I’m not against this marriage alliance because I believe the Hua family is reliable. Even your sister hasn’t had a word of complaint after marrying into their household. Stop letting your ambitions cloud your judgment. Let me make one thing clear: if this marriage goes through, the benefits will remain with the Huas, not the Zhus. Persist in your scheming, and not only will the marriage fall apart, but it might escalate into outright conflict.”

Zhu Haocheng hung his head low, thoroughly chastened. Meanwhile, Zhu Haodong inwardly relished the sight, pleased that their father clearly saw through his elder brother’s motives. If not for his own concern for Zhi’er, he might’ve openly confronted Haocheng’s shameless plotting.

One shouldn't be so shameless!

But just as he was reveling in satisfaction, his mother shot him a warning look. Realizing he needed to ease the tension, Haodong calmly intervened, “Father, let’s not forget that Shan’er is eldest brother’s daughter. It’s only natural for him to overthink things—he’s her father, after all. Besides, Zhi’er’s no fool. If there were any ulterior motives, she would’ve sniffed them out already. Don’t you think so?”

Zhu Ziwen also spoke up for his father, "Father is the eldest in the family and it's normal for him to think more. If he didn't think at all, then you should worry, grandfather."

The old man gave a dismissive snort, choosing not to press further. His earlier outburst had been fueled by frustration, and seeing his grandson present, he knew better than to humiliate Haocheng any further. For now, he let the matter rest.

*

While one side of the room was enduring a stern scolding, the atmosphere on the other side was surprisingly warm. Hua Zhi casually served Yan Xi some food, her tone a mix of mild reproach and familiarity. "You knew I’d be stuck eating at the Zhu family’s place. Why didn’t you eat first? It’s not like they’d let me walk home alone in the dark."

Yan Xi accepted the bowl she handed him, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he settled into the moment. He liked this—it felt domestic, intimate, like a life shared between husband and wife. His gaze softened, his voice unhurried. "It’s not the same. What I give is mine to give; what you take is yours to take. There’s a difference."

Hua Zhi didn’t bother arguing. Instead, she ladled herself some mushroom soup and sipped it slowly, sharing the quiet meal with him.

Breaking the silence, he brought up the day’s affairs. "Hao Yue replied this morning. She said she needs the exact birth chart to identify the right person. Following your suggestion, Chen Qing handed her the fake chart for the Fourth Prince. She caught on right away—it was clearly wrong—but the Fifth and Sixth Princes didn’t suspect a thing. She knew it was a test and played along."

Hua Zhi’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. It was just as she had suspected. After all, who else could accurately provide the Fourth Prince’s real birth chart?

Only someone deeply trusted—an elder or someone in his inner circle. Certainly not a lower-ranking servant. By process of elimination, the answer was clear: someone very close to him.

"What happened? Did she work it out on the spot?" Hua Zhi asked, her tone sharp with curiosity.

Yan Xi nodded, setting his bowl aside. "She pieced it together instantly. Ignoring all the flowery mystical talk, the main takeaway was grim. She predicted that the Fourth Prince is trapped in a life-threatening crisis with no way out. As for the Fifth Prince, he's on the brink of a bloody disaster. And the Sixth Prince..." Yan Xi hesitated, his voice lowering, "...she claimed he’s fated to die young."

Clang!

Hua Zhi slammed her bowl onto the table with such force that the soup sloshed out, the tension in her expression palpable. "She said he won’t live long?"

Yan Xi immediately reached for her wrist, his touch steady but gentle. "Calm down. It’s just idle talk. Don’t let it get to you."

Hua Zhi inhaled deeply, trying to suppress the storm brewing within her. She couldn’t tell him what she was really thinking. These so-called “casual predictions” hit far too close to home.

Once upon a time, they might not have been predictions at all—because the Fourth Prince truly could have died. The Fifth Prince could have suffered a terrible fate. And as for the Sixth Prince...perhaps he really wouldn’t live to see tomorrow.