Chapter 106: Chapter 106: I Won’t Let You Go, Even as a Ghost

Song Lianhe didn’t return to the Prince Qing Mansion with Zhou Cangyan. Instead, she went back to her Medical Clinic.

Since she had already torn all pretenses with the Song Family, there was no longer any need to maintain a superficial facade.

’In short: I’m laying my cards on the table. No more pretending!’

Yan Wen came down from upstairs and saw Zhou Cangyan escorting Song Lianhe in. He paused for a moment, then stepped forward and bowed slightly. “Greetings, Prince Qing.”

“Mm.”

Zhou Cangyan gave him a cool glance, then his eyes fell back on Song Lianhe. He said disapprovingly, “In your current situation, how can you stay at the clinic?”

Thinking he was referring to her recently broken engagement and was worried she’d be ridiculed, Song Lianhe was completely unconcerned. “I’m doing wonderfully right now! I feel like I’ve been reborn!”

Zhou Cangyan stared at the vibrant woman before him. His gaze fell to her lower abdomen, lingering for a moment before he looked away.

After he left, a Shadow Guard quietly approached.

“My lord, the Old Master’s men have arrived in Ling’an City.”

Back at the Medical Clinic, Song Lianhe and Shuang Ye were tidying up a room. The plan was to live here long-term from now on.

Luckily, she’d had the foresight to know that wretched place of the Song Family’s was no long-term residence. So when she first took over the shop, she had it renovated, preparing rooms for herself, Shuang Ye, and Ah Yu. With Yan Wen included, it was just right for the four of them.

Yan Wen stood outside the door and didn’t come in.

Only after Song Lianhe came out did he ask, “Is there trouble at the General Mansion?”

Prince Qing had escorted her here himself, so something must have happened over there.

She smiled. “It’s nothing serious. Oh, right. I’ll be around for the next few days, so I’ll take care of the clinic. The autumn examinations are imminent; you should just focus on your studies.”

He frowned. “I can…”

“No, you can’t!” Song Lianhe cut him off, insisting, “Your mission is to focus on your studies, pass the exam as the top scholar, and bring glory to our Medical Clinic’s name! As the owner, I would naturally share in that honor!”

Yan Wen looked at her. She was barely sixteen, yet her earnest advice made her seem more concerned than his own mother.

He couldn’t help but lower his gaze, the corners of his lips seeming to curve upward as he murmured softly, “Alright.”

She grinned. “Now that’s more like it!”

’Knowing the plot’s direction was the biggest cheat she’d gotten since transmigrating into the book. She had to make good use of it!’

’She was the one standing steadfastly by his side when he needed help and encouragement the most. In the future, when he made his way into the center of power in the Court, he certainly wouldn’t forget her support.’

’So, while her desire to help Yan Wen was genuine, it was also true that she had selfish motives.’

Starting the next day, Yan Wen secluded himself to study. Song Lianhe personally created a meal plan for him—all healthy, nutritious dishes—and had all three meals delivered to his room.

His treatment was so good that even Su Huaqing would be envious.

“I heard you had another run-in with General Song’s family yesterday?”

Song Lianhe tilted her head to look at the man beside her. Dressed in flowing white robes, he was leaning against the doorpost, fanning himself. “Are you really that bored?”

’And another thing, why was it always *her* “having a run-in” with *his family*?’

’Couldn’t it be that *they* were the ones looking for trouble?’

“It’s truly not that I’m too idle, but that you all don’t shy away from arguing in public, where many people can naturally see…” With a SNAP, he closed his fan, leaned in, and lowered his voice. “Besides, everyone also saw Prince Qing get into a dispute with General Song over you.”

His inexplicably excited, gossip-mongering tone betrayed his regret at not having been there in person.

Staring at Song Lianhe, Su Huaqing pressed on, “As you can imagine, the rumors in the streets about you and Prince Qing are constantly being updated. Of course, I’ve never been interested in such boring matters, but if you’re looking for someone to confide in, I’d be willing to listen to a thing or two and help you analyze the situation…”

Before he could finish, Song Lianhe pushed him out of the room to go attend to the patients.

“So many words! Is all your work done? A part-timer should have the decency to act like one. Why are you always prying into the owner’s business for no reason? What’s this, are you trying to ’usurp the throne’?”

’When I read the book, how did I not realize Su Huaqing was such a gossip?’

Su Huaqing froze. “Second Miss, please be careful with your words!”

“Careful about what! There’s only the two of us here. If something happens to me, it’ll definitely be because you snitched! Then you’re finished, I’m telling you. I wouldn’t let you go even as a ghost!”

“…”

Su Huaqing gave a wry smile. ’Who did I offend to deserve this?’

He resignedly went to the front hall. As for this “part-time job,” he was getting the mistaken impression that he was becoming more and more… proficient at it!

*Sigh*. ’As expected, that woman Song Lianhe has a strange kind of magic. Anyone who gets close to her inexplicably starts following her train of thought, gradually losing their ambition, neglecting their duties, and not even feeling like it’s their own fault.’

Before long, Ah Yu came to the backyard. “Miss, Mr. Su asks that you come out and take a look.”

“What’s his problem?”

’Song Lianhe could never forget the image of him leading men to the prison and personally dissecting the original owner’s abdomen… Plus, he was one of Zhou Junlin’s people, so she always felt an unspoken hostility and wariness toward him.’

’If he couldn’t serve as free labor, she wouldn’t let him get anywhere near her.’

Ah Yu said, “Master Shen is here, and he brought quite a few people.”

Upon hearing this, Song Lianhe put down the medical book she was halfway through and followed Ah Yu out.

’She still remembered what Zhou Cangyan had said last night.’

After Shen Fu’s poison was cured, he had been cooperating with his recovery. She had even sent Xuan Mei and the steward to deliver medicine, but she still needed to do a follow-up consultation to be at ease.

Song Lianhe was crystal clear about their identities and what they were doing in secret. Therefore, she had to admire their audacity for parading through the streets so brazenly.

’They really are the villains. Arrogance is their defining trait!’

Wearing a veil, she came to the front hall. The moment she stepped outside, she was startled by the massive crowd.

’Did he bring the whole troop?’

Shen Fu was leading them. They were all in uniform black attire, with a beast embroidered on the chest. It looked like a tiger, but it also had wings. It must be their Escort Agency’s uniform.

’This so-called Escort Agency was definitely just a front Zhou Cangyan was using.’

Song Lianhe looked and looked, but she couldn’t make out what was embroidered on their clothes.

“That is a Qiongqi.”

Behind her was Su Huaqing.

“In the northwest, there is a beast that looks like a tiger with wings, which flies and devours people. It understands human speech. When it hears of people fighting, it eats the righteous one. When it hears of someone loyal and faithful, it eats their nose. When it hears of someone wicked and evil, it kills other beasts and presents them as gifts. Its name is the Qiongqi.”

He stood leaning comfortably beside her, rattling off these details as if they were family heirlooms.

While being educated, Song Lianhe couldn’t help but marvel, “As expected of the Wanzhang Hermit, author of the *Strange Monster Chronicles*. Your breadth of knowledge is truly vast!”

Su Huaqing raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips.

He didn’t even deny it.

Song Lianhe tilted her head to look back at him, her eyes filled with a hint of provocation. ’That’s right, I’ve laid my cards on the table, so don’t you think you can keep pretending!’

Su Huaqing suddenly broke into a laugh.

“Everyone, form a line!”

Shen Fu was maintaining order. There were at least a hundred men outside the Medical Clinic—it was quite a spectacular sight.

Seeing the commotion, the other patients quickly made way.

Song Lianhe beckoned Ah Yu over and whispered in his ear, “Get Su Huaqing out of the way in a bit.”

Ah Yu nodded. He never hesitated to follow her words, and he never asked why.

’Since she knew Shen Fu was one of Zhou Cangyan’s men, she had to provide cover for him and be wary of Su Huaqing. What if he went and tattled to Zhou Junlin again?’

Not long after, Ah Yu called Su Huaqing away.

Song Lianhe was very gratified. Ah Yu was quick-witted and reliable, but most importantly, he was exceptionally loyal to her—the kind of loyalty that was unconditional. Song Lianhe trusted him completely.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep