Original and most updated translations are from volare. If read elsewhere, this chapter has been stolen. Please stop supporting theft.
“There is no rush. Let’s wait until tonight to talk.” She raised her eyebrows and left him hanging with her half-explanations. Then, she turned around, sat down and picked up her bowl and chopsticks. “Even though the Zhou family is in mourning, they still sent us such a lavish meal. Their guest’s treatment is pretty good.”
Jing Rong who was sitting next to her was making a face. He lightly stated, “I’m not hungry.”
Without hurrying, Ji Yunshu put a piece of meat in her mouth before she added, “Well, the food here can’t be compared with the fine delicacies at the Rong Estate. It’s inevitable that your Highness is not used to the taste of it.”
When her words came out, Jing Rong became unhappy and his expression sank.
“This prince has eaten wild herbs in the mountains. I’m afraid that I have experienced such meals more often than Teacher Ji has eaten salt.”
“Your Highness really can joke.”
He was a prince. Who would believe that he ate mountain herbs?
Jing Rong was grim and glared at her. He stated, “Dalin dynasty encompassed Nanjiang kingdom to the south and Beiliang country to the north. I travelled south to north and passed through more than 108 regions. I stayed in small villages deep into the mountains to remote houses built in the middle of nowhere. If everywhere I went there were delicacies, would there be a need for the people of our Dalin dynasty to starve or freeze to death?”
Ji Yunshu halted her hand that was holding the chopsticks and gazed at him with curiosity. “You travelled to so many places?”
“This is not the main point.”
“Then, what’s the main point?”
Jing Rong glared at her. “I said all of this was mainly to inform you that I am not picky!”
How embarrassing! ‘If you don’t want to eat then don’t eat.’ Ji Yunshu was hungry, so she continued to eat her meal with relish.
Jing Rong’s mutters floated into her ears. “Thoughtless, he can actually still eat so soon after.”
Yeah! Who in the world would be in the mood to eat a good meal less than two hours after examining a corpse? Only Ji Yunshu would be in the mood.
After eating her fill, she rested until the sky gradually turned dark.
“Your Highness, didn’t you want to help me? Let’s go.”
As soon as the words were spoken, she went outside.
Jing Rong was puzzled, but he still followed after her.
Not too long after, they reached their destinations: the attic where Miss Zhou fell off. There were still several lanterns hung on the corner, illuminating the vicinity, giving off a gentle and charming view.
Ji Yunshu had always loved lanterns of ancient times, thus she admired the lanterns for a while. She recovered her mind only after Jing Rong patted her.
“Are we coming here to admire lanterns?”
“It’s to investigate the case.”
At once, she retracted her gaze from the lanterns.
Jing Rong appeared to guess her intention, so he said, “Are you suspecting that there was someone hiding in the attic at the time of the victim’s fall?”
“It looks like your Highness is very sharp.”
“Of course.”
Ji Yunshu did not explain further and walked around the attic.
The attic is in fact a tall but not big pavilion. There was no partitioned room inside and it was surrounded by mahogany railings and benches. If there was someone hidden inside the attic, it would be obvious to see.
Apart from the furniture, there was nothing else.
No matter how much Yunshu looked, she could not find any place that could hide anyone.
Lost in her thoughts, she turned around and knocked her forehead against a sturdy chest. The collision caused her much pain!
Ji Yunshu subconsciously put her hand to her forehead and frowned. She stayed silent but glared at Jing Rong who was rubbing his chest, feeling dissatisfied.
“Why did you suddenly turn around without a warning? My chest is not a pillow. If you bump into it like that it would break.”
“Then why did your Highness stand behind me without a sound?”
Jing Rong frowned. “Are you saying that I need to tell you where I want to go?”
Ji Yunshu clamped her mouth. ‘Then, you’re telling me that I should schedule with you when I’m going to turn around?’ Of course, she would not speak those words aloud, but it did not douse the flames of anger burning in her heart. He was a prince and whatever he said was reasonable. As for her, she was an insignificant painter. How could she dare to argue with him?
She might as well just let it be…
“Everything is my fault!”
She did not feel like arguing, so she moved around him and was about to walk in another direction.
But, who knew that as soon as she passed by him, two big hands seized her waist, and pulled and spun her around. She directly slammed into Jing Rong’s chest and lost her balance because of her unstable feet. By the time her body fell, his hands were tightly restricting her waist. Thus, she fell into his firm embrace!
Two grown “men” were holding onto each other in such a way… Under the light breeze, the lanterns gently swayed while the light flickered, projecting and elongating their tall and short shadows on the wooden floor.
Such a beautiful scene to behold!
Grenn’s Rants Corner
Fufufu~ If you think that Ji Yunshu’s interaction with Jing Rong makes you squeal, wait until a certain character is introduced. You will have diabetes when reading their interactions.