Chapter 75: The Golden House Oath

This incident is too abrupt.

Du Shanü embraced the puffed-up Chinu, for a moment not knowing whether to first retort the 'dog man and woman' remark or to flare up in anger at these two people killing and abandoning a corpse.

Last night Cang Cheng caught fire, bandits entered the city; indeed, it was not without cause.

If they were bandits, with such a commotion, what is there to 'keep it secret'?

Unless, as Chinu said, the grain in the storehouse had already been stolen from the start, and those bandits who came to loot were merely made scapegoals......

So now this situation, is it black eating black?

"...... hum."

Chinu's soft voice brushed past Du Shanü's fingertips, disturbing her thoughts.

Du Shanü's hand covering Chinu's lips not only did not loosen, but tightened further.

She made a silencing gesture with her other hand and spoke in a lowered voice:

"Ancestor, you are my true ancestor......"

"Someone's outside, likely the true culprit who stole Cang Cheng's grain stores; don't make a sound, I'll see if I can find a chance to seize them directly."

In response, another hum sounded.

In the broken blade's sheath, jade broke with a sound.

Perhaps from pain, perhaps from illness.

The words 'someone's outside' and 'don't speak' simply cannot restrain the other party.

Chinu, it seems, truly has become somewhat reckless.

Du Shanü's head felt like it would split; she could only speak in a faint, soft voice to coax:

"I love you, I truly love you."

"From now on, once I gain the world, or even if I don't gain the world, I will go make money and build you a golden house!"

"I swear that if I do not give you a golden house in the future, I will have my body shattered and bones crushed, and will not enter reincarnation."

Du Shanü did not know whether this world had the allusion of a golden house to hide a beauty.

However, Chinu seemed to finally understand a bit of human nature and comprehend human speech.

He stiffened for a moment, then lifted his eyelashes and gave Du Shanü a deep look.

That gaze was moist, like just-thawed spring water, carrying a lingering chill, yet beneath it surged turbulent waves.

After a long while, he did not know whether he consented or not, merely letting out another low 'hum' with a heavy nasal tone.

These three sounds were clearly all the same hum.

But to Du Shanü, they meant completely different things.

Du Shanü felt her soul nearly scatter, as if she were a survivor after a calamity.

But before she could even exhale half a breath, she heard those two, after discarding the corpse, not leave immediately but instead continue their conversation:

"...... damn it, I earlier felt something was off in this old forest; did you hear any sound?"

"What sound could there be? Don't be suspicious; if there really were karmic retribution in this world, there wouldn't be so many corrupt nobles extorting wealth."

"Oh no, I'm not saying that! I mean, I earlier felt someone was speaking in the forest, constantly humming and ah-ing...... could it really be a couple having an affair here?!"

"You damn it, I just said someone was having an affair here as a casual remark! Do you know what 'offhand comment' means? This place is littered with dry twigs and fallen leaves; who would linger here exchanging vows? It's not like they're beasts!"

Chinu: "......"

Du Shanü: "......"

Stop scolding, stop scolding.

It was originally an accident, not intentional.

Moreover, after discarding the corpse, these two didn't even hastily leave!

Otherwise, if we say a few more words, later when Chinu gets angry again, her old life will surely be doomed.

When Chinu flares up, her mind is like flooded water; clearly nothing has happened, yet she has already promised a golden house.

If those two scold a couple more sentences, Chinu might very well grind her bones to ashes......

Du Shanü squeezed out a bit of bitter tears for herself, trying to loosen her hand over Chinu's lips.

Chinu made no sound.

She merely furrowed her brows, unknown what she was thinking.

Du Shanü slightly relaxed a breath, set down her miscellaneous belongings, and began to draw the Yuanrong crossbow, stringing it.

The Yuanrong crossbow fires a cluster of ten bolts, capable of exceeding a hundred paces.

It had previously been virtually unstoppable.

However, today it is rather different.

The old vines of the dense forest hang down from the branches, entwined with countless withered leaves.

Du Shanü raised the crossbow, but the sight was blocked by a thumb-thick branch.

She moved half a step to the left, yet another vine crossed her vision, its fine splits like splayed fingers.

The two people's voices gradually drifted outward.

She raised the crossbow slightly, narrowed her eyes, and looked through the gaps in the foliage.

Two gray silhouettes moved between the tree trunks; Du Shanü could clearly hear the sound of their boots snapping dry twigs, yet she could never find an unobstructed moment.

The vines swayed; just as she was about to pull the trigger, a branch blocked right in front of the two persons' faces.

She shifted the crossbow to the right, but the string caught on a vine, causing the bow to tilt sideways.

The two just walked farther and farther away.

Du Shanü listened to the footsteps, watching the two figures appear and disappear between the trunks, growing ever smaller.

The person in front kept cursing all the way, the one behind echoed him, and their voices gradually faded.

Afterwards, they completely left the forest and could no longer be seen.

Du Shanü felt very stifled; she released the trigger, leaving a deep white mark on her finger.

She shook her head, bent down, and looked at Chinu again.

"If only one person comes, I will surely go up and fight them."

"But there are two people coming, you're wounded again, and if the other one gets startled and runs, that's fine; but if they're coming for you, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle both......"

Chinu still didn't answer, merely turned his face away and leaned his head against the tree trunk.

Du Shanü couldn't bear to see him like that; her hand paused, and she unconsciously lowered the Commander's crossbow a bit.

"What's wrong now, my young lady......?"

"Before, you didn't seem so awkward, did you?"

"It can't be that the affair those two mentioned was actually overheard by Chinu, can it?"

"No idea."

"Du Shanü really had no idea."

"Can't beat or scold her—she really is the young lady."

Chinu held his side wound, seeming to finally regain some consciousness, and asked in a hoarse voice:

"...... Is it just for me alone, or does everyone else have it too?"

"That question came out of the blue."

"Even though Du Shanü is usually quick-witted, she didn't react in time to understand what the other was saying."

"Perhaps it was just a breath too late; Chinu didn't wait any longer and let out a sneer."

"I was saying......"

"What golden house? It's all just a trick to coax someone."

"Sounds precious, but it's actually something anyone could have......"

"It seems she had long known, or rather, her heart had already anticipated this outcome."

"From beginning to end, Chinu never lifted his eyes."

"Du Shanü belatedly came to her senses just in time."

"She took a deep look at the slender figure beneath the tree, then finally drew a deep breath and promised:"

"Only you have it."

"Of course, only you have it."

"Wealth doesn't blow in from the wind; you can't just say build a golden house and have it appear."

"Moreover, given Chinu's nature, it's already a struggle for her to build a golden house to coax him; how could she coax several?"

"Du Shanü answered earnestly, but she didn't see the expression of the person before her."

"In the dense forest, that slender figure's eyes held a jade‑like tremor in a cold pond, a ripple at its heart."

"Chinu's brows and eyes relaxed slightly, his thin lips parted, and he asked again as if nothing mattered:"

"That golden house is mine...... What are you going to give others?"

"That statement is far too pointed."

"Du Shanü didn't answer; she just wished she could kneel down and kowtow to Chinu again."

"Good slave, I beg you......"

"Let's first attend to proper business, okay? We can't just do nothing and only give you lip service!"

"That coaxing was done, but doesn't he worry about not being able to make good on it!"

"Chinu's eyes dimmed a little, but he ultimately didn't pursue the question further."

"He gave a light cough twice, then hesitated and said:"

"Then...... Is it really here?"

"What another riddle!"

"Du Shanü was full of doubts, and for a moment couldn't react:"

"The corpse is still lying...... If not here, where else could it be?"

"Or do we have to drag the corpse onto that soft, fluffy big bed first...... Wait! Which proper business are you talking about!!"

"The two locked eyes, their gazes clashing."

"All of that goes without saying."

"In the next instant, the two, both somewhat embarrassed, said in unison:"

"...... Let's go look at the corpse."

"?? Changed the book title back again and again...... Now it's the original title, huh; all along we've been wandering and displaced, what a hard fate, really what a hard fate orz"