Chapter 2799: The Stand-In Was Forcibly Taken by the Bandit's Wife 05

Gu Fanghe's house was quite large, and its foundation was laid with blue stone.

Pushing the door open, a wide wooden table greeted him, piled with various scrolls, maps, and military texts.

The most eye-catching thing was a portrait spread out on the tabletop.

Jin Chen glanced over, but before he could make out what the painting showed, Gu Fanghe, walking ahead, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, turned back, stretched out his arm, and quickly rolled up the picture, casually stuffing it into the nearby cabinet.

Jin Chen's steps halted.

Tsk.

He hid it so fast; the person in the painting must be Ruan Shutong, right?

Gu Fanghe turned around, blocking his view.

Jin Chen lifted his eyes and looked at him.

Gu Fanghe examined Jin Chen closely.

This person before him looked frail, yet his gaze was scorching, making hearts itch.

Gu Fanghe suddenly reached out, wrapped his arms around Jin Chen's waist, lifted him from the chair, turned, and pressed him against the long cabinet by the wall.

Jin Chen's back hit the cabinet door; before he could react, Gu Fanghe leaned in, lowered his head, and kissed his lips.

Jin Chen: "?"

If you're moved, just kiss.

No, who is he thinking of in his heart?

At that moment, Gu Fanghe's eyes showed a hint of loss; the red mark under his eyes in the dim light looked like a congealed blot of blood, confirming his suspicion.

After a few breaths, Jin Chen, leaning against Gu Fanghe's chest, gave a push—not strong, but Gu Fanghe didn't use full force to restrain him, so he was pushed back half a step.

Jin Chen leaned against the cabinet, lifted his eyes to Gu Fanghe, amber eyes flashing with annoyance.

Gu Fanghe also stared at him, his eyes dark and deep, gazing at Jin Chen's reddened eye corners, like rouge spreading in snow, strikingly vivid.

He frowned slightly, instinctively raising his hand, his fingertip brushing over Jin Chen's eye corner.

"Why are you crying again?" Gu Fanghe asked, his voice softer than before.

Didn't I say last night, no crying in front of me?

Jin Chen: "……"

Jin Chen turned his head to avoid his fingers, "I feel awful, I'm about to die."

Gu Fanghe's motion paused, "…Are you sick?"

What illness? Just a touch and you'd die?

"You abducted me for no reason and brought me up the mountain—that's bad enough, but you made me wear ugly clothes and even forced a kiss on me."

Jin Chen lifted his eyes to him, the redness at his eye corners more pronounced, his voice turning cold, "I've lived this long and never suffered such injustice."

He spoke with utter confidence, as if he were a pampered young lord who could tolerate no slight.

Gu Fanghe: "……"

He had killed and set fires many times, his days of licking blood from blades countless.

The people in the stronghold feared and respected him; the court hated and cursed him, having heard every kind of harsh word, yet never this accusation, which truly stirred a twinge of guilty conscience.

A ridiculous soft-heartedness surfaced, and in the end he did not continue to make things difficult for him.

"Get out."

Jin Chen did not move.

Gu Fanghe sighed, endured, and said again, "You don't like white clothes; from now on just don't wear them."

Having heard that, Jin Chen pulled open the door, left without looking back, and deliberately slammed it shut with a bang to show his displeasure.

Outside, in the courtyard, the sweeping bandits were startled by the commotion, staring wide-eyed as the small lord in plain white, yet unable to hide his arrogant air, stormed across the yard.

Ling Gun Gun whispered: "【Ah, Host, the Main God is preparing to send someone down the mountain to inquire about Ruan Shutong's situation.】"

Jin Chen's lip corners twitched downward.

【He certainly has leisure to spare.】

"A bandit chief, not thinking about how to raid and plunder to strengthen the stronghold—truly idle to a fault."

Returning to the east wing room, A Yan saw him come back, hurried forward, served the young master in changing into clean inner garments, then withdrew softly, standing guard outside the door.

Jin Chen lay on the bed, thinking.

Since he's so idle, he might as well find something for everyone in the stronghold to do.

——

The next day, the sky had just begun to lighten.

Located on the west side of the stronghold, the two-story wooden pavilion used for enlightening the children of the stronghold suddenly collapsed halfway.

Fortunately, it was still early, the children had not yet arrived, and only a few patrolling bandits on duty nearby were frightened badly.

When Second Chief Chen Xiaoshan heard the news and rushed over, his face was as black as a pot bottom.

Although this pavilion wasn't particularly exquisite, it was one of the few places in the stronghold with a touch of literary air, and more importantly…

"Investigate!"

Chen Xiaoshan's voice rang like cold iron: "Who was the last to approach the pavilion yesterday? Any abnormalities? Tell me everything in detail!"

His subordinates dared not delay, immediately beginning interrogation.

The two on-duty little bandits trembled, speaking one after another:

"Report to Second Chief, no one approached last night, but yesterday evening, as the sky was darkening but not yet dark, the young master brought back by the Chief once lingered near the pavilion…"

"Yes, I even asked him then… he said he was curious, wanted to go in and look; I thought he was someone the Chief left behind, so I didn't dare to stop him outright, just let him go inside for a moment…"

Chen Xiaoshan's eyes sharpened suddenly: "How long did he stay inside? What did he do?"

"Not long—about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea; I watched from the window, he just wandered around inside, touched the pillars, glanced at the paintings on the wall, and did nothing else."

Chen Xiaoshan gave a cold snort in his heart.

How could there be such a coincidence in the world? What manner of man is Young Master Ruan? Graceful and outstanding, both talented and refined—how could any ordinary Tom, Dick, or Harry even remotely resemble him?

This person's origins are unknown; he was taken up the mountain without crying or fuss, and even dared to defy the chief. Yesterday, he just happened to go to the attic that was about to collapse...

If there's nothing fishy about this, then he, Chen Xiaoshan, will write his name backwards!

This person must have some ulterior motive; perhaps he's an imperial court spy, or a spy sent by some rival, deliberately using his resemblance to Young Master Ruan to sneak in and do something nefarious!

"Go!" Chen Xiaoshan hesitated no longer, waved his hand, and led his seven or eight trusted aides straight to the east wing with a fierce momentum.

Ah Yan was holding hot water, ready to serve Jin Chen as he rose, when he saw Chen Xiaoshan's group approaching with hostile expressions from afar; his heart skipped a beat, and he stepped forward to block the doorway.

"Second Chief, my young master hasn't risen yet..."

"Get out!"

The hot-tempered bandit at Chen Xiaoshan's side flicked Ah Yan aside with the sheath of his saber, using considerable force; Ah Yan staggered and collided with the doorframe.

The bandit shouted at the closed door: "Those inside, get out!"

Inside the room fell silent for a moment; after a few breaths, the door was opened.

Jin Chen stood inside the doorway, his black hair loose and falling over his shoulders, wearing an outer robe, his face still bearing a hint of sleepy laziness, his eyelids slightly drooped.

Hearing the rebuke, he slowly lifted his eyes.

In that instant, Chen Xiaoshan's heart gave a violent jolt.

That gaze was extremely cold, almost indifferent in its sternness.

Only for a moment.

So brief that Chen Xiaoshan thought it might be his illusion.

When he looked again, Jin Chen had already returned to his arrogant, nonchalant demeanor.

He leaned lazily against the doorframe, arms crossed, his gaze slowly sweeping over Chen Xiaoshan and the others.

"What's all the shouting about so early in the morning? Won't you let anyone sleep?"

The little bandit at Chen Xiaoshan's side, provoked by his attitude, stepped forward and pointed at Jin Chen's nose, shouting, "Stop pretending! Tell me—did you break the load-bearing pillar of the school attic?"

Jin Chen raised his slender fingers to point at his own nose, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes widening slightly, "Me?"

You guessed right.

But Jin Chen gave a light laugh, and in his glance, his brows and eyes actually bore a breathtaking allure.

"Are all of you in the stronghold mad?"

The little bandit stared, stunned by his laugh, then choked by his words, his face flushing crimson.

He scrutinized the person before him—skin as white as fine porcelain, fingers slender; let alone breaking a bowl‑thick load‑bearing pillar bare‑handed, he probably couldn't even lift a heavier sword.

The other few bandits who had followed also exchanged glances, doubts stirring in their hearts.

Yeah, looking at him… he doesn't look like someone capable of that at all.

"Second Chief…" someone hesitated, looking toward Chen Xiaoshan.