"No, he hasn’t been influenced." You Su recalled the state of the dream centipede in his mind again, "That dream centipede wasn’t trying to confuse him at all, it looked more like... a pet he keeps."
"Pet?!"
Zi Yiyi’s cold eyes slightly widened, as if she heard something horrifying, "He’s the City Lord’s son, how could he possibly do something as disgraceful as colluding with evil influences?!"
"Isn’t our Chuyun City’s City Lord also an Evil Cultivator?"
Zi Yiyi was rendered speechless by You Su:
"Why didn’t you point it out at the City Lord’s mansion earlier?"
"That’s exactly what I find strange. If he really knew about the evil influence around his neck, why would he dare show it to us so brazenly? Is he just that confident that none of us can see the dream centipede code?"
You Su isn’t foolish, pointing out the evil influence on someone openly would only make the situation more difficult.
Zi Yiyi was also lost in thought. Everyone she’s seen being bewitched by evil influences, no matter how powerful, always hides their evil influences, fearing being seen. This stems from human nature to hide their dark side, even if most people lack the ability to see the evil influences on them.
But what gives Xiang Wenting the guts to be so exposed? If someone here saw through it, wouldn’t he ruin his reputation?
"So you suspected something was amiss, hence you chose to pretend to be ignorant?"
"Indeed."
"Looking at it this way, he’s likely connected to the chaos brought by the evil influences from Mo Ye City. But if we can’t get a breakthrough from him, the investigation falls into deadlock."
Zi Yiyi was also helpless, the case was more complex than she’d imagined. Initially, she thought there were lingering ghost mites causing harm, but now she sees hidden human conflicts intertwined.
"I think I might need to visit Miss Cailing again."
You Su drank his tea pretending to be calm, not daring to look at Ji Lingruo.
Ji Lingruo remained silent, but upon hearing this, she widened her eyes: "Are you addicted or something?"
What kind of man rushes to a brothel just after being intimate with his sweetheart the night before?
"Didn’t you say she knows nothing? Why seek her again?" Zi Yiyi was also puzzled.
"Yesterday, I indeed thought she knew nothing, but after the conversation with Xiang Wenting, I find she might not be so simple."
"Why?"
Ji Lingruo urgently needed a reason to persuade her.
"When I said my surname is Ye, why did he insist on asking if I was Cailing’s special guest last night? His admiration for Qiao Xiuying doesn’t seem fake, but why pay so much attention to a replacement found by his father? That ’special’ mention held no affection, more like he was intentionally sending out a signal."
"Then it’s very likely, this Cailing knows something too." Zi Yiyi’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Ji Lingruo upon seeing this, could only support her head with a small hand, looking both annoyed and helpless.
...
The night was deep and tranquil with stars and moon shining bright.
Mo Ye City had several brothels, yet only Xiao Xiang Pavilion boasted booming business. The reason was that its girls were exceptionally charming, making every guest feel at home.
"Mr. Ye?"
The heavily painted old bawd greeted You Su with a welcoming face.
Yesterday, all expenses for the night were paid by Mr. Xiao, including You Su’s. Today, with no Mr. Xiao around, the bawd intended to extort You Su heavily.
Especially today, You Su didn’t have those two bothersome maidservants with him.
"Mr. Ye is in such a hurry to seek our Cailing, huh?" The bawd teased while leading the way, "I told you taking maidservants along would only get in the way."
You Su sensibly took a shiny gold bar from his pocket and handed it over silently.
"Mr. Ye might not know, last night after you left, Cailing was deeply wistful about you, couldn’t think of food or drink. She specifically asked not to see anyone except you these few days, you should coax her." The bawd softly patted You Su with a handkerchief, whispering, "She’s delicate, you should restrain some today..."
You Su smiled and nodded, "I will."
And so, amidst the curses of many male guests below, You Su pushed open the doors to Elegant Bamboo Pavilion once more.
...
"I’ve said I won’t eat, no need to ask again." The woman behind the screen said impatiently.
"It’s me." You Su respectfully stood in front of the screen.
"Sir?" Cailing’s voice suddenly turned extremely joyful.
Soon, hurried footsteps could be heard.
The charming woman in a loose robe came past the screen, her brows and eyes radiating as she looked at the visitor. She seemed eager, running towards You Su, but carelessly tripped over her left foot with her right, about to fall face first.
But just as she was about to fall, a pair of big hands caught her around the waist, lifting her up horizontally, ’saving the building from collapsing’.
Cailing leaned on You Su’s shoulder to straighten herself, in the process, her soft chest inadvertently brushed against You Su’s side arm.
Cailing’s face blushed slightly, she lowered her eyes shyly:
"Thank you, Sir."
"No problem."
You Su quickly wiped his hands behind and silently thanked the heavens his junior sister hadn’t layered his hands with thick powder today.
"Sir, are you here... to complete what was left unfinished yesterday?"
Cailing shyly glanced at You Su, her body implicitly leaning towards him.
"Miss Cailing, please restrain yourself."
You Su deftly evaded, avoiding the beauty’s attempted embrace.
Cailing staggered, almost falling again, but this time You Su didn’t support her. She looked up at You Su in surprise, as if asking him why after the passion last night, today he suddenly didn’t recognize her?