Chapter 69 Suspicion

Chapter 69 Suspicion

He Qingxiao spoke in a calm tone, yet his words struck Xin You like a thunderbolt.

The same words she had spoken to He Qingxiao not long ago echoed in her mind.

At that time, driven by impulse, she had almost acted on it. Those words were the excuse she gave when approaching He Qingxiao, and now he was saying the same thing—what did it mean?

Had he noticed her intentions?

Xin You was uncertain as she met He Qingxiao's gaze.

His handsome eyes seemed shrouded in mist, making it impossible to discern their depths.

Xin You composed herself, showing no signs of unease. "Thank you for the reminder, Lord He. Have you found the person who poisoned you?"

"I have."

Xin You raised an eyebrow, surprised by He Qingxiao's straightforward answer.

"If we can find them, it will prevent any future harm to Lord He."

Xin You thought this would be the end of the conversation, but it wasn't.

"Do you remember your warning that day?" He Qingxiao's voice was distant, as if discussing someone else's affairs. "When I arrested an official, he attacked me with a hidden dagger and poisoned my tea. It was his nephew."

Xin You listened silently, trying to understand He Qingxiao's intentions.

From the lack of rumors outside these past few days, it seemed He Qingxiao had no intention of spreading news about the poisoning.

"Miss Kou."

"Yes, Lord He?"

He Qingxiao's gaze was deep, fixed on the girl's porcelain-like face, watching for any change in her expression. "Did you fail to foresee what happened at the teahouse that day?"

Xin You's heart raced.

Despite her efforts to control her expression, she knew He Qingxiao must have noticed something amiss.

Indeed, he suspected her!

Her grip tightened, her nails digging into her palm, helping her maintain composure.

"Lord He, you may not know, but my divination is different from ordinary methods. It's not just based on facial features; it also relies on mystical insights."

"Mystical insights?"

Xin You nodded. "This creates a problem."

"What problem?"

Xin You replied seriously, "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't."

He Qingxiao paused, then said with a complex emotion, "Both times you warned me, it was very accurate."

Xin You smiled apologetically. "When it doesn't work, I usually don't say anything."

He Qingxiao remained silent.

His suspicions hadn't dissipated, but he couldn't find any evidence.

Perhaps, as Miss Kou suggested, he was relying on intuition, just as he had when standing on the stairs in the teahouse, feeling that Miss Kou knew something.

Just as she knew about the falling flowerpot and the hidden dagger, she must have known about the danger he faced upstairs.

Her silence spoke volumes.

But he couldn't understand why Miss Kou's attitude towards him had changed so drastically.

After a moment of silence, He Qingxiao chuckled softly. "Divination is indeed mysterious."

"Would Lord He like to read a travelogue?" Xin You forced a light smile, though her heart remained uneasy.

He Qingxiao glanced deeply at the row of travelogues on the shelf before shaking his head. "No, I have other matters to attend to. I came here today to inform you of the follow-up and thank you for your discovery that day."

"Lord He is too kind. Noticing it was purely coincidental."

"Then I shall take my leave." He Qingxiao's gaze briefly lingered on Xin You's face before he walked out briskly.

Xin You watched his retreating figure disappear, then lowered her head to caress a travelogue.

He Qingxiao suspected her. What should she do next?

Her hand paused, her gaze lingering on the travelogue.

If she were to poison one of the travelogues he often reads—

The thought flashed through her mind but was quickly dismissed.

If she accidentally harmed others, it would be a grave sin.

Moreover, the Bookstore was innocent, and its people were blameless. She couldn't involve them in her personal vendetta.

After much deliberation, Xin You decided to take a bold risk.

He Qingxiao always came to the Bookstore alone. Perhaps there would be an opportunity on his way out.

Xin You thought that after this meeting, He Qingxiao wouldn't come back for a while. Unexpectedly, just two days later, he appeared in the bookstore again.

It was Xiaolian who quietly reported to Xin You: "Miss, Sir He has come to read again."

"Understood. You can go back to your work now."

Xin You walked into the inner room, took out a set of men's clothes from the cabinet, and changed into them. She then applied some makeup in front of the dressing mirror, transforming herself from a beautiful girl into a handsome young man.

There was even a faint scar on the young man's forehead, making it impossible for anyone to guess that this was actually a woman.

Looking at the person in the mirror, Xin You nodded in satisfaction.

She enjoyed running around, and sometimes it wasn't convenient, so she would disguise herself like this. Fortunately, her makeup skills hadn't become rusty.

Outside the window, dusk had fallen, and the sunset was about to disappear. The handsome young man walked onto the street, looking back at the Qingsong Bookstore.

Ever since the bookstore's business improved, Sir He almost only came to read during the early morning or late evening.

In the area near the Imperial Academy, there were plenty of handsome young men in their teens like Xin You in disguise, making her blend in perfectly on the street, providing great convenience for her subsequent actions.

Dressed as a man, Xin You even changed her walking posture, entering a teahouse confidently and choosing a seat by the window to slowly sip tea.

Although He Qingxiao often came to the bookstore to read, his stays were usually short, never exceeding half an hour, with about fifteen minutes being the norm.

Xin You estimated that she wouldn't have to wait long. Indeed, not long after finishing her cup of tea, she saw He Qingxiao leave the bookstore.

She settled the bill and walked out of the teahouse.

The streets on both sides were lined with shops, bustling in the evening. Xin You naturally blended into the crowd, following He Qingxiao.

After following him for a while, she realized this was the route back to the Changle Marquis's residence. She immediately quickened her pace and moved ahead.

Just around the corner, not far away, was a small alley, with a jujube tree at its entrance, partially blocking the view—a perfect spot for an ambush.

Xin You hid behind the tree, feeling the crossbow bolt strapped to her forearm, patiently waiting for He Qingxiao to arrive.

Soon, the familiar figure appeared in her sight.

Xin You held her breath, staring intently as the figure approached.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Finally, he reached the ideal position.

Her slender fingers flicked the butterfly lever on the crossbow, sending the hidden arrow flying.

In that instant, Xin You felt a void in her heart, all emotions suppressed, leaving only a numb calmness on her face.

She watched the arrow fly toward He Qingxiao, but it did not pierce his throat as she had hoped.

He dodged!

Realizing this, Xin You turned and ran.

The alley was dark and long, with light coming from another street ahead and footsteps chasing from behind.

Xin You burst out of the other end of the alley.