Chapter 240: Unrecognized

Chapter 240 Strangers Again

Mei Wangshu sat quietly behind the counter—a perfect spot, dim and safe. By merely lowering his head slightly, he could vanish completely behind the barricade of pastries.

The coffee had been refilled six times. The stagnant air was thick with a bitterness strong enough to dull the mind, irritating already frayed nerves with a relentless hum.

Outside the half-shuttered shop door, the sun had set, and darkness had fallen.

The man seated at the small table beyond the counter still hadn’t left. Mei Wangshu closed his eyes, recognizing the familiar rhythm of his breathing.

That breath had once accompanied him through countless long nights. Hearing it again now almost made him feel as though he had returned to that towering palace with its rigidly square sky. Before any other emotion could surface, a choking helplessness rose in his throat.

He knew this man as well as he knew himself. He was aware of the unfixable mistakes he had left behind, the other’s methods, and the certainty that returning to Great Yu would inevitably lead to being found again.

Neither he nor Yanwen had the strength—nor the need—to run anymore.

He was simply waiting, waiting for inescapable fate’s snare to close around him once more. So when this man appeared slightly earlier than expected, Mei Wangshu felt no surprise. A heavy stone in his heart finally settled, barely rippling the stagnant pool.

Twenty years of life had been a single prolonged dream. That night in Champa, the illusion shattered, and Mei Wangshu awoke. Looking back on everything, he finally understood what Jia Hongyuan truly wanted. At the same time, his entire heart was submerged in tidal waves of scalding pain and resentment.

He realized he could never give Jia Hongyuan what he sought—yet neither could he escape the emperor’s desires. They were like the two most wretched fools in the world: one barking up the wrong tree, the other chasing moonbeams on water.

Mei Wangshu waited for this man to either fly into a rage or issue a direct command. He had no patience for games or argument. It would be best if he didn’t have to speak another word.

All he needed was to think of some excuse to talk Hua Nian down, take one last look at Qingmei, and then obey the Emperor’s command to return to the imperial city—to face what remained of his life.

Yet this man who called himself "I" remained silent.

The quiet stretched between them, just as it had during their most difficult times—two people sitting in the vast, dim hall, the scent of *Ersu Old Blend* incense lingering in the air.

Coffee was poured again and again. Mei Wangshu had no desire to change the grounds in the pot. The stewed coffee exuded an indescribable sourness, and his subconscious already pitied this man who despised bitterness.

Outside, the night watchman’s clappers sounded as he passed by. For safety, the Foreign District enforced a strict curfew—it was time to close the shop.

Mei Wangshu seized the excuse to stand. The man’s eyes flickered with unreadable intent in the darkness.

He realized then that, all this time, the other had been staring in his direction behind the counter—unable to see, yet still looking.

"Still not leaving?"

"Nowhere to go. No home to return to." The man who ruled the realm forced a laugh. "You too?"

"No." Mei Wangshu’s reply came abruptly, but he quickly caught himself and said nothing more.

The man’s brows relaxed slightly, a flicker of helplessness crossing his face before he summoned a smile. "Then… could you show me your home?"

The word "home" made Mei Wangshu answer without hesitation. "No."

"..."

"I’m glad you refused me." The man stood, placing his cup back on the counter, gazing at the eyes he had longed for behind the disguised face. "I’ll come back tomorrow for more coffee… Manager."

...

The latest installment of *Elementary Mathematics*, *Statistics*, built upon the solid foundation of its two predecessors. Since its release, it had sold out daily. With the new emperor’s vigorous promotion of mathematics, this series had become core curriculum in many private schools.

News that Yuan Jia, the learned woman who authored the *Geometry* and *Statistics* volumes, had come to Tianjin drew crowds to Qimin Bookstore, all hoping to catch a glimpse of this legendary and erudite woman.

Yuan Jia was busy until sunset before finally finding a moment to rest. When she turned around, she realized the three children who had been upstairs earlier were nowhere to be seen.

She thought the children had gone to the magistrate's residence first, but upon returning, she found no sign of them. It was almost curfew when the three finally returned, their expressions sullen.

Qiu Huanian instructed the steward to recall the servants who had gone out searching. "Did something happen? Why are you back so late?"

Chun Sheng occasionally indulged in play, but Jiu Jiu had always been obedient and sensible. Now fifteen years old, it was rare for her to stay out so late without sending word.

Chun Sheng glanced at his sister. After entering the room, Jiu Jiu explained to Qiu Huanian, "Brother Hua, this afternoon we saw two people on the street who looked exactly like Qiu Chuanzong and Zhao."

Qiu Huanian paused, dredging up from distant memory the names of the body's original owner's birth father and stepmother.

Qiu Chuanzong had violated Mei Zhengchun, a refugee in Shangliang Village, forcing the desperate woman to marry him. Later, because Mei Zhengchun's poor health prevented her from bearing a son, he imprisoned and brutally abused her. Before Mei Zhengchun had even breathed her last, he was already entangled with the young widow Zhao, bringing her home to engage in their illicit relationship.

After Mei Zhengchun's death, Zhao replaced her as the mistress of the house, giving birth to a son, Qiu Gui. The original host was brutally abused until he was barely human by his birth father and stepmother, sold to traffickers during a famine. If not for Du Yunse's kind-hearted mother buying him with two measures of sorghum, he would have long since perished without a trace.

After Qiu Huanian reincarnated into this body, Qiu Gui and his cousin Qiu Fu, envious of Qiu Huanian's lucrative sorghum candy trade, were incited by Zhao from Du Village to kidnap and sell Qiu Huanian for money.

Fortunately, Du Yunse returned in time and foiled their plot in the county, averting disaster.

That was Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse's first meeting. Six years later, Qiu Huanian still vividly remembered the moment the noble and aloof young man rode into view on horseback.

Back then, he had secretly nicknamed him "little dragon man" in his heart, stealing looks, each one making his heart race.

Du Yunse had already returned and approached Qiu Huanian. "Are those two in Tianjin Prefecture?"

Back then, after Qiu Fu and Qiu Gui were arrested by the county magistrate, the Qiu family blamed Qiu Huanian. They carried a hastily made memorial tablet for Mei Zhengchun to Du Village, demanding Qiu Huanian plead for leniency from the magistrate to release Qiu Fu and Qiu Gui.

Qiu Huanian adapted swiftly, exposing the schemes of Qiu Chuanzong, Zhao, and the others while successfully securing his mother's divorce and reburial. Meanwhile, Qiu Chuanzong and his wife were implicated in a trafficking case connected to the imperial concubine's brother, arrested, tried in the capital, and sentenced to exile—vanishing without a trace.

Qiu Huanian had thought he would never hear those names again. He never expected to encounter them six years later.

"Last year, the new emperor ascended the throne and issued a general pardon. They certainly picked the right time to survive," Qiu Huanian said, his tone unconsciously icy.

The grievances of Mei Zhengchun and the original host, his own grudges as "Qiu Huanian"—how could mere exile suffice?

When they tortured Mei Xueer to the brink of death, did they ever consider she was a kind-hearted girl with loved ones? Did they imagine someone would one day wield a blade to exact vengeance tenfold, a hundredfold?

Chun Sheng quietly relayed what he knew to Yuan Ruo and Yuan Jia. Yuan Ruo fumed, "The worst ones always survive! Those old beasts ran too fast—we nearly caught them!"

Yuan Jia, too, seethed with rage, for once not correcting her brother's crude language.

Jiu Jiu explained, "They must have fled to Tianjin Prefecture as refugees, making a living through theft. When we spotted them, Zhao was about to steal the purse of the Sun family's sixth daughter but was caught. Qiu Chuanzong stepped in to cover her escape."

"We were on the second floor of Qimin Bookstore. By the time we reached the street, we only saw their backs."

Jiu Jiu lowered her head regretfully. "Chun Sheng, Yuan Ruo, and I chased them in a frantic chase for hours but lost them."

"It doesn’t matter," Du Yunse said calmly. "If they're in Tianjin, I'll track them down even if I have to search every corner."

Who knew if Qiu Chuanzong and Zhao realized that the celebrated County Princess of Qishu was the very son they had rejected and abandoned, Qiu Huanian? Or that Tianjin's young prefect was their child's spouse, Du Yunse?

Had they known, they wouldn’t have been so reckless as to sneak into Tianjin.

Qiu Huanian took Du Yunse's hand and shook his head gently.

"For this, someone else is better suited."

Du Yunse understood and nodded. "Indeed. He has the rightful claim."

For Mei Wangshu, the chance to personally bring to justice his sister's murderers would be what he values most.

Moreover, Mei Wangshu's methods would surely make Qiu Chuanzong and Zhou regret being born into this world.

Qiu Huanian hoped this could partially unravel the knot in Mei Wangshu's heart regarding the Mei family, allowing him to no longer despise that powerless younger version of himself or resent Sixteen, who had lost his emotions and "betrayed" his kin.

Jiu Jiu and the others didn’t understand the unspoken understanding between Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse, nor did they press further. After detailing the location and circumstances of their encounter with Qiu Chuanzong and his wife that afternoon, they agreed to head to the kitchen for some food. After such an exhausting day, the children were already ravenous.

Yuan Jia had meant to discuss her brother’s situation with Qiu Huanian, but seeing him occupied with serious matters, she held off, figuring she’d bring it up later.

Deep into the night, Qiu Huanian went to the west wing where Wei Li and Qingmei resided, waiting for Mei Wangshu.

Mei Wangshu was late. Just as Qiu Huanian assumed he wouldn’t come due to unforeseen circumstances, he finally appeared in the dim candlelight.

"Uncle, why are you so late today? Qingmei was about to pass out from exhaustion."

Mei Wangshu looked at his daughter in the cradle. The little girl, though visibly exhausted, stubbornly fought sleep, her eyes fixed on her father.

Mei Wangshu picked Qingmei up and gently stroked her face. "I’m late. Go to sleep now, Qingmei."

Now that she’d seen him, Qingmei yawned and soon fell fast asleep in her father’s arms.

"Qiu Huanian pressed?"

"Since you’re waiting for me so late, did you need something?" Mei Wangshu countered.

Indeed, Qiu Huanian had something to say and didn’t think twice. "Uncle, put Qingmei down first, then listen to me."

Once Mei Wangshu settled Qingmei, Qiu Huanian took a deep breath. "Uncle, have you ever looked into my birth father and stepmother?"

Mei Wangshu’s eyes instantly turned sharp, radiating killing intent.

When he had first uncovered Qiu Huanian’s identity, Qiu Chuanzong and Zhou had already been escorted to the capital. At the time, Jia Hongyuan was still under house arrest, and with Qiu Chuanzong and Zhou implicated in the high-profile abduction case involving the imperial concubine’s brother, Mei Wangshu had found no opportunity to act.

Later, the two were exiled from the capital. The vast distance made it difficult for Mei Wangshu to track them without drawing attention—lest someone trace the clues back to Mei Zhengchun and, consequently, Qiu Huanian. Thus, they had managed to survive this long.

"Where are these two scum?" Mei Wangshu’s voice was like an icy blade, each word piercing the ground.