Chapter Sixty-One: Suspicion

Old Zhao froze, his entire body tense, and lowered his head without another word.

The chill in Li Mohan's eyes eased slightly as he looked at Chu Bing. “What is your name? Where are you working now? I’ll have Old Zhao bring you here.”

The moment he opened his eyes and saw Chu Bing dressed as a maid, he immediately assumed she was one of the household maids and hadn’t bothered to ask about her background. Now, thinking back, he realized he’d been careless.

Chu Bing kept her head down, appearing very obedient. “My name is Hongxiu. I work in the laundry.”

“Old Zhao, go inform the steward that from now on, Hongxiu will serve in my courtyard.”

Having just witnessed Li Mohan lose his temper, Old Zhao, though full of reluctance, had no choice but to agree.

Chu Bing snuck a glance at Li Mohan. The three young masters of the Li family truly had wildly different personalities.

“Young Master, your injuries can’t be ignored. Let me help you rest.”

“Very well.”

Master and maid supported each other as they walked toward the house. Halfway there, Li Mohan suddenly turned, his gaze falling on Chu Bing, his brows and eyes as striking as ever. “Go change your clothes, pack your things, and come to me.”

Oh.

Chu Bing lowered her head.

Because she’d gone into the water, her clothes were soaked through, clinging tightly to her body and outlining her graceful figure.

Suddenly, Chu Bing covered her face with her hands.

She returned to the laundry, gathered some of her belongings, and the maids and old women in the courtyard, learning she was leaving, all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The demon was finally gone.

As she was about to leave, one foot already across the threshold, Chu Bing suddenly turned back, casting a sinister smile at them. “Though I’m leaving the laundry, I’m still in the Li residence. If I hear any rumors that shouldn’t exist, don’t blame me for coming back.”

She worried that after her departure, with no one to keep them in check, these people would gossip about things she’d done. If that happened, she’d likely become the main target of investigation for the masters of the Li family.

“Miss Hongxiu, please rest assured—we promise we won’t say a word,” Madam Zheng stammered, waving her hands frantically. It had been hard enough to get rid of this demon; she couldn’t let her come back.

Satisfied, Chu Bing curled her lips into a smile, hoisted her small bundle over her shoulder, and skipped away.

Madam Zheng wiped away imaginary sweat from her brow, then turned to scold the young maids fiercely. “All of you, mind your tongues! Never mention the name ‘Hongxiu’ again.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Chu Bing left the laundry but didn’t go to Li Mohan’s courtyard immediately. She needed to notify Ren Changfeng.

But the courtyard was completely deserted.

Where had Ren Changfeng gone?

Circling the room twice, Chu Bing realized not only was the person gone, but not a single used item was left behind. Could it be that Ren Changfeng had already—

That heartless man, gone without even saying goodbye.

Helpless, Chu Bing could only return to Li Mohan’s place.

Li Mohan had already applied his medicine and was resting.

Old Zhao stood guard outside the door, eyeing Chu Bing with open hostility.

“I don’t know how you managed to bewitch our young master, but as long as I, Old Zhao, am here, you can forget about pulling any tricks.”

Chu Bing twitched her lips. “Old man, are you sick or what? Which eye of yours saw me bewitch your young master? I saved him!”

She was Li Mohan’s savior, after all.

Old Zhao snorted, the deep lines of his face making him look even more severe. “You? A maid, saving our young master?”

“The second young master is highly skilled in martial arts. Even our young master is no match for him. How did you escape from him, and with the eldest young master gravely injured and unconscious?”

Li Mohan had just told him everything that had happened, and the more Old Zhao thought about it, the more suspicious he became.

How had Chu Bing just happened to be there?

Most importantly, how had she managed to escape from the second young master, who was so skilled in martial arts?

This maid was certainly odd.

Old Zhao suspected she was a spy sent by someone else.

It was a pity that Li Mohan insisted on repaying this maid. All Old Zhao could do was keep her close and stay vigilant.

Old Zhao’s questions gave Chu Bing a moment’s pause, but she quickly rolled her eyes and replied in a pitiful tone, “I just happened to be coming out of the laundry, planning to go to the kitchen to find something for everyone to eat, when I saw the young master wounded and collapsing beside me. I didn’t think much, just carried him to the river and jumped in.”

The more she spoke, the more confident she sounded, her bright eyes fixed innocently on Old Zhao.

Old Zhao was momentarily at a loss for words. After all, the eldest young master had been unconscious during the escape; only the second young master and this little maid knew what had really happened.

But that didn’t mean he intended to let Chu Bing off the hook.

He narrowed his eyes and sneered. “This old man will be watching to see what tricks you’re up to.”

Chu Bing just gave him an innocent smile.

“From now on, you’ll sweep the courtyard. Without orders from me or the young master, you are not to take a single step outside.”

Chu Bing glanced at the already spotless ground and readily agreed. “Leave it to me.”

As for leaving the courtyard, that wasn’t something Old Zhao could control. At worst, she’d just be more careful in the future and avoid being seen.

Seeing her obedient, Old Zhao’s resentment eased a little, though his tone remained stiff. “From now on, you’ll stay in the storage room at the back. Remember, you are not to appear before the young master without reason. If I catch you, you won’t get off lightly.”

The storage room.

Chu Bing had wandered this courtyard before and knew what the storage room was like. It was dark and damp, piled high with useless junk, with barely enough space for a wooden bed.

There were so many empty rooms in the courtyard, yet Old Zhao insisted she stay in the storage room—clearly, he was making things difficult for her.

Chu Bing was about to roll up her sleeves and give the old man a piece of her mind when she heard familiar footsteps.

Li Mohan.

Her eyes lit up, and she immediately masked her anger, putting on a look of grievance and helplessness.

“Whatever you say.”

There was a moment of confusion on Old Zhao’s face.

Something wasn’t right. This little maid was clearly not the obedient type. He’d been hoping she’d make a fuss so he’d have an excuse to put her in her place.

Yet she agreed so easily.

Old Zhao eyed Chu Bing suspiciously, but before he could say anything, the door behind him opened, and Li Mohan stepped out.

Li Mohan immediately saw the two of them standing in the courtyard, his sword-like brows arching. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” Chu Bing answered in a muffled voice, her head bowed.

She looked every bit the picture of someone who’d been wronged.

Li Mohan’s gaze sharpened, landing directly on Old Zhao.

At last, Old Zhao understood why Chu Bing had agreed so readily—she’d been waiting for him to fall right into her trap.

His expression darkened, and he hurried to explain to Li Mohan, “I was just arranging Miss Hongxiu’s accommodations.”

“She’ll live in the room next to mine from now on. It’ll be convenient for her to look after me,” Li Mohan said, settling Chu Bing’s future with a single sentence, ignoring any arrangements Old Zhao might have made.

Chu Bing’s eyes lit up, and she broke into a dazzling smile, thanking him loudly.

Old Zhao’s face turned completely black, but faced with Li Mohan’s impassive expression, he dared not retort and could only retreat with a livid face.

Chu Bing watched his back and cheekily made a face.

Li Mohan caught her little gesture, and in his usually indifferent eyes, a trace of amusement flickered.