Ji Shisu asked again, his tone even more impatient.
Chen Chuliu hid in the corner, mumbling to herself.
"Shiguan... Shiguan."
Ji Shisu crossed his arms and watched her act.
Chen Chuliu simply waved her hand and said, "I don't remember!"
"If you tell the truth, I can still give you a place to stay. If you don't, I have plenty of ways to make you talk."
Chen Chuliu could only say timidly, "I... I just said Tianxiang Tower..."
Tianxiang Tower?
Tianxiang Tower!
Ji Shisu panicked instantly.
Could it be...
Ji Shisu didn't dare to think further.
"Then, what was Zhao Luoning's reaction when she heard that?"
Chen Chuliu recalled carefully.
"She seemed a bit angry, but there wasn't much difference."
Zhao Luoning had always been cold, and Chen Chuliu couldn't figure out her temper.
Chen Chuliu didn't know that every word she said made Ji Shisu's heart pound.
Ji Shisu regretted deeply now.
If he had known this, he might as well have confessed everything to Zhao Luoning at the beginning.
At least at that time, she was still in front of him, and he could explain.
Now he couldn't even find her to explain.
No, don't think too much.
Ji Shisu could only console himself weakly.
Chen Chuliu didn't know that the woman that night was Luoning. It shouldn't be what he thought.
However, Zhao Luoning must have known something to be angry.
Ji Shisu panicked.
Because what he feared most was that Zhao Luoning would know about that matter.
Looking at Chen Chuliu still in the yard, Ji Shisu clenched his trembling hands due to fear, forced himself to calm down, and ordered his subordinate, "Send her back to her own yard."
Chen Chuliu broke free from Yu Chi's restraint, took a few small steps, and knelt down in front of Ji Shisu.
"Please, Second Master, don't leave me here alone."
Chen Chuliu wasn't stupid.
She understood Ji Shisu's words "There will be no Second Master Ji in Ji Mansion anymore".
Now Ji Shisu wasn't the old Ji Shisu. He had made up his mind to be Bai Shaoqing.
As a concubine discarded by Ji Shisu, how could she have a good life staying in this terrifying Ji Mansion?
But Chen Chuliu was very clear.
Her mother had sent her out, determined not to let her go back.
There was no place for her in Ji Mansion.
There was no intention to keep her in Chen Mansion.
At this moment, Chen Chuliu knew that she had been abandoned by the whole world.
Tears streaming down her face, Chen Chuliu kowtowed to Ji Shisu several times.
"Please, Second Master, allow this concubine to accompany the green lantern and ancient Buddha for the rest of her life."
"You want to become a nun?"
Ji Shisu never expected that Chen Chuliu would make such a decision.
If there were choices, which girl would be willing to make such a decision?
Chen Chuliu swallowed all her bitterness and nodded difficultly.
Ji Shisu didn't bother to care what she was thinking now.
Since this was what she asked for, he would grant it.
He ordered Yu Chi, "Find a secluded nunnery for her and donate some incense money to the nunnery."
Yu Chi knew his master's temper well.
Since he specifically mentioned finding a secluded nunnery, the meaning was obvious: he didn't want to see Chen Chuliu again.
It seemed that there was a Siyu Nunnery on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't very famous, but fortunately, it was far from the city and wouldn't disturb the master.
Having made up his mind, Yu Chi was about to take Chen Chuliu away when Ji Shisu called him back.
"Go and call Jing Su and Gui Su here."
Yu Chi took the order and left.
Not long after, Jing Su and Gui Su rushed to Furong Garden.
On the way, both girls were very nervous.
They had lost the mistress again, which was a big deal.
Although the two maids had already prepared themselves to be punished, they were still extremely panicked when this moment really came.
Jing Su and Gui Su were ready to suffer greatly, but unexpectedly, Ji Shisu neither beat nor scolded them. He just asked the two of them to recall in detail what had happened before Zhao Luoning met Chen Chuliu in Shiguan.
They had to confess everything without leaving out any details.
Gui Su had accompanied Zhao Luoning more during those days.
Gui Su was the kind of person who forgot things easily.
It was Jing Su who reminded her that Zhao Luoning had been raising money to reward the army during those days that she suddenly realized.
"Yes, mistress came back to her room to collect jewelry that day." Gui Su remembered. "I remember very clearly that mistress was even going to sell the master's jade pendant that day. I even reminded mistress."
"Sell my jade pendant?" Ji Shisu was puzzled.
According to Zhao Luoning's temper, she wouldn't sell his things without his consent.
Gui Su nodded affirmatively. She described the shape of the jade pendant and said, "It was I who reminded mistress that she put the jade pendant back. Maybe what I said made mistress unhappy. She seemed a bit listless after that."
Thinking of this, Gui Su lowered her head guiltily.
The mistress could do whatever she wanted with the master's things.
She shouldn't have talked too much that day.
"Wait for me with the jade pendant. I will marry you."
This sentence suddenly popped into Ji Shisu's mind.
Ji Shisu smiled bitterly.
This was his promise to her. He never expected that it would become his doom.
Jade pendant!
These two words exploded in Ji Shisu's mind instantly.
With just these two words, he immediately understood.
Zhao Luoning's abnormality.
Zhao Luoning's silent departure.
Everything had found an answer.
The thing he was most worried about and most regretted had happened.
He had even resented Zhao Luoning for her silent departure before.
He was wrong.
The jade pendant was ironclad evidence that nailed him firmly to the pillar of a bad man.
Coupled with his intentional concealment and covering up for her first night.
All the "for her own good" had turned into knives, stabbing her severely.
His credibility with Zhao Luoning was almost gone.
No wonder she left without crying, making a fuss, or even saying a single accusing word.
She wasn't unwilling to cry or make a fuss.
I'm afraid at that time, she was hurt to the core.
She didn't even have the strength to cry, make a fuss, or accuse.
Ji Shisu always thought that it was because he didn't do something well that Zhao Luoning wanted to escape.
At this moment, he finally knew.
Zhao Luoning's escape might not be because of anger.
It was the instinctive reaction of an animal after being hurt.
A kitten would hide and lick its wounds alone when it was hurt.
She was just that kitten.
After being severely hurt, she hid and never trusted anyone again.
This realization made Ji Shisu heartbroken.
Ji Shisu grabbed the clothes on his chest. The suffocating feeling made it hard for him to breathe.
He had to use all his strength to inhale air into his lungs.
Seeing this, Jing Su and Gui Su quickly brought water to him.
Ji Shisu waved them away.
After everyone left, Ji Shisu dared to let himself be completely vulnerable.
He was so heartbroken that he could hardly stand. He slumped on the ground and stared at the roof.
He missed Zhao Luoning very much.
But he was also very afraid of missing her.
She was the meaning of his rest of life, the one he cherished most!
But in the end.
It was he who hurt her the most.
Even if he died ten thousand times, he couldn't atone for his sins.