Of course, with the death of the assassin, Su Qingwen received the clue fragment rewarded by the system.
She looked at the fragment that resembled a rag over and over again. "Is this just a clue fragment? Are there other fragments for the complete clue?"
[System: Yes, dear~ Such tasks will be triggered again. You can still obtain fragments then.]
"..." Su Qingwen felt that something was off. She always had the feeling that she had jumped into some strange and huge pit.
By now, the crowd had gradually dispersed. The brilliance of the lanterns was fading. People in colorful clothes left hand in hand. The playful children in twos and threes were gradually caught by their elders and taken home.
Suddenly, Su Qingwen felt a warmth on her hand. A big hand suddenly clasped hers.
Startled, she looked up along the arm and saw Hua Yueye staring at her with a fox-like look on his face.
"What...?" someone stammered.
"Let's go. It's not a good time to return to the palace now. How about we stay at the Regent's Mansion for the night?" Hua Yueye coaxed.
Su Qingwen took a step back. "Who's that? Do you have some kind of plot?"
Hua Yueye twitched the corner of his mouth. "That's my adoptive father, okay?"
Adoptive father? Eh??! Was it that extremely handsome and good-tempered King Rui??! OMG!
Su Qingwen grabbed Hua Yueye's hand instead. "Hurry up!" Then she dragged Hua Yueye's hand and started marching towards the mansion of the male god. Go, brave Su Qingwen!
Hua Yueye said helplessly, "You're going the wrong way. It's this way..."
"Oh, why didn't you say so earlier!" someone said righteously.
In the dim light of the lanterns, one in black clothes like the night, the other in an apricot-colored shirt like a colorful dream, walking side by side... Well, let's just say they were walking side by side. The gentle candlelight shone through the swaying lanterns on their faces, as if they were a loving couple...
On the railing of the attic in the distance, a person in a jade crown and gorgeous clothes stood dejectedly. A clear tear slowly slid down the face. She opened her mouth but still said nothing...
At this moment, the Ruiwang Mansion was exactly the same as it was in the side plot that Su Qingwen had entered. It was still elegant with a hint of subtle flamboyance.
The ancient green trees stood stately. The carved stone windows faced each other across the water. At this time, the courtyard was silent with no one around. Only the cicadas were chirping incessantly. The drunken moonlight stumbled on the lake.
The candlelight in the living room shone faintly. King Rui was sitting in the living room drinking tea. He wasn't surprised to see Hua Yueye at all. Instead, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
He was already in middle age now. However, except for a few shallow wrinkles at the corners of his eyes like ripples, he was still as handsome and elegant as he was in his youth.
"Adoptive father." Hua Yueye called out as soon as he entered the door, with a hint of coquetry in his voice.
... Su Qingwen's hair stood on end. It was really terrifying. Hua Yueye coquettishly? Was it that Mars was going to hit the Earth, causing animal mutations in advance, so the big bad wolf had transformed into a little kitten?
King Rui responded and said with a smile, "This must be Concubine Xian, right? I've heard that she's a very interesting girl. No wonder Little Leaf wanted to bring you here too."
Hearing "Little Leaf", Su Qingwen burst out laughing. "Little Leaf, hahahahahaha!" Although she had heard it in the side plot, it was still so funny to hear the grown-up Hua Yueye being called like this.
Hua Yueye raised his hand to cover his eyes.
"Sorry, you can't be called Little Leaf when you've grown up. I'm old and my memory's not good. But it's okay for you, girl, to call him that~" King Rui added wickedly.
Su Qingwen nodded frantically in triumph.
After introducing Su Qingwen, King Rui and Hua Yueye started chatting about daily matters. Their slanting shadows were cast on the ground, stretching into a rare warmth.
Somehow, Hua Yueye frowned and said, "Adoptive father, do you know? I met a killer sent by Gao Quan on the lantern fair today."
King Rui said anxiously, "Are you hurt?" He looked so worried that if he could stand up from the wheelchair, he would surely check Hua Yueye up and down carefully.
"You may not believe it, but thanks to this highly skilled Concubine Xian." The big bad wolf drawled.
"I really had no idea. I didn't expect this young girl to be a martial arts expert~" With this tone, it was obvious that the father and son were equally scheming.
Su Qingwen blushed and waved her hand shyly. "You're overpraising me. It's nothing..." Heaven knows, maintaining this persona was so difficult. She was still a novice!
King Rui frowned. "This Gao Quan is going too far. Last time, we could only get rid of a few of his insignificant subordinates. It didn't deter him much. But since he's getting more and more insolent, I'll have to teach him a lesson."
Hearing this, Hua Yueye suppressed the warmth in his heart and said, "With adoptive father's help, Gao Quan definitely won't dare to be so arrogant anymore."
...
Hearing that they started talking about serious matters, Su Qingwen sensibly went out for a stroll on her own. It was already midnight. Many families had fallen into a deep sleep. The two people in the room were surely not sleepy as they rarely had private time. Su Qingwen, on the other hand, was a seasoned gamer. Staying up late was a piece of cake for her.
Suddenly, the treetop in the distance moved. It seemed as if something had just passed by.
Su Qingwen looked at the treetop curiously. "Damn it, is there an owl here?" After saying that, she rubbed her hands excitedly. "Can we keep birds in the palace? Owls are such rare birds. Surely no one has one. Hehe... I'll charge an entrance fee for people to come and watch. I'm going to make a fortune, Su Qingwen!"
[System: Wake up. That's a clue character. You'll get a clue fragment if you catch him.]
A clue character that couldn't make her money was even worse than an owl. Su Qingwen curled her lips in disgust. "That person knows lightness kung fu. He's obviously a master. I can't catch up with him or beat him. How can I catch him?"
"And I don't have any points left." Su Qingwen added.
[System: You'll have to figure that out on your own. I can only tell you where he is~]
Damn it! Su Qingwen contemptuously gave the middle finger.
She paced back and forth on the spot, thinking hard. Suddenly, she clapped her hands. "Hehe, I've got an idea!"
She suddenly started shouting, "Help! There's a robber! The house has been robbed!"
Hua Yueye in the room quickly walked out and held Su Qingwen's shoulder. "What's going on?"
Su Qingwen looked serious without blinking. "A robber snatched my stuff and ran that way."
Hua Yueye frowned. "I'm glad you're not hurt. What did you lose?"
Su Qingwen didn't even breathe heavily. "My heirloom treasure."
Hua Yueye: ... Although it seemed okay, it always sounded a bit odd...
At this time, King Rui also rolled his wheelchair out. He asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
Su Qingwen shook her head and her acting skills were on fire. "I'm fine! Hurry up and catch the thief! It's the heirloom treasure passed down in my family from a single lineage! It can't be lost in my hands!"
Hearing this, Hua Yueye called out clearly, "Come on, go and catch the thief. The thief has gone to the East Garden."
Suddenly, a dozen torches were lit up sporadically. A large number of servants rushed to search for the thief and chased after him into the East Garden.
Hearing the hasty footsteps, Su Qingwen silently gave herself a thumbs up in her heart for her wit: I don't believe that so many people can't catch him!