Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 40 - 36 Tonight I Can’t Sleep, I’ll Go to Jiang’s House to Walk the Bird

Chapter 40: Chapter 36 Tonight I Can’t Sleep, I’ll Go to Jiang’s House to Walk the Bird

As the sun rose and the temperature grew hot, the snow that had fallen on the streets for half the night gradually began to melt, revealing the original bluestone pavement.

The number of people on the streets also started to increase.

The melting snow on the branches quietly formed a string of crystal-clear droplets that dripped down, landing on Jiang Shouzhong’s shoulders.

The man was completely unaware,

just staring blankly at a wild weed by the road, as if his soul had left his body.

It took a while before the coolness that seeped into his clothes brought him back to his senses.

Jiang Shouzhong exhaled a breath of stale air and took another look at Zhang Yunwu’s distant home, silently proceeding along the damp stone path, with a "squeak, squeak" sound coming from his footsteps now and then.

Jia Ye did not wait as expected, probably off courting Qing Niang at the Spring Rain Building again.

This guy was naturally a bootlicker.

Harboring complex emotions, Jiang Shouzhong aimlessly wandered the streets alone.

After aimless wandering till dusk, the man’s heart was still in turmoil, his thoughts as if lost in a fog within the fog.

"Forget it, I might as well go to the Liushan Division to find the boss."

Jiang Shouzhong sighed softly.

Under the current circumstances, he couldn’t make a decision on his own.

Upon arriving at the Liushan Division, he happened to encounter the Hall Master of the Iron Cloth Hall, Nalan Xie. However, that follower called Shi Yi was nowhere to be seen.

"Jiang."

Nalan Xie took the initiative to greet him.

Jiang Shouzhong, observing that Nalan Xie appeared quite pale and obviously dispirited, asked in confusion, "You... are you injured?"

Nalan Xie sighed and spoke with a mix of resignation and bitterness,

"I wanted to do some heroic deeds, but alas, my skills weren’t up to par and I was beaten by someone. Wouldn’t you say that’s just my bad luck?"

Beaten by someone?

Jiang Shouzhong’s expression turned odd.

Nalan Xie, patting Jiang Shouzhong’s shoulder with earnest concern, said,

"Jiang, when facing enemies in the future, you must be extremely, extremely cautious! Do not be reckless. There’s always someone better, and a higher sky above. It’s okay if you just get beaten, but it would be a great loss if you were to lose your life."

Jiang Shouzhong frowned, feeling that the other party was hinting at something.

Just about to speak, Li Nanshuang’s warning voice suddenly came from behind him, "Nalan Xie you toad, what are you up to? Trying to poach my people again!?"

The girl with the swords on her back rushed over fiercely, glaring at Nalan Xie with hostility.

One hand was even resting on the hilt of her sword.

She looked ready to draw her sword and attack at the slightest provocation!

Nalan Xie’s expression changed, and he quickly stepped back two paces, distancing himself from Jiang Shouzhong and spreading his hands innocently, "Mr. Li, I was just casually chatting with Jiang. Who would dare to poach? And even if I wanted to, Jiang wouldn’t be willing to come."

"Stay away, and don’t you even think about my stewed noodles!"

Li Nanshuang unceremoniously pushed Nalan Xie away, looking like a fiercely protective wife, and pulled Jiang Shouzhong away with her.

Nalan Xie’s face grew dark and unreadable.

He habitually touched the stubble on his chin, muttering to himself,

"Jiang Mo is looking fine, not at all like someone who’s taken a beating. It seems Shi Yi has had an unsuccessful debut. That guy better not be dead."

A sudden jolt went through Nalan Xie’s heart.

If he was dead, who would have done it?

Was it during the attempt to take down Jiang Mo that he was killed? Or, like himself, was it simply bad luck of running into a master and getting killed?

If it was the former, it would mean that someone was protecting Jiang Mo from behind.

Nalan Xie’s thoughts drifted uncertainly as he slowly clenched his fist and cursed softly, "Idiots! All idiots! Including me."

...

"Let me tell you, stewed noodles, you better keep your distance from that guy. That thing is no good..."

Entering the inner courtyard, Li Nanshuang was like a chatterbox grandma, endlessly babbling warnings to Jiang Shouzhong.

She was terrified that her precious boy might one day have a brain fart and be stolen away by someone else.

Seeing no one else around, Jiang Shouzhong interrupted her nagging and detailed the clues he had gathered to his supervisor who was fond of slacking off.

"Wei Zhaodi?"

Li Nanshuang narrowed her sparkling eyes and took a small sip from the hip flask at her waist, surprised, "Women have a thousand facets, how come I can’t see it?"

Jiang Shouzhong said softly, "But there are many things I can’t figure out."

Li Nanshuang shook the jug, feeling it nearing empty, and continued to ask, "How can her innocence be proven?"

Jiang Shouzhong’s expression was complex, "It depends on whether she comes tonight or not."

"What a headache Erniu is."

Li Nanshuang sighed leisurely, then blinked playfully, "Brother’s wife, am I supposed to be polite?"

Jiang Shouzhong said irritably, "I’m not a beast."

"You’re braised noodles."

Li Nanshuang laughed heartily, then her smile faded as she said, "You’re the smartest in Wind Thunder Hall, whatever you say goes, and however you want to act, act. Whether you handle it publicly or privately, I’ve got your back."

Jiang Shouzhong smiled, "With you saying that, boss, I can rest easy."

"Work hard, young man, I’m counting on you to take over my position."

With the air of an old man on the verge of retirement, Li Nanshuang patted Jiang Shouzhong heavily on the shoulder, "When I have a daughter, I’ll be sure to betroth her to you."

Jiang Shouzhong wanted to curse but dared not to speak.

Seeing Li Nanshuang about to leave, Jiang Shouzhong frowned, "Are you thinking of abandoning your duties again?"

The girl waved her hand without turning back, "I trust you with this small matter, I’m a useless superior anyway."

Jiang Shouzhong said displeased, "If you keep this up, tomorrow I’ll go to another hall."

Li Nanshuang turned around, her long ponytail swinging with a flick.

The girl, realizing the man was truly upset and knowing she couldn’t slack off any longer, smiled sweetly with a beautifully curved lip, "I can’t sleep tonight, let’s go bird-watching and cricket-fighting at Jiang’s place."

The girl with swords on her back didn’t say another word, grabbed the man’s arm, and dragged him along.

By coincidence, Ran Qingchen, about to leave for an errand, appeared at the other end of the corridor and observed the slightly "intimate" scene between Li Nanshuang and Jiang Shouzhong, her eyebrows knitting slightly and her beautiful face showing a strange expression.

Jiang Shouzhong didn’t see her.

However, Li Nanshuang, with her considerable cultivation, sensed the other’s presence.

Seeing it was Ran Qingchen, the girl with swords on her back pursed her lips, too lazy to deal with her, and dragged Jiang Shouzhong out, running from the Liushan Division government office.

The two seemed like a young couple brimming with youthful vitality.

Li Nanshuang didn’t bother to look back.

Noticing Ran Qingchen still standing there watching them, she muttered under her breath, "What are you staring at? It’s as if I’ve eloped with your man."

...

To coax more inside information out of Wen Zhaodi, Li Nanshuang didn’t enter the room but stood guard outside.

The room was quiet and empty.

Jiang Shouzhong lit the stove and idly flipped through the Tianyuan River Map Book.

He had glimpsed a corner of the truth.

But the fog behind the truth piled up layer upon layer, too thick to see through.

Jiang Shouzhong still refused to think the worst and didn’t hope that the woman would come tonight.

But if she really did show up, would he still be polite to this brother’s wife?

The knock on the door came around the time of Hai (9–11 pm).

The night was at its darkest, the sparse stars in the winter night sky all shrinking and shuddering with cold.

All was silent.

The soft knock was clearly audible.

The woman waited for a moment, and when no one inside responded, she gently pushed open the unlocked door.

The dim light highlighted her graceful figure.

Of the Dongping Street Beauties, the widowed Mrs. Wen had charm like water’s gentle flow.

She carefully placed the Emerald Tangerine and Red Apricot Tea that she had bought on the table. Looking at the handsome man engrossed in the records, she said softly, "Jiang, I’ve brought the tea."

Jiang Shouzhong glanced at the tea leaves and smiled, "Good tea."

Wen Zhaodi’s smile was forlorn, "It is good tea."

Red apricot, red apricot, indeed a fine tea.

Jiang Shouzhong couldn’t read Wen Zhaodi, and Wen Zhaodi also didn’t understand Jiang Shouzhong. In that moment, aside from silence, there seemed to be no extra emotional exchange between the man and the woman.

Of course, sometimes men and women don’t need emotional exchanges.

Communication can take many forms.

For example...

Wen Zhaodi’s hands trembled as she slowly untied her sash.

Jiang Shouzhong added some more coal to the stove and, out of the blue, recalled the vague nightmare from the other night, murmuring, "I hope I don’t really get axed to death."

Outside, the moonlight was pale and darkness filled the night.

On the damp tree trunks after the snow melted, the girl with swords on her back watched the scene through a sliver of a window and subconsciously touched her own belly, "I don’t think I’m fat either."