Miss Truth
Chapter 284 - 180: The Farthest Distance

Chapter 284: Chapter 180: The Farthest Distance

The sky had turned pitch black. If Xiao Song stayed any longer, perhaps his wife would come to drive him away, so he left together with Wan Lu.

As they left the Inner Gate, Xiao Song suddenly said to Wan Lu, "It’s late, and it’s not safe for you to go out alone. I’m heading to the Government Office myself, so I’ll have someone release them along the way."

The County Government was some distance away from the jail and not on the way for Xiao Song.

Wan Lu did not suspect anything untoward and, considering the shortage of hands in the yard and her extreme fear of Xiao Song, where would she dare to refuse? She quickly bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Mr. Xiao."

"It’s nothing," Xiao Song replied indifferently, then stepped out of the outer arched gate.

Wan Lu breathed a sigh of relief and went back.

Xiao Song saw the Government Official waiting at the gate and gestured to him.

The subordinate, of lowly status, had never seen Xiao Song before, but recognizing the purple robe, he guessed Xiao Song’s rank and came over trembling with fear, "Assistant Minister Xiao."

"I’m not free to identify people now, just lock them up for the night," Xiao Song paused and then said, "I remember the cell opposite Zhuang Yin’s is clean and spacious. Move them both there."

"Assistant Minister Xiao, are you perhaps mistaken? That place is for serious offenders, and it’s terribly dirty and messy," the Government Official reminded him in a quiet, ingratiating tone.

Xiao Song cast a cold glance at him, "I’m not old; my memory is fine."

His calm tone sounded somehow eerie, and the official broke out in a cold sweat, not understanding Xiao Song’s intention but not daring to question further, thinking to himself, whatever you say goes, at worst I’ll just arrange a clean cell.

Xiao Song looked at the official, fully aware of his thoughts, and said, "I’m talking about the one opposite Zhuang Yin; if it’s not as I say tomorrow... you know the consequences."

With that, he walked away with his hands clasped behind him towards the Government Office.

The official muttered to himself as he watched Xiao Song’s retreating figure, "Zhuang Yin is almost decayed away; I can’t even bear to look at him, why would he want someone locked up opposite him?"

Could it be that these two are impostors, or did they offend Assistant Minister Xiao? The official, with a puzzled face, hurried back to the jail to relocate them.

When Wan Lu returned to the yard, she saw someone nestled under the lantern’s swaying light at the end of the corridor, a small body curled into a ball with the head buried in between the legs, showing only a smooth head.

"Huan Kong?" Wan Lu called softly.

Huan Kong raised her head, her small face streaked with tears, her eyes swollen like walnuts. On seeing Wan Lu, she suddenly sobbed, "I can’t find my senior brother, wuu wuu wuu..."

Wan Lu took a while to remember; Sang Chen called Huai Yin "Uncle Master," and since Huai Yin and Jing Hui were of the same generation in the monastery, the "senior brother" Huan Kong referred to must be Sang Chen.

Ever since Ran Yan had been seriously injured, she had been too busy to even catch a breath, and these days she hadn’t seen Huan Kong, unwittingly forgetting her. "Mr. Sang will be back in a while, the wife hasn’t gone to bed yet, would you like to go talk to her?"

Huan Kong, having grown up in the monastery and never taught by Jing Yuan, was completely ignorant of worldly ways, not knowing things like visiting the sick.

Huan Kong wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sobbed, "Can I?"

"Of course, I know the wife likes you very much." Wan Lu walked over, took her hand, and led her back to Ran Yan’s bedroom.

Ran Yan, having just finished freshening up, smiled when she saw Huan Kong, her voice weak and giving an impression of gentleness, "I haven’t seen you in several days, why haven’t you come to visit me?"

Huan Kong, seeing Ran Yan’s warmth and feeling less intimidated, spoke softly, "Senior brother said it’s not safe outside and told me not to run around everywhere."

In recent days, Jushui County had been on edge because of a series of murder cases; Sang Chen’s warning was not surprising, but the fact that Huan Kong had obediently stayed in her room showed an excessive trust and dependence on Sang Chen.

Ran Yan couldn’t help thinking how two people with an extreme lack of security would huddle together, giving each other courage?

Ever since Huan Kong witnessed Jing Yuan dying in front of her, she had become even more timid. Maybe in front of someone weaker, Sang Chen could spread his arms too and offer a piece of the sky!

"Madam Ran, when will senior brother be back?" Huan Kong sat down beside the bed, clutching the corner of her clothes uneasily.

Ran Yan smiled faintly and said, "Mr. Sang has gone out with Doctor Liu to take care of some business, he’ll be back later. If you’re scared, you can stay here, or sleep with Wan Lu."

"Okay!" Huan Kong agreed happily and then noticed Ran Yan’s tightly wrapped hand, her concern resurfacing, "Madam Ran, are you hurt, does it still hurt?"