TPATTHU Chapter 21
by VolareChapter 21 Ah—Murder!
Xiao Zhinian rose stiffly like a marionette, his arms trembling at his sides, the color draining from his face.
“Shen Zhejiang… Shen Zhejiang…”
He murmured his name.
Like countless times, in blurry dreams, softly, absentmindedly, like a sleep talk.
If the news he had heard three years ago was false, if Han Zitang was just trying to deceive him, if…
If Shen Zhejiang was still alive!
Xiao Zhinian’s eyes reddened as he lunged forward, snatching the thin paper Zhao Xiaosi was holding.
With a long “tearing” sound, the paper ripped, shattering the last shred of reason in Xiao Zhinian’s mind.
Due to the excessive force, the paper was torn in two.
Not only Zhao Xiaosi, but even Zhao Yuanwai and Yang Shihui were dumbfounded, turning to look at the suddenly agitated Xiao Zhinian and the scraps of paper in his palm.
Zhao Xiaosi realized that his manuscript had been torn by this inexplicable person. He was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears, wailing, “Wah—you pay me back! You bad man! Teacher only praised me this once! And he even made annotations! I was going to frame it! You pay me back!!”
Xiao Zhinian seemed deaf, unable to hear Zhao Xiaosi’s cries.
He lowered his head, his dark eyelashes trembling uncontrollably, staring at the small characters annotated in red ink on the paper. It was torn in the middle and not complete, but Xiao Zhinian recognized it. It was the character “Nian” (read – to think of).
Each stroke, upright and proud.
Already carved into the depths of Xiao Zhinian’s heart.
If it wasn’t written by Shen Zhejiang, who else could it be?
Tears streamed down Zhao Xiaosi’s face like a broken string of pearls. He pushed Xiao Zhinian and cried as he grabbed back his things, “Give it back to me!”
Zhao Yuanwai tried to stop him, but couldn’t. He looked up to the sky and lamented, “Alas, it’s all over!”
Xiao Zhinian staggered two steps and bumped into a desk, but seemed to feel no pain. Clarity gradually returned to his eyes. He suddenly grabbed Zhao Xiaosi’s shoulders and roared, “Who is your teacher? Tell me!”
Zhao Xiaosi was terrified by his expression, so frightened that even his cries were choked back, unable to come out. He just shook his head with tears in his eyes.
Zhao Yuanwai, anxious for his son, immediately replied, “Your Majesty! He’s from the family in the East Gate Hutong. The teacher’s surname is Shen. He moved here three years ago. This humble one saw that he had some knowledge, so I hired him to teach!”
Didn’t that all match up?
Surname Shen, three years ago, it was Shen Zhejiang!
Xiao Zhinian took a deep breath, calming down slightly. “I have matters to attend to. You don’t need to follow.”
The moonlight was as cool as water.
Xiao Zhinian arrived at the address Zhao Yuanwai had given him as quickly as possible. The surroundings were quiet. Living in such a remote place was indeed Shen Zhejiang’s style. There was no mistake.
He raised his hand, eager to knock on the door, but just as his fingers moved, he seemed to think of something, and hesitated before putting it down again.
“…”
What if, just what if, the person inside the door wasn’t Shen Zhejiang? What would he do?
He could have chosen to climb over the wall, a faster way to see the person inside and find out the truth, but he stubbornly used such a clumsy and time-consuming method, standing in front of the door and honestly knocking.
He wanted to give himself more time.
If it really was Shen Zhejiang, how should he face him?
Grab him, pinch him, and loudly question him about why he had deceived him, whether he knew how much pain he had endured for three years? If he hadn’t accidentally found out, would he have been kept in the dark for the rest of his life?
Xiao Zhinian tried to raise his hand several times, but at the last moment, he still pulled it back.
Finally unable to bear the throbbing pain in his heart, he rested his head against the door panel, his expression sorrowful. As before, he suppressed his emotions, his shoulders twitching and trembling slightly, no different from an abandoned puppy.
Why did he abandon him…?
“Shen Zhejiang, open the door, don’t ignore me…”
Xiao Zhinian closed his eyes, whispering over and over again, unable to distinguish whether he was talking to the Shen Zhejiang in the wooden box or the Shen Zhejiang inside the door.
Perhaps in response to him, the sound of the bolt being drawn came from inside.
Xiao Zhinian frantically wiped his face, clearing away all expressions, and put on that usual stern look.
He couldn’t let Shen Zhejiang see any hint of his longing for him, lest Shen Zhejiang think he could still easily manipulate him as before.
He clasped his hands behind his back, dignified and imposing, and opened his mouth to say, “Shen Zhejiang, you let me…”
“Oh dear! There’s a young master at the door, gave me quite a fright.”
The door opened, and an elderly man came out.
Xiao Zhinian’s words hung in the air. He asked, “Who are you?”
The old man smiled kindly. “I’m the owner of this house. It’s so late, young master, are you looking for someone?”
“Yes,” Xiao Zhinian nodded and asked again, “Is there a teacher here with the surname Shen?”
“Oh, you’re looking for Teacher Shen. He lives across the way. See? Walk straight ahead, the one with the locked door. It’s strange, why isn’t Teacher Shen home yet? He’s usually not like this. Hey! Young master! Slow down, you can’t get in without a key!”
Xiao Zhinian hurried over.
Good, so he had gone to the wrong place.
With a leap, he jumped into the courtyard.
Xiao Zhinian looked around. The courtyard wasn’t too big, empty. Probably because Luo City was dry and plants didn’t grow easily. Only some drought-resistant shrubs were planted by the walls.
Nothing much to see.
Xiao Zhinian swaggered into the house, treating it like his own bedroom, and lit the lamp himself. There wasn’t much furniture inside either – a bed, a table, a chair, a bookshelf. Except for books, there were only books. The most eye-catching thing was the landscape painting hanging on the wall, all the same poverty.
Xiao Zhinian sprawled on the bed, his eyes filled with sorrow, looking at the gauze curtain hanging above.
“Shen Zhejiang, ah, Shen Zhejiang, after leaving me for these years, don’t you miss me at all? There isn’t a single thing in this room that’s related to me. You’re really…” Xiao Zhinian said slowly, “Heartless.”
He lay there for a long time, repeating the words he would use to question Shen Zhejiang later over and over again, but there was still no sound.
“Shen Zhejiang, why haven’t you come back yet? I’m almost done being angry. Come back quickly.”
Waiting like this was not a solution.
Xiao Zhinian tossed and turned, unconsciously recalling the old man’s words. From what he said, Shen Zhejiang wouldn’t stay out late without returning home.
Could something have happened?!
Xiao Zhinian sat up with a start. Just then, a shrill scream, like a cold knife, cut through the long night.
“Ah—Murder! Help!!”
Xiao Zhinian’s pupils suddenly dilated. Without thinking, he rushed out, countless ominous thoughts filling his mind.