The Sorrowmender

Chapter 33 – Knock

Xu Qingzhou set down the cup in his hand, his gaze still fixed on Mo Shengge in front of him, and said with a smile:

"Lin Shuo's father has an illegitimate son among the common folk, twenty-five years old this year, in his prime, yet no one knows about it."

Hearing this, Mo Shengge lost her earlier composure, a hint of seriousness hanging on her willow-leaf eyebrows, and she urgently asked:

"Is what Mister said true?"

Xu Qingzhou was somewhat puzzled. Given her temperament, Mo Shengge shouldn't have lost her composure like this. Why was she so agitated upon hearing that Lin Shuo had a brother?

From her eyes, it was clear she was eager to confirm this information.

He decided not to dwell on it; how Mo Shengge chose to handle it was her business. If she chose the second option, it would save him some Merit Points.

He said, "I wouldn't joke about such matters with Lady."

Mo Shengge fell silent, her eyes downcast. The Lin family had always passed down their lineage through a single heir. If the former city lord had an illegitimate child outside, why not bring him home? She couldn't understand this.

After all, the Lin family's bloodline was so thin; having another to carry on the family line would be a great blessing for such a family. Why hide it until now?

"This matter must be unknown to others, or there would have been some rumors. I'm very curious, Mister, how did you find out?"

Her voice was clear and elegant, and as she spoke, she lifted her eyes to look at Xu Qingzhou again.

"This is a heavenly secret, not to be spoken of or questioned. Lady only needs to know that what I said is true. It's getting late; Lady should make her choice soon."

Upon receiving Xu Qingzhou's response, Mo Shengge, who had been solemn and somber, suddenly burst into laughter, with a hint of madness.

Her noble face twisted slightly, becoming more sinister, and in the surrounding emptiness and silence, it was chilling.

"Hehe—hehehehe...hahahahaha!!!"

Her laughter made her body tremble, tears of laughter forming at the corners of her eyes, but from those deep eyes shot a malice Xu Qingzhou had never seen in her before.

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It was as if she had been stimulated at that moment, turning dark instantly, making Xu Qingzhou feel a chill in his heart, speechless.

"This woman is crazy. Is there something about this illegitimate child, or is there something unspeakable between this woman and the former city lord?"

He couldn't help but let his imagination run wild, various speculations flashing through his mind.

Xu Qingzhou did not disturb Mo Shengge in front of him, allowing her to continue her mad, wild, twisted laughter, shaking with laughter, laughing like a lunatic.

He sat steadily at the table, observing the changes—

After a long time, Mo Shengge's laughter stopped, tears still in her eyes, but they were not tears of sadness.

"Lin Shuo, oh Lin Shuo, I didn't expect you to have a brother. So be it, I'll use your brother's seed to inherit your legacy, making you suffer even more before you die."

She spoke to herself, her tone colder than the winter wind.

Suddenly, she looked up, leaning forward to gaze at Xu Qingzhou, her eyes red with excitement and malice.

"Mister, I'll choose the second option. Tell me, how can I find this person?"

Xu Qingzhou's mouth twitched slightly, muttering to himself, "This woman is truly ruthless."

He originally thought there was some story behind it, but now it seemed he had overthought it. Mo Shengge's mad laughter was merely due to excitement.

He could hardly imagine how much she must hate her husband to have such thoughts.

He could only say that this was a heart-killing blow, and it seemed Lin Shuo was destined to wear the cuckold's hat.

And it was his own brother's doing. Just imagining such a scene was unbearable.

"Since Lady has decided, I will fulfill your wish."

Xu Qingzhou didn't want to delay any longer. This crazy woman made him uneasy, and he didn't want to get entangled.

With a thought, he selected the second option provided by the Worry-Free Book on the System Panel.

Then a line of text appeared before him.

Xu Qingzhou glanced at it briefly, memorized it, and then dipped his finger in strong tea to write a line on the table.

After a few moments, Xu Qingzhou asked:

"Lady, have you remembered?"

Mo Shengge stared intently, then gave a wicked smile, "I've remembered."

Xu Qingzhou waved his sleeve, wiping the table clean, the bold characters disappearing without a trace.

Mo Shengge looked at Xu Qingzhou in surprise and asked, "It's just Mister and I here; why go to such lengths?"

Xu Qingzhou sat up straight, placing his hands on his knees, and said calmly:

"The Young Lady's worries have been resolved. I hope that tonight's events, like the words on that table, will be treated as if they never happened."

Mo Shengge was momentarily stunned, her previously sinister smile stiffening slightly. She understood Xu Qingzhou's meaning; he was afraid she might secretly take action.

She couldn't help but marvel at how not only was this Mister extraordinary, but also extremely cautious.

She didn't deny it; she had indeed entertained such thoughts. After all, such a secret couldn't be allowed to be known by others.

Mo Shengge sighed and quickly assured him.

"Mister is scolding me. Rest assured, Mister, I only feel gratitude towards you, nothing else."

Xu Qingzhou heard this and found it laughable. Even a ghost wouldn't believe her words. Whether she was grateful or not was another matter, but if she truly did as she said, it would be fine.

If not—he wouldn't mind sending her on her way.

But to prevent this woman from harboring ill intentions, he lowered his brow, his tone no longer as gentle as before, but sharp and authoritative.

"I think Lady misunderstood. I'm not saying I'll keep your secret, but rather that you must keep mine."

The sudden change in aura and Xu Qingzhou's inexplicable words left Mo Shengge bewildered, her smile disappearing completely as she looked at Xu Qingzhou in a daze.

"Mister, I don't understand?"

"Lady's worries are not ordinary worries. I resolved them for you, changing your fate, but it's not just your fate alone. The implications are far-reaching."

"Since it's about changing fate, it's about seizing opportunities from heaven, and it will surely attract the attention of the heavenly way. Given Lady's character, many people in Linfeng City might die because of this."

"These matters, in the eyes of the heavenly way, could all be linked to me. So—" He paused, his tone heavy, his eyes sharp and cold.

"I ask Lady to keep her mouth shut, best to treat all this as if it never happened. If I find out a third party knows, don't blame me for being unreasonable; I'll make sure you vanish without a trace."

A blatant threat, a stark warning, yet all this seemed to Mo Shengge as if it should have been her words. But for some reason, it was Mister Forgetting Worries who took the lead.

She was momentarily lost, not knowing what to do, Xu Qingzhou's words still echoing in her ears, resounding in her mind.

She didn't understand most of Xu Qingzhou's words, but she grasped the meaning. She didn't understand, didn't know, and the unknown equaled fear, which led to terror.

She stood there dumbfounded for over ten breaths, then turned, slowly rising, and bowed to Xu Qingzhou, saying:

"Rest assured, Mister, tonight's events will be treated as if they never happened, and Mo Shengge has never met Mister."