Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1205: Chapter 1207 Just Won’t Tell_1

Chu Hai suddenly looked up, his face filled with panic. He wanted to find a reason to explain himself but realized that when facing Bai Ruozhu’s gaze, which seemed to pierce through everything, his throat felt as if it was being strangled, and he couldn’t utter a word for a long time.

”Since you want my help, don’t keep hiding things here and there, otherwise, what will we do if we miss the chance to rescue Diao Yao?” Bai Ruozhu continued.

”I’m not hiding anything, and I never intended to harm anyone or deceive anyone with Diao Yao, so you don’t need to overthink it,” Chu Hai’s temper flared, and his tone became much harsher. He was out of energy, and it seemed like he had used up all his strength just saying that.

Bai Ruozhu was taken aback and felt a wave of disappointment rise in her heart. This must be what is meant by ”those who do not share the same values cannot work together.” She had considered him a friend, but he was not willing to open his heart to her.

In normal times, she would not wish to pry into people’s private matters. However, this incident involved Diao Yao’s life, and it was because Diao Yao had secrets that she was captured. The things Chu Hai was hiding could very likely be crucial clues to finding Diao Yao.

She sighed silently, somewhat disappointed, ”Since you don’t want to talk, I won’t ask further. There’s only one way now: you give me Diao Yao’s birth time and date, so I can ask Ning Yu to perform a divination for her again. The previous one wasn’t very accurate because we lacked her exact time of birth.”

”What did Ning Yu divine?” Chu Hai asked anxiously.

”He said that she’s surrounded by water and that the people who captured her are connected to the Imperial Palace,” Bai Ruozhu replied.

Chu Hai’s brows knitted together as he hung his head, seemingly lost in thought.

”What exact time was Diao Yao born?” Bai Ruozhu urged him to speak when he remained silent for a long while.

”I’m not too sure myself,” Chu Hai said, looking down, as if trying to avoid Bai Ruozhu’s penetrating gaze.

He was getting nervous. Ning Yu, without the full birth information, had managed to discern some details; if he had Diao Yao’s complete birth information, would he be able to deduce even more? Perhaps even determine her fate?

This time Bai Ruozhu truly felt infuriated, her teeth itching with anger. She slapped her hand on the table beside her and shouted, ”Chu Hai, you’re the one seeking my help, and I’ve been wholeheartedly trying to find news about Diao Yao for you. Yet, you keep hiding things. I can forgive you for your troubled backgrounds, but if you’re unwilling to share even Diao Yao’s birth time, what exactly are you hiding?”

”We hardly have any leads now, and with each day we delay, Diao Yao is in greater danger. Can’t you see that nothing is more important than a person’s life?” Bai Ruozhu spoke at length and, seeing that Chu Hai still kept his head down, she flung her sleeves angrily and turned to leave. ”Fine, keep your secrets if you want; I’ve done all I could. Talking about a dearly dependent sister—those are just empty words. You’re not really worried about her!”

It was only after Bai Ruozhu’s figure had completely disappeared that Chu Hai, in agony, ran his hands through his hair. His body trembled slightly, and the sounds of low sobs came from his throat, as though he was a wounded little beast.

”How can I not be worried about her? I fear that speaking out might make her beyond redemption...” murmured Chu Hai to himself.

...

Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun paid a quick visit to the elders of the Bai Family and hurried back to the Jiang Family that very night. Along the way, Bai Ruozhu was so angry that she kept grinding her teeth, constantly muttering to Jiang Yichun about Chu Hai’s stubbornness.

”What on earth is inside his head, stuffed with donkey fur? What time is it already, yet he’s still concealing this and that, not even daring to disclose Diao Yao’s time of birth. He’s asking for help but putting on airs instead,” Bai Ruozhu said, growing more and more irritated, ”That man has always had a problematic temperament. I’ve said before that the fact that he’s Diao Yao’s biological brother should be told to Diao Yao. The poor girl is clueless, still harboring affection for her own brother; isn’t that just leading her on? Now it’s a matter of life and death, and he’s still indecisive and hesitant. Is he really considering Diao Yao’s best interests or not?”

Jiang Yichun wasn’t particularly angry, but merely commented indifferently, ”If it weren’t for your concern for Diao Yao, I wouldn’t get involved in these matters.”

Bai Ruozhu was taken aback, understanding that Jiang Yichun meant he didn’t have a good impression of Chu Hai. The man was too secretive, keeping too many things hidden, which indeed made him unreliable.

However, he had also hit the nail on the head. What worried her was Diao Yao, and no matter how angry she was with Chu Hai, she couldn’t just not save Diao Yao.

”So, what do we do now? Chu Hai said he saw the python robe pattern inside the ripped clothing of a black-clad person amidst the chaos, confirming the person was a prince. There aren’t many princes in the capital; at least that narrows it down,” Bai Ruozhu said.

Jiang Yichun reached out to smooth her brow, advising, ”Don’t worry for now. Go back and get some good sleep, or you’ll have a headache tomorrow. I will have our people investigate and inform you as soon as there’s news.”

Bai Ruozhu nodded. She was indeed exhausted from the back and forth of the past few days, and after all the commotion last night, there weren’t many hours left for sleep.

Early the next morning, just after Bai Ruozhu had gotten up, Jiang Chenshi was already in her yard, inquiring about the individuals from the Bai Residence who had come over the previous night.

”I’ve caused Great Aunt to worry. It was an urgent illness of a relative who sought the help of our family. That’s why my parents urgently summoned me to save someone. Fortunately, it did not take too long, and we managed to save them,” Bai Ruozhu had the excuse ready since early morning, and of course, she didn’t forget how someone had deliberately obstructed them the night before.

”It’s such a big deal; thankfully, no harm was done. I’m relieved. However, I heard the gatekeepers were causing trouble last night. I have spoken to your great uncle about this matter and told him to discipline that side properly, in order to prevent the servants from getting out of hand,” Jiang Chenshi said with a smile.

Bai Ruozhu knew Jiang Chenshi wasn’t there just out of concern. She curtsied and said, ”I am grateful to Great Aunt, but I wonder who gave those servants such audacity. It truly almost hindered the rescue.”

Jiang Chenshi’s smile grew even wider as she said in a low voice, ”Usually, those at the gatehouse are close to your cousin’s branch of the family. Who knows what they were thinking. It’s really not knowing what’s important.”

So the gatekeepers were Jiang Xuebin’s people? Bai Ruozhu also understood that Jiang Chenshi was trying to use this incident to get her to confront Jiang Xuebin and his family on her behalf, so that Jiang Chenshi could benefit from the sidelines.

Thinking this, she smiled at Jiang Chenshi and said, ”Then I’ll have to trouble Great Uncle to advise my cousin. Although he also bears the Jiang name, one should still be mindful of their proper place.”

Jiang Chenshi’s face bloomed into an even brighter smile; she knew she had successfully brought Bai Ruozhu onto the same side.

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t exactly say she liked Jiang Chenshi, but Jiang Chenshi was transparent, easy to see through. She might be a bit foolish, but she was straightforward. More importantly, Jiang Xuerui was Jiang Yichun’s real great uncle and genuinely nice to them as a couple, unlike Jiang Xuebin’s family, who, although seemingly not as troublesome as Dou Ning’s family, were the most complicated of all.