The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 92 - Hearts Revealed

Ye Jingchuan had never seen Song Chuyi like this. Song Chuyi, who always seemed to have a solution no matter how dire the situation, looked completely lost after seeing a child. To him, it couldn't have been stranger.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, puzzled and slightly uncomfortable after seeing Han Zhi's unsettling smile. "Why are you running after some kid like that?"

The question startled Song Chuyi back to her senses, and she slowly shook her head. The appearance of a child who so closely resembled Ran'er couldn't be explained easily, but she certainly couldn't tell Ye Jingchuan that he looked like her son from a past life.

Qingtao and Luyi hurried over, sighing in relief upon seeing Song Chuyi safe and sound, though Qingtao couldn't help but scold, "Miss, you really gave us a fright, running off so suddenly like that! Yushu and Nanny Xu have been searching everywhere for you."

Song Chuyi remained distracted, her spirits low, even after entering Old Lady Song's room. Inside, the warmth from the burning charcoal made it feel like spring. Old Lady Song was chatting and laughing with Xiang Mingzi, but when she saw Song Chuyi's forlorn expression, she raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Since the time she fell ill after a quarrel with Song Chumi, Old Lady Song hadn't seen Song Chuyi look so lost and helpless.

Without showing her concern, she beckoned Song Chuyi over to sit by her side. But the shock deepened as she took her hand, feeling how cold it was, as if lifeless, and damp with cold sweat.

"What happened?" Old Lady Song asked with a touch of anger, gripping her hand. "How did you end up like this? Did someone frighten you?"

Xiang Mingzi, equally concerned, brushed aside the damp strands of hair clinging to Song Chuyi's forehead, turning to Old Lady Song in alarm. "Grandmother, why is Sister covered in cold sweat?"

Old Lady Song reached out to feel Song Chuyi's forehead, her smile fading as she turned to Nanny Huang with urgency. "Quickly, go and request the physician accompanying Young Master Han!"

Due to his poor health, Han Zhi had brought along a retired imperial physician renowned for his skills, so Old Lady Song's decision to call him was only natural.

But Song Chuyi shivered involuntarily.

Something felt off—there couldn't be such a perfect coincidence. How could a child who looked exactly like Ran'er suddenly appear, conveniently as Han Zhi's cousin, and just as coincidentally, cross her path?

If it wasn't a coincidence, then how could Han Zhi have known that Ran'er and this child looked identical? And if he'd intentionally brought the child to her, what could his purpose be?

Most importantly, she herself had been reborn. If, somehow, Ran'er also had the chance to be reborn, how should she handle it?

Later that evening, Han Zhi handed the child over to his nursemaid and met with Physician Lin, who had treated Song Chuyi. "Well?" he inquired.

Physician Lin respectfully clasped his hands and shook his head, stroking his beard. "Nothing serious, just a case of youthful nerves. She got scared and ran a slight fever, but it should break by tonight. A little rest, and she'll be fine."

The young servant sitting by the window, flipping through a book with an amused smirk, couldn't help but laugh at this. He shot a mischievous look at Han Zhi. "Look at that—the famously fearless Sixth Miss Song, scared to tears by you. If you keep this up, she might handle you the way she dealt with Xingfu—without leaving you a complete corpse."

Han Zhi only chuckled indifferently, tossing the letter in his hand into the brazier. He glanced at the servant, his expression intrigued. "Yan Jun, you know, if it were you who suddenly saw someone who looked exactly like someone you thought was dead, I bet you'd be even more terrified."

Han Zhi glanced at Physician Lin, who, understanding the signal, respectfully bowed and exited the room.

Once Physician Lin was gone, Wei Yanjun straightened up, sitting on Han Zhi's lap. Leaning over, he playfully bit Han Zhi's shoulder, teasing him, "I'd probably be even more terrified than she was. But aren't you worried that by letting her catch on to the fact that you might know her secret so early, she'll try to deal with you the same way she handled Xingfu?"

Han Zhi's smile grew darker. "Xingfu was a clueless fool. Do you think I'm the same? Still, these Song family girls seem to have something strange about them. I once thought Eighth Miss Song was eerie enough, but it turns out Sixth Miss Song is even stranger. If you ask me, they should all be dealt with like Wang Jiu—just burn them all and be done with it."

Wei Yanjun wrapped his arms around Han Zhi's neck, giving him a kiss on the neck and lazily resting his head on his shoulder. Shaking his head dismissively, he replied, "Even if you could bear to do that, others might not. Knowing future events... that's an invaluable treasure. If you burned her, the consort might burn you too."

Han Zhi picked him up and tossed him onto the bed, quickly leaning over to pin him down. "It's not just that. This girl is both clever and ruthless, with a powerful maternal family and a strong paternal one. She could become a tremendous asset to the consort and my cousin in the future."

At the third watch of the night, Song Chuyi suddenly awoke, her eyes wide open as she stared dazedly at the lavender floral-patterned canopy above her. After a long moment, she slowly sat up.

Qingtao, who was ever vigilant, immediately sat up from her seat at the foot of the bed. She lifted the canopy to check Song Chuyi's forehead and sighed in relief, whispering a prayer of thanks. "Thank heaven, the fever has finally broken."

Nanny Xu, who had been keeping watch outside, heard the commotion, quickly donned her robe, and entered the room. Seeing Song Chuyi's vacant look, she hurriedly approached and put her arms around her. "Miss, would you like some water?"

Song Chuyi turned her head, taking in the furnishings of the room—so different from those in Duke Ying's manor in her past life. Only then did she feel her tense body relax slightly, and she nodded quietly.

She had dreamed of her past life, the memories flashing by like scenes in a play. She had watched Ran'er and Song Yan die before her eyes once again, leaving her feeling as though she were drowning in waterlogged cotton, her heartbeat slowing.

The last life had been anything but simple. For Han Zhi, who had been an ally of Song Chuning and Shen Qingrang in that life, to appear again now, with a cousin so closely resembling Ran'er... what did he want?

Had he already made contact with Song Chuning and learned her previous secrets? Or perhaps... was he also someone reborn?

Her gaze sharpened, her eyes burning with a startling brightness in the dim night.