Chapter 52 Enemies Meet on a Narrow Path

Dr. Feng led Qin Ruo to the entrance of the second-floor hall, informed the person inside, and then retreated.

Qin Ruo stepped into the room with a cold face.

The hall was decorated in a simple yet elegant style, with a faint scent of tea lingering in the air.

A tea table was placed in the center of the room, and a young gentleman in a luxurious crimson cloak was sitting by the side, intently brewing tea.

At this moment, Qin Ruo finally had a concrete image of the phrase “handsome as Song Yu, beautiful as Pan An.”

The person before her was incredibly handsome, with jet-black hair cascading down his chest, and a face like a painting.

However, she was not in the mood to appreciate his beauty, her eyes filled with cold light.

The other party had invited her under the guise of being an “old acquaintance,” wasn’t that a clear indication that he had something on her?

Judging from the way he addressed her, this person must have already investigated her thoroughly.

Qin Ruo’s thoughts raced, and she stood still.

“Miss Qin, come and sit. Try this tea I brewed, how is it?” Si Heng didn’t look up, greeting Qin Ruo as if they were old friends.

“I don’t need tea. Tell me, what do you want?”

Qin Ruo walked over and sat across from him, her eyes fixed on the person in front of her, her expression indifferent.

Si Heng paused, raised his head, and gave a lazy smile, but his eyes became playful.

“Miss Qin, you’re exaggerating. I just happened to meet an old acquaintance and wanted to catch up.”

“You are a noble gentleman, and I am just a country girl. We don’t seem to be familiar. There’s nothing to talk about.” Qin Ruo didn’t beat around the bush.

Seeing that the other party was speaking in riddles, like teasing a cat, she felt extremely resistant and didn’t bother to engage with him.

After killing Bao Gen, she had considered facing a situation like this.

She just didn’t expect it to come so quickly.

“What are you nervous about, Miss Qin? If you say you’re not an old acquaintance, then you’re not. Since you’re here, are you really not going to have a cup of tea before you leave?”

Si Heng didn’t seem to mind Qin Ruo’s attitude.

He gracefully pushed the jade teacup towards Qin Ruo, gesturing for her to try it.

Looking at the girl in front of him, who seemed to be covered in thorns, Si Heng suddenly found her quite interesting.

The last time they met in the forest, Qin Ruo was covered in blood, and Si Heng hadn’t seen her face clearly.

Now, looking at the person in front of him, dressed plainly, without a single ornament on her body. Her small face, the size of a palm, exuded a coldness that kept people at bay.

Her facial features were perfectly proportioned, and even though she hadn’t fully grown up, it was clear that her future beauty would be extraordinary.

She was just a country girl, yet she possessed an aura that was completely out of place among country folk.

After he had Cang Jiu investigate further, the results were still the same as before.

She was just a country girl with a simple background, who had never even left Taihe County. It was purely a coincidence that she had entered Xie Mansion.

Despite this, Si Heng couldn’t forget the strange scene that day.

He even wondered if he was overthinking it, perhaps it was just a coincidence.

Later, he left Taihe County for several days due to important matters, and he temporarily put his attention away from Qin Ruo.

When he returned to Taihe County after finishing his business, the news he received from Cang Jiu made him pay attention to Qin Ruo again.

The series of events that had happened in Changhe Village recently, involving snakes and wolves, confirmed something in Si Heng’s mind.

The scene he and Cang Jiu had witnessed in the mountains that day was not a coincidence.

He didn’t care who Qin Ruo had killed that day, it had nothing to do with him.

As he had told Cang Jiu that day, everyone has their own fate.

After all, if he were to eliminate a threat, his methods would always be more ruthless.

He had a strange urge to uncover the mystery surrounding Qin Ruo.

Today, he heard Dr. Feng report to him that someone had come to the Apricot Forest Hall to sell precious medicinal herbs.

When Dr. Feng mentioned that the person was a young lady, Si Heng took notice.

He had a feeling that the person who came to the Apricot Forest Hall to sell herbs must be Qin Ruo, so he followed Dr. Feng to the medical clinic.

And indeed, it was her.

“An old acquaintance you met in the mountains, are you going to report her to the officials?”

Qin Ruo didn’t touch the tea in front of her, her expression cold.

Even if this person really wanted to report her to the officials, she had her own ways to escape.

She was just annoyed that her weakness was in the hands of others, the feeling of being subtly restrained.

Since that was the case, she might as well get straight to the point.

After all, she was alone, and running away was always an option.

It was just a pity about the twenty acres of wasteland she had just bought.

“Report to the officials? What would I report? It’s just a death, and a deserved one at that. What does it have to do with me?”

Si Heng withdrew the smile from his face, his eyes filled with ambiguous meaning.

Qin Ruo couldn’t tell how much of his words was true and how much was false.

Anyway, if the enemy doesn’t move, I won’t move.

“The old lady of Xie Mansion is my aunt. I’m thanking you on behalf of my aunt for the ginseng you gave earlier. The Apricot Forest Hall is a property of Xie Mansion. If you have any good medicinal herbs in the future, feel free to bring them here.”

Si Heng glanced at Qin Ruo, who was silent, and to show his sincerity, he told her about his relationship with Xie Mansion.

From the moment Qin Ruo stepped through the door, she had been on guard.

He could even imagine that she might have thought of a thousand ways to kill him and silence him.

In terms of leaving no loose ends, Si Heng felt that he and Qin Ruo were quite similar in some ways.

“Xie Mansion?” Qin Ruo was stunned for a moment, her tense expression finally relaxing. No wonder Dr. Feng had offered eight hundred taels.

“Dr. Feng has already paid you, so it’s a fair exchange. No need to thank me.”

Qin Ruo’s voice was still cold, but the killing intent in her heart had dissipated considerably.

When she first entered Xie Mansion, she had wanted to use the old lady to open up her network, that was true.

Later, she had sincerely gifted the ginseng, that was also true.

She was just surprised that this person had this kind of relationship with Xie Mansion.

“I’ve been looking for a medicinal herb called Blood Crystal Grass, but I haven’t been able to find it…”

Si Heng paused at this point, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

“I invited you here today just to ask for your help in finding it.”

Si Heng’s tone seemed to be certain that Qin Ruo could really find the herb he was talking about.

Blood Crystal Grass was one of the important medicinal herbs for detoxification, and Qin Ruo knew about it.

Wealthy families are full of secrets, it was true.

Medicine and poison have always been inseparable. Qin Ruo knew medicine, but she was actually better at using poison.

“Blood Crystal Grass? Forgive my ignorance, I haven’t seen much of the world, and I really don’t know what it is. But… if you have a picture of this herb, feel free to show it to me. I’ll keep an eye out for it.”

Qin Ruo frowned slightly, pretending to be in a difficult position.

“It’s fine. This thing depends entirely on chance, Miss Qin, just do your best. If you find the Blood Crystal Grass, consider it a favor owed to you by Si Heng.”

Si Heng could see the hesitation in Qin Ruo’s words, so he quickly added.

“Miss Qin, please have some tea. If you agree, then we’ll consider this our first meeting.”

Is he setting conditions? This Si guy is really an old fox.

A favor from Xie Mansion? This deal isn’t bad.

Qin Ruo picked up the jade teacup, brought it to her lips, and hid the faint smile at the corner of her mouth.