Chapter 28: The Protective Contractual Husband
"Young Master..."
Shen Yurou’s voice trembled the moment she spoke.
The fear on her face appeared so genuine that anyone looking at her would find it difficult to connect the pale and frightened woman before them with a poisoning case.
Her eyes were already red, whether from shock, fear, or grievance, nobody could tell.
"I truly do not understand why the Young Master would suspect me." As she spoke, her fingers tightened against the floor beneath her sleeves.
The movement looked small, helpless and looking so pitiful. Like someone desperately trying to remain composed despite being wrongfully accused.
The sight alone was enough to make several people in the hall hesitate. After all, she was a young married woman.
But Xie Rong was the Young Master of the Xie family. No matter how calm his words had been, being singled out by someone of his status was enough to frighten anyone.
"I am Taotao’s elder sister." Only then did Shen Yurou slowly raise her head. Her reddened eyes turned toward Shen Taotao. The grievance within them appeared painfully sincere, the kind that made people instinctively soften.
"Since we were young, I have always treated her as my own sister." Her voice gradually became softer. As though she was trying her best to suppress her emotions. "Even if we occasionally disagreed..."
A bitter smile appeared on her face, "What sisters do not?"
The smile lasted only a moment before disappearing, leaving behind only sadness.
"I was happy when she married into the Xie family."
The hall remained completely silent as nobody interrupted her. Shen Yurou slowly lowered her gaze once more and a tear finally escaped from the corner of her eye, sliding down her cheek before disappearing into her sleeve.
The sight immediately stirred sympathy in several people’s hearts because no matter how suspicious the situation seemed, the person kneeling on the floor before them was still a young woman who looked completely wronged.
"I know Young Master was poisoned." Her voice trembled slightly as though she was trying her best to remain calm despite the grievance building inside her chest. "I know this matter is serious, but I truly know nothing about it."
She slowly shook her head and lowered her gaze again, her fingers tightening around her sleeves as though she was desperately suppressing her emotions. "Young Master Xie’s question truly pains me. I have treated Taotao as my own younger sister for many years. Although we are not related by blood, we grew up together under the same roof. We ate together, studied together, and lived together. I was happy when she married into the Xie family, so why would I ever harm her?"
By the time she finished speaking, tears had already begun falling once more and that caused several people in the hall to unconsciously begin doubting their earlier suspicions.
"Poisoning..." Shen Yurou laughed bitterly before lowering her head. "That is a very serious accusation, Young Master. If such words spread outside this residence, how am I supposed to face others in the future? A woman’s reputation is her life. Even if I am innocent, once people begin talking, who would care about the truth?"
Her voice gradually became softer as she spoke, causing the atmosphere inside the hall to become increasingly uncomfortable.
Several relatives exchanged glances while others avoided looking directly at her. Regardless of what they believed, nobody could deny that being publicly associated with a poisoning case was enough to ruin a woman’s name.
"If the Young Master wishes to investigate, then investigate... If the Young Master wishes to question me, then question me." She bit her lower lip, a faint trace of red instantly appeared. "But I cannot admit to something I never did."
By the end, her voice had already become hoarse.
The hall had grown so quiet that even the sound of her crying could be heard clearly.
Taking a deep breath, Xie Rong felt a sharp pain spread through his chest. His body swayed slightly before he bent forward, one hand clutching tightly against his chest as though trying to suppress the poison’s effect.
The sight immediately caused several gasps to erupt throughout the hall. The blood on the corner of his lips had yet to dry and his complexion had already turned frighteningly pale, yet even in such a state, his first concern was not himself.
"Mo Yan..." His voice sounded noticeably weaker than before. "Take Young Madam out first..."
"No—no!"
Wang Gege refused almost instantly. Her reaction was so quick that even she seemed startled by it.
"Husband..." Her fingers tightened around his sleeve as though she was afraid he would collapse the moment she let go. "Let’s go back first. Ask the physician for a cure or anything. We can talk about everything later..." Her voice shook uncontrollably and by the end, it had almost become a plea. "I am afraid... please..."
She could no longer hide it. The fear was real. Every bit of it. However, it was not because she feared for her own safety.
If she had been the one poisoned today, perhaps she would still be able to joke about it. Perhaps she would still be able to comfort herself by saying she had already died once before and transmigrated into another world. Maybe death was not as frightening as people imagined.
But the person coughing blood before her was Xie Rong. The man who, despite being half-dead, was still trying to protect her. The man who she only realized now had been protecting her this entire time.
Wang Gege felt a genuine sense of panic rising inside her chest. It wrapped tightly around her heart and made it difficult to breathe because no matter how much she tried to convince herself that Xie Rong was merely her contractual husband, the sight of him coughing blood again and again was something she could not accept.
For the first time, the words "contractual husband" sounded absurd even inside her own head.
After all... How many contractual husbands would willingly drink poison meant for their wives?
But a sudden hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall, making Wang Gege snapped from her thought.
"Young Master!"
Everyone instinctively turned toward the doorway.
A guard rushed inside. Behind him, another guard was dragging a pale-faced maid whose legs had already gone weak.
The moment she was thrown onto the floor, Wang Gege instinctively looked over.
Then her eyes widened, "Chuntao?"