The Double

The snow in Qingzhou had been falling for three days. Jiang Li was in a strange room, and wherever she went, there was someone following her, even to the restroom, where a maid skilled in martial arts watched her.

She couldn’t escape, it was just a modest courtyard, but it was heavily guarded by layers of soldiers. She had become the most important bargaining chip, and there could be no slip-ups. Since her last meeting with Yin Zhiqing, Jiang Li hadn’t seen her again. Counting the days, Jiang Li had no idea what the situation outside was like, nor whether the Ye Family and Situ Jiuyue’s people were still safe, and even less of where Jih Heng was or whether she had encountered any trouble. She could only sit hopelessly; these days, she even abandoned her usual calm and composed demeanor, resorting to a hunger strike, arguments, or threats, but to no avail. Apart from these silent guards, she couldn’t see anyone else.

This night was no different.

Deep into the night, only the sound of the wind and the snow could be heard outside. Jiang Li sat at the table, unable to sleep, her mind solely focused on how to escape. The oil lamp cast a dim light in the room, also projecting shadows on the floor. It was the middle of winter, all the leaves had fallen, leaving bare tree trunks outside. Therefore, the flickering human shadow seemed particularly noticeable.

The shadow lay still on the ground, as if it were just a figment of Jiang Li’s imagination. She stared at the shadow for a long time before she said, "Young Master Yin, since you’ve come, why not enter?"

The figure outside moved slightly, followed by a sigh, and then a "creak" as the door opened and someone entered.

It was Yin Zhili.

Jiang Li hadn’t seen Yin Zhili for a while either. Under the lamplight, his face looked extremely haggard, as if he were a completely different person. His gaze no longer had the clarity and gentleness of their first meeting, replaced instead by a myriad of complicated and unwilling expressions. He stood in front of Jiang Li and said, "Miss Jiang."

The gentle and handsome young master of the past was gone, and the Yin Zhili before her seemed like a stranger. Jiang Li stared at him and said, "Please have a seat, Young Master Yin."

Yin Zhili sat down.

Jiang Li said, "Would you like a cup of tea?" She picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup for Yin Zhili, and passed it to him. Yin Zhili looked at the teacup in front of him but didn’t reach out to take it, nor did he show any intention of drinking.

Jiang Li smiled wistfully and said, "You’re not taking the bait, huh."