After My Faked Death Failed, My Ex-Wife Came Chasing After Me - Chapter 32

Lu Ting’an: “Darn it, I actually couldn’t test it out”

Upon hearing this, Lu Ting’an immediately perked up: “How so?”

Lin Zheng leaned down and whispered a few words into her ear. After listening, Lu Ting’an’s expression turned hesitant. She glanced up at her and asked, “What you said… will it really work?”

Lin Zheng shrugged her shoulders and spoke in a flat tone: “I don’t know. But it’s worth a try.”

Lu Ting’an curled her lips and let out a huff, saying, “Alright then, I’ll trust you just this once.”

To show respect for Elder Cui, the group intentionally stayed at Shiya Yeyue Pond for a few more days until after Elder Cui’s funeral before bidding farewell to Madam Cui.

To express her gratitude, Madam Cui specifically hosted a banquet at the Bishui Pavilion to see them off.

She had only just begun to recover; her usually beautiful face still carried a hint of weariness, and her features revealed a faint exhaustion. Cui Daoyan sat by her side, consistently speaking in low, gentle tones and occasionally picking up food for her. In the eyes of onlookers, it was a scene of maternal kindness and filial piety.

Madam Cui raised her wine cup. Perhaps due to days of weeping, her voice was slightly hoarse, yet she still forced a smile and said, “Our sect has met with a great disaster. Fortunately, we had Perfected Sun managing things inside and out to stabilize the situation and prevent chaos in Shiya Yeyue Pond. I, Qiuniang, thank you all.”

Sun Youqing also raised her cup in return, her expression solemn and her tone carrying a hint of sorrow: “It was my duty, Madam. Please do not overstate it. I only hope Madam will not indulge too deeply in grief. After all, Young Master Cui is still young; in the future, Shiya Yeyue Pond will still need Madam to preside over the overall situation.”

Lin Zheng and the other disciples subsequently stood up and raised their cups, saying in unison: “Please restrain your grief, Madam Cui.”

Madam Cui’s eyes turned slightly red as she downed the wine in one gulp. A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she said, “I have taken the kind words of Perfected Sun to heart.”

Watching this, Lu Ting’an couldn’t help but feel a spark of pity in her heart. She quietly reached out to tug on Lin Zheng’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, “Lin Zheng, where is Cui Daorong? His mother is this heartbroken, why isn’t he by her side to accompany her?”

Lin Zheng lowered her head slightly and replied in an equally low voice, “It is said he is still kneeling before Elder Cui’s grave. Disciples went to persuade him, but he refused to stand up.”

Hearing this, Lu Ting’an felt even more uneasy.

During Elder Cui’s funeral, Cui Daorong had been dressed in mourning clothes, holding the clay basin at the very front of the procession. Such a proud and conceited person, yet with his serious injuries unhealed and his face as pale as paper, he had been leaning against Elder Cui’s coffin, crying until he could barely catch his breath.

Once the banquet dispersed, Lu Ting’an and Lin Zheng exchanged a glance, preparing to begin their previous plan.

After Cui Daoyan finished attending to his mother, he originally intended to send her back to her room to rest. Unexpectedly, before his hand could even touch Madam Cui, the latter violently shook him off and shouted harshly, “Take your filthy hands off me! I couldn’t say it in front of others just now, but the Master is dead and Rong’er is seriously injured—you’re probably ecstatic in your heart, aren’t you? Who are you putting on this hypocritical show for?”

Cui Daoyan was stunned by the strike. He lowered his eyes slightly and said in a small voice, “Mother, please do not be angry. It is Yan’er’s fault.”

Madam Cui took a deep breath and glared at him fiercely, saying, “Always hanging your head; you are exactly like that lowly mother of yours. Back then, she used unseemly methods to bewitch my husband, which led to your birth. It was also because I was too merciful that I actually let you live. Had I known, why would I have bothered back then?!”

Upon hearing this, Cui Daoyan looked up aggrievedly, his eyes misty with tears as he said, “Why do you say such things, Mother? I have always followed Father’s orders to stay in the secret chamber and have never overstepped in the slightest. Father and Brother have met with a great disaster; what does it have to do with me?”

Grief and rage surged into Madam Cui’s heart, her teeth grinding together. Suddenly, she raised her hand and gave him a slap.

“Get out!”

Cui Daoyan covered his face and stood dazed for a moment. In the end, he didn’t offer any defense. He tidied his collar and bowed respectfully; his voice was calm to the point of being numb: “Yes, Mother. Your child takes his leave.”

This scene was taken in entirely by Lu Ting’an and Lin Zheng, who were hiding in the shadows.

Lu Ting’an let out a soft “tsk” and whispered, “Looking at it this way, Cui Daoyan’s days at Shiya Yeyue Pond are probably even harder than yours.”

Lin Zheng gave her a displeased sideways glance, her face written with “and whose fault is that.” Lu Ting’an acted as if she hadn’t seen it and said briskly, “Alright, move out immediately.”

Their goal was actually quite simple.

Since they suspected the cause of Elder Cui’s death and had ruled out the possibility of Wu Chengkun sneaking in from the outside to commit the murder—and considering Madam Cui was not at Shiya Yeyue Pond at the time—the only remaining suspect seemed to be one person.

That was Cui Daoyan, who similarly harbored resentment toward Elder Cui and Cui Daorong.

But the problem lay exactly there. Cui Daoyan was in extremely poor health; he would be panting after walking just a few steps, and he had to rely on a wheelchair to go out on normal days. To this, Lin Zheng proposed an almost daring hypothesis—

What if he was faking it?

After coming out of the Bishui Pavilion, Cui Daoyan was alone, rolling his wheelchair and walking down the mountain path with a lonely expression. Suddenly, a figure darted out from the side and blocked him directly, giving him a fright.

He looked up and saw Lu Ting’an standing there with a beaming smile, her expression carrying a hint of mischief.

Cui Daoyan was stunned for a moment before composing himself. He gave a bow and said, “Miss Lu, may I ask what you wish to instruct me on?”

Lu Ting’an waved her hand and smiled, saying, “It’s nothing major. It’s just that we are about to return to Baiyun Luying Sect and haven’t had the chance to properly tour Shiya Yeyue Pond. I wonder if Young Master Cui has the time to walk with me?”

Cui Daoyan’s eyes flickered as he scanned her from head to toe. His tone was polite but distant: “It is truly unfortunate, Miss Lu. As you can see, my movement is inconvenient. How about I call a disciple to accompany you?”

Lu Ting’an waved her hand to interrupt him, saying, “What’s so difficult about that? I’ll just push you along. Today is Elder Cui’s funeral, and the disciples are all busy beyond belief. Why bother them?”

“…” Cui Daoyan was silent for a moment. Seeing her firm attitude and obvious lack of intention to back down, although he was unwilling, he didn’t dare offend her. He could only let out a low sigh and say, “Then I shall trouble Miss Lu.”

Thus, Lu Ting’an enthusiastically pushed him along the mountain path. Along the way, she pretended to be a newcomer, looking around and praising the scenery while occasionally asking him about its origins.

Cui Daoyan also patiently answered her questions one by one.

As the atmosphere gradually relaxed, Lu Ting’an cleared her throat and said with feigned nonchalance, “By the way, Young Master Cui, the relationship between you, your mother, and your brother doesn’t seem very harmonious?”

Cui Daoyan suddenly froze. After a long while, he finally spoke up, saying despondently, “Everyone in the profound gates knows of my background and origin. Miss Lu does not need to take this matter to mock me.”

Lu Ting’an only smiled and said, “How could I be mocking you? Besides, so what if you are of the demon race? Isn’t my Senior Sister Lin Zheng also of the demon race?”

Cui Daoyan was startled. He looked up at her, a flash of undeniable surprise crossing his eyes: “I heard that Miss Lu previously had quite a few grievances against Immortal Lin. Why are you instead speaking up for her now?”

Lu Ting’an was slightly taken aback, then she laughed and said, “Not at all, I am merely stating facts. Although Lin Zheng was born of the demon race, she still became the First Disciple of our Baiyun Luying Sect. From this, it can be seen that the status of the demon race should not be a reason for others to mock you.”

The corners of Cui Daoyan’s lips lifted slightly, but his expression carried a hint of bitterness he couldn’t hide: “I’m afraid that is only the case in your esteemed sect. As far as I know, members of the demon race sent to immortal sects to receive education are either forced into servitude or suffer extreme ostracization. Not everyone has the kind of luck Immortal Lin has.”

“Ah? Is that so…” Lu Ting’an said with feigned surprise. Her gaze, however, landed on a small stone lying quietly in the middle of the path not far ahead, and she nudged toward it without leaving a trace.

The moment the wheelchair rolled over the small stone, Lu Ting’an let out a cry of “Aiya!” Her strength suddenly loosened, and the wheelchair tilted sharply, rushing straight toward the edge of the cliff!

The wind suddenly rose, and clouds churned beneath the cliff. Lu Ting’an’s heart leaped into her throat.

At the moment of life and death, people often instinctively seek to survive. No matter how sophisticated the disguise, it is easiest for it to collapse at this very moment.

This instant was the best time to test him.

Unfortunately, Cui Daoyan only let out a scream of terror, his fingers gripping the armrests of the wheelchair with a death grip. Seeing that he was about to fall into the abyss along with the chair, he slammed his eyes shut.

However, the expected feeling of weightlessness did not arrive.

Cui Daoyan’s heart jolted. He cautiously opened a slit of his eye to see that Lin Zheng was already standing at the edge of the cliff, her robes fluttering. A dark gold long whip in her hand was firmly wrapped around his waist, holding him back by force.

“Young Master Cui, I am sorry. Are you alright?”

Lu Ting’an lay prostrate at the edge of the cliff, her voice full of anxiety as if it had truly just been an accidental slip. While she shouted, she exchanged an extremely fast look with Lin Zheng.

Cui Daoyan truly wasn’t faking it; that moment of instinctive fear could not be feigned.

In that case, the person who killed Elder Cui was likely someone else.