After Swapping Identities With My Archenemy - Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Her Directness

Perhaps because the northern air was so arid, the haystack was completely dry without a trace of moisture. It was clean inside likely freshly bundled this past autumn. After a careful inspection, the two of them burrowed in.

The moment they entered, warmth enveloped them. Jiang Huaiyi’s slow, frozen thoughts finally began to thaw. Her long coat was filthy from her frantic escape, so she stripped it off and used it as a floor mat. Shen Wensi took off her own heavy coat and wrapped it around both of them.

Huddled together, they finally felt safe from the wind. Straw is an excellent natural insulator; curled up against Shen Wensi, Jiang Huaiyi belatedly remembered the dangers outside and tried to scramble up.

Shen Wensi caught her arm, pulling her back into a firm embrace. “Relax. I’ve dealt with it. Your Thunder Talisman was very effective.”

When Shen Wensi had reached the scene, the enemies were already down, struck by lightning just moments prior. Jiang Huaiyi had been running as if a ghost were at her heels. Shen Wensi had clearly seen her ankle twist, which was the only reason she had managed to catch up. Otherwise, Huaiyi would have sprinted right out of sight.

Warming up in the straw, Jiang Huaiyi whispered, “How did you settle it? I didn’t dare look back after she jumped out at me.” She recounted the ambush at the door.

When Shen Wensi had woken up and realized Huaiyi was missing, she had rushed out so quickly she’d forgotten her gun. In the pitch blackness, she had rung her bell to summon Du Xiaoxin.

Du Xiaoxin, who had recently “modernized” her ghostly attire to look more like a regular person, had been yanked up from the underworld and treated like a literal human compass. Shen Wensi’s aura had been so low and stormy that even the ghost didn’t dare utter a single complaint, quietly guiding her superior through the woods.

Shen Wensi had arrived just in time to see lightning nearly singe Huaiyi’s hair. Her heart had leapt into her throat. In her stress, she had gripped Du Xiaoxin so hard the ghost had popped into a puff of green smoke to escape her hands.

“You mean… they’re all dead?” Jiang Huaiyi shivered, pressing herself closer into Shen Wensi’s warmth.

Shen Wensi nodded. “The lightning hit them, and I finished the job.”

The bears and Zheng Ji had been huddled close; the strike had charred Zheng Ji instantly. Shen Wensi hadn’t hesitated to take the sharp metal spike from the woman’s hands and deliver a few insurance stabs before chasing after Huaiyi.

Feeling the tension finally drain from Jiang Huaiyi’s body, they decided to rest in the haystack until dawn. It was dark inside, with only thin slivers of moonlight filtering through the gaps.

Jiang Huaiyi, feeling her face grow too hot, poked her head out from Shen’s chest. In the cramped, dark space, she accidentally bumped her forehead against Shen Wensi’s chin.

“Sorry!” she whispered, reaching out instinctively to check for a bruise. Her fingertips brushed against something warm and velvet-soft: Shen Wensi’s lips.

Jiang Huaiyi pulled her hand back as if burned. “Sorry,” she repeated, her heart drumming against her ribs. She couldn’t see Shen’s expression. Does she hate me for being so forward? Before she could spiral into anxiety, her hand was gently taken and guided back until her knuckles brushed those same soft lips again.

“It’s okay,” Shen Wensi’s voice murmured, vibrating right against her ear—a sound more jolting than the nearby thunder.

Jiang Huaiyi withdrew her hand, feeling intoxicated by the scent of cold plum blossoms on Shen’s skin. She fumbled for her pocket, trying to find her flashlight to break the tension. Shen Wensi pulled out a lighter, but Huaiyi quickly pressed her hand over it—the hay was too dry; a single spark would turn this sanctuary into a crematorium.

Eventually, she found her small LED light. She covered the lens with her silk paper to soften the harsh white glare into a gentle, golden glow.

The light revealed Shen Wensi’s face. The hay had ruffled her usually perfect hair, giving her an uncharacteristic, soft vulnerability. Those cool, distant eyes were fixed solely on Huaiyi.

“Thank you for coming for me,” Jiang Huaiyi whispered, unable to look away. “I think I would have frozen out there.”

As they sat in silence, the silk paper began to change. Like a treasure map reacting to proximity, it revealed a new image: a small, hidden Spiritual Spring surrounded by branching river veins. It was a miniature map.

Jiang Huaiyi realized the spring must be close. She looked up at Shen Wensi, who was clearly thinking the same thing.

“Is Xiao Zheng’s tombstone finished?” Jiang Huaiyi asked suddenly, thinking of the girl from the previous incident.

“Yes,” Shen Wensi replied. “Your Uncle handled the arrangements with the authorities. They’re all buried together for easier upkeep.”

“I told her I’d get her a nice one,” Huaiyi sighed.

“I had one made in your name,” Shen Wensi added. “A very large, impressive one.”

Jiang Huaiyi smiled, then paused. “Wait… how much did it cost?”

“Everything,” Shen Wensi said calmly. “All your savings.”

Jiang Huaiyi’s smile vanished. Her heart stopped. She was officially penniless. She realized that the “Wealth of the Underworld” truly couldn’t be kept for long. But her distress was short-lived; Shen Wensi took care of all their expenses anyway.

Seeing her look deflated, Shen Wensi chuckled softly. “Don’t worry about money. I have more than enough for both of us.”

Jiang Huaiyi nodded, the romantic tension returning. They leaned over the silk paper together. In the small space, she could hear Shen’s steady breathing. Shen’s long fingers traced the map, the light turning her fingertips a translucent pink.

Jiang Huaiyi closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse. When she opened them, she found Shen Wensi staring at her.

“Are you feeling unwell? Why is your face so red?”

Jiang Huaiyi choked. How am I supposed to explain this? For the first time, she felt that Shen Wensi’s directness was a double-edged sword.

Before she could struggle for an answer, Shen Wensi suddenly clamped a hand over Huaiyi’s mouth.

Jiang Huaiyi’s eyes went wide. She went perfectly still, listening. There, through the gaps in the straw, she heard it: a third breath.

She peered through the crack. Outside, a pair of huge, glowing eyes luminous like moonstones were staring directly into the haystack.

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