Chapter 20 A Zhao Took Off Pang Yunjin’s Pants and Saw Everything!

He had not forgotten her for a single day.

Those five days at the bottom of the cliff had haunted him for five years.

Countless times, in the silent hours of the night, he would recall that bright, bold, and mischievous young woman.

“Miss Shen, do you not remember me?” he asked.

“I do not!” Chu Mu replied coldly, without hesitation.

What was he up to? Trying to ingratiate himself?

Pang Yunjin’s words caught in his throat, but then he smiled gently.

“I am Yunjin. It is only natural for you not to remember me after five years. I am here to repay my debt for the life you saved. Do you recall the blood-soaked man you rescued at the bottom of the cliff five years ago? That man was me. Later, I was saved by my family’s guards and never had the chance to thank you...”

“That’s entirely unnecessary,” Chu Mu cut him off directly.

A Zhao had once told him she’d rescued an ungrateful wretch on her way to the capital. This must be that very wretch—Pang Yunjin.

“You needn’t thank me, Young Master Pang. I would have rescued anyone in such a state, regardless of who they were. Now you have offered your thanks, I must ask you to return from whence you came. There’s no need for further visits. After all, the Shen and Pang families have always been at odds. If I had known it was you back then, I might not have intervened. Please, take your leave.”

Pang Yunjin’s gaze was almost feverishly intense, making Chu Mu feel threatened. He had to cut off this man’s delusions before they grew.

He had never felt so thankful as he did now to be A Zhao.

A shadow of disappointment flitted through Pang Yunjin’s eyes. After learning of Miss Shen’s true identity, he had already foreseen this day.

“No matter what, you saved my life. I came not only to thank you, but also to ask that you take responsibility for me. Back then, you destroyed my innocence.”

A faint blush colored his face. He knew how shameless this sounded, but he had no other choice.

He had heard many rumors about Chu Mu and her. People whispered that Chu Mu cared nothing for her and was planning to set her aside for another.

If she had been truly happy, he would never have disturbed her and would have guarded her silently from afar.

But she was not happy.

His heart ached for her, but in that pain was also a strange relief.

He wanted to marry her.

He did not care that she had been married before; he cared only for her.

It was not only because she had once saved him.

Before he met her, he had never believed in love at first sight.

He had never believed in the passionate love between men and women, nor in those who would risk life and death for it.

But in those few days together, his convictions had shattered.

He believed now, utterly and completely.

A person’s heart could truly belong wholly to another.

Even if that person was not at his side, even if she had vanished for five years.

Her place in his heart had never faded. In fact, with each passing day, her presence grew heavier within him.

Now, she occupied his entire heart.

“What did you say?” Chu Mu exploded, especially when he met Pang Yunjin’s eyes, brimming with emotion.

He wanted to hit him—this shameless pretty boy!

At this moment, the front hall was empty but for the two of them.

Destroyed his innocence, did she? He didn’t believe it for a second!

When he’d married A Zhao, she had been pure and untouched.

This pretty boy was slandering her.

“Don’t try to smear my name—when did I ever destroy your innocence?”

Pang Yunjin looked at him with wounded eyes. With his striking features, he knew just how pitiful he appeared.

“Do you refuse to admit it, Miss?”

Chu Mu had no intention of showing any gentleness; he jumped to his feet.

Admit what? Pang Yunjin was truly shameless—a grown man playing the victim!

“Admit to what? You’re making things up!”

A flush crept into Pang Yunjin’s eyes, making him look like an aggrieved, helpless rabbit, stirring anyone’s protective instincts. “Back then, you removed my trousers and saw everything. Should you not take responsibility for me?”

Chu Mu glared at Pang Yunjin, grinding his teeth.

If anyone familiar with Pang Yunjin had been present,

They would have been dumbfounded at his words and his current demeanor.

No! This was not the Pang Yunjin they knew.

Their Lord Yunjin was above all mortal desires, aloof and untouchable.

He would never act so, nor stoop to seduction.

“I took off your trousers? I saw you naked?” Chu Mu jabbed a finger at himself, glaring furiously at Pang Yunjin.

Damn it to hell!

Ah...

He didn’t just want to hit him now—he wanted to kill him.

Under Chu Mu’s murderous glare, Pang Yunjin nodded. “Yes, you took off my trousers, and you saw me.”

His eyes were sorrowful as he looked at Chu Mu. “Miss, I’m not a frivolous man. These years, I’ve remained chaste for you alone. You must not let me down, must not become a heartless betrayer.”

Shameless, despicable!

Heartless betrayer, indeed.

Pang Yunjin, have you no shame, acting so coy with a married woman?

He was already stunned by this sudden, absurd situation.

Yet Pang Yunjin deliberately kept calling him ‘Miss,’ just to provoke him.

He knew perfectly well that A Zhao was married,

And yet he insisted on addressing her so.

Utterly unforgivable.

No, he couldn’t take it anymore. A Zhao had seen another man’s body.

Why did he feel so stifled?

Pang Yunjin gazed at the stomping Chu Mu with indulgence in his eyes.

A pang of guilt passed through him.

Miss Shen, forgive me. Blame my brazenness.

Only by being shameless could he hope to get close to her.

“Get out! Leave the Grand General’s Mansion before I lay hands on you.”

Chu Mu pointed at Pang Yunjin, wanting nothing more than to bundle him up and throw him out.

His A Zhao could not have removed Pang Yunjin’s trousers intentionally.

No, he couldn’t sit still any longer; he had to go to the barracks and confront A Zhao.

What exactly had happened between her and Pang Yunjin all those years ago?

“I will not. I will marry no one but you,” Pang Yunjin declared.

Chu Mu was beside himself.

He refused!

No, he had reached his limit. If worst came to worst, he’d risk everything against the crown prince’s faction—today, Pang Yunjin was getting a beating.

This wretch was begging for it!

Meanwhile, Shen Zhao and Xie Yuheng had just finished checking on Shen Tianci.

The two stepped out of the prefect’s office,

Only to run into Pang Yunche, who looked frantic and distraught.

He seemed utterly lost, head down, rushing straight for the prefecture.

Xie Yuheng, who had been walking alongside Shen Zhao, quickened his pace as soon as he saw Pang Yunche blundering about like a headless chicken, rushing forward to block his way.

Wherever Pang Yunche tried to go, Xie Yuheng moved to intercept him.

“A good dog doesn’t block the road. Get out of my way,” Pang Yunche snapped.

He tried to slip past, but Xie Yuheng shifted to block him again.

Pang Yunche jerked his head up to glare at the obstacle in his path.

When he saw it was Xie Yuheng, his expression soured dramatically.

He looked utterly disgusted.

“Third Young Master Xie, I have no time to spar with you today.”

His elder brother had gone missing.

No one at the residence knew where he had gone.

His mother had fainted from worry.

His father, returning from the palace with a dark face, had broken out in a cold sweat upon learning of his brother’s disappearance.

Since his brother’s downfall five years ago, he had rarely left the residence.

On the few occasions he did, he was always accompanied by a large escort.

Yesterday, his brother had rushed out once, then locked himself in his quarters upon returning, refusing to let anyone near.

This morning, he was nowhere to be found.

The entire Grand Tutor’s residence was thrown into chaos.

Hundreds of people had been sent out to search for him.

They learned that yesterday, the elder brother had gotten into a dispute at one of their pawnshops and someone had been taken away by the prefect.

He thought perhaps his brother had come to the prefecture.