Ke Xue: The thief Cao is actually myself

Chapter 693 Marital Discord! (Seeking monthly votes!)

Watching Yukiko Kudo's departing figure, Yusaku Kudo felt a deep sense of worry. He frowned slightly and turned to Byakuya, saying, "Byakuya-kun, Yukiko seems particularly unwell today. She seems very strange, and I'm really worried about her!"

A look of deep concern instantly appeared on Bai Ye's face, as if he were genuinely worried about Kudo Yukiko's condition. He said in an extremely sincere tone, "Mr. Yusaku, I've also clearly noticed that Ms. Yukiko isn't in good shape. It seems she's been overworking herself lately, and her body is exhausted. In my opinion, it would be best to let her rest for a while and recuperate; perhaps she'll recover."

Yusaku Kudo nodded slightly, his eyes still full of worry. "That's all we can do. I'm really sorry about today. I had planned this carefully, hoping we could all have some fun teasing Conan and add some fun to life, but Yukiko wasn't feeling well and spoiled your fun. I'm really sorry..."

Bai Ye quickly waved his hand and said sincerely, "Mr. Yusaku, please don't say that. Ms. Yukiko's health is the most important thing. Once she recovers, we can continue to tease Conan, which will surely be even more interesting."

He paused briefly, a meaningful glint in his eyes, "And perhaps, after a good night's rest, Ms. Yukiko will be completely recovered by tomorrow and back to her usual energetic self!"

Yusaku Kudo nodded slightly and sighed softly, "I hope so."

Then, as if he had suddenly made up his mind, he said anxiously, "No, I still can't rest easy about her. I have to go see her."

Bai Ye's lips curled up slightly, revealing a seemingly gentle smile. "Mr. Yusaku, please go! I think seeing Ms. Yukiko might improve her mood and be beneficial to her recovery."

He wasn't worried that if Yusaku Kudo went to see Yukiko Kudo, Yukiko would reveal everything that had happened between them.

Firstly, it takes a specific mindset and opportunity for a person to muster the courage to confess, and courage is something that often comes in bursts, then wane, and eventually runs out. Even in that tense and conflicted atmosphere, Yukiko Kudo couldn't muster the courage to confess before; now that time has passed, it's probably even harder for her to have that courage again.

Secondly, even if Yukiko Kudo were to confess, although Yusaku Kudo might outwardly express that he doesn't care, deep down he would inevitably harbor some subtle but undeniable resentment.

After all, the human heart is not an impregnable fortress; once a slight crack appears in emotions, it is difficult to mend it easily.

With Kudo Yukiko's intelligence and keen insight, how could she not understand that once she spoke out, their close and seamless relationship might never be able to return to what it was before?
Given these concerns, Yukiko Kudo will most likely choose to remain silent.

More importantly, Byakuya suspected that Kudo Yusaku might have had ambiguous interactions with other women during his social engagements, a fact that the perceptive Kudo Yukiko had noticed. Otherwise, under his deliberate manipulation, Kudo Yukiko wouldn't have swayed so easily and lost her composure.

He believed that as long as this knot in her heart remained untied, Yukiko Kudo would not be able to face everything with equanimity.

This is undoubtedly a powerful and significant trump card in his hand. If used appropriately and skillfully, it can surely make Kudo Yukiko sink deeper and deeper into this complex emotional vortex, eventually falling completely in love with him and succumbing to his charm...

Yusaku Kudo responded softly, "Mmm..."

As she spoke, she hurriedly took a step and walked in the direction where Yukiko Kudo had left, her steps filled with concern and anxiety...

……

"pat..."

Yukiko Kudo dragged her slightly heavy steps into the bathroom, then gently closed the door, as if this would temporarily shut her out the complicated and troubling world outside.

Standing quietly in front of the mirror, looking at her slightly haggard reflection, Yukiko Kudo's eyes were filled with a complex expression of helplessness and confusion.

She knew perfectly well that Bai Ye's sudden appearance was like a heavy boulder thrown into her life, which was originally as calm as a lake, without warning, instantly stirring up turbulent ripples.

If a solution is not found soon, this originally controllable turmoil will become increasingly turbulent, and may even completely overturn the beautiful life she and Yuzaku have built together.

With her hands trembling slightly, she slowly placed them on the sink, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her chaotic thoughts with the strength of that breath.

At this moment, her mind was filled with a thousand thoughts, repeatedly pondering whether she should find a suitable opportunity to be honest with Yusaku about everything.

However, if she were to tell the truth, she was really worried that Yusaku would hold a grudge against her.

After all, whether she wanted to admit it or not, something unspeakable and unusual had indeed happened between her and Bai Ye, which was an undeniable fact.

Those ambiguous moments and Bai Ye's suggestive words were like invisible shackles, binding her and filling her with guilt and unease when facing Yusaku.

But if this secrecy continues, given Bai Ye's unpredictable and ever-increasing nature, who knows what even more outrageous and unpredictable things he might do next.

The thought of these possible consequences sent chills down Yukiko Kudo's spine, and she dared not imagine any further.

Just as she was caught in this painful dilemma, Yusaku Kudo's familiar and concerned voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Yukiko, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor for you?"

Kudo Yusaku's voice was filled with anxiety and worry, as if he were about to burst through the door at any moment.

Yukiko Kudo was startled and quickly composed herself, trying to appear calm. She took a deep breath, opened the door, forced a smile, and tried to make her voice sound natural as she said, "I'm fine, Yusaku. I was just a little dizzy for a moment, but I feel much better now."

She tried to make her voice sound natural, but the slight tremor at the end betrayed her unease. "Don't worry too much about me. Go to the living room and keep Bai Ye company. Don't neglect the guest."

She knew that Kudo Yusaku's reasoning and observation skills were exceptional, far surpassing those of her high school detective son, who was hailed as "the savior of the Japanese police" and "the Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei era."

She was genuinely worried that if she spent more time with him, he would keenly discover her inner secrets, leading to a series of even more troublesome problems.

Yusaku Kudo frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on her face, as if trying to see through her expression to her true thoughts. He scrutinized her carefully, trying to discern from her eyes and the subtle movements of her lips whether she was truly alright as she claimed. After a long while, he sighed softly, his eyes filled with heartache and helplessness, and said, "Yukiko, if you really feel unwell, or if anything is on your mind, you must tell me immediately. Please don't try to tough it out anymore. Seeing you like this breaks my heart."

Yukiko Kudo slowly raised her head and met Yusaku Kudo's sincere and concerned gaze. A sudden wave of unease washed over her. A thousand words surged into her heart like a tidal wave, but when they reached her lips, they seemed to be blocked by an invisible force, leaving her unsure of where to begin.

Her lips trembled slightly. She opened her mouth, mustering her courage to tell Bai Ye everything without reservation. However, as the words reached her lips, Bai Ye's threatening and suggestive words suddenly echoed in her ears. At the same time, she remembered her unresolved doubts about Yusaku.

These thoughts intertwined in her mind, causing her to hesitate repeatedly before finally swallowing her words back.

She forced another smile, but it looked particularly strained on her haggard face, as if a gentle breeze could blow it away. She said softly, "I understand, Yusaku. Don't worry, I'm really fine."

Although Yusaku Kudo was still filled with doubts, seeing Yukiko's insistence, he didn't press her further. He nodded gently and said, "Alright, Yukiko, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. But you should know that no matter what happens, I will always be by your side."

After saying that, he gently patted Yukiko Kudo's shoulder, a gesture full of tenderness and comfort, and then turned and slowly walked towards the living room.

As Yukiko Kudo watched his receding figure, a mix of emotions welled up inside her.

She clearly realized that her relationship with Yusaku had quietly changed without her noticing, and the culprit behind it all was Byakuya.

She secretly resolved that no matter how many difficulties and obstacles she might encounter, she must find a comprehensive and proper solution to this thorny issue as soon as possible, and she must not let it continue to wantonly destroy her hard-won beautiful life.

Back in the living room, Bai Ye sat there leisurely, admiring the surrounding decorations as if they had nothing to do with him, appearing exceptionally comfortable. In reality, he had been keeping an eye on the bathroom. Seeing Kudo Yusaku return, he immediately stood up, a perfectly timed expression of concern on his face, and asked, "Mr. Yusaku, how is Ms. Yukiko? Is she feeling better?"

Yusaku Kudo shook his head gently, his tone tinged with worry and helplessness, and said, "She still says she's fine, maybe she really is just tired."

Bai Ye nodded slightly, a perfectly timed expression of regret on his face, and said, "I hope Ms. Yukiko recovers soon so we can enjoy each other's company again. By the way, Mr. Yusaku, are we still going to continue our plan to prank Conan? If not, then I'll take my leave! After all, it's getting late!"

Yusaku Kudo took a deep breath, trying to pull himself out of his worry for Yukiko. A determined look flashed in his eyes as he said, "Continue, of course we must continue!"

With great difficulty, thanks to his son's complete trust in Professor Agasa and the others, he successfully "captured" them. If he had given up halfway, his son, with his extraordinary intelligence, would have easily noticed something amiss.

Next time, it won't be so easy to implement a similar plan so smoothly.

"Alright, in that case, let's proceed according to the original plan!"

Bai Ye's lips curled up slightly, revealing a subtle smile that seemed to conceal some unknown meaning.

The two began to discuss the specific details of pranking Conan in hushed tones. Kudo Yusaku tried hard to concentrate, attempting to temporarily put aside his worries about Yukiko. However, a lingering concern remained in his heart, and his mind would occasionally wander, his gaze drifting towards the bathroom, wondering if Kudo Yukiko was truly alright, and what secret she was hiding.

In the living room, the faint sounds of Yusaku Kudo and Byakuya's discussion were like pebbles thrown into Yukiko Kudo's heart, making her heart as turbulent as a stormy sea, increasingly difficult to calm.

She knew she was standing at a crossroads in her life, and a single choice could change the fate of her and her family...

She didn't know what to do, but she knew she couldn't just sit and wait for her fate; she had to take the initiative and find a solution.

She began to ponder various possibilities in her mind, trying to find a way to both get rid of the White Night's entanglement and not harm Kudo Yusaku.

Unfortunately, if such a brilliant and mutually beneficial solution were so easy to come up with, she wouldn't have been troubled for so long.

Left with no other choice, she decided to go out first and then see how things unfolded.

After all, hiding in the bathroom would not only fail to help him clear his mind, but would also only arouse more of Kudo Yusaku's close attention and deep suspicion.

Thinking this through, she slowly took a deep breath, then resolutely pushed open the bathroom door...

Back in the living room, Yukiko Kudo tried her best to act as usual, naturally participating in Yusaku Kudo and Byakuya's conversation. However, her heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, unable to truly calm down. Her thoughts kept drifting to Byakuya's entanglement with her, and the subtle changes that were quietly taking place between herself and Yusaku.

Byakuya seemed to keenly sense her absent-mindedness, occasionally casting her a meaningful glance, a glance that seemed to carry an invisible pressure, making Kudo Yukiko even more uneasy, sitting on pins and needles...

(End of this chapter)