"Come on, open your mouth, ah----"
This person is just like Mr. Xue... Xiao Man opened her mouth blankly and swallowed the pastry in one gulp. Mmm, it's soft and fragrant, very delicious.
Afraid she might choke, I reluctantly poured her another cup of tea and brought it to her lips: "Eat slowly, there's plenty more."
His eyes were full of love, which made Xiaoman feel a chill run down her spine. Finally, she couldn't help but blurt out, "You... what do you mean by bringing me here?"
Helpless, he smiled slightly and said, "I wanted to see what kind of bold girl had disrupted our plans. I didn't expect her to be so cute, like a kitten." He then stroked her head.
Xiao Man shrank her neck, feeling a chill run down her spine from his touch: "You wouldn't... go and exterminate your entire clan just for this reason, would you?"
Helpless, he finally withdrew his hand and fed her another piece of osmanthus cake: "Try this, you'll definitely like it—the extermination of the clan is another matter. I heard that my elder brother has done many evil deeds, and there are many complaints. I originally intended to kill him alone, but he was lucky enough to die first. It just so happens that someone said you and Zexiu are a couple, so I used this as a pretext to invite you here. Even though Mr. Xue has set up many defenses and cannot let me gain any advantage, I had already planted Duanhui as a pawn by his side, which he probably never dreamed of."
Xiaoman's mouth was stuffed full of pastries, and she was too busy chewing to speak. Helpless, she took a sip of tea from her cup and said softly, "Compared to outwitting them, I'm more interested in you. I wanted to know what kind of woman had bewitched my nephew. He was willing to die to protect you. I also wanted to know what made this woman so compelling that my junior brother would commit the act of killing his master. Now I know. So this is what you are, hehe..."
Junior brother? Xiao Man was quite confused.
Helplessly, he suddenly raised his hand and touched her left ear, where the earring was called "Sea of Flowers".
"He almost killed Master, and Master has not yet recovered. He probably will never fully recover." His voice was low and soft, but it struck Xiaoman's heart like a thunderclap. She suddenly understood who he was talking about, and she suddenly understood what had happened in the small courtyard that had been burned down.
“That child has always had a guilty conscience.” He smiled helplessly. “We all wanted to see how far we had to push him before he would break down. They all say it was for you, but I don’t think so. I just think that you have too much influence on him, which is why he dared to fly away. This action drove Master crazy. He’s not comfortable as long as Master can’t manipulate us. It’s come to this. Actually, I should thank you.”
Xiao Man didn't say anything.
Helpless, she got up and continued watering the bonsai on the windowsill. After a while, she suddenly seemed to remember something. …W. C turned around and said softly, “Xiao Man, give me a token that can prove your identity. I have something to say to your maternal grandfather, but I’m afraid he won’t believe me.”
She was startled, and after a long pause, she whispered, "No. And... Guo Yusheng is not my maternal grandfather."
Helplessly, he clicked his tongue twice: "You have to be good and obedient, otherwise you won't be popular."
“I have no need to please you.” These words made him slowly turn around and look at her quietly. Xiaoman met his gaze and said calmly, “Even if you grab me and cut off my head for him, it won’t do any good. Because I’m not his granddaughter, I have no blood relation with him at all.”
Helplessly, she curled her lips into a smile: "How will you know if you don't try? You've reminded me that if you stubbornly refuse to hand over some tokens, even though it will hurt me, I'll have no choice but to have someone chop off a finger or an ear of yours and send it to your maternal grandfather."
Xiao Man's face immediately turned pale.
Helpless, she said softly, "It's such a mood killer to talk about this. Xiaoman is such a good girl, she'll definitely give me a token, right?"
Xiao Man's face was pale. After a long silence, she said dejectedly, "I... I didn't. Besides, I really have nothing to do with him! This idea is just wishful thinking on your part, and in the end, it will only lead to your own humiliation."
Helpless, he gently put down the flowerpot, then abruptly turned around, grabbed her wrist, and opened her palm, examining each finger one by one. His long eyelashes trembled slightly: "Such beautiful little hands, I really can't bear to cut off even a single finger. Perhaps I should just cut off the whole hand..."
Xiaoman gasped, watching as he pulled a dagger from his pocket, ready to slash her. The hairs on her back stood on end, and she screamed, "Fine—I'll find you a keepsake!"
Helpless, he smiled and squinted his eyes, slowly closing her hands with his own and gently kissing them: "You're so good."
Xiao Man was covered in sweat, staring blankly at him, and said again, "I... give me two days, I'll write something for him... Don't worry, I won't mention you. All my things are in my bundle, I didn't bring them with me. I... also need to think of how to make him believe it was me..."
Helpless, he nodded and then suddenly clapped his hands. Duan Hui immediately appeared on the windowsill. He instructed, "Take Miss Xiao Man downstairs and have Yun Wu and the others take care of her."
Xiao Man, still shaken, was escorted back to the small courtyard by Duan Hui. As soon as she entered, she saw four young men standing in a row at the door. They all bowed and greeted her: "Miss Xiao Man."
She was startled again, but Duan Hui said calmly, "These are the people sent by the master to take care of your daily life. If you need anything, just ask them for it."
Seeing him turn to leave, Xiaoman almost instinctively grabbed him and whispered, "Where...where are you going?"
The only person she knew in this godforsaken place was Duan Hui. The men behind her were looking at her with extremely strange and creepy eyes, and she didn't want to stay a moment longer.
Duan Hui glanced at her, and finally softened her voice: "Don't be afraid, I will come to see you often when I have time."
After saying that, he left quickly. Xiaoman tried to chase after him, but the group of boys surrounded her. They helped her into the house.
"Please have some tea, young lady." A cup of tea was placed in front of her, the person serving it practically glued to her, as if covered in paste. He refused to get down. Xiaoman gave a dry laugh, shrinking back and saying, "Thank you...thank you...you, you can go now..."
The boy stormed off in a huff.
"Please change your clothes, young lady." A pair of lewd hands groped her shoulders, intending to undress her.
This was intolerable! Xiao Man suddenly jumped up and shouted, "Get out! No one is allowed back in unless called!"
The four boys left dejectedly, and the room finally returned to silence. Xiao Man let out a long sigh of relief, fetched water to wash off the makeup from her face, and took down her fussy hair bun. She lay down on the bed.
What should she do next? Should she really write some kind of keepsake and have Wu Naihe use it to threaten Lian Fangcheng? She could already foresee the consequences: Lian Fangcheng would simply ignore it, and then an enraged Wu Naihe would come back and chop her into mincemeat...
No, she has to escape; she can't let things come to this.
She suddenly sat up in bed and started tapping and banging on the walls, trying to find some kind of secret passage or mechanism, but no matter how much she tapped, nothing came out. The boys guarding the window heard the noise and laughed, "Girl, save your energy. Not every room has a mechanism. If the master finds out, he'll probably be furious with you."
Xiao Man pretended not to hear. Turning around, she saw a closed window across the street. She quietly pushed it open, intending to see if it would be convenient to escape at night, only to find a young man guarding the window. He looked up at her with a mocking smile: "What are you up to, young lady?"
She was furious inside, but on the surface she sneered, "What, you have to ask me if I'm just looking at the scenery?"
This is outrageous! She slammed the window shut and could only sit back on the bed, continuing to stare blankly. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and a young man said, "Miss, the master asked me to bring you some things."
She agreed, and sure enough, a tall, slender young man carrying a small box entered. It was the same young man who had led the way earlier, with a pair of alluring eyes. He opened the box, revealing several exquisite toys inside, such as a nine-linked ring puzzle, with a layer of fine white paper underneath. He took the items out and said softly, "The master instructed that we must not keep the young lady bored and should spend more time talking to her. This paper is what the young lady requested. Just let us know when you've finished writing it. There's no rush, master, and there's no rush, young lady."
Xiao Man nodded; she was in no mood to play with toys! She just flicked the thing a couple of times in her hand and tossed it aside. Looking up and seeing the boy still there, she asked, "What's your name?"
The young man smiled lazily: "My name is Yun Wu. The ones guarding outside are Yun Wen, Cong Feng, and Cong Yu. If you need anything, just call us."
Xiao Man nodded: "Alright, you can go now. Don't come in and bother me unless it's absolutely necessary."
Yunwu obediently agreed and turned to walk away lightly.
She wondered if Zexiu and the others knew that she had been captured and brought here by Wu Naihe, and if Mr. Xue knew that Wu Naihe was her twin brother. She lay on the bed, restless and anxious, hoping that they would come to rescue her soon, and also hoping that she could find a way to escape. After thinking for a long time, she finally got tired, closed her eyes to rest for a while, and for some reason, fell into a deep sleep.
In a daze, it seemed as if someone was screaming in agony, a sound so piercing and deafening. Xiaoman suddenly opened her eyes, only to find the room and surroundings completely dark and silent. She sat up in surprise and uncertainty, unsure whether the scream was a dream or a reality.
Suddenly, the scream resumed, indistinct and seemingly cursing, then turned into a wail, the sound shrill and chilling. Xiaoman's wrist trembled as she tried to light the lamp, but she couldn't find the tinder. Suddenly, someone whispered outside the window, "Miss, are you awake?"
She casually agreed, and the door immediately opened. Yunwu walked in, lit the candle for her, and said softly, "You must have been frightened, young lady. There's a madman locked up in the backyard who screams and howls every night. You'll get used to it."
Xiao Man could only nod repeatedly, stunned by the painful and terrifying screams.
Yunwu then asked, "Would you like something to eat, young lady?"
She did seem a little hungry, and nodded. Seeing him turn to leave, she hurriedly said, "You... um..." She didn't want to be alone in the house right now.
Yunwu, surprisingly, understood immediately. He smiled slightly and said to the window, "Go and get the girl some food." After saying that, he pulled up a stool, sat on the edge of the bed, and gave her another reassuring smile.
Between his brows, there was a vaguely familiar look. Xiaoman was a little lost in thought, staring at him for a long time. His hair, his lips, his hands... did they look alike? They didn't seem quite alike, but his expression was sometimes similar for a fleeting moment.
Seeing her staring intently at him, Yunwu couldn't help but reveal a seductive look. He quietly leaned over and took her hand, whispering, "Miss..."
Xiao Man flung his hand away: "Don't touch me if you have no reason to!"
Yunwu wasn't embarrassed; he just smiled faintly.
It really did look like him. Xiaoman felt like she was going crazy. Maybe it was because the room was too dark; he probably wouldn't look like him in the light. She subconsciously looked at his right ear, and sure enough, it was a blank space. There wasn't even a pierced ear, let alone an earring. Clearly, it was just her imagination.
Someone like him would probably have long since distanced himself from all this trouble and was living the life he truly wanted. Xiaoman sighed inwardly.
I wonder if any of you have noticed anything... Hmm...
Writing the last volume is always incredibly tiring...
The Scroll of Splendor, Chapter Nine: Helplessness (Part Three)
Updated: 2008-10-30 21:16:15 Word Count: 3449
First update.
The next day, Mr. He arrived with a warm smile. The first thing he said as he entered was, "Xiaoman, did you sleep well last night?"
She was eating breakfast, twisting the fried dough sticks in her hands until her hands were covered in oil, and said casually, "It's fine, it's just that someone keeps calling out to me."
Helpless, he sat down opposite her, his eyes crinkling with a smile. He wiped the grease from her lips and said softly, "This place is old, so strange noises often come out. You'll get used to it."
Xiao Man remained noncommittal. Helpless, she glanced back at the letter on the table, which was blank, without a single word. She then asked, "Xiao Man, haven't you decided what to write yet?"
She gave a helpless smile and whispered, "I just don't know what to write so they'll believe it's me. After all, although he's my maternal grandfather, I've never had any contact with him."
Helpless, he smiled and said, "No rush... I won't urge you."
He said he wouldn't rush her, but he must be really anxious, otherwise he wouldn't have come to see her now.
Xiao Man stuffed the fried dough stick into her mouth in a few bites, then looked up and saw him gazing at her with loving eyes, which made her feel uneasy all over.
"Look at you, your hands and face are covered in food." He took a cloth and wiped her clean, then gently pulled her up and carried her in his arms. "Come on, the weather is nice today, let's go to the garden and enjoy the scenery."
Does he really treat her like a cat or dog? Xiao Man was carried out of the house with a black line on her face. Sure enough, she heard the four boys guarding outside laughing softly. Once again, she wished she could cover her face with her sleeve and crawl into a crack in the ground to stay hidden.
After crossing the wooden bridge, they saw peonies blooming on the other side, a riot of colors. Their fragrance filled the air, and even though Xiaoman wasn't in the mood, she couldn't take her eyes off them. Reluctantly, he carried her across the bridge. Suddenly, he put her down and whispered, "There are only men around. It's a real treat to have such a lovely girl like Xiaoman by my side."
She felt as if she had heard these words somewhere before; they sounded very familiar.
He picked a delicate peony blossom, about to bloom, and tucked it behind her ear, then looked down at her with a smile for a long while. He said softly, "It suits you very well."
Xiao Man blushed involuntarily. This man looked exactly like Mr. Xue, flamboyant and alluring. Being stared at by such a man was more terrifying than torture, and she lowered her head, not daring to look again.
A faint sound of footsteps came from behind. Helpless, he didn't turn around and asked, "Duanhui, what is it?"
It was indeed Duan Hui; he held a letter sealed with wax in his hands. He said, "The letter that Tuan Shanzi sent to Mr. Xue has been intercepted by my subordinate."
Helpless, his eyes lit up, and he smiled, "Good boy. You're really capable!"
He took the letter and slowly tore it open. He unfolded the letter and read it carefully from beginning to end, his expression suddenly becoming strange. A little lost, a little confused.
"Duan Hui," he called softly. Duan Hui immediately lowered her hands, ready to obey.
"Is this letter... definitely for Mr. Xue?"
Duan Hui whispered, "That's what they said when they intercepted the land, but who knows what tricks they might have played?"
Helpless, he nodded blankly, stuffed the letter into his sleeve, and said indifferently, "Well done, very good..."
He turned and walked away slowly, a bewildered expression on his face, around the sea of peonies, without uttering another word. What exactly did the letter say that made him look like that? Xiaoman was completely baffled.
"Xiaoman," Duan Hui suddenly called her softly, "If you want to live, don't run around recklessly. The master has been in a bad mood lately."
She looked up at him and suddenly saw a profound pain spreading deep within his pupils, like the darkest night suddenly baring its claws and then quickly retracting, sending a chill down her spine. Duan Hui blinked and smiled slightly at her: "Do you understand? You'd better remember."
She returned to her courtyard, feeling a strange atmosphere permeating the entire place. Something was amiss; this Mr. Wuqie was even more eccentric than Mr. Xue. But... they looked so alike, practically identical. Could there really be such identical twins in the world?