Beggar Travels the World

Chapter 23

The smile gradually faded from Baili Qingyi's eyes, replaced by a sharp glint.

"Xiao'er..." he hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"Um...what?" She suddenly stared at him, as if she'd seen a ghost. "What did you call me?"

"Xiao'er." He blinked innocently.

"Don't look so innocent and harmless." She glared at him again, her cheeks flushed for some inexplicable reason, but her little mouth couldn't stop chattering. "When did you find out my identity... Of course, it's not surprising that you knew. I've known for a long time that you're cunning and treacherous, and nothing can be hidden from you, but why don't you expose me and instead keep playing coy?"

He opened his mouth to defend himself: "I..."

"And another thing, who gave you permission to call me 'Xiao'er' so casually?" She harbored deep resentment and pouted bitterly, "Do you think I don't know? The so-called refined and elegant young master in blue is actually childish and petty in private."

"I didn't..."

"I saw it!" Yin Wuxiao's eyes were full of accusation. "I saw you secretly use your internal energy to melt the honey-filled pastry. Wasn't it because you didn't want people to know you were a picky eater?"

"...It was my fault." It's such a small matter, there's no harm in admitting it.

"Also, you're still angry about me leaving Baili Prefecture, which is why you often tease me on purpose."

"I... am." He admitted that there was some connection.

“And…” her face turned even redder, “that day you barged in without permission, it was all on purpose!”

"Which day?" He raised an eyebrow.

"The day I got splashed with the medicinal soup, you knew perfectly well I was a woman, and still..."

"Oh." Baili Qingyi chuckled softly, a smug smile. So what if it is?

"And..." Her face began to turn purple, and her voice suddenly stopped as if a string had broken.

The culprit who had knocked her unconscious stretched out his long arm and accurately pulled her limp body into his embrace.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your complaint. I promise I'll listen carefully next time." He spoke as if making a vow, his voice filled with coaxing and tenderness. His previous nonchalance had vanished, and his unfathomable, sharp eyes were now undeniably serious.

"What did you feed her?" Bai Can strolled over, clicking his tongue in admiration. Having just comforted the mother of his future child and learned about the situation from the divine doctor, he couldn't resist coming to see what was going on.

It's definitely worth watching; it's the first time he's ever seen this terrifyingly eccentric girl act like a normal teenage girl.

"It's the Three-Leaf Pill that my second brother developed," Baili Qingyi replied in a deep voice.

“Love Leaf, Anger Leaf, Yearning Leaf.” Bai Can nodded. “The three most difficult-to-find herbs in the world, when combined, produce this effect? Don’t you want to hear more? To be honest, her incessant chatter is much cuter than her previous unfathomable and half-dead demeanor.”

Baili Qingyi smiled faintly: "That's right, but I can't wait any longer."

Bai Can smiled knowingly: "No wonder Doctor Xuan asked me to lend you a hand. I heard you're going to expend half of your power to expel the Gu poison from her?"

"The divine physician Xuan said that although the Gu worm in her body was dead, the poison of the Gu corpse could still be fatal. As long as it wasn't eliminated, her life would be in danger." It was her despair, the utter despair she felt at the bottom of the cliff that day, that caused the "unfulfilled desire" within her to lose its appetite, ultimately leading to her death. But with the Gu worm dead, her heart meridian was no longer protected, and the Gu corpse would still transport the poison throughout her body until she succumbed to it. He had previously fed her the Three-Leaf Pill, originally to nourish the Gu worm and suppress the poison, but unexpectedly, with the Gu worm dead, her emotions rapidly accumulated within her, amplifying her existing feelings and causing them to spiral out of control, leading to the scene just now.

"You did this without asking her opinion, is that alright?" Bai Can looked at the unconscious Yin Wuxiao. This woman usually seemed to be extremely greedy for small gains, but in fact she was the least willing to accept favors from others, let alone such a heavy favor as Baili Qingyi's.

Baili Qingyi calmly looked back at him: "It's better for her this way."

Bai Can gave an awkward smile, offering no comment. What could he do after the person involved had said that?

"After I finish my training, I will need your help to take her to the Qiao Gang."

"What?" Bai Can exclaimed. "I always thought you were just joking to scare her. You really want her, a weak woman, to go and get help for you?"

Baili Qingyi gently traced Yin Wuxiao's smooth and delicate cheek with her fingertips: "She is Qiao Fenglang's cousin. Even if we can't get reinforcements, Qiao Fenglang will protect her."

"Hmph, can't you protect her?" Bai Can said dismissively. If it were his beloved Sheng'er, he wouldn't be willing to leave her to another man to protect. He would rather die than leave her with him.

"Before today, I could." But after losing half of his power, he was not even sure if he could escape unscathed when facing the master of "Traceless".

Bai Can opened his mouth, but didn't say anything more.

He saw the young man in blue robes, who always smiled and murmured like a spring breeze, looking intently at his family in his arms. His face was devoid of smiles, but the tenderness in his eyes was enough to drown a woman from the martial arts world.

Cocoon broken

She had no way of knowing what he was thinking, but under the influence of the drugs, she blurted out a bunch of her true feelings.

She had no chance to express acceptance or rejection for everything he did.

She didn't even have a chance to properly ridicule Bai Can or give Xuan He a good scolding.

When Yin Wuxiao woke up again, she was already at the headquarters of the Qiao Gang, and the man guarding her was someone she knew all too well.

That was Qiao Fenglang, the leader of the Qiao Gang, her childhood sweetheart and cousin, her former nominal fiancé, a proud and spirited man.

His eyes held unfathomable emotions, laid bare, and his every word was filled with tenderness, binding her tightly like a net, seizing her completely.

"Xiao'er," he called softly, as if afraid that a loud voice would shatter her.

Yin Wuxiao looked at him but did not answer. The last man to call her that was not by her side at this moment.

She tried to move her body, which felt sore and numb, but her limbs could still move normally. A warm current seemed to surge in her lower abdomen, soothing her internal organs.

"Why am I here?" she finally asked.

"Xiao'er, where have you been for the past three years?" Qiao Fenglang asked excitedly.

Yin Wuxiao frowned.

"Why am I here?" she asked again.

If she remembered correctly, before losing consciousness, she was in the underground palace of Hundred Questions Manor, ranting and raving about Baili Qingyi's faults, and then...

Then what did that bastard do to her?

Qiao Fenglang's expression changed drastically, but he still answered reluctantly, "It was a man in white. He said his surname was Bai."

It must be that coward Bai Can.

"Did he leave any message?" She dared not even imagine that the guy would stay at the Qiao Gang waiting for her to wake up.

He said that the poison in your body has been completely removed.

Yin Wuxiao's eyes flashed, as if he had thought of something, but there was no joy on his face.

Unable to suppress the heavy questions and bitterness in his heart, Qiao Fenglang grasped her hand and earnestly asked, "Xiao'er, what is your relationship with that person? In these three years..."

“Brother Fenglang.” Yin Wuxiao finally called out to him, but only to stop him from asking any further questions. “I will explain all of this to you later, but right now there is something important for you to do.”

Meeting Qiao Fenglang's questioning gaze, she suddenly gave a bitter smile.

She was discarded, thrown back like a burden.

※ ※ ※

Three hall masters under Qiao Gang led more than 700 gang members and rushed to Baiwen Valley overnight. Qiao Fenglang and Yin Wuxiao followed with a few people at a normal pace.

A cool evening breeze swept in, chilling him to the bone, and Yin Wuxiao shivered.

"Xiao'er, at this speed, we should arrive by tomorrow afternoon. You don't need to worry too much." Qiao Fenglang and she each rode a horse side by side. He sat upright on his horse, leisurely fanning himself, looking completely relaxed.

Yin Wuxiao smiled and said, "Brother Fenglang, I'm not worried at all." What's the use of worrying?

Upon hearing this, Qiao Fenglang slowly closed his fan and suddenly snorted, "If it weren't for you, I would never have sent anyone to rescue that brat Baili Qingyi."

“Even if you don’t save him, you have to consider the survival of the Qiao Clan and the safety of the martial arts world. You know the gravity of this matter perfectly well, and it’s not necessarily for my sake,” Yin Wuxiao said calmly.

Qiao Fenglang's face twitched slightly. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Xiao'er, although you used to be sharp-tongued, you were still innocently endearing. After three years apart, why have you become more and more unapproachable?"

Seeing Yin Wuxiao lower her head and remain silent, he continued, "For the past three years, I have ordered people to search for you everywhere, never daring to give up even a sliver of hope. My heart has been filled with thoughts of you. But what about you, Xiao'er? Have you ever thought of me even once or twice?" His voice was steady, yet it unconsciously carried a deep sense of sorrow. Given his usual arrogant nature, he would never have uttered such words.

Yin Wuxiao's heart softened, and she said softly, "Brother Fenglang, we grew up together. Apart from Aunt Nan and Aunt Yun, you are the one who loves me the most. This affection is something that Xiao'er cherishes in her heart, and no one can replace it."

“But that Baili Qingyi…” Qiao Fenglang gritted his teeth again.

"He saved me and cured me of the poison. Otherwise, the Xiao'er you see today would not be like this. Brother Fenglang, are you unwilling to repay this kindness for me?"

Qiao Fenglang stared at her in astonishment.

"Xiao'er, you've always been strong-willed and never ask me to do anything for you, but were you begging me just now?"

Yin Wuxiao glanced at him indifferently.

"I suppose so," she heard herself reply.

A fierce neighing erupted, and Qiao Fenglang abruptly pulled the spirited horse to a stop.

"Xiao'er," he gazed intently at her, his hands gripping her shoulders, "once this matter is resolved, we'll get married, shall we?"

Yin Wuxiao was startled; her watery eyes met his, then shrank back.

She frowned, a faint sorrow spreading across her brow.

Qiao Fenglang was both anxious and captivated. When her cousin was quietly pondering, she was like a secluded orchid in a valley, sweet and enduring; when she spoke eloquently, she was like the queen of peonies, proud and dazzling. Her beauty could not be summarized by a mere pretty face.

"Okay." The two words were uttered lightly and crisply.

"What?" Qiao Fenglang blinked, still lost in his own thoughts about her brow.

"I say, let's do as Brother Fenglang says." She turned her head and looked into the distance.

"Xiao'er!" Qiao Fenglang gripped the reins tightly, overjoyed.

But Yin Wuxiao's calm demeanor quickly extinguished his passion. He abruptly grabbed her slender hand: "Tell me, what exactly happened to you in these past three years?" She had changed so much, so very much. Three years ago, her laughter was like jade falling from the sky, tinkling and melodious: "Brother Fenglang, I won't marry you, okay? Even if I don't marry you, you'll still be my Brother Fenglang!"

Yin Wuxiao suddenly laughed: "Brother Fenglang, you keep asking me what has happened in the past three years, but why don't you ask what exactly happened that night three years ago?"

Qiao Fenglang was stunned, a look of embarrassment flashing across his face. He was about to answer when Yin Wuxiao continued on his own.

“I know that Brother Fenglang is doing this for my own good and doesn’t want to reopen my wounds. I know that.”

Qiao Fenglang's lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent.

A moment of silence followed.

"But, Brother Fenglang, do you really not want to know what happened that night three years ago?"

A beautiful smile graced her red lips, tinged with a hint of sorrow and a touch of calculation.

"If you want to say it, then say it." Qiao Fenglang lowered his eyes, making it impossible to see what he was thinking.