Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 62
Although no lotus flowers were visible in the pond at the end of spring, it was already a vibrant green, and the pure white pavilion in the distance looked like the largest white lotus flower blooming in the pond.
Dugu Xihui quietly observed the person approaching from the opposite direction. The dazzling red dress suited her perfectly. Her bright and lively eyes complemented the fiery red dress, making her seem like a vibrant flame, dazzling and captivating.
Zi Jin sat down uncomfortably in the prepared seat—opposite to Dugu Xihui.
I used to envy others wearing flowing tulle skirts, but when I actually wore one myself, I realized that wearing a tulle skirt in a flowing way is also a skill.
"I'm not used to it," Dugu Xihui said, gazing at the lotus leaves in the distance.
Zi Jin shrank her neck: "Mm."
"Don't you like wearing women's clothes?" Dugu Xihui turned around and smiled slightly.
"It's not that I don't like it, but Yu Luo wouldn't agree to me wearing it." Zi Jin was stunned by Dugu Xi Hui's sudden smile and confessed everything truthfully like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.
"Is she fierce?" Dugu Xihui's voice was unusually gentle.
"Of course, even though the Crown Prince of Yue beats me up all day long, I'm not afraid of him in the slightest. But if Yu Luo frowns even slightly, I have no choice but to fawn over him."
"Really?" she asked softly, her tone full of skepticism.
“Yes, she gets angry and ignores everyone. Even the herbs she brings back taste three times more bitter. I dare not refuse to drink them, otherwise… Yu Luo will be very angry, and the consequences will be even more serious.” Zi Jin frowned and said, pretending to be troubled.
"Isn't she... good to you?"
"It's not that it's bad... it's just that she thinks she's given me the best, but she never asks me if I want it. There are so many things she doesn't want to tell me, she makes decisions on her own... She's always been so good to me..." Zi Jin tried to smile to make her words more convincing, but she couldn't manage a smile.
What does she like to do on a daily basis?
"Embroidering, decocting medicine, scolding me, taking me to school, waiting for me outside Taiping Pavilion, making my favorite pastries, her smiles were comforting, her playful antics were exasperating, and her words were gentle... When it was cold, she sewed me the warmest winter clothes; when it was hot, she brewed me mint water. When the Crown Prince bullied me, she would feel guilty and cry. She always scolded me for reading unrelated books but never forced me to read anything else. She always scolded me for neglecting my duties by making medicine, but secretly went to the Imperial Pharmacy to find ingredients for me..."
Zi Jin stood there, stunned. She had never thought about these things before. Yu Luo didn't seem to have anything she loved to do. All her interests and her entire life revolved around herself. She was always gentle, with a calm and serene smile, yet she kept all the ugliness hidden from her world. And yet, she had guessed at her, doubted her, and even abandoned her.
Zi Jin was startled and belatedly realized that Dugu Xihui was trying to trick her into revealing information. She looked at Dugu Xihui warily.
Dugu Xihui lowered her eyes, picked up her chopsticks, and elegantly placed the dishes in Zi Jin's bowl: "You haven't eaten for two days, have some."
Zi Jin then noticed that the table was laden with all sorts of dishes, each one exquisitely prepared, even more so than those in the Yue Kingdom's palace. However, Zi Jin had no appetite whatsoever. Partly it was because of the fish, partly because she was worried about Dugu Xihui, and most importantly, because of the dull pain in her chest.
Dugu Xihui seemed to sense Zi Jin's concerns, picked up some dishes from the table, ate a small bite of each, and then looked at Zi Jin.
Zi Jin forced herself to eat a couple of bites, put down her chopsticks, lowered her head, and secretly became wary, fearing that Dugu Xihui would use her beauty to seduce her again.
The two sat in the pavilion, each lost in their own thoughts. The maid cleared away all the dishes on the table and placed several more exquisite desserts on top.
A gentle breeze rustled the lotus leaves in the distance. Zi Jin finally couldn't resist stealing a glance at Dugu Xihui's expression. He sat comfortably against the pavilion railing, the breeze slightly ruffling his casually styled hair. His eyes, illuminated by the sunlight, held a serene beauty.
Why does he keep asking about Yu Luo? west Le ruined his face for no reason back then; if he were going to ask about anyone, he should be asking about Xi Le. Given how much he cares about appearances, he shouldn't be treating me with such courtesy… Could she be Yu Luo's childhood sweetheart from before she entered the palace? That doesn't seem likely. He doesn't seem to know Yu Luo's name or what she looks like. Even so, it's clear that his feelings for Yu Luo are quite special.
"She's so good to you." Dugu Xihui seemed to be talking to herself, or perhaps to Zi Jin, "If I were to spread the word that you're in my hands, do you think she would... come to save you?"
Zi Jin stood there, stunned. Would she save him? She had left so resolutely; Yu Luo was now in someone else's hands, and probably couldn't even protect himself.
"You like fish?" Zi Jin asked uncertainly.
"Like... What does it mean to like someone?... When I think of her, my heart feels empty... Many times I thought I was dead, but I was clearly aware that I was alive. It's worse than death... Do you know this feeling?"
Dugu Xihui's expression was so grief-stricken that it inexplicably made Zi Jin feel a sense of guilt.
"I've already spread the word that I have you in my possession. If she comes to rescue you, everything will be fine. If she doesn't, I've already figured out where you'll go. You can rest assured these next few days; I won't do anything to you." Instantly, Dugu Xihui's expression turned icy cold.
Startled by Dugu Xihui's sudden change of heart, Zi Jin shuddered: "Then... what if she can't come?... I mean, what if she's being held captive and has no choice in what she does... Besides, when I left that day..."
"If you hadn't drugged me, who would have had the chance to disfigure me? Who would have had the chance to humiliate me? Even if she doesn't come, don't even think about leaving... Isn't this flower pond beautiful? In summer, it will bloom with vast expanses of pure lotus flowers. Want to know what I use to nourish the flowers?" Dugu Xihui squinted, her tone like a lover's whisper, yet it sent chills down one's spine.
Zi Jin mechanically turned her head to look at the lush lotus leaves in the pond, shaking her head repeatedly: Don't scare people like that.
"Take her down," Dugu Xihui said with a sigh, gazing blankly at the lotus flowers in the distance.
Zi Jin was drenched in cold sweat, fleeing after the maid as if running away. Just as they were about to leave the garden, Zi Jin turned back as if possessed, only to see Dugu Xihui still leaning against the same spot, his face turned to the side, gazing into the distance. His figure, silhouetted against the setting sun, stretched into a long, desolate arc. His eyes were closed, his handsome brows furrowed, his expression one of profound sorrow. His slender figure swayed in the pavilion, as if about to be carried away by the wind, evoking a deep sense of pity.
Young Master Jinyang: A pitiful wretch who was seemingly abandoned by Yu Luo, whose long-term resentment led to a twisted mind.
Goodwill Index: 5%. Malice Index: 50%. Perversion Index: 45%.
Fact: An abnormally narcissistic individual, due to unknown reasons or an unusual obsession with their face. (Note: This stunningly beautiful face was ruined by their own actions.)
In conclusion: This poor kid.
Assessment: In case I don't survive, I hope I can at least leave with a complete corpse. (Parentheses) Is that too much to ask?
A lifetime of love and hate, hard to understand, reincarnation begins again. The bamboo-wielder, unintentional, faces many trials and tribulations upon first entering the world of martial arts (Part 3).
Entering the Jianghu with Many Twists and Turns (Part 3) Since that day, Zi Jin has been under house arrest in this mansion.
Although she was under house arrest, as long as she didn't go to the outer courtyard, no one questioned what she did. Therefore, she often wandered around when she had nothing to do. Whenever she reached the outer perimeter of the mansion, she would secretly observe the deployment and defenses of the outer courtyard, preparing for an opportunity to escape.
As the weather gradually warmed up, Zi Jin's chest wound, which she deliberately concealed and received little attention from others, became increasingly painful. Apart from having dinner with Dugu Xi Hui every day, she rarely ate anything else.
Dugu Xihui rarely appeared during the day, but she would always be at Zi Jin's courtyard at dinner time. The two would eat together, but rarely spoke. After dinner, Dugu Xihui might sit there for a while, but never for long. Zi Jin wanted to find out what was going on outside and had secretly tried to contact Lou Shuo, but Lou Shuo's loyalty was disproportionate to his guilt, so she always returned empty-handed.
Zi Jin ate her rice in her bowl with tiny bites, as if she wanted to chew each mouthful for half an hour. She would occasionally glance at Dugu Xihui; today, Dugu Xihui's brows were slightly furrowed, and she was eating very little. Zi Jin secretly guessed that Dugu Xihui was worried about Yu Luo's lack of activity these past few days, but she dared not ask, for fear of angering this unpredictable person.
Zi Jin felt a sharp, dull pain in her chest. She forced herself to eat half a bowl of rice, then put the bowl down and stared intently at the rice bowl on the table, silently praying that Dugu Xihui would finish eating quickly and leave.
Dugu Xihui saw Zi Jin put down her bowl, pause for a moment, then continue eating the rice in her bowl, but didn't touch the dishes on the table. Zi Jin was secretly puzzled. She had secretly observed that Dugu Xihui didn't like to eat, was extremely picky about food, and was a complete carnivore. What was wrong with her today?