Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 120

A misty aura filled Zi Jin's eyes: "Xiao Bai... if one day we have to choose... I promise I won't let you go, and you won't let me go either... okay?"

Xiao Bai lowered his eyes, his fan-like eyelashes concealing his emotions: "Don't overthink it."

Amidst the torrential rain, the faint sound of a cart axle could be heard. The two men looked out into the rain and saw a simple horse-drawn carriage parked not far away.

Jin Yu held a painted paper umbrella with flowers and birds, and waited quietly outside the carriage.

A pair of black boots slowly emerged from the car door, revealing a stunningly beautiful face that was both male and female, with meticulously styled hair and narrow, slightly narrowed peach blossom eyes. The person stood under the umbrella, gazing at the two people under the boulder.

Xiao Bai frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing in his dark, gentle eyes: "Le'er..."

Prince Anle strolled gracefully forward and stood before the two men: "Brother... have you had enough fun?"

Xiao Bai turned around stiffly, a hint of guilt flashing in her eyes: "Le'er, it's raining so hard, you should go back to the car and wait until the rain stops..."

"I'm here to pick up my brother. Aren't you going back?" King Anle impatiently interrupted Xiaobai.

Zi Jin lowered her eyes and nervously clutched Xiao Bai's sleeve. Xiao Bai gently patted the back of Zi Jin's hand reassuringly.

Under the umbrella, a glint of shrewdness flashed in Anle Wang's eyes. He stepped forward and grabbed Xiaobai's hand: "Brother, go back with Le'er."

Xiao Bai paused, a look of struggle on his face: "Le'er, go back to the car to avoid the rain. It's chilly in the mountains, be careful not to catch a cold."

"Brother, for her sake... you're even giving up Nan'er?" Prince Anle stared intently at Xiaobai, a hint of sadness flashing in his narrow, peach-blossom eyes.

Xiao Bai's body jolted, and a look of panic flashed in his usually calm and gentle eyes: "Is Nan'er... alright?"

“Not good, not good at all. Ever since my brother left, she has been in a daze, waiting for news of his return every day,” Prince Anle said in a low voice.

As if struck by a heavy punch, Xiao Bai involuntarily took a step back, her eyes filled with pain: "I..."

Zi Jin's dark eyes gradually dimmed, filled with sorrow. Her hands gripped Xiao Bai's sleeve tightly, not daring to let go for even a moment.

A pink oil-paper umbrella quietly appeared beside the carriage. Under the umbrella, a person dressed in a light purple gauze dress stood gracefully in the downpour, gazing at a person under the large rock, her charming eyes filled with anticipation.

Xiao Bai's body tensed instantly, his hands clenched into fists, and he trembled uncontrollably. He released Zi Jin's hand almost without hesitation and unconsciously walked towards the outside of the large rock, step by step approaching the person under the pink umbrella.

Zi Jin, who had been keeping her eyes downcast, stared blankly at her empty hands, her eyes stinging slightly. She looked up at the rain and saw a dreamlike beauty standing under a pink oil-paper umbrella in the downpour, so incongruous with the desolate wilderness.

Fish Falls... Fish Falls... It really was you...

"When...when was this ring found?"

“It’s not lost. It’s always been in Nan’er’s hands… When Nan’er comes back, the ring will be back.”

"This ring was lost for four years? It was only found three months ago?"

"Hmm? Little Zi knows? Nan'er is back, two months from now."

Fish fall, how I wish... how I wish this person wasn't you, I once, countless times, defended you.

I should have thought of this sooner, shouldn't I? Who else could take away my beloved possession without making a sound?

I feel guilty for owing you, and I feel sorry for you every day. But what about you? You not only stole my ring, but you also stole the one I love. You crushed my heart to pieces. How could you be so heartless? How could you be so heartless? Don't you know? I have always been... I have always had nothing... nothing at all.

Zi Jin strode out of the boulder and grabbed Xiao Bai's sleeve: "Don't go..." Just two words, only two words, contained so much pleading and so much dignity that was sacrificed.

Xiao Bai turned to look at Zi Jin, her brows furrowing slightly: "Stop fooling around."

Zi Jin pulled her sleeves closer to her hands, then looked up at Xiao Bai's face: "Don't go... okay?"

A faint smile played on the lips of Prince Anle as he squinted at the scene before him, a hint of vengeful pleasure flashing in his narrow, almond-shaped eyes.

Yu Luo slowly took two steps forward, her eyes filled with grievance. She stared blankly at Xiao Bai, her eyes slightly red, her mouth slightly open, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

Xiao Bai felt as if his heart had been suddenly squeezed, and a sharp pain shot through him. Without thinking, he pulled his hand away from Zi Jin's grasp and strode towards Yu Luo.

Zi Jin stared blankly at her empty hands, her breath catching in her throat, her eyes filled with pain. She suddenly looked up and stared intently at Yu Luo, her eyes filled with murderous intent: "Why?" Her low, hoarse voice was icy cold.

Yu Luo lowered her face and stopped looking up. The beautiful woman in the wind and rain was like a precious orchid in the rain, so fragile that she seemed about to die.

"Surround this hill! Don't let a single person escape!" Dugu Xihui, covered in mud and with a frosty expression, shouted from the southwest amidst the torrential rain.

A dangerous glint of surprise flashed in Prince Anle's eyes. He slowly walked to stand directly opposite Dugu Xihui, narrowed his eyes, and sneered, "When did it become your place, Dugu Xihui, to interfere in the affairs of my Sikou family!"

Dugu Xihui glanced at Prince Anle, then stared intently at Zi Jin: "Your Highness is mistaken. I have only come to... take away the person you snatched from me that day."

King Anle took two more steps forward, lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear: "I have already given that person to you, what are you doing here now?"

Dugu Xihui glanced sideways at Prince Anle, smiled slightly, revealing her adorable dimples, and lowered her voice as well: "I wonder which person Your Highness is referring to? Yesterday, I discovered a woman who deceived me... So, I had her hands and feet chopped off, her eyes gouged out, her tongue and ears cut off, and her face, which shouldn't have been hers, disfigured... She's still waiting for Your Highness to come and rescue her in the Guest House. Doesn't Your Highness know this?"

Anle Wang's eyes sharpened, and a chill ran through him: "What do you want?"

Dugu Xihui smiled gently and whispered in Prince Anle's ear, "You know perfectly well who I want. Since your elder brother already has someone he loves, what is there left for you to fight for?"

Xiao Bai frowned and glanced at the two whispering in the rain. She quickly stepped to the windward side and held Yu Luo in her arms, saying, "The rain is heavy. Be careful not to catch a cold. Shall we go to the car first?"

Prince Anle's expression shifted, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and he replied sharply, "Don't even think about it!"

The two words, brimming with murderous intent, brought the atmosphere in the rain to a fever pitch, and the people behind them had already drawn their weapons.

Lou Shuo and Jin Yu stood silently guarding their respective masters, their eyes filled with murderous intent. Knowing their masters as they did, they both understood that a bloody battle was inevitable.

Xiao Bai frowned as he looked at Prince Anle and Dugu Xihui, tightly protecting Yu Luo in his arms, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his gentle and calm eyes.

Zi Jin's eyes were lifeless as she stared blankly at Xiao Bai's hand protecting Yu Luo.

Dugu Xihui glanced at Zi Jin, who was standing alone in the rain in the distance, and felt annoyed. He quickly raised his hand and slashed at Anle Wang's face.