Arrancando flores y sonriendo

Capítulo 45

"Brother Qingyang, water's here...!" Xiaofeng rushed in carrying a bucket of hot water. With a "thud," the bucket fell to the ground, spilling water everywhere. Her lips were pale, and she stared blankly at us, who were embracing. "You, you guys...?"

"Xiaofeng!" I blushed deeply, looking at her with extreme embarrassment, not knowing how to explain everything to her!

"You lied to me? Why did you lie to me?" Xiao Feng muttered to herself, her face pale, shaking her head as if she couldn't accept the fact at all. She turned and rushed into the night.

"Xiaofeng!" I struggled to chase after her, but Huaiyuan held me tightly, refusing to let go. He said calmly, "Let her go. She'll find out about this sooner or later, and she'll have to accept the truth eventually! This is for the best; otherwise, the deeper she sinks, the more she'll be hurt!"

"What do you mean? What do you mean by getting deeper and deeper into trouble?" I snapped at him irritably.

"Don't tell me you had no idea this little girl was so infatuated with you?" Huaiyuan put his arm around my slender waist, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"You! Did you do this on purpose for her?" My breath caught in my throat, my eyes welled up with tears, and anger surged within me—did he even have ulterior motives when he was intimate with me?!

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This book was first published on Xiaoxiang Novel Original Website. Please retain this information when reprinting!

[Volume 3: War and Chaos, Chapter 6: The Bitter Autumn Wind and Dew]

"You're overthinking again, aren't you?!" Huaiyuan affectionately pinched the tip of my nose, lightly pecked my eye, and kissed away the tear that had clung to my eyelashes. He glanced at me meaningfully, then gave me a seductive smile. "I just couldn't control myself for a moment. It's good that she saw it; it saves some trouble. It wasn't premeditated! Don't get the wrong idea!"

I followed his gaze and looked down—my soaked clothes clung to my shapely body, revealing my curves and skin in a suggestive way, which was indeed somewhat ambiguous. I couldn't help but blush and subconsciously shrank further into the blankets.

"It seems Xiao Feng won't be back anytime soon, so I'll have to take you to my place for now." Huaiyuan smiled and picked me up, blanket and all, and carried me out of the room. But instead of going through the main gate, he leaped over the courtyard wall, and with a few bounds, landed in the courtyard next to mine—it turned out that the seemingly distant Liaoting Courtyard was actually right next to mine, and our bedrooms were only separated by two courtyard walls. No wonder he often visited late at night.

Although I've never considered myself shorter than anyone else, after washing up and changing into Huaiyuan's clothes, I still had to roll up my sleeves and trouser legs. I spread my arms and twirled in front of him. "Huaiyuan, look: your clothes are too big for me. Let's go back and get my own clothes!"

Huaiyuan smiled without saying a word, but seemed quite satisfied with my appearance. He walked over and gently but firmly pressed me into a chair. He took a snow-white cloth and began to carefully wipe the water droplets from my hair.

That gentle gesture, that focused expression, that faint smile on his lips… all of it stirred my heart and captivated my soul. He was a cold and aloof man, a man who roamed the world freely, and above all, a wise and reserved man. How could such a man not gently stroke my hair and smile for me, touching the most vulnerable chord in my heart?!

I silently looked back at him in the mirror, a wave of heartache and bitterness washing over me—and before my eyes floated the lonely figure of Ru Mei, her sorrowful sobs. This love, after all, would never belong to me! The intense pain gnawing at my soul brought me to a sudden realization—I had fallen in love with someone I could never be with in this lifetime!

"The way you treated Rumei just now was truly astonishing. Did you study medicine before? I've never heard you mention it before," Huaiyuan asked me casually, while gently stroking my left cheek, which was red, swollen, and burning from Rumei's blow—his eyes held unmistakable reluctance and heartache, or perhaps even a hint of guilt?

“Uh, Jona’s father is the director of a famous hospital. We do volunteer work in our spare time, so we learned a bit of first aid. I really don’t know anything about medicine.” I subtly tilted my head away from his large hand—this tangled mess, I really didn’t know how to face it, let alone untangle it! Sigh! I sighed softly: I can only take it one step at a time!

"This is a one-time thing, and it won't happen again." Huaiyuan suddenly tapped the back of my head. "Even if it's a girl, it's not allowed, understand?" — Is this a sign of jealousy? I thought to myself, feeling dizzy, and playfully stuck out my tongue, but I didn't answer him — Next time this happens, I'll still go to save people first, regardless of whether they're male or female!

"Big brother, I found out..." Liu Wufeng suddenly burst in, but upon seeing me sitting there, his voice abruptly stopped, and his expression became strange. "Qingyang, you, how did you get here?!"

"That's about it, I'll do the rest myself." I awkwardly grabbed the cloth and started wiping myself haphazardly, glancing left and right, avoiding Wufeng's gaze—how embarrassing! Actually, this wouldn't be a problem in modern times. But this is the Song Dynasty! Oh well!

"Have you found out who was drinking with Ye Da that day?" Huaiyuan asked Wufeng calmly—as if nothing had happened. He simply used his large frame to block Wufeng's view, seemingly unwilling to let Wufeng see my current appearance?!

"Yes, it's Miss Li Yanluo." Wufeng glanced at me, still looking shocked.

"Isn't there another woman in purple?" Huaiyuan casually reminded him, "Don't tell me you didn't find out."

“Yes, that woman is Miss Rulan.” Wufeng’s face straightened as he began to answer seriously. “However, I’ve checked, and it turns out that Li Yanluo saved Rulan’s life three years ago. It’s possible that Rulan’s being with her this time is just a coincidence.”

"Li Yanluo? Isn't she the number one courtesan of Qinhuai? How did she save Rulan?" I became interested when I heard this and peeked out from behind Huaiyuan to ask.

"Li Yanluo is Yu Yanzi, the foremost of the Four Beauties of the Martial World. Three years ago, she wasn't even a courtesan," Liu Wufeng explained to me casually.

"Then why did she go to a brothel? Did she have some kind of hardship?"—My eyes lit up, and my mind started to wander, imagining all sorts of melodramatic plots often seen in TV dramas and novels—this was illogical. Let alone in ancient times when chastity was valued more than life itself; even in modern times, a woman would never choose such a path of no return unless forced into it. Yes, it must be! "Did her family suffer a sudden and drastic change, incurring huge debts that she couldn't repay...?"

"Smack!" Huaiyuan gave me another sneak attack on the back of the head. He glanced at me with amusement and said, "Thinking nonsense again, huh?!"

"Why did you hit my head again?" I glared at him, covering my head and yelling indignantly—you don't have to hit me just because I said something wrong!

"She didn't actually sell herself; she was just nominally affiliated with Yanshui Pavilion. Brothels have always been hubs for information, so her presence here clearly indicates she had ulterior motives!" Liu Wufeng said with a hint of sarcasm. "However, I'm genuinely curious about who this person is who can make Yu Yanzi so devoted to her, even at the cost of ruining her reputation!"

"That person, could it be you?" Huaiyuan suddenly smiled teasingly at Wufeng. "I've heard that someone is quite admired!"

Wu Feng's handsome face flushed red as he stared at me, blurting out a denial, "Brother, you can't joke like that! I only chatted with her for a few minutes. Do you really believe those idle rumors from the martial arts world?!"

"Then what does Ye Da want with Miss Li?" I quickly tried to help Wu Feng out of the predicament.

"That's unknown." Liu Wufeng pondered for a moment, then looked up at Huaiyuan and said, "However, in recent years, Ye Da has been in close contact with the Wuji Sect. The Wuji Sect is a newly emerging sect in the martial arts world after my brother's disappearance. The sect leader's whereabouts are mysterious, and no one has ever seen his true face. Could Yu Yanzi be a member of the Wuji Sect? Brother, do you think there might be some connection between them?"

I found their tales of the martial world tedious to listen to. Today had been a day of shocks and frights, a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving me utterly exhausted. I yawned and naturally climbed onto Huaiyuan's incredibly comfortable-looking bed, lying down. "Huaiyuan, I'm going to sleep now." —Oops! How did I blurt out that phrase I used to say every day in the cave? I jumped up in surprise, utterly embarrassed—only then did I remember Wufeng was there. I wondered what strange thoughts might be forming in his mind if he read this?

"It's alright, you go to sleep. Wufeng, let's talk in the study." Huai Yuanyuan remained calm and composed, walking out with Wufeng in a very open and generous manner—which made me seem petty.

When I returned to Youhuang Residence, I was dismayed to find that Xiaofeng hadn't come back all night. Huaiyuan had said, "Don't worry about her. If she's figured things out, she'll come back naturally. If she hasn't, even if you find her, she won't come back with you." I was extremely anxious and couldn't possibly remain as calm as Huaiyuan had suggested.

She was all alone here, just like me. I couldn't imagine where she could have gone. But I couldn't just sit at home and wait. I was so afraid she might do something foolish—I had no idea what a heartbroken young woman in ancient times would do. So, like a fool, I could only search the streets again and again.

Ah, could she have returned to the little courtyard where I used to live? Although it's now deserted, it holds many beautiful memories for us. Thinking of this, I hurriedly ran towards it.

Xiao Feng was indeed here. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Xiao Feng, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you for so long. Come back with me."

But who was this man standing next to her? I stopped in my tracks, suspicious, and scrutinized him closely—he was quite young, about twenty-four or twenty-five. He was tall, with a straight nose, thin lips pressed tightly together, and a pair of narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes that were as cold as ice. His long purple robe fluttered in the wind, and he exuded a strong sense of detachment and indifference, as if he cared nothing for anything in the world.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I suddenly shivered, a strong sense of unease washing over me, and I couldn't help but question him loudly.

"I'm leaving. Be careful next time." He didn't even glance at me, and walked away arrogantly, taking with him that powerful sense of oppression.

"Xiaofeng, did he hurt you?" I rushed forward, grasped Xiaofeng's hand, wanting to check if she was alright—but Xiaofeng shook off my hand. She didn't say a word, and indifferently followed me back to Jingyou Manor.

A day later, Xiaofeng finally started talking to me again, but she no longer followed me around like before, showing concern and care. She even deliberately avoided contact with me, often lost in thought. Sometimes when I woke up at night, I could hear her secretly crying. Her eyes were filled with melancholy, sorrow, and pain—alas! I didn't know how to comfort her; I could only pray that I hadn't hurt her too deeply! And had my desire to return to those days of mutual support and comfort become an unattainable dream...?

This book was first published on Xiaoxiang Novel Original Website. Please retain this information when reprinting!

[Volume 3: War and Chaos - Chapter 7: A Lone Wild Goose in the Sky]