Une aura glaçante

Chapitre 12

Wang Bibo wanted to explain a few more words, but then fell silent. Not far away, Yu Lanzhi stood on the Nine-Bend Bridge with a gloomy face, clutching a pink silk handkerchief so tightly that it was digging into her flesh.

"Lanzhi." Wang Bibo opened his mouth, and Yu Lanzhi turned and ran away.

"Aren't you going to chase after them?" Xiao Dao glanced at him sideways.

"Why chase after her? It's better to end it quickly than drag it out!" Wang Bibo gritted her teeth, but before she could finish speaking, Xiao Dao kicked her. "Aren't you afraid she'll jump into the river and commit suicide?"

Wang Bibo was startled, but still chased after him.

Xiao Dao shook her head. Yu Lanzhi was actually quite similar to Wang Bibo. She would worry about what she couldn't have, and the more she couldn't have it, the more she wanted it, eventually getting stuck in a rut.

He jumped off the railing, intending to go back, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of someone standing under an osmanthus tree not far away. Xiao Dao tried to get a closer look, but the person vanished in a flash. It wasn't anything unusual in broad daylight, but Xiao Dao felt a strange chill and decided to hurry back.

Walking back, Xiao Dao wandered around in circles and got completely lost, unable to tell which way was which. To make matters worse, the more remote the area became, until finally Xiao Dao stopped, intending to ask someone for directions.

Just then, a shrill scream suddenly came from the courtyard in the distance, like a woman's cry, indescribably tragic.

Xiao Dao was startled. Was someone dead or what? He quickly followed the sound, turned a corner, and suddenly a person rushed out in front of him.

"Ah!" Xiao Dao exclaimed in surprise. The person coming from the opposite direction also exclaimed in surprise. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Wang Gui, the steward of Bibo Manor.

"Miss Yan?!" Wang Gui recognized Xiao Dao too, clutching his chest. "You scared me to death! What are you doing here?"

Xiao Dao thought to himself, "You really scared me to death!" "I'm lost. I just heard a scream, it sounded like..."

“Oh, it’s a stray cat,” Wang Gui explained, leading Xiao Dao outside. “I just stepped on a stray cat’s tail and it scared me.”

"A stray cat?" Xiao Dao felt something was off, but Wang Gui had already led her out of the courtyard and, after a few turns, arrived near the guest rooms. "The banquet will start soon, I'll go prepare first," Wang Gui said hurriedly and left.

Xiao Dao was filled with suspicion. This Wang Gui was acting suspiciously, clearly hiding something.

Just as I was wondering, someone patted me on the shoulder.

Xiao Dao was startled again. Turning around and seeing it was Xue Beifan, she became angry and said, "You scared me to death?!"

Xue Beifan raised his hands, looking wronged. "I told you to take the picture, but you were the one who was completely out of your mind. What were you thinking about?"

Xiao Dao clicked his tongue, "Don't you think this Bibo Manor is a bit strange?"

Seeing her suspicious look, Xue Beifan chuckled and asked, "What did you discover?"

“I clearly heard a woman scream just now. I wanted to go and see what was happening, but I ran into Wang Gui, who was trying to cover himself up.”

"Heh." Xue Beifan was unconvinced. "Wang Bibo's manor has at least three hundred people inside and outside. It's not surprising that some of them don't want others to know."

Xiao Dao still felt something was off; that meow definitely wasn't from a cat!

Xue Beifan simply grabbed her wrist and said, "Let's go."

"Where are you going?" Xiao Dao quickly tried to pull his wrist away. "Don't pull me like that."

"You had doubts, didn't you? Seeing is believing!" Xue Beifan pointed to his eyes. "I'll go with you to see."

"Hmm?" Xiao Dao seemed surprised by his words, pinching his chin and circling around Xue Beifan, looking him up and down.

"What's wrong?"

"That's not right," Xiao Dao asked with a smile. "Shouldn't you be continuing to argue with me?"

Xue Beifan laughed frankly, "You are a beauty, after all. It's fun to banter with you, but you don't have to keep going back and forth like this."

"Trying to pull another trick?" Xiao Dao strolled forward with his hands behind his back. "Once bitten by a snake, twice shy. You'd better give up on trying to fool me."

“No one can be heartless. There must be a reason for living without a heart!” Xue Beifan took two steps forward to catch up with Xiaodao, leaned close to her ear and whispered, “A hidden true heart is the most beautiful!”

Xiao Dao held out his hand, "Take it out and let me see, is it red or black?"

"You really want to see?" Xue Beifan's eyes suddenly sharpened. He moved closer to Xiaodao's cheek, his warm breath brushing against her neck and earlobe. Startled, she quickly stepped back, clutching her neck and stamping her foot. "What are you doing! You lecher!"

Xue Beifan grinned mischievously, picking up a strand of hair behind her ear and playing with it. "You're still very young, but I like that."

Xiao Dao turned to leave angrily, but Xue Beifan stopped him, then put on a playful smile, saying, "I was just kidding with you."

Xiao Dao stomped on his foot viciously and ran away with his face flushed red.

Xue Beifan shook his head, his smile fading. He glanced at the half-figure emerging from behind the courtyard gate not far away, gave a slight smirk, and quietly returned.

Jealousy can harm innocent bystanders.

When Xue Beifan returned, he found Xiaodao's room door tightly shut. Peering through the window, he saw Xiaodao and Xiaoyue sitting together, seemingly whispering to each other. Xiaoyue looked at Xiaodao with surprise, while Xiaodao appeared quite displeased, declaring Xue Beifan a complete scoundrel!

Chonghua walked in from outside the courtyard with a plate of washed grapes. He was puzzled to see Xue Beifan peeking through the window.

Xue Beifan turned around, saw him, and pulled him outside.

What are you doing?

"You can't go in now!"

Why?

Seeing that Chonghua was puzzled, Xue Beifan coughed and pretended to be profound, "For no reason."

Chonghua glanced at him sideways, and after a long while, said, "You didn't take advantage of someone again and make them dislike you, did you?"

Xue Beifan looked like he'd been hit the nail on the head. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of annoying person."

"You brought this on yourself!" Chonghua couldn't help but sigh. "I just don't understand. You're such a talented person, both in literature and martial arts, why do you always act so frivolous? Many good women hate your tone, don't you know that yourself?"

Xue Beifan shrugged. "Coincidentally, I don't like to mess with nice women either."

"Oh?" Chonghua keenly sensed something and asked with a smile, "You think Yan Xiaodao is a good woman?"

Xue Beifan shrugged noncommittally and walked towards his own courtyard, muttering to himself, "This Wang Bibo is no saint either; there's a whole bunch of monsters and demons in his yard."

"Hey, don't change the subject." Chonghua took two steps to catch up. "You're not a kid anymore. If you think it's a good opportunity, seize it and make people notice you."

"There are only two ways to get a woman's attention in this world," Xue Beifan said, holding up two fingers. "Either she likes you or she hates you."

Chonghua was a little confused when he heard him say that. He thought of Lou Xiaoyue—that's right, she either likes him or hates him! The result of neither liking nor hating her is to completely ignore her.

Xue Beifan went back to his room on his own, still as carefree and indifferent as ever.

In the blink of an eye, the sun set in the west.

Xiao Dao took a nap in the afternoon, feeling dizzy and lightheaded. He got up and combed his hair.

Chonghua, Xue Beifan, and Hao Jinfeng were all ready and waiting outside the courtyard, chatting and laughing.

Xiao Dao listened intently as Xue Beifan enthusiastically told Chonghua and Hao Jinfeng which restaurants in Pingjiang Prefecture were good for drinking and carousing, and which girls were pretty, not forgetting to flirt with the maid who had led the way. Xiao Dao couldn't help but frown, "That lecherous scoundrel!"

Xiaoyue helped Xiaodao hand over the hairpin, and whispered, "Young Master Xue is really hard to understand."

"Of course, who can understand the mind of a lecherous thief?"

“But I don’t think he’s that lecherous.” Xiaoyue rested her chin on her hand as she helped Xiaodao check if his eyebrows were drawn evenly. “He’s lived in Xinghai Garden for a long time. Although he always likes to joke around with girls, I’ve never seen him bring anyone back to spend the night.”

"Xiaoyue," Xiaodao said earnestly to Xiaoyue after tidying up her hair, "You can know a person's face but not their heart. They might be secretly doing things behind your back!"

"Oh." Xiaoyue nodded seriously, still believing everything Xiaodao said. "I see."

After the two finished dressing and came out of the house, it was almost time to light the lamps. The three men at the courtyard gate turned around at the same time and couldn't help but admire them.

Xiao Dao not only dressed herself up beautifully, but also made Xiao Yue look stunning. The two sisters walked out hand in hand, more beautiful than any of the flowers in the garden.

Xue Beifan seemed to be in a playful mood again, catching up with Xiao Dao, "What are those earrings made of? They look so luxurious."

Xiao Dao narrowed her eyes slightly. Xue Beifan had a good eye. This pair of earrings was a gift from her mother, Yan Ruyu. They were made of Beihai purple jade... and might even have been smuggled from the Beihai Sect.

"A family heirloom," Xiao Dao replied.

Xue Beifan laughed happily, "What a coincidence, my mother also had an identical one, which she left to me as a family heirloom."

Xiao Dao was shocked, thinking to herself, could it really be that her mother stole Xue Beifan's mother's things?

"All the purple jade earrings in the world look pretty much the same," Xiao Dao muttered.

“My mother’s is quite special,” Xue Beifan said slowly. “The purple jade is a rare white jade with purple flowers, just like violets blooming in white clouds. It’s priceless.”

Xiao Dao felt a little guilty—could it really be the Beihai Sect? Or was Xue Beifan trying to extort money?

“That’s a one-of-a-kind treasure.” Xue Beifan leaned closer and drawled, “My mother said it’s a betrothal gift for me to give to my future wife.”

Xiao Dao's expression changed, and he reached out to take off the two earrings, tossed them into his hand, and then pulled the bewildered Xiao Yue away.

Seeing Xue Beifan holding the earrings and still happy, Chonghua frowned and said, "What are you doing? Your mother never left you any earrings."

Xue Beifan tossed the purple jade earring in his hand lightly, caught it again, and curled the corner of his mouth, saying, "I have my reasons." After saying that, he followed happily.

Seeing that Xiaodao was in a huff the whole way, Xiaoyue asked her, "Xiaodao, are you so angry that you don't need to use Young Master Xue to provoke Wang Bibo anymore?"

Xiao Dao suddenly remembered his serious business: he still needed to use Xue Beifan to get rid of Wang Bibo.

"Sigh..." Xiao Dao sighed. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Oh well! It's better to endure it than to be forced into marriage.

"Should we ask Young Master Chonghua or Detective Hao for help?" Xiaoyue suggested.

"That won't do!" Xiao Dao exclaimed in surprise, thinking to himself, "Is Chonghua Xiaoyue's son? It can't be unclear!" Hao Jinfeng was even more outraged; he was his own elder brother.

Xiaoyue looked at Xiaodao suspiciously—so Xue Beifan was indeed a bit special.

The banquet was held in the back garden, with five small long tables arranged in a circle. In the pavilion not far away, a singer was playing the zither and singing softly, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.

Two people share a long table. Xiao Dao had no choice but to sit at the same table as Xue Beifan. Xiao Yue and Chong Hua sat at another table, while Hao Jinfeng sat at his own table. Considering his appetite, this way he could eat his fill!

At the head of the table, Wang Bibo and Yu Lanzhi each had their own table. Wang Bibo was leaning against the Ruyi Table beside her, observing Xiao Dao and Xue Beifan.

Xiao Dao was still angry, but Xue Beifan sat down and pleaded in a low voice, "Alright, don't be angry. I was just teasing you. My mother never left me any purple jade earrings."

Xiao Dao glared angrily.

Xue Beifan raised his hand, picked up the earring with great care, and put it on Xiaodao's neck.

Xiao Dao's neck hairs stood on end, his body stiffened, and he viciously tried to strangle Xue Beifan.

Xue Beifan quickly whispered in her ear, "It's just an act, don't touch me, or I'll poke your ear with my earring!"

Xiao Dao's hand stopped less than an inch from his waist, still sulking.

Xue Beifan chuckled to himself, "Purple jade suits you very well; fair skin makes you look beautiful."

Xiao Dao's ears were bright red. Just now, when Xue Beifan was putting on the earrings, his fingers touched her earlobe. She wondered if it was intentional. You lecherous scoundrel! You're so annoying! If you do it again, I'll kill you.

Xue Beifan finished putting the earrings on Xiao Dao with satisfaction, then turned around and raised an eyebrow at Chong Hua, who was staring in disbelief.