Kiyomi Tsuki et son renard

Chapitre 87

Not only was Princess Ningxiang stunned, but even Suoge was stunned. He looked at Xiri, but Xiri looked at Fu Jin and Ningxiang. Ningxiang was both surprised and delighted.

Ningxiang asked, "Is this jade pendant yours?" Her voice trembled slightly, as if she was trying her best to suppress it but couldn't control it.

But seeing Fu Jin's expression, Xi Ri secretly wondered.

Fourth Brother is usually infatuated with beautiful women, but today, for some reason, even with a stunning beauty like Ningxiang standing in front of him, he had a cold face and seemed very unhappy. Not only did he not answer the beauty's questions honestly, but he also pressed her bluntly and fiercely, "How did my jade pendant end up on you?!"

Ningxiang didn't mind at all, and even asked excitedly, "Is the jade pendant really yours?!"

What's wrong with these two people? All they know is to ask these two questions. Xi Ri, who was watching from the sidelines, had completely forgotten that she was in a very dangerous situation.

"I'm asking you, why is this jade pendant on you?" Fu Jin asked impatiently again.

Ningxiang finally answered, "It was Sister Xiri who accidentally dropped it. Brother Wang found it. I saw that the jade pendant was engraved with... engraved with..." Ningxiang suddenly became shy and lowered her head without continuing.

Fu Jin turned to look at Xi Ri, his eyes filled with doubt.

That look in his eyes terrified him!

Fourth Brother Fu Jin trusted her the most. In the past, no matter what she said, Fourth Brother never doubted her in the slightest. No matter what she did or did, Fourth Brother always thought it was right. Even if it was wrong sometimes, it was still right in Fourth Brother's eyes.

This was the first time her fourth brother had looked at her with such eyes.

Back when she deceived Minglu and the others, she had also faced such questioning and distrustful looks. Although she was secretly afraid then, she never panicked, and remained calm and composed in every situation. But today, she didn't know why, the way her fourth brother looked at her filled her with uncontrollable panic and fear! She was afraid her fourth brother would doubt her, afraid he wouldn't believe her, and even more afraid he would hate her. She was terrified.

The jade pendant was lost when she and her fourth brother were shopping together. He later asked her about it, and she lied, saying she hadn't seen it. He believed her and didn't pursue the matter further. Therefore, she assumed it was just an ordinary ornament, unimportant. Unexpectedly, Ningxiang's sudden words made her fourth brother suspicious. It seemed this jade pendant was definitely not an ordinary ornament, and coupled with the current strange situation, everything was in utter chaos…

In the past, this would not have been a problem; Xi Ri could easily deal with someone like Fu Jin.

But now she could not. Under her fourth brother's gaze, for the first time, the eloquent Tian Xiri was speechless. She had no reason or excuse in her mind, only a sharp pain in her heart that made her dizzy. Yet she was still willing to stand tall and bear all of her fourth brother's doubts.

She was wrong, she was always wrong.

Young Master Li secretly sized up the group, just about to speak...

Suddenly, Fu Jin seemed to have made a certainty and said loudly, "You must have mistaken him for someone else. He is not the Tian Xiri you know. He is my brother."

Upon hearing this, Xi Ri suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with a mixture of emotion and regret!

Suoge looked at Fu Jin in surprise, shook his head, and sighed slightly.

Young Master Li looked at Fu Jin in surprise, a strange light flashing in his eyes, as if he had discovered some rare species...

Ningxiang looked at Fu Jin in surprise, then carefully examined Xiri.

At that moment, Xi Ri seemed to have sprouted wings, floating lightly to Fu Jin's side. She gently took his arm and said with a hoarse laugh, "Fourth Brother, let's go, okay?"

Fu Jin nodded and said, "Prince Xi, I apologize for my rudeness. Please take good care of yourself. I will take my leave now."

Suoge roused himself and replied, "I am unwell and cannot see you off any further."

"Farewell."

"please."

Just as Fu Jin and Xi Ri were about to leave, Princess Ningxiang deliberately blocked their way, biting her lower lip and saying, "You still haven't told me, is this jade pendant yours?"

Fu Jin raised an eyebrow and said, "So what if it is?" He ignored her and left with Xi Ri.

Just before leaving, Xi Ri glanced back and caught sight of the Third Young Master Li staring with satisfaction at the stunningly beautiful Princess Ningxiang, who was blushing and at a loss under his unrestrained gaze, using his usual predatory look... He thought to himself: Third Cousin, thank you.

On the way back, the two abandoned the car and walked. Walking beside her fourth brother, she was deeply moved. Her fourth brother trusted her; no matter what, he still trusted her, just as he trusted her eldest, second, and third brothers. The word "brother" echoed in her heart, filling her with pride, moving her, and also intensifying her remorse. She could no longer bear the torment of her conscience. It was time to bravely speak out and face everything!

Just as she was mustering her courage, her fourth brother's sudden words startled her and caused half of her hard-won courage to vanish. Her fourth brother said, "Brother Yu, isn't Princess Ningxiang a beauty?"

Xi Ri replied curiously, "Yes, she's not just a beauty, she's an absolute stunner."

"Huh, why didn't I feel anything just now?"

"Um... this..." She didn't know either, and it was also very strange.

Fu Jin pondered for a moment, then suddenly shouted, "Ah!" He abruptly turned to look at Xi Ri, who was also looking back curiously. Fu Jin quickly turned his face away and muttered something under his breath. Seeing this, Xi Ri listened intently with concern, vaguely hearing her fourth brother say, "Could it be that I really like men?"

ah?!

For the rest of the journey, Xi Ri's mind was filled with her fourth brother's strange expression and those terrifying words. She wished she was hallucinating, that she had misheard, but her mind was filled with images of her fourth brother holding Xiao Mingzi one after another that night...

Upon entering the Prince Ming's residence, Fourth Brother appeared flustered and made an excuse to leave, never daring to look her in the eye. This made Xi Ri even more suspicious and uncertain, and she dared not ask or say anything more, her mind a complete mess—Fourth Brother and Xiao Mingzi, hugging and holding each other, ah!! Stop! —I can't think about it anymore! —

Today's events have greatly impacted Xiri. She can no longer bear the pangs of her conscience and has decided to speak the truth in one go. The person she finds hardest to face is her third brother, Minglu, so she has decided to tell him first.

That night, after learning that her third brother had returned home, she walked around Sunset Garden more than ten times before finally mustering her courage before the twins broke down. With her neck stiff and head held high, she marched towards the "execution ground" with a death-defying air. After sternly rebuking the clueless twins who blindly followed her, she went alone to her third brother's study.

The late autumn night was slightly chilly. The doors and windows of Third Brother's study were tightly shut, and the candlelight flickered inside. Minglu's shadow was reflected on the window paper, indistinct and thin, as if he were bent over writing something. Occasionally, a soft cough would drift from inside…

Outside the room, Xi Ri had been standing there for half an hour... It wasn't that she couldn't go in and explain everything; she had come here tonight with the resolve to die, and she accepted all the consequences. But at this moment, seeing this scene, she still hesitated.

Back then, her third brother had selflessly shielded her, sustaining severe injuries and teetering on the brink of death. Blood, pain, and the brink of death—it was undeniably the most moving, helpless, and agonizing moment of her life. If it weren't for that arrow, her third brother's health wouldn't be in such a state; every cough of his felt like a needle pricking her with pain and suffering.

She hesitated again... She hated her own hesitation, her indecisiveness, and her cowardice. But now, her third brother was worrying about the country and its people, and she could not share his burdens, but she could not add to his troubles. She should wait a few more days.

She turned and walked in another direction.

After a long while, carrying a bowl of hot soup, Xiri came to the study again. When he reached the door, he knocked lightly a few times and heard his third brother inside say, "Who is it?"

Xi Ri said, "Third Brother, it's me."

Footsteps sounded inside the house, and the door opened. When Third Brother saw her outside, he asked in surprise, "It's so late..." Seeing the hot soup in her hand, he stepped aside and said, "Come in quickly."

I entered the study that day.