Kiyomi Tsuki et son renard

Chapitre 118

There was a period of chaos in Jucheng.

Tian Xiri didn't actually faint; she was faking it. If you don't want to face this kind of situation, the best way is to pretend to faint.

Tian Xiri didn't know how the football match ended, nor did she want to know. She just hated herself for having too strong a mental fortitude, for not being able to faint when she should have!

Then she finally realized that faking fainting was actually quite difficult. Unfortunately, the person next to her as she fell backward wasn't her third brother, her eldest brother, or her second brother, but her fourth brother. His roar still lingered in her mind; it had exploded right next to her ears, almost causing her to lose control. But that wasn't all. What was even more infuriating was that her reckless fourth brother didn't care about anything else. In full view of everyone, he grabbed her and ran wildly out of Jucheng. The journey was bumpy, but she gritted her teeth and endured the pain. Once outside Jucheng, her fourth brother didn't care whose carriage was parked outside. He angrily announced his name, ripped the driver off the carriage, and leaped onto it with her in his arms. She was initially a little touched, but her fourth brother didn't pay attention. As he jumped onto the carriage road, her head slammed heavily against the carriage door. The feeling at that moment was worse than death! At that moment, she only had one thought: why didn't I check who was next to me when I fainted?!

Fortunately, not long after, the third brother caught up with them on horseback and stopped the fourth brother's carriage. When she was held in the arms of the third brother, her frightened heart finally calmed down. Suddenly, she felt very wronged and could no longer pretend to cry.

All she could hear was her third brother's gentle voice repeatedly saying in her ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here for you."

Hearing this, she cried even louder, almost causing her fourth brother, who was flustered by her cries, to drive the carriage into the ditch.

That day, Long Ming and Ming Lu chased after him at the same time, but Ming Lu suddenly looked at him sharply and said, "Do you want to ruin her reputation?"

Long Ming was suddenly stunned, watching Ming Lu leap onto his horse and gallop away right in front of him, while he could only stand there, his knuckles clenched so tightly they cracked.

He couldn't be kind to her in public, couldn't protect her in public, and couldn't openly love her, because he was neither her sworn brother nor... betrothed by the Emperor. His gaze darkened. He didn't care about these things, but he had to consider her, so she had to endure it. His eyes turned cold, and he turned back.

The day afterward, Tian Xiri refused to see anyone, and even more so, she wouldn't leave her courtyard. She knew all too well the power of rumors in the capital; within half a day, everyone in the capital would know about it, and she wondered how it would spread. In all the world, it seemed there was nowhere left for her to hide, and the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.

But while she could refuse anyone, she couldn't refuse a thief who always appeared and disappeared without a trace.

Light snow was falling from the sky, the air crisp and cold. She shooed everyone away, including Tian Shuang and Tian Yong, and stood alone in the garden, feeling the growing chill. She remained silent, as if only in this way could the restlessness in her heart find some peace. Suddenly, she looked up and saw the young master appear on the rooftop, a radiant smile on his face. He wore a white robe embroidered with red plum blossoms, the pale red trim fluttering in the wind. He toyed with a red plum blossom in his hand, exuding elegance and charm. A complex mix of emotions welled up inside her.

She turned her head away and refused to look at him again.

He leaped off the roof and landed in the courtyard, standing beside her.

She sighed softly, and just then, she handed over the red plum blossom in her hand and said with a smile, "Marry me!"

Xi Ri paused, a look of panic flashing in her eyes.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" he asked. Seeing the answer in her eyes, he smiled. He said with a touch of arrogance and cockiness, "There's something even crazier, come with me."

Before she could answer, he grabbed her with one arm and leaped away, heading north. After an unknown amount of time, when an ice city stood before her, she was almost dumbfounded.

She heard him whisper in her ear, "Do you like what I built for you?"

She nodded blankly. Before her, all the buildings were made of ice: city walls, streets, shops, pedestrians, horses, bridges, pavilions, covered walkways, houses, tables and chairs, and even ice beds. A city entirely made of ice, an ice city he had built for her, an ice city that left her in awe.

Climb over the city wall, walk through the streets, stroke the horses, cross the small bridge, stop at the four-cornered pavilion, pass through the covered walkway, enter the house, sit on the chair, look at the huge bed, and can't help but climb up and roll around again and again.

I laughed involuntarily, jumped for joy involuntarily, and forgot my troubles involuntarily.

At this moment, I cannot describe my feelings in words. I only know that happiness is overflowing, I only know that I am laughing involuntarily, and I only know that I am so happy that I want to shout!

She jumped up and yelled, "Oh my God! Oh my God!"

She didn't know how to describe her feelings at that moment, nor how to express the surprise and emotion in her heart. She was spinning so much that she almost fainted. Until he saw her face magnified in front of him, the red plum blossom was handed to him again, and he tempted her, "Marry me."

At that moment, she almost blurted out "yes" without thinking.

It was very late when he finally took her home.

On the way, he tempted again: "If you are willing, all the money this ice city earns this winter will be yours, as my dowry."

"Make money?" Tian Xiri asked, puzzled.

Long Ming laughed and said, "This ice city can be opened to the public, and the income will definitely be considerable. Haven't you been complaining that I withheld your 40,000 taels? This time the income will definitely exceed that amount. If you are willing, I can give it all to you."

“You know, it’s never been about money,” she said, her expression suddenly turning somber.

Long Ming mocked her, "I forwarded it, I've always known that, but I also know that sometimes you can't resist temptation."

Damn it! He saw right through me.

He chuckled, noticing her annoyance, and said, "Take it. You always take his money but refuse mine. Since you're openly cheating on me, it's only fair to accept my share. Otherwise, I'll feel like you're being particularly biased towards me."

She was taken aback, sensing the sarcasm in his words, and stammered, "Long Ming, what exactly do you like about me?"

He said softly, "Sometimes, I feel very sorry for you, that I can't give you any promises, but I don't want to let you go."

These past few days, she's thought a lot, gradually clearing her mind. If it were Brother Mu back then, she would have accepted Long Ming without hesitation. She would have followed him to the ends of the earth. But now... she's realized one thing, and can no longer deny that Brother Mu already has feelings for her. She doesn't want to hurt Brother Mu, but she also doesn't want to let go of Long Ming. She's greedy, cowardly, conflicted, and at a loss.

Her hesitation was clear in his eyes. He chuckled, turned, and walked away, his figure gradually disappearing into the night. Her voice drifted through the darkness, clear yet tinged with helplessness: "If I could control my heart, I would definitely... leave you, far, far away from you." If this was a game for three, then in this game, he had lost utterly. They both fell in love with her; they were not wrong. She loved them both, but that was destined to be wrong. In a game for three, no matter which two win, all three are ultimately hurt. Because she couldn't resist the urge to fall in love, couldn't wholeheartedly let go, or wholeheartedly choose...

He gave a bitter smile.

If she could control her heart, if she could still manipulate her mind, if, if...

Disturbed and restless, I tossed and turned all night.

The next day, sure enough, people were saying that there was an artificial forest in the north of the city that had created an ice city, which was quite spectacular. The masters of the mansion had all taken their servants to see it, and it was said that there were so many people that some couldn't even squeeze through the gate.

Hearing this, Xi Ri felt even more upset.

Tian Shuang also wanted to go see it, but she sent her and Tian Yong away.

When Tian Shuang returned, her expression was strange. Tian Xiri noticed and casually asked her what was wrong. Tian Shuang replied, "Miss, that ice city was built for you by Young Master Long, wasn't it?"

Tian Xiri was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "How did you know?"

"As expected, it was made by Young Master Long for Miss. Sigh..." Tian Shuang couldn't help but sigh, and continued, "Because this servant saw that the murals carved on the walls of Ice City were all depicting the scene of Miss Suzhou meeting Young Master Long."

What?! Tian Xiri suddenly stood up. Tian Shuang, not yet noticing her young mistress's strangeness, continued, "Many people who saw that mural guessed that it must be a scene of two lovers meeting, and they were all very envious. Moreover, the mural was signed with Young Master Long's name. My brother said that Young Master Long carved it himself. Such a long mural, how much thought and time did Young Master Long spend? This thought is truly touching."

Tian Shuang was still sighing when, unexpectedly, Tian Xiri suddenly rushed out the door.