"Miss, you should send this child away." The little boy really has a big appetite; he ate a lot of things at once. He especially loved the osmanthus cake.
I thought about it for a moment, and indeed, it wasn't a long-term solution for him to stay by my side. Besides, he'd been with me for several days already; his parents must be getting worried. As if sensing my thoughts, the little guy rushed over and snuggled into my arms. He looked at me with his big, adorable eyes, "Mommy, I'm very good, don't abandon me..."
Her voice was soft and pitiful, and my heart softened instantly.
"Sweetie, let your brother take you home, okay? Your parents will be sad, think about it..."
"No!" The boy who had snuggled into her arms revealed a hint of impatient gloom in his eyes, out of sight.
"I have no parents."
Okay, okay, actually the little guy is quite cute and charming. If I were to just leave him behind, I wouldn't be able to rest easy, and I would feel guilty no matter what. It would be terrible to carry such a burden of guilt.
"Puppet, what exactly do you want?"
The two communicated telepathically, and Su's body had almost fully recovered.
"Baby, you're too nervous." He grinned. His seemingly innocent smile carried a hint of mischief.
Chapter 36 Elimination
A person was lying quietly on the bed, the purple gauze curtains were blown by the wind, and a tinkling sound of bells rang out.
A young man walked in through the door, looking at the bed with a complicated expression.
He recalled how he had trapped her in the maze below the mountain that day and drugged her with a sleeping potion. Such a crude method was something he would normally disdain, but the people around her were far too strange and their skills unfathomable. If it weren't for those deadly traps, she would never have been able to bring him here.
"Young master, everything is ready." A woman with a serene face came out carrying incense.
His eyes flashed, darkening slightly. A barely perceptible smile played on his lips as he stepped into the room.
The woman lay serenely in the tub of medicine, her eyes closed, her head tilted to one side. His purpose was merely to use her body as a vessel to expel the toxins from his sister. Who would have thought that the fetus in her womb would be infected with such a terrifying poison? He placed his slender, pale hand on her tranquil face, a calm smile on his lips. "Don't worry," he said, "I will make good use of you."
At the summit of Feiyun Mountain, in a small pavilion, a man in a black robe stood with his hands behind his back, looking down with disdain at all living beings. Suddenly, a large eagle seemed to fly across the sky.
The sound of the zither abruptly stopped, and the bat-like man in black knelt on one knee. "Reporting to Master, we found nothing."
He glanced at her coldly and said, "Continue." He would find her no matter what, there was no way he wouldn't.
A veil seemed to cover my vision, and I could only vaguely see the flickering candlelight. What's wrong with me? My mind was filled with a myriad of questions, tinged with tension and unease.
"Would you like something to eat, young lady?" Feeling the warmth around her lips, she slowly opened her mouth.
"Excuse me, where is this place? And why am I..." My heart skipped a beat, "I...I think I can't see very clearly."
The woman remained silent until she finished feeding the girl. Finally, she said, "Miss, you should rest well. The young master will take you back tomorrow."
She was filled with unease, wondering who this "young master" she spoke of was. Moreover, she couldn't help but miss Dugu Jing, wondering what had happened to him, whether he was injured.
I tossed and turned in unease and anxiety, but finally fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, someone came early to help me get ready and wash up. It was the first time I'd been treated so meticulously, and I felt a little uncomfortable. With her help, I went out the door.
"Let's go." A clear and pleasant voice said. This must be the young master she had mentioned. She placed her hand in his and followed him into the carriage.
The surrounding noise and the darkness made her feel disoriented. Suddenly, her hand was grasped.
"Don't be too nervous, young lady, we'll be there soon."
She helped him down from the carriage and followed him step by step. In the noisy crowd, she listened slowly, as if searching for something.
"Quiet! Quiet! Please be quiet—"
The various noises in the room gradually dissipated, and eventually no one spoke again.
The man continued, "Let the Fourth Prince say a few words to everyone."
My heart suddenly started pounding. It was him, he was here. I moved forward, slowly walking.
"I never expected him to have such an ordinary woman by his side."
"Yes, I heard their family background isn't very good either. Apparently, it's some unknown Liu family."
"What's going on? How did the Fourth Prince choose? Is he blind? And why is that woman clinging to him like that? Seriously, I can't even look at her..."
Liu Feiyue clung tightly to Dugu Jing's neck, her body entwining around him as if she were leaping. Her eyes were filled with deep infatuation. Dugu Jing smiled and pulled her into his arms, gently coaxing, "Yue'er, be good, put your hands down."
Liu Feiyue pouted and shook her head. "No, no... I want it like this." She beckoned even closer, causing a commotion among the audience. Dugu Jing looked helpless, lifted her up by the waist, and used his lightness skill to fly towards his courtyard.
"Tell me, what's the meaning of going into the room in broad daylight?"
"You're so annoying, do I even need to say it?" a couple who had just started dating said flirtatiously.
I was completely stunned by the news, my head bowed in panic. I stood there dumbfounded, the dispersing crowd occasionally bumping into me. My mind kept telling me not to believe it, but it was already a fact. How could this not break my heart?
"Fool!"
Who is it? I can't see anything anymore, I can only wave my arms wildly.
"It's me. You're so heartbroken, why aren't you stopping me? Fine, I'll take you there since you treated me to pear blossom cake."
"Ah—" I exclaimed in surprise. How could such a small child know martial arts and even carry me flying? It's unbelievable.
When we reached the door, I was put down. "We're here now, go see for yourself."
I stood nervously at the door, wondering whether to push it open or not, when suddenly a scream rang out. My body trembled.
The door opened, and Dugu Jing stepped out with an icy expression. I quickly moved aside, turning my back to him and listening quietly.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go inside to clean up!" he coldly commanded.
I mumbled a reply and hurried inside. Unable to see anything, I bumped into the threshold, "Ah—"
A familiar scent filled my nostrils, and a pair of strong hands caught me. Suddenly, my nose stung, and my face became wet with tears.
"You—" Dugu Jing's eyes flashed with astonishment. He was suddenly shocked by those tearful eyes. They were so familiar, even the scent...
"Young Master!" Mu Yunyan called out.
Dugu Jing's face was cold as he withdrew his hand. "Be careful," he said, and left with Mu Yunyan. Mu Yunyan glanced back at the woman who had stopped, her expression unreadable.
Pointing at a map, Dugu Jing asked, "You mean, the thing is here?"
Mu Yunyan nodded.
His brow furrowed, then slowly relaxed. "Alright, let's implement the plan immediately."
Seeing that Mu Yunyan hadn't left yet, he raised his left eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong?"
Her heart skipped a beat. "Nothing. I just think that the young master and his wife have a very good relationship." She smiled brightly.
Dugu Jing's eyes darkened slightly. The woman with Mu Li in her arms...
He scribbled a few words on the paper, then crumpled it into a ball and tore it up, his frustration evident. "Come in!"
A maidservant handed over a cup of tea, saying, "Your Highness."
Dugu Jing took a sip of his drink, looking at her with annoyance. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "By the way, where's the maid from this morning?"
"What morning maid? Your Highness, didn't you say this morning that you didn't need anyone to serve you?"
When did he say such a thing? Dugu Jing's expression darkened slightly. "Anyway, where did that woman go?"
The maid shook her head; she had never seen it before.
Dugu Jing tore the paper again. "Alright, you can go now."
A gentle, melodious voice, like that of a nightingale, suddenly came from the doorway, "Husband, may I come in?"
Dugu Jing was puzzled as to why he felt repulsed by her.
As soon as Liu Feiyue entered the room, she went straight to him and nestled in his arms. "Husband..."
She gently advised, "Listen to me, Yue'er, I have important matters to attend to and can't stay with you any longer. You should go back to your room first."
Liu Feiyue pouted and left, dissatisfied.
Dugu Jing's eyes narrowed, and his face turned cold.
Within three days, the appearance of several treasure maps plunged the entire martial arts world into chaos and scramble, with everyone daring to search for the place known as the ends of the earth, resulting in countless deaths and injuries every day.
He quietly hid behind the mountain, tending to his wounds alone.
What are you doing here?
The familiar voice startled me, and I immediately stood up, head bowed, saying, "It's nothing."
Suddenly he slowly approached, blocking the way with his body and bracing his arms on the rocks, creating a small space. "Tell me, why did you run away?"
He felt a strong connection to her, though he didn't know why. Could he possibly fall for a woman other than Yue'er? Probably not... His resolve began to waver.
She bit her lower lip tightly and remained silent.
Suddenly, his face twitched, as if a gentle breeze had brushed past. His face was now exposed to the air.
"You—" Dugu Jing's eyes were filled with astonishment and surprise. A long scar stretched across his face from his forehead to his chin, making him look terrifying at first glance. A sense of disappointment actually rose in his heart.
A jolt went through her, and she pushed him away forcefully. She ran away as fast as she could.
Suddenly, his hand loosened, and Mu Li fell to the ground with a thud.
For the same reason, Dugu Jing rejected Liu Feiyue.
Inside the room.
"Brother, he said he was busy again. I'm sure I'll give myself away, brother..." she said, stamping her foot and pouting.
Thinking of her overly intimate actions, Mu Yunyan's eyes flashed with murderous intent. He said sternly, "Watch your behavior. Don't go too far."
"Brother, you're saying he's still thinking about that little bitch even though he's not dead? Why don't we just..."
"No!" Mu Yunyan immediately rejected the idea. "I will help you solve it. Don't interfere with the Fourth Prince's important matters."