The Palace Master of Mieling Palace remained silent for a while, then finally let out a cold snort and said nothing more. His hand met hers, and Xiao Yuan felt a lightness throughout her body; her meridians and eight channels felt much more comfortable. He was channeling his internal energy into her! Her initial suspicions were strengthened.
She coughed slightly, deliberately swaying, and he quickly stopped and pulled her into his arms. She vomited, pretending not to notice, and hurriedly grabbed his hand to catch the blood she was vomiting.
"Are you alright?" he asked, sounding somewhat impatient.
She straightened her back, sat up from his lap, and said coldly, "Hang Yisu, where are you? Take me back."
The Palace Master of Mieling Palace was taken aback.
"If I go blind, I'll have Pei Junwu gouge your eyes out too!" She stared unfocused in his direction.
He snorted coldly, clearly displeased. "Don't worry, I won't go blind. Your Senior Brother Pei might try to gouge out my eyes, but it won't be that easy."
She reached out her hand to Hang Yisu, saying, "Take me away."
Hang Yisu held her in his arms, and she gestured for him to wait. "Let's pretend today's events never happened!" she said coldly to the Palace Master of Mieling Palace. "You saved me, and I... I also..." She bit her lip, unable to utter the word, "We're even!"
The Palace Master of Mieling Palace sneered, "Fine."
"You especially mustn't tell Pei Junwu any nonsense! I'm going to marry him. There's no better way to get revenge on Xiao Juyuan than this. If you still care about our one night together, then keep this a secret!"
The Palace Master of Mieling Palace remained stiff and silent.
“Let’s go!” she said to Hang Yisu.
After leaving the sea of flowers, Hang Yisu suddenly stopped. "What are you laughing at?" He was shocked to find her laughing. Had she gone mad?
Xiao Yuan shook his head. "It's nothing."
Whether fate has been kind to her or not, she couldn't say for sure, but she was truly happy right now.
Whether she was Xiao Juyuan or Li Yuan'er, fate had never truly made her lose anything. This time... it's the same.
The moment she took his hand to catch the blood, she clearly saw the blue color in his palm!
She had suspected it for a long time.
Because of his kiss… she knew it so well! He whispered her name in his most passionate moment, that tone… there was no mistake! It was him! Yi Chunjun!
He lied to her! He lied to her again!
Even now, he's still hiding so many secrets from her!
Alright... she'll play with him!
She wants to get back everything he owed her and everything he lied to her, with interest!
Her wound... she smiled.
He wouldn't let her die, nor would he leave her; she knew that!
Chapter 50 of "The Smiling Flower": The Perfect Lie
The Shuangjie Hall was covered with white banners, and a black "奠" (meaning "offering sacrifice") character was hung high above the main gate.
Xiao Yuan stood blankly under the swaying white curtain. Who... died?
Throughout the journey, Hang Yisu didn't say a word to her. She had many questions to ask, but he remained silent. Why did he take her back to Shuangjie Manor instead of Pei Family Village?
When Pei Junwu came out to greet him, he looked anxious. His usually cold and composed face had turned into one of worry and pain.
"Xiao Yuan!" He suddenly hugged her tightly, as if he would never let go again. "Xiao Yuan..." He loosened his grip slightly, the anxiety in his eyes even more pronounced. "Are you alright?"
Xiao Yuan watched as he forgot to hide his true feelings, and in just a few days, everything seemed to have changed again, completely upside down.
He saw the marks on her neck and collarbone, and his whole body trembled; she felt him shaking violently.
“Xiao Yuan, you…” His eyes blazed with fury.
She shook her head and gave a bitter smile.
"Who died?" She looked up indifferently at the words on the door, clearly not wanting to discuss the matter any further.
He took a breath, calmed his chaotic mind, and said coldly, "My father and Uncle Gui."
Xiao Yuan shuddered, stunned. Uncle Pei and Uncle Gui were dead?!
Her breathing became erratic, and she shook his shoulders. "How did you die? What...what exactly happened that day?"
"Let's go inside and talk," Pei Junwu finally regained his usual coldness and said indifferently, glancing at Hang Yisu with a neutral look in his eyes.
Entering the mourning hall, Xiao Yuan silently gazed at the memorial tablets of Pei Fuchong and Gui Datong. Their booming voices seemed to still echo in her ears. Her eyes stung, and she collapsed to the ground. They… had finally died for the Xiao family. She hadn't even had a chance to thank them for their years of loyalty!
"What happened that day...what happened that day?!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.
She felt guilty and truly regretted it! She had looked down on them and resented them so much back then! Now, she didn't even have the chance to admit her mistakes and repay them.
“That day,” Pei Junwu squinted at the wispy incense sticks before the altar, his face growing colder and colder, “your whistle for help echoed from the mountain.”
"I...I didn't." She stiffened.
"Yes, I know." He glanced at her, his expression softening.
“Yi Chunjun rushed back to save you, and Uncle Gui also ran to help Father guard the mountain pass. We could have held on, but then a group of skilled fighters appeared out of nowhere, and Father and Uncle Gui died from exhaustion. I was also tied up and fought by a group of people of unknown origin, and Murong Mingji led his men in and rushed in... Pei Family Village was burned to the ground.”