When Xiaotu woke up again, her powers had grown stronger than before. This was due to the treasure Baihua had given her to eat, a “Lily Flower” from the “Misty Forest,” which, despite its common name, was an elixir of sorts. After consuming it, Xiaotu now carried a subtle, elegant scent of lilies mixed with the faint aroma of cherry blossoms, which was truly worth savoring. Her demeanor had changed too; she was now both elegant and pure, noble yet playful, especially with the silver poppy at the corner of her eye, adding to her allure. Then, the golden cherry blossom mark on Xiaotu’s forehead glowed intensely, releasing a stream of golden petals that enveloped Huolian, eventually merging into her body to repair her damaged bones and disfigured face. Finally, Xiaotu left a few refined pills with Baihua and left with him, deciding to sever ties with him… his infatuation, and this woman’s hatred…
Huolian felt like she had just experienced a beautiful dream where cherry blossoms swirled around, and under a cherry tree, a girl in snow-white clothes danced gracefully, her hair mixed with golden strands fluttering in the wind, the cherry blossoms moving in rhythm with her dance. “Awake? Our lady asked me to tell you that these pills will help with your internal injuries, and your appearance has been restored; you can leave whenever you want. Also, she said that from now on, we owe each other nothing,” said Timisu, placing a bottle of pills on the peach wood table and leaving without looking back. In her heart, she wondered why the lady would waste effort on such a venomous woman. Your appearance has been restored?! Hearing this, Huolian’s eyes widened in shock as she touched her face, now smooth and silky, without the scars. She felt no pain, not even when lifting her arms. She got up, walked to the mirror she hadn’t touched in ages, and saw a beautiful woman with bright eyes, a phoenix-like gaze, cherry lips, and an oval face, her eyes full of allure. At that moment, tears flowed down her cheeks, a mix of too many emotions…
Xiaotu stood under a cherry tree, singing unconsciously. “The flowers of love bloom and wither. The heart of love cools. Spring and winter are indistinguishable. The vast emotions. The heart of the passionate breaks. The heart of the unfeeling changes. This life, today, cannot be calm. This hatred surges like the sea. Last night’s vows, today blown away by the wind. The unfeeling, the unfeeling. From now on, let me live my life. Thinking is useless, hating is useless. Alas, the fate of a beauty is often thin.”
“Xiaotu, her appearance has been restored, and she’s about to leave, isn’t she?”
“…Thank you, Xiaotu.”
“Not just for her, but more for myself.”
“Actually, that day, it was just a play we acted out.”
“I know, but it’s good for everyone this way.”
“Xiaotu, you’ve really become stronger, more mature.”
“…Yes.”
Chapter 25: Husband
“Xiaotu, I want to eat that one.” Xiaotu held a pastry in one hand, pointing with the other at the desserts on the table, urging Baihua to get it for her.
“Eat slowly, no one’s going to take it from you.” Baihua got up with a smile, patting her back indulgently, “Don’t choke.”
“It’s been so long since I’ve had such delicious pastries,” Xiaotu mumbled, her cheeks puffed out, smiling sweetly.
“Yes, yes, Xiaotu, you didn’t lie; the pastries here are indeed better than those in the palace,” said a petite face from the other side of the table, enjoying the snacks with enthusiasm.
“Yes, look, there’s coconut mille-feuille, honey jujube cake, red bean cake, and steamed dumplings. They’re all delicious,” Xiaotu said, taking a big bite of her pastry.
“Girl, you’re not planning to eat all these pastries, are you?”
“Brat, are you planning to eat all these pastries?” Two men standing by said in unison.
“Of course, it’d be a waste not to eat them,” Xiaotu turned and smiled sweetly at her brother Baihua.
“Naturally, if there’s something good, you should eat your fill,” Lianlian turned and gave Gudu a disdainful look.
Gudu gave a wry smile, thinking about how different the treatment was, and reluctantly bit into a pastry, not particularly fond of the sweetness.
“Girl, I can’t just watch you eat; I’m quite hungry too,” Baihua said with a mischievous grin.
“Baihua, you eat too,” Xiaotu naively offered him a piece of pastry.
“Girl, I’m not interested in that; I’m only interested in you,” saying this, Baihua picked up Xiaotu and left the hall.
“No, I want my pastries!” Xiaotu looked longingly at the table full of treats she hadn’t tried yet.
“You’ve eaten plenty already; let’s exercise to help with digestion,” Baihua said with a mischievous smile.
“You two should stop being so lovey-dovey; it’s making me lose my appetite,” Lianlian feigned disgust.
“Brat, now that they’ve left, what should we do?” Gudu asked, propping his elbow on the table, looking at Qianyu Lian with innocent eyes. “Go do whatever you want.” Lian Lian continued her assault on the array of snacks on her table. “Brother Bai Hua, my snacks, um.” Before she could finish her sentence, a passionate kiss stole Xiao Tu’s thoughts, leaving her mind blank. “My girl, my dear girl, I missed you so much, really missed you, missed you to the point of madness.” His voice was hoarse, filled with restrained desire, but more so with the bitterness of longing. Xiao Tu was stunned; such intense love left her breathless. This man, for her, had abandoned his noble status to share a wife with others, just to secure a place in her heart. He had even risked his life to create the “Misty Forest.” How could she not be moved by such a man? Whenever she needed help, he was always the first to appear. Bai Hua, I think, Xiao Tu has fallen for you, for this silly man who would sacrifice anything for me. She took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Bai Hua was pleasantly surprised; those enchanting eyes were filled with laughter. This kiss was unprecedentedly proactive, and he could feel it. It seemed his girl had finally come to her senses.
A pair of hands, no longer as smooth and fair as before, roamed over Xiao Tu’s chest, undoing one white jade-like button after another, revealing her snow-white bosom. At this moment, those buttons seemed to be in the way. Looking at the man before her, his physique was better than before, not as ethereal, but much more solid, without an ounce of extra fat, and less pale than before. Xiao Tu stared unblinkingly. “My girl, I didn’t expect you to be such a lustful woman,” he teased, seeing her adorable look. The beautiful girl buried her face into his hot chest, her face flushed. As their clothes fell away, her graceful figure was revealed before him, her breathing quickening. He bent down to suckle on a pink nipple, like a baby, his hands wandering between her legs, teasing the deepest desires of her body. Such longing, how many times had he fantasized about her in the “Misty Forest”? “…Ah…mm.” Sweet moans escaped from her cherry lips, her beautiful eyes half-closed, her cheeks flushed with desire, unconsciously responding. Craving more.
