“Are you calling me? I am Xia Yu Ye, but not your Night Brother, because we’ve never met before,” he responded with a still gentle voice, his smile enigmatic. Xia Yu Ye… truly him, his words so cold, “I am Xia Yu Ye, but not your Night Brother, because we’ve never met before”…
Chapter Thirty-Three: Departure from the Palace
Leaving her seat, she approached Xia Yu Ye. “I am Xiaotu, Ai Xiaotu. Night Brother, don’t you really remember me?” Her eyes widened in fear, dreading a negative response.
“Miss, I have truly never seen you before,” he said, eating his Plum Blossom Cake, showing a hint of impatience. Yet, there was an inexplicable pang in his heart, a long-lost sense of familiarity.
“You’ve really forgotten, you’ve really forgotten?” Xiaotu questioned loudly in disbelief.
“Please respect yourself, my husband truly does not know you,” said the woman sitting beside him, her tone slightly angry. In her large eyes, disbelief mingled with the hint of tears. Her most beloved Night Brother now claimed not to know her.
“Xiaotu, let’s go,” he said, taking her slightly trembling hand and leading her out of the dim sum house, unable to bear seeing her disappointed.
On the bustling streets, she walked aimlessly, scenes from earlier replaying in her mind like a slideshow. There was a slight pain in her heart. Plum Blossom Cake, he still remembered it because she liked it, and he had learned to make it, growing fond of it himself. But would it change, like how she had changed him, now liking other dim sum? That gentle, doting smile was no longer hers.
Following behind her, Wang Xie’s heart was also in turmoil. How could he make her happy?
“Xiaotu,” he called out affectionately, snapping her out of her thoughts. The sweet scent of candied hawthorn filled the air. “Eat this, and your mood will improve,” he said, not skilled at comforting, like a naive boy, holding out the skewer of candied hawthorn.
Smelling the fragrance, she took a big bite. “Mmm, it’s true, my mood has improved,” she said earnestly, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Surprised, Wang Xie widened his eyes; he had just made it up. He took a bite too. Sweet and sour. Would it really improve his mood? He felt nothing, so he ate another one out of curiosity.
Xiaotu snatched back the candied hawthorn. “Eating too much won’t help,” she said, quickly devouring the rest.
Your mood is what you make it; if your mood is good, his mood naturally won’t be bad. Silly girl, don’t you understand?
Back at the estate, the large gate was tightly shut, leaves scattered all over, as if it hadn’t been cleaned in days. “Huh, I haven’t remembered wrong, this is the place,” Xiaotu said in confusion. After a few days away, why did the garden look so dilapidated?
“Ba Hua, Shui Shui, I’m back!” Xiaotu pushed open the gate and shouted at the top of her lungs. Everyone gathered, their faces somber, with deep dark circles under their eyes, an air of despair about them. Hearing that familiar voice, they all turned to the entrance, where a figure in light yellow, with flowing hair, was smiling at them.
“Girl…”
“Xiaotu…”
“Miss…”
“You’ve finally come back,” said Liu Rumeng with a smile. The excited calls made it seem like it might all be just a dream.
“Sorry, I… I sneaked out, but I won’t do it again, I won’t. I’ve worried you all,” Xiaotu apologized. “I feel very guilty. Because of a moment of willfulness, because of a moment of playfulness, I’ve caused everyone to worry so much. I’m really upset. ‘Why did you come?’ Seeing someone else behind her, the Demon King, Bai Hua’s tone was unfriendly. ‘Wherever she is, I am there too.’ The implication was clear; he wouldn’t leave her alone. ‘You are not welcome here, please leave,’ she said, clenching her fists tightly. ‘Bai Hua, I invited him here. I’ve already forgiven him,’ Xiao Tu said earnestly. The air seemed to solidify at that moment. Until a sharp voice cut through the silence. ‘Miss Ai, are you here?’ A man in official attire, holding a wooden box adorned with dragons and phoenixes, appeared. ‘That’s me,’ she replied. ‘Oh, Miss Ai, what good fortune you have. The Empress sent me to deliver a message, inviting you to stay in the palace for a few days. It seems you and our Empress share quite a deep bond,’ he said with a false smile, handing over the box. Upon opening it, she saw it was filled with plum blossom cakes, exuding a faint floral fragrance. ‘Alright, I’ll go,’ she said, closing the box and addressing everyone. This decision shocked everyone. ‘Young lady, you are not allowed to go,’ said someone with furrowed brows, full of concern. ‘… Can I not go?’ Her long bangs covered her eyes, a bad premonition stirring in her heart. ‘Ling Ying, it’s your decision,’ said another, only smiling faintly, a smile that seemed simple but sent chills down one’s spine. ‘Don’t worry, I will come back safe and sound,’ she said with the same sweet smile that put everyone at ease. She turned around, her dress swirling, the scent of her perfume lingering in the air. ‘Let’s go,’ she said. ‘Alright, lift the sedan chair,’ came the response. The luxurious sedan gradually disappeared from sight, leaving only her faint fragrance in the air… For a long time, people stood at the doorway, watching her depart…
‘Miss, you’ll stay in this palace for now. The Empress will make arrangements,’ said the sharp voice, now sounding disdainful. It was an overgrown courtyard, seemingly uninhabited for a long time, like a back garden of a cold palace. Yet, the pillars carved with dragons and phoenixes told a story. The palace was vast, filled with relics of bygone times, whispering sealed memories. Alone in the empty palace, she felt an eerie presence. Outside, she lay on the grass, soaking up the sun, determined to understand what had happened to Ye Ge, who seemed to have forgotten her, treating her as a stranger. She couldn’t understand why, during her six-month disappearance, the Empress hadn’t sought her out. Wasn’t the existence of the ‘Goddess Ling Ying’ supposed to be critical for the entire Wan Yue? It seemed someone had deliberately erased her identity as ‘Ai Xiao Tu.’ Now, she had entered the palace under a name not recognized, staying in an unknown palace, shrouded in mystery…
At night, the palace seemed even more eerie, with no light or sign of life. Xiao Tu conjured a flame, lighting two large red candles, the dragon and phoenix candles flickering. As she closely inspected the palace, she discovered an astonishing secret: this was clearly a wedding hall. The red lanterns, faded by time, still bore their vibrant color. The red silk covering the hall was now dusty and tattered, but its original hue was still discernible. This was unmistakably a wedding hall…
Her golden eyes widened in disbelief, what secrets lay hidden here?…
Far from the palace, it was a sleepless night. Three men in a small pavilion, drowning their sorrows in wine…
Chapter Thirty-Four: Purple Garden
The cold wind from the Purple Garden blew in, lifting the silk curtains, and the candlelight flickered before going out, plunging the room into darkness. Moonlight filtered in, casting an eerie light on the four massive pillars, where the carved dragons seemed poised to leap from the wood. Suddenly, the places once hung with red silk turned white, and the dragon and phoenix candles transformed into white candles used for funerals. Strangely, she felt no fear; instead, an odd sensation took hold. Standing between the four pillars, fragmented images flashed before her eyes, fleeting. Suddenly, the booklet she carried flew into the air, emitting a blinding light, causing her to faint from dizziness.
