A figure in the forest with a lovely face full of freckles showed displeasure as she squinted at the four people in the distance.
“Miss, I don’t understand.”
She supported a long-haired girl like a servant taking care of an injured master. Her movements were gentle and careful, afraid of injuring the other person. The long-haired girl looked severely inured with bruises all over her body, so she couldn’t help but lean on her to stay standing.
If one were to see her now, it definitely would be difficult to tell that she was the charming princess.
“Miss, say something! Tell me, what’s so great about him?” Xiao Hua angrily questioned when Shen DaiYing didn’t respond.
“Xiao Hua… don’t speak anymore.”
Shen DaiYing had a gloomy look and a sad voice. Just hearing her voice made one want to hold her within their arms and protect her so that no harm comes to her.
Of course, Xiao Hua was no exception, it pained her to see her lady like this.
But the more she wanted to protect her, the more she couldn’t let her fall deeper and deeper!
“Miss, don’t blame me for being nosy! But you see it too, right, just how much of a womanizer he is!” Xiao Hua cursed with agitation, she definitely would have shouted if she wasn’t worried about exposing them.
Shen DaiYing still didn’t reply and just silently sighed.
“Miss, I really don’t understand, how is she better than you? Didn’t she just cry a bit and cut her wrist, what’s the big deal? You even planned to give yourself to him… or can your body not even compare to that stinking maid with that flabby chest?”
Xiao Hua who looked more pure and innocent than anyone else, really didn’t hold back at all when angered.
“Also, what’s with that little girl? Are they really siblings? Peh! What kind of siblings is that? More like his child bride! Just look at them, if you didn’t know better, you would think they were married… really… really!”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became, but Shen DaiYing was still just sighing while feeling sorry for herself.
The master hasn’t even said anything, yet Xiao Hua, the servant was complaining nonstop, like she was the one who liked Lin Xiao. But Xiao Hua knew her place, she shouldn’t speak out of turn, but she still had to!
Even if she was disliked, she can’t just watch her lady get tricked by this scum! Lin Xiao wasn’t worthy of being liked by the lady!
“Miss, think about it! Does Lin Xiao really like you? If he did, he wouldn’t just leave you for that maid! Although he says he likes you, all he has on his mind is his maid, and that little sister!”
Shen DaiYing still wasn’t responding, so Xiao Hua put some strength into the arm she was supporting her with and shook her for a bit.
“Miss! Why? Why are you so foolish, why…”
“Xiao Hua, enough!”
Suddenly, Shen DaiYing sternly interrupted her.
“Miss, since you know, then you should know that he’s clearly lying to you!”
“What? Lying? No! I-I don’t believe it, he’s not lying to me…” It was like Shen DaiYing suffered a critical blow, she lowered her head, afraid of looking at those people in the distance and stared at her own legs in a daze.
Shen DaiYing’s heart tightened for some reason as she recalled the bit and pieces of the time they spent together.
Did Lin Xiao really not lie to her?
No, she actually wasn’t sure.
Elena was by Lin Xiao’s side all this time, even though she never spoke, Lin Xiao never forgot her existence.
Elena wasn’t a white background, but the center of the stage. She had no need for dancing around, or putting on poses to be liked, because she was there, always standing there, in the center of his vision, never leaving or going far away.
Shen DaiYing finally realized how terrifying that woman was, just how small she was in front of her, pathetic and comical.
“But… did Lin Xiao really lie to her?”
No!
That’s one thing Shen DaiYing didn’t believe!
“Xiao Hua, I know that he didn’t lie to me, he has no reason to! I shouldn’t doubt him!”
Even if Shen DaiYing spoke those words in a louder voice, if she didn’t even believe them herself, how could she persuade other people?
“Miss! Stop being foolish! He simply… eh?” Xiao Hua wanted to say more to wake Shen DaiYing up, but she suddenly shut her mouth.
Feeling the chilly liquid dripping onto the back of her hand, Xiao Hua was unable to say anymore.
“Miss, sorry.”
“It’s nothing Xiao Hua, I’m not crying, really, my eyes are just… heh.”
“Miss… can you tell me what exactly you like about him?”
Skipping the question without an answer, this time, she asked a simple question.
“Hm, that’s…”
Shen DaiYing took a couple of deep breaths while quickly blinking and then feigned a smile.
“Xiao Hua, who said I like him? I never said anything like that.”
“Hmm… miss, somehow your lie isn’t persuasive at all… if you don’t, then why are you crying?”
“Hehe, I’m not, I really don’t like him. It’s just… I feel very comfortable with him.” Shen DaiYing deliberately worded it and answered earnestly.
She didn’t like him, she just found comfort in him, seeing her smile as if she was relieved from a burden, her heart ached.
That’s because Xiao Hua knew that she wasn’t lying.
It was obvious that as long as she was with Lin Xiao, Shen DaiYing would feel at ease and relaxed, and when he left, she would feel stressed and anxious, especially when she saw him with another woman, it didn’t feel good.
There was something Xiao Hua wanted to say, but she didn’t know whether she should or not.
Shen DaiYing’s so-called comfort was indeed not liking him, there was no doubt about that.
Because her feelings were far more intense than simply liking someone.
Peace of mind, comfort, free and easy, or rather happiness… those kind of feelings are what some may never achieve in a lifetime, finding that would be finding a place where you belonged.
It was like Xiao Hua, no one asked it of her, but she still risked defying orders and came to Despair Island to look for Shen DaiYing.
She wouldn’t get anything out of it, but she enjoyed it and wouldn’t tire of it.
How she felt about Shen DaiYing, was probably how Shen DaiYing felt about Lin Xiao, they each found comfort in someone else.
“Oh right, I have something I almost forgot to tell you!”
“Oh?”
“Miss, you have to be careful of that maid from now on!” Xiao Hua turned and looked at Elena with a serious expression.
“Hehe, Xiao Hua, I already said that I don’t like Lin Xiao, it’s fine even if they have some unspeakable relationship, I just…”
“No, it’s not about that.” Xiao Hua gently interrupted Shen DaiYing and slowly added, “Actually, Elena’s not human, she’s a high-level demon, a red-eyed black cat!”
“W-what!?”
Shen DaiYing widened her eyed and almost fell down.
Seeing that she didn’t believe it, Xiao Hua told her all about the conversation she heard between Selina and Anderson, and along with Elena’s conversation with them earlier on, everything was certain.
Elena was a red-eyed black cat.
Now everything made sense.
Why she had such an exaggerated body compared to normal humans, her silver hair and red eyes, the disdain she showed towards everyone, why she looked so weak but could get out of danger each time… everything had an answer!
“So Miss, you have to stay away from her, that guy… eh? Miss?”
Xiao Hua originally wanted to tell Shen DaiYing this so she could persuade her to stay far away from Lin Xiao, but she noticed that Shen DaiYing misunderstood and her thoughts went towards a direction she never would’ve expected.
“Xiao Hua, you’re right… if that’s the case, they really don’t have a normal master servant relationship, and Lin Xiao must have had a reason to leave me behind to look for her. So he didn’t lie to me! His confession was genuine!”
Xiao Hua was flustered as she watched Shen DaiYing mutter nonsensically to herself, smiling at times, and frowning at times.
“Miss, what are you muttering about?”
“Wuu… I was thinking about whether there’s an opportunity to get rid of Elena, after all, the woman he likes is me. If I take the initiative, then… eh? Xiao Hua, what did you just ask?” She accidentally spoke what she was thinking, but when she noticed Xiao Hua’s strange gaze, she immediately corrected herself, “No, no, no, I was thinking that I should listen to you and stay away from them!”
“Sigh, Miss, you really…”
Even if Xiao Hua knew, she couldn’t do anything, so she didn’t waste anymore time and prepare to take her away.
“Miss, let’s hurry up and go…”
“Go? Where?”
“Of course go back to the lakeside camp.”
“Wu… no… Xiao Hua, we’re not leaving.” Shen DaiYing hesitated for a bit, thinking of something,
“Eh? Miss, you’re not thinking about going up to them right now, right?”
“No.”
She watched Lin Xiao chat happily with the loli Saintess, and the corners of her lips raised slightly.
“Xiao Hua, take me back to where he left me…”