Chapter 242 The mysterious old lady?
Wang Xiaoying had never encountered someone as shameless as him in her entire life.
"Come on, it's just a word. What's the big deal," Zhang Wei whispered teasingly, his lips brushing against her cheeks and ears, causing her to shiver.
*Gasp!*
Mo Chen seethed with rage, but it seemed like no one paid him any attention.
Wang Xiaoying, however, was steadfast in her response, adamantly shaking her head, her voice barely above a whisper, sounding as timid as a mosquito.
Zhang Wei seemed to derive enjoyment from the situation, pressing further, "Shall I proceed with the marriage rites right here for you to utter it?" His eyes held a playful yet challenging glint.
"You...!?" Wang Xiaoying was rendered momentarily speechless, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Undeterred, Zhang Wei placed his thumb between her lips, his expression ambiguous. "The choice is yours, little Ying."
Wang Xiaoying drew a deep breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Today, she truly felt the suffocating grip of being under a villain's control.
The people around seemed brutish, relishing in their ability to torment others.
She likened Zhang Wei's actions to those of a villain, kidnapping the heroine and forcing her into a corner.
In her desperate search for an escape, she looked around for another way out.
However, her eyes inevitably met Zhang Wei's gaze, and her face turned a shade of crimson as she realized he wasn't offering an alternative.
"H...H-husband," Wang Xiaoying stammered weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Zhang Wei's face broke into a satisfied smile, living in the pleasure of hearing her say those words.
He found a strange delight in having her speak his name in such a manner.
It's worth noting that if Xiong Mei's face value was above the heavens, then Wang Xiaoying possessed assets that defied gravity beneath her clothes.
Hidden behind the facade of her attire were assets that could be considered real weapons.
Having already experienced their effect firsthand, Zhang Wei had no intention of letting her go.
"Once more," he demanded suddenly.
Wang Xiaoying hesitated, her face growing warmer. "... Husband," she whispered again.
Zhang Wei persisted, "Again."
Wang Xiaoying, "..."
In the end, Wang Xiaoying was left blushing furiously, feeling like a ripe tomato, and questioning whether Zhang Wei was entirely sane.
Unbeknownst to her, this brief interaction had already set off a chain of events in her mind, achieving something in mere moments that Mo Chen couldn't accomplish in days.
"Good girl, your husband will take good care of you," Zhang Wei chimed, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
He then attempted to bring her head close to his chest, but Wang Xiaoying, flustered, instinctively evaded the contact.
Amused, Zhang Wei chuckled, realizing the delicate balance of these women's mentalities.
Xiong Mei sighed, amused. "Could you please stop teasing her?" she spoke, shaking her head in wry amusement.
Zhang Wei's face suddenly changed, mischief gleaming in his eyes. "Oh, of course," he agreed, redirecting his attention to Xiong Mei. "Now it's your turn."
!!
Xiong Mei's expression changed, a mixture of surprise and regret sweeping over her.
How did she end up unwittingly harming herself through her own kindness..?
_____
"Senior Shen," He Ming, the junior monk, breathed out with a furrowed brow, the weight of disappointment settling in as the elusive trail of dark energy they had been fervently pursuing slipped through their grasp.
The shadows of uncertainty danced around them as they stood near the tranquil Little Lotus Orphanage in the southern district.
A pang of frustration tinged Lian Shen's features, yet he gathered his resolve and clasped his hands together, the sun's golden rays casting a determined glint in his eyes.
A shared, resigned sigh escaped their lips, mingling with the crisp air. "We are late."
Their gazes locked, a fleeting moment of mutual understanding passing between them.
The evil spirit had vanished, slipping through their fingers like elusive smoke. nove-Lb)In
Time had betrayed them.
In the face of their failure to uphold their sacred duty, a bitter truth settled within them, heavy and unforgiving.
Their duty beckoned, urging them forward, for there were weightier matters demanding their attention.
The evil spirit, though an urgent concern, would have to wait.
They pivoted, their steps firm and resolute, ready to embrace the challenges that awaited.
"Should we return and inspect the seal?" He Ming proposed, a glimmer of hope in his voice, a spark amidst the fading embers of disappointment.
Despite their weathered appearances, both monks bore the weight of countless decades, their lives dedicated to the solemn duty of safeguarding a seal that contained one of the most henious demons to have ever plagued mankind.
Whispers of the demon's malevolence still haunted the collective memory, dissuading cultivators from venturing near the city, fearing the lingering shadow that threatened to consume all who dared to draw near.
Just as they contemplated their return, a sudden movement drew their attention, halting them in their tracks.
They squinted in unison as an elderly woman, her hair as white as newly fallen snow and her face etched with the intricate lines of time, approached them with measured steps, her weight supported by a old cane.
Perplexity etched across both their faces as the old woman chuckled, her voice a raspy echo of the ages. "My, my, you two look quite lost, don't you?"
"Senior?" He Ming ventured, his gaze shifting between Lian Shen and the mysterious old woman.
Lian Shen's eyes narrowed, the lost trail of dark energy suddenly rekindling with an eerie glow. "The trail!?" he gasped, disbelief painting his features as he glanced at the old woman.
With a wry smile, she spoke cryptic words, "In the shadows of the past, the answers lie," before resuming her journey, slowly shuffling past them.
"T-this is impossible!" He Ming exclaimed, catching up to Lian Shen, both equally stunned by the inexplicable encounter.
Lian Shen shook his head, his expression a mix of awe and determination. "That senior aided us. We must countinue and seal that evil spirit as soon as possible!" The newfound resolve in his eyes mirrored He Ming's realization that the old woman was likely someone sacred in disguise, offering them a glimpse of hope on their journey.
As the two monks continued on their quest, their determined silhouettes fading into the distance, the old lady who had seemingly vanished reappeared.
In a mesmerizing transformation, her appearance gradually shed the weight of age, her wrinkles smoothed away, and her snowy hair darkened into the lustrous hue of youth.
The cane she leaned on dissolved into the ether, and she stood there, radiant and timeless.
The elderly facade was but a mask, and she was none other than Feng Ruoyan. A faint smile played upon her lips as she chuckled softly to herself, her eyes glinting with an inscrutable depth.
Yet, little did Feng Ruoyan realize, she was setting in motion a series of events that would entangle her in the intricate web of fate, a spiral of web whose threads would come back to haunt her in the unforgiving future.
The game of shadows continued, and the chessboard of destiny remained in play.