CH 29

Xiao Yuan had come here for a ruthless hua. Now that the only ruthless hua was in Gu Louyin’s hands, he didn’t have to go to the flower viewing party anymore. Having free time, he might as well think about how to steal the ruthless hua from under Gu Louyin’s nose. But Gu Louyin exchanged Shuang Leng for ruthless hua, so he would regard it as a treasure. Xiao Yuan really couldn’t think of how to get the ruthless hua without revealing his identity. As he said to Gu Louyin, he didn’t want it anymore, he had given up, Gu Louyin could do whatever he liked. When he completed the deal with Shen Fugui and found the shimei to explain everything to her clearly, he could retire successfully and return to Tong’an County to continue his happy life, and along the way, recruit an intimate person.

In the next two days, Xiao Yuan and Gu Louyin did not go to the flower viewing party. The two joined the team looking for Cai Xunnian. The group of people nearly turned Baihua Palace upside down but still found no trace of her.

Gu Louyin said, “Is it possible that Miss Cai has already left Baihua Palace? The disciples of Baihua Palace were negligent and did not record it in the book.”

Chang Lan’s face was a little tired, “Now it is the only possibility left.”

Xiao Yuan made a cup of tea, handed it to Chang Lan, and said solemnly: “There is another possibility – she has ascended.”

Chang Lan chuckled, took the tea cup and her expression eased slightly, “At this time, the young master is still in the mood to joke.”

Xiao Yuan also smiled, “Miss Chang has worked hard for my shimei for several days. I can’t thank you enough and I have no way to repay you. I only hope for a smile from Miss Chang.”

Gu Louyin frowned slightly, feeling that what Xiao Yuan said was slightly frivolous; he hesitated for a while then said nothing.

“Young master doesn’t have to be like this, this is my responsibility.” Chang Lan said, “I have asked the sisters to go out of the palace to Hongxiu to look for her. If they can’t find her in Hongxiu, they’ll go to some surrounding towns to look for her. Even if we don’t find her, we will definitely be able to get some clues.”

Xiao Yuan nodded, “Thank you for your hard work.”

After nightfall, Xiao Yuan and Gu Louyin returned to their rooms. Before entering his room, Xiao Yuan said, “Today is the third day since Lu Yueyao was poisoned.”

“En.”

“The people at Yunjian Pavilion are fast, and if Lin Wulian is coming, he will be here soon.” Xiao Yuan said leisurely, “I will wait and see.”

Gu Louyin pointed out: “You care about this.”

“I can’t say I care, I’m just here for the excitement. Whether Lu Yueyao lives or dies, we will know tomorrow.” Xiao Yuan opened his door, “Then, see you tomorrow.” 

Gu Louyin stared at him until the door of the room blocked him from his sight.

If Lin Wulian doesn’t arrive, Lu Yueyao will undoubtedly die; if Lin Wulian arrives, Lu Yueyao still may not be able to live. Xiao Yuan vaguely felt that tonight might be Lu Yueyao’s last night.

He didn’t care about Lu Yueyao’s life and death, but he cared a little bit about the truth about Lin Wulian’s injury back then. Lu Yueyao insisted that he was the killer. Did she really see ‘him’ attack Lin Wulian or was there another secret behind it? If Lu Yueyao was really going to die, he needed to pry her mouth open before she died.

As early as on the night of Lu Yueyao’s poisoning, Xiao Yuan had already had a general plan. Lu Yueyao was in Xiyuan Garden and men were not allowed to enter Xiyuan Garden unless there were special circumstances. He went out of Taoyuan first, found a hidden place, changed into the prepared attire of a Baihua Palace disciple, took out a piece of hair, turned into Chang Lan and entered Xiyuan smoothly, then walked to Lu Yueyao’s room.

Two disciples of Baihua Palace guarded Lu Yueyao, and when they saw ‘Chang Lan’ coming, they got up and said, “Chang Shijie.”

Xiao Yuan said, “Young Pavilion Master Gu is worried about the safety of his shimei, so he asked me to take a look. You go and have some rest first, I’ll be here.”

The disciples of Baihua Palace did not doubt him, “Okay, Shijie.”

Xiao Yuan walked to the bed, looked down at Lu Yueyao who was on the verge of death, and sat down by her bedside.

In just three days, Lu Yueyao was completely worn out by withered bones. She was originally a beautiful young girl. At this moment, her cheeks were sunken, there were blue shadows under her eyes and her lips were purple. She looked like a sixty-year-old woman.

Could it be that Lin Wulian’s poisoning two years ago was also like this? It shouldn’t be, because Lin Wulian had his blood on the second day of poisoning, so how could he be as miserable as Lu Yueyao? Han Mu was right. Although Lu Yueyao and Lin Wulian were poisoned with the same poison, their destinies were different.

Lu Yueyao was still in a coma, so he couldn’t ask anything. Xiao Yuan took off the hairpin on his head, pierced his finger and wiped his blood on Lu Yueyao’s neck. At the same time, he injected spiritual power into Lu Yueyao’s body, stimulating her heart in the simplest and the crudest way, forcing Lu Yueyao to wake up. 

Finally, Lu Yueyao’s eyelashes trembled.

Xiao Yuan curved his lips, removed the face-changing technique and used his true face to ask for an explanation of what happened two years ago.

Lu Yueyao slowly opened her eyes; misty blankness gradually faded away and a dazzling, mystifying face came into her view. The attire of a Baihua Palace disciple was a long pink and white dress with a slim waist that matched Xiao Yuan’s face, giving people a sense of beauty that was indistinguishable of gender.

Lu Yueyao’s eyes widened abruptly. Her hazy pupils filled with horror, as if what she saw was not a beauty, but a vicious monster.

“You, you…”

Lu Yueyao breathed out, every word she said consuming what little life she had left, “Xiao, Xiao Yu…”

A pair of skinny trembling hands stretched out from the quilt, struggling to grab something, “You are not dead…”

Xiao Yuan smiled, bent over and whispered in her ear: “I am dead, I have been dead for a long time, and you forced me to death two years ago.”

Lu Yueyao’s lips kept trembling. Her pupils dilated and she tried her best to say something but she could only make vague noises.

Xiao Yuan straightened up, looked at her condescendingly and said sympathetically: “You are going to die soon, so I came to send you off on your trip and also ask you why you framed me in the first place.”

“No…”

“You are dying, is it necessary to tell lies?” Xiao Yuan was ruthless and sent out more spiritual power so that Lu Yueyao could have the strength to speak, “Don’t look at me. I have been dead for two years but I still remember it very clearly. I haven’t touched Lin Wulian. No matter how you framed me, I haven’t touched him. The only reason I have come to haunt you is for a motive, or a name. Why were you doing this or who instructed you?”

Lu Yueyao was panting, her face hideous, and she said with difficulty: “It’s you… it’s you who wanted to kill Lin Shixiong…”

Xiao Yuan felt a little uncertain. Could it be that Lu Yueyao really didn’t lie, she did see him attacking Lin Wulian?

Xiao Yuan asked, “Did you see it with your own eyes?”

“I, I heard Lin Shixiong calling your name before the attack… I also saw your back, who else could it be if it weren’t you!”

Xiao Yuan caught the point he had never heard of before, “Lin Wulian called my name? What does this mean, make it clear.”

However, Lu Yueyao had fainted just after saying those few words. She was poisoned too deeply, and it was the few drops of Xiao Yuan’s blood that helped her regain consciousness for a short time. Xiao Yuan checked her veins. She was already in a state of severe decline; her breath was like a gossamer, he didn’t think she’d make it to tomorrow.

Xiao Yuan withdrew his hand and said indifferently: “For every grievance, someone is responsible; for every debt, there is a debtor. The person who killed you is Xiao Du, remember that.”

Xiao Yuan turned around and suddenly saw a man standing behind him. His heart jumped to his throat.

The candlelight in the room was dim, and the scene in front of him seemed to be covered with a layer of gauze. In that faint light, Gu Louyin stood at the door in his snow-white clothes, looking as cold as a beautiful jade. His eyes reflected Xiao Yuan’s face like the first time he had seen him.

However, unlike the first time he had seen him, Xiao Yuan was taller and thinner and his eyes were no longer clear and innocent, looking like there was fire burning in them. He just stood there, looking at Xiao Yuan, motionless, without saying a word, but Xiao Yuan could tell that he was on the verge of collapse.

Xiao Yuan was wearing women’s clothes and looked at Gu Louyin calmly. There was nothing to panic about, he could explain, he had left himself a way out.

“Gu Louyin, listen to me…”

Gu Louyin started walking towards Xiao Yuan, step by step. His handsome face was distorted by overwhelming emotions. Xiao Yuan was surprised by the tears in his eyes and suddenly lost his voice. The rest of his words were stuck in his throat and he couldn’t say anything.

No way… Gu Louyin was crying? He was not Mu Yingyang, how could he cry?

No, no, there was nothing to cry about.

Gu Louyin stopped only one step away from Xiao Yuan, tears running down his pale cheeks. His voice was hoarse: “It’s you… it’s really you…”

Xiao Yuan raised his hands and placed them on his chest, “Calm down, this is Lu Yueyao’s room.”

Gu Louyin suddenly grasped Xiao Yuan’s hand, his heart aching as if it was being torn apart. Xiao Yuan was alive, he really was alive, but he would rather wear the faces of others for the rest of his life than let him know about his existence.

They talked so much, they traveled together all the way, they lived next door, they were so close… It was obviously only one sentence, as long as Xiao Yuan said one sentence, he could be freed from his endless search, why not tell him, why watch him suffer indifferently.

Gu Louyin’s hands trembled uncontrollably, and even Xiao Yuan’s hands trembled. Xiao Yuan opened his mouth and said, “Gu Louyin?”

This voice was Xiao Yuan’s own voice.

Gu Louyin closed his eyes, grabbed Xiao Yuan’s wrist and rushed out of the room. His strength was so great that Xiao Yuan couldn’t break free. He was pulled by Gu Louyin and marched all the way into the night. They walked so fast that the scenery around them became a blurry shadow.

Gu Louyin couldn’t wait till they returned to their rooms. He stopped among the flowers in the garden and suddenly pressed Xiao Yuan to the wall of the rockery. Behind Xiao Yuan there was an uneven rockery and in front of him was Gu Louyin who was completely out of control. He had no way to escape.

Gu Louyin looked at him for a long, long time, then suddenly stretched out his hand, trying to touch Xiao Yuan’s face.

Xiao Yuan turned his head subconsciously. Gu Louyin touched air. His hand stiffened and fell down. Xiao Yuan thought he had given up, but he didn’t expect the hand to reach to his chest again. Xiao Yuan’s heart inside his chest was beating steadily again and again.

“You are not dead.” Gu Louyin stared into his eyes and said word by word, “You are alive, you are not dead.” ”

Xiao Yuan said, “Young Pavilion Master Gu, did you misunderstand something, I…”

Gu Louyin seemed to be immersed in his own world and couldn’t hear what Xiao Yuan was talking about. His body sagged and he fell on Xiao Yuan, with his forehead pressed against Xiao Yuan’s shoulder.

Xiao Yuan tried to push him away, but he didn’t move. Then, Xiao Yuan felt dampness on his shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me,” Gu Louyin’s voice was broken, low and deep. He had never said so many words at once, “What did you think I will do to you… I just wanted, I just wanted to find you. I will not force you, I will not trap you, and I will not let you hurt again. I won’t stop you wherever you want to go or whatever you want to do. If you don’t want to see me, I won’t show up in front of you – I just want to make sure you are alive…”