Chapter 71

Chapter 71

On the left side of the stream, was a forest. Madam Bai walked through the forest hurriedly.

Suddenly, she realized that there’s a dress swaying on a branch in front, with a red base and embroidered with a colorful begonia lightly covered by frost, looking extremely realistic under the sunlight.

A set of beautiful, elegant woman’s clothing, this temptation is too great for Madam Bai. She really did not wish to wear this set of torn clothing that she has to see her husband. Madam Bai was tempted.

She stared at that dress, her footsteps slowed, but she was still a little hesitant, and dared not reach out her hands to take the dress.

Madam Bai told herself, “There must be some trick. I’m in enough trouble, why do I need more.” Once she thought of this, she did not even wish to take another look.

But that begonia is really exquisitely embroidered, the workmanship on the dress is so delicate, the material, the color, is indescribably pleasing.

Madam Bai finally made a decision and thought to herself, “This is just a set of clothes, it can’t possibly grow teeth and bite me.”

This really is just a set of clothes. There’s nothing wrong or strange about it, and anyone who took it down from the tree won’t be in any trouble at all.

Madam Bai helped herself and immediately took off her tattered clothes and wore the new one. The soft silk rubbing on her freshly showered skin, is like the hands of a lover.

But this pair of hands is really dishonest. Madam Bai suddenly felt her body itching. In the beginning, it seems that there’s a little worm crawling around the collar, and slowly making its way down her back.

Later, this little worm seemed to have become ten, hundreds, thousands… crawling on every part of her body.

She’s going so crazy with the itch that she can’t even walk. She kept scratching with her hands but the more she scratches, the more itchy it becomes, and not only her body, but even her heart itches as well.

She felt comfortable and terrible, felt like crying and laughing… later she just collapsed onto the ground and started laughing morosely.

Sudden a tinkling laughter was heard saying, “Are you comfortable wearing this dress?” So it turns out that the problem is with the dress after all.

Someone walked over from afar, only wearing a gown white as the moonlight. Seen under the gentle sunlight, anyone’s soul would have been mesmerized. She turned out to be Su Ying.

Madam Bai’s eyes almost popped out, and she cried hoarsely, “It’s you? This dress is yours?”

Su Ying gave a slight smile, “I made it and was just about to wear it for the first time, do you think it’s nice?”

But Madam Bai can no longer speak, and can only keep on furiously rubbing her body on the tree trunk, and stammered, “What is on the dress?”

Su Ying smiled lazily, “Nothing much, just some herbs, it will fade after a few days.”

It was as if someone was stepping on Madam Bai’s neck, and she let out a scream.

Right now she is going crazy with the itch, and hopes that someone will give her a good whipping, with not a moment to lose. If it will take another few days, she’d rather kill herself.

Madam Bai tore away the clothes like a mad woman and cried hoarsely, “I have no enmity with you, why must you harm me thus?”

Su Ying replied icily, “You should think again, have you offended me before?”

Although Madam Bai took off all the clothes, she still itches. She was crawling on the floor, twisting her body, crying and begging, “Good Miss, good Sister, I know I’m wrong, please let me off.”

Su Ying smiled, “Then let me ask you, did you steal Hua Wu Que away?”

At this time and place, Madam Bai would not dare to deny, and she immediately nodded her head, “It’s me, I deserve death.”

Su Ying’s expression turned solemn and asked, “Where have you hidden him?”

Madam Bai replied, “Just behind the hill, in that little valet, there’s a small house…”

Su Ying was silent for a moment before she said each word slowly, “Have you really hidden him in that place?”

Madam Bai said with a bitter smile, “In front of Miss, when have I ever lied?”

Su Ying’s expression seemed to have changed a little, and she sighed with a shake of her head, “In the remote mountains, there would actually be such a sturdy stone house built there, didn’t you feel anything weird about that?”

Madam Bai is in no mood to further pursue this matter anyway, and can only beg bitterly, “I’ve said everything, you should let me off now!”

Su Ying smiled slightly and asked, “Where did you come from earlier?”

Madam Bai was stunned for a moment before replying, “That little stream there.”

Su Ying replied, “Then you should go back there.”

Tie Xin Lan’s limbs were frozen cold, but her eyes kept darting around, afraid that there’ll be some man who might suddenly rush over.

Luckily it was quiet all around, with not a shadow to be seen.

Tie Xin Lan also wanted to secretly climb out and run away, but where can a naked girl run to? What if she meets a man… she dare not even imagine further.

Suddenly, there was a naked lady running towards her and with a ‘splash’, jumped into the stream, panting.

Tie Xin Lan was surprised and overjoyed, and was actually too shy to look. However, out of the corner of her eyes, she realized that this lady is the same one who tricked her of her clothes earlier. Tie Xin Lan was so shocked that her eyes widened in surprise, unable to speak.

Tie Xin Lan suddenly leapt over and grabbed her hair, yelling, “Where is my clothes? Give it back to me.”

Suddenly someone was heard saying with a smile, “Is this your clothes?” Tie Xin Lan turned her head around and saw Su Ying!

Su Ying stood on the edge of the stream, looking like a lotus which has just bloomed.

Tie Xin Lan only felt that in her whole life, she has never seen such a beautiful woman. Although she is a woman as well, she was also dazed at the sight of her.

Su Ying smiled, “If you do not want to continue bathing, then come up and wear it!”

Although Tie Xin Lan was still shy, but she had to get up. She hastily grabbed her clothes and hid into the bushes in a flash.

Madam Bai smiled condescendingly and said, “I feel like coming up as well.”

Su Ying replied nonchalantly, “Come up if you wish! No one is stopping you.”

Madam Bai climbed onto the rock, but who would have expected that once the top half of her body left the water, and the wind blew over it, she started itching again, so itchy that she almost died.

Su Ying said with a laugh, “As soon as you do not feel the itch, you can come out anytime.”

Madam Bai asked, “How… how long would that take?”

Su Ying smiled, “Maybe half a day, maybe two to three days… since you like bathing, then you might as well have a good bath.”

Madam Bai was stunned, and almost fainted.

By now Tie Xin Lan had wore her clothes and walked out, and with a polite bow, said, “Thank you, Miss.”

Although her clothes were tattered and torn, but a beauty who had just stepped out of the bath, her fair legs like frost, her pale arms fairer than snow, her blushing cheeks as cute as an apple.

Su Ying can’t help but grab her hands and said with a smile, “Such a pretty girl, inspiring kindness on anyone who sees you, men should be kneeling in front of you in rows to beg you, why must you trouble yourself to look for them.”

Tie Xin Lan blushed again, and stammered, “I… I…”

Su Ying smiled, “Who is the person who has such good fortune?”

Tie Xin Lan replied, “He… he…”

Su Ying laughed, “You don’t have to tell me, I won’t know him anyway.”

Tie Xin Lan followed her for a few steps before lightly sighing, “It’s best that you do not get to know him as well.”

Su Ying lost her humor and asked, “Why? Could it be anyone who gets to know him will become unlucky?”

Tie Xin Lan actually nodded her head and said , “Yes!”

Su Ying suddenly turned her head around, stared at her and asked, “What is his name?”

Tie Xin Lan did not notice the change in her expression, and said with a soft sigh, “His surname is Jiang, others call him Xiao Yu’er.”

The three words Xiao Yu’er, made Su Ying’s heart start beating immediately like a drum. She realized that this young lady walking next to her, turned out to be her rival in love.

Looking at Tie Xin Lan’s face, which is pretty as a flower, she felt a pang of jealousy and thought, “Xiao Yu’er, Xiao Yu’er, you really have good taste.”

Tie Xin Lan suddenly laughed and said, “Sometimes he can make you expire from anger.”

Su Ying blinked, and smiled, “You hate him a lot?”

Tie Xin Lan lowered her head, “Sometimes I really do hate him, but sometimes…”

Su Ying smiled and continued, “But sometimes you like him, like him so much that you can die?”

Tie Xin Lan bit her lips, and only smiled foolishly.

Su Ying stared in a lost for a moment before suddenly raising her voice, “But he may not necessarily like you, right?”

Tie Xin Lan was dazed for a moment, her eyes slowly become more gentle, the corners of her lips revealing a trace of a sweet smile, lowered her head and said softly, “Although he treats me unkindly sometimes, but sometimes… sometimes he treats me quite nicely as well.”

Su Ying felt as if there were needles pricking her heart, and wished that she could dig out Tie Xin Lan’s heart and prick it as well, so that she will never dare to think of Xiao Yu’er again.

Tie Xin Lan was totally oblivious to her expression, her eyes staring at a cloud in a daze. This cloud seems to have taken on the image of a grinning Xiao Yu’er.

Su Ying turned her head away, not looking at her and deliberately said loudly, “Even if he treats you very nicely sometimes, but it cannot prove that he likes you for a certainty. Maybe he treats every girl the same, maybe, he treats others better than you.”

Tie Xin Lan replied softly, “As long as he is nice to me, I won’t mind how he treats others.”

Su Ying asked, “Won’t you get jealous?”

Tie Xin Lan smiled and said, “There are many men, who cannot be owned by only one woman by nature. Xiao Yu’er is this kind of person. Since I understand him so well, I should not be jealous.”

Su Ying had wanted to hurt Tie Xin Lan, but who would have expected that Tie Xin Lan was not upset at all, while she herself almost expired from fury. After a moment, she can’t help but comment, “Maybe this is because he is the only man you know, that’s why you are so faithful towards him. If you get to know a few more men, you will realize that there are a lot more who are better than him.”

Tie Xin Lan’s expression suddenly changed, her head going even lower.

Only now did Su Ying noticed the change in the expression, and her eyes gleamed. She added, “Besides him, is there another one in your heart?”

Tie Xin Lan blushed, and did not speak.

Su Ying smiled, “My guess must be correct, no wonder you’re not jealous over him.” Tie Xin Lan blushed redder.

With a twinkling laugh however, Su Ying added, “If a woman has two men in her heart, it may be problematic, but it’s very interesting as well…”

Tie Xin Lan lowered her head, adjusting her clothes, and after a moment, suddenly said, “I had planned to leave my life in Xiao Yu’er’s hands, it doesn’t matter if he treats me nicely or badly, I will never change, but who would have expected…”

Su Ying rolled her eyes and smiled, “But the other man treated you extremely well, that you are unable to reject, right?”

Tie Xin Lan’s tears fell, and stuttered, “But he treated me well, not because he wants to possess me…”

Su Ying continued, “But the more he does that, the more you feel guilt towards him, right?”

Tie Xin Lan agreed.

Su Ying said, “I know, he must be the same as Xiao Yu’er, smart, humorous, cute, but sometimes a little irritating… but only a little irritating.”

Tue Xin Lan replied, “You’re wrong.”

“Oh?”

Tie Xin Lan continued, “He is the extreme opposite of Xiao Yu’er, so much so that there is not a single point where they are similar. He is always polite to girls, and can’t even tell a joke.”

Su Ying replied, “A man that is like a dog, I don’t like this kind at all.”

Tie Xin Lan stammered, “But… but…”

Su Ying smiled, “But someone likes it very much, right?”

Tie Xin Lan blushed again, “I… it’s not that I like… like him, it’s just that not only has he saved my life, but he treated me very… very…”

Her voice became even softer than a mosquito buzzing, and she was stuttering, stammering, as if she’s holding an egg in her mouth.

Su Ying helped to finish her words with a coquettish smile, “Not only has he saved your life, but he took care of you extremely well. Even if you do not like him, but you must be grateful to him, right?”

Tie Xin Lan chewed on her lips, stunned for a moment, before suddenly saying, “Even if I like him, he will not like me.”

Su Ying smiled, “If he doesn’t like you, why is he treating you so well? Could there be something wrong with his brains then?”

Tie Xin Lan lowered her head, “Maybe he took care of me because of Xiao Yu’er.”

This time Su Ying was really surprised, and she asked hoarsely, “He treated you well because of Xiao Yu’er, this I really do not understand.”

Tie Xin lan explained slowly, “He said he hopes that Xiao Yu’er and I can… can be together.”

Su Ying asked, “Could he be Xiao Yu’er’s friend.”

Tie Xin Lan thought for a while before replying, “Sometimes they can really be considered good friends. If they know the other is in danger, they will rush there to save him regardless of their own life, but sometimes they will want to fight to the death.”

Su Ying suddenly understood who is the person she is referring to, and was stunned for a moment before mumbling, “This is indeed marvelous, absolutely marvelous.”

Su Ying’s eyes shimmered, and suddenly held her hands and said gently, “Once I saw you, I felt an affinity. If you do not dislike me, I wonder if you will accept me as a younger sister?”

Such a gentle request, coming from such a pretty girl’s mouth, who can resist it.

And so Tie Xin Lan became Su Ying’s elder sister.

The sun was shining brightly, the forest so dense and green, the chirping of the surrounding birds accompanying the sound of the flowing stream, and in the gentle breeze there seems to be the intoxicating fragrance of flowers.

Tie Xin Lan never imagined that she can be so happy. After all these time, she almost thought that she can never be happy again.

Su Ying held her hands and said with a smile, “Since you are now my sister, I cannot let you look for Xiao Yu’er.”

Tie Xin Lan asked, “Why?”

Su Ying explained, “Men are all cheap. The more anxious you are to look for him, the more conceited he will be. If you ignore him, he may come crawling to you instead.”

Tie Xin Lan smiled and asked, “Then… what would you want me to do?”

Su Ying replied, “You don’t have to do anything, just sit quietly and wait, and I will have a way to make him look for you.”

Tie Xin Lan lowered her head, “But you don’t even know what he looks like…”

Su Ying interrupted, “Now that you mention it, I remember now, is he a lad with very big eyes, and although his face is full of scars, but he did not look unpleasing at all. He keeps grinning and when he walks, he swaggers, as if he thinks he is very superior, very great.”

Tie Xin Lan asked in surprise, “How do you know, he even said he’s the smartest person in the world.”

Once she thought of Xiao Yu’er, Su Ying also felt a sweetness in her heart, and said with a coquettish smile, “If he said he has the thickest skin in the world, that would not be false at all.”

Tie Xin Lan asked, “When did you see him?”

Su Ying replied, “Not too long ago, only about two days ago.”

Tie Xin Lan sighed and said, “But this person cannot stay still for even a minute. You saw him two days ago, who knows where he could have gone to by now?”

Su Ying smiled, “Don’t you worry, as long as he’s in these mountains, I will have a way to find him.”

Without waiting for Tie Xin Lan to speak, she continued, “For safety’s sake, I will bring you to a place now. The master there can be considered my godfather. He may look very fierce, but he is kind hearted, especially towards me, he treats me extremely well.”

Tie Xin Lan laughed, “Even a god-sister like me would want to tear out my heart as a gift to you, much less your godfather.”

Su Ying pouted, “You want to give me your heart, haven’t you given it to Xiao Yu’er?”

She saw that Tie Xin Lan blushed, and laughed, “My godfather is surnamed Wei, if he knows you’re my sister, he will certainly take good care of you, but you must not forget, his looks is very frightening.”

Tie Xin Lan replied, “If I find him frightening, then I’ll just look less at him.”

Su Ying clapped her hands and exclaimed, “That’s right, this is really the best idea.”

She held Tie Xin Lan’s hands and walked out of the woods. The mountains were secluded, there seemed to be a sense of peace between heaven and earth, making one feel that being alive is a wonderful thing.

After walking for a while, Su Ying suddenly stopped and exclaimed, “Aiya! I almost forgot I have another appointment.”

Su Ying rolled her eyes and added, “Just walk up the hill from here, after a while you will find a large forest, that is where my godfather lives.”

Tie Xin Lan asked, “You… you want me to go alone?”

Su Ying replied, “It doesn’t matter if you go alone, you just have to walk into the forest and someone will receive you naturally.”

Tie Xin Lan said, “But they do not know me.”

Su Ying thought for a moment, and took down a pearl hairpiece from her head, saying “You just have to show them this pearl hairpiece, and say I told you to come, they will certainly be respectful towards you and arrange everything for you.”

Although Tie Xin Lan was unwilling, she still went.

She is now like a duckweed without hate, floating wherever the stream takes her. She does not even know herself what she should do, and can’t make any decisions.

Su Ying watched as she walked further away, and had just let out a soft sigh when someone suddenly commented, “What a pitiful, silly lass, cheated and not knowing about it.”

Someone else said, “Haha, this Miss Su did not sell her to you, so you came here pretending to be compassionate?”

The third person giggled, “I originally thought that that Tie lass was not bad, but when compared to this Miss Su, she literally looks like a stupid fool.”

The fourth person laughed loudly, “Our Xiao Yu’er must never have a stupid fool as a wife.”

Amidst the laughter, four people suddenly appeared among the rocks and trees. The looks of these four people, is so strange that one wonders how they came to be together.

The first person had disheveled hair and a dirty face, and wearing oily and torn clothing, looking just like a poor beggar, but in his hands he held an expensive jade snuff bottle.

The second person had a round face, a round tummy, and although is not young, he looks like a little kid, and kept laughing loudly, like the Laughing Buddha.

The third person’s hair was full of pearl and jade hairpieces, the powder on the face half an inch thick, as if wearing a mask, making it difficult for one to tell if she’s originally pretty or ugly, old or young. Her make-up was obviously that of a woman, but she was wearing men’s clothing. However, on her feet she was wearing red satin embroidered shoes with pearls.

The fourth person is a man with a huge build, his eyes moving around, with a complacent look. However, his mouth is frightening large, as if it’s large enough to stuff his own fist in.