Chapter 74: with translation of chapter title

The door creaked open, and I heard Xin Hui's somewhat stammering voice: "Young… Young Master…"

After a moment of silence, Xin Hui pushed the door open and entered, her face still bearing the lingering fright.

My hand, which had been combing my hair, paused, and I let out a soft sigh. We had argued so fiercely, as if we were cutting ties completely, yet he still slept in the outer room, and I…

"Miss, are you feeling better today?" Xin Hui set down the medicine box she carried on her shoulder, gave a faint smile, and said, "Let me change your bandage." The sound of the outer door opening and closing came from outside.

I pressed my lips together, tied up my hair, feeling bitter and tasteless inside, yet forced a smile on my face: "Good."

"Miss, your complexion looks terrible." Xin Hui frowned while unwinding the bandage wrapped around me, asking, "How did you and the Young Master end up like this?"

I stared at my wound, which was beginning to heal slowly, and gave a bitter smile: "I want to know that too!"

Xin Hui took the ointment and gently applied it to my wound, then suddenly blurted out, seemingly out of nowhere: "Miss, your skin is really good, like a newborn baby's."

I froze, lowered my head to look, and indeed… it was true. "Strictly speaking, my body underwent a rebirth a year ago, and my self-healing ability has increased." It's no wonder it resembles a newborn baby's.

After applying the medicine, Xin Hui began to bandage me, her face showing a faint melancholy and tenderness: "Miss, do you know? Over this past year, I've been with you every day. Although you often smile, your smile never reaches your eyes. Whether joy or sorrow, everything feels faint, as if you don't truly belong to this world, so you deliberately keep your distance from everyone."

"Really?" I watched Xin Hui, using one hand, clumsily winding the bandage around me, and a bittersweet yet warm feeling welled up in my heart: "Sorry for making you worry."

"I used to not understand, until these past few days." Xin Hui smiled slightly, loosened her grip, and let me tie a snug knot myself. Her soft, warm voice echoed beside my ear: "Miss, I'm so happy, because you've finally found someone who can truly make you happy, sad, and angry."

"Xin Hui…" I leisurely put on my clothes, shook out my sleeves, and said coolly, "Do you really need to go through all this trouble just to persuade me to make up?"

Xin Hui's face immediately fell, and she said bitterly, "But Miss, I bring medicine to the Young Master every day, and his complexion looks terrifying! Since you two are fighting, why not just ignore his stomach… I… I didn't say anything!"

The weather is truly nice, with birds singing and flowers fragrant everywhere, the scenery pleasant. I took a deep breath, a faint smile appearing on my face—inside and out, my mood really is worlds apart!

This injury has lingered on me for nearly half a month, day after day leaving me unable to move, sit, stand, or walk like a cripple. I reckon, if this continues, even a normal person could be driven mad by the boredom.

Faint arguing drifted from afar; clearly two people were quarreling, yet it sounded like just one voice.

"... Idiot! If you don't put in more effort, how could you ever catch up to me!"

"But… but, you're my… brother… brother, and I… I don't want to kill you."

"Stupid… idiot—" Xiao Chi's slightly stammering voice cut off abruptly, as if a killing instinct had swept over him; he looked toward me and Xin Hui, and relaxed only when he saw it was us.

"Miss—" Xin Luo happily rushed over and flung herself into my arms, though this time she was careful not to touch my wound.

"Hey, little brat!" I ruffled Xin Luo's head and asked amusedly, "What's it like being called big brother?"

"You… you don't get to tell me what to do!" Xiao Chi shouted at me fiercely, though half his face turned red.

I smiled, turned to see Xin Hui's somewhat gloomy expression, and couldn't help but sigh, lowering my voice: "Xin Luo, do you still blame your sister?"

Xin Luo lifted her pretty little face to look at me, then glanced at Xin Hui, her expression full of grievance: "That day, the Young Master forced Xin Luo to kill someone; Xin Luo was terrified… she kept calling for her sister, but sister ignored Luo'er…"

Qi Ran…

I adopted a lighter tone: "What should we do? How can Xin Luo vent her anger? Why not give your sister a beating?"

"Hit?!" Xin Luo exclaimed, turning to look at me.

"Exactly!" I chuckled, "Besides, your sister has lost all her martial arts and is injured; she's definitely no match for you…"

"Sister!!" Xin Luo suddenly released me and rushed to Xin Hui's side, tugging at her hands and feet, examining them nonstop. When she finally realized Xin Hui's right hand was completely unresponsive, she sniffled, then threw her arms around Xin Hui and burst into tears: "Sister! How did you become like this? Sister… Xin Luo doesn't want you to get hurt! Xin Luo isn't angry anymore—please get better, okay? Sob…"

Xin Hui held Xin Luo tightly, voice choking: "Luo'er, sorry! Sorry! Sister didn't mean to make you suffer; I just… I just didn't want you to die!"

Qi Ran, Qi Ran, what exactly are you scheming? Surely it's not just to be filial to that perverted father of yours? I rubbed my aching head, wondering why I suddenly find the current Qi Ran harder to read than Wei Lingfeng.

"How can you stand your ground in Bing Ling if you're this weak?" Xiao Chi's low muttering curse came from beside me.

I couldn't help but laugh—truly a small person with a big spirit. Though Xin Luo resembles me in appearance, their personalities are worlds apart. Though a bit nasty, they're unexpectedly resilient.

"Hey, brat, come over and chat?" I patted his shoulder, and he reacted instinctively, almost raising the "military dagger" in his hand to chop at me.

At such a young age, not letting anyone get close—what kind of life has he lived before? I sighed inwardly.

Xiao Chi followed me to the side, gave me a white-eyed look, and said impatiently, "Stupid woman, spit out what you want to say already."

I frowned, thought for a while, decided not to beat around the bush, and said seriously: "Xiao Chi, from now on you'll be responsible for protecting Xin Luo."

"What?!" Xiao Chi shouted, almost startling the guards patrolling nearby.

I rolled my eyes and sneered, "Why make such a fuss? Aren't you his older brother? Or was he born first, making you the younger brother?"

"Damn it! I'm the older brother!" Xiao Chi yelled at me, nearly deafening my ears.

Xin Hui and Xin Luo nervously glanced our way, only to receive a harsh stare from Xiao Chi in return.

I couldn't help but laugh until I bent over, the ache in my chest faintly throbbing; it took a while to catch my breath, then I said, "After all, isn't it natural for an older brother to protect his younger sibling? Besides, you're so strong it's almost monstrous."

Xiao Chi was slightly moved, raised his eyebrows in shock, and said, "But… but, what are we supposed to do in the future…"

"Future matters, we'll talk about them later." I took a deep breath, not believing Qi Ran would really let them kill each other, gave a small smile, and continued: "But for now, just remember this: if blood truly is thicker than water, then Xin Luo is your only family in this world."

And as for me in this world…

"Hey, stupid woman!" After a long silence, Xiao Chi's somewhat awkward voice sounded.

"Huh?" I blinked, coming back to my senses.

"If it's you…" Xiao Chi paused, looked away, his face even a bit red, "If it's you, I… I can give you Ran-gege."

"Cough…" I staggered, nearly falling flat on my face. Good grief… what on earth is this little brat saying?

I was feeling depressed when Xiao Chi suddenly became alert, lifted his head, and I followed his gaze—there stood Bai Shengyi.

I couldn't help but shiver, turning to leave, yet I heard his low, contradictory, alluring voice: "You seem to have been afraid of me from the very beginning."

My steps halted, I turned back, and frowned at him.

"That's strange. You're not afraid of Bu Sha or Ruo Bin, and you dare provoke Wei Lingfeng and Fu Junmo, so why are you uniquely afraid of me?"

Xiao Chi gripped the "military dagger," took a step forward, and stood at my side.

I closed my eyes, then said coldly, "Does Minister Bai not know that sometimes, when you loathe someone too much, it breeds fear?" Sigh… indeed, only because I have Xiao Chi backing me do I dare act so arrogantly.

Bai Shengyi's lips were bright red, his face somewhat pallid—likely from being struck by Qi Ran's palm that day.

"You don't need to look at me with such hatred. I don't want to see you either, but it's not because I'm afraid of you—" Bai Shengyi smoothed his collar, gave a wicked smile, "... I'm afraid I might lose control and end up killing you."

I couldn't help but tremble; his face was smiling, yet his eyes held a hatred etched deep into the bone, seeping into the blood—deeper and more absolute than the hatred he'd shown Bu Sha that day.

Perhaps he truly loves Qi Ran, but this love is so selfish, so world-destroying, that no one could bear it.

Then, what about Qiran's love? My love? What right do I have to criticize others' feelings?

I let out a sigh and said lightly, "Then, what do you want with me?"

Bai Shengyi's smile grew a touch more interesting, and he said leisurely, "Shuilianyue, Miss Lan surely knows who I am, right?"

I started, instinctively grabbing Xiao Chi's hand, feeling my palm slick with cold sweat that dampened his.

"She has sent me to invite Miss Lan over for a talk."

He brushed past me, about to pass, when he suddenly stopped, sneering in my ear, "Don't blame me for not warning you—if you want to be Empress of Ice Ling without the shameless resolve, you have only a dead end."

"Empress of Ice Ling?" I slowly withdrew my hand, feeling only ridiculous to the point of chest pain.

Sigh! There's even more of a headache! Shuilianyue—no, I should say Lan Yingruo—looks like… it's time to go see her.

I hesitated as I walked to Shuilianyue's room door, about to knock and enter, when I heard my master's voice from inside: "Young Master, Miss Shuilianyue's asthma has already left a root of illness; for now we can only suppress it with medicine, hoping to cure it…"

Qiran's warm, pleasant voice suddenly rang out, unusually clear and cold: "Come in."

I let out a sigh and pushed the door open. After five days of arguing, this was still the first time I'd come face to face with Qiran—I never expected it to happen under these circumstances.

"Master." I smiled at my master, then turned and lowered my head, respectfully saying, "Young Master." My gaze, however, did not fall on his face.

From the corner of my lowered eyes I saw Qiran clench his fists, my heart feeling heavy and stifled. He slowly rose, standing close to me, and in a voice only I could hear, said lightly, "Don't worry about what she says, and don't easily believe her words—she… is not simple."

I started, lifting my head to meet those clear, azure eyes. In them was reflected my slender, frail figure, as if embraced and cherished by a spring of clear water for a lifetime.

Qiran frowned at my slightly pallid, exhausted face, slowly raising his hand…

I pressed my lips, about to speak, when a sudden cough cut me off; a familiar yet weak voice inserted itself between us: "Young Master, may I have a private word with Miss Xiao Ru?"

I startled, stepping back, and Qiran's hand stiffly withdrew.

I kept my head down, hearing my master's sigh, his footsteps, and the sound of the door opening and closing.

"Cough… come over and sit. Xiao Huan, pour water."

"Yes, Miss." An unremarkable maid walked out from the room.

I quickly smiled, gesturing that it wasn't needed, and sat by her bedside. She was coughing badly, her face somewhat unhealthily flushed. She probably just has ordinary pneumonia, right? Logically, Qiran couldn't fail to cure it! Sigh, what on earth is he thinking?

Lan Yingruo struggled to prop up her frail body; I hurried forward to help her adjust the pillow, and all I heard her say was, "I don't know how to address you."

I smiled helplessly: "My surname is Shui."

"Shui…?" Lan Yingruo stared for a moment, then burst into laughter, laughing until tears streamed down and coughs shook her, "What a great surname!"

I let out a sigh, feeling there was no need to beat around the bush, and said lightly, "The Lan family and Ting Kingdom have both been destroyed—do you know this?"

"What?!" Lan Yingruo shot upright, staring at me in shock, "You… say that again."

I gave a bitter smile, my heart filled with myriad feelings, yet I focused and answered: "Six months ago, Wei Lingfeng—that is, the Emperor of Qi—sent troops against Ting Kingdom; three months later, the original Ting Kingdom fell and was renamed Ye City."

"Then… what about my family?"

"Your sister Lan Yingyu married the crown prince of Yao Kingdom, Fu Junmo; the others should still be safe. Except…"

Lan Yingruo urged loudly: "Who except?! Cough… hurry up and tell me!"

I forced a grin: "Lan Junqing—executed by Wei Lingfeng."

"My father?!" Lan Yingruo grabbed my clothes, shrieking, "You're saying my father died?!"

I nodded, ignoring the pain tugging at my chest, and said lightly, "Yes."

Lan Yingruo seemed to have all her strength drained, slowly releasing her grip, collapsing onto the bed as crystal tears fell drop by drop from her eyes.

Sorry! I silently recited a line in my heart—although I think Lan Junqing is utterly unworthy to be her father, and although I feel no guilt over his death, yet for Lan Yingruo, I…

"Why didn't you save him?"

"Huh?" I snapped back to attention, seeing her empty, sorrowful gaze, my heart turning cold: "I don't want to save him, and I can't."

Lan Yingruo's gaze still didn't fall on me, lowered, the corner of her mouth twitching with an extremely bitter smile: "I heard Prime Minister Bai say that Lan Yingruo—no! Miss Shuilianyue this year has been favored above all in Qi's harem, yet she couldn't save an insignificant old man from the King of Qi's hands. Hahaha… cough… cough… cough…"

Lan Yingruo seemed to be coughing up her bloody heart to lay before me, blood slowly seeping from the corner of her mouth.

My heart startled; I hurried to support her, taking a silver needle from my bosom and lightly inserting it into her Jianjing acupoint.

After a moment, her cough finally ceased; she indifferently pushed me away, saying, "Thank you!"

"Your illness… if left untreated, it will turn into lung cancer."

"Miss Shuilianyue, do you know what kind of days I've been living while you took my name to become Empress, basking in endless favor?"

I sighed again, helped her lie down, and gently shook my head.

"At first, that beast Lingyan sold me to a brothel; I couldn't escape, couldn't die, living a life worse than swine or dog. This illness is what I contracted then."

"Later, a man surnamed Mu took me in, saying he'd give me the best, most prosperous life, and that the best man in the world would come to cherish and love me. I thought my bitter days were finally over. But…"

Lan Yingruo suddenly showed a smile uglier than crying, the scar on her face twisting together, making anyone look feel heartbroken.

"He, however, slashed my face, turning me into another person, claiming that only then could I win that man's love. Now I think… that other person must be you, Miss Shuilianyue?"

"I really did meet the best man in the world, but look at me now—this ghastly appearance—who would even glance at me?"

I stood up and said lightly, "I've said everything I needed to; rest well, I'm leaving first."

Suddenly my hand felt an icy, sticky sensation, and my body was pulled back by a force that was not great but resolute.

Lan Yingruo widened her amber-glowing eyes, staring at me unblinking; her pupils held hope, pleading, and many complex emotions I didn't want to probe.

"Miss Shuilianyue, I can give you my status, the position of Empress; even my father's death, I won't hold it against you. But I beg you, beg you to return the Young Master to me, okay?"

"Now, besides him, no one is willing to even glance at me. Only he still looks at my face earnestly, tenderly and carefully caring for me. You… you are the Empress, so beloved by the King of Qi that you have no need to compete with me for the Young Master's love. I beg you, let him go to me, okay?!"

I took a deep breath, helped her lie down, pulled away her hand clutching mine, finally let out a long sigh and spat out two words: "No—good." Then I didn't look back, turned and walked out of the room.

With a creak, the door shut. Lan Yingruo's lips, still streaked with blood and tears, slowly curled as she spoke, her voice as cold and eerie as her smile: "The Lan family… Ting Kingdom… Young Master… what are they, humph—"

"How is it?" She suddenly tilted her head back slightly, smiling at the maid standing bowed beside her: "Would you be willing to cooperate with our Cult Leader? Yin Kingdom—Seventh Princess."

(End of chapter)