Chapter 37: Catch Me

Nan Xueyin raised her eyes and saw Dou Fangchun.

Wasn't she under house arrest?

"It's you again!" Dou Fangchun stared at Nan Xueyin and approached her aggressively.

Xiao Youlan stepped forward in time, blocking Nan Xueyin, his voice slightly low, "Miss Zhong."

Dou Fangchun was stunned.

Nan Xueyin was even more stunned.

Was he mistaking someone for... Zhong Yun?

Dou Fangchun's voice was indeed not much different from hers; both had the sweet, delicate tone of a young girl. At that moment, just like Zhong Yun whom she had seen at Baoci Palace that day, Dou Fangchun wore a cross-bun and a similar agate bead necklace around her neck.

She had been a bit plumper before, but having been under house arrest at home recently, she had lost some weight, making her figure somewhat similar to Zhong Yun's.

But regardless, their facial features were completely different.

In an instant, Nan Xueyin recalled more details, such as what Xiao Youlan had said earlier in the private room at Tianxiyuan: "I have never had any sense for a woman's appearance."

At the time, she thought Xiao Youlan meant he didn't care about a woman's looks, but from another perspective, it could also mean that he was poor at distinguishing people.

Nan Xueyin's heart rate accelerated rapidly—she seemed to have discovered something extraordinary.

"Cousin, what did you call me?" Dou Fangchun did not understand the meaning.

Xiao Youlan realized belatedly that he had mistaken the person.

But his expression did not change in the slightest; he frowned and asked, "Aren't you under house arrest?"

Dou Fangchun retreated half a step, feeling guilty, "I..."

"Slipped out?" Xiao Youlan said coldly.

"I... I snuck out," Dou Fangchun lifted her face and looked at him urgently, "But it's because I missed you so much! I haven't been able to eat or sleep well these past few days..."

She saw the clothes the two of them were wearing, and then saw the things they were carrying in their hands.

She remembered how she had acted like a spoiled child many times in the past, wanting her cousin to accompany her to the lantern festival, but her cousin had always said he was busy and told her to play by herself. Yet, why was her cousin accompanying a little palace maid now?

Dou Fangchun was almost driven mad with anger!

"Cousin, what do you like about her? Why do you only like her? Because she's pretty?" Dou Fangchun seemed to be laughing, yet also seemed to be crying.

Suddenly, she lunged at Nan Xueyin, spreading her ten fingers, making a move to scratch Nan Xueyin's face.

Nan Xueyin reacted quickly; on one hand, she couldn't directly throw her off and expose her martial arts skills, and on the other, she couldn't let her ruin the Human Skin Mask, so she could only raise her hands to block.

Today she wasn't wearing the Jade Bracelet bestowed by Empress Dowager Zong, but she was carrying the jewelry the Crown Prince had bought for her. Seeing this made Dou Fangchun furious, and she viciously grabbed Nan Xueyin's wrists, her long, sharp fingernails digging deep into her flesh.

Everything happened too fast. By the time Xiao Youlan pulled Dou Fangchun away, Nan Xueyin's wrists and the backs of her hands were already covered in patches of blood-red marks.

Xiao Youlan caught a glimpse, his gaze turning icy, his voice sharper than ever before: "Dou Fangchun!"

His grip was strong; Dou Fangchun felt as if her arms were about to be snapped, and she gasped in pain, "Cousin, it hurts!"

"Do you think Doukou doesn't hurt?" Xiao Youlan's expression was terrifyingly gloomy.

Dou Fangchun had never seen her cousin, the Crown Prince, so angry, and this was the first time she had been treated so ruthlessly.

Xiao Youlan turned his head and looked at Nan Xueyin, "How is your hand?"

Nan Xueyin:...

It had already healed quite a bit.

Nan Xueyin hid her hands in her sleeves, her face pale, and shook her head, "This servant is fine."

At this moment, the guards in the shadows swarmed over.

Xiao Youlan grabbed Dou Fangchun and threw her onto the ground without mercy.

Dou Fangchun braced herself with her palms, scraping the skin, but she couldn't care about the pain and wanted to say something more. However, the lead guard had already stepped forward and covered her mouth.

The guard's strength was great, and Dou Fangchun could only struggle to make "mm-mm" sounds.

Xiao Youlan said in a cold voice: "Take her back to the Dou family. Tell the Uncle of the State Dou that if he cannot keep an eye on this daughter, I do not mind sending guards to stand watch in the courtyard. But when that time comes, do not blame my men for not knowing how to cherish the fair and protect the delicate!"

"Yes!"

The guards took Dou Fangchun and left quickly, and Xiao Youlan turned back.

He was still frowning, "How is your hand? Let me see."

Nan Xueyin had taken the opportunity while Xiao Youlan was dealing with Dou Fangchun to scratch the half-healed skin on the backs of her hands and wrists to make them bleed a little, so she extended her hands as told.

Xiao Youlan lowered his eyes, staring at her injuries.

For some reason, he felt these wounds were slightly different from what he had glimpsed just a moment ago.

"It only hurts a little bit." Nan Xueyin's voice was low, carrying a sense of grievance.

Xiao Youlan paused; perhaps he had remembered the location of the wounds incorrectly?

"Your Highness, when this servant was young and got hurt, my mother would always gently blow on the wounds for me, saying it would help them heal faster."

Xiao Youlan was half-doubting, but he lowered his head and blew on her wounds, "Like this?"

Nan Xueyin beamed: "It seems it really doesn't hurt anymore."

Xiao Youlan chuckled softly, but his gaze toward her was exceptionally firm, "This is the last time. I promise."

He was referring to her getting hurt.

He would never let her get hurt again in the future.

Finally, Xiao Youlan took the things from her hands, "Let's go, we're going back."

That night, Nan Xueyin had a rare dream.

Ever since she became an Assassin for Xiao Mingyu, she rarely dreamed.

But this time, she dreamed of brilliant fireworks filling the sky.

Only, when the sparks faded, the thick, fog-like darkness surged up, sucking her into it and dragging her deeper into the abyss.

She brandished the blade in her hand, but could cleave nothing open.

She waited until she lost all her strength and slumped to the ground, kneeling.

A beam of clear white light suddenly shone down, and a long, slender hand reached out; Nan Xueyin saw thin calluses on his knuckles.

The voice that fell from above was as clear and resonant as jade, and he said, "Take my hand."

In the moment she hesitated, countless black hands unfurled from behind her, winding around her waist, her arms, and her legs: "Have you forgotten? Everything you have was given by me."

Each word was enunciated clearly, like the low murmur of an evil spirit, "Nan, Xue, Yin!"

Nan Xueyin opened her eyes abruptly.

This was a small room in the Eastern Palace; the sky had not yet brightened, and outside the window came the sparse chirping of a few birds.

She lay on the bed, breathing slightly heavily, her thoughts gradually returning to her.

The discovery from last night was very important; she needed to examine it thoroughly.