Chapter 70: As If Ravaged Ruthlessly by Something

Nan Xueyin feigned composure and gave a hum, then countered, "Why ask about this?"

Xiao Youlan said slowly, "I heard that the woman by the Prince's side is named Hua Lianying."

Nan Xueyin paused.

When she first assumed this name, she had already anticipated this possibility, so she remained very calm and replied, "It is common for people in this world to share the same name."

Xiao Youlan was noncommittal about this; looking at his expression, one could not tell if he believed her or remained skeptical.

Yet Nan Xueyin could clearly feel his thumb brushing back and forth with moderate pressure, rubbing against her skin through the fabric of her outer garment, carrying a hint of ambiguity.

"I also heard that in his sleep, the Prince murmured the two words 'Yingying'. Miss Yan heard it and was so angry she returned to the Yan Family."

He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling upon her face, "I am just wondering, the Yingying he called, was it you, or her?"

In truth, Nan Xueyin did not know either.

Including that snowy day.

Hearing that Xiao Mingyu had a persistent high fever, she rushed back to the Duan Prince Mansion, and heard them say that while Xiao Mingyu was unconscious, he was calling out "Yingying".

However, the pronunciation of "Yinyin" is so similar; in the past, Xiao Mingyu always called her "Yinyin" with a smile.

That day, while sitting and decocting medicine, it was not as if Nan Xueyin hadn't wondered: perhaps the Ying Xiao Mingyu called wasn't the Ying of Hua Lianying, but the Yin of her, Nan Xueyin?

When she brought the medicine back, she heard the sounds of Xiao Mingyu and Hua Lianying making love from outside the door.

The wind and snow raged, and Nan Xueyin stood outside the door, her whole body stiff, finally understanding that it was not "Yinyin", but "Yingying".

She did not know when it started, but Xiao Mingyu had long since stopped calling her "Yinyin".

Regarding why Xiao Mingyu had come to loathe her, Nan Xueyin could not think of a reason no matter how she tried.

Later, she vaguely grasped a key point: perhaps it was because she was an Assassin.

No one would fall in love with an Assassin.

Facing Xiao Youlan, Nan Xueyin said in a cool tone, "I am merely an Assassin; he would not be thinking of me. Could it be that the Crown Prince would murmur the name of Shu Yu in his dreams?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Youlan chuckled softly, "That is different."

He leaned toward her again, "I have no feelings for Shu Yu, but I do for you. If you were my Assassin, I would murmur your name in my dreams and out of them."

Nan Xueyin was stunned for a moment, looking at Xiao Youlan's handsome face mere inches away.

"But it is hard to say. After all, being an Assassin is too exhausting and prone to injury. Even if you have a special constitution and can heal yourself after being injured, pain is unavoidable."

Nan Xueyin's heart felt as if it had been scratched by something, a kind of indescribable soreness and swelling, and she frowned involuntarily.

Xiao Youlan was watching her intently; seeing her frown, he raised his hand to touch her brow and eyes, his fingertips pressing against the center of her brows, rubbing gently to smooth out her furrowed brows.

He asked in a low voice, "Has the Prince never said such things to you?"

Nan Xueyin felt as if a hidden sore spot had been poked, and she shoved Xiao Youlan away.

However, the space inside was not exactly spacious, and she did not hold back her strength, so Xiao Youlan was not only pushed away but also pushed over, falling onto the luohan bed.

He was still gripping her wrist tightly, so he pulled her down along with him.

Nan Xueyin fell onto Xiao Youlan, her chin knocking against his chest, feeling a bit of pain; he must have been in quite a bit of pain too, as she heard him grunt.

It was also at this moment that footsteps came from the outer room.

Feihong said politely, "The Crown Prince said he wishes to see you, so you may wait here for now."

Then came the voice of Wu Zhui: "Very well. Thank you."

It sounded as if his body had recovered quite a bit, at least not as weak as last night.

Nan Xueyin's first reaction was to brace herself against the luohan bed to get up and leave, but unexpectedly, she was forcefully pressed back onto him by Xiao Youlan.

"You..."

Before Nan Xueyin could say anything, Xiao Youlan freed a hand and covered her mouth.

"Shh."

His voice was kept very low.

Nan Xueyin was forced into an extremely ambiguous posture, kneeling on top of Xiao Youlan, his left hand covering her mouth and his right hand pressed against her waist.

Outside, Feihong asked, "I heard that there is a woman by the Prince's side whose name is also Hua Lianying."

He emphasized the word "also".

Wu Zhui gave a hum, his tone calm and unruffled, "Sharing the same name, I suppose it's quite common in many places. When we discovered they both shared the same name earlier, we both felt it was quite a coincidence."

Feihong gave an "Oh."

Inside, Xiao Youlan raised an eyebrow: "To answer so similarly without having compared notes, such tacit understanding?"

His tone betrayed neither joy nor anger.

Nan Xueyin wanted to open her mouth to speak, to emphasize that "it is the truth, so there is no need to compare notes," thereby confirming that she was indeed called Hua Lianying.

However, he did not seem to want to hear her words, instead pressing her lips even more firmly.

Nan Xueyin's breath puffed against the back of his hand, warm and soft.

Outside, Feihong asked again: "I heard the Prince murmured 'Yingying' in his sleep, which even angered Miss Yan into returning home; I wonder which Miss Yingying the Prince was calling at the time?"

Wu Zhui said: "It is common knowledge that Miss Hua Lianying is favored at the Duan Prince Mansion, and she is even carrying the Prince's child. If the Prince dreamed of someone, it would naturally be her. If the Prince truly had any affection for the Miss Hua Lianying here, why would he let her become an Assassin?"

Feihong gave another "Oh."

Inside, Nan Xueyin listened to their conversation and couldn't help but think that Xiao Youlan was right; she and Wu Zhui did indeed have great tacit understanding, as expected of friends and partners for many years.

It was also at this moment, because she was still kneeling on Xiao Youlan and had maintained the same posture for too long, Nan Xueyin felt a bit weary.

She tried to push against Xiao Youlan's chest.

He raised an eyebrow, as if asking: What is it.

Nan Xueyin glared at him, signaling that she wanted to get up.

He seemed to ignore this intention, so Nan Xueyin decided to do it herself.

But just as she was about to move, the luohan bed let out a "creak".

It could not be considered particularly loud, but since there was no one speaking inside or outside, it seemed exceptionally abrupt.

Outside, Wu Zhui let out a strange "Eh?", clearly having heard the sound.

Nan Xueyin felt a wave of guilt and hurriedly stopped.

But Wu Zhui had already noticed this side and went to ask Feihong, "Is there someone in there?"

Nan Xueyin's heart hammered like a drum; sitting on Xiao Youlan, she feared making another sound, so she dared not move an inch, lowering her eyes to meet his gaze.

Xiao Youlan's eyes held a smile as he withdrew the hand that had been covering her mouth.

Because she had been pressed for so long, Nan Xueyin's lips were exceptionally rosy, and even the area around her lips was flushed crimson, looking as if they had been ruthlessly ravaged by something.

Xiao Youlan gazed at her lips, his voice low and hoarse as he asked, "Wu Zhui is asking a question; will you not answer?"