Chapter 244

……

The next day, noon.

The Palace Lord and the Holy Maiden, the two highest-ranking members of the Immortal Water Palace, were staring at each other.

The difference was, one had an ashen face, while the other was all smiles.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Despite having once shared the same "trench," the relationship between the two had not eased in the slightest; on the contrary, it was intensifying.

"You wretched girl, how truly vicious! Such a deep scheme—I underestimated you!" Fairy Green Mother gnashed her teeth, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Flower Fairy met her gaze without backing down: "What are you saying... I found you a perfect husband, and not only are you not grateful, you still hold such a grudge against me?"

"Weren't you happy last night? Wasn't the one screaming so loudly last night you?"

"Look, in just one night, you've gotten even prettier."

Fairy Green Mother: "..."

Those were the very words she had used to tease Flower Fairy yesterday, and now they had been turned around by Flower Fairy to mock her in return.

Fury blazed in Fairy Green Mother's chest, and she said coldly, "Hou Jian isn't here, and you still dare be so insolent with me?"

Flower Fairy remained unafraid: "What? You want to control me again? If you dare, I'll go tell him and see how he punishes you."

Punish...

Flashes of last night's memories flickered through her mind, and Fairy Green Mother suddenly shuddered.

Originally, one Jiang Sishui alone had been more than she could handle, and then Flower Fairy had stirred up trouble in the middle, giving her no peace.

Faint, wake, wake, faint... back and forth like that, Fairy Green Mother had several times thought she was about to die.

That feeling left the utterly inexperienced her with lingering dread.

Seeing Fairy Green Mother cowed, Flower Fairy said with a smile, "The Palace Lord met a bad sort in her youth, but now she's found a fine match. Surely the Palace Lord won't forget my part in it?"

Please give me flowers

Met a bad sort...

Flower Fairy had to poke exactly where it hurt most, and Fairy Green Mother's face changed.

She stared fixedly at Flower Fairy, every word seeming to be squeezed out from between her teeth: "No! Of course I won't forget!"

Seeing that Fairy Green Mother was already so angry her face had turned blue, Flower Fairy didn't dare push her too far all at once—after all, she really wasn't Fairy Green Mother's match.

If Fairy Green Mother decided to throw caution to the wind and fight to the bitter end, she herself would be in for a rough time.

"The Palace Lord hasn't slept all night. I won't disturb the Palace Lord's rest any longer."

Saying so, Flower Fairy rose gracefully and was about to leave.

She had only taken one step when her brow furrowed instinctively, then immediately smoothed out again.

.... 0...

Although she had given Fairy Green Mother an unforgettable lesson last night, it hadn't come without a price.

To kill a thousand of the enemy, one loses eight hundred of one's own.

Flower Fairy might look as if nothing had happened, but in truth she was exhausted and sleepy as well.

Not wanting Fairy Green Mother to laugh at her, Flower Fairy forced herself to bear it and walked out as if nothing were the matter.

Then she went straight to her own room and collapsed onto the bed to sleep.

……

At first Jiang Sishui had no idea what was going on between Fairy Green Mother and Hou Jian, and at the time had no leisure to think it through.

But later, when he saw Flower Fairy come in, he instantly saw the whole picture.

This little wife's desire for revenge was truly intense.

And as the ultimate beneficiary, Jiang Sishui was naturally delighted to see it.

With another new member at Mantuo Shanzhuang, Jiang Sishui had no plans to go out today; he intended to wait until Fairy Green Mother had rested, then go talk with her.

At the very least, the conflict between her and Flower Fairy needed to be eased.

Besides, there was another matter...

Jiang Sishui glanced at the sky and murmured, "It's time."

A flash of light, and he vanished on the spot.

When he reappeared, he was at Liu Fu.

Of course, it had now been renamed Jin Fu.

After being announced by a servant, Jiang Sishui first went to pay his respects to Jin Kaijia and Lady Jin, and only then did he meet Liu Xing in the back garden.

And beside Liu Xing sat a pure, innocent girl with big eyes.

Jiang Sishui was taken aback.

Wasn't that Deng Yuru? Up.

271 Liu Xing: A Man's Mouth, a Deceiving Ghost

Previously, after Liu Xing arrived at Mantuo Shanzhuang, she stayed only one day before insisting on going back.

Jiang Sishui did not stop her.

After all, her family had just been reunited, and it was only natural that they were reluctant to part so soon.

And after Jiang Sishui personally saw her home, Liu Xing had made an appointment with him, asking him to come back to pick her up.

That was why Jiang Sishui had come today.

Seeing Liu Xing and Deng Yuru not only in the same frame but acting like the closest of sisters, Jiang Sishui felt an indescribable sense of incongruity.

After all, in the drama, Liu Xing had not only strangled this dear friend to death, but later, compelled by circumstances, had even dissolved Deng Yuru's corpse.

Truly, not a trace of bone or remains left.

How tragic!

Now that the plot had changed, Liu Xing was no longer acting against his own will, so there was no reason for him to harm Deng Yuru.

With the bond from their childhood, it was only natural that the two of them would become true "403" sisters.

"You're here."

Liu Xing pulled Deng Yuru forward to greet him, then introduced her to Jiang Sishui: "This is Yuru, my childhood friend."

Deng Yuru blinked her pure, innocent big eyes and greeted him softly: "Hello, my name is Deng Yuru. Are you Liu Xing's sweetheart?"

The girl's gaze carried a sliver of curiosity—seven parts real, three parts feigned.

The real part was because she was genuinely very curious about the owner of this diary before her.

The feigned part, naturally, was because she was not, as she appeared, completely in the dark about everything.

Deng Yuru had a simple nature; whatever she felt showed on her face, and she was not skilled at deception.

Over the past few days, to help her act more naturally, Liu Xing had coached her through it again and again, hand in hand.

At last, she could just barely pass muster.

Before Jiang Sishui could answer, Liu Xing gave Deng Yuru a tug and corrected her: "What sweetheart? Just a friend. Don't go guessing wild."

Jiang Sishui didn't mind either—after all, he had indeed only known Liu Xing for a few days.

Looking at Deng Yuru, he said with some helplessness: "You see, I'd love to be, but your good sister here is still putting me through an inspection."

Deng Yuru covered her mouth with a light laugh and said: "Then you'll have to try even harder. Liu Xing has been talking about you nonstop these past few days—she must be satisfied with you."

Liu Xing: "..."

These little sisters—why do they keep saying things that aren't in the script?

"Really?" Jiang Sishui's eyes lit up, and he looked at Liu Xing expectantly.

Liu Xing rolled her eyes and said: "Yes, constantly talking about you—about how fickle-hearted you are! How many beauties you've secretly stashed away!"

This line was meant to tease Jiang Sishui, but by the end of it, Liu Xing couldn't help letting her true feelings slip through, and even her tone turned sour.

Jiang Sishui was thoroughly embarrassed and hurriedly reached for Liu Xing's hand, saying: "If only I'd met you sooner, I'd have spent this whole life loving only my little Xingxing."

"A man's mouth, a lying ghost! Smooth-talking, who are you trying to fool?" Liu Xing naturally didn't believe a word of Jiang Sishui's nonsense.

Still, having forced Jiang Sishui to say such things to win her over, even though Liu Xing knew it was fake, she was secretly a little pleased.

Jiang Sishui didn't dare linger on this topic any longer and asked Deng Yuru: "Does Miss Yuru also live here?"

Deng Yuru glanced at Liu Xing and said: "My home is at the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. I just came over a few days ago to stay with Liu Xing."

Zhenyuan Escort Agency...

It seemed Deng Yuru's background and origins were the same as in the drama.

Jiang Sishui nodded, then looked at Liu Xing in confusion: "Then you..."

Today was the day the two of them had agreed upon, but if Liu Xing went back to Shanzhuang with him, Deng Yuru clearly wouldn't be suited to stay at the Jin residence.