A man was actually hiding in the middle of the lake!
Chu Liuyue was shocked. She had been coming here for so long, but she was clueless about it. Although she no longer had her previous body's strength, she was still sharp, and her eyesight still excellent. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to take care of Song Lian and his two other companions by herself just now.
This man must be very strong.
"Is this your territory?" she asked cautiously.
The water rippled. Chu Liuyue could vaguely see a tall figure coming out of the water. His silhouette could be seen through a veil of white mist.
Straight shoulders, a broad back, and a curvy figure were vaguely hidden by the lake.
Chu Liuyue gripped her hairpin tightly as she continued to stare. She had just been reborn; she didn't want to die again.
A low laugh came out of nowhere. "Do I look that good?"
A gust of wind dispersed the white mist. That man's figure became clearer. It seemed that he was keen to meet her face to face.
Chu Liuyue sneered inwardly. She had seen worse. Why should she be intimidated by this? "I can't get a good look with the mist in our way. Let me take a closer look; I can give you my answer then."
The flowing mist came to a sudden stop. The man probably didn't expect a young lady like her to talk in this manner.
"If you are really that keen, I will be happy to oblige. However, I'm worried you'll stab me with your hairpin before you've seen more." He didn't seem annoyed because there was laughter in his voice.
Chu Liuyue remained silent. The man was strong, smart, and definitely not easy to deal with. He had figured out her intentions with one glance. She wouldn't face such a person head-on when dealing with them.
She simply rolled her eyes, pulled her hair back, and calmly inserted the hairpin into her bun smoothly. "My apologies. I didn't know this was your territory. I thought there was nobody until I intruded. I hope you will forgive me for my intrusion."
The man was silent for a moment.
"There's no need for that." His voice sounded distant.
Chu Liuyue was flabbergasted. Was he letting her off this easily? Her mind was so confused that she didn't say anything.
"The water in Lake Bibo may be good for health, but your meridian points are blocked. It's better if you don't stay for long." The man stood up and made his way to the shore as soon as he said that. In a flash, he was done dressing.
Chu Liuyue could barely make out his silhouette despite the white mist. She could still see the man's figure. Indeed, it was a really good one.
She, too, wore her clothes with haste without feeling embarrassed and left. This was not a man to be trifled with.
Before she could take a step, the man's voice rang behind her. "Young lady, I have no wish to pursue this matter, but I have to know who has intruded into my territory today."
The tone of his voice was smooth, but it carried a hint of a superior person's irrefutable nobility.
Are his words meant to intimidate me into telling him my name? Chu Liuyue turned around. A man was standing not too far away from her.
She held her breath.
When she was a princess, she saw countless talented and handsome young men. Her fiancé, Jiang Yucheng, was also the most handsome man in Tianling Dynasty.
Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel amazed when she first laid her eyes on this man.
He had a pair of saber-like eyebrows which slanted into his temples, a straight nose, and sparkling eyes. Even the most beautiful starry night sky couldn't compare to those deep eyes. One glance at those eyes was enough to make one crazy and sink into its light.
His scarlet lips were lightly pressed together into a flawless radian, which appeared thin. However, the bead in the middle of one of his lips made them look redder.
His eyes were the cleanest starry night in the world, while his lips were the most ambiguous spring color in the world. He was pure yet mysterious. He was elegant and noble, like an impenetrable contradictory form that seemed to drive one crazy as it attracted all the attention.
Chu Liuyue sized him up, and a word came into her mind—Demon!
"Chu Liuyue." She had no intention of hiding her identity. After all, he looked like a man of many means. Lying would only cause more problems.
The man stood across her and stared, but his gaze was like the moonlight as his eyes lightly grazed past her. They finally remained fixed on her face. "Let's forget about this since Xue Xue was the one who let you in."
Xue Xue? Is it that white lion?
The man suddenly stepped forward and approached Chu Liuyue until he stood in front of her.
Chu Liuyue was on high alert. However, she suppressed her feelings so as not to show him any hostility. She looked at him calmly.
He stood unmovingly. Suddenly, he reached out and grazed her cheek lightly with his warm fingertip. "Lady Chu, you can't go home in such a mess with blood on your face."
Chu Liuyue was shocked. She looked down and saw the bloodstain on his fingertip.
The two breathed, taking in each other's scent for a moment.
His deep voice stirred her eardrums. "Also, my name is Rong Xiu." Before Chu Liuyue could say anything, he told her, "You should go."
Chu Liuyue pursed her lips. She might not know what he was up to, but she had a feeling that there was another battle to be fought when she returned to the Chu family. "Thank you."
…
It wasn't until the young girl's slender figure completely disappeared into the forest that Rong Xiu finally withdrew his gaze and glanced at the white lion.
His warm and friendly demeanor dimmed a few notches. "Did you betray your master to get into her good graces?"
The white lion was motionless.
"If you pretend to be dead, I will tell her your other name is Hua Hua when I see her the next time."
Roar!
The white lion suddenly stood up. Its name was Xue Hua [Snowflake], not Hua Hua! It would be so embarrassing if others came to know about this.
"The Imperial City should be quite crowded these days, so I'll leave you to it."
Xue Hua's eyes lit up.
…
The atmosphere in the Chu family's hall was tense.
Anxiety was written all over Chu Ning's face. He paced around uneasily while looking out nervously.
"Yue'er has been gone for the whole day. It's already evening. Why isn't she back yet? First Elder, we should send a search party out quickly."
What should they do if something happened to her? Yue'er was completely defenseless.
First Elder, Chu Xiao, sipped his tea and told him nonchalantly, "Chu Ning, stop fretting. This isn't the first time she has gone out. What could happen? Perhaps, she was having so much fun that she simply forgot the time."
Chu Ning was extremely anxious, but he knew they wouldn't agree to his request. It's getting dark. Yue'er wouldn't be so insensible. She should be back by now. "I will search for her myself!" He went out alone without waiting for them.
The Third Missy, Chu Xianmin, came dressed in a yellow dress. She had a pretty face. She respectfully bowed before saying with a whimper, "First Elder, I know that my sister hasn't come back yet, so I shouldn't bother you. B-but… there is something that I don't dare to hide—my things have been stolen."
First Elder frowned. "What happened?"
Tears began to well up in Chu Xianmin's eyes. "I invited my sister to my room this morning, wanting to give her some money so she could buy something for herself when she went out. However, when I checked earlier, all the money and jewelry my parents gave me were missing."
Chu Ning barked. "What are you trying to say? Are you implying that Yue'er is the thief?"
Chu Xianmin cried harder. Aggrieved, tears fell from her eyes.
"I didn't mean that… How could I accuse my sister? However, she was the only one who has gone into my room today."
First Elder squinted his eyes. "Perhaps… she stole Xianmin's money and ran away? How dare she!"
Chu Ning was about to argue when he heard the announcement.
"Big Missy is back!"
Everyone in the hall froze.
A tear had been lingering at the corner of Chu Xianmin's eye as she concealed her disbelief. How? Chu Liuyue should be…
A petite silhouette approached against the light.
"First Elder must be joking. As the Chu family's eldest daughter, I have a share of all the family's assets. Why would I steal my sister's money and betray my family?" Chu Liuyue walked into the hall with a smile, but it made Chu Xianmin quiver. "Am I right, Sister?"