Xuan Bing's Heart . . .
Cha Eun Xiao and Han Bingxue dined without reservation, enjoying the food, drinks, and conversation.
However, Xuan Bing, sensitive as she was, couldn't help but notice that whenever Cha Eun Xiao gazed at the dishes, his expression softened and became more gentle. It left a sour feeling in her heart.
She repeatedly questioned herself, "Xuan Bing, is it truly so challenging for you to let go of your current identity and position? Do you genuinely believe you are significant and important? You pretended to be unfamiliar with Master when you faced him, pretending to hold a higher status than him. What are you doing? Do you even understand your own actions?"
She had criticized herself numerous times, yet she couldn't summon the courage to admit her true identity. Unbeknownst to her, her true self was being overshadowed by Bing'er, a personality with a weak sense of existence. Perhaps Bing'er was not weak but rather in harmony with the other personality. In essence, Bing'er was Xuan Bing, and Xuan Bing was Bing'er; they were one and the same. Bing'er's heart was indeed Xuan Bing's heart, consumed by enduring yearning and indelible affection.
That night, Cha Eun Xiao planned to explore the additional acquisitions from Boundless Space, aside from the hundred acres of lotuses. However, as he delved into his spiritual mind, he was overwhelmed by fatigue and immediately fell asleep.
The night was quiet, or rather, it was Cha Eun Xiao's snoring that filled the air. Han Bingxue remained awake, his concern growing.
"Something doesn't seem right with the boss," he thought. "Even though his cultivation is relatively low, only at the high level of the Dream Origin Stage, he shouldn't be sleeping so soundly, should he?"
Cha Eun Xiao slumbered deeply, oblivious to his surroundings, responding only with a continuous snore. Han Bingxue even made some deliberate noises to test his reaction, but there was none.
An anxious Han Bingxue spent the entire night in a state of unease. When the first light of dawn broke, he went to Cha Eun Xiao's room and shook him for an extended period until he finally woke.
"Brother, are you alright?" Han Bingxue inquired, his worry evident.
Cha Eun Xiao, having enjoyed a restful night's sleep, felt refreshed and full of energy. He replied with confusion, "What could possibly be wrong? I'm perfectly fine!"
Han Bingxue left the room, perplexed.
During breakfast, Xuan Bing was conspicuously absent. They knocked on her door, receiving no response. Pushing the door open, they discovered an empty room. The bed was neatly made, showing no signs of use.
Evidently, she had left after dinner the previous night, not spending the night there.
"She's gone," Han Bingxue remarked.
"Gone?" Cha Eun Xiao felt bewildered.
"Last night, I talked to her. I thought she was retiring to her room. It turns out she left during the night," Han Bingxue explained.
"What did you talk to her about?" Cha Eun Xiao turned to Han Bingxue with curiosity.
Han Bingxue felt a sense of embarrassment. "Just some casual conversation, like love stories," he replied.
Cha Eun Xiao responded with an 'oh' and a knowing look. "No wonder you two had been at odds with each other all along. I see now. I never knew you had such skills. Have you won her over too?"
Clearly misunderstanding his intentions, Cha Eun Xiao looked at Han Bingxue and teasingly remarked, "You seem to have done well, boss."
Han Bingxue, dejected and unwilling to admit defeat, responded, "I couldn't say no, boss. It's just that... you flattered me quite a bit!"
However, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel that he had to accept the loss, although it seemed rather foolish.
He chuckled and felt a sense of relief. Initially, he had entertained the idea that Xuan Bing might be Bing-Er, but he had since discarded that notion. He reasoned that if Xuan Bing were indeed Bing-Er, she would never have entertained any romantic gestures with Han Bingxue.
Moreover, he considered his initial suspicion as mere wishful thinking, as the two women had a significant age gap.
As for Han Bingxue, he felt wronged but chose to keep his grievances to himself. He remembered the time he had begged Xuan Bing to keep Cha Eun Xiao's secret. She had steadfastly refused and even gone as far as to threaten Cha Eun Xiao's life, saying, "I don't mind if you initiate a fight. But let's see who gets hurt first if you do. Would it be me?"
Faced with this daunting prospect, Han Bingxue had no choice but to concede. He knew that the only one who would suffer in a confrontation would be Cha Eun Xiao. The threat of violence had proven ineffective, forcing Han Bingxue to resort to constant pleading.
In the end, Xuan Bing had loosened her grip on the secret, and Han Bingxue had promised her numerous conditions to ensure her continued silence.
He alone bore the weight of the truth, unable to share it with anyone else.
He thought, "If the boss discovers the truth, he will undoubtedly mock me, and I'll never be able to face him again. And if he learns that I recklessly divulged his secret, he won't show me any mercy. The punishment will be severe."
"I can't reveal the truth to him—no, I can't."
Determined, Han Bingxue resolved to protect his dignity.
As Cha Eun Xiao left Xuan Bing's room, he noticed a piece of paper on the table. Curious, he picked it up.
To his surprise, the paper contained no written words, only a bold, round ink mark. It appeared as if someone had dipped a pen in ink but couldn't decide what to write, eventually dropping the ink onto the paper to create a circular mark.
There were no words, yet Cha Eun Xiao sensed that Xuan Bing had intended to convey something with this simple mark. She must have contemplated it for a long time, unable to find the right words. Her ambivalence was palpable.
Cha Eun Xiao wondered about the source of her inner conflict but couldn't begin to fathom the nature of her unspoken thoughts.