Xiang Ling watched with wide eyes as Wen ZheYuan moved his face closer and just as their lips were about to touch, she hurriedly pulled back, creating space between their faces even though it made her bend her back to an uncomfortable angle.
"W-What are you doing?" She questioned in alarm while staring at the man in shock. Her mind was still trying to process what had just happened. One moment ago they all were talking and the next moment, she was about to get kissed by another man.
"Zhe Yuan." Wei Guang called out the Fifth Master, forcing the latter to finally pull back.
"She's indeed strange. She never used to pull away in the past when I tried to get close to her. She even liked it when she got that kind of attention from a man." Wen ZheYuan spoke while looking at Xiang Ling with curiosity-filled eyes.
"Who knows if she's putting on an act." Xin Cheng muttered from the opposite end of the table. His eyes stared right at Xiang Ling's soul with contempt and distrust.
"Is she?" Wen ZheYuan asked while once again bringing his face closer to Xiang Ling's, forcing the latter to hurriedly pull back once again which almost caused her to lose her balance.
"Did she even know how to act?" This time, it was Li Dao Ming who spoke and his voice was just as closed as Xin Cheng's. These two men seemed to hold the same level of hostility toward Xiang Ling.
"..."
Xiang Ling was at a loss as she watched the scene unfold. Every time these men were gathered together, she never knew what would be coming her way. She might be able to handle them one at a time but them as a combined force was something she had started to fear.
"Alright, everyone. It's enough. Stop targeting her." Wei Guang spoke in a calm yet powerful tone that had Wen ZheYuan finally returning to his seat at the opposite side of the table.
"Don't tell me you have fallen for her act. That's not like you at all." Xin Cheng spoke from the other side of the table and his eyes were fixed on Wei Guang who didn't respond and just stayed silent.
Finally having enough of the drama, Xiang Ling stood up from her seat. She needed to get away from these men before something dangerous could happen. "I'm done with my lunch. I will take my leave."
She grabbed the plate filled with appetizing rice cakes and without another glance in the direction of the men, she headed out of the dining hall and toward her courtyard.
By this time, one thing was pretty obvious to Xiang Ling - the most impossible wish of the previous owner of the body was none other than to get the love of her husbands. These men seemed to hate her to the core, it wouldn't be easy to change their mind.
* * *
"My Lady, what's wrong?" Fu Xiao asked after she was done lighting the candles around the inner courtyard. She noticed that Xiang Ling had been silently sitting in front of the open window while staring at the night sky. She had never seen her lady this silent.
Xiang Ling let out a sigh before she whispered, "I miss my home." Her gaze was still fixed on the star-filled sky and she couldn't help but feel homesick even though it had been merely two days since she arrived in the Mortal Realm.
"But... aren't you home?" Fu Xiao was confused by her lady's words.
The question pulled Xiang Ling out of her trance and she quickly shook her head to get rid of her feelings. Turning to face Fu Xiao, she asked, "Didn't you tell me before that I have sent Second Master to the countryside as punishment?"
Fu Xiao quickly nodded her head in the affirmative.
Xiang Ling was silent for a while as she seemed lost in thought but then she suddenly announced, "Go and arrange a carriage in the morning. We will be going to bring the Second Master back to Chen Manor from the village."
Fu Xiao was surprised after hearing her lady's words. Not only was she ending Second Master's punishment but she was even going to pick him from the village herself. This didn't seem like her lady at all.
"Yes, My Lady." She finally answered after a moment or two of silence before she left the inner courtyard to let her lady rest for the night.
Once left alone, Xiang Ling entered her space and found Little Pink waiting for her inside the cottage.
"Immortal Xing, you are back."
Little Pink flew toward her and handed her a spirit stone. It was glowing brightly with pink spiritual essence inside it.
Xiang Ling stared at the spirit beast in confusion, not understanding why it was suddenly handing over its spiritual core to her.
"Her Majesty has ordered me to stay by your side and help you in finding the whereabouts of the Crown Prince. She... has given me to you. So... you are my new master." Little Pink informed Xiang Ling who quickly opened the letter from the Heavenly Empress and read through the content that indeed confirmed Little Pink's words.
She switched glances between the letter, the spirit core, and Little Pink before finally speaking, "Who told you I want you as my spirit beast?"
Little Pink: "..."
"How can I choose just any random beast as my spirit beast?" Xiang Ling added after a while and successfully infuriated Little Pink.
"Immortal Xing, what do you mean by a random beast? I'm the last descendant of the Divine Butterfly Clan. I'm not just any random beast!" Little Pink glared at Xiang Ling while shouting the facts at the woman.
A smile bloomed on Xiang Ling's lips as she looked at Little Pink closely. "Ah! So you belong to the legendary Divine Butterfly Clan. Alright, since you have such a powerful background, I will think about taking you as my bonded spirit beast."