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Chapter 2.1

The courtyard was built really well, to the point that when Chen Li searched for a gap to hide in, she couldn’t find so much as a single crack!

Chen Li has never felt such embarrassment, frustration or despair in her entire life. She made a blood oath: If today, she gets made into chicken stew, she will degrade to a vengeful ghost and haunt heaven for 99 days and 99 nights to the point where they spit blood out of madness! If it wasn’t for that arranged marriage, would she be in such a disgraceful situati-

Before Chen Li could finish her thoughts, an unbearable pain shot through her wings!

[What happened?!?]

Panicked, she twisted her head around to see that the commoner girl had clutched both of her wings, leaving her helpless!! Chen Li’s legs trashed about madly, but alas, she was not free from the girl’s painful grip.

“Such an unpleasant chick, won’t you see how I deal with you!” The girl walked angrily to the kitchen, grabbing something.

Chen Li felt as if her bones were about to tear apart from pain. Bam! Chen Li was slammed onto the cutting board, the girl brandishing the knife above her. Suddenly, Chen Li felt the tense atmosphere between life and death as she suddenly recalled a moment. She saw herself once again in the midst of the battlefield, majestically brandishing her silver long spear as she thrusted the spear towards her enemy. So…these are the feelings of a weakling?

“Oh? What’s happening and why are you here?”

A male voice sounded. In this moment between life and death, Chen Li struggled to turn her head and stared at Xing Yun. The sun coiled around him, looking as if he was an angel, a merciful savior. But in that moment, the knife chopped down, blocking her view.

The girl raised her hands in a defensive posture, and blushed. “X-Xing Yun! Ah, I just wanted to see you and wanted to make some stew with the plucked chicken! If the chicken isn’t dead, it won’t taste good in the stew.”

Chen Li could not even move a claw as she lay completely defenseless. In today’s fight, she had drained all of her strength. She couldn’t help but think- Today, she will die.

“This chicken cannot be eaten.” Chen Li was dragged into a pair of warm arms as the scent of medicinal herbs comforted her. This smell is really quite good…

“Ah… I apologize…. I just wanted to leave you something before I left.” The girl twisted her fingers out of nervousness as she spoke in a trembling voice; “Tomorrow, I will be learning business in the far south with my father… I may not c-come back…  III-I might never see Brother Xing again!

“Oh? You say you are going to leave me, but I have not met you before.” The male in question replied rather coldly. The girl’s cheeks were red and eyes bloodshot as she cried. “No! I see you every day, looking from behind the walls! Everyday….” She looked so pitiful that even Chen Li could almost not help but dismiss her as a silly child.

“Ah? Too bad, that’s too sad. I have not seen you before. Not even once.”

Chen Li stared at him in shock, speechless. Was this really him saying this? Even adding such venom into his words!! On top of that, Xing Yun was even smiling! He looked at her coldly as he emphasized each word, as though they had a blood feud and he was taking revenge on her.

The girl’s face was deathly pale, staring at Xing Yun in disbelief. “Have you come to give me a farewell present or something? Or do you want one from me? Well then I’m sorry, but I have nothing to give you…. If you do not mind…”

“No…” She clutched her chest painfully as she staggered away, stuttering. “N-No Need……”

Xing Yun only waved, a calm smile still on his face. Just as though nothing had just happened, he put Chen Li down and picked up the kitchenware. “Well then, what to eat for dinner today?”

Chen Li, who was still on the floor, saw the girl loitering by the door, apparently still indigent about leaving. In the end, she simply wiped her nose and buried her head in her arms. Chen Li sighed. This girl, although she is very stupid and was terribly stubborn, her heart is still whole and pure. Chen Li really could not understand the affairs between mortal hearts.

The pots and pans clanged loudly when Xing Yun suddenly spoke; “What business should I do?”

Chen Li was completely confused.

[What do you mean? Didn’t you just come back from selling your body?]

She thought in her mind. She then discovered that he was staring intently at her. Wait. Was he talking to her? She looked at him with a bewildered expression.

“Oh?”  Xing Yun threw his head back in laughter as he looked at her: “I was careless for a moment and you’ve seen through me.” He squatted beside her and teased: “How about I sell my body to you?”

Chen Li was stunned.

[ How?!? Is this guy really talking to her? How did he know? Did he know from the moment he bought her?]

She was filled was questions as she stared at Xing Yun, eyes wide.

[Was this guy, in fact, simply playing with her ever since he had bought her?!?]

Xing Yun smiled slightly.

“Yes, I was playing with you.”

Chen Li didn’t move a muscle, forcing herself to stay calm amidst the provocation. She looked a him in amazement.

“Also, my name is Xing Yun, not “this guy”, remember it well and call me properly. And again, so what if I sell myself?”

[Pretending to sell himself…. Teasing her… Is he not just simply destroying her pride?!? Does he really have no morality?! How could he joke about on morals and integrity in such a manner?]

“I only teased you on selling myself, it’s not as though it’s a heinous crime. Do you really have to react like that? Were they really such terrible things?” He gently poked Chen Li’s head, like he was trying to comfort her as he softly said: “Alright, alright, I won’t let you catch me so easily next time.” He stood up and continued to cook.

Chen Li imminently stood up and ran, running outside and struggled to climb over the tall courtyard walls.  She must find another place to slowly recover, or she will most likely die in this man’s hands before she could do a single thing!!

After a long, tiring climb, Chen Li had reached the front yard. However, she was so tired that she couldn’t even stand up, but only crawl. The doorway was just so close, yet no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t reach it at all! The dreary, sunset glow basked on her, making her look very pitiful. At this time, Xing Yun called out, “Come to eat!!” He walked over to Chen Li, picking her up by the wings before returning her once again to the courtyard in front of a bowl of risotto.

Too tired… Chen Li couldn’t even lift her head up, choosing instead to simply fall asleep under the moonlight, surrounded by grapevines.

This time round, she had a dream. She was once again in her human form, lying under the gorgeous grapevines as dewy moonlight fell on her jade like skin. In the cold, she could not help but curl up, shivering. Almost magically, a blanket, seemingly from the heavens fell down upon her, followed by warmth and a faint trace of medicinal scent. She snuggled under the blanket as she fell into a deep sleep.

Xing Yun covered a blanket over her as he sat down beside her as he gently looked at her sleeping face. He smiled serenely as he twisted a lock of her beautiful long hair around his finger as he stifled his laughter: “Well, at least she’s got a whole head of hair….” As he studied the sleeping face, he muttered under the moonlight: “Soft, long luscious hair…Beautiful face… Really not bad.”

 

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