Chapter 56: Returning Home

Bai Huan returned to the small courtyard at midnight, and since she didn’t see the cheerful, tail-wagging puppy Gu Yuanhuai, she assumed he had already gone to bed.

Instead, she saw Dou Kou sitting in the courtyard, stitching flowers under a lamp. Hearing Bai Huan’s arrival, Dou Kou quickly jumped up.

“Miss, you’ve finally returned.”

Chen Xiang lifted the curtain and came out as well, smiling warmly. “You’re so late tonight, we were all worried sick. Please go comfort the young master; his eyes are swollen from crying.”

Bai Huan laughed.

In truth, there was no evidence to prove he wasn’t the culprit, so the ancestral family deemed him responsible, convinced the government only released him to exploit his isolated status—disowned by his clan and thus a useful tool to balance their power. And, indeed, that was precisely the case.

Having just harvested An Ying last night, he didn’t want Fu Bin to stir up any trouble tonight. For his trusted confidant, he still needed to show a certain degree of respect in public.

The fiercer the rejection, the more it seemed like wounded pride masquerading as strength, all in an effort to cover up the truth.

He paused and happened to see Zhou Man and Jin Buhuan nearby, and also noticed Zong Lian being carried away, his arm severed.

The fact that she was soon to be the Crown Princess was already distressing enough, and Song Ren was one of Xiao Feiran’s rare friends—he had always treasured his friendships.

Past memories flashed through Mei Yanlan’s mind, her heart aching sharply. Uncontrollable, she opened the car door and stepped out, and Wen Can walked toward her.

How many children must she bear for Song Yi to understand her hardship? He would never know. He was born selfish; even if Meng Zhijin had fifty children, it wouldn’t earn a single kind word from him.

The Bai family was already destined to pay a heavy price for this war; these five hundred thousand were but insignificant dust amid the cost.

Ever since she was thirteen, when she entered the palace with her father to pay respects to the late emperor, she had met Song Ru, already a prince then—elegant as a jade tree, impeccably dressed.

She moved Luoyang’s head onto her lap and gently massaged his temples.

“Then I’ll be on my way, Old Shi. Take good care of yourself, I will surely wait for their return—” Ghost Elder’s eyes glimmered with an unusual light, as if they held a mysterious charm. Of course, Shi Lao, desperately suppressing his own mutant rage, could not see it.

Without evidence, Guo Yi could only drop the matter, though he remained quietly vigilant. He didn’t fear Zhu Zihao targeting him, but worried Xiao Yu might get hurt. Naturally, he wouldn’t warn Zhu Zihao to stay away from Xiao Yu—given Zhu Zihao’s character and influence, warnings would be useless and only expose his own weakness.

Perfect test scores, a commercial prodigy, skilled in martial arts, singing, songwriting, inventing all kinds of high-tech products… practically a god of omnipotence! Everything came effortlessly.

At that same moment, while Lin Yu was still trapped by the Flower Demon’s prison of hatred, a thousand miles away in Qingshi City—

Yet it was precisely the time Iron Hand fought for that allowed Lu Lin’s health to recover past halfway. With bottles of healing potions poured into his mouth and a couple of priests’ powerful healing spells, Lu Lin’s health finally climbed to two-thirds, and was visibly increasing.

A man with fair, rosy skin and glossy, perfectly arranged hair walked over. His skin was still silky smooth, his lips a healthy red; when angry, he unconsciously pouted, making Guo Yi’s scalp tingle. Behind him was the same tall, clean-cut man as before.

At this moment, Master Jile spoke again, “So, what are your Emei Sect’s plans?” With that, he cast a calm gaze at Master Miaoyi. Yet inside, Master Jile’s heart was in turmoil, completely at odds with his outward composure.

“Master! You’re here too?!” Li Yunfei hurriedly saluted the Bearded Wanderer, truly grateful from the heart. Without the Bearded Wanderer’s careful guidance, Li Yunfei felt he could never have achieved what he had today.