Chapter 3
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.
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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 sized him up, and a word came into her mind—Demon!
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“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.”
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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.”
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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.”
4
…
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?”
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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.
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“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.
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“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?”