Chapter 90 Yay! We can eat meat now! (doge)
The last bit of resentment in Mu Cenlin's heart was completely dispelled by her tearful and unreasonable declaration. He couldn't help but chuckle softly, gently wiping away the tear stains on her cheek with his fingertips, but deliberately adding a touch of sour grievance to his tone:
"Fine, no divorce. You can forget about it for the rest of your life." He paused, his gaze fixed intently on her. "Then... why were you so good to that Mu Yuan guy before? Hmm? Embroidering him sachets? Sending him medicinal meals? And even stealing the tiger tally for him?"
This question had been weighing on his mind for too long, and when he finally asked it now, it carried a hint of stubbornness and... aggrievedness that he himself hadn't even realized.
Li Bao'er was taken aback by his question. Seeing the rare hint of calculation in his eyes, she smiled through her tears, her heart melting completely. Just as she was about to offer a vague explanation, she heard him speak again, his voice lower and more serious than ever before:
“And also, Bao’er,” he gazed into her eyes, as if trying to see into the depths of her soul, “where exactly do you come from? I know you are not from this world.”
Li Bao'er froze, her pupils contracted sharply, and the color drained from her face. How...how could he have known?!
"You...when did you..." Her voice was strained, and she could barely utter a complete sentence.
Mu Cenlin took in her subtle panic, put his arm around her for support, and said in a steady but unquestionable tone: "Last time at Longhua Temple, that crazy monk dragged you and talked nonsense about 'souls crossing to foreign lands.' When I saw your expression change drastically at the time, I became suspicious. After thinking about it carefully, I realized that many of your words, actions and ideas are indeed different from those of women in the world."
"Furthermore, there is no such thing as a symbiotic curse in this world."
He stroked her back with his fingertips, his tone soothing: "Tell me, will you? Where do you come from?"
Li Bao'er frantically screamed in her mind, "He found out! He asked me where I came from! Can I tell him? Will I be burned at the stake as a monster?!"
001 was practically jumping for joy: [Target detected: Emotionally stable, extremely high trust level, corruption value remains consistently low at 30%!]
[Based on risk assessment, revealing information about the otherworld and its mission will help reduce the target's suspicion and deepen their bond! Disclosure approved! However, mentioning the existence of this system or specific mission details is strictly prohibited! Again, mentioning the system is strictly prohibited!]
With the system's permission, Li Bao'er took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart. She looked up to meet Mu Cenlin's probing but harmless gaze, and cautiously asked, "If... if my answer is outrageous, far beyond your imagination, would you... would you be afraid of me? Would you treat me like a monster?"
Mu Cenlin gazed at her, his eyes deep yet resolute: "I am only afraid of you leaving. Nothing else can frighten me."
His words were like a reassuring pill. Li Bao'er took another deep breath and finally spoke slowly:
“I… I don’t really belong here. I come from a very far away, very different world.” She struggled to choose her words, observing his reaction. “So far away… that it can’t be measured by distance, it might even be the other side of time.”
“I’m here to complete a very important mission.” She looked into his eyes and said, word by word, “A mission that is closely related to you.”
Mu Cenlin's gaze was as deep as the sea, showing no fear, only understanding and a deeper curiosity: "Is it related to me?"
"Yes." Li Bao'er nodded vigorously. "My mission target, from beginning to end, has only been you. It's just that a big mistake happened in the middle, and I mistook you for someone else." Thinking of this, she was still very annoyed.
"I was so good to Mu Yuan because I mistook the beauty mark under his eye for a mission target. I stayed by his side to prevent him from turning evil." After saying that, Bao'er looked at Mu Cenlin guiltily.
Mu Cenlin was somewhat surprised. Would there be missions after coming to this world?
"So, after that incident at the mass grave, your attitude towards me changed because you realized you had the wrong target?"
"……Um"
What does "darkening" mean?
"The point is to keep you happy; you can't just think about solving everything through killing."
What happens if the mission fails?
"I will die, and disappear from this world."
Upon hearing this, Mu Cenlin, who had been listening quietly, hugged Bao'er tightly, his deep eyes revealing an indescribable clarity and... emotion.
I see.
It turns out that all her seemingly shameless flattery and reckless pursuits were simply a means to survive.
And the person she desperately wanted to save should have been him from beginning to end.
All the grudges and resentments melted away in that moment, like ice and snow exposed to the sun, leaving only a deep sense of heartache and a touch of absurd helplessness.
Mu Cenlin suddenly chuckled softly, his forehead resting against hers again, his laughter filled with doting affection.
“Li Bao’er…” he called her name, the last syllable lingering with an indescribable tenderness and teasing, “You really are…”
He paused for a moment, then found the most accurate word.
"Fool."
Li Bao'er was stunned by his scolding. She looked at him with her still red and watery eyes, feeling a little wronged: "I, I've already confessed, and you're still scolding me..."
"Shouldn't you scold me?" Mu Cenlin raised an eyebrow, gently pinching the tip of her nose with his fingertips, the action intimate and natural. "You chose the wrong person, repaid the wrong favor, caused the wrong trouble, and even made yourself look bad. Is there anyone in the world more stupid than you?"
There was not a trace of blame in his tone, only overflowing tenderness and indulgence that he truly couldn't do anything about you.
"If you had revealed your weakness earlier and let me notice something amiss, I wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble and suffer so much," he sighed.
"Fortunately... it's not too late yet."
Fortunately, he ultimately did not truly lose her because of those misunderstandings and hurts.
Fortunately, she crossed an immeasurable distance and finally came to his side.
Nestled in his warm embrace, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat and feeling the complete understanding and acceptance in his words, Li Bao'er's tense heartstrings finally relaxed completely. She whispered, "Then, then you're not allowed to hold a grudge later..."
Mu Cenlin chuckled softly, his chest heaving: "We'll see how you behave in the future. If you dare to go the wrong way or mistake someone else again, I will punish you severely." He paused deliberately, his words full of threat, but the arms around her were incredibly gentle.
"No more!" Li Bao'er immediately promised, looking up at him with bright, sparkling eyes. "From now on, I'll only focus on you, and I'll only torment you!"
Mu Cenlin's eyes darkened, and he lowered his head to kiss the top of her head: "Granted."
"I will not turn evil, and I will not give you a chance to leave me."
As night deepened, the flickering firelight bathed everything in the bedroom in a warm and cozy glow.
A faint, sweet fragrance filled the air, mingling with his crisp, clean scent. The two aromas intertwined, silently proclaiming their intimacy.
At this moment, their eyes met, and all that remained in their eyes was each other's clear reflection and the deep affection that needed no words.
Mu Cenlin's fingers gently stroked her black hair scattered on the pillow, his gaze burning with undisguised longing and affection.
He lowered his head, and the kiss landed again, but it was no longer the gentle, reassuring one before. Instead, it deepened, became urgent, and filled with an aggressive possessiveness…
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