Chapter 18
As Mo Xiaoxin ventured deeper into the dense forest, the demonic aura intensified. She couldn't help but wonder why there was such a strong demonic aura within the Ye family's residence.
It's as if many of our kind are trapped here.
Mo Xiaoxin was startled by her own thoughts.
Deep within the dense forest was a cave, from which faint lights emanated.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her and, in a panic, hid behind a large rock.
A tall man walked over, and Mo Xiaoxin could only see his appearance clearly when he got closer.
Unexpectedly, he turned out to be a young and refined gentleman with a gentle and elegant demeanor, coupled with his handsome face, which made people involuntarily captivated.
That face is the kind face that can charm countless young girls. What beautiful woman in the world wouldn't want a gentle and honest man who treats her well?
If Mo Xiaoxin had seen this elsewhere, she would have thought the same thing, but for a man to come here in the middle of the night, he must be no ordinary person.
Then she went into the cave. She didn't know what the man did in the cave, but Mo Xiaoxin heard a whimpering sound coming from inside. Although the sound was soft, it was particularly jarring to Mo Xiaoxin's ears.
Mo Xiaoxin's heart skipped a beat, her heart pounding, giving her a sense of unease. She wanted to rush in and find out what was going on, but the man's aura was clearly very powerful; going in now would be suicide.
As expected, the Ye family harbored some unspeakable secret, which was also related to the demon race.
The man stayed in the cave for a long time before finally emerging. After he left, Mo Xiaoxin came out from behind the rock. As soon as she stepped into the cave entrance, she was blocked by a barrier.
A barrier had been erected, and she couldn't enter with her current magical power.
She feared the man would return, so she immediately decided to leave the dense forest.
Now that she knows there's a problem here, it's not too late to come back later.
With this in mind, Mo Xiaoxin hurriedly left the place and returned along the same route.
She deliberately slowed down to avoid running into the man from before, but fortunately, she didn't encounter Mo Xiaoxin along the way, and her anxiety subsided.
The wind was particularly strong at night, making her feel chilly. She clutched her collar tighter, shivered, and took larger steps.
After walking for a while, she realized that something seemed wrong.
She had only walked for ten minutes on the path she came in, but it had taken her ten minutes to walk back, and she showed no sign of leaving the dense forest.
Strange, what's going on? Did she get lost?
But there was only one road when she came in, how could she have gone the wrong way?
Undeterred, she walked for a few more minutes, only to find herself surrounded by dense woods.
Oh no, she's fallen for a trick.
But why wasn't she like this when she came in?
She pondered for a moment, guessing that perhaps it was because she had followed the direction of the demonic aura when she entered, and naturally broke through the illusion while searching, but there was no guidance on the way out.
The leaves rustled underfoot, sounding jarring in the quiet night.
If she couldn't get out now and had to stay in the dense forest all night, she could be okay with going hungry, but if she were discovered, she would probably lose her life.
She wandered aimlessly through the dense forest like a headless fly, regretting her decision to come in so rashly.
"Who's there?" a young man's voice came from ahead.
Mo Xiaoxin was focused on finding the exit and didn't see anyone in the distance. Suddenly, she heard a voice, and her heart skipped a beat.
Oh no, we've been found out.
She didn't care about anything else and quickly ran in the opposite direction of the sound, with footsteps following closely behind.
That person caught up!
Mo Xiaoxin ran forward with all her might, and luckily, she found a house after running only a few steps and quickly hid inside.
How could there be houses in the middle of a dense forest? She was puzzled. Had she stumbled into the forest by accident?
The room was dark and seemingly empty, and the tension made Mo Xiaoxin's heart pound.
She leaned out the window and looked out. Two men flew past one after the other. One of them was the young man she had just seen, and the other was an older man.
Judging from their clothes and appearance, if she guessed correctly, they should be Ye Deqing, the head of the Ye family, and his eldest son, Ye Pingwei.
The Ye family has two sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Ye Pingwei, does business with Ye Deqing. The second son, Ye Hualing, is good for nothing. The youngest daughter is Ye Songlan.
It has to be said that the Ye family has really good genes; whether it's the old or the young, they all look very handsome.
Ye Deqing and Ye Pingwei looked around the courtyard but found nothing unusual.
"Strange, I clearly heard some noise here just now," Ye Pingwei murmured.
Ye Deqing glanced at the tightly closed door: "Has Hua Ling gone out to fool around again?"
Ye Pingwei said calmly, "You know that my second brother likes to go out at night, so this is perfectly normal."
Ye Deqing snorted angrily, "It's a good thing I have a son like you, otherwise our Ye family would really be without an heir."
Ye Pingwei remained calm and composed, seemingly unconcerned by his father's words, though the smile on his lips betrayed his inner joy. His eyes swept over Ye Pingwei's room, then flickered slightly. "I'd better go check it out, just in case someone breaks in."
Hearing the conversation outside sent a shiver down Mo Xiaoxin's spine.
Oh no, they're coming in!
If they find out, she'll be in deep trouble today.
Just as Mo Xiaoxin was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, a man's voice suddenly rang out behind her: "Scared?"
By the moonlight, Mo Xiaoxin discovered that on the other side of the room, a man was bathing naked in a wooden tub.
At this moment, the man's eyes were like those of an eagle, full of inquiry and ambition, staring sharply at her as if he could see right through her, with a hint of amusement and mockery.
Good heavens, what's that naked man doing here?
Before Mo Xiaoxin could react, the man pulled her towards him with a single palm strike.
It was incredibly fast; all she could hear was the whistling wind rushing past her ears, making it hard for her to open her eyes. When she opened her eyes again after the storm had passed, Mo Xiaoxin was already standing next to the wooden tub.
She stared at the man, dumbfounded: "You, who are you?"
As Mo Xiaoxin got closer, she realized that the man was actually quite good-looking.
In the misty steam, half of his lean waistline peeked out from the edge of the wooden tub. His wet hair clung to his ears, and the faint outline of his abdominal muscles rippled with his breath.
The man slowly turned his head, his half-closed eyelashes obscuring his emotions. His high, straight nose and the slight upturn of his lips hinted at a half-smile. "Instead of discussing who you are and who I am here, why don't you guess if the people outside want to know who you are? If you don't want to be discovered, hurry up and come in!"
Mo Xiaoxin finally realized that the man wanted to take advantage of her and made her hide in the wooden tub.
She stood frozen in place, listening to the footsteps outside getting closer and closer to the room.
Mo Xiaoxin frowned, then, without thinking twice, said, "Fine."
At least the man is handsome and has a good physique, so she's not at a disadvantage.
She flipped over and jumped into the wooden tub. As the door opened, Mo Xiaoxin also squatted down in the tub.
The water level in the wooden bucket rose slightly because of Mo Xiaoxin's addition, and it spilled onto the ground.
When Pingwei entered the room that night, he found someone inside.
He glanced at it calmly; yes, it was his younger brother.
Ye Hualing raised an eyebrow at Ye Pingwei and said, "Brother, why are you in such a hurry without knocking? Do you want to bathe with me?"
"Did you see any strangers?" Ye Pingwei asked to himself, ignoring Ye Hualing's question.
Ye Hualing pouted and said with some dissatisfaction, "My dear brother, we haven't seen each other for so long, and instead of caring about your younger brother, you're concerned about a stranger?"
Ye Pingwei ignored her, his eyes scanning the room but finding nothing amiss. Then his gaze fell on the edge of the wooden barrel.
Ye Hualing casually tidied his hair, and as he did so, the water floating on the edge of the bucket overflowed: "Big brother, if you want to take a bath, there's no need to be shy. My wooden bucket can hold it all. Come on, I'll make room for you."
If Ye Deqing had heard these words, he would have scolded his son, but Ye Pingwei showed no emotion; his face remained expressionless throughout.
Ye Pingwei turned around, preparing to leave, then turned back to look in Ye Hualing's direction: "Don't forget the banquet of the four major families three days from now."
"I understand, my dear brother." Ye Hualing's patience seemed to be running out, and her tone trailed off with a hint of suppressed emotion.
Ye Pingwei noticed this, but said nothing more and slammed the door shut.
Mo Xiaoxin, who had been holding her breath, was finally able to peek out.
She took deep breaths of fresh air. She, a landlubber who couldn't swim, had never stayed in the water for so long before, and it felt like all the air in her lungs had been sucked out.
Seeing Mo Xiaoxin's disheveled appearance, Ye Hualing chuckled, her devilishly handsome face scrutinizing Mo Xiaoxin.
"You are indeed quite good-looking. Since you've thrown yourself at me, I'll reluctantly take you as my little twentieth."
Mo Xiaoxin blinked, feeling very uncomfortable as water got into her eyes; they stung and turned red.
Once her eyes stopped hurting, she heard his words and casually replied, "What do you mean, 'little twenty'?"
"There are too many beauties in this world. You just happen to be the twentieth woman I like. But don't be jealous. You are my favorite now, and I will treat you well. I am the second young master of the Ye family, Ye Hualing."
Ye Hualing immediately revealed her family background.
Mo Xiaoxin didn't sense the murderous intent in the man in front of her; she only sensed his foolishness.
She pursed her lips, stood up from the wooden tub, her clothes soaked with water, outlining her slender curves, and noticed the man's predatory gaze.
Being stared at by a man made her uncomfortable, but she knew that if she showed a shy or angry expression, this perverted man might get even more excited, so she decided it was best not to cause any trouble.
"Do you have any women's clothes here? My clothes are wet, and I need a dry set of clothes." Mo Xiaoxin directly stated her need, which surprised Ye Hualing on the other end.
This woman didn't react at all when the dignified second young master of the Ye family extended an olive branch of love to her!
That shouldn't be! Has his charm level decreased?
He snapped his fingers, and the lights in the room suddenly came on.
Then, he pulled out a mirror from somewhere and looked at his devilishly handsome face in the mirror. It was just too handsome and charming.
Looking at the woman opposite him, she completely ignored his presence, having already jumped out of the barrel and was rummaging through his wardrobe. Her nonchalant attitude made it seem as if this were her home and he were the intruder.
This is the first woman who dared to treat him like this.
Ye Hualing had never been ignored by a woman before, and after a brief moment of surprise, his desire to take on the challenge was ignited.
Mo Xiaoxin just didn't want to cause trouble, but little did she know that her actions would attract the man's attention.
"What's your name?" Ye Hualing asked.
"twenty."
"Your name is Twenty? What a coincidence!"
Mo Xiaoxin finally found a piece of clothing among the pile that was somewhat wearable for her. It looked new, and she tossed it out to block the man's view.
Ye Hualing's vision went black as his eyes were covered by his clothes. His muffled voice came from inside the clothes: "What are you doing?"
He was about to pull the clothes off his head when he heard the woman's voice.
Mo Xiaoxin: "Don't look! If you dare to look, you're dead!"
For some reason, Ye Hualing had more patience for this woman than for his cat. He didn't take off his clothes: "Don't worry, I, Ye Hualing, am a gentleman and would not take advantage of someone in distress."
Hearing the rustling sounds outside, he guessed she was changing clothes and asked, "Twenty, where did you come from? How did you end up in the Ye residence?"
Why are they already inquiring about her background so quickly?
"I'm just a herb gatherer. I accidentally wandered in after saying goodbye to the steward. Please don't mind me. I'll be leaving in a bit."
Mo Xiaoxin quickly changed her clothes, turned her head to look in the direction of the man, and only felt relieved when she saw that he hadn't pulled the clothes off his head.
She couldn't help but find it amusing; she hadn't expected the second young master of the Ye family to be such a foolish young master.
While changing clothes, she would occasionally glance in his direction. He had his hands on the edge of the wooden tub, his body relaxed, but his head remained still, which was rather endearing.
"Night Flower Zero, right? Thanks." Mo Xiaoxin said this and disappeared.
Hearing the door open, Ye Hualing took off the clothes on her head: "Where did this wild girl come from? She's quite interesting."
He told lies without the slightest hesitation.
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