Begonia
Accompanying her to see Shangguan Yan, watching her embrace and tears of joy upon reuniting with her sister, my heart throbbed. When Shangguan Yan asked how we escaped, my heart skipped a beat. However, Zi Ling downplayed the credit and simply attributed it to Young Master Nong Yue, concealing the details of my faked death. She claimed it was Young Master Nong Yue who had entered the tomb to save her and then revived me with his life-extending technique.
Her words flowed so naturally, without a single flaw. Suddenly, an indescribable sweetness spread through my heart. I understood that her concealment wasn't because she approved of my tactics, but because she knew her sister was a man of integrity, and she didn't want my scheme to sow discord between them. She was protecting me, maintaining this hard-earned peace in her own way. This thoughtful concealment touched my heart more than any outspoken defense could have. She cared about me, far more deeply than I could have imagined.
Shangguan Yan discussed her quest for revenge against Master Nong Yue, but it led to the death of her adoptive mother, the Palace Master Wuyou. Zi Ling immediately offered to treat her. I knew the Palace Master Wuyou had already died, but I kept quiet, offering to go with her. I also owed Master Nong Yue a promise. Rushing to Zhaixing Nong Yue Residence, Master Nong Yue was deeply moved by Zi Ling's compassionate chanting for the Palace Master Wuyou's soul. He requested a private conversation with her.
I was instantly displeased, and instinctively wanted to refuse. How could I not know that Young Master Nong Yue still harbored feelings for her? But Zi Ling looked at me with clear, resolute eyes, saying she, too, needed to speak to Young Master Nong Yue alone. I couldn't forcefully resist her request, so I reluctantly agreed, my heart aching with anxiety.
I don't know what they talked about, but from afar I saw Young Master Nong Yue overcome with emotion, even leaping into the pool. When they returned, Nong Yue's aura had changed dramatically, a mixture of grief and relief. Zi Ling, on the other hand, had a lingering worry on his face. Afterward, I healed Young Master Nong Yue's old injuries. We played qin and flute together, discussing history and the present. I felt a pang of regret, and if he hadn't coveted Zi Ling, we would have become close friends, sharing everything. During this time, he unexpectedly asked me if I was truly sincere to Zi Ling. "My heart is not made of stone; it cannot be bent," I answered with a firm, unwavering determination. This was both a declaration to him and a reaffirmation of my own.
Before leaving, Master Nong Yue gifted Zi Ling with a pot of seven-star crabapple he had personally planted. Zi Ling unexpectedly explained that the flower needed to be watered with wine, her words revealing her wisdom. Master Nong Yue admired her erudition and warned her to be careful, as it was poisonous. She calmly replied that whether it was poison or medicine depended entirely on the user's state of mind. Her words, like her, were insightful and open-minded.
However, Nong Yue's subsequent words, "I no longer need these worldly possessions," and his invitation to Zi Ling to take whatever he wanted from the house, evoked a sinister resolve. Ying'er keenly sensed this and pressed him eagerly, "Isn't it good to be alive?" Nong Yue simply brushed it off with a vague "Remember the agreement," his gaze flicking over me.
Alarm bells suddenly rang in my heart, a mixture of unhappiness and suspicion. There was a secret between them that I didn't know about, a secret that seemed to be about life and death. There was a secret between them that I didn't know about. This feeling of being excluded from her world made me more panicked than Young Master Nong Yue's obvious admiration. I had her before, but I lost her again. Now, could this shared secret, a secret about life and death, be the beginning of another rift? Would she, at some point, choose to bear it alone again, and then... push me away again? A promise about life and death? Young Master Nong Yue's resolute attitude... could it be that he was entrusting his last affairs? No, it was more than that. When he invited Zi Ling to take the things away, it was more like he was leaving his presence in... Zi Ling's heart. And the last look he gave me was full of provocation and unwillingness. This promise was most likely directed at me - for example, "If Ouyang Ming betrays you one day, the things I leave behind will give you a new choice"... This thought was like a poisonous thorn, deeply buried between her and me."
Back at the villa, she often stared at the pot of seven-star crabapples, clearly concerned about Nong Yue's well-being. I finally couldn't suppress my sour jealousy and sarcastically said, "Instead of being reminded of someone by seeing that thing, why not go find him?" The moment I said it, I regretted it. This wasn't my intention. My intention was... "Look at me. I don't want you to have any other man in your heart besides me. Please don't give me any chance of losing you again." But her absent-minded silence felt like the harshest punishment.
This soundless silence, like a thorn, pierced my heart. I knew Young Master Nong Yue's life was pitiful, and his heart must be broken at this moment. It was natural for Zi Ling to sympathize with him. But the excessive concern and the secrets we shared still made me feel uneasy. I envied his ability to tug at her heartstrings, and I worried about the danger hidden behind that "promise." It seemed I needed to find a way to understand Young Master Nong Yue's true intentions, and I must not allow any potential risks to harm my Zi Ling.
After leaving Zhaixing Nongyue Residence, she suggested visiting the Buddhist temple to worship. A bitter sense of loss washed over me. I knew she had good intentions, but this time, she was clearly praying for the resolute Nongyue Master. Was she trying to help him let go of his worries, or perhaps praying for his safety? Either way, it made my heart tighten. But seeing the faint trace of worry between her brows, I couldn't bring myself to refuse, so I silently accompanied her.
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