Chapter 51 The venomous snake's dark eyes stared straight at her, as if...
*
The bamboo in the courtyard turns greener every year, and the handsome young man, as delicate as jade bamboo, gradually grows into a gentle and refined man, but his warm and tolerant gaze remains unchanged.
Whenever she was looked at like that, she would secretly think to herself that if there were a next life, she would still want to be his brother and sister, preferably biological siblings.
In an instant, the warm scenes in her memory were covered by the falling snow. Before her was a face that seemed to be covered by frost, with unusual handsomeness, yet it made people feel intimidated.
"No." Her answer was very firm, and to show that she was telling the truth, she even swore, "I said it from the bottom of my heart."
She knew exactly how she felt about Mu Lin; it was just that his face made her feel a sense of familiarity, and she couldn't help but want to look at him a few more times.
"What should you do if you develop feelings for him over time?"
They're so afraid she'll get entangled with Mu Lin that they're taking such precautions!
She stared intently at the person before her, her unwavering gaze like a black sea, as if a great wind had risen, and for a moment, huge waves surged endlessly.
"I've already told you I consider him an older brother, yet you insist on asking if I might develop feelings for him over time? Lord Mu, what exactly do you mean?"
"I just want to know, in your eyes, will the bond between siblings change?"
"Won't!"
Even if I were to live in another world, this would not change!
Why are you so sure? There's always a chance something might happen.
When will this ever end?
"I said I wouldn't, and I won't. If Lord Mu doesn't believe me, there's nothing I can do." She was a little annoyed, her rebellious nature provoked, and she pulled the blanket over her head.
The blanket provided some sound insulation, and when the snow-like voice penetrated, it sounded somewhat heavy, "...Perhaps I can help you."
"..."
Neuropathy!
She abruptly threw off the covers and was caught off guard by a pair of deep, dark eyes, so gloomy and lifeless, like a lake plunged into eternal darkness.
A strange feeling arose in my heart, and I felt somewhat inexplicable.
"I wouldn't dare trouble Lord Mu for my help. If you can just leave my affairs alone, that would be helping me. You'd be better off worrying about your own business."
At this point, she was a little puzzled as to why Mu Lao Jiu didn't ask about Yu Liu Zhu's dream.
Could it be that you forgot?
If she thinks about it later, she'll probably still ask, so rather than being bothered by this person again, she might as well be a good person.
“Yu Liuzhu once had a dream in which she married Mu Lin and their relationship became cold. Everyone in the Marquis’s mansion treated her badly, but you were the only one who helped her.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Hanshi's expression remained unchanged.
His gaze was calm and deep, but it seemed to darken slightly when it swept over the lingering bruise on Shen Qinglu's forehead.
The room was dimly lit, like the vastness of heaven and earth, silent and speechless.
In the eerie atmosphere, Shen Qinglu felt increasingly unable to see through the person in front of her. Did he really care about Yu Liuzhu?
A muffled groan came from outside. Xia Chan slowly woke up and immediately realized that something was amiss in the air. She glanced at the two people in the inner room and was shocked.
The young girl on the bed, her hair loose and dressed in a single garment, sat wrapped in a brocade quilt, as beautiful and pure as a peach or pear blossom in March. The man standing beside the bed, with his slender figure slightly bent over, looked like an uninvited guest who had come to pluck her.
"Girl!" she exclaimed, rushing over without a care in the world to stand in front of Shen Qinglu.
Upon seeing him, she recognized Mu Hanshi, "Mu..."
Shen Qinglu covered her mouth and said to Mu Hanshi, "It's getting late, Lord Mu, please go back."
Mu Hanshi straightened his back gracefully, switching freely from black to white, his posture as elegant as a tree standing out in the forest, exuding utmost composure. He walked out step by step, as leisurely as if he were at home.
Shen Qinglu released Xia Chan only after he left the house.
Xia Chan was still in shock. "Miss, why would Lord Mu come to see you in the middle of the night?"
"He didn't want me to have anything to do with Prince Mu, so he came specifically to tell me this."
"The marriage between the two families is a matter for the Marquis and his wife, as well as the master and his wife to decide. No matter how much he dotes on the young master, there is no reason for him to be in such a hurry. To come to see the young lady in private is really a breach of etiquette and rules. This servant feels something is amiss..."
Not to mention Xia Chan, Shen Qinglu herself felt the same way.
"You don't know, he's a very strange person."
Mu Hanshi, who was still in the dark, overheard the entire conversation between the master and servant.
He stopped, looked down at himself, and a sudden change in his expression appeared in his eyes.
Perhaps he is just a very strange person!
*
Two people were sitting atop the Void Tower of Da Xuan Kong Temple.
One is Yu Jingliang, and the other is Cheng Ying.
After drinking two jugs of wine, Cheng Ying finally spoke, "Thank you for today."
Yu Jingliang knew that this was to thank him for helping to confront Madam Jiang during the day.
The two had a history of being at odds, and he was not used to it. "I'm not doing this for you. Madam Jiang said some hurtful things. I'm just standing up for my sister."
"Regardless, thank you for what you said."
He scratched his head. "To be honest, I didn't like you at first. You're capable, but you always seem a bit ambiguous, and the way you talk makes people uncomfortable."
"What do you mean by neither yin nor yang?" Cheng Ying's effeminate face was slightly flushed with alcohol. Although she should have been angry, there was an indescribable feeling in her eyes.
Yu Jingliang was afraid he would make a move, so he waved his hands repeatedly, "Don't make a move from such a high place. If anyone falls, it's no joke."
He snorted coldly and said, "I won't bother with you today."
The sky was completely black, with neither stars nor moon.
The high-hanging lamp somewhat compensated for this, resembling both the moon and stars.
The night breeze is cool, and drinking and chatting is the most carefree and comfortable thing to do. Even people who don't get along normally can find peace in this setting.
Perhaps it was the gentle night, but Yu Jingliang found him much more agreeable tonight. "I know your parents passed away when you were very young, and it's not your fault that you didn't receive any parental guidance. I, on the other hand, have parents who are still alive, but I've always been someone who wasn't loved by my parents since I was a child."
My mother favored my eldest brother and doted on Tang'er the most. Whenever Tang'er cried, my mother would cherish her dearly, wanting to stay by her side day and night. But what about me? I'm a child too. I also want her to hold me and say those comforting words to me.
Colleagues in the same battalion usually know each other's backgrounds, and since he is a relative of the Mu family, he can also learn about his situation through Mu Lin.
He took a big gulp of wine, seemingly muttering, "Do you resent your mother?"
Yu Jingliang also took a big gulp and wiped the wine that had dripped from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. "I used to think that I was resentful, but in the past few days, I don't know why, perhaps because Ali was found and my mother has changed a bit, I realized that I don't actually resent her. I just want her to care about me."
The usually carefree man was now somewhat embarrassed, but fortunately, the smell of alcohol masked his awkwardness.
Cheng Ying lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.
They sat there until the sky changed color.
As dawn broke, Yu Jingliang returned home, reeking of alcohol. He dared not use the main gate, side gate, or even the back door, but instead scaled the wall. He navigated the route with practiced ease, and no one saw him until he reached his residence.
To his surprise, as soon as he entered his room, he saw Shen Qinglu sitting calmly, presumably waiting for him.
“This morning when I got up, Mother gave me the household management certificate and appointed me as the head of the household. I quickly increased your allowance and personally delivered it to you.”
"Good sister." Yu Jingliang couldn't help but burp as soon as he opened his mouth, and the smell of alcohol instantly became stronger. "I had some drinks with my colleagues yesterday. Men have to have some social engagements."
The duty of the Divine Martial Guard is to protect the entire Donglin City. There are day shifts and night shifts. When Shen Qinglu arrived, she did not see him and assumed that he was on night shift, so she thought she would wait for him.
Upon seeing him, I smelled alcohol and guessed that he must have been drinking with someone, but I didn't think much of it. Now that he has explained, I feel that something is amiss.
As he got closer, the smell of alcohol seemed to be mixed with other odors.
Shen Qinglu has a keen sense of smell and immediately recognized the scent as the incense and candles from a temple. "Where did Second Brother and his colleagues drink?"
“...Just an ordinary tavern.” Yu Jingliang took the silver pouch, weighed it in his hand, and said, “Ali still cares about me the most. Thank you.”
Then he poured himself a cup of tea, drank it all in one go, and then refilled it.
"I couldn't go to that temple to see the stars last time. If you want to thank me, Second Brother, remember to take me there again."
Upon hearing this, Yu Jingliang nearly choked on his second cup of tea, which he was only halfway through drinking, and coughed several times.
Shen Qinglu found it amusing, but put on a serious face. "Second brother, drink slowly. This is not urgent. I know you are busy. If you have time, you will definitely take me with you. You wouldn't forget about your little sister and take another girl instead, would you?"
"...Ah Li, I..." Yu Jingliang's face turned red, whether from coughing or from embarrassment, "We're all grown men, what girl are we talking about?"
"Did Second Brother go stargazing with his colleagues?"
"..."
Yu Jingliang then realized that he had been tricked into saying something.
Shen Qinglu's eyes curved like two dark crescent moons. "Are you with Lord Cheng?"
"You...how did you know?" Yu Jingliang exclaimed in surprise. "You saw it?"
"I guessed."
Where is she going to look?
Of course, it's just a guess.
"I see that you have a close relationship with Prince Mu and Lord Cheng. If they really have something to discuss, they should both invite you for drinks. However, I think that given Prince Mu's personality, he would probably have a fierce battle with you, lasting hundreds of rounds. As for Lord Cheng, he is the kind of person who is meticulous and thoughtful, so it's not surprising that he would watch the stars with you."
Yu Jingliang was truly shocked this time.
How can a person be this smart!
If he hadn't experienced it firsthand and witnessed it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that his exceptionally intelligent younger sister had actually been mentally challenged for over a decade.
“Ah Li, you are so amazing, so smart. If you continue like this, then…” He wanted to say that if his younger sister had been smart since childhood, she wouldn’t have had to suffer so much.
Shen Qinglu lowered her eyelids. "I don't know what God's arrangement is."
If it weren't for the will of Heaven, how could Mother have dreamt of her in her future life? If it weren't for the cycle of cause and effect, how could she have transmigrated here? Everything is preordained, this is what "what if" means.
Yu Jingliang spat several times and pretended to slap his own face. "Second brother is talking nonsense after drinking. Second brother is not good. Ali, don't be sad. Things are already very good as they are."
Shen Qinglu raised her head and smiled slightly, "Second Brother is right, this is already excellent."
*
People kept coming in and out of Liufang Xiaozhu, carrying things away: boxes of clothes, calligraphy and paintings, and even the crabapple tree in the courtyard was uprooted.
The servant carrying the box lost his balance and knocked over the box full of clothes. A bunch of bright red dresses and skirts scattered on the ground, instantly getting covered in dirt. They were then hurriedly stuffed back into the box.
This scene was clearly visible to those not far away, and it was particularly glaring.
"Miss, I just asked them, and they said that all these things must be pawned or sold, and nothing will be kept." Dengzhi's voice was trembling with sobs.
She wasn't saddened by Yu Liuzhu's passing, but rather anxious about her own future.
"Young lady, is Madam really so heartless? She used to love you so much..."
“I know Mother. She’s not a heartless person. All of this must have been Ali’s idea.” Yu Liuzhu’s face was calm, and her eyes were even more gloomy.
A loud noise was heard, and the crabapple tree in the yard fell down.
Several servants worked together to tie the tree up and carry it out.
“Girl, they won’t even keep that tree. It was planted by the lady herself the year you were born…” Dengzhi exclaimed, asking the people, “It’s just a tree, why are they digging it up? Where are you going to throw it?”
One of the servants hesitated before replying, "This tree will be sent to the kitchen."
"A perfectly good crabapple tree, which has been carefully tended and cared for over the years, and would soon be covered in blossoms, is now being used as firewood..."
"The young lady has already changed, what's the use of keeping these things?"
A cool breeze swept by, and Yu Liuzhu felt a chill in her clothes. What those people were carrying away was not her inanimate objects, but her dignity and pride.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but the things should have been moved out and the servants had gradually left. She walked step by step toward the courtyard that was now unrecognizable, feeling lost and disoriented.
The crabapple tree in the courtyard had been dug up, leaving a very deep pit. The door to the main house was wide open, and the house was completely empty. The plaque above the house, whether deliberately placed there or fallen off by itself, lay there forlornly on the ground.
The four characters "Liu Fang Xiao Zhu" above must have been trampled on, covered in mud and dirt, as if it had fallen from the clouds into the mud, and there was no trace of its former lofty status left.
"Born on the same day, month, and year, a pear tree in full bloom overshadows a crabapple tree."
An extremely cold and indifferent voice rang out, and she turned around in astonishment.
Shen Qinglu arrived at some point and stood by the pit. "A pear tree will be planted here. In a few days, the tree will be covered in white blossoms, which will be even more pleasing to the eye than the crabapple."
"What exactly did you do? What did you say to Mother?"
Why would someone who raised and loved her for over a decade be so heartless?
“I don’t need to do anything.” Shen Qinglu walked towards her step by step, then stepped over her and onto the plaque. “The name Liufang Xiaozhu is outdated. From now on, it will be called Liyuan.”
"Ah Li, if you are reasonable, you should know that no matter what the fault is, it is not mine. I am just like you, both of us were forced, both of us are innocent, so why won't you let me go?"
“I’m not going to let you go, it’s you who’s not going to let yourself go.” Shen Qinglu leaned closer, her dark pupils flashing with fire. “If you’re reasonable, you should know that we’re back to where we are now, and you should give up everything the other has, instead of pestering my mother and trying to get her to continue to love and protect you.”
"Our mother-daughter relationship spanning over a decade..."
"A cuckoo has taken over the magpie's nest! What kind of mother and daughter are they!"
“You don’t understand.” Yu Liuzhu raised her chin. “My mother and I are mother and daughter destined by heaven.”
Was it ordained by fate?
Shen Qinglu's face showed sarcasm. "Your mother is Yu Qingxue."
"She isn't!"
“How can she not be?” Shen Qinglu chuckled. “You probably don’t know how much you and she are alike. You’re both insatiable, greedy and unaware of your own insatiable desires, thinking that everyone owes you something!”
Yu Liuzhu wanted to deny it, to refute it, but suddenly remembered her past life.
When Yu Qingxue visited her, the servants in the Marquis's mansion were not only neglectful, but their expressions and words were also full of contempt. When she sent someone to the kitchen to tell them to prepare a few more dishes, the head cook made all sorts of excuses.
She was so angry that she went to confront the old woman herself. She heard the old woman say, "You still want to eat well? Do you really think our Marquis's Mansion owes us anything? You greedy bastards, how dare you come to the Marquis's Mansion to act like family? Bah!"
"No...that's not it, I wasn't greedy." In her flustered gaze was a face that was beautiful but not seductive, with dark eyes staring straight at her, as if it weren't human.
Just like when they first met.
The person who terrified her did not let her go, approaching her little by little. "Yu Liuzhu, you must remember, whether you are innocent or not, no one owes you anything. If you feel wronged and blame fate for playing tricks on you, it is the sins committed by your own mother, Yu Qingxue, and has nothing to do with anyone else!"
"What... exactly do you want?"
Shen Qing's cold, green gaze swept over the pool of water. "On the day of the Awakening of Insects, you hosted a banquet for your friends here. The music was incessant, and it was quite lively. I just wanted to take a few more glances, and then someone pushed me into the water. When I was struggling in the water, did you really not hear a thing?"
A fleeting fragment flashed through her memory. When the original owner of this body fell into the water, she saw in her terrified vision the person in front of her turning their head to look at her, but she turned her head away as if she hadn't seen them.
Even if it wasn't a rebirth, but just a dream, anyone with even a shred of compassion would find it impossible to remain so indifferent and unmoved.
Xia Chan, who was guarding outside the courtyard gate, suddenly made a gesture, and she immediately understood.
"Sister Tang'er, do you know what it feels like to drown? The water is so dark and cold. I wanted to scream, but the water was like mud sealing my mouth and nose. I couldn't breathe. It was so painful."
Yu Liuzhu felt a chill run down her spine and repeatedly denied it, "I don't know, I didn't see it..."
"You saw it! I saw you see me fall into the water, and you didn't save me. You just wanted me to die! You've been using my identity for sixteen years, and my mother has loved you for sixteen years. I beg you, please give my mother back to me, okay?"
She grabbed Yu Liuzhu's arm, squeezing it so tightly that Yu Liuzhu felt a sudden pain and instinctively tried to shake her off. She swayed a few times, about to fall to the ground, when Shen Linlang rushed over and pulled her back firmly.
Shen Linlang was trained in martial arts and was much stronger than the average person. With a pull and a tug, she straightened and stabilized her.
"Mother, Sister Tang'er refuses to give you back to me."
"Mother, don't listen to her nonsense, she..."
"Smack!"
Yu Liuzhu was so shocked that she forgot to cover her face.
In her utterly shocked pupils, besides Shen Linlang's grief-stricken and angry face, there was also a strikingly beautiful yet eerie face, its dark eyes looking at her with mockery, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
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