novelraw Chapter 117: Why did you come back?
Chapter 117: Why did you come back?
BaiShe did not take offense at this reaction. He resumed his nonchalant walk. "If you say so, Ling’er. But know that as long as you remain under my protection, I must ensure your image remains impeccable. How will I find you a husband if you are always so careless?"
"Who is careless?"
Nevertheless, Ling’er’s confusion only grew. She followed him, watching his elegant silhouette make its way through the crowd with absolute ease. She hated the way he dominated every situation, even the simplest. More frustrating still, she hated that a part of herself, the part not yet broken by betrayal, continued to seek this kind of attention.
"Why did we come to this city precisely?" she asked to break the oppressive silence of her own thoughts.
"To observe the heart of the world," he replied without turning around.
"Soon, the succession ceremony will make you a public target, and me the Dao Executor. These moments of simplicity will then be as rare as primordial-grade spiritual grass. Enjoy them, Ling’er. For under this sky, peace is but an illusion that we must savor before it is devoured by the coming khaos."
Ling’er remained silent, pondering these words. She knew he was right. The storm was approaching, and this immersion in mortal life was merely the calm before the disaster he would orchestrate himself.
Yet, as she watched him stop to observe a child playing near a fountain, she could not help but wonder...
’Who is the real BaiShe, the scholar or the demon?’
...
Night had fallen over the merchant city, enveloping the dusty alleys in a silence broken only by the distant barking of a few stray dogs.
Inside the Traveler’s Rest Inn, the atmosphere was stifling. BaiShe closed the wooden door of their private room, a cramped space whose mud walls exuded the smell of dry straw and old wood. In the center of the room, a single bed with rough linen sheets constituted the only comfortable furniture.
BaiShe removed his monocle, wiping it with a handkerchief before replacing it.
"Why do you like adjusting your monocle so much?" Ling’er asked.
"Well, I suppose it’s a tic, I do it when I’m thinking intensely about something..."
"Hmmmm..."
Ling’er stood near the window, observing the curtain of mist that gave the city its name. Her golden eyes, usually so piercing, seemed troubled by an inner turmoil she struggled to hide behind her usual mask of coldness.
"This inn is rather basic for a princess of the Xuan family..." BaiShe began in a monotone voice, breaking the heavy silence. "Therefore, this young scholar will step aside to preserve your comfort. I will sleep outside, on the terrace. It would be inappropriate for a rumor, even in this lower realm, to tarnish your virtue."
Ling’er startled, her fingers gripping the stone windowsill. Indeed, she had spent the last few hours struggling against memories of her past life, the one where BaiShe had manipulated her before ripping out her heart.
Yet, at this moment, the prospect of seeing him walk away caused an unbearable tearing inside her. Her regressor’s heart screamed betrayal, but her body, still trapped by the attraction he exerted on her, refused to let him leave.
"No..." she murmured, her voice very low.
As BaiShe was about to cross the threshold, he felt a slender, trembling hand close around his forearm. He stopped dead, but did not turn around immediately.
[Ding! You have gained 2000 luck points!]
"Ling’er?" he asked, feigning surprise.
She pulled him toward her. BaiShe turned slowly, and found himself facing a Ling’er whose face was marked by intense redness.
Their faces were now so close that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his lips.
"Don’t go..." she repeated, her golden eyes fixed on his with a devouring intensity. "I don’t want to be alone here. Stay... the bed is big enough."
In an impulsive surge, Ling’er closed her eyes and tilted her head, her lips desperately seeking BaiShe’s. However, just before the contact could be sealed, she felt a cold hand gently rest on her shoulder, pushing her back with polite firmness. BaiShe stepped back, his expression having become a mask of icy neutrality.
"What are you doing, Ling’er?" he asked, his voice devoid of all emotion.
"You are my little sister. Such behavior is not only inappropriate, but it is an insult to the filial piety laws that govern our clan. We may share this room out of necessity, but never forget the blood bond that unites us."
The shock was so violent that Ling’er felt as if her Dantian had just cracked. Shame instantly overwhelmed her. She lowered her head, her black hair masking her face, devastated by guilt.
Indeed, she had just surrendered herself to the man she had sworn to destroy, and she had even believed that BaiShe loved her too, while he considered her merely his little sister...
"I... I’m sorry..." she stammered before rushing to the bed, wrapping herself in the woolen blanket to mask the sobs beginning to shake her shoulders.
BaiShe observed the curled-up silhouette for a few seconds. He let out a weary sigh, adjusting his sleeves before leaving the room in silence.
’This naive little girl is like an open book. It’s far too easy to manipulate her.’
...
Two hours passed. Two hours during which BaiShe sat on the terrace ledge, using his Omega Heart to filter the impure Qi of the lower realm and stabilize his own Qi. Afterwards, he stood up and re-entered the room. The darkness was total, only pierced by a moonbeam.
He approached the bed and sat on its edge. He reached out and began gently stroking the top of Ling’er’s head.
"I know you’re not asleep..." he murmured.
Ling’er flinched.
At first, she tried to push his hand away, but the gesture lacked conviction. On the contrary, she ended up turning over and, in a movement of total vulnerability, she clung to BaiShe’s robe, nestling her face against his chest.
"Why did you come back?" she asked between ragged breaths.