“If you like her, then go and win her back!” Shui Liu stood up from the ground again, glaring at Jin Lin and shouting angrily. With that, he turned around and stormed back into his room.
The night stretched on quietly…
Yun Qingxue lay on her bed, pondering her current predicament and the path ahead. Her mind was so clear that sleep eluded her entirely.
A gust of wind swept through the tightly shut room.
“Who’s there?” Yun Qingxue, still lying on the bed, immediately grew alert. Tonight had been quite eventful.
First, Feng Zihuang had secretly come to see her, then Cang Yan, followed by an assassin—she had nearly lost her life. Now, deep into the night, nearing dawn, yet another visitor had arrived?
“Xuexue, it’s me.” A clear, melodious voice accompanied the appearance of a golden figure before Yun Qingxue.
She looked at the person before her, her voice a mix of surprise and disbelief. “Jin Lin?”
Jin Lin’s beautiful eyes fixed intently on Yun Qingxue as he cut straight to the point. “Why are you marrying Cang Yan? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
After Shui Liu left, Jin Lin had stood alone in the pond for a long time. The more he thought about it, the more he suspected there might be some hidden reason behind Yun Qingxue’s decision to marry Cang Yan…
So, he had come. Whether his suspicions were correct or not, he needed to hear the truth to set his heart at ease.
“Jin Lin…” Yun Qingxue opened her mouth to call his name but then fell silent.
She didn’t know how to explain. Because she knew that if she told the truth, Jin Lin would never stand idly by.
But Jin Lin had already done so much for her—she owed him more than she could repay. How could she possibly trouble him further, drag him down, or even make him an enemy of Cang Yan because of her?
Jin Lin’s eyes, however, lit up as he stared intently at Yun Qingxue. “I was right, wasn’t I? There’s more to this, isn’t there? Xuexue, you don’t truly want to marry Cang Yan, do you?”
Yun Qingxue bit her lip and remained silent. At this moment, she was truly torn.
If she told the truth, Jin Lin would undoubtedly intervene, but that would mean dragging him into her troubles. Yet if she lied, and Jin Lin found out later, he would surely resent her for it.
To speak or not to speak—it was a dilemma…
“Jin Lin…” Yun Qingxue looked at the man before her, whose warmth and purity still reminded her of the morning sun, and slowly said, “There’s something I must tell you…”
“What is it?” Jin Lin watched her helplessly as the girl’s crystal-like eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
“I…”
Yun Qingxue wanted to tell Jin Lin about A’Dai, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she realized her breathing had become unsteady. All the strength she had shown over these past days seemed on the verge of crumbling at this very moment!
“Xuexue, has someone hurt you? Was it Cang Yan?” Jin Lin asked urgently, his hands clenching and unclenching in distress. “Tell me who it was, and I’ll go beat them up for you! You… you… don’t cry!!!”
“Wah—”
Tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes. Yun Qingxue didn’t know what had come over her. Facing Jin Lin now, all she wanted was to cry her heart out first.
“What happened? Tell me, and I’ll help you fix it!” Jin Lin’s handsome features twisted with worry, his breathing heavy and strained. He reached out toward Yun Qingxue’s shoulder, wanting to pull her close, but hesitated, afraid of overstepping. His hand hovered just a fist’s distance away, slowly curling into a tight fist.
“Wah—” Yun Qingxue suddenly rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Jin Lin’s waist.
Jin Lin stiffened, frozen like a wooden post, letting her hold him as he murmured softly, “Xuexue, cry first. Cry until you’ve had enough, until you feel better. Then tell me who hurt you. I promise I’ll beat them so badly even their own mother won’t recognize them!”
Yun Qingxue sobbed quietly, as if pouring out all the grievances and hardships she had endured.
Jin Lin sighed inwardly. He thought back to their first meeting—when she had demanded he not use magic, fought him like a wildcat, grabbed his hair, and asked like a queen if he surrendered. And now, here she was, reduced to tears…
The days since leaving the Water Clan must have been incredibly difficult for Xuexue…
After crying for a while, the sudden surge of sorrow and frustration within Yun Qingxue began to dissipate with her tears. Sniffling, she released Jin Lin and took a deep breath.
“Jin Lin… A’Dai… it…”
“That little brat of a snake—did it fail to protect you?” Jin Lin cut in urgently, his eyes instinctively darting to Yun Qingxue’s wrist, filled with reproach.
But when his gaze landed there, he realized A’Dai was missing.
A’Dai wasn’t there!
The realization ignited fury in Jin Lin’s heart. He had assigned A’Dai to stay by Xuexue’s side precisely because she lacked strength. And now, that wretched little snake had dared to neglect its duty?!
Suddenly, he really felt like having some snake soup!!!
“Where is that useless little snake?” Jin Lin demanded angrily, already deciding that once he found A’Dai, he wouldn’t waste a single word before giving it a proper “lesson”!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage