When Ouyang Huai and the servants rushed over upon hearing the news, Madam Ouyang had already been settled down to rest by the maids.
He cupped his hands apologetically toward White Cat and Jiang Zhiyu. "Alchemist Ji, Young Master Jiang, I am truly sorry. My wife's hysteria had improved greatly in recent years; I do not know why it suddenly flared up again tonight. I hope you can forgive the disturbance."
"It is no matter," White Cat said dismissively, turning to look toward the distant southwest. "That evil aura fled in a panic, most likely retreating to its lair. Master Ouyang, do you know what lies in that southwestern direction?"
Ouyang Huai's expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal, saying lightly, "It is merely an ordinary mining vein. Nothing special."
"Young Master Ouyang's nightly nightmares might be connected to this evil aura." White Cat pondered for a moment before saying seriously, "If Master Ouyang trusts us, my disciple and I will stay in your manor starting today. Should the young master experience any further anomalies at night, we will be able to respond in time. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, the gloom on Ouyang Huai's face instantly dissipated. "That would be wonderful! With Alchemist Ji holding the fort, my heart can finally be at ease. I will leave everything to your arrangements. Thank you both!"
Jiang Zhiyu silently glanced at his master, a trace of helplessness surfacing in his eyes, but knowing the gravity of the matter, he had to swallow his words.
He turned to look at Song Yueyao, only to see her looking calm and composed, completely unbothered.
The commotion here had startled the guests in the side courtyard.
Several men dressed as guards stood far away at the entrance of the side courtyard, casting stealthy glances and conversing in low voices:
"That person dressed in men's clothing, why does she look like... the Princess?"
"It is her. I have seen her in the palace a few times, I definitely would not be mistaken. To think that after escaping the marriage alliance with Yuebai, she would appear here in Qianwu Town. Perhaps Yuebai's stolen Phantom Color Stone is in her hands."
"Do not alert the snake by beating the grass. We will follow her in secret first, and then report to Grand Preceptor Yin and our Lord."
On the way here, there were two palanquins.
On the way back, however, there was only one left, seating three people.
Once again, Chai Xiaomi sat in the innermost seat of honor.
Meanwhile, Wu Li and Song Yueyao sat on the left and right sides respectively, each remaining silent.
The moment Chai Xiaomi thought about White Cat and Jiang Zhiyu staying behind in the Ouyang manor, meaning she didn't even have a cat to pet anymore, she instantly felt a bit disappointed.
She felt as if the main character group had been broken up, leaving her feeling somewhat depressed.
Usually the one who loved to liven up the atmosphere, she didn't say a word now. From the moment they left the gates of the Ouyang manor, disappointment was written all over her face.
"Sitting for so long is uncomfortable. I am going to get out and walk for a bit to get some fresh air," Song Yueyao suddenly broke the silence. As she raised her eyes, a faint trace of loneliness flashed through them. "I will head back on my own later, you do not need to wait for me."
Chai Xiaomi keenly caught her sadness. Tonight's brief parting with Jiang Zhiyu perhaps made Song Yueyao realize that after passing Youquan Town, they would truly go their separate ways. Thus, at this moment, she probably just wanted to be alone in peace.
"Alright, Sister Yao, please be careful," Chai Xiaomi reminded her softly.
"Mhm," Song Yueyao replied. As she lifted the palanquin curtain, she didn't forget to look back and add, "Wu Li, take good care of Xiaomi."
However, the young man did not even tilt his head, too lazy to even cast a glance her way.
His gaze landed quietly on the purple sandalwood box in Chai Xiaomi's arms, as if he hadn't heard Song Yueyao's words at all.
Chai Xiaomi couldn't stand it anymore and reached out with her foot to lightly tap the tip of his shoe. "Hey, Sister Yao is talking to you, didn't you hear?"
"I heard," Wu Li slightly raised his eyelids.
"Must I answer her? Does taking care of you, such a trivial matter, require an outsider to remind me?"
His deep voice held not a single ripple of emotion, and his frosty eyes made one feel absolutely no warmth.
As soon as these words came out, Chai Xiaomi was stunned.
Hadn't he always treated Song Yueyao differently from others, with a noticeably better attitude, gentle words, and a well-behaved smile, completely acting the part of a polite and docile youth?
Why did it suddenly seem like he was a different person?
This kind of dismissive attitude was Wu Li's standard behavior.
But at this moment, he was treating Song Yueyao with that same indifferent attitude, even adding a bit of impatience and disdain.
It was as if after dealing with it for so long, he finally didn't need to pretend anymore, finding even half-hearted responses too troublesome.
Such a massive contrast also left Song Yueyao slightly stunned for a moment, but no annoyance arose in her heart. On the contrary, she felt that Wu Li's previous smiling eyes and harmless innocence were like a meticulously painted false skin.
And the expression before her now was his truest self, without a hint of an act.
It seemed he had always disdained talking to people and resisted others getting close, only liking to stick to Xiaomi to talk and touch her.
Remembering that Xiaomi had mentioned Wu Li recently developing a strange rash, Song Yueyao suddenly understood: no wonder Xiaomi could develop antibodies. Being touched and bumped by her own husband every day, she must have become immune long ago.
Perhaps Wu Li was just in a bad mood because of this rash.
Song Yueyao said no more and didn't take it to heart, simply lifting the curtain and exiting the palanquin.
"What is wrong with you, Lili?" Chai Xiaomi lifted the carriage window curtain, looking at Song Yueyao's retreating back, full of confusion at his abnormal attitude.
Thinking back carefully, it was probably from the time she returned from fetching things with Ouyang Rui that she faintly noticed something was wrong with him. He was as gloomy as a male ghost, as if detached from everyone else.
Could it be that when she went with Ouyang Rui to fetch things earlier, something else happened besides Alchemist Ji catching the evil aura?
For example, did Song Yueyao refuse to initiate contact with Wu Li, causing him to be unable to plant the love gu and thus fly into a rage out of humiliation? Youtiao had warned earlier that his emotional fluctuations had spiked to a historical peak; could it be because of this?
"I do not know what is wrong with me either..." Wu Li stared at her face.
After a long time, he sighed softly. His eyes suddenly became hazy, and the corners of his mouth lazily curled into a half-smile. That smile was as pale as if tainted by sickness, sending an inexplicable chill down one's spine.
Chai Xiaomi was just about to ask again when the palanquin suddenly jolted violently!
The wheels seemed to have hit a massive boulder. Just as the carriage was about to overturn, it suddenly steadied itself and returned to calm.
In the violent shaking, Chai Xiaomi lost her balance entirely and lunged forward. Just as she was about to crash into the carriage wall, an arm firmly wrapped around her waist, pulling her back so that she fell right into his embrace, sitting on his lap.
Amidst this chaos, Wu Li hadn't moved a muscle; his posture hadn't shifted even a fraction.
The servants following the carriage outside were alarmed and uncertain. After checking several times, they found absolutely nothing under the wheels. Hearing no sound from inside the palanquin, they assumed it was a false alarm and continued moving forward.
Chai Xiaomi naturally couldn't make a sound—
Because her lips had been fiercely captured by the young man.
The very moment her body was steadied by him, the purple sandalwood box in her arms rolled into the corner of the palanquin. Before she could even cry out, she was about to bend down to pick it up when he yanked her back into his arms, his movements carrying a touch of roughness and brutality.
She was just about to open her mouth to scold him, but he locked her tightly in his embrace and kissed her as if his life depended on it.
It didn't feel like a kiss; it was more like biting and tearing, carrying a force that seemed to be venting some hidden rage.
A sharp pain pierced her lips; he had clearly bitten them until they bled. She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed with all her might, but could not move him a single inch.
Perhaps annoyed by her resistance, the young man suddenly seized the wrists pushing against his chest. To him, her slender wrists were as soft and pliable as willow branches. With effortless ease, he twisted them behind her back and gripped them tightly.
With her hands pinned behind her waist, Chai Xiaomi was just about to struggle.
But Wu Li seemed to act deliberately. He yanked her wrists upward, forcing her hands from her lower back to her shoulder blades. He held them firmly in place, entirely stripping her of any room to fight back.
The metallic taste of blood between their lips grew thicker. She turned her head to escape, but he caught her lower lip between his teeth, relentless and refusing to yield a single inch.
In her panic, her gaze suddenly collided with the young man's slightly narrowed, heterochromatic eyes. Dark, unfathomable emotions surged within them, so intense that it made her heart pound with fear.
It was as if he were silently warning her: the harder she tried to hide, the more viciously he would bite.
So, Chai Xiaomi stopped moving, surrendering herself to his teeth.
Sensing her submission, he seemed instantly appeased. The savage biting gave way to sudden tenderness, transforming from a ruthless gnawing into a soft, lingering kiss.
His sharp teeth finally spared her delicate lips, and instead, the tip of his tongue ventured out.
Like a healing balm, he gently licked away the trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.
Upon tasting her blood, his violent storm of emotions vanished into thin air. He suddenly became incredibly cautious, even displaying a hint of lost hesitation. Like a small wild beast tenderly licking a wound, the faint, damp coolness fell upon her lips like spring rain, brimming with tender affection.
A lingering trace of copper quietly seeped between her teeth.
His senses of smell and taste were as sharp as a feral beast's.
Then, the young man's slightly trembling tongue, as if silently asking for permission, softly brushed against the seam of her tightly pressed lips.
Little by little, he gently pried them apart.
Like a hatchling snake leaving its nest for the very first time, it was wet and probing, carrying a damp warmth amidst its innocent inexperience.
Trespassing into foreign territory for the first time, an imperceptible thrill of excitement lay hidden beneath his trembling.
Carefully and tenderly, he slid past her teeth, sweeping away every last drop of the lingering blood.
