"Brother, is my face broken? Hurry and take me to the hospital," Song Yanxue said urgently. She had always treasured her face the most and carefully tended to it every day. How could she let even the slightest imperfection mar it?
"Okay." Song Ziyuan turned the direction and sped toward the hospital.
On the other side, a jeep cruised steadily along the bustling street.
Ling Yue did not look at the man beside her even once, admiring the scenery along the way. The summer breeze blew through her silky black tresses, causing a few strands to playfully dance across her face.
"Yue'r, could you say something to me?" Qin Lie pleaded, his voice tinged with hurt.
"Stop the car," Ling Yue said impassively.
Qin Lie pulled over to the side of the road. "Yue'r, I know I was wrong. You can punish me however you like—kneel on a keyboard, kneel on a durian, kneel on a rake, or even stab me a few times. Just look at me, please?"
Ling Yue opened the car door. "Qin Lie, I don't want to see you again." Whatever grievances they had in their past life were over, but in this life, she didn't want any relationship with him or to feel anything for him again.
"Yue'r." Qin Lie grabbed the departing Ling Yue, looking at her imploringly with reddened eyes. "Yue'r, give me another chance, please? I finally found you again, and I don't want to lose you anymore."
Ling Yue shook off Qin Lie's hand and walked out of the car, slamming the door coldly behind her.
"Yue'r." Qin Lie hurriedly followed her out, not daring to get too close in case she became angry. He trailed behind her at a distance, silently watching her. She ignored him, which pained him, but seeing her also satisfied him because he was no longer alone in this world. He now had someone to care about, and his heart had finally found where it belonged.
Ling Yue knew Qin Lie was following behind her. If he liked to follow, let him follow. After all, the street didn't belong to her, and she had no right to forbid him from walking on it.
The two proceeded one after the other.
Ling Yue returned to the small courtyard where she lived and closed the gate in front of Qin Lie. She didn't hide her address from him since it would be easy for someone of his standing in Xia Country to find out where she lived.
Qin Lie stood outside the gate, gazing at it and listening to the voices of Ling Yue and Granny Xu coming from inside.
"Young Miss, why are you alone? Where is Lord Lan Ji?" Granny Xu paused in her pruning of the flowers and plants to look at Ling Yue. These flowers and plants had all been sent by Lan Ji, who said the courtyard should have more greenery so that when the flowers bloomed, seeing them would brighten one's mood.
Noticing Ling Yue's somewhat displeased expression, Granny Xu asked, "Young Miss, what's wrong? You don't look in a very good mood."
"It's nothing. I'm going to rest for a while." Ling Yue didn't feel like talking at the moment and just wanted to be alone.
"Alright, go rest then. I'll call you when the food is ready." Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue's retreating figure with concern. "What's bothering the Young Miss so much?"
Ling Yue closed the door to her room and sat on the bed, closing her eyes to try cultivating for a bit. However, she couldn't calm her mind no matter what, so she opened her eyes in annoyance. "It's all because of that wretched man. Why can't he just disappear from my sight forever?" She knew she still had feelings for Qin Lie, but she really didn't want anything more to do with him.
Noticing the painting she had just brought back on the table, Ling Yue reached for it and slowly unrolled it, revealing a magnificent landscape painting.
Ling Yue's red lips curved into a slight smile, her mood improving a little. Her slender, fair fingers traced the painting lightly, tracing a talisman that caused a golden radiance to emanate from the painting. The entire painting condensed into a small golden point that entered Ling Yue's brow and instantly vanished.
Touching her brow, which had a refreshingly cool sensation, Ling Yue smiled in delight. With a thought, she suddenly appeared in a vast wilderness. In the distance were layered mountain peaks, forests, streams, rivers, deserts... This was like a miniature world.
Ling Yue's form flickered, and in the next instant, she appeared inside a magnificent palace. The palace was resplendent with gold and jade, utterly opulent. Night Luminescent Pearls the size of fists were used merely as lamps for illumination. Various precious materials and Spirit Stones were piled high like small mountains, while Spirit Fish frolicked merrily in the Spirit Lake.
Removing her clothes, Ling Yue entered the Spirit Lake, intending to have a refreshing bath. This miniature world was something her late mother had passed down to her. Apart from their secret talismans, even if someone else obtained it, they would be unable to unlock it.
Lan Ji spotted Qin Lie standing at the gate like a guardian statue from afar. He arched an amused eyebrow and approached him. "Why are you standing outside instead of going in?"
"Yue'r won't let me in," Qin Lie said, a hint of dejection in his voice.
Lan Ji rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Can't you speak properly? You don't even sound like yourself anymore."
Qin Lie remained silent, head lowered. He didn't want to act this way either, but he was truly heartbroken. Yue'r wouldn't forgive him or see him, and his heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife.
Lan Ji shook his head helplessly, walked over, and pushed open the courtyard gate. "Come in, then."
"Okay." Qin Lie hastened to follow him. It wasn't that he had entered on his own accord—Lan Ji had told him to come in, so Yue'r shouldn't be upset with him, right?
