Chapter 106: Fatal Attraction

That night’s sleep was not a peaceful one for Xue Xue. Her head felt dull and heavy, and her feet seemed utterly numb, as though they no longer belonged to her. When she woke, fine snow was already drifting outside the window, falling in thick, scattered flurries like cast salt.

Only, it seemed she had awakened at the wrong moment. Zuoqiu Liyе was sitting by the bed, and who knew how long he had been there.

"Xue Xue, you are finally awake. I have been greatly concerned." His fingers lightly traced the outline of her face, his tone and movement faintly flirtatious.

He lowered his phoenix eyes and gazed at Xue Xue’s composed features.

Whether to brush his hand away or not, Xue Xue was somewhat torn, but the choice was not hers to make, for she had not the slightest strength left in her body. She let out a quiet sigh. Zuoqiu Liyе was certainly fortunate.

"Your Lordship, news has come from the Dark Pavilion," came Elder Yue’s voice from outside.

"I shall return shortly." With that, Zuoqiu Liyе gathered his robe and rose with graceful ease, walking out. "What is it?"

Elder Yue stood at the door in a robe the color of moonlight, soft and refined. "Actually, for the past few days, someone suspicious has been watching us. His martial skill is quite formidable. Though we can sense his presence, we have been unable to pinpoint him."

"How curious. There is someone the Dark Pavilion cannot catch?" Zuoqiu Liyе lifted his phoenix eyes, his handsome, sinister face touched with doubt.

"Indeed. I, too, found it strange," Elder Yue replied with a faint smile. Then he added, "But we already have a plan. We only need to see who he is after, then draw him out." He cast an intentional glance toward the room, making his target obvious.

"I am also curious to know who dares to contend with me for someone." He smiled wickedly, the expression indescribably eerie and dark. "What is your young mistress doing over there?" Lifting his eyes, he saw Gongshen Ling'er standing atop the distant tower.

"The young mistress may think the visitor is Lord Ji," Elder Yue said as he, too, glanced at the purple figure not far away, a trace of helplessness appearing on his face.

"Keep an eye on her. Do not let her ruin our affairs." Zuoqiu Liyе withdrew his gaze. "Sending her back to the Dance Kingdom would not be a bad choice either."

"Rest assured, Your Lordship. The young mistress knows what is more important," Elder Yue said.

On the tall building in the distance, Gongshen Ling'er sat there holding her jade flute, staring at the leaden sky on the horizon. Snowflakes drifted through the air, leaving specks of white upon her hair, yet she paid them no mind. All about her was an atmosphere that could only be called sorrow.

"The young mistress has been troubled these past few days. If Elder Jin were to see her, he would surely be heartbroken," Elder Yue said as he came to stand beside her, his voice gentle.

"May I take that as you using Elder Jin to press me?" she asked, turning her eyes slightly toward him. If Elder Jin knew that the cause of her distress was Ji Wuqing, he would probably not comfort her, but punish her instead.

After all, the relations between the two nations were delicate, and war was imminent. No matter what, she and Ji Wuqing could only be enemies.

"Seems that in the young mistress’s eyes, I am exactly that kind of person."

"I was only speaking carelessly." Gongshen Ling'er shook her head and looked up at the sky full of drifting snow. "Is Your Lordship’s little snow girl all right? After being tormented like that, even if she did not die, she must have been frightened half out of her wits. Still, it is fortunate that she is back in our hands; otherwise, I would have saved her for nothing."

"In my view, although that Blood Empress is but a frail woman, her nature is quite cold, like a plum blossom of a woman."

A woman as tenacious as a plum blossom, a woman proud and unbending through frost and snow, how could she be easily defeated or tamed?

"It is no easy thing to hear you praise a woman," she said, turning to look at Elder Yue. "From this, it seems that this blind woman truly is no ordinary person. All of you have a very good impression of her."

No wonder Ji Wuqing had gone to such lengths for her.

But that was precisely the part she could not let go of.

By the next morning, the small mountain village still lay half asleep, a thin veil of mist hanging both near and far.

At Flower Rain Pavilion, by the time everything had been packed away, they were ready to set out. Xue Xue had long since lost any desire for sleep. Zuoqiu Liyе carried the still-feigning-sleep Xue Xue onto the carriage. Her eyes remained shut the whole time, and her feet had been frozen to the bone. At the very least, she would not be able to move for the next few days, and she did not know whether she would later be left with lasting frostbite.

When they departed, she did not see Yue Ying, nor did she see Luo Hua. Of course, since they were guests, they would naturally leave on their own; Zuoqiu Liyе had no need to bid them farewell.

She leaned against the carriage, feeling it begin to move. It progressed very slowly, for the snow on the road was indeed deadly.

Evening.

After traveling all day, they spent the night in the forest.

"Sister, your medicine."

It was a familiar voice.

"Yue Ying?" A faint ripple crossed Xue Xue’s calm expression, tinged with confusion.

No, how could Yue Ying be here?

"Coughed cough, Sister Xue, you heard right. It really is me." Yue Ying sat down beside her in a very unceremonious way, not the least bit aware of the surprise in Xue Xue’s voice.

Xue Xue did not know what to say. In the face of this girl, she had always had trouble grasping the point. Since Yue Ying was not asking, she decided not to bring it up either.

"I know what Sister is thinking now. That sissy-looking fellow really does not look like a good person. But precisely because of that, I have to follow you. If this goes on, Sister, you are going to suffer a great loss." Yue Ying rested her chin on her hand, speaking with fierce indignation. "Why has Ji Wuqing still not come to save you? Why is he letting that sissy keep bullying you?"

"What do you, a little girl, understand?" Xue Xue shook her head, though her heart warmed at the words.

Still, that nickname was one she had not heard in a long time, and it felt rather strange, utterly unlike Zuoqiu Liyе’s bearing.

"Sister, I am only two years younger than you." Yue Ying instantly felt a little awkward. Did she really look that young? Or was she truly so childish?

"Aren’t you a little girl all the same?" Xue Xue took the medicine cup Yue Ying handed her and drank it in one gulp. The body was, after all, the capital of revolution. After all this tossing about, hers was beginning to feel unable to bear it.

"It is all that sissy’s fault. He keeps making Sister take medicine." Looking at Xue Xue’s pale and haggard face, Yue Ying felt uncomfortable. "I really want to beat that fellow named Zuoqiu whatever into the ground. Best if I beat him so badly even his own mother would not recognize him!"

"What a grand boast."

A ghostlike man stood beside the carriage. The deep brown-red brocade robe he wore was exceptionally alluring, like a blood-red spider lily blooming in exquisite splendor. A smile curved his lips, elegant and dazzling beyond measure.

"Zuoqiu..." Yue Ying froze for an instant, unable to recall the rest of the name. The next moment, a smile appeared on her face. "That is not quite right. A person ought to have lofty ambitions; otherwise, what accomplishments can he have? Besides, do you think I was born scared? Like I would be afraid of you, you venomous beauty?"

Yue Ying spoke with cheerful ease, her words clean of obscenity, yet they instantly changed Zuoqiu Liyе’s expression.

Xue Xue inwardly cried out that this was bad. Zuoqiu Liyе must hate it when people commented on his appearance.

"Oh? Is that so?" Zuoqiu Liyе looked at Yue Ying’s shining eyes, murderous intent glimmering in his own. "Your eyes are very beautiful. If they were dried out, would they still be blue? Shall I dig them out for you?"

His words carried no hint of whether they were true or false.

Without a word, Xue Xue moved to shield Yue Ying behind her, her face expressionless. If Zuoqiu Liyе truly made a move, then she would have no choice but to expose her secret.

The two of them stood in silent confrontation, where silence was louder than speech.

"Hey! Fine, even if it was my fault, I can apologize to you, all right? Just do not be impulsive. Impulsiveness is the devil!" Yue Ying naturally understood how grave the atmosphere was, and how dangerous the situation had become. For now, the only thing she could do was admit defeat.

She could not make things harder for Sister Xue. Besides, that venomous beauty really did look as though he meant to dig out her eyes.

"That is indeed better." Zuoqiu Liyе seemed satisfied with her good sense. "Someone, invite her into the carriage behind mine. Attend to her properly."

Yue Ying no longer dared say anything. The more she said, the more wrong she would be.

Xue Xue did not stop him either. This was good; it would keep Yue Ying far from Zuoqiu Liyе. If Yue Ying provoked him again, it would be dangerous.

The night wind was bleak, and all around was a world of white. The thick smoke from the campfire was blown into disarray, and the aroma of roasting game was scattered by the wind, everything looking a little off.

"Your Lordship has come away with quite a harvest this time," Xue Xue said, leaning against the carriage as she felt the cold wind carry the scent of barbecue in through the window, brushing gently over her face.

"How does Xue Xue know that?"

"After expending such great effort, was it not for gain?" Xue Xue countered.

"Since Xue Xue puts it that way, this lord has indeed gained something." Zuoqiu Liyе looked at her, his gaze carrying a fervent heat.

That day, the weather was sullen, like a pond stirred into muddied turbidity, murky and bleak.

After several days on the road, Xue Xue was utterly exhausted. At the moment, she was curled in a corner of the carriage, drowsing in and out of sleep. The ride was unsteady, and her body swayed incessantly.

On the other side, Zuoqiu Liyе rested his chin on one hand, eyes fixed on her sleeping form. His gaze was veiled in mist, as though he were lost in a fogbound forest, seeing her and yet not seeing her.

Her image was reflected in his eyes. Her body rocked and swayed, and swayed until it seemed she would fall to the cold floorboards. Zuoqiu Liyе merely watched in silence, as though he had no intention of helping.

Just as Xue Xue’s forehead was about to meet the cold floor in intimate contact, Zuoqiu Liyе’s sleeve swept past, and she fell steadily into his arms.

"How amusing..."

He murmured to himself, his voice soft as silk and bamboo, steeped in enchantment. He reached out and drew a thin blanket over Xue Xue’s shoulders, and after doing so, he seemed to fall into a daze.

Amusing indeed. She had actually made him care this much.

Xue Xue only felt more comfortable, and continued sleeping peacefully. Looking at the girl in his arms, he lightly let his fingers trace her cheek. Such an ordinary face, and yet what was it that made it so compelling?