Could it be… that stubborn little thief managed to locate the sealed acupuncture point?
Nangong Huang narrowed his eyes, channeling his inner energy. A sudden wave of force caused the jars behind him to tumble to the ground. Among the scattered items, a silver needle caught his attention.
The man slowly landed and bent down to pick up the tiny silver needle. Instantly, Nangong Huang understood what it was—the very needle sealing the acupuncture point near his tailbone, the one dispersing his internal energy. That pig-headed woman had actually used some bizarre device to extract it from him.
He raised his hand and inspected his palm. The deep blue bruising had noticeably faded, a clear sign that some of the cold poison in his body had been expelled. He hadn't expected that ridiculous woman to possess any real skills.
But… where was she?
That damned woman actually dared to run off while he was asleep?! If he caught her again, he would—
What's this?
His wicked eyes glinted as they landed on a piece of paper on the nearby table. It seemed to be… a portrait?
Curious, he approached and picked it up. Nangong Huang's brows furrowed as he stared at it. The corners of his mouth twitched.
What in the world was this bizarre painting style?! It was unmistakably him—who else could it be? But if he hadn't recognized his own features, anyone else would've thought it was a stunning beauty drawn on the page! Even worse, why were there so many roses surrounding him?! As if he were sleeping among blooming flowers, his expression… both rejecting and welcoming at once.
Crack… crack… The sound of his knuckles cracking echoed ominously.
It wasn't hard to imagine who the culprit behind this was! She actually dared to draw such an indecent image while he was asleep!
Just then, a soft groan echoed from behind the screen. Nangong Huang's gaze flicked to a pile of clothes on the floor. Wait… wasn't that pig-headed girl supposed to be gone?
He silently moved closer. The mist over the healing pool had mostly dissipated, and through it, he could faintly make out the figure of a young girl sleeping by the water's edge.
Her shoulders were bare, exposed to the air, revealing a delicate collarbone and slender arms.
Snowy peaks rose and fell gently beneath the water with her steady breaths, the scene steaming with warmth and inexplicable allure.
That foolish girl dared to sleep in his healing pool?! Wait a second...
A flicker of interest sparked in Nangong Huang's eyes.
Su Yiyi's face, once red, swollen, and ugly, now appeared much less so after being soaked in the spring water. Her features had softened and become more refined—almost… beautiful?
He raised an eyebrow. He was well aware of the pool's therapeutic effects. Could it be that this pig-headed woman wasn't truly as hideous as she first appeared?
The Left Protector had informed him that she was the third daughter of the Xiang family. But her behavior, her mannerisms—nothing about her aligned with the elegance of a noble lady. She was more like a wild village girl. That made her identity even more suspicious. Could it be that the real third daughter of the Xiang family had already died… at her hands?
Nangong Huang silently approached the unconscious girl. She was draped in Master Bai's robe, lazily fastened at the waist, which somehow made her look even more… tempting.
His slender fingers reached toward her exposed collarbone, trailing down the smooth, milk-white skin to her delicate throat—finally pausing at her pulse.
With a slight exertion of force, he could snap her neck on the spot.
His gaze turned icy. To him, Su Yiyi was a walking danger. In his usual style, he'd rather kill a hundred innocents than let a single threat escape. Why bother identifying her true identity? Just kill her now.
And yet… his hand remained suspended in the air.
He couldn't help but recall her worried expression earlier. A strange feeling stirred within him. Even he was surprised to find that at this moment… he had no desire to kill her.
Forget it. Once she's fully recovered from the cold poison, it still won't be too late to dispose of her.
...
"Hehehe... Pretty one, don't leave... Come, have another drink..."
Splash!
With a startled twist, the restless girl slipped and fell into the pool, sending bubbles rising to the surface.
"Wah—cough cough cough—"
Su Yiyi shot up from the water, splashing wildly as she glanced around in panic. "Who?! Who attacked me?!"
But all she saw was an empty room, no trace of anyone suspicious.
What was going on...? A sudden cold breeze brushed past, and the once-warm pool now felt icy. Su Yiyi shivered and pulled her arms around herself. She remembered how cozy the water had felt earlier… she must've fallen asleep and had a dream!
She dreamt a gorgeous woman confessed her love and proposed marriage in gratitude for saving her life! Haha, what a beautiful dream—if only she never had to wake from it.
But wait... where was that beauty now?
Her mind quickly sobered. Wasn't she supposed to be purging poison and restoring her beauty? What time was it?!
She rushed to the window and saw the pale light of dawn stretching across the river's surface.
With a yelp, Su Yiyi leapt from the pool, splashing everywhere as she scrambled to collect the scattered clothes on the ground. But the moment she picked them up, a foul odor wafted up and made her wrinkle her nose.
Ugh… She couldn't possibly face the beauty in such a stinky state!
Suddenly, a glow emanated from the bundle of clothes. Su Yiyi froze. What... was that?
She reached out cautiously and touched something smooth and warm.
It was the goose egg she'd taken earlier! It was glowing a soft, golden yellow. If it kept shining like this... Could it be hatching soon?!
Her mouth twitched as she stared, horrified by her own thought. She imagined a fluffy gosling waddling after her everywhere. She could barely take care of herself—how could she raise a goose?!
Gurgle... Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten a single grain of rice since getting kidnapped by the Left Protector yesterday. And now… she was holding a giant goose egg.
What if she just… roasted it?
Suddenly, the egg began to tremble violently in her hands, as though it sensed Su Yiyi's dangerous thoughts. It shone even brighter in protest.
She blinked. Was she hallucinating? Could a goose egg actually be nervous?
"Alright, fine. You're not even enough to fill a single tooth," she muttered.
The egg seemed to relax, its glow dimming instantly.
Interesting. Very interesting. Su Yiyi smirked, deciding she'd keep this little guy. Who knew? It might surprise her one day.
She dug into her pocket and retrieved the pearl hairpin she had stolen from Nangong Huang. Twirling it in her fingers, she muttered to herself, "The beauty doesn't have a lover… the beauty doesn't know how to fall in love… So what do I have to be afraid of?"
But… if she had to say she liked him, Su Yiyi figured—since God had placed such a handsome man in front of her, wouldn't it be a waste not to treasure him? After all, she loved admiring handsome men. If she made him hers, she could stare at him every day, all she wanted!
The very thought made her giggle dreamily.
"Yaaawn!" Oh no—she was getting carried away again. Time to find something proper to wear.
The young woman tiptoed out from behind the curtain and saw the sofa empty. Silver needles and medicine jars lay scattered across the floor. Her beauty was definitely awake now. Then that meant…
Did he realize she had slept in his pool? Did he notice she wasn't wearing clothes? Did he… see her naked?!