After Becoming a Succubus, I Was Offered to My Mortal Enemy - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Having finally coaxed Ayuan back to a calm state, Sikong Xue finally had the chance to ask the question lingering in her heart.

“Ayuan, how exactly did you become a princess of the foreign tribes? Did you suffer any grievances while you were there?”

Sikong Xue’s heart ached at the memory of Ayuan being sent as a tribute, dressed so thinly and walking barefoot on the ground. How could those people treat Ayuan like that? Fortunately, she had brought Ayuan back to the manor in time, preventing her from being bullied or scrutinized like a mere plaything.

Ning Yuan shook her head. “I don’t know why I became a foreign princess either. I only know that after Yuchi Jin stabbed me, it hurt so much… When I opened my eyes again, I was on a carriage, a tribute of the foreign tribes. I heard from their maids that the girl originally chosen was unwilling to be a tribute and went on a hunger strike throughout the journey. I suppose because she died of starvation, I had the chance to return in her body.”

Hearing Ning Yuan say this, Sikong Xue felt nothing but heartache. No wonder Ayuan was so thin when she first arrived at the manor. No wonder she looked so terrified. Back then, for the sake of “testing” her, she had actually done those things to Ayuan. Not only did she tear Ayuan’s clothes, but she also intentionally had people prepare food Ayuan disliked.

Fortunately, the current Ayuan could eat those things; otherwise, she would truly die of guilt.

Seeing Sikong Xue’s eyes filled with sorrow, Ning Yuan sighed. “The events of the Ning family have only felt like a few months to me, but for all of you, it has been a grueling five years.”

If Sikong Xue was this heartbroken, her mother and grandmother must have suffered even more. The one who died is gone and at peace, suffering little pain. But those who live must endure every day, unable to rest.

Ning Yuan reached out and poked Sikong Xue’s cheek, saying, “Sikong Xue, don’t be sad anymore. Listen to Yin Chiyun and take good care of your health. If you get sick and die, I will definitely marry someone else.”

Hearing Ning Yuan speak like this, Sikong Xue felt even more remorseful. The Ayuan before her was only eighteen; though she was at a marriageable age, she was still young. How could she have done such a thing to Ning Yuan…

Sikong Xue held Ning Yuan’s face and said, “Ayuan, from now on I will definitely treat you well. I will never bully you again. I will take good care of my own body and never give you the chance to marry someone else. If I say something wrong and make you angry, you can hit me or scold me, and I will never complain. Only… you must never sulk in silence; do not cry until you harm your health.”

Sikong Xue, who usually only knew how to bully her, was suddenly talking like this, and Ning Yuan felt a bit unaccustomed to it for a moment.

Ning Yuan said, “Sikong Xue, since you like me, why did you always say those things to make me angry in the past?”

If Sikong Xue had been willing to coax her like this before, they would never have reached this point.

Sikong Xue said with some regret, “In the past, you were always so intimate with Yuchi Jin. You were always calling her ‘Sister A-Jin’ this and that. The moment I heard it, I lost my head with anger; how could I manage to say pretty words to make you happy?”

Back then, Ayuan called Yuchi Jin “good sister” over and over. But Ayuan was unwilling to call her “good sister” even once, nor was she willing to be that intimate with her. Perhaps in Ayuan’s eyes, Yuchi Jin was indeed a bit special.

Ning Yuan realized belatedly and said with a shocked face, “You were always fighting with Yuchi Jin’s people… because of me?”

She had thought Sikong Xue just liked to fight… Now that she thought about it, Sikong Xue only ever seemed to have trouble with Yuchi Jin. If others displeased Sikong Xue, as long as it wasn’t too excessive, she never seemed to hold a grudge.

Sikong Xue pulled her into her arms and said, “Ayuan, can we please not mention Yuchi Jin anymore? Every time you mention her, I feel sad.”

She could choose not to care about Ayuan’s past feelings for Yuchi Jin, she could strive to forget that Ayuan had personally agreed to marry Yuchi Jin, and she could choose not to be jealous that Ayuan had personally embroidered the wedding robes for that marriage… but the moment she heard Ayuan call Yuchi Jin’s name, she felt so miserable.

Especially since the dagger Yuchi Jin used to stab Ayuan’s abdomen was the very one Ayuan had given her. Back then, when Sikong Xue saw Yuchi Jin flaunting that dagger in front of her, she was angry for a very long time. She hated seeing Ayuan give Yuchi Jin anything. It was like a token of love—it was loathsome.

If the one accompanying Ayuan today hadn’t been her sister, or if Yuchi Jin had said something else today to lure Ayuan away, what would she have done? The mere thought made Sikong Xue feel a wave of lingering fear.

Seeing Sikong Xue like this, Ning Yuan felt a sudden surge of pity. Ning Yuan wasn’t that clear on matters of love herself. In the past, she hadn’t fully understood her feelings for Sikong Xue and thought they were rivals. Now that she had clarified her own heart, she didn’t know how to tell Sikong Xue that she didn’t have those feelings for Yuchi Jin, and that nothing improper had ever happened between her and Yuchi Jin.

Her original intention to marry Yuchi Jin, aside from Yuchi Jin always pretending to be considerate, was also the thought that an imperial marriage alliance would stop the Emperor from being so wary of the Ning family.

So many things had happened in these past few days that Ning Yuan felt her mind was a mess, unsure how to straighten things out or how to explain it all to Sikong Xue.

Thinking of her family still in exile, Ning Yuan said dejectedly, “We’re getting married at the end of the month. Such a major event, yet it’s a pity Mother and Grandmother cannot be there.”

If her mother and grandmother knew she was marrying Sikong Xue, and if they knew Sikong Xue was willing to treat her well, they would surely be overjoyed.

Sikong Xue smiled and said, “That is why I told you when choosing the floral crowns since you can’t decide which one you like better, we shall hold two weddings. The next time, we’ll wait until Auntie Wan and the Old Madame return to the capital and all the trouble has vanished; then we’ll hold a grand ceremony.”

Ning Yuan was slightly surprised. “So when you said two weddings, you weren’t joking?”

So Sikong Xue had planned to marry her all along.

“But with this, the Grand Commandant won’t be angry, will she?”

Ning Yuan remembered that the Grand Commandant disliked most of all Sikong Xue using her power to act recklessly.

Sikong Xue said, “Ayuan, do you know? My mother recognized you long ago.”

“What did you say?” Sikong Xue’s casual sentence frightened Ning Yuan so much she stood up abruptly.

Thinking of the Grand Commandant coming to the manor yesterday to talk to her, Ning Yuan had thought her disguise was seamless.

“Then… then why didn’t the Grand Commandant expose me? Doesn’t she hate lying most of all?”

Having returned in another’s body, Ning Yuan still possessed a child-like heart.

Sikong Xue reached out and pinched Ning Yuan’s cheek, saying, “Mother knows you are thin-skinned; how could she expose you to your face? Do you know, after you left last night, Mother thought I was bullying you and straight up made me kneel as punishment.”

“Made you kneel? Then… the Grand Commandant didn’t beat you, did she?”

After all, Ning Yuan had watched the Grand Commandant chase Sikong Xue and beat her from childhood to adulthood. Sikong Xue looked much more stable now; if the Grand Commandant were to beat her, Sikong Xue likely wouldn’t be running all over the place anymore. Still, for someone so grown to be spanked by her mother was truly piteous.

Speaking of which, every time Sikong Xue got beaten, it was either because of her or because of Yuchi Jin. And today Sikong Xue had laid bare her heart—even the conflicts with Yuchi Jin were because of her. If she kept causing Sikong Xue to get spanked, Ning Yuan truly couldn’t bear it.

Sikong Xue saw the worry in Ayuan’s eyes and asked with a face full of expectation, “If I said Mother beat me, would your heart ache for me?”

If Ayuan said her heart ached for her now, she might actually go intentionally provoke a beating.

Hearing Sikong Xue say this, Ning Yuan knew she was fine.

Ning Yuan let out a light snort and said, “If Auntie beats you, it must be because you deserved it. I won’t feel sorry for you.”

Furthermore, Sikong Xue had bullied her.

“Still calling her ‘Auntie’? The wedding date is set; if you change the address and call her ‘Mother’ now, she’ll likely be even happier than I am.”

Ning Yuan’s face turned even redder. This all came too suddenly; she wasn’t prepared at all. Was she really going to call the Grand Commandant “Mother” so soon?

Thinking about her time by Sikong Xue’s side, Ning Yuan suddenly remembered something.

“Sikong Xue, that time you hired a foreign chef to cook for me. I wasn’t used to foreign food, so I came out in the middle of the night to find something to eat because I was starving. But you… you thought my ‘heat’ had risen and nearly did that kind of thing with me! How do you explain that!”

At the mention of that incident, Sikong Xue felt a wave of guilt. At that time, she had already accepted the fact of Ning Yuan’s death; she thought the person before her was just a foreign woman with a similar appearance. When she thought the person’s “heat” had risen, she truly developed the intent to help her…

Being like that, did she truly “fall in love with someone else” as Ayuan said…

Ning Yuan glared at Sikong Xue furiously. “Fine, Sikong Xue, you HAVE fallen in love with someone else!”

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