After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 59

Ran Fanyin’s face instantly turned cold. She stepped forward and reached out to touch the bed, her brows furrowing. “It is still warm. She left not long ago.”

Lin Yuxue quickly said, “I will immediately instruct them to move the hiding place and then split up to search.”

“Wait,” Ran Fanyin stopped Lin Yuxue’s movement. “It shouldn’t be what we think. Although Ning Songwu is heavily injured, her consciousness is still clear. If she were forcibly abducted, the bed sheet wouldn’t have just a few wrinkles like this. Judging from the way the blanket is piled and the neatness of the bedside, it looks like she got out of bed herself.”

“So, maybe she just left to take a walk and clear her mind?” Lin Yuxue sighed in relief, shaking her head and laughing.

Ran Fanyin frowned and carefully looked around. When she saw a pile of clothes stacked at the foot of the bed, her gaze sharpened a few degrees. “The set of men’s clothes she was originally wearing is missing.”

Lin Yuxue walked to the table, about to pour a cup of water to catch her breath, when she noticed a slip of paper pressed under the teacup. She laughed, “Look at you, so caught up in worrying that you missed this. Isn’t this a note she left?”

Ran Fanyin stepped forward, took the note, and checked it. A few words were briefly written on it:

Out for a casual walk. Please do not worry.

“How is it? Is it her handwriting?” Lin Yuxue drank a few sips of water.

The anxiety hanging in Ran Fanyin’s heart was temporarily relieved. The handwriting on the note was indeed Ning Songwu’s, but she still felt somewhat uneasy.

“In any case, this is not an ordinary time. We still need to find her immediately and leave Zhongyang City at once,” Ran Fanyin said firmly.

Near an alley entrance in Zhongyang City, there were few miscellaneous people passing by. It was just before dawn, and the sky was dark and dim. If someone were murdered in this secluded place, no one would notice.

Ning Songwu held her messy collar with one hand and clutched her chest, breathing lightly. As she gasped, she looked up at the woman in front of her.

“What exactly… do you want to do?”

Miaoshan tilted her head slightly, her posture carrying an indescribable allure. She let out a low laugh. “What do you think? Naturally, to kill you.”

“If you wanted to kill me, why go to all this trouble?… You are a subordinate of Wen Jinglei. What kind of connection do we have that warrants you seeking me out privately?” Ning Songwu narrowed her eyes, staring intently at Miaoshan.

When she was lying in bed earlier, a person suddenly jumped in through the window, startling her into a cold sweat. She had thought Miaoshan would immediately take her life, but Miaoshan only held a dagger to her neck, forced her to casually pick up some clothes to wear, and then compelled her to personally write a note and press it on the table before grabbing her collar and taking her out.

Although Ning Songwu’s mind was hazy, she could figure out that if Miaoshan had been personally sent by Wen Jinglei, she definitely wouldn’t have carried out this series of actions. Miaoshan forcing her to handle the aftermath was clearly to prevent the people in the inn from suspecting she had been there, or even to mislead them into thinking Ning Songwu had gone out on her own.

But why?

Miaoshan curved her lips in a charming smile. “Very well, I won’t tease you. It’s indeed not the Gate Master who sent me. It’s… another formidable person. He instructed me to find you and tell you something.”

Ning Songwu’s mind was in a fog. How was it that… another person was involved?

“I know you overheard something outside back then,” Miaoshan slightly lifted her hair, her smile becoming more sinister. “You must remember the Concubine Si Tomb, correct?”

“Yes…” Ning Songwu replied in a low voice.

“My Lord wants me to tell you to go take a look at the Concubine Si Tomb. There…” Miaoshan lowered her head and gave a dark, eerie laugh. “There is something you want to know.”

Ning Songwu inexplicably shivered at the words, her voice trembling slightly. “Why me? Why… don’t you look for someone else, but specifically me? Why… would there be something I want to know?”

“You’ll know once you go. However, do not tell anyone about this, including your Master. There are some things she clearly knows but has been keeping from you… Hehehe, you just need to understand it yourself.”

“You are not Wen Jinglei’s person. You serve another master. Why should I believe you?” Ning Songwu frowned, looking at Miaoshan.

“We are strangers. I was only commanded by my Master to remind you. You’d best keep this matter to yourself, contemplate it thoroughly, and don’t be so quick to tell your Master everything… Once you go to the Concubine Si Tomb, you will probably understand. Hehehehe… Ah, also, if you have no clue, go and ask the people of the Handle Mountain Sect…” Miaoshan’s smile intensified, and her steps gradually retreated backward.

“Tell me clearly, what’s wrong with my Master? Who exactly is the Lord you speak of? Who else is there besides Wen Jinglei?!” Ning Songwu raised her voice, rushing forward a few steps, attempting to grab Miaoshan.

However, Miaoshan retreated very quickly, her feet performing bizarre qinggong movements. She still wore that chilling smile, and in a few blinks of an eye, she disappeared from the alley entrance.

Ning Songwu used her qinggong to chase after her. Her heart was flustered by Miaoshan’s words, as if something was about to burst forth in her heart, yet she couldn’t fully grasp it.

Miaoshan walked very fast. Ning Songwu was completely unfamiliar with the complex structure of Zhongyang City and dashed around like a headless fly. Her chest felt tight and suffocated, like a raging fire that couldn’t be extinguished no matter how she tried to calm down.

Master… What could Master be hiding from her?!

No… No… She should think clearly, calm down, and consider it carefully.

She had stayed on North Fa Mountain for so many years, never having any contact with outsiders during that time. Who was the Lord Miaoshan spoke of? Since he addressed her by name and gave her somewhat cryptic instructions, perhaps he knew her from when she was a child? But what was her identity as a child, and how would she become involved with Miaoshan and her group?

And the Concubine Si Tomb… What exactly was there? What did Miaoshan want her to know, or what was it that her Master was allegedly hiding from her?

Crucially, she had always thought that the driving force behind the former Heaven’s Falcon Cult, now the Heaven Incineration Gate, was Wen Jinglei. But why did she always feel that there was another, more crucial figure behind the scenes… This person knew her, and knew many people.

“Lingqiu Mountain… Concubine Si Tomb…” Ning Songwu softly muttered these words. She looked up at the bleak sky ahead. It was still very early, and there were few people on the road. The morning light vaguely shone on the brick ground of the street.

What part of Zhongyang City was this?

Her steps paused, and a thought suddenly slammed into her mind.

She had been out for too long, far too long. Master would be worried.

What was the Concubine Si Tomb anyway? Maybe everything Miaoshan said was just nonsense, a lie to confuse her, none of it true. Right now, wouldn’t it be more important to go back quickly so Master could see her?

Ning Songwu blinked several times, recovering her thoughts. She looked around. The street here was very wide, with remnants of yesterday’s vendors still visible on both sides, suggesting it was likely a market area.

Not far away, an old man had arrived very early and was carrying things down. Seeing he was the only person around, Ning Songwu went up to ask for directions.

“Elder, excuse me, what place is this?”

The old man turned his head and looked at Ning Songwu. Since Ning Songwu was wearing men’s clothes when she came out, he took her for a young gentleman. He smiled and said, “Young Master, this is the market. It’s still early. The other vendors will only come to set up stalls later.”

Ning Songwu was about to ask how to get to the inn when she inadvertently looked down and saw a pile of fresh hawthorns in a basket beside the old man. Each one was plump and round, still glistening with fresh moisture. Beside the basket, there was an oil pot with something shimmering and glossy inside.

“Elder… what are you selling?” Ning Songwu couldn’t help but ask.

“Selling tanghulu (candied hawthorns). This old man came early, so I’m setting up the pot and making them myself. Once I finish a bundle, more people will come.” The old man smiled, looking at the hawthorns and the pot beside him.

Master… wasn’t she still angry with her before?

She had been very angry back at Floating Jade Tower, and Ning Songwu had promised to buy her a bundle of tanghulu. But now, Master was even angrier than before, perhaps even more so because she had disappeared without a trace.

Could tanghulu still appease Master?

“Elder, since it’s still early, I’ll give you some silver. Will you teach me how to make tanghulu?” Ning Songwu sat down on the steps nearby, resting her head on her hand and looking at the old man.

The old man was somewhat surprised and stopped his tidying. “This old man has been selling tanghulu for so many years, and no one has ever wanted to learn this craft. Why does the young master make this request?”

Ning Songwu lowered her head. Thinking of Ran Fanyin, the corners of her lips involuntarily turned up.

She pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly. “My wife at home is upset with me. I did something wrong, and she is mad at me. She usually loves this little treat. I thought, when I go home later, I can’t always go out and buy it for her. If I learn how to make it, I can use this little treat to coax her every day.”

“The Young Master is so handsome. Your wife must also be a beautiful young lady. Come,” the old man said gently, motioning for Ning Songwu to come over and watch how he made the tanghulu. “Couples living together are bound to quarrel a few times. She is a girl, and you must proactively coax her and cherish her well. As a woman, living in this world is already difficult in many ways. You should value her even more.”

“Mm,” Ning Songwu nodded. After a moment, as if something occurred to her, she hesitated and asked, “What if… what if one day she lied to me? Lied to me about something very important.”

“Did you quarrel over that? Since she is your wife, how could she bear to lie to you? And how could you bear to doubt her?”

“Right… right… she is my wife. I should trust her.” Ning Songwu pursed her lips and smiled, yet the corners of her eyes felt slightly sore, with an urge to cry.

“Young Master, watch closely now. The ingredients for the syrup… After it boils, you roll the skewered hawthorns in the pot…” The old man focused on demonstrating for Ning Songwu, his hand movements skilled and precise, every action executed perfectly.

Ning Songwu was watching the old man roll the hawthorns when she suddenly felt a chill behind her. Then, a slightly cool hand gripped her wrist. The fingers of that hand were trembling slightly.

Ning Songwu turned her head abruptly and saw Ran Fanyin standing behind her. Her light, tea-like eyes were slightly narrowed, as if she was restraining something. Her pupils seemed to ripple with water, reflecting points of light.

“Where did you go?”

Her voice was still flat and cool, yet with a tremor that was hard to detect.

Ning Songwu opened her mouth, intending to tell her about Miaoshan, but then remembered Miaoshan’s repeated instructions not to tell anyone. She was suddenly silent, unable to figure out how to speak.

“The city is very dangerous. I was very worried about you.” Ran Fanyin slightly lowered her head, her hand gripping Ning Songwu’s wrist tightly, trembling even more severely. “You are injured, and it is my fault. I came out looking for you, searching for a long time.”

“I… I’m fine,” Ning Songwu said softly, looking at the tanghulu stall in front of her. She casually made up a lie. “I just wanted to come out for a walk and happened to run into this tanghulu maker. Didn’t I promise you a bundle of tanghulu before? Wait a little longer. When they’re all done, I’ll buy them for you.”

“I don’t want them. Let’s go first. Zhongyang City is not safe to stay in for long. I said I was angry with you before, but that doesn’t count now. As long as you stay well and safe by my side, I will never be angry with you.” Ran Fanyin held a faint, light smile, resting her gaze gently on the side of Ning Songwu’s face.

Ning Songwu felt as if her heart had melted into a puddle of water at that moment.

The old man continued his work, laughing as he spoke. “Young Master, this must be your wife, correct? See, I told you, this is how couples live—the more they quarrel, the better their relationship becomes.”

“Wife?… Did she tell you that?” Ran Fanyin rarely responded to a stranger’s words. Her expression was momentarily stunned, but then she showed an extremely faint smile. “Yes… that’s right…”

Ning Songwu secretly thought, How unreliable is this old man, how can he… just blurt out anything…

“The young lady is truly beautiful. This old man has lived for so many years and has never seen such a beautiful woman. Here, I’ll give this skewer of tanghulu to the young lady. I hope the two of you live in harmony from now on… What a perfect couple.”

Ning Songwu quickly took out some silver and handed it over. “I’m buying it for her.”

The old man exclaimed, “I already said I’m giving it to you! Why are you giving me money!”

“Elder, you are running a business, and besides…” Ning Songwu lightly glanced at Ran Fanyin, whose elegant aura of a remote valley orchid emanated beside her. She smiled softly. “This is what I’m buying to apologize to my wife.”

The old man refused a few times but then accepted the money and bid farewell to Ning Songwu and Ran Fanyin.

Ning Songwu laced her fingers with Ran Fanyin’s with one hand, and with the other, she held the tanghulu and fed it to Ran Fanyin’s mouth, watching her bite the bright red tanghulu bit by bit. The originally messy clothes…

She should be well. Slowly, peacefully, she would hold her hand and walk the rest of the way.

Ran Fanyin swallowed the hawthorn in her mouth and suddenly said softly, “Can you… teach me how to cook in the future?”

“Of course, yes. Whatever you want to do, I will agree to it.” Ning Songwu lifted their intertwined hands and kissed Ran Fanyin’s fingers, her voice full of doting affection.