I Need To Find A Way To Make Her Love Me Again - Chapter 36

The sound of intermittent murmuring drifted from behind the pearl curtains. The woman lying on the couch snapped her eyes open, looking utterly dazed. She sat up, her head throbbing and heavy.

Finding herself mysteriously in another bed yet again, she turned to see a woman sitting at the table wearing a bamboo hat. A black veil completely concealed her features.

The sudden sight gave Yan Xingyu a start. Feeling the figure looked familiar, she spoke up: “Yi Rong?”

“Mm, you’re awake?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Yan Xingyu relaxed. “Why are you wrapping yourself up so tightly?”

Yi Rong stood and stepped forward to hook the pearl curtain to one side. Seeing that the person on the bed was awake and her eyes had cleared, she replied, “You said I would be captured and told me to hide myself.”

Yan Xingyu’s face was a giant question mark. “When did I say that?” She looked around, noting they weren’t in the Lingluan Palace. “Where is this? How did we get here?”

“You said it a few hours ago,” Yi Rong answered one by one. “This is an inn in Fu City.”

“You fell for Bai Hua’s trick in the sea and were somewhat delirious. You said some things.”

“Later, Guan Fei and the others arrived and faced off against Palace Master Guan. They told us to leave first and wait for them here.”

The summary was brief, but Yan Xingyu remembered nothing after the events in the sea. She wondered how she could have blacked out like that.

Looking at the woman still shrouded in black, she asked, “Did I say anything else?”

“Just some trivial, everyday things,” Yi Rong said.

Yan Xingyu felt relieved and smiled. “Then don’t take it to heart.”

The other woman gave a soft “mm.” Yan Xingyu felt a sense of distance talking to her like this. she reached out and flicked a corner of the veil aside, meeting the woman’s pale amber eyes. “We’re in the room; there’s no need to hide so thoroughly.”

She added, “It’s hot out. Don’t go getting heatstroke.”

“I am fine,” Yi Rong replied. “I do not fear the heat.”

“Well, I’m worried you’ll feel smothered.”

Upon hearing this, Yi Rong raised her hand to pull the veils to both sides of her hat, then turned to pull the bed curtains down before walking toward the door with large strides.

Seeing her about to leave, Yan Xingyu asked, “Yi Rong, where are you going?”

“You’ve slept for a long time and haven’t eaten. I’m going to buy some food.”

Yan Xingyu saw her opening the door in a hurry. She scrambled out of bed and shouted, “Then I’m coming with you.”

“You should rest a bit longer.”

“No need, I feel quite energetic.”

Within a few sentences, Yan Xingyu had caught up to Yi Rong’s side. She reached out, intending to pull her along.

The other woman stepped forward abruptly, seemingly dodging her touch without leaving a trace. Yan Xingyu blinked. Was that just her imagination?

“Let’s go for a walk then. See if there’s anything you want to eat.”

Hearing her speak normally again, Yan Xingyu muttered to herself and followed.

The Fu City Inn

There weren’t many people in the inn, but the decor was far more luxurious than any Yan Xingyu had seen before. Intricate carvings adorned the wooden beams, and the maids and servants moved with elegant poise. They bowed as the two passed, only resuming their work afterward.

Yan Xingyu could tell this place was special. She leaned in and whispered, “Yi Rong, is this place very expensive?”

“It is alright.”

“It looks so extravagant. Staying in such a nice place makes me feel pressured.”

“Don’t think of it that way. It is merely a place to rest. It is quiet here.”

“Alright then.”

As they stepped out of the inn, the sky was painted with the orange hues of sunset. Yan Xingyu thought about how she had been planning to save Guan Fei this morning, only to be knocked out by that dolphin-like sea demon.

It was a disastrous start. Waking up in a different city made the day feel absurd. She then wondered, “Can Guan Fei actually win against her mother?”

Yi Rong replied objectively, “I think not. But Palace Master Guan dotes on her daughter.”

Yan Xingyu was surprised. Recalling what she saw at Lingluan Palace, she said, “I felt the Palace Master was rather cold hearted.”

“On the surface, perhaps. But if you look closer, she has been very indulgent toward our journey.”

Yi Rong glanced at the pondering woman and added, “Do not worry about Guan Fei. Jiaoyu is still by her side.”

“True, the little one is there.”

“You should think about what you want to eat instead.”

Yan Xingyu looked at the street stalls. The ground, baked by the sun all day, was still radiating heat, dampening her appetite. “Let’s just walk for a bit. I haven’t had a good look at the towns here yet.”

Yi Rong agreed.

The two wove through the crowds like fish. Sometimes they stopped for cute trinkets at stalls; sometimes they eavesdropped on local gossip. As they walked, the street lamps were gradually lit. Standing on an arched bridge, Yan Xingyu watched the starlight ripple in the water. “Yi Rong, have we been walking for a long time?”

“Over two hours, likely.”

“Does time spent walking always pass so quickly?”

Yi Rong noticed a hint of melancholy in her voice. Her heart stirred slightly as she replied, “In this way, the time spent waiting passes quickly as well.”

Yan Xingyu knew she was referring to waiting for Guan Fei’s arrival, but that wasn’t exactly what she had meant. She didn’t clarify her thoughts, simply smiling. “I suppose so.”

She spotted an old woman busy cooking at a steaming stall across the way. It was a wonton stall. She walked over and said, “Let’s have some wontons.”

Yi Rong followed behind her. She watched Yan Xingyu order two bowls and then found a place to sit.

After ordering, Yan Xingyu turned to see Yi Rong sitting obediently. She walked over and teased, “What should I do? I just realized I have no money. Looks like you’re treating me again.”

“I will treat you.”

Hearing the quick agreement, Yan Xingyu joked, “It seems all my friends are wealthy, and I’m the only pauper.”

Yi Rong said, “You could pawn the sea pearl I gave you.”

Yan Xingyu sat down, smoothing her robes. “No way. I couldn’t bear to.”

Seeing the other woman fall silent again, she continued, “Yi Rong, what’s wrong? You seem strange today.”

“Is that so? In what way?”

Yan Xingyu thought it over. “You seem exceptionally restrained. We aren’t that distant, are we?”

With the veil in the way, she couldn’t see Yi Rong’s expression. Just then, the wontons arrived. Yan Xingyu thanked the woman and picked up a spoon. Noticing Yi Rong wasn’t moving, she said, “Is it hard to eat with that on? Just tuck the veil to the side. It’s dark out, no one is paying attention.”

“I am not hungry. You eat.”

Hearing this, Yan Xingyu stirred her wontons and smiled thinly. “I see. Just like Guan Fei, you don’t care much for the ‘smoke and fire’ of the human world.”

Yi Rong replied, “She and I are likely different.”

Yan Xingyu didn’t argue. Her spoon traced the edge of the bowl, her mood floating and drifting like the wontons. She disliked how Yi Rong always spoke and acted with such ambiguity, but she knew that was just her personality and didn’t want to criticize her.

“How is it that I hear someone speaking ill of me?”

Yan Xingyu looked up to see two figures, one in green, one in red, approaching. Seeing Guan Fei and the other had found them, she called out, “You’re finally here!”

Seeing their composed manner, she laughed. “I thought you’d come back discouraged. Looks like your ‘running away from home’ went smoothly.”

Guan Fei sat down. “I only went back to say some things to my mother face to face. Once said, I naturally had to leave.”

Yan Xingyu nodded. Noticing Jiaoyu eyeing the wontons, she pushed the extra bowl over. “Perfect timing. These just came out. Yi Rong won’t eat them; you take them, little one.”

Jiaoyu looked at the silent, veiled figure. “Why are you dressed like this?” She sat down and took the bowl.

Yan Xingyu said, “It’s all thanks to Liu Ruoni. I need to find her and get her to retract that wanted poster.”

Guan Fei remarked, “Whether that poster exists or not shouldn’t affect Yi Rong much. Few people can actually hurt her.”

“Xingyu, didn’t you say you wanted to return to Yulan Palace? I heard some news on my way here. They say Palace Master Yan’s sister, your aunt is rebuilding Yulan Palace.”

Yan Xingyu froze mid-bite. “Rebuilding Yulan Palace?”

“Yes,” Guan Fei continued. “After all, the war with the demons was years ago. It’s only natural your aunt wants to restore it.”

Sensing a hidden meaning in the words, Yan Xingyu frowned. “Guan Fei, let’s get this straight. The fall of Yulan Palace had nothing to do with Yi Rong. There’s a misunderstanding there. Don’t go throwing shade.”

Hearing how quickly she jumped to Yi Rong’s defense, Guan Fei recalled what Yan Xingyu had said back at Lingluan Palace. She laughed softly. “Xingyu, you’re overthinking. Why would I insult the person you like? I am simply relaying the news I heard.”

Yan Xingyu suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit. A piece of wonton skin seemed stuck in her throat. Seeing this, Yi Rong immediately reached out and channeled a breath of air into her.

Yan Xingyu recovered quickly. Looking at the smirking woman across from her, she barked, “Guan Fei! What nonsense are you talking about?”