Teng Ruzhi found the manor’s doctor, who prescribed a decoction to calm the nerves. As the doctor was leaving, her gaze flickered uncertainly before she finally grabbed the hurried Teng Ruzhi.
“Sister, that person isn’t right. You had best stay far away from her.”
Teng Ruzhi’s heart jolted. She thanked the doctor repeatedly.
She brewed the medicine, and by then, Hou Linghua had awakened. Teng Ruzhi looked at her; the girl’s eyes were vacant, and her entire being carried a desperate air of deathly stillness.
Teng Ruzhi couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. How could such a good child suddenly become like this?
As for the doctor’s warning, she had already mostly forgotten it. She kindly helped Hou Linghua up and patiently coaxed her into taking the medicine.
After taking the medicine, Hou Linghua felt her spirits lift, and a new idea took hold.
Giving up was absolutely impossible. She had finally found a “spring for her withered tree”—she had to have the other person! No matter what means she had to use!
“Good child, rest well now…”
As Teng Ruzhi and Wu Ming started to walk out, Hou Linghua leaped through the air and threw herself onto Wu Ming.
“Don’t go! I want you to stay with me!”
What a troublesome child!
“In that case, Wu, you stay and accompany her.”
Wu Ming was left behind by Teng Ruzhi. She looked at Hou Linghua, her eyes already tinged with impatience.
Hou Linghua noticed the annoyance in Wu Ming’s eyes. Her heart felt as if it had been soaked in acid; the pain made her want to cry out.
Hou Linghua’s eyes turned red… Wu Ming immediately restrained her attitude.
She was afraid the kid would actually start crying—that would be even more of a hassle!
She placed Hou Linghua on the bed and sat down beside her.
After thinking for a moment, Wu Ming ultimately didn’t dare reach out her hand to touch the girl’s head.
The child’s fluffy head was very endearing and felt good to pet, but touching it invited trouble—she had only stroked her head before, and the girl had tried to force a kiss on her.
“Cough… let’s talk.”
“What do you want to talk about? My experiences are very dull. I’m afraid I have nothing to talk about with you.”
“Then… let’s talk about that person you love… what kind of person do you like?”
Hou Linghua looked up with anticipation, but Wu Ming went silent, staring at her quietly.
This kid wasn’t right…
She didn’t act like a child at all…
Perhaps… the appearance she was showing right now was all fake!
“Uh… why aren’t you talking anymore?”
“I think, at your age, we shouldn’t be talking about these things.”
Wu Ming made a move to get up and leave, but Hou Linghua quickly grabbed her.
When she couldn’t pull her back, she climbed onto Wu Ming’s body, simply clinging to her.
“You said you would stay with me!”
“With a person hanging off me, I can’t chop wood properly.”
“From now on, you don’t have to chop wood anymore! I’ll tell the City Lord! I’ll have you transferred to me! You only need to accompany me!”
“Little one, I’m only staying here temporarily. I’m not a servant of this place. You have no right to interfere with my actions!”
It’s over… she seems to hate me even more now…
Is there absolutely no chance for us…
Hou Linghua hugged Wu Ming’s neck tightly. If Wu Ming were any weaker, she might have been strangled to death, but fortunately, Wu Ming’s sturdy body allowed her to be hung upon without injury.
Wu Ming didn’t hear any movement from the child, so she looked down. The innocence on the girl’s face made her hesitate again.
Such pure innocence… can’t be faked, right? Perhaps she really is just a child?
If she really was just a child, then Wu Ming was being too harsh.
Thinking of this, Wu Ming’s attitude softened.
“There, there. You should go to sleep early.”
“I want you to sleep with me…”
Hou Linghua sensed the hand stroking her hair stiffen. She quickly said with a crying tone, “I’m just a child… what’s wrong with wanting to nestle in a warm embrace to sleep!”
Given her long, seemingly endless life, she truly was still just a cub right now.
“…Fine.”
Hou Linghua got her wish and lay in the warm embrace she desired, yet the restlessness in her heart could not be calmed.
Having gained a little, she wanted more…
She wanted kisses… she wanted deeper contact…
However, the body holding her was very alert. Hou Linghua knew she couldn’t act rashly.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t get the result she wanted; moreover, she would be thrown out by this woman.
How tragic! When had she ever lived so stifled!
With her power, what could she not obtain!
No… that’s not right. She couldn’t beat her! She couldn’t beat her!
Hou Linghua gritted her teeth tightly, resentment welling up and reddening her eyes.
Why, after finally being moved by someone, did she have to fall for such a difficult person!
The child didn’t sleep at all, and Wu Ming stayed awake lying there all night.
By now, it didn’t matter whether the other party was a real child or not.
So difficult to deal with—she wasn’t going to serve her anymore!
She didn’t care if the girl would be heartbroken! What did it have to do with her?
This kid didn’t look like she belonged on her “help list” at all. She could already use the City Lord’s influence to handle her job assignments; she was living quite well!
Wu Ming left the room. She thought the kid would pester her again—and she really wouldn’t have known what to do if she did—but the other party didn’t chase after her.
Wu Ming breathed a sigh of relief and chopped wood with even more vigor.
She was only halfway through, and it wasn’t yet time for the kitchen to start the fires, when Teng Ruzhi rushed over alone in a panic.
She stopped in front of Wu Ming, her lips trembling, struggling to speak.
“What’s wrong, Godmother? What happened?”
“Xiao Wu, I’ve wronged you. I shouldn’t have brought you in here…”
Even though she was a woman of age, she was so ashamed she was on the verge of tears.
“I can’t protect you… I don’t know which Great Lord took a fancy to you and specifically demanded you go serve them.”
???
Wu Ming’s first suspicion was that child.
But if it were just to serve a child, why would Teng Ruzhi react this way?
“Are there… many powerful people in the City Lord’s Manor?”
“The City Lord likes to make friends with traveling martial artists… there are quite a few people from the Jianghu in the manor.”
“In that case… if I kill the other person, will you be implicated?”
Wu Ming had thought it was some high-ranking official, but it turned out to be just someone from the Jianghu like herself.
She was the “Number One Under Heaven.” Why should the other person put on airs as a “Great Lord” in front of her?
“This… likely not… the City Lord… he enjoys watching martial artists fight… many people have died because of this.”
Heh…
So none of them are any good.
“In that case, I will go to the appointment now.”
To go and snap the neck of that arrogant fool.
However, she wouldn’t be able to stay long after killing someone.
She had been too flamboyant when she followed Hou Danxue before. The City Lord might recognize her, and that would be troublesome.
The City Lord might hate Hou Danxue, but that wouldn’t stop him from selling Wu Ming’s whereabouts to her for profit.
First, Teng Ruzhi led the way, then an unfamiliar, well-dressed maid took over, leading her through twists and turns to a secluded, desolate courtyard.
As soon as Wu Ming stepped into the courtyard, she felt a chill run through her. The atmosphere here was far too cold and eerie.
“It’s here!”
The maid’s voice was shaking. She was clearly terrified. After bringing Wu Ming here, she left in a great hurry.
By the end, she was even running, regardless of her poise.
Strange? Why was she so afraid? And what kind of person was the one who demanded she come?
Though the atmosphere was eerie, Wu Ming’s heart was steady, not bothered by the gloom at all.
She was the Number One Under Heaven! How much strength could a “martial artist” residing in the City Lord’s Manor really have? She would surely snap their neck the moment they met!
Wu Ming walked inside.
The plants in the courtyard were lush, almost tall enough to hide a person, with insects and birds flying among them.
Wu Ming’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on the insects resting freely in the yard.
Why did the bugs here look a bit strange?
They were much larger than the bugs she usually saw, and they seemed to possess a touch of eerie intelligence.
Wu Ming hadn’t been afraid initially, but after passing all sorts of insects, she suddenly grew tense.
What kind of person lives in a place filled with bugs?
A Gu Master?!
Wu Ming’s steps faltered, and a chill hit her heart. But then she remembered she had already escaped Hou Danxue’s control—what could a mere Gu Master do to her?
So what if it’s a Gu Master!
She hated Gu Masters the most!
She… she was going to kill them!
Wu Ming pushed open the door. A wave of warm air blew toward her, dispelling the chill on her body, and Wu Ming’s spirits lifted.
Directly facing her were hanging bed curtains, and inside was a curvaceous silhouette.
Eh, it’s a woman?
She doesn’t kill women…
Doesn’t that mean she came for nothing?
But if she’s a woman, why didn’t she go to Hou Danxue? She would definitely get better treatment there!
Wu Ming’s retreating steps paused.
If she was a talent… she might as well convince the person to join Hou Danxue.
Brilliantly colored insects and butterflies flew out from the bed curtains, lifting them up. Wu Ming was so startled she lost her footing and fell to the ground.
Even though she was mentally prepared, she… she still didn’t expect a Gu Master to sleep with bugs!
Plump, moist red lips, slightly curled alluring long hair… Wu Ming saw none of it. Her eyes were filled only with bugs.
So many bugs…
So many that they could completely envelop her…
Wu Ming felt her mental state was in peril. Only her extreme tension kept her from fainting.
She really… over-estimated herself.
In this situation, she couldn’t even manage to speak, let alone convince the person to join her ex-boss.
Just staring at these bugs felt like mental pollution, and now the bugs were coming toward her! They seemed to want to attach themselves to her body.
No! No!
Wu Ming covered her nose and mouth with her hand and ran out without looking back.
She used her fastest speed, vanishing in a flash.
Leaving only the thin-veiled Hou Linghua to fume at the empty doorway.
“Liar! Didn’t you say my facial markings were beautiful? Then why did you run away!”
After sleeping with Wu Ming for one night, Hou Linghua realized clearly that trying to win her over using her disguised image was impossible.
What kind of pervert would be interested in a child? Wu Ming definitely wasn’t one.
Then she could only shed her disguise and rely on her original form.
She… she definitely wasn’t ugly; it was just that the markings on her face were a bit too eerie.
But… hadn’t Wu Ming approached her in the first place because she thought the markings looked good…
Why did she scare her away?
Did a little girl with markings on her face look cute and approachable, while a grown woman with them only inspired terror?
Wu Ming kept running using her light-body skills, not daring to stop. She didn’t go far; she just ran in circles around the city.
In case those bugs remembered her scent and chased her… she had to shake them off!
Her movements were agile, but another figure pounced onto her even more nimbly.
“The kid?”
Wu Ming grabbed Hou Linghua and kept running.
“What are you running from?”
“Shh—there are bugs chasing us!”