entanglement

As the moonlight sank in the west, the dawn began to brighten, and the hazy sky resembled a veil of mist lingering among the mountains and forests, coalescing and refusing to dissipate. The first drop of dew fell upon her brow, a refreshing chill, and as the crescent moon raised her hand to gently brush it away, the dew, as if imbued with life, slid down into her palm. She looked up, watching the clear, crystalline drop roll over the bloodied expanse of her hand, merging with the vibrant crimson of her blood.

Tilting her head back, she beheld a faint blush of scarlet shimmering on the distant horizon, an exquisite tapestry unfurling across the sky—perhaps the most beautiful brocade in the world. She grasped the dewdrop within her palm, then let it fall to the ground.

The long street, devoid of the evening's bustling vibrancy, lay quieter than the depths of night, with faint sounds of vendors calling out, and the enticing aroma of food wafting from the other side. Since stepping out of the Wang residence, a smile had finally graced Xianyue's face.

"Boss, I'll have two baskets of soup dumplings." 

"Boss, some baked cakes." 

"Boss, steaming hot wontons." 

"Boss, a slice of purple flower cake." 

Xianyue flitted between the snack stalls, the rising steam brushing against her face, every pore expanding in a comforting embrace. Her plain white attire, adorned with splashes of vibrant red, resembled plum blossoms blooming amidst winter's snow, enhancing the simplicity of her outfit without seeming out of place.

As the sun rose in the east, its rosy glow spilling forth, the gray-white mist began to dissipate. In an instant, the sky blazed with scarlet clouds. Xianyue stretched out her hand, fingers slightly splayed, allowing the warm yet dazzling sunlight to filter through the gaps, illuminating her face, her snow-like skin glimmering with a lustrous sheen.

She smiled, reminiscent of silver bells hanging by the door, jingling softly in the breeze, lifting one's spirits in its wake. 

As she walked, by the time Xianyue returned to the residence where Lan Yixuan and Yan Jing resided, the day had brightened significantly.

The grand entrance stood wide open. Xianyue paused at the threshold, cautiously glancing to either side; the surroundings were deserted, and the air was devoid of any sounds of conflict or struggle. 

She pursed her lips, smiling—returning at this hour was indeed a wise decision.

However, the moment she stepped inside, she was met with a familiar, thunderous voice booming from behind her: "Stop!"

Xianyue stood frozen, her delicate brows knitting together, and she silently cursed her luck. Weighing whether to confront him or, like the previous night, make a swift escape, she felt her wrist seized by Bai Zhanfeng, who had rushed forward.

"Where were you last night?" he demanded, scrutinizing her profile with a sense of entitlement.

Having allowed Xianyue to slip away from Qiqiao Mountain the previous night, he had intended to search for her, but was ensnared by Nian Xiaoyu's antics. Given her capabilities, if she didn't wish to be found, it would be futile to scour all of Yan Jing.

Upon his return, he had stormed into Lan Yixuan's residence, brimming with anger, convinced that Nian Xiaoyu's appearance was somehow linked to him. His fury escalated as he realized that despite his outburst, Lan Yixuan remained unflappable, exuding an air of noble indifference, rendering him feel like a petulant child—his every gesture absurdly juvenile. Coupled with Xianyue's absence, he felt a mix of concern and anxiety; not being as cold-blooded as Lan Yixuan, he found himself distressed throughout the night, vowing he wouldn't let the culprit go easily.

"Brother Feng, why do you care so much about her?" 

Before Xianyue could respond, Nian Xiaoyu dashed to her side, voicing her displeasure. "What kind of girl wanders off in the night? Who knows what she got up to?"

Jealousy has a way of distorting an innocent heart, and her words dripped with acid, harsh to the ears. 

Bai Zhanfeng shot her a glare, while Nian Xiaoyu instinctively shrank back, her ire now focused on Xianyue. 

"Hero Bai, we're not that familiar, so you needn't concern yourself with me." Xianyue turned to Bai Zhanfeng, her eyes twinkling with sincerity.

"You are mine; I must concern myself with you," he asserted, resolutely holding onto her hand.

"Don't you already have someone? And didn't you say he's a flawless, perfect man? You—you—"

Nian Xiaoyu pointed at Xianyue, her face flushed with anger. "You're playing both sides!"

Bai Zhanfeng's infatuation left Xianyue feeling unjustly accused; she felt more innocent than Dou E, and shifted her gaze toward Lan Yixuan behind Bai Zhanfeng. 

Having spent the entire night awake and just filled her stomach, she was now exhausted and yearned for rest. 

"Talking about him won't help; where were you last night?" 

Bai Zhanfeng, noticing Xianyue's glance at Lan Yixuan, grew even more furious, fixating on her whereabouts the previous night while disregarding her fatigue. 

Xianyue shrugged off his hand, yawning and stretching her limbs. "I'm tired." 

As she continued to stretch, she opened her eyes slightly to look at Bai Zhanfeng, turning to head back to her room for some sleep. 

Bai Zhanfeng, incensed by her indifferent demeanor, swiftly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. 

Nian Xiaoyu, observing this, beamed with mischief, clearly relishing the chaos, and stood behind Bai Zhanfeng, her eyes gleaming with delight as she fixated on the yawning Xianyue. "Exactly, you aren't leaving without telling us where you went last night." 

Xianyue abruptly widened her eyes, her once playful gaze now sharp as a dagger, fierce and commanding, dissipating all traces of her earlier fatigue. 

"You're hurt." 

Her voice resonated like the warmth of the winter sun melting the frost, soothing the tension that had enveloped them. 

Lan Yixuan approached Xianyue, extending a finger toward her wrist, his eyes, seemingly all-knowing, brushing over her face with an almost imperceptible intensity.

Bai Zhanfeng had been too consumed with questioning Xianyue's whereabouts to notice the bloodstains resembling winter plum blossoms on her, until Lan Yixuan pointed them out. He urgently grasped Xianyue's hand, inspecting it from top to bottom. "Why didn't you say you were hurt?" 

Allowing Bai Zhanfeng to examine her, Xianyue locked her bright gaze on Lan Yixuan, her lips curling into a subtle smile. "I'm not hurt; the blood is someone else's." 

Upon hearing Xianyue's explanation, Bai Zhanfeng checked her over again and, satisfied she was uninjured, finally released her.

"A girl should not roam around at night." 

"Brother Feng, you've never spoken to me like that before." 

Nian Xiaoyu interjected, standing between Xianyue and Bai Zhanfeng, eyes filled with resentment.

"Lei An, prepare warm water. Lei Yun, arrange the meals to be sent to Xianyue's room." 

As Xianyue reached the corridor's entrance, she turned to Lan Yixuan, a smile gracing her lips. "Master Lan, your attentive care is so commendable that even if I dream of being sold by you, I would wake up smiling." 

Under the sunlight, Lan Yixuan's typically regal smile faltered for a moment before returning to its natural state. "Xianyue, would you truly be willing to be sold by me?" 

"No." 

Xianyue replied without a moment's hesitation. 

Bai Zhanfeng watched the two figures, one clad in white and the other in purple, their conversation filled with untranslatable nuances, sparking a sense of rivalry while creating an impression that their world had no room for anyone else. 

"You two continue; I'm going to sleep first." 

Xianyue waved a hand at the others, covering her yawning mouth, lowering her head as she squinted at Lan Yixuan. "Looking forward to the grand banquet of the Third Prince, I hope those songbirds—" 

She gestured with her hand, mimicking a throat-cutting motion. "All fall short." 

With a smile, she disregarded their reactions and continued toward her room, covering her mouth as she walked with her eyes closed.