Chapter 11: Xue Cen

Ning Yin was a person without the five senses, unfamiliar with the concept of shame.

In her past life, while serving him during his bath, he often exposed his cold, white, and vigorous body, like an enchanting water spirit emerging step by step from the misty pool, allowing water droplets to flow over the fresh wounds and secrets on his skin.

He exhibited a near-numb indifference to his own body, whether exposed or cut open, showing no emotional reaction. It was as if it were just a piece of warm dead flesh, nothing to be avoided.

The seemingly incomprehensible and repulsive cold-blooded personality from her past life seemed to find a vague answer after encountering the young Ning Yin. A person who couldn't even control their own life, how could one expect them to have moral shame?

Lost in her thoughts, as Ning Yin tried to continue undressing, Yu Lingxi promptly stopped him, saying, "Stop!"

Ning Yin lifted his ink-like eyes, and his calm gaze gave Yu Lingxi a headache.

"This is not the Immortal Realm City. In my residence, one must understand courtesy, righteousness, integrity, and shame."

Yu Lingxi's temples twitched, and she patiently said, "Go change behind the screen."

Regardless of whatever annoying habits he had in his past life, she would make sure to correct them in this life!

The screen was old, with the silk on top becoming thin and yellow, faintly casting the shadow of a young and slender figure.

The medicinal scent inside the room was bitter. Yu Lingxi stood under the eaves, gathering her sleeves and breathing. After a moment of thought, she asked, "What is your name?"

There was a moment of silence behind the screen before the answer came, "Twenty-seven."

Yu Lingxi, knowingly asking, said, "I mean, your previous name."

Another moment of silence, then Ning Yin replied, "I don't remember."

Upon hearing this, Yu Lingxi showed a skeptical expression.

Forgetting one's own identity but remembering to seek revenge upon returning to the palace; forgetting one's own identity but being able to ascend to the position of the Regent.

If Yu Lingxi didn't carry memories from her past life, she might have believed this rubbish talk.

"Whether you truly don't remember or it's inconvenient to disclose your past, this little cat is returned to you."

Remembering her purpose, Yu Lingxi ordered the maid to place the kitten on the bed and said to the screen, "Once you recover in a few days, take it away. Take good care of it."

Behind the screen, the young man seemed to understand something, and his movement of tying his belt paused noticeably. 

She had never thought of keeping him, even if he had said he was willing to do anything.

Seeing that Ning Yin didn't respond, Yu Lingxi cleared her throat and explained, "The Immortal City has been destroyed. People making a living there are considered suspicious, and they cannot be sold as household slaves. My brother said female slaves would be sent to the pleasure house, and male slaves would be sent to the border for labor. With your severe injuries, although I can't bear to send you to the border as a laborer, I also cannot keep you for long."

"I understand, Miss." Ning Yin lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions in them, and walked out from behind the screen.

Yu Lingxi raised her eyes, slightly stunned.

No matter how many times she had seen this face, in different scenes and attire, she would still be amazed. With his hair tied neatly and wearing a dark blue guard's martial robe, he exuded an indescribable handsomeness.

Ning Yin approached Yu Lingxi. Despite looking slender, the young man was a whole head taller than her.

Yu Lingxi didn't like this oppressive feeling. Just as she was about to step back, she saw Ning Yin bowing his head, lifting the hem of his martial robe, and kneeling straight down.

Before her thoughts caught up, her body reacted first.

Yu Lingxi grabbed Ning Yin's arm, supporting him, and asked, "What are you doing?"

Maintaining the posture of kneeling, his pitch-black eyes showed a rare ripple.

In these years of being treated like a stray dog, everyone wanted to trample him underfoot and into the mud. This woman in front of him was the only one who didn't want him to kneel.

"I bid farewell to Miss."

Ning Yin seemed to perceive her dilemma and said with difficulty, "Although I want to stay by Miss's side and serve her like a faithful servant, I shouldn't make Miss uncomfortable."

Yu Lingxi was slightly surprised. When did he become so understanding?

But it's better to leave a few days early, so I won't have to see him. Every time I do, I'm reminded of the messy accounts from my past life. Besides, Prince Ning Yin's identity is too dangerous, and a slight mistake could involve the Yu family in factional struggles. I never intended to keep him around for long.

Yu Lingxi raised his arm and said, "If you want to say farewell, go ahead, but why kneel? Just stand up."

She couldn't bear to see him kneel like this. She could blame and scold him, but she wouldn't humiliate him.

"I know my humble status. Miss saved my life, and I should have served her for the rest of my life as a servant, repaying her kindness. But..."

Ning Yin glanced at Yu Lingxi and quickly lowered his eyes. That glance was truly lonely and pitiful, lips pale without a trace of color, quietly enduring, "But I'm an escaped slave from the arena, even lower than the lowest servants. Miss is right not to want to keep me by her side. I have troubled Miss for too long. I have nothing, and even this life is given by Miss. Apart from kneeling, I really don't know how to repay Miss's deep kindness."

"You…" Yu Lingxi's heart stirred, looking at Ning Yin.

His current appearance, unwilling yet pitiful, was completely different from the mad and bloodthirsty lunatic of the past life! The resentment and prejudice in her heart were shattered multiple times, and Yu Lingxi eventually softened her tone, calling Hutao into the room. "Pack up the remaining set of clothes and prepare some dry food for him. Let him take it all away."

However, Ning Yin refused to accept.

"Although I am a slave, I am not a beggar."

After a pause, Ning Yin looked at the cat sleeping soundly on the bed, "Just this cat, please find someone else to adopt it for Miss."

Yu Lingxi asked, "Why? Don't you like it?"

Ning Yin gently shook his head, with the stubbornness of a young man, "I have no home to return to. I can't let it wander with me and suffer."

Knowing that Ning Yin would eventually become powerful, Yu Lingxi felt a bit uneasy.

Even though she hadn't done anything wrong, a faint sense of guilt inexplicably emerged.

"I'm leaving, take care, Miss."

Ning Yin coughed, enduring the pain, bowed and saluted. When he straightened up, his entire face turned pale.

He covered the wound on his chest, turned and walked towards the opposite corner gate. Despite trying to straighten his spine, his steps were weak and floating, appearing extremely frail.

For some reason, following her own wishes, Yu Lingxi didn't feel as relaxed as she had imagined.

She watched Ning Yin's lonely and desolate figure, a trace of hesitation in her eyes, but it lasted only a moment before she suppressed it. In any case, he would leave when he recovered. Sooner or later made no difference. 

There was no movement behind her for a while. Yu Lingxi halted her steps, hesitating whether he had really left, but suddenly heard a muffled thud from behind.

Then the maid's exclamation followed, "Miss, it seems like he fainted!"

Yu Lingxi turned back in astonishment.

Was Ning Yin so fragile in this life?!

"Ning Yin lay on the bed, his complexion so dreadful that it resembled a dead person.

The senior physician felt his pulse for a long time, furrowing his brows. "The pulse is weak and floating. Even a strong body can't withstand such turmoil."

If it weren't for the trustworthiness of the senior physician and his overly serious expression, Yu Lingxi would almost suspect that Ning Yin was pretending to faint.

She asked, "He has been carefully recuperated in the mansion for half a month, with continuous soups and medicines. Why is there no improvement in his injuries?"

"To be honest, this pulse is extremely ominous; I have never seen anything like it," the senior physician frowned. "It seems that while the external injuries have improved, the internal injuries have not healed. A hundred days to recover from injuries to tendons and bones!"

A hundred days? Doesn't that mean he won't recover until spring?

While she was pondering, Ning Yin slowly regained consciousness.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, and his pitch-black eyes met Yu Lingxi's complex gaze.

Then, as if remembering something, he covered his chest and struggled to sit up, coughing hoarsely. "Miss, I'll leave now..."

"Hey, don't move!" Yu Lingxi quickly pressed him down, frowned, and said, "Are you trying to die?"

Ning Yin pursed his lips, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his pale and handsome face. "I can't... trouble Miss anymore."

"If you die at the mansion gate, it would be even more troublesome," Yu Lingxi scolded, patting his forehead. "After taking so much medicine, where did it all go? Why doesn't it seem like the previous lifetime..."

Realizing that she almost revealed too much, Yu Lingxi bit her plump lower lip.

Ning Yin, puzzled, obediently lowered his eyes and said, "Sorry."

Seeing his pitiful appearance, Yu Lingxi felt angry but couldn't vent it.

Tired and unwilling to bother, she sighed after a while, saying, "Just lie down. I owe you from the past life."

So Ning Yin lay down, his eyes blinking and staring at her without blinking.

Though weak, his eyes were bright, probably happy to be able to stay again.

Like a stray dog, persistent and pitiful.

His Adam's apple rolled, and in a hoarse voice, he said, "From now on, my life belongs to Miss."

Yu Lingxi looked away, hummed lightly, and said, "Save these pretty words for when you're better."

Shortly after, Hutao returned from fetching medicine, running back.

Her face was filled with joy, and before entering, she quickly bowed, saying, "Miss, Miss is back from official duties!"

Like a long-unused mechanism reactivating, a glint of brightness flashed in Yu Lingxi's eyes. She stood up and repeated, "Sister?"

"Yes, it's Miss!" Hutao gasped for breath, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She blinked at Yu Lingxi and said, "Xue Erlang is also here, having a conversation in the front hall!"

"Xue Erlang?" It had been so long since she heard that name, Yu Lingxi didn't react immediately.

"It's the young master Xue from the Xue Mansion! Miss, are you so happy that you're confused?" Hutao laughed.

"It's worth being happy about." Yu Lingxi's eyes softened with a faint smile as she took a couple of steps towards the door.

Thinking of something, she paused and glanced back at the bed.

"Rest well." Leaving these words behind, she had no more attachment and walked briskly towards the door.

The front yard was lively.

Yu Lingxi stood in the corridor, and from a distance, she heard her elder brother, Yu Huanchen, mocking her elder sister. He slyly said, "It's been two months. Yu Xinyi, you've grown quite sturdy! With such a manly appearance, which family would dare to marry you in the future?"

Yu Huanchen and Yu Xinyi were twin siblings, of the same age and equally stubborn, constantly quarreling since childhood.

Behind the plum tree, a tall female general, holding a drawn sword half an inch from the scabbard, shouted, "Yu Huanchen, you're asking for trouble!"

Yu Xinyi's appearance couldn't be considered breathtaking, but with bright eyes and red lips, a heroic posture, and a voice like clear pearls, she possessed a beauty that defied traditional gender norms.

In the previous life, for the sake of uncovering the truth behind the murder of her father and brothers, her elder sister embarked on a solitary journey to the northern border. Unfortunately, on the way back, she fell into an abyss with neither her body nor evidence left behind.

Thinking of this, Yu Lingxi's nose turned slightly red.

"Sui Sui!"

Upon seeing the gentle and beautiful girl in the corridor, Yu Xinyi sheathed her sword, opened her arms, and said, "Come, little sister, a hug from your elder sister!"

After many years of not seeing her sister's heroic smile, Yu Lingxi couldn't restrain herself, carrying her skirts, she ran towards Yu Xinyi and threw herself into her sister's cold armor.

"Elder sister!" Her eyes turned red, and she laughed, "I missed you so much."

"You spoiled brat."

Yu Xinyi patted her sister's shoulder and then let her stand on the ground. "By the way, there's someone who wants to see you. He insisted on coming to the mansion with me."

After saying this, she stepped aside with a mischievous smile, revealing the refined and elegant figure behind her.

Xue Cen's appearance was younger than Yu Lingxi remembered, and more refined and elegant. With a breeze, the ornaments at his waist made a tinkling sound, resembling the appearance of a noble.

Looking at Yu Lingxi, Xue Cen's eyes held an unmistakable restrained smile. His clear and melodious voice came, and he blushed at the tips of his ears as he called out, "Second sister, how have you been lately?"

In the backyard, within the covered room.

The medicine pot on the stove was boiling, and the bitter scent of medicine filled the room.

Ning Yin lay on the bed, his eyes gradually dimming and cold.

Expressionless, he raised his hand, pressed his tongue root, and then "uh" vomited a half-dissolved, blood-stained poison pill.

This experimental pill had not succeeded yet. Although it could deceive the physicians, causing symptoms of severe deficiency, it was extremely harmful to the body.

The youth suppressed the burning pain in his stomach, crushed the pill, and wiped away any trace, tapping the edge of the bed with his fingers.

The Xue family... Xue Erlang?

The eldest grandson of the cunning old fox from the Xue family, this game was becoming more and more interesting.

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