588 The Secret About the Past 206 (1/2)

The bodyguards left half an hour before Ye Xiaotian's return.

Mo Li lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

She remained still like a statue.

Ye Jiani was sprawled across the bed, wailing in agony.

Ye Xiaotian was greeted with that very sight when he appeared at the bedroom door.

The room reeked of urine while she lay in bed like a corpse.

”Lili?”

Mo Li ignored him, as if she didn't hear him at all.

At the same time, Ye Jiani was bawling continuously and choking with sobs.

”Daddy, Grandma came and made Mommy drink some dirty water…”

Ye Xiaotian caressed her head and said softly, ”Nini, go out first. Daddy would like to speak to Mommy for a little bit.”

Ye Jiani exited the bedroom while still sobbing.

Ye Xiaotian stepped forward and called out softly, ”Lili?”

Mo Li sat up and removed all the pillowcases as well as the bedsheets, which she then threw onto the ground with a straight face. She then grabbed a new set of bedsheets and replaced it with the old ones before heading to the washroom, completely ignoring Ye Xiaotian throughout.

He watched as she changed the sheets.

After she came out of the shower and dried her hair, Ye Xiaotian stepped forward to hug her and said, ”I know you're feeling awful, but I promise you, this will be the last time. Alright?”

Mo Li had a grave expression on her face and kept mum.

Ye Xiaotian was rather upset as well.

The matter had taken a great toll on their relationship and marriage, which was now on the rocks.

Neither of them could sleep well that night.

—

In the evening, Tuoba Gucheng came out for a walk in the evening after dinner while An Xiaoning accompanied him.

The two of them were walking together at an unhurried pace.

”Why did you agree to come to the Autumn Palace to work as a bodyguard?” Tuoba Gucheng asked out of the blue.

”Because it pays well,” she answered without hesitation.

”When would you like to get married?”

An Xiaoning found him to be behaving rather strangely lately, for he would often pop such random and personal questions every now and then.

”I don't wish to get married again for the rest of my life,” she answered softly.

Tuoba Gucheng did not quite catch what she meant, and neither did he ask her what she meant by ”again.”

However, he was rather shocked to hear that she did not wish to marry anyone for the rest of her life.

”Why?”

An Xiaoning sighed and answered, ”I don't think a man whom I can depend on and trusts me completely exists in this world.”

”Have you lost faith in men because your boyfriend died?”

She shook her head and answered, ”No, that's not the case. If it weren't for my inferiority complex, I'm actually rather pretty.”

He snorted with laughter.

”What are you laughing about? I really am pretty,” she retorted.

”Yes, I can tell.”

An Xiaoning did not take his words to heart, thinking that he was merely patronizing her.

”Anyway, I don't care what others think of me. I'm different from everyone else. I'll continue to live my life the way I want and I won't change regardless of whoever's opinions. I'm not going to betray myself for the sake of pleasing others or because of what they say about me. That's just how I am. I'm a woman who's full of energy,” she said.

Tuoba Gucheng was taken aback by her reply.

They walked along the sidewalk slowly. After having covered a distance, they heard sounds of a man and a woman getting it on coming from inside the woods ahead.

They were both feeling a little awkward and turned around to walk back unanimously.

They did not talk much for the rest of the journey.

He lay down in bed after washing up while she sat on the couch.

As long as she was not planning to sneak out at night, she would not spike his milk with sleeping pills.

Once Tuoba Gucheng had fallen sound asleep, she put on her earphones and began listening for noises.

Ding Dong… It was the sound of a text message notification.

An Xiaoning opened the text message, which was sent by Gu Beicheng, who informed her that the Gu family had received a call from the Autumn Palace in the afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Gu answered by saying that An Xiaoning could not attend the wedding due to a severe injury she had sustained abroad.

The people from the Autumn Palace did not insist that she turn up and, thus, they managed to decline the invite successfully.

An Xiaoning felt a huge sense of relief.