75 This time (1/2)
”You came for me!” Peng Jipei cheered as he threw himself onto his cousin, ”Thank goodness, I thought I was done for!”
Yuan Xuelan let out a sigh of relief, glad that Peng Jipei was safe in one piece. But even as he exhaled, the truth was, Yuan Xuelan was not calm at all.
No, his mind was in utter chaos.
And he was too afraid to even turn around, afraid that he might catch sight of Liu Sumeng. Why was he such an idiot and had to lose his patience like that? Had he not grown out of his ridiculous hot-headed phase? Yuan Xuelan lamented over his own immaturity in silent shame.
Liu Sumeng remained at the door, with Nan Chang tugging at his sleeve, ”Liu-gege, won't you come inside?” She asked sweetly.
He shook his head, ”I will keep watch.”
She took a moment to observe him and study the Ivory Sword Saint's stoic expression. ”Xuelan doesn't mean what he says. He's a sweet boy.”
Liu Sumeng really wanted to know how he got himself into a situation with Nan Chang trying to console him with kind words. He couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all. It did help calm some of his wound up nerves. ”I know.”
”Hm, okay then!” With a little curious tilt of her head, she didn't pry any further and went inside the room, joining Yuan Xuelan and Peng Jipei.
Liu Sumeng let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Just what was wrong with him? The past few months in his life, he had really spiraled out of control with his feelings. Without Yuan Xuelan making him second guess, did he inadvertently become an insensitive person again?
He wasn't sure.
Maybe he should be more sensitive. Yuan Xuelan was right about Peng Jipei. He was Xuelan's cousin, his friend and without solid evidence, Liu Sumeng couldn't just condemn him either.
That was difficult, considering Peng Jipei's transgressions in their previous life.
After all, Chen Anyue's death had been in his hands.
...In the end, the kid was still suspicious. This time, Liu Sumeng wasn't in the wrong.
”...”
Liu Sumeng closed his eyes. A headache roared in his skull and he felt nauseous. He tried to think of something else, anything else that wasn't the amiable chattering inside the room where he didn't belong, or the distant growling of ghouls.
But his thoughts were not any more kind, because somehow he had conjured up a hateful memory of Consort Nan.
Consort Nan had a face painted to the heavens and she did not look any older no matter how many years had passed. When Liu Sumeng first met her, she was dangling off Yuan Xuelan's arm and didn't even spare him a glance. He hadn't cared. Because back then he had thought her no different than the myriad of prostitutes with whom Xuelan had lied with.
How wrong had he been.
And even now, a whole lifetime later he couldn't forget how her pale hands ghosted over his skin. Laughter, a voice too sweet and gut-wrenching self-hatred. How was it that he couldn't even defend himself against one pathetic girl?
And then came the realization that this was how Xu Hexian was deceived.
The way her red lips curled, ”General Liu, you really don't know how to read a woman's heart do you? All I want is for Xuelan to despise you, is that too much to ask for?”
Liu Sumeng clenched his teeth. The sweat beading at his brow was cold.
But the Nan Chang inside the Red Room in this life was not the same as the despicable Consort Nan. Not yet.
She stuck a loose strand behind her ear and watched Peng Jipei clutching Yuan Xuelan like a baby octopus. She wanted to laugh and say to him 'that's my spot!' but even she understood that perhaps it wasn't the best time.
”Jipei!” She chirped, ”You stupid brat, where did you run off to?” She kept her tone light, betraying nothing of her suspicion.
”Jie!” He beamed at her, eyes still misty with tears. If nothing else, Nan Chang always thought Peng Jipei was a cute kid, ”You're okay!”
”Are you really that surprised? I have two handsome men protecting me, of course, I'm okay. We were all worried about you!”
Peng Jipei swept his eyes around and asked, ”Where's the Ivory Sword Saint?”