Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 195 | A Gentle Coaxing | Novela.app

When Chu Ruo woke, Nan Muxue was nowhere to be found. Habitually rubbing her eyes, she let out a soft, sleepy mumble, "Xue’er..." She reached out, but the space beside her was empty. Startled into alertness, she sat up abruptly as the memories of the previous night flooded back. Right—she was the one who had kicked her out. *But don't think for a second that just because you tidied up the room, everything is fine, you wicked Little Scorpion. I won't be so easy to win over this time. Hmph!* The door pushed open from the outside, and Nan Muxue stepped in. "You're awake?" She actually had a brilliant smile on her face. "Wash up and come eat." Chu Ruo poked her head out to look. The spread was a feast for the senses—aroma, color, and presentation were all perfect. *Not good. This feels very not good.* Before she could even move, Nan Muxue had already beaten her to it, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Chu Ruo instinctively shrank back. "What... what are you doing?" "Ruo’er." Chu Ruo retreated further. *It’s over, it’s over. She’s going to lose her temper with me. Wait, no, I’m not in the wrong! Why should I be afraid?* At that thought, she puffed out her chest and declared with newfound bravado, "What? I’m telling you, I’m not afraid of you! This time, I—" "There now." A gentle warmth brushed against her face. The Little Scorpion was... she was... she was wiping her face for her?! "If you wait any longer, the food will get cold, and a certain someone will start being picky again." "You..." "Come here." Without allowing any room for argument, Chu Ruo was pulled over to the table and seated. "Open up." Chu Ruo swallowed the food with trepidation before finally asking, "Did you take the wrong medicine?" It didn't make sense. Given the Little Scorpion’s usual temperament, she shouldn't have this much patience. Chu Ruo peered closely at her, expecting to see the veins in her temples throbbing with suppressed rage, but strangely, there was nothing. Her smile remained as warm as a spring breeze. *How bizarre. Is the sun rising from the west today?* Nan Muxue simply continued to feed her, replying calmly, "I did not." By the time the meal was finished, Chu Ruo still felt uneasy. She patted herself down—no discomfort. She probably hadn't been drugged. What on earth was wrong with the Little Scorpion today? As she stood by the window, a pair of tender arms wrapped around her waist from behind. "Alright now." Nan Muxue tilted her head, her expression exceptionally soft. "Don't be angry anymore, okay?" That tone... it sounded exactly like she was coaxing a child. These were words Chu Ruo never expected to hear from the Little Scorpion’s mouth. Chu Ruo felt her own forehead—no fever. So, it wasn't a hallucination. But it felt so incredibly awkward that she almost wanted to check Nan Muxue’s temperature instead. "What are you actually doing?" "Ruo’er," Nan Muxue whispered, leaning her head against Chu Ruo’s right shoulder, simply calling her name. Chu Ruo froze. Ever since her sight had returned, she had been so preoccupied with worry and anger that she had forgotten to truly look at the person beside her. How long had it been since she had seen this face? Now, with just a slight turn of her head, she could behold that world-toppling beauty. She lifted her left hand, her lips trembling. "Xue..." Suddenly, the events of last night flashed through her mind. She dropped her hand, and the name died in her throat. She spoke sullenly instead, "Don't think you can just use these sugar-coated tactics to make me forget everything." Nan Muxue didn't argue. She simply closed her eyes and continued to lean against her. "You," Chu Ruo turned around to face her directly. "Did you actually practice the Love Flower Trance or not?" In a rare move, Nan Muxue stepped forward and hooked her arms tightly around her, even tilting her head and blinking. She looked... quite adorable. "Does it matter?" Chu Ruo frowned. "I want to know." "I didn't." Chu Ruo’s voice was thick with skepticism. "Really?" "From the moment Bai Zhier came to find me, I knew it was Yun Shuang’s idea. However, I did consider that it might be a viable path." Chu Ruo’s temper flared instantly. "So you really intended to practice—" "I felt that the two of them were becoming restless, so playing along with their scheme seemed like a good temporary measure. But more than that, I was thinking of your eyes. Ruo’er, do you know? When Fenghuang, Bai Zhier, and everyone else told me that your eyes should have healed long ago, I realized it was because you didn't *want* to see. You felt guilty. You felt like a burden to me, that I lost everything because of you. They all knew it, and I... how could I not see it as well?" "So you came up with this plan? First, you acted cold to provoke me, and then you set that trap last night just to force my hand? I care about you so much that if something happens to you, I’ll risk my life to save you, so..." For a moment, she felt a surge of resentment. "Do you have any idea how much it hurt when you cried out for me to save you? In that moment, my heart was filled with utter despair." "The results prove that it was effective." "And what if it failed? What if you were really hurt? What if something went wrong? What if I didn't make it in time? Was all of this worth it? If I had never gotten better..." Nan Muxue interrupted her again. "There are no 'what ifs'." "You can lie to everyone else, but why did you have to lie to me too? I would rather have stayed blind forever. I was so scared... scared that you really practiced the Love Flower Trance and that you wouldn't want me anymore..." This time, Nan Muxue silenced her with her own lips. "No matter how the world changes, through the shifting sands of time, I will never leave you or forsake you." *Almost. That was close. I almost gave in.* Chu Ruo thought. *If I let her off this easily, I’ll write my name backward.* She tried to steady her erratic breathing. "Is that so? You promised before not to lie to me, yet you’ve already broken your word." *Going to such lengths to deceive me—with acting skills like that, why aren't you on a stage, you drama queen?* "Never again," Nan Muxue kissed her, her tone almost pleading. "From now on, never again. I will tell you everything." "You said 'playing along' earlier. What did you mean by that?" "Yun Shuang and the other one are restless. I did intend to practice the Love Flower Trance so they would settle down during the journey. Once we deal with my mother, I’ll handle them. My only concern was Yun Shuang targeting you. But because I was focused on your eyes, I ultimately chose to take a desperate gamble." "Then your injuries last night..." Nan Muxue smiled faintly. "Minor injuries." "Let me see." "It’s truly nothing. I said I wouldn't lie to you again. Trust me." Chu Ruo was still suspicious. "You really didn't practice it? You were even using needles on yourself those days. With Zhier’s medical skills, if you were faking it, she would have noticed." "I practiced the first two percent. I did have to endure some genuine hardship; otherwise, how could Bai Zhier have believed it?" "Two percent! You... you're trying to infuriate me..." "Rest assured, two percent has no impact. It was only the beginning of the first stage. I am confident I can control it. Yun Shuang had already reached the third stage back then; you saw her coldness toward Yan’er. I only learned the basics, but it led me to discover something strange." "What?" "By logic, the Love Flower Trance requires one to sever all emotions. I thought so too at first, and I tried to suppress my feelings with golden needles. However, I found that doing so had the opposite effect. I couldn't grasp the essence of the technique, and I felt a growing sense of powerlessness. Later, I discovered that thinking of you actually made my progress move at lightning speed. If I hadn't stopped myself for your sake, I am confident I could have made a breakthrough in just a few days, perhaps even surpassing Yun Shuang." "Isn't it always said that this technique requires one to be heartless? Why is it different for you?" Nan Muxue shook her head. "I will study it more deeply later." "You’re still going to practice it? I won't allow it!" "Fine," she leaned into Chu Ruo’s embrace. "If you won't allow it, I won't practice it. I won't give it another thought." "You..." Chu Ruo couldn't hold back any longer. She threw her arms around the woman she loved. "Yesterday, when I went to find Zhier to look for you, she found out about your true parentage." "Mm." "That’s it? No other reaction?" Nan Muxue closed her beautiful eyes in the embrace, lazily enjoying the moment. "It’s not surprising. I never expected her to be unable to guess it." "So you knew all along she would figure out her own origins?" "Mm." "But if she knew, she shouldn't have conspired with Nan Yun Shuang to treat you like that." "What she chooses to do is her freedom. From the moment I killed Bai Ji, hatred became inevitable." Chu Ruo looked at her with heartache. "But you are clearly sisters. And Bai Ji... he was your..." Although Tu Aozhi wasn't certain, and although Nan Menghua hadn't said it, judging by her loathing for Bai Ji, there was an eighty percent chance. After all, Nan Menghua was a madwoman; she wouldn't tell Tu Aozhi the truth, and she likely wouldn't tell anyone else either. "It doesn't matter. Everyone else is the same to me. The only one I want is you." "I’m still angry." "Heh... then what do you want to do?" "I don't know. Regardless, I’m still mad. It depends on your performance." "Fine. As you wish. Everything as you wish." Chu Ruo tightened her hold on the woman whose body always felt so cold. "Does it hurt? On your birthday, the first person you killed was your own... forget it, forget it, I won't say it." "No," Nan Muxue’s lips brushed against Chu Ruo’s neck. "As long as you hold me tight, I am fine." "Okay." ***