“Little enchantress! Hey, what’s your name?”
“Nan Chu? Your name is Nan Chu? You really are *nanchu*—difficult to deal with!”
“Whoa! You’re slashing at me again? ‘Little enchantress’ doesn’t suit you. ‘Little Scorpion’ isn’t right either—you explode the moment someone touches you. Hmm, you should be ‘Little Hedgehog.’ You’re covered in prickles! Someone, help! There’s a difficult Little Hedgehog here in your Hundred Flowers Palace!”
Bai Zhier had returned. It was now the third year since Chu Ruo and Nan Muxue had wed.
“Mmm...” Chu Ruo stretched lazily. “Listen to them. They’re at it again. I wonder who’ll win this time.” It made her feel as though the Hundred Flowers Palace had become lively once more.
Bai Zhier chuckled softly. “I don’t know who will win, but Ruo’er, the sun is already up. Aren’t you tired?”
“What?” Chu Ruo rubbed her eyes dizzily and glanced outside. “It... it’s been a whole night already?”
The other woman propped her head on her hand. “Indeed. Does time feel like it passes especially quickly when you’re with me?”
Chu Ruo scratched her head and smiled. “Zhier, I haven’t seen you in three years. I didn’t even realize we’d talked the night away.”
“Truly? Did you miss me, then?”
Chu Ruo felt a bit awkward. “You’re teasing me again.”
“Hehe. Well, as you said, we haven’t met in three years. It’s rare for me to see you; can’t I tease you just a little?”
“Zhier...”
“Ruo’er, how are you still this cute? Over these past few years, your reputation as the Master of the Hundred Flowers Palace has certainly spread far and wide.”
“Now you’re just making fun of me.” Chu Ruo finally threw up her hands in resignation, no longer trying to argue. Instead, she said, “We haven’t slept all night. You should get some rest.”
“I don’t want to,” Bai Zhier replied, waving a hand. “Opportunities like this are rare. I just want to look at you.”
“...You.”
“Fine, fine.” Bai Zhier waved her off. “You’d better hurry back and report in. Ruo’er, how is it that after all this time, you’re still held so tightly in that Little Scorpion’s grasp? Can’t you assert some ‘husbandly’ authority for once?”
“I... I’m not exactly the ‘husband’...”
“Oh?” Bai Zhier teased. “So you aren’t? Does that mean you’re the wife?”
“I am not! I...” *I’m clearly the fierce top, alright?* “I am obviously the one who...”
“Ruo’er,” Bai Zhier said as she walked straight to the bed. “It doesn’t matter to me, but if you don’t go back and face the music now, aren’t you afraid of...”
*Whoosh!* Chu Ruo vanished in an instant. “I’m going, I’m going!”
*I’m dead, I’m dead. I got too carried away chatting. It’s over. Just thinking about the Little Scorpion... ugh.* A cold shiver ran down her spine. *Heavens, please protect me.*
Bai Zhier lay down. The room was already empty. *How is she still the same after all this time?* She smiled, turned over, and drifted off to sleep.
***
On the other side of the palace, Chu Ruo’s legs were trembling as she approached her room. She was practically ready to drop to her knees.
*Creeeeak—*
*Lord Buddha, please let her still be asleep. Lord Buddha, let her have already gone to the study. Lord Buddha, let her not be standing by the door. Amitabha, Amitabha...*
She opened the door with her eyes squeezed shut, only daring to crack it a tiny sliver. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, she cautiously opened one eye into a thin line. *Phew. Thank goodness. She’s not by the door.*
She peeked into the room. The person on the bed was still there. If she dared to turn back now, she might as well wait for the others to collect her corpse tomorrow. Taking several deep breaths, she forced a wide grin and stepped inside. “Xue’er, I’m ba—”
*Shit!*
A gold needle grazed her cheek and slammed into the door, sinking in so deep that even the tail disappeared! *This Little Scorpion is too ruthless...*
*Thud!*
Before Chu Ruo could recover, a small dagger flew past her other cheek, embedding itself just as deeply into the doorframe. *You vicious...* No, she couldn't curse. Nan Muxue could practically read minds. *No, no, stay calm.*
She forced another smile. “Xue...”
“Get out.”
Her voice was calm. So calm that it was devoid of any emotion, just like how she would indifferently reply with a simple “mm” when disciples reported to her. But this was different. If she had exploded in a rage, it would have been better. This level of calm only meant one thing—the Little Scorpion was angry. She was very, very, very, extremely, exceptionally, particularly, and quite terribly angry.
*Waaaah, it’s over. I’m going to lose my life today.*
“Now, Xue’er, listen to me...”
“Out.”
Another two icy words. Chu Ruo dropped to her knees right by the bed. “I was wrong! I was completely, utterly wrong! I shouldn’t have lost track of time chatting with Zhier and stayed out all night. Xue’er...”
“Since you were having such a happy conversation, why bother coming back at all?”
“I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t! I was thinking about you the whole time!”
“You weren’t happy, yet you talked the whole night through? It seems you really do like her very much.”
Cold sweat poured down Chu Ruo’s back. “Xue’er...”
Nan Muxue didn’t say another word. She stood up, intending to leave, but Chu Ruo grabbed her hand. “Where are you going...”
She was heartlessly shaken off. “What does it have to do with you?”
“Xue’er, I was wrong. I really was wrong.”
“How could the Palace Master possibly be wrong?”
*Ugh, listen to that distant title.* “I’m not the Palace Master. You are.”
“Is that so? I thought you were the one who could make the decisions for the Hundred Flowers Palace.”
“When did I...” Chu Ruo was about to ask when she had ever said that, but then she suddenly remembered a certain comment she’d made yesterday when she invited Zhier to stay. In a moment of pure idiocy, her brain short-circuited, and she blurted out, “Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?”
She immediately slapped a hand over her mouth. “No, no! Xue’er, I meant—”
“Indeed. It is my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to the two of you...”
“You can listen! You can! I’ll tell you everything Zhier and I talked about—”
“There is no need. Go find her once you’ve had your fill of talking with others.”
It was ridiculous. What did Chu Ruo take her for? Nan Muxue’s heart was cold with fury. Of all nights, it had to be last night—the night of their third wedding anniversary—and Chu Ruo had run off to keep someone else company. The resentment in her heart was not easily quelled.
“No, it was just an accident. I simply lost track of time.”
“An accident? More like exactly what you wished for.”
Chu Ruo remained on her knees. “Xue’er, I am at fault. Punish me...”
But before she could finish, Nan Muxue actually walked away. She just walked out, grandly and decisively.
*Sigh. The Little Scorpion is truly angry. How on earth am I going to coax her this time?*
***
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 246 | A Night Too Long | Novela.app | Novela.app
