A Web of Lies and a Surprise Encounter

The three of them settled down for some idle conversation.

Indeed, it was truly idle chatter, ranging from romantic tales and heroic sagas to strange occurrences and local legends. By the time the sun began to set, everyone seemed utterly content to bring their visit to a close.

Wang Zhongge took a sip of tea, a smile gracing her lips. “Only today have I realized how well-suited we are, Sister Pei. We truly must spend more time together in the future.”

He Suosi was feeling a bit lightheaded and disoriented. He had fully expected Chang Hui to ask certain probing questions, yet she hadn’t touched upon the assassination attempts at all. Eventually, he couldn’t even recall what he had said. Hearing Wang Zhongge’s words now, he lacked the energy to respond, managing only a faint smile and a nod.

Just then, Wang Zhongge abruptly asked, “Speaking of which, there’s something I’m unsure whether I should mention.”

He Suosi’s spirits instantly perked up. “What is it?”

Wang Zhongge’s face flushed crimson as she stammered, “The Immortal Monarch only left Sister’s room at the hour of the Rabbit today. Were you two perhaps…?”

‘What kind of ridiculous question is this?’ He Suosi thought. ‘Aren’t I the one you’re supposed to like?!’ Though he hadn’t truly cared about his first love’s current affections before, a pang of jealousy now struck him. Still, he managed to reply in a voice so cloyingly shy it made even himself feel sour. “What are you talking about, little sister? My body only fully recovered today; I couldn’t even get out of bed yesterday.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Chang Hui interjected, “That’s right. When I came yesterday, I considered offering my spiritual ginseng to help. But unexpectedly, by evening, Lan Jun returned it, saying you were already well. I presume the Immortal Monarch provided a spiritual pill?”

‘The main event has arrived.’

This thought flashed through He Suosi’s mind. Chang Hui’s patience was truly astonishing, to have laid such a long groundwork just for this question.

Her presence today undoubtedly stemmed from her confusion as to how he had evaded both the soul-snatching and the poisoning attempts. He Suosi had surmised that she would eventually inquire about his miraculous recovery, and he, in turn, had fabricated a plausible lie.

“Indeed,” He Suosi confirmed. “The Immortal Monarch came yesterday and gave me a pill. I don’t know what it was, but I felt better immediately after taking it.” He spoke with a naturally puzzled expression, subtly tinged with adoration for the Guangyu Immortal Monarch.

Chang Hui’s delicate brows rose. “As expected of the Immortal Monarch, to discern the Mistress’s illness with a single glance and cure it instantly.”

He Suosi’s smile was radiant. “Yes, I never knew the Immortal Monarch delved into pharmacology. But then again, with his great power, what is truly surprising?” The words made his teeth ache, but to observe Chang Hui’s reaction, he resolved to endure it.

Chang Hui subtly lowered her gaze, offering no further comment.

After another round of extravagant praise and compliments, Wang Zhongge and Chang Hui finally departed together.

He Suosi cast a deep glance at Chang Hui’s retreating back before turning and stepping into his room.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, painting the layered forests in vibrant hues. As the two women passed the octagonal pavilion, Chang Hui suddenly gasped.

Wang Zhongge looked at her in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Chang Hui had already regained her composure, a wry smile on her face. “I seem to have left an ancestral jade pendant at Pei Jiaren‘s place.”

“Then I’ll accompany you back to retrieve it, Sister,” Wang Zhongge offered.

Chang Hui waved a hand. “I’ll go myself. We were already preparing to part ways. I’ll be quick; you go on ahead.”

Wang Zhongge paused slightly, quickly realizing there was something peculiar about the situation. However, as it was someone else’s affair, she naturally had no right to pry. “Then I shall take my leave first, as I have some urgent matters to attend to,” she said immediately.

With that, she bowed slightly and departed.

Once Wang Zhongge’s silhouette vanished into the depths of the rock garden, Chang Hui turned back toward He Suosi’s courtyard, her gaze as cold and hard as iron.

‘Pei Nishang is lying.’

‘So, what exactly does she know?’

He Suosi lay on the bed, legs crossed, basking his bare, honey-drenched feet in the sunset light that streamed through the crack in the door.

Logically, this wasn’t his body, and such behavior was utterly disrespectful for a lady. Yet, by now, having shed clothes, bathed, and touched all the “appropriate” places, He Suosi had developed a profound realization that the body was merely a vessel. More often than not, he simply worried that when he eventually returned to his own body, he might have become completely asexual from the experience.

As these chaotic thoughts swirled in his mind, the door creaked open.

The golden-red sunset light immediately surged in like a tide, yet there was no figure at the doorway. It was as if a gentle breeze had pushed the door ajar.

But even without a visible presence, He Suosi knew who had entered. He knew they would eventually come back, for they would surely suspect that he had uncovered the truth.

As if sighing, He Suosi let out a soft breath, uttering, “Ah, you’ve finally arrived.”

No sooner had his words faded than the door slammed shut. The air currents stirred by its closing had barely reached He Suosi’s skirt when intricate, ethereal blue lines suddenly appeared on the smooth floor, forming an incredibly profound array. The next second, in Chang Hui’s eyes, the entire room was enveloped in a dense mist.

“Damn, it’s a formation.” Chang Hui’s figure materialized in the mist, her brow furrowed slightly. She drew a dagger from her waist and swished it through the thick fog. Seeing that the mist remained undisturbed, she simply sat cross-legged, silently reciting a Heart-Cleansing Incantation to maintain clarity of mind.

Soon, the dense mist dispersed, and the room returned to its original state.

However, the moment she opened her eyes, she was startled. Pei Nishang was right in front of her, squatting on the ground, propping up her face, observing her with keen interest.

Chang Hui instinctively reached for her dagger, but the moment she moved, the dense mist enveloped her once more. In an instant, she was surrounded by a boundless expanse of white, utterly disoriented. She had no choice but to resume her cross-legged posture.

This time, after the mist cleared, she saw Pei Nishang pressed close to her face, her hand caressing Chang Hui’s cheek.

“What are you doing?!” Chang Hui snapped, impatient. “Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because I can’t move right now. If you push your luck, don’t blame me for burning my bridges.”

He Suosi pinched Chang Hui’s chin, then poked her cheek, a look of confusion on his face. “You really look like this? You must be disguised, right?”

Chang Hui was so enraged she nearly vomited blood. She viewed Pei Nishang’s actions as blatant contempt. She glared at her furiously. “Is that all you care about?!”

He Suosi thought, ‘If I were the real Pei Nishang, I certainly wouldn’t care about this. But since I’ve already told your master I wouldn’t harm you, there’s nothing else to do.’

He pondered for a moment, then a sudden idea struck him. He picked up a brush from the stand, dipped it in ink, and approached Chang Hui. “Then I’ll ask you some questions. If you don’t answer, I’ll draw a turtle on your face. How about that?”

Chang Hui wanted nothing more than to spit in his face. She thought, ‘This woman is a proper young lady from a good family, yet why is she acting like a rogue? She acts just… just like a certain someone.’

She glared at Pei Nishang, her voice laced with fury. “Are you a three-year-old child?”

As she grew angry, her nose turned red, and her phoenix-like eyes shimmered like water, seemingly transcending her plain facade and radiating a surprising beauty. He Suosi observed her carefully for several moments before declaring, “I must have seen you before.”

As he spoke, the brush in his hand descended, leaving a black ink dot on Chang Hui’s nose.

Chang Hui seemed incredulous, her mouth agape as she stared at him. “Are you… are you toying with me?” She sensed no murderous intent from the other party, and for a moment, she even forgot what she had originally intended to do here.

He Suosi then said, “You must have many questions, right? For example, where did your Old Ancestor go? How did I discover you? How am I capable of such powerful formations? And so on.” He tilted his head slightly, his dark hair cascading like a waterfall over his chest. “But first, I need to ask, are you truly disguised or not?”

As he spoke, he reached out again, pinching Chang Hui’s cheek and tugging at her hair.

Chang Hui’s patience snapped. She exclaimed loudly, “You’re not Pei Nishang at all! Aren’t you afraid Guangyu Immortal Monarch will find out?!”

By now, even if Chang Hui and Pei Nishang weren’t close, she had realized the truth. The real Pei Nishang could never be such a scoundrel. She was a cultured lady, raised in seclusion. Even if she were uninhibited, she wouldn’t be this unrestrained. This demeanor, in fact, bore a striking resemblance to a certain individual.

He Suosi wasn’t concerned that Chang Hui knew. He pressed his hand onto Chang Hui’s shoulder, leaning intimately close to her ear. “Find out what? That we’re so close? Don’t worry, any man would love a bit of yuri.”

He Suosi’s original intention was merely to tease Chang Hui. After saying this, he planned to straighten up and laugh heartily. To his surprise, before he could stand upright, the door swung open.

Yuan Zhigong stood there, his face dark, observing the scene before him. Then, his gaze, sharp as ice, pierced He Suosi.

He Suosi: “…”

‘Caught in the act?!’

The brush in his hand inadvertently slipped, falling directly onto his bare foot.

However, things weren’t that simple. Chang Hui suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around He Suosi’s neck. He Suosi, still staring at Yuan Zhigong, hadn’t noticed that Chang Hui had somehow broken his formation’s movement restriction. Just as he registered his surprise, he saw that the arm she had placed on his shoulder had become transparent.

Warm breath, like mist, swirled in his ear, and a man’s voice, like a lover’s whisper, echoed: “My lady, this time I was careless. But I’ve left you a surprise.”

With that, Chang Hui’s figure vanished, leaving behind only a small, exquisitely dressed substitute doll on the floor.

With the weight gone from his neck, He Suosi calmly stood up. He looked at Yuan Zhigong, noticing that although no emotion was discernible on his face, the usually graceful and composed Guangyu Immortal Monarch was clenching his fists tightly.

At this moment, any explanation would be pale and futile. As a modern person who frequently watched melodramatic romance dramas, He Suosi deeply understood this.

He pondered for a moment. The next second, clear tears welled up from his eyes. He collapsed to the ground, whimpering timidly, his single sentence breaking into several mournful tones: “Imm—mortal Mon—narch, I’m so scared!”

Yuan Zhigong: “…”