[Childhood Sweethearts Have an End] (51-60) Author: No Cat Under Heaven

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-23

Author: No Cat Under Heaven
Word Count: 40622

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Chapter 51 Jade Shattered

Xia Xiao was already injured from being surrounded outside. Upon entering the house and suddenly seeing this scene, he was overcome with
anger and grief, kneeling on the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Lin Ling opened her eyes, "Brother Yang, what happened? You're injured!" Only then did Lin Ling notice a long bloodstain on Li Yiyang's
right sleeve Blood flowed down his entire arm, turning it bright red, and his body was covered in mottled
bloodstains. She didn't know if it was from the blood he had just vomited or if he had other wounds.

Li Yiyang, supporting himself with his left hand on his sword, barely managed to stand up, pointing the sword at Xia Xiao, "I'm going to kill you!"

Xia Xiao looked at Li Yiyang with disdain, one hand pressing down on Lin Ling's nape, firmly pinning her to the ground.

Li Yiyang barely managed to calm himself, raising his sword to stab Xia Xiao.

Lin Ling cried, "Boss, please go! I beg you!"

Li Yiyang was seriously injured, and although his sword strike was filled with hatred, it was weak and powerless when he actually thrust it out. Xia Xiao
drew his dagger and easily parried it.

Li Yiyang thrust his sword again, and Xia Xiao shouted loudly towards the door, "Zhuiying, Zouxue, take him down!"

Two men in black immediately leaped in from outside. Although they had swords at their waists, they did not draw them. They directly used grappling
techniques to attack Li Yiyang from the left and right at the same time.

Li Yiyang barely managed to block a few swords with his disordered breathing. Zhuiying struck Li Yiyang with a palm, knocking his sword out of his hand. Zouxue kicked him sharply from
behind the back of his knee, and Li Yiyang was kicked to his knees. The two men simultaneously restrained Li Yiyang's
left and right shoulders, bending his arms backward.

Lin Ling clearly saw Li Yiyang wince in pain as his right arm was bent backward, and could only cry out,
"Xia Xiao, what more do you want? If you kill him, I will not live alone!"

Xia Xiao originally intended to let it go; he didn't really enjoy letting Li Yiyang see him and Lin Ling's live sex show. However,
hearing Lin Ling's words, he couldn't help but feel angry and coldly ordered, "Tie Young Master Li to a chair, press
some acupoints to stop the bleeding... and also press the mute acupoint."

Zhuiying and Zouxue swiftly tied Li Yiyang to a chair. Li Yiyang tried his best to suppress the blood churning in
his chest . "Ling'er, did he force you?"

Xia Xiao looked at Li Yiyang mockingly. "I forced her? I slept with her in the palace for a whole year. What,
didn't she tell you?"

Li Yiyang looked up at Lin Ling. "Ling'er, is what he said true?"

Lin Ling closed her eyes, her face ashen, and refused to speak.

Li Yiyang couldn't accept it, his voice rising with emotion, "Is it true? Ling'er, you…" At this moment,
Zou Xue silenced him by pressing his acupoints, then pressed several vital points on his body to temporarily stop the bleeding. The two bowed to Xia Xiao
and then closed the door and left.

Silence fell over the room.

Li Yiyang looked at Lin Ling lying on the ground, his gaze complex.

Xia Xiao glanced at Li Yiyang, opened the door, and said, "Someone, take this assassin away and tend to his
wounds. Don't let him die."

Lin Ling lay on the ground, her eyes still tightly closed. She heard someone come in and take Li Yiyang away. After a while,
Xia Xiao also closed the door and left.

Lin Ling opened her eyes. Only a single candle flickered in the room. Lin Ling reached out and picked up the two pieces of broken jade that had fallen in
front of , clutching them tightly in her palm, her heart filled with gloom.

Chapter 52 Never to Meet Again in This Life

Not long after, two servants carried in a tub of bathwater and placed it in the room. Lin Ling sat on the ground with her head bowed, still tightly clutching the two pieces of broken jade in her hand
. Xia Xiao then entered, dragged Lin Ling up from the floor and placed her on a chair,
then began to undress her.

Xia Xiao noticed Lin Ling's right hand was tightly clenched; prying it open, he saw the jade pendant that had fallen to the floor earlier was in her palm.
Because of the sharp break and Lin Ling's tight grip, her palm was already slightly bleeding.

Xia Xiao frowned. "Lin Ling, are you not just throwing a tantrum like this?"

Lin Ling didn't answer, sitting on the chair like a lifeless doll.

Xia Xiao picked the two broken jade pieces from Lin Ling's palm and placed them on the tea table. "This wasn't
given to you by that useless pretty boy, was it?"

Lin Ling remained silent.

Xia Xiao sighed silently in his heart and continued to undress her.

Lin Ling's clothes fell to the floor one by one. Xia Xiao also removed his own clothes, carrying her into the bathtub.
Xia Xiao placed Lin Ling's injured hand outside the tub, gently washing the dirt from her face and combing her
messy, tangled hair. Lin Ling found it laughable; such a ruthless person could act so gently.

After washing Lin Ling, Xia Xiao carefully dried her with a towel, then carried her to the bed and took out
medicine apply to the wound on her palm.

After applying the medicine, Xia Xiao put down the bottle, parted Lin Ling's legs, and placed them on his sides. Lin Ling closed her eyes, and Xia
Xiao's fingers slipped inside Lin Ling's swollen vulva, gently probing the inner walls.

Lin Ling's vulva was slightly torn due to Xia Xiao's previous reckless thrusting, and Xia Xiao's fingers pressed right
on the wound, causing Lin Ling to flinch in pain.

Xia Xiao withdrew his fingers, a faint trace of blood on his fingertips. Xia Xiao sighed silently,
took out a small white porcelain box from his sleeve, scooped out a piece of ointment, and gently and evenly applied it inside Lin Ling's vulva.

After applying the medicine, Xia Xiao blew out the candle and lay down with Lin Ling in his arms. Having taken such drastic measures today, Li Yiyang, this
major threat , should no longer be able to cause any more trouble. It's just a pity things aren't entirely perfect; this girl now hates
him immensely. But ultimately, she's his woman, and he'll soon marry her. A lifetime of time will eventually change
her mind.

Xia Xiao hugged Lin Ling tighter; holding her so soft and fragrant in his arms felt wonderful. Xia Xiao rested his chin on the top of Lin
Ling's head and asked, "Do you hate me?"

Lin Ling didn't answer.

Xia Xiao, helpless, could only continue with the threat, "Lin Ling, if I wanted to, I could kill
Li Yiyang . The evidence against him for assassinating the prince is irrefutable."

Lin Ling finally spoke, "Xia Xiao, don't do this. I'll explain things to him, and I won't see
him again."

Xia Xiao felt a pang of jealousy; was she only speaking up for Li Yiyang's sake? But he also knew he had already humiliated her enough tonight
, and further pressure might not be good. He could only say, "Don't get angry with me. If you anger me,
you'll be the one who suffers!"

Lin Ling remained silent, closing her eyes.

The next day, after breakfast, Xia Xiao dressed Lin Ling in an exquisitely crafted light blue gauze dress. She
then had a maid loosen her hair into a flowing cloud-like bun, adorned with a few delicate palace flowers. A light dusting of rouge and
powder was applied to her face, making her appear even more beautiful and elegant. Satisfied

, Xia Xiao put his arm around Lin Ling's slender waist and led her out of the room. They turned through several corridors and stopped in front of a
door guarded by two guards.

Xia Xiao pushed open the door. Li Yiyang was bound to a chair, his right arm and chest wrapped in bandages.
Excessive and a sleepless night had left his handsome face looking tired and weak.

Hearing the door open, Li Yiyang looked towards the entrance.

Lin Ling, radiantly dressed, stood beside Xia Xiao, her arm around her waist, like a perfect couple.

Lin Ling looked at him expressionlessly. "Li Yiyang, I'm marrying Xia Xiao. From now on, we'll
have nothing , and you shouldn't think about me anymore."

Li Yiyang said hoarsely, "I only ask you, is he the one you love?"

Lin Ling's voice was calm and even. "Yes."

Li Yiyang shook his head. "I don't believe it, Ling'er. As long as you say your feelings for me haven't changed, I won't care about anything else.
Tell me, Ling'er!"

Lin Ling's voice trembled uncontrollably. "Believe it or not, it's up to you, but don't come looking for
me again." After saying that, she turned and walked out.

Seeing Lin Ling leave, Xia Xiao leisurely stepped out of the room and said to the guard at the door, "Escort Young Master Li
home ."

Xia Xiao accompanied Lin Ling to the carriage and returned to the Lin family mansion.

He put his arm around Lin Ling's waist and walked into the Lin family hall, respectfully bowing his head to address Master Lin, Madam Lin, Uncle, and Aunt,
and personally presented several expensive and ostentatious gifts. Afterwards, they had lunch at the Lin family mansion. Xia Xiao behaved very well at the dinner table
, diligently serving food to Lin Ling and chatting politely with Mr. and Mrs. Lin.

Lin Ling simply ate with her head down, accepting whatever Xia Xiao put on her plate.

After lunch, Xia Xiao took his leave. Mr. and Mrs. Lin had a fairly good first impression of their distinguished future son-in-law
.

Mrs. Lin said to Lin Ling, "I see he's quite attentive to you. Since it's an imperial marriage, you should try to be more open-minded."

Lin Ling stood up, saying she was tired, and turned to go back to her room.

Mrs. Lin stood at the door of Lin Ling's room, and after a while, she heard her daughter's aggrieved cries coming from inside.
Mrs. Lin knew that her daughter and Li Yiyang had been close since childhood, and that her crying was naturally for him, so she could only stand at the door and try to comfort her.

Lin Ling sobbed from inside, "Mother, please let me have some peace and quiet!"

Mrs. Lin knew that saying anything more would be useless, and hearing her daughter's pitiful cries, she could only wipe away her tears and leave.

Lin Ling cried in her room all afternoon before her sobs gradually subsided. She wouldn't eat the food Xiao Ya brought her that evening.
The Lin couple sat in the dining room, unable to eat either. No matter how noble the Seventh Prince's status, he couldn't compare
to Li Yiyang, who knew their daughter well and cared for her deeply. But what could they do now?

As they were discussing this in hushed tones, Li Yiyang arrived, his body bandaged, his face deathly pale. He greeted
them and said he wanted to see Lin Ling.

The Lin couple felt awkward seeing Li Yiyang and could only say that Lin Ling was already asleep, and that Li Yiyang was
so ; he should go home and rest. Helpless, Li Yiyang insisted on seeing Lin Ling. Mrs. Lin sighed, but still
led him to Lin Ling's door, patting him affectionately on the shoulder before turning away.

Li Yiyang gently knocked on Lin Ling's door. "Ling'er, open the door."

There was no answer from inside.

Li Yiyang knocked again. "Ling'er, let me in."

Lin Ling's hoarse voice came from inside the house. "Li Yiyang, go away. Don't come looking for me again
."

Hearing Lin Ling's voice, Li Yiyang felt a wave of dizziness. He quickly grabbed the doorframe. "Ling'er,
tell me everything. I don't believe it, I really don't believe it. I've watched you grow up, you're not that kind of woman."

Lin Ling cried. "I'm about to marry Xia Xiao, what else do you want me to tell you?"

"As long as you say you were forced by him, I'll take you away."

"How can we leave? What will happen to my parents? What will happen to your parents? This is an imperial marriage,
are you going to have them all taken to the execution ground?"

Li Yiyang gripped the doorframe tightly, a tearing pain in his chest. "Ling'er, I can't live without you.
How … how could you do that to him!"

Lin Ling stood at the door, her heart breaking at Li Yiyang's words. She leaned against the door,
covering her mouth sobbing uncontrollably. How can I ever be with you again? Seeing you like that means we can never
be together .

Li Yiyang coughed violently outside, covering his mouth to try and calm his breathing, but when he opened his palm, he was
spitting out blood. Li Yiyang swallowed hard, the metallic taste in his throat. "Ling'er, let me in. You have to tell me
clearly what happened between you two in the palace. Did he force you?"

"No! No! You don't know anything. I've been keeping it from you."

"Why did you keep it from me?! Why didn't you tell me you were back these past few days?"

"I... I just did it. I've been with him for a long time, and I didn't tell you. That's just how I am!
Li Yiyang, go away."

Li Yiyang coughed violently again, still saying between coughs, "Ling'er, let me in. Tell me
clearly in front of me!"

Lin Ling slid to the ground in despair. "I won't let you in. Go away."

"I won't leave. I won't die content if I leave like this. If you don't open the door for me, I'll wait at the door."

The two were separated by a door for an unknown amount of time. Lin Ling knew Li Yiyang was still outside. She leaned against the door
and sat on the ground, a desolate despair gradually rising in her heart. Living was so painful, yet death was not an option.
Was the human capacity to endure pain limitless?

Suddenly, there was a loud bang at the door. Lin Ling hurriedly got up and opened it. Li Yiyang lay unconscious at the doorway, his forehead
bruised from hitting the stone slab in front of the door.

Lin Ling knelt down and held Li Yiyang's head. He looked ashen-faced, with bright red blood at the corner of his mouth.
Lin Ling knew he hadn't fully recovered from the sword wound he suffered yesterday. Trembling, she wiped the blood from Li Yiyang's mouth with her hand, large
tears falling onto his face. "Brother Yang, wake up!"

Footsteps approached. "Let me see."

Lin Ling looked up; it was Cheng Haoran.

Cheng Haoran helped Li Yiyang up and was about to take him into Lin Ling's room.

Lin Ling stood up from behind them. "Don't go in. Take him back to the Li residence."

Cheng Haoran turned around, looking at Lin Ling with disbelief.

Lin Ling wiped away her tears. "Take him back quickly and take a good look at him."

Cheng Haoran looked at Lin Ling, said nothing more, carried Li Yiyang on his back, and strode out.

Lin Ling stood silently at the door for a while, then straightened her clothes and went inside.

Chapter 53 Marital Breakdown

Xiao Ya walked to Lin Ling's door. "Miss, it's late. Go to sleep."

Lin Ling absentmindedly hummed in agreement, still sitting motionless at the table.

Just as Xiao Ya was about to leave, she saw Cheng Haoran walking over from the front hall. She bowed slightly. "
Young Master Cheng ."

Cheng Haoran nodded. "Xiao Ya."

Lin Ling got up and opened the door. Cheng Haoran came in and sat down at the table.

Lin Ling closed the door. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Why?"

"Because I was so rude. You and Li Yiyang are good brothers, you'll definitely be angry with me."

"How could you be at ease if I didn't come and tell you?"

Lin Ling gave a bitter smile and walked to the table to sit down. "Is his injury serious?"

"The sword wound on his arm is alright, but the one in his chest was a diagonal stab, I think it hit his lung.
Luckily, the wound isn't deep, Yiyang is in good health, but he really shouldn't have come to your house like this tonight. He
should be fine after a few days of rest." "

...He even vomited blood."

Cheng Haoran looked at Lin Ling. "You're so worried about him, why don't you go see him?"

Lin Ling lowered her head. "Since you came to my house tonight, you must know I'm getting married to Xia Xiao, why would I
go see him?"

"Lin Ling, lift your head."

Lin Ling raised her head, looking at Cheng Haoran pitifully, helpless and lost.

Cheng Haoran tried his best to suppress the urge to hug her and asked softly, "
Is the same Xiahou Xiao who stabbed you before?"

"Yes. You guessed?"

"The names are so similar, it's hard not to guess it's him. Lin Ling, tell me everything, and I'll help you find
a solution."

Lin Ling felt ashamed and could only try to speak calmly, "I've
been , but I never expected the Emperor to issue an edict for me to marry him. Now I have nothing to say. You
should take good care of the eldest son's health. In the future... he will fall in love with another girl."

Cheng Haoran's usually calm phoenix eyes were filled with shock and regret. "What do you mean you and Xia Xiao are together
?! You two have already... had physical intimacy?"

Lin Ling shed tears in embarrassment. "Cheng Haoran, please don't question me like that. I know you
look down on me, but... don't do it in front of ..." "My face looks like this."

Cheng Haoran pulled Lin Ling into his arms. "Silly girl, I'm heartbroken for you! Did that Seventh Prince force
you? Why didn't you tell me!"

Lin Ling sobbed. "It's not that I didn't want to tell you, I've been looking for a suitable opportunity to tell you, Boss. Haoran,
there are many things you don't know, and now that things have come to this, I have no face to say anything more. I've hurt you like this, I even
hate myself. You'll all look down on me and ignore me from now on. I'm about to marry into the Seventh Prince's
household, I don't know what the future holds, I feel like my future is completely hopeless, I've even thought
about dying..." Lin Ling cried harder and harder in Cheng Haoran's arms, her tears
soaking the front of his clothes.

Cheng Haoran felt a pang of sorrow. He hugged Lin Ling tightly and gently kissed her fragrant, black hair. "Lin Ling, I
won't let you marry Xia Xiao. I will definitely help you."

Lin Ling sobbed, "It's no use, Cheng Haoran. Disobeying the imperial decree can lead to death. My parents are old
; it's unreasonable for them to die because they gave birth to an unfilial daughter like me. I know
there's no ."

Cheng Haoran didn't speak, only gently patting Lin Ling's back. Lin Ling's crying gradually subsided.
Cheng Haoran coaxed her to bed and waited until she fell asleep before leaving the Lin residence.

The next morning, Cheng Haoran went to Li Yiyang's house.

Li Yiyang sat up in bed. "Haoran, you're here. I heard you brought me back last night."

Cheng Haoran nodded. "You should lie down. Your injury isn't serious, but if you don't take it seriously, things might get
worse."

Li Yiyang refused to lie down, leaning against the bedpost. "What did Ling'er say when you brought me back yesterday?"

"Now that things have come to this, what are your plans?"

"I have to talk to Ling'er properly, but she refuses to see me. But it's okay, I'll go see her again." "

If you don't take good care of yourself, your lungs will become chronically ill."

Li Yiyang sighed. "I won't die in peace until I've made things clear with her." "

I went to see her after I brought you back yesterday, but seeing her like this won't help. Yiyang
, I see things more clearly than anyone else; I know she doesn't want to marry Xia Xiao at all."

"Haoran... there are some things you don't know."

"I don't know, and she won't tell me. I'm not asking about that now. I only know that the Seventh Prince
won't give us much time. Once he marries Lin Ling, it will be too late to say anything. Yi Yang, I
came here today to ask you what your plans are, or are you just going to watch her marry Xia Xiao?"

Li Yi Yang was silent for a moment. "I want to take her away, but I'm afraid I can't."

"You can't take her with you. If you do, Xia Xiao will surely wipe out the entire Li family.
After much thought, I've come up with the only solution: sending Lin Ling away. If Xia Xiao truly loves Lin Ling, I bet even if he's angry
, he won't kill Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin. However, if we hide Lin Ling, Xia Xiao will definitely search high and low
to find her. So, firstly, I don't know if we have the ability to prevent Xia Xiao from finding her; he's a prince, and
we're unlikely to be able to defeat him. Secondly, I can't guarantee that Xia Xiao won't turn his anger on you after he can't find Lin Ling, and your life
might be in danger. Thirdly, I don't know if Lin Ling will agree to let us send her away; she might not be willing to
risk her parents' lives and ours. But after thinking about it all night, I have no other choice."

Li Yiyang remained silent for a long time. "Indeed, this is the only way. Since we're going to do this, we must plan carefully and try to be as discreet
as possible. If everything is arranged properly, Ling'er might be willing to leave. But I must
talk to her; there are some things I need to clarify."

Xia Xiao and Lin Ling's wedding was set for the 28th of the first lunar month.

With just over ten days until their daughter's wedding, the Lin couple had nothing to do. Even the Seventh Prince's residence
had prepared and delivered the phoenix coronet and wedding dress to the Lin family. Seeing the chests of bright red, Lin Ling simply
walked away . When no one was around, Madam Lin often advised Lin Ling not to hold a grudge anymore. Being a daughter-in-law was different from being a daughter at home,
especially marrying into the royal family; one had to be extremely careful. She also mentioned that Xiao Ya would be part of the dowry, and Lin Ling
should control her temper and not worry her mother. Every time Lin Ling heard Madam Lin's words, she would simply
walk away without a word.

Lin Ling worried that after marrying Xia Xiao, she might never have the chance to see her childhood friends again.
One day, she went to the Tiansheng Martial Arts Academy to find Jiang Lei and Gu Xiaomi. They had also somehow learned of the marriage and didn't want to ask her too many questions.
The three of them sitting together weren't as comfortable as before, and the silence added to the awkwardness. Lin Ling smiled and got up
, saying she would go see her master. She stayed in Uncle Gu's room all afternoon and didn't return home until evening, her mind heavy with worries.
Li Yiyang came to see Lin Ling several more times, but she refused to see him each time. Li Yiyang hadn't yet figured out what was going on in his mind, and since Lin Ling
wouldn't see him, he didn't force her. He just waited until things had a rough outline before having a proper talk with Lin Ling.
With the wedding date fast approaching, Li Yiyang was extremely anxious. Although he took medicine every day, his injuries didn't seem to be getting any better.

Xia Xiao would sometimes come to the Lin residence to take Lin Ling out for a stroll or to relax, but Lin Ling always remained cold and indifferent. Xia
Xiao wanted to get angry several times, but she didn't want to have too much of a falling out with Lin Ling before the wedding, so she suppressed her anger and
coaxed her gently. ?

January 21st.

Xia Xiao teased Lin Ling for a while, gradually increasing his speed. He licked her earlobe and breathlessly said, "My
Ling'er, my darling, as long as you stay obediently by my side, I'll give you anything you want."

Lin Ling's eyes were blurry with tears as she opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately no sound came out.

Xia Xiao kissed her soft cherry lips fiercely, pulling her into his arms from behind, his ** pressing against her flower core
and gushing forth .

The Cui family's hall was a festive red, as the Qiao family was officially coming to present betrothal gifts tonight.

Minister Qiao, Madam Qiao, and Qiao Qingyuan sat on the left, while Master Cui, Madam Cui, and Cui Yuhuan
sat on the right.

Cui Yuhuan sat with her eyes lowered, and Qiao Qingyuan looked at her beautiful face with indescribable
joy and satisfaction. From the moment he first saw Cui Yuhuan two years ago, he couldn't forget this beautiful
young lady from the Cui family
who was so stunning he dared not look directly at her
. Even after the Cui family moved away from the capital, he still relentlessly begged his parents to propose marriage to Cui Yuhuan in her hometown. The Qiao family only had one son, and seeing their son's earnestness, the Qiao couple, though not entirely satisfied with the marriage, ultimately agreed.

Madam Qiao picked up an exquisite sandalwood box from the table. "Yuhuan, come here."

Cui Yuhuan, her head lowered and lost in thought, only
rose .

Madam Qiao opened the box, looking lovingly at Cui Yuhuan. "Yuhuan, this is
a golden
. It has always been worn only by the eldest grandson and his wife. I am now passing it on to you, hoping that you and Qingyuan will live in harmony and love, and that you will soon have many children for our Qiao family."

Madam Qiao carefully took out a magnificent golden phoenix hairpin from the sandalwood box. The phoenix head was carved lifelike, and
the outstretched wings were made of fine gold wire, with countless tiny, sparkling
red gemstones wrapped around the wire.

Cui Yuhuan respectfully extended her hands. The hairpin was so dazzling that Cui Yuhuan felt a sharp pain in her
heart ...

Madam Qiao smiled and placed the phoenix hairpin in Cui Yuhuan's hands, but Cui Yuhuan's hands suddenly trembled as if burned
, and the shimmering golden hairpin fell to the ground with a clatter.

Minister Qiao and Madam Qiao's expressions immediately changed.

Cui Yuhuan squatted down, her heart pounding. The golden phoenix's wings were bent askew, and several red gemstones rolled to the ground.

Qiao Qingyuan stood up. "Father, Mother, Yuhuan didn't mean to."

An awkward silence fell over the living room.

Cui Yuhuan reached out and picked up a ruby.

Madam Cui also quickly stood up to smooth things over. "Yuhuan, how could you be so careless! Quickly pick up all the rubies,
I'll find a capable craftsman to repair them right now."

Cui Yuhuan held the dazzling ruby, slowly stood up, her beautiful eyes filled with tears.
"Uncle Qiao, Aunt Qiao, I'm sorry, I broke your phoenix hairpin. I... I can't be your
daughter-in ."

Master Cui shouted, "Cui Yuhuan!"

Cui Yuhuan looked at Master Cui. "Father, I don't want to marry Young Master Qiao."

Qiao Qingyuan's face changed drastically as he looked at Cui Yuhuan.

Master Cui slammed his hand on the table, "You unfilial daughter, do you even know what you're saying!"

Cui Yuhuan knelt before Master Cui, "Father, I've had someone I love for a long time. His name is Li Yiyang,
and we . If you hadn't suddenly taken our whole family away from the capital back then, he would definitely have come to propose marriage
. I can't marry Young Master Qiao, please, Father, grant my wish."

Master Cui slapped Cui Yuhuan across the face, stood up angrily but had nowhere to vent his anger, and pointed at Madam Cui
, saying, "Look at the good daughter you've raised!"

Madam Cui's face turned pale, "Yuhuan, don't talk nonsense!"

Cui Yuhuan was knocked to the ground by Master Cui's blow. She scrambled to her feet, covering her face and refusing to speak. Meanwhile,

Xia Xiao took Lin Ling home in a carriage. Although he sometimes brought Lin Ling back to the Seventh Prince's residence for intimate moments these days, he
always made sure to take her home in the evening. Of course, he did this to avoid leaving a bad impression on his future in-laws.
Anyway, they were getting married in a few days, so there was no need to rush.

Inside the carriage, Xia Xiao held Lin Ling in his arms. "Ling'er, I'm free tomorrow.
How about , or maybe go to Shuiyuefang to see a new play?"

Lin Ling thought for a moment and said, "I'm not going. I have things to do tomorrow."

"Oh? What are you doing?"

"I want to climb Chihui Peak tomorrow." "

Climb a mountain? What kind of mountain climbs in the dead of winter?"

"I love climbing mountains in the dead of winter. I didn't ask you to go with me."

"You're going alone?"

"Yes."

"Why do you suddenly want to climb a mountain?"

"You don't know the beauty of mountain scenery in winter. I climbed Chihui Peak once in winter before. There was snow at the top,
and icicles hanging from the trees. It was very beautiful."

"It hasn't snowed these past few days, so where's the snow scenery?"

"...There's snow in the mountains."

"Anyway, you're determined to go tomorrow?"

"Yes." "

Okay, I'll go with you."

"If you don't like it, then don't go. I didn't ask you to come with me."

"Silly girl, you said it yourself, the mountains are icy, it's too dangerous for someone to go alone."

Lin Ling stopped talking, only looking at the scenery outside the carriage curtain.

The carriage arrived at the Lin residence. Xia Xiao kissed Lin Ling on the cheek. "Since you're going up the mountain tomorrow, go back and get
some sleep."

Xia Xiao watched Lin Ling enter the house before instructing the carriage to return to the Seventh Prince's residence.

Lin Ling didn't go back to her room after entering; instead, she went to the pavilion in the backyard and sat down.

The courtyard was silent. She saw three little boys happily playing horseback riding and fighting around her. A chubby little girl of about five
or six holding a small stick, followed behind a handsome boy, shouting, "
Go, Brother Yang! Go, Brother Yang!"

Outside, there was a girl of about ten years old, dressed in a light green gauze robe. She held a bamboo stick, pointing it to the sky,
striking a beautiful sword-wielding pose, but unfortunately, her stance was unstable, and she swayed back and forth,
urging him on, "Brother Yang, hurry up! This is tiring!"

A tall, refined young man stood by the stone table in the pavilion, head down,
drawing stroke by stroke on a spread-out sheet of rice paper, a faint smile on his lips, full of doting tenderness.

Lin Ling thought that if people truly had souls, perhaps they wouldn't necessarily remain in the body, but rather be scattered little by little in
every beautiful memory. Even if one day everything has changed, those memories would forever remain in
the place where they first appeared.

Lin Ling sat in the pavilion for a long time, then got up and walked outside.

Chapter 53 of Childhood Sweethearts Has an End: Marital Breakdown (H)

Xiaoya walked to Lin Ling's door. "Miss, it's late, go to sleep."

Lin Ling absentmindedly hummed in agreement, remaining seated at the table without moving.

Just as Xiaoya was about to leave, she saw Cheng Haoran walking over from the front hall. She bowed slightly and said, "
Young Master Cheng ."

Cheng Haoran nodded. "Xiaoya."

Lin Ling got up and opened the door. Cheng Haoran walked in and sat down at the table.

Lin Ling closed the door. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Why?"

"Because I was so rude. You and Li Yiyang are good brothers, you'll definitely be angry with me."

"How could you be at ease if I didn't come and tell you?"

Lin Ling gave a bitter smile and walked to the table to sit down. "Is his injury serious?"

"The sword wound on his arm is alright, but the one in his chest was a diagonal stab, I think it hit his lung.
Luckily, the wound isn't deep. Yiyang is physically strong, but he really shouldn't have come to your house like this tonight. He
should be fine after a few days of rest." "

...He even vomited blood."

Cheng Haoran looked at Lin Ling. "You're so worried about him, why don't you go see him?"

Lin Ling lowered her head. "Since you came to my house tonight, you must know I'm getting married to Xia Xiao. What's the point of me
going to see him?"

"Lin Ling, lift your head."

Lin Ling raised her head, looking at Cheng Haoran pitifully, helpless and lost.

Cheng Haoran tried his best to suppress the urge to hug her and asked softly, "
Is the same Xiahou Xiao who stabbed you before?"

"Yes. You guessed?"

"The names are so similar, it's hard not to guess it's him. Lin Ling, tell me everything, and I'll help you find
a solution."

Lin Ling felt ashamed and could only try to speak calmly, "I've
been , but I never expected the Emperor to issue an edict for me to marry him. Now I have nothing to say. You
should take good care of the eldest son's health. In the future... he will fall in love with another girl."

Cheng Haoran's usually calm phoenix eyes were filled with shock and regret. "What do you mean you're with Xia Xiao
?! You two have already... had physical intimacy?"

Lin Ling shed tears in embarrassment. "Cheng Haoran, please don't question me like that. I know you
look down on me, but... don't do it in front of ..." "My face looks like this."

Cheng Haoran pulled Lin Ling into his arms. "Silly girl, I'm just worried about you! Did that Seventh Prince force
you? Why didn't you tell me!"

Lin Ling sobbed. "It's not that I didn't want to tell you, I've been looking for a suitable opportunity to tell you, Boss. Haoran,
there are many things you don't know, and now I have no face to say anything more. I've hurt you like this, I
hate myself, and you'll all look down on me and ignore me. I'm about to marry into the Seventh Prince's
household, I don't know what the future holds, I feel like my future is hopeless, I've even thought
about dying..." Lin Ling cried harder and harder in Cheng Haoran's arms, her tears soaking the front of his clothes
.

Cheng Haoran felt a pang of sorrow. He hugged Lin Ling tightly and gently kissed her fragrant, dark hair. "Lin Ling, I
won't let you marry Xia Xiao. I will definitely help you."

Lin Ling sobbed, "It's no use, Cheng Haoran. Disobeying the imperial decree can lead to death. My parents are old
; it's unreasonable for them to die because they gave birth to an unfilial daughter like me. I know
there's no ."

Cheng Haoran didn't speak, only gently patting Lin Ling's back. Lin Ling's crying gradually subsided.
Cheng Haoran coaxed her to bed and waited until she fell asleep before leaving the Lin residence.

The next morning, Cheng Haoran went to Li Yiyang's house.

Li Yiyang sat up in bed. "Haoran, you're here. I heard you brought me back last night."

Cheng Haoran nodded. "You should lie down. Your injury isn't serious, but if you don't take it seriously, things might get
worse."

Li Yiyang refused to lie down, leaning against the bedpost. "What did Ling'er say when you brought me back yesterday?"

"Now that things have come to this, what are your plans?"

"I have to talk to Ling'er properly, but she refuses to see me. But it's okay, I'll go see her again." "

If you don't take good care of yourself, your lungs will become chronically ill."

Li Yiyang sighed. "I won't die in peace until I've made things clear with her." "

I went to see her after bringing you back yesterday, but seeing her like this won't help. Yiyang
, I see things more clearly than anyone else; I know she doesn't want to marry Xia Xiao at all."

"Haoran... there are some things you don't know."

"I don't know, and she won't tell me. I'm not asking about that now. I only know that the Seventh Prince
won't give us much time. Once he marries Lin Ling, it will be too late to say anything. Yi Yang, I
came here today to ask you what your plans are, or are you just going to watch her marry Xia Xiao?"

Li Yi Yang paused for a moment. "I want to take her away, but I'm afraid I can't."

"You can't take her away. If you do, Xia Xiao will surely wipe out the entire Li family.
After much thought, I've come to the conclusion that sending Lin Ling away is the only solution. If Xia Xiao truly loves Lin Ling, I bet
even won't kill Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin. However, once we hide Lin Ling, Xia Xiao will definitely search high and low
to find her. So, firstly, I don't know if we have the ability to prevent Xia Xiao from finding her; he's a prince, and
we'll have a hard time defeating him. Secondly, I can't guarantee that Xia Xiao won't take his anger out on you after he can't find Lin Ling,
and life might be in danger. Thirdly, I don't know if Lin Ling will agree to let us send her away; she might not be willing to
risk her parents' lives and ours. But after thinking about it all night, I have no other choice."

Li Yiyang remained silent for a long time. "Indeed, this is the only way. Since we're going to do this, we must plan carefully and try to be as discreet
as possible. If everything is arranged properly, Ling'er might be willing to leave. But I must
talk to her; there are some things I need to clarify."

Xia Xiao and Lin Ling's wedding was set for the 28th of the first lunar month.

With just over ten days until their daughter's wedding, the Lin couple had nothing to do. Even the Seventh Prince's residence
had prepared and delivered the phoenix coronet and wedding dress to the Lin family. Seeing the chests of bright red gifts, Lin Ling simply
walked away . When no one was around, Madam Lin often advised Lin Ling not to hold a grudge anymore. Being a daughter-in-law was different from being a daughter at home,
especially marrying into the royal family; one had to be extremely careful. She also mentioned that Xiao Ya would be part of the dowry, and Lin Ling
should control her temper and not worry her mother. Every time Lin Ling heard Madam Lin's words, she would simply
walk away without a word.

Lin Ling worried that after marrying Xia Xiao, she might never see her childhood friends again.
One day, she went to the Tiansheng Martial Arts Academy to find Jiang Lei and Gu Xiaomi. They had also somehow learned of the marriage and didn't want to ask her too many questions.
The three of them sitting together weren't as comfortable as before, and the silence added to the awkwardness. Lin Ling smiled and got up
, saying she would go see her master. She stayed in Uncle Gu's room all afternoon and didn't return home until evening, her mind heavy with worries.
Li Yiyang came to see Lin Ling several more times, but she refused to see
him each time. Li Yiyang hadn't yet figured out what was going on in his mind, and since Lin Ling wouldn't see him, he didn't force her. He just waited until things were more or less clear before having a proper talk with Lin Ling.
With the wedding date fast approaching, Li Yiyang was extremely anxious. Although he took medicine every day, his injuries didn't seem to be getting any better.

Xia Xiao would sometimes come to the Lin residence to take Lin Ling out for a stroll or to relax, but Lin Ling always remained cold and indifferent. Xia
Xiao wanted to get angry several times, but she didn't want to cause too much of a scene with Lin Ling before the wedding, so she suppressed her anger and
coaxed her gently. ?

January 21st.

In the main bedroom of the Seventh Prince's residence, the red sheets were in disarray on the large bed. Lin Ling lay naked and alluring on her side
, with Xia Xiao holding her tightly from behind. Lin Ling's one leg was lifted and folded against
her chest , while her other leg dangled limply beneath her. Her five small, white toes curled in unbearable discomfort. The man's thick
, long penis thrust powerfully in and out of her tender little flower, making her delicate opening glisten with moisture.

Lin Ling's long eyelashes trembled slightly, a single, crystal-clear tear clinging to one. She bit her
soft , refusing to utter a sound.

The man behind her reached out and kneaded her two tender, rabbit-like breasts, nibbling at her earlobe
and whispering , "Ling'er, this is our wedding bed. Do you like it? Hmm?" His penis pressed against Lin Ling's clitoris
, lingering and caressing it tenderly.

Lin Ling's eyelashes trembled even more violently, and a suppressed moan escaped from the corner of her mouth.

Xia Xiao's other hand moved to the lush, grassy garden beneath Lin Ling, parting her labia and slowly groping for
the erect clitoris. He erotically rubbed it between his fingers. "My darling, I love hearing you moan, moan
out..."

Lin Ling was overwhelmed by Xia Xiao's skillful fingers, turning her head to look at him shyly and delicately. Xia Xiao
couldn't help but thrust fiercely into her sweet little hole. "Little vixen, looking at me like that again."

Xia Xiao teased Lin Ling for a while, gradually increasing the speed, licking Lin Ling's earlobe and panting, "My
Ling'er, my darling, as long as you stay obediently by my side, I'll give you anything you want."

Lin Ling's eyes were blurry with tears, and she opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but ultimately no sound came out.

Xia Xiao kissed her soft cherry lips fiercely, pulling her into his arms from behind, his semen gushing out against her clitoris
. ?

The Cui family's hall was filled with a festive red hue; tonight, the Qiao family would officially come to present betrothal gifts.

Minister Qiao, Madam Qiao, and Qiao Qingyuan sat on the left, while Master Cui, Madam Cui, and Cui Yuhuan
sat on the right.

Cui Yuhuan sat with her eyes lowered, and Qiao Qingyuan, gazing at her beautiful face, felt an indescribable
joy and satisfaction. From the first moment he saw Cui Yuhuan two years ago, he could never forget this beautiful
young lady of the Cui family who was so stunning that he dared not look directly at her. Even after the Cui family moved away from the capital, he still relentlessly begged his
parents . The Qiao family only had one son, and seeing their son's earnestness, the Qiao couple, though not entirely
satisfied with the marriage, ultimately agreed.

Madam Qiao picked up an exquisite sandalwood box from the table. "Yuhuan, come here."

Cui Yuhuan, head down, seemed lost in thought. Hearing Madam Qiao call her, she absentmindedly got up
and went over .

Madam Qiao opened the box, looking lovingly at Cui Yuhuan. "Yuhuan, this is
a golden
. It has always been worn only by the eldest grandson and his wife. I am now passing it on to you, hoping that you and Qingyuan will live in harmony and love, and that you will soon have many children for our Qiao family."

Madam Qiao carefully took out a magnificent golden phoenix hairpin from the sandalwood box. The phoenix head was carved with lifelike detail, and
the outstretched wings were made of fine gold wire, with countless tiny, sparkling
red gemstones wrapped around the wire.

Cui Yuhuan respectfully extended her hands. The hairpin was so dazzling that Cui Yuhuan felt a sharp pain in her
heart …

Madam Qiao smiled and placed the phoenix hairpin in Cui Yuhuan's hands, but Cui Yuhuan's hands suddenly trembled as if burned.
With a tremor, the glittering golden hairpin fell to the ground with a clatter.

Minister Qiao and his wife's expressions immediately changed.

Cui Yuhuan, her heart pounding, crouched down, the golden phoenix's wings buckling, several rubies rolling to the ground.

Qiao Qingyuan stood up. "Father, Mother, Yuhuan didn't mean to."

An awkward silence filled the living room.

Cui Yuhuan reached out and picked up a ruby.

Madam Cui quickly stood up to smooth things over, "Yuhuan, how could you be so careless! Quickly pick up all the gems,
I'll find a capable craftsman to repair them right now."

Cui Yuhuan held the dazzling gem, slowly stood up, her beautiful eyes filled with tears,
"Uncle Qiao, Aunt Qiao, I'm sorry, I broke your phoenix hairpin. I... can't be your
daughter-in-law ."

Master Cui shouted, "Cui Yuhuan!"

Cui Yuhuan looked at Master Cui, "Father, I don't want to marry Young Master Qiao."

Qiao Qingyuan's expression changed drastically as he looked at Cui Yuhuan.

Master Cui slammed his hand on the table, "You unfilial daughter, do you even know what you're saying?!"

Cui Yuhuan knelt before Master Cui, "Father, I've had someone I love for a long time. His name is Li Yiyang,
and we . If you hadn't suddenly taken our whole family away from the capital back then, he would definitely have come to propose
. I can't marry Young Master Qiao, please, Father, grant my wish."

Master Cui slapped Cui Yuhuan across the face, stood up angrily but had nowhere to vent his anger, and pointed at Madam Cui
, saying, "Look at the good daughter you've raised!"

Madam Cui's face turned pale, "Yuhuan, don't talk nonsense!"

Cui Yuhuan was knocked to the ground by Master Cui's blow. She scrambled to her feet, covering her face and refusing to speak.

Meanwhile, Xia Xiao took Lin Ling home in a carriage. Although he sometimes brought Lin Ling back to the Seventh Prince's residence for intimate moments these days,
he always took her home in the evening. Of course, he did this to avoid leaving a bad impression on his future in-laws.
Anyway, they were getting married in a few days, so there was no need to rush.

Inside the carriage, Xia Xiao held Lin Ling in his arms. "Ling'er, I'm free tomorrow.
How about , or maybe go to Shuiyuefang to see a new play?"

Lin Ling thought for a moment and said, "I'm not going. I have things to do tomorrow."

"Oh? What are you doing?"

"I want to climb Chihui Peak tomorrow." "

Climb a mountain? What kind of mountain climbs in the dead of winter?"

"I love climbing mountains in the dead of winter. I didn't ask you to go with me."

"You're going alone?"

"Yes."

"Why do you suddenly want to climb a mountain?"

"You don't know the beauty of mountain scenery in winter. I climbed Chihui Peak once in winter. There was snow at the top,
and icicles hanging from the trees. It was beautiful."

"It hasn't snowed these past few days, so where would the snow scenery be?"

"...There's snow in the mountains."

"Anyway, you really want to go tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

"If you don't like it, then don't go. I didn't ask you to come with me."

"Silly girl, you said it yourself, the mountain is frozen, it's too dangerous for someone to go alone."

Lin Ling stopped talking and just looked at the scenery outside the carriage curtain.

The carriage arrived at the Lin residence, and Xia Xiao kissed Lin Ling on the cheek. "Since you're going up the mountain tomorrow, go back and get
some sleep."

Xia Xiao watched Lin Ling enter the house before instructing the carriage to return to the Seventh Prince's residence.

Lin Ling didn't go to her room after entering; instead, she went to the pavilion in the backyard and sat down.

The courtyard was silent. She saw three little boys happily playing horseback riding and fighting around her. A chubby little girl of about five or
six years old followed a handsome boy, shouting, "Go
, Brother Yang! Go, Brother Yang!"

Outside, a girl of about ten years old, dressed in a light green gauze robe, held a bamboo stick, pointing it to the sky,
striking a beautiful sword-wielding pose. Unfortunately, her stance was unstable, and she swayed back and forth,
urging him on, "Brother Yang, hurry up! This is tiring!"

A tall, refined young man stood by the stone table in the pavilion, head bowed
, drawing stroke by stroke on a spread-out sheet of rice paper, a faint smile on his lips, full of doting tenderness.

Lin Ling thought that if people truly had souls, perhaps they wouldn't remain inside the body, but rather scattered little by little in
every beautiful memory. Even if one day everything has changed, those memories would forever remain in
the place where they first appeared.

Lin Ling sat in the pavilion for a long time, then got up and went outside.

Chapter 54 Such an Ending

Lin Ling arrived at the Li residence's gate. She stepped onto the steps, grasping the brass door knocker but lacking the courage to knock.
She and Li Yiyang had ended up like this; she felt too embarrassed to face Uncle Li and Aunt Li. After a moment's thought, Lin Ling
gently placed the door knocker back, turned, and descended the steps, going around to the back courtyard of the Li residence. Unbeknownst to her, just as she
turned the corner, Cui Yuhuan, her face streaked with tears, stumbled towards her from another direction.

Lin Ling reached the wall of the Li residence's back courtyard. Seeing no one around, she nimbly climbed a large poplar tree growing beside
the wall . The poplar tree didn't shed its leaves even in winter, providing Lin Ling with perfect cover. She saw
a servant sweeping the courtyard, so she quietly crouched on the tree, afraid to make a sound. The servant finished sweeping and
went inside with a dustpan. Lin Ling was wondering where to start climbing into the courtyard when she heard the door creak open. She
quickly stopped in the tree.

Li Yiyang came out of the house and stood in the yard for some fresh air. The herbal medicine he'd been taking for days filled the room with a musty smell,
making him feel suffocated. He gazed at the locust tree in Lin Ling's backyard across the street, its leaves falling.
In late spring and early summer, this large locust tree would be adorned with clusters of fragrant white blossoms. Every time Li Yiyang
smelled that sweet fragrance, he would remember Lin Ling climbing the ladder to her backyard wall, her little head
peeking out from the lush foliage, the white blossoms fluttering down on her head—a delicate,
adorable . Her dark eyes darted around as she called out loudly, "Boss, boss, are you there?"

The flowers bloom every year, but what use is a tree in full bloom if Lin Ling is no longer there?
She's been gone for a year, but it feels like I've waited ten. If she never returns, how will I cope?

Lin Ling saw Li Yiyang looking up in her direction and assumed he had noticed her. After a moment, she
realized he was actually looking elsewhere. Lin Ling wanted to speak but felt awkward; climbing the tree like this felt like being a thief.

Lin Ling was hesitating whether to greet him before jumping or jump first and then greet him when a
servant from the Li family walked into the courtyard. "Young Master, a Miss Cui has arrived and says she wants to see you." Li Yiyang was taken aback.

"Please let her in."

A moment later, a servant brought Cui Yuhuan over. From a distance, Li Yiyang saw that Cui Yuhuan was wearing a
light red layered gauze dress, her hair was tied up in a high bun, and she was adorned with several gold and jade ornaments. She looked very
elegant and noble. But when she got closer, he noticed that her hair was disheveled, her eyes were red from crying, and one side of her face
was obviously swollen.

Li Yiyang exclaimed in surprise, "Yuhuan, what's wrong?"

Cui Yuhuan threw herself into Li Yiyang's arms. "Brother Yang, I...I..."

Li Yiyang waved awkwardly for the servants to leave, then gently patted Cui Yuhuan's back. "Yuhuan
, don't cry. Tell me slowly."

Cui Yuhuan looked up, her beautiful face filled with sorrow. "Brother Yang, my father kicked me out
of the house. From now on...you'll be all I have."

"Why did your father kick you out?"

Cui Yuhuan sobbed as she recounted the whole story of the Qiao family's betrothal ceremony that evening. When she mentioned that she had already told her father that she was with Li Yiyang long before
the Qiao family came to propose, Li Yiyang's expression darkened.
But seeing Cui Yuhuan crying like this, what could he say? He could only suppress his frustration and comfort her, "You are your
parents' biological daughter, how could they really abandon you? They were just angry for a moment, it wouldn't come to that."

Cui Yuhuan shook her head and said, "Brother Yang, you don't know. My father is not even fifty years old,
why would he suddenly resign from his official post? He lost power in the palace and had no choice but to leave. After we returned to our ancestral home in the south,
my father was unhappy every day and would curse people at the drop of a hat. Later, Minister Qiao sent someone to our house to propose marriage, and my father didn't even ask
me before answering." He agreed. The Qiao family wields considerable power in the palace; Father never imagined such a good thing would happen.
Our Cui family has been officials for generations, and Father's current predicament not only fills him with remorse but also makes him feel ashamed before
his ancestors , hence his bad temper. Now that we've formed a marriage alliance with the Qiao family, Father is overjoyed. Although he can no longer
support us, he still hopes the Qiao family will help my younger brother in the future. He always thinks that as long as my brother has hope, our
Cui family will one day be able to return to the capital with our heads held high. I know Father's heart, so although I was extremely unwilling, I
dared not say a word. Originally, I also... I've resigned myself to fate, but then I saw you. That day, Qiao Luo asked me where I wanted to eat,
and without thinking, I walked to the restaurant we used to go to together. I never imagined I'd run into you there
… Brother Yang, I can't help it. I think about our past every day, I'm like a walking corpse, I
can't fool myself anymore. Today, after the Qiao family left, Father looked like he wanted to kill me. He said I
was an unfilial daughter, unworthy of the Cui surname. I knelt on the ground, afraid to speak, and he personally pushed me out of the house. He ignored my mother's
pleas . Brother Yang, I know… "My father really doesn't want me anymore. I have nothing left,
so I came to you. Do you... still want me?"

Looking at the sorrowful light in Cui Yuhuan's eyes, Li Yiyang couldn't bring himself to say anything to refuse her.
He could only wipe her tears and comfort her, "Yuhuan, it's okay. I won't abandon you. Your father was just
saying that in anger. He won't really abandon you. Please don't cry anymore, okay?"

Cui Yuhuan was so emotional that she couldn't stop crying. It took Li Yiyang a while to persuade her to go inside. He
told the servants to bring water for her to wash her face and to have the maids prepare a clean guest room. Cui Yuhuan just held onto Li Yiyang's hand tightly.
Li Yiyang was flustered by her crying and only vaguely agreed to whatever she said before finally coaxing her
into the guest room to sleep.

Li Yiyang walked into the courtyard again. The late night air in the first month of the lunar calendar was truly biting cold. Li Yiyang felt a throbbing pain in
his chest . Cui Yuhuan's annulment of the engagement was no joke; it seemed difficult for him to get rid of it completely
… A sense of desolation crept into Li Yiyang's heart. One injustice after another arose. Was there really any hope left for him and Lin Ling in this life?

Li Yiyang hadn't slept all night. He went straight to the Lin residence without even eating breakfast. Even if he hadn't
planned out, he had to see Lin Ling today. He had thought about Cui Yuhuan's situation all night but hadn't come up with a proper
solution. However, he knew that even though a terrible mistake had been made, even if Cui Yuhuan hated and resented him, he couldn't
live without Lin Ling.

Li Yiyang knocked on the Lin family's door.

Xiaoya opened the door. "Young Master Li."

"Xiaoya, I want to see your young lady."

Xiaoya looked outside. "Young lady just went out with the Seventh Prince; I just closed the door."

The path to Chihui Peak was steep, and small patches of ice occasionally clung to the narrow stone steps. Lin Ling nearly slipped and
fell , but Xia Xiao quickly caught her from behind. They hadn't climbed far when Lin Ling, exhausted, sat down on the steps
, panting, saying she needed to rest before continuing.

Xia Xiao looked at her helplessly, "You're the one who wanted to climb, and you're already tired after only a short distance.
It's windy up there; you'll catch a cold sitting here after working up a sweat. Get up, let's climb slowly."

Xia Xiao pulled Lin Ling's hand and they continued climbing, finally reaching the summit around noon.

Lin Ling found a flat rock to sit on. "I'm exhausted."

Xia Xiao stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing into the distance. "Where's the snow scene you were talking about?"

Lin Ling rested her chin on her hand, looking at the vast, desolate mountains around her. "I don't know either. Maybe it's not cold enough this year
."

"I've never been up a mountain in winter before. It's so desolate up here,"

Lin Ling replied casually. "Desolate scenery has its own charm. Does everything have to be a riot of flowers?"

The two hadn't been on the mountaintop for long when Lin Ling's initial warmth from the climb dissipated.
She shivered in the mountain wind, hugging her shoulders. Xia Xiao glanced at her, walked over, took off his large, gray-brown fur coat, draped it over her shoulders, and took
her hand as they descended the mountain.

Descending was naturally much easier than ascending. Xia Xiao walked ahead, turning back to remind her, "Don't go down so fast.
You're not only careless but also slow-witted. Be careful not to slip."

Lin Ling followed behind without replying.

A masked man in black suddenly leaped out from the ancient pine tree beside the stone steps, his longsword, gleaming like silver,
thrusting straight towards Xia Xiao and Lin Ling.

Xia Xiao shoved Lin Ling aside and dodged the attack himself. He felt a chill on his arm as the sword sliced through
his sleeve .

Xia Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and the man in black swung his sword horizontally again. Xia Xiao quickly focused his attention to parry.

Lin Ling was pushed down onto the stone steps by Xia Xiao, watching nervously as he fought the man in black.

Xia Xiao parried several sword strikes with his bare hands, his heart filled with shock and horror. Even with a weapon, he was no
match for this man in black. This man's skill was so superb, and every move was ruthless. As Xia Xiao parried the blows, his mind raced.
The person who hated him the most was Xia Ying, but when did Xia Ying find such a top-notch master? He had been completely
unaware. Did he intend to kill him on this lonely mountain? If he died like this, would his father, in his anger, still pass the throne
to him? Or did he have another plan? Or was this masked man actually another enemy of his? But looking across the entire martial arts world
, how many people possessed such superb swordsmanship?

After Xia Xiao had dealt with several blows in a disheveled manner, the man in black finally found an opening and slashed his sword across Xia Xiao's chest,
leaving a red mark on Xia Xiao's dark gold robe. Though his wounds were shallow, Xia Xiao knew all hope was lost. Instead of retreating, he closed
in on the man in black, unleashing a desperate attack. As he attacked, Xia Xiao shouted without turning his head, "Lin Ling,
get down the mountain!"

Lin Ling cried out urgently, "Xia Xiao, I'm coming to help you!" She rushed forward as well.

Xia Xiao knew he was likely to die on this Crimson Return Peak, but he couldn't let anything
happen to Lin Ling. Xia Xiao's attacks grew faster and faster, and he roared at Lin Ling, "Lin Ling, get out of here!"

Lin Ling refused to leave first, relentlessly raining blows on the man in black. Xia Xiao was frantic. His rapid
attacks Xia Xiao inadvertently opened
a gap in his body. The man in black seized the opportunity, striking Xia Xiao in the abdomen with his left hand. Xia Xiao was forced back three or four steps,
clutching his abdomen in excruciating pain.

Seeing Xia Xiao injured, Lin Ling anxiously struck out with a palm towards the black-clad man's chest. The black-clad man dodged, simultaneously
sweeping Lin Ling to the ground with lightning speed.

Before Lin Ling could react, the black-clad man's longsword had already pierced her chest with lightning speed.

The black-clad man's swordsmanship was ruthless and precise; the sword pierced in and was instantly withdrawn, bright red blood dripping from the tip onto the
dark blue stone steps.

Lin Ling clutched her chest, bright red blood gushing from between her delicate fingers. She stared wide-eyed at
the black-clad man, coughing with a pale face, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Xia Xiao roared and leaped to his feet, throwing a punch at the black-clad man.

The black-clad man dodged.

Xia Xiao's eyes were bloodshot, his heart filled with rage, and he unleashed a barrage of punches, each one accompanied by a whooshing sound.
The black-clad man evaded several blows, then used a foot to propel himself up onto an ancient tree. The man in black possessed superb lightness skills; using tree branches
as footholds, he rolled and disappeared in a few swift movements.

Xia Xiao turned around and looked at Lin Ling lying on the ground, panting heavily. The bright red blood was clearly
seeping from her chest. Xia Xiao knelt down and held Lin Ling in his arms. His throat was dry, and his heart was
filled he couldn't utter a single word.

Lin Ling's small hand tugged at Xia Xiao's sleeve. "Xia Xiao, I think I'm going to die..."

Xia Xiao didn't say a word as he carried Lin Ling on his back and ran quickly down the stone steps. "Lin Ling,
hang in there! I'll find a doctor to save you right away!"

"Xia Xiao... don't run so fast... it hurts so much."

"Bear with it!"

"I can't breathe, Xia Xiao, I'm really going to die. I... it's better to die like this, so I
don't have to marry you, and I don't have to... be in such a difficult position anymore."

Xia Xiao roared, "Shut up! Lin Ling, if you dare to die, I will never let you go! I
will definitely kill Li Yiyang and make you die with your eyes wide open!"

Lin Ling's voice grew weaker and weaker. "Xia Xiao, don't... do this. I'm going to die
... what are you still arguing about... I suddenly feel... I don't hate you that much... I'm leaving
like this . You... you should be well... I... I..."

Lin Ling didn't speak anymore, her head resting on the back of Xia Xiao's neck.

Xia Xiao's heart skipped a beat. He stopped, the cold wind biting and piercing his heart.

With stiff movements, Xia Xiao gently lifted Lin Ling from behind and held her to his chest. His hand trembled as he reached for her
nose; she was no longer breathing. He then checked her pulse at the nape of her neck—no pulse there either
.

In disbelief, Xia Xiao gripped Lin Ling's fair, delicate face tightly with both hands. Hot tears streamed down
her face, his voice hoarse and trembling, "Lin Ling, open your eyes!"

Lin Ling's eyes were tightly closed, a single, glistening tear clinging to her long eyelashes. Xia Xiao remembered her lying
beneath him last night, tears welling in her eyes, her eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings, a delicate
and irresistible sight. Now, her long eyelashes would never flutter so alluringly again. She… was dead.

Xia Xiao felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out. He clutched his hair, tears streaming down his face, his
mouth but no sound came out. His eyes were filled with the despair and madness of a lone wolf cornered in a death trap.

Suddenly, Xia Xiao hoisted Lin Ling onto his back and ran wildly down the mountain. He couldn't let Lin Ling die.
So what if had just died. Doctor He was skilled; he could definitely save her.

The wind against Xia Xiao's face stung like knives. Lin Ling's warm body was gradually stiffening and cooling, but Xia Xiao
ran downhill like a madman. He had only one thought in his mind: he couldn't let Lin Ling die. He had to be
faster , faster, to have any chance of snatching her back from the brink of death! She couldn't die. What would he do if she died?

Xia Xiao gasped for breath, running faster and faster, when suddenly his foot slipped and he fell on a step whose entire surface was covered with a thick layer
of icy ice. This was a bend in the mountain path. These few stone steps, one side clinging to the mountain wall and the other facing a deep cliff,
were narrow and steep, making it the most dangerous spot on the entire Crimson Return Peak. Xia Xiao's sudden
fall, without warning, caused Lin Ling behind him to tumble diagonally down the narrow steps towards the cliff.

Xia Xiao reached out to grab her, watching as the hem of Lin Ling's skirt brushed past his fingers and plummeted down the cliff. He
recklessly lunged forward to grab that last piece of her skirt,
determined !

Xia Xiao's body dangled in mid-air, his center of gravity about to plummet towards the bottom. His despairing eyes could only
see that pale blue hem of her skirt. Xia Xiao was filled with bitterness and utter despair, wishing he could just go down with Lin Ling.
At the critical moment, someone suddenly grabbed him by the back and pulled him back onto the stone steps. Xia Xiao watched as Lin Ling's slender figure
plummeted down like a bluebird...

The man in black slammed Xia Xiao onto the stone steps, chuckling coldly several times, his voice hoarse and strange, "Xia Xiao, I..."
"I won't take your life today. My master just wants you to know that you shouldn't think you have everything under your control!"
The man in black finished speaking and leaped onto a tree, disappearing in a flash.

Xia Xiao turned his head to look at the bottomless abyss, seeing only a blurry gray-brown, nowhere to be found
the pale blue figure. Lin Ling, I, Xia Xiao, have always considered myself extraordinary, yet you lost your life because of me. I loved you
deeply , and in the end… this is the ending? Xia Xiao howled like a wild wolf, slamming his fists into
the stone steps, leaving a bloody mess.

Chapter 55: Love for Too Long, Unforgettable for a Lifetime

Three years later. Late May.

It was past midnight, and Li Yiyang was alone in a side room of the Li family's main store.
Two years ago , after Li Yiyang and Cui Yuhuan married, Master Li officially handed over the Li family business to Li Yiyang and
went to enjoy his retirement. Li Yiyang was an intelligent man, and after taking over the business, he worked diligently.
Within two years, the company was thriving and flourishing. To expand the business to other provinces, Li Yiyang
was constantly traveling for two or three months at a time. Upon his return, he would immediately immerse
himself in the affairs of the head office, often staying up all night in the council chamber. This inevitably neglected
his beloved wife. Cui Yuhuan, however, was virtuous and rarely complained.

The night was deep and still. Li Yiyang stood tall and elegant before his desk, leaning slightly forward, drawing something on
an open scroll. He wore a plain white robe, slender and refined, tall and handsome, his entire being exuding
an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

Li Yiyang put down his purple brush, gazing deeply at the girl in the painting, his eyes tender and sorrowful. A
mischievous perched on the wall, her long hair half-hidden among the lush foliage. She looked up slightly at a
petal about to fall on her face, her expression charming and adorable.

Li Yiyang touched Lin Ling's face in the painting. Ling'er, it's your birthday again. You've been gone for three years.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Li Yiyang hadn't expected anyone to come at this hour. After a moment's hesitation, he said,
"Come in."

Madam Li pushed open the door and entered the room with a accusing expression.

Li Yiyang stood up. "Mother, why are you here?"

"What else could I do? If I didn't come, who could persuade you to come home!"

Li Yiyang said with a bitter smile. "Mother, please don't talk to your son like that."

Madam Li looked at Li Yiyang's thin, slightly sunken cheeks and sighed. "Yiyang, it's
good for a man to value his career, but he can't ruin his health like this. You're staying up all night like this, draining your energy and
spirit . You'll know the consequences when you get old; besides, your health isn't good. You cough incessantly when the weather gets cold.
It worries me so much."

Li Yiyang was silent for a moment, then replied, "Mother, I understand. I'll be more careful in the future."

Years ago, when Li Yiyang learned of Lin Ling's death, he was thrown into turmoil and coughed up blood again.
There was no path below the cliff of Chi Hui Peak. Xia Xiao and his men searched the valley with great difficulty, but after a whole day, they still couldn't find Lin
Ling's body. Li Yiyang and Cheng Haoran also descended into the valley. When they spotted the green
eyes they desperately stopped their search. Lin Ling's body was likely torn to shreds by the wolves
, leaving not even bones behind… The valley at the bottom of Chihui Peak was long and narrow. Li Yiyang and Cheng Haoran searched there tirelessly for two days. In
the dead of winter, a torrential downpour began. Li Yiyang refused to return, eventually collapsing in the valley.

Cheng Haoran carried Li Yiyang home. Li Yiyang's old wounds flared up, and that night he developed a high fever, occasionally vomiting
blood. This terrified Mr. and Mrs. Li. Even though Cheng Haoran's father was a renowned and highly skilled physician in the capital,
healing the body was difficult, even with the body's spirit. Li Yiyang was now heartbroken, and even Physician Cheng was helpless. It was thanks to Cui Yuhuan
's tireless care day and night that Li Yiyang was able to recover. When Li Yiyang was delirious with fever and talking incoherently, Cui Yuhuan would hold his
hand tightly and gently comfort him. Every so often, she would apply a warm towel to his forehead with water, continuing
this meticulous care even at night. Cui Yuhuan, having gone without sleep for several days, naturally fell ill herself. Even while ill, she couldn't bear to leave
Li Yiyang , insisting on personally tending to him every day. Mr. and Mrs. Li were deeply distressed by this.

Six months later, Li Yiyang's illness finally improved significantly, but he was left with a chronic lung condition, often coughing all night. Cui Yuhuan
continued to care for him diligently, personally preparing his medicine and stewing lung-nourishing soups daily. As a pampered young lady, she
was used to such things, her delicate hands covered in small cuts, yet she never uttered a complaint. Although Li Yiyang's illness
gradually improved, he seemed to have lost his soul, showing only indifference towards Cui Yuhuan. Old Master Li, unable to bear it any longer,
summoned him to his room and gave him a severe scolding. Li Yiyang remained silent for a long time, only saying, "I will marry her next year," and
refused to say anything more.

A mother's heart always aches for her son. Madam Li stroked Li Yiyang's thin face, her eyes reddening.
"Look how thin you've become! How could I not know your feelings? Ling'er has been gone for so
long, what are you trying to achieve by torturing yourself like this? Yu Huan doesn't say anything, but she often hides in her room and cries
secretly . You should cherish your wife. How did Yu Huan treat you when you were almost dead?
Yiyang, have a conscience!"

Li Yiyang impatiently turned his face away from Madam Li's hand. "Mother, what are you talking about now!"

Madam Li wiped her tears. "I know this old woman's words annoy you. You treat your wife like this,
and you hurt your mother's heart like this. You're grown up now, I can't control you anymore. But since I'm here tonight, you have to come back with me
no matter what !"

"Mother, I'm not going back today. It's too late, I'll sleep in this side room."

"It's too late! Are you expecting your mother to walk here and back by herself?!"

"I'll have the servants escort you home."

"Li Yiyang, you must come home with me tonight. You're neglecting your wife like this; you shouldn't have married her in the first place!"

Li Yiyang remained silent. What else could I have done but marry her?

Seeing his silence, Madam Li angrily grabbed Li Yiyang's hand and pulled him outside. "Come with me!"

Li Yiyang slightly pulled away from Madam Li's hand, standing by the table with his head slightly lowered.

Madam Li stood there stunned for a long time before pointing a finger at Li Yiyang's nose and saying, "Fine! Fine! I
'll pretend I never had a son like you!"

Madam Li left, and Li Yiyang sighed softly. How could I go back? Today is Ling'er's birthday; I
must be with her. I know I've wronged Yuhuan; I know I'm extremely unfilial, but I have no choice.
He was terminally ill, with no hope for the future.

At the Yihong Restaurant, even late at night, the atmosphere was still lively with singing and dancing.

In the exquisite embroidery room on the top floor of the Yihong Courtyard, Xia Xiao was embracing a woman with extremely beautiful features, laughing
and joking , caught up in the heat

of the moment. The beauty laughed, slumped in Xia Xiao's arms, her crimson nails intentionally or unintentionally scratching Xia Xiao's sensitive Adam's apple. "Seventh Young Master,
you're so naughty! What are you saying? I don't understand a word."

Xia Xiao's tongue was slurred from drinking. He pinched the woman's smooth cheek. "Little vixen, if you say it again, you
won't understand!"

The woman giggled. "I just don't understand, Seventh Young Master, you have to teach me!"

Xia Xiao laughed loudly, holding up the wine bottle. "Teach you what?! You little bastard, why don't you serve me properly! I'm your
savior!"

The woman looked up at him, puzzled.

The wine in the bottle was spilled everywhere by Xia Xiao. "You forgot? Four years ago, the courtesan Xian'er's virginity
was auctioned off for a staggering 100,000 taels of silver. If it weren't for me, you would have been captured by the notorious flower thief long ago."

This woman was none other than Xian'er, the courtesan from back then. She frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "No, I remember that the thief
was caught by a few young gentlemen. I even thanked them personally back then." "

Ah... I forgot. It was that pretty boy Li Yiyang who caught the flower thief." Xia Xiao chuckled . "But, I was the one who told Yue Niang that you were being targeted by the flower thief. Otherwise, would Yue Niang have hidden you?" Xian'er smiled. "I see. I didn't know that reason. Then I really have to thank Seventh Young Master. Seventh Young Master, tonight, Xian'er... will definitely serve you well." As she spoke, Xian'er helped Xia Xiao up and walked towards the embroidered bed. Xia Xiao had drunk quite a bit and staggered as Xian'er helped him lie down on the bed. Xian'er began to undo Xia Xiao's belt. Xia Xiao turned his head to look at the light pink sheets, and said unhappily, "Why did you change the sheets? They were a thin white floral pattern back then..." Lin Ling, under the influence of the aphrodisiac, had lain on this very bed, her legs passionately wrapped around his waist, her seductive breaths and writhing, her arms around his neck, nibbling like a kitten. Xian'er, hearing Xia Xiao's mumbled words about the sheets, assumed it was drunken rambling and ignored him. Xian'er lifted Xia Xiao 's shirt, revealing his bare, muscular chest, and pressed her red lips passionately against it. Seventh Young Master often came to the brothel to drink, but never stayed overnight in any of the girls' rooms. Today, he had come with her, so she was determined to use all her means to win over this incomparably wealthy patron. Xian'er planted a series of sweet kisses on Xia Xiao's chest, her jade-like hand sliding down his chest... but Xia Xiao suddenly grabbed the back of Xian'er's neck, stopping her movements. In the dim light of the bed curtains, Xia Xiao's voice seemed a little more awake. "You can leave now. I'll sleep here tonight; you can rest somewhere else." With that, Xia Xiao released his hand from Xian'er's nape. Xian'er sat up awkwardly. "Seventh Young Master, what did I do wrong?" Xia Xiao irritably covered his eyes with his hand. "My head hurts terribly. Get out of here and turn off the oil lamp." Xian'er hesitated for a moment, but ultimately dared not disobey. She got out of bed, blew out the lamp, and left. The room plunged into darkness. Xia Xiao lay back on the bed, still with one hand covering his eyes. He smelled the strong , his heart filled with a deep sorrow. What could he find here? This was no longer the room he and Lin Ling had shared. Today was Lin Ling's birthday; if she were still alive, she would be twenty. When Master Lin and Madam Lin were heartbroken after losing their daughter, they sold their property and left the capital. Xia Xiao, upon learning this, quickly bought the Lin family mansion and recalled all the servants, instructing them to keep Lin Ling's room exactly as it was. He himself often spent the night in Lin Ling's room. But what did it matter? Three years had passed, her scent had faded , and everything in her room was worn out and soon unusable. Ling'er, three years have passed. How far have you gone? Have you gone so far that you no longer leave me even these inanimate objects? Will you only stop when I have nothing left to hold onto, nothing to remember? Now, my life consists of dealing with Xia Ying and drinking. But even when I'm drunk to death, deep down I'm still damnably clear-headed. I just can't forget that I've lost you. When I'm drunk, I want to sleep, and when I sleep, I dream of you, and then I wake up with excruciating . I hate dreaming of you. It's like you died and came back to life, and before I could even rejoice, you died again. This kind of torment is worse than death itself. Perhaps I should have jumped off Chihui Peak with you back then. I didn't jump, so I had to keep my life to avenge you. Actually, I didn't want to defeat Xia Ying so quickly. He's dead. What else can I do with such a long life? Ling'er, I'm so tired. Why isn't there a medicine that can stop people from dreaming? Why isn't there a wine that can make me forget you? Chapter 56 My old friend went north, I traveled south . Danyang City is the largest city on the southern border of the Great Xia Kingdom. Its prosperity and bustle are no less than that of , and it also has a unique charm of a southern water town. In the bamboo forest on the outskirts of Danyang City, a man in green robes was practicing martial arts. His movements were as swift as lightning, wielding a pair of hooks dazzling light and agility. After completing a set of hook techniques, the man in green robes neatly returned the hooks to their sheaths at his waist. This man had a face like a peach blossom, with delicate eyebrows and red lips. His eyes, though not smiling, were captivating. His face was calm and composed, yet he possessed an innate air of elegance. A gentle breeze swept by, and a few strands of his jet-black hair brushed against his exquisitely handsome features. How could one word describe his beauty? The young man, having finished practicing his double hooks, was about to return when a tall, burly middle-aged man with a large sword at his waist clapped his hands and emerged from the bamboo grove. "Everyone says that Young Master Zhong, in his early twenties, already possessed excellent hook skills. I didn't believe it, but seeing it today, it's truly well-deserved!" The man in blue glanced at the newcomer. "Who are you?" "I am Wu Lie of the Donghai Sect!" "What business do you have with me?" " I have come specifically to learn from Young Master Zhong's superior skills!" The man in blue frowned slightly. "I don't want to spar with you. Please leave." "Young Master Zhong, I traveled hundreds of miles from Haimen to Danyang. You must let me return and give my brothers an explanation." "Whether you gave me instructions or not is none of my business," Wu Lie chuckled. "If Young Master Zhong were to remain secluded within the Nine Hua Gate, I would be powerless to stop him. But since I've found him here today, you'll have no choice but to spar with me. Young Master Zhong, I apologize for my intrusion!" As Wu Lie spoke, he drew his broadsword and slashed down with the force of a thousand armies. The man in blue had no choice but to draw his double hooks to meet the attack.

Both fighters used rapid attacks and defenses, their battle sending bamboo leaves swirling through the bamboo grove. While Wu Lie's broadsword
was powerful and forceful, it couldn't match the agility and unpredictability of the blue-robed man's double hooks.
Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wu Lie began to struggle, narrowly dodging Cheng Haoran's hooks several times. A moment later, a crisp clang rang out, and Wu Lie's
longsword was knocked

to the ground by the blue-robed man's silver hooks. The blue-robed man sheathed his hooks. Wu Lie, his face flushed and pale, picked up his fallen broadsword, bowed, and
clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "I, Wu Lie, accept defeat wholeheartedly. I will definitely practice diligently when I return, and come back to challenge you again in a few years!"

The blue-robed man said helplessly, "Can I leave now?"

Wu Lie replied, "I dare not waste Young Master Zhong's time any longer!" With that, he turned and strode out of the bamboo grove.

The blue-robed man sighed; for the past few months, martial arts practitioners like him had come every day or two to challenge him to spar,
which was truly tiresome.

The man in blue emerged from the bamboo grove and entered his usual teahouse, Juanyun Tea House. He ordered a pot of pre-rain Longjing tea and found
a window seat on the second floor. In the distance, the Danyang River shimmered, with small boats occasionally gliding by.
Danyang was truly a wonderful place, no less beautiful than the capital. But his memories were all in the capital;
no matter how beautiful this city was, it wouldn't feel the same.

This man in blue was Cheng Haoran. Years ago, he had thought that if Lin Ling and Li Yiyang had truly married, he
would leave the capital to travel the martial world. He believed that
only by venturing out could he discover the true extent of the martial arts masters, and only then could he gradually forget his troubles amidst the clash of swords. However, he never imagined that his journey wouldn't be because
Lin Ling married Li Yiyang, but because she had died. With Lin Ling dead, the capital was merely a place of sorrow, for every
bridge and every road held her shadow. Cheng Haoran told his father, Physician Cheng, that his life's ambition lay not in medicine,
but in his desire to spend a few years honing his skills in the martial world. Doctor Cheng was a wise and insightful man. Since his son was born a
martial arts prodigy, it was his destiny to follow this path. So he didn't stop him, only patting his shoulder and telling him to
be careful and come home whenever he wanted.

Cheng Haoran bid farewell to his father and set off alone. He wandered around for a year and gained some fame. People
knew that this newly arrived young swordsman was exceptionally handsome, taciturn, and skilled with double hooks. When he encountered
injustice, he would strike without a word, fighting like a madman, truly killing ghosts and Buddhas alike.
The martial world was a dangerous place. Although Cheng Haoran was skilled, he was still young and inexperienced in combat. Every now and then, he
would be covered in wounds, but he didn't care and continued to act as if he had no way out.

One day, a villain who had a grudge against Cheng Haoran brought two skilled fighters to seek revenge. When
Cheng Haoran was fighting them, covered in blood and on the verge of defeat, by sheer coincidence,
he was encountered by Zhong Haoyu, the leader of the most powerful sect in the martial arts world, the Nine Hua Sect. Zhong Haoyu
stopped in his tracks upon seeing Cheng Haoran's resemblance to Yue Xin, and upon closer inspection, even noticed a resemblance to himself. Shocked, he couldn't bear to see Cheng Haoran
besieged and killed by the three, and quickly intervened to save him. After a thorough investigation, Zhong Haoyu discovered that Cheng Haoran was actually
his and Yue Xin's biological son.

The once most beautiful woman in the world, Chi Yue Xin, possessed unparalleled beauty and martial arts skills, a truly legendary figure. However,
her life was filled with hardship and suffering, which will not be detailed here. Before her death, Chi Yuexin entrusted her infant child
to Cheng Ye, saying, "I will name this child Haoran. Now that he has no parents, he will take your surname
. It would be good for him to study medicine and become a doctor. If you are willing to raise him for me, I will repay your kindness in the next life." After
saying this, her soul drifted away. Cheng Ye had been deeply in love with Chi Yuexin all his life. How could he
refuse her dying wish to entrust him with her child? After burying Yuexin, Cheng Ye left the turbulent world of martial arts and brought the child to the capital,
naming Cheng Haoran and raising him as his own son.

As for the true nature of the love affair between Zhong Haoyu and Chi Yuexin, Zhong Haoyu refused to discuss it further. Seeing that Cheng Haoran had recovered from his
injuries, he asked him if he wanted to learn martial arts from him. Cheng Haoran couldn't quite describe his feelings towards this suddenly appearing biological father
. He replied that he would always consider Cheng Ye his father, and even if Zhong Haoyu taught him martial arts,
that would not change. Zhong Haoyu nodded, saying, "It's only natural that I raised you." From then on, Cheng Haoran
followed Zhong Haoyu to learn martial arts. Zhong Haoyu was already one of the top masters in the world, and Cheng Haoran was a
natural martial arts prodigy. Zhong Haoyu devoted himself to teaching him for several months, and Cheng Haoran's martial arts skills naturally improved by leaps and bounds.
He was no longer the novice he once was.

Before long, the martial arts world knew that the Zhong family head of the Jiuhua Sect had found his son, who had been separated from Chi Yuexin for many years.
This child was now twenty years old, looked very much like Chi Yuexin, and was a martial arts prodigy. Many
famous heroes in the martial arts world had been defeated by him. In fact, most of these rumors were unfounded and spread by word of mouth, but as the rumors spread
, some people who didn't believe in them came to challenge Cheng Haoran. Cheng Haoran was annoyed and didn't want to hide in
the Yuehua . The idea of leaving Danyang and venturing out into the world gradually took root in his mind.

Cheng Haoran finished his tea. Thinking to himself, "Where can I go after leaving Danyang City?" Actually, it doesn't matter
where . Lin Ling used to always clamor to roam the martial world. If she were still alive, we could be
a perfect couple, traveling the world hand in hand—what a beautiful sight that would be!

A large ship, about to dock, slowly pulled to the shore. A passenger, impatient in the
cabin stepped out, standing on the deck, gazing at the clear, wide Danyang River, and stretched lazily.

Cheng Haoran stared at the man's back. The strong June sunlight
blurred , but that hazy outline... wasn't that... Lin Ling!

Cheng Haoran threw down his wine glass and ran from the teahouse towards the Danyang Lake dock.

When he reached the dock, slightly out of breath, only the boatman was skillfully hauling in the anchor.

Cheng Haoran walked over to the boatman and gestured, "Master, wasn't there a
passenger this tall on your boat just now? He looked like he was wearing a gray coat."

The boatman laughed, "Young master, there are dozens of passengers on the boat, how would I remember?"

"Have all the passengers disembarked?"

"Yes."

"Did they all go their separate ways after getting off the boat?"

"Yes."

Cheng Haoran apologized to the boatman and left dejectedly. Actually, this wasn't the first time. No matter
which town he went to, he would always unexpectedly see Lin Ling's figure. Sometimes he would rashly grab a stranger's...
Her arm, sometimes like today, looks like her from afar, but upon closer inspection, it's nowhere to be found. But…
today, the feeling of reality seems particularly strong. Ling'er, you've been gone for three years, yet my heart still can't
accept the fact that you've disappeared from this world. Even seeing your phantom makes it feel like it's about to leap out of my
chest. How many years will it take for it to understand that you're dead, and that no matter where I go, I'll never
see you ?

The next day, Cheng Haoran left Danyang City by boat.

Lin Ling disembarked at the dock on the Danyang River. She found the scenery in Danyang City exceptionally beautiful, with willows every five steps and flowers every ten.
The streets were bustling with activity, and everyone spoke with a soft southern accent, a unique charm compared to the capital
. She wandered aimlessly, even buying a local specialty, Lianhu cake, to eat as she walked.
The Lianhu cake was sweet and chewy, with a cool, refreshing taste—it was delicious.

Lin Ling wasn't dead. Years ago, when she visited Uncle Gu at the Tiansheng Martial Arts School, he saw her looking melancholy and downcast,
and asked if she didn't want to marry the Seventh Prince. Lin Ling sighed helplessly, "It's the Emperor's decree;
what can I do whether I want to or not?" Uncle Gu pondered for a long time and said, "If you trust your master, tell me the whole story .
There aren't many things in this world that I, Old Man Gu, can't do. I will definitely try my best to help you find a solution." Upon hearing this, Lin Ling quickly
knelt before her master and told him everything. They had been learning martial arts from Uncle Gu since they were teenagers
and all knew that their master was a highly skilled martial artist; but in fact, Uncle Gu had been hiding his identity all these years, living in this small Tiansheng Martial
Arts School. Even with these young disciples, he had never
fully . After hearing Lin Ling's words, Uncle Gu quickly made up his mind. He told Lin Ling to be patient and
deal with the Seventh Prince first; he needed some time to plan everything. After
rescuing Lin Ling from the foot of Chi Hui Peak, Uncle Gu gave her some silver and told her it was best never to return to the capital.
He also said he would secretly inform Lin Ling's parents. Uncle Gu concluded by saying that the Seventh Prince was a meticulous man and might
send someone to investigate her parents. Just in case, she shouldn't see her parents for the next few years. Even if they left the capital,
she shouldn't go looking for them. She should wait at least three to five years until things calmed down before reuniting as a family. Lin Ling nodded in agreement
and left the capital that very day, heading south. For the past three years, Lin Ling had been wandering and homeless,
enduring much hardship but also traveling to many places and gaining considerable experience.

Lin Ling knew that the most powerful sect in the martial arts world, the Jiu Hua Sect, was located in Danyang City. However, although she longed to visit, she
didn't actually intend to go. Having been away for several years, she knew how dangerous the martial arts world was. With her
mediocre skills and no one to help her, causing more trouble would be tantamount to suicide. However, Danyang perch is famous throughout the world, so she
definitely had to find a restaurant to try it. Lin Ling was tired from walking and happened to see a
teahouse . She went in, ordered a pot of fragrant tea, and found a window seat on the second floor.

Several days later, on a breezy summer evening,

Lin Ling, a blade of grass dangling from her mouth, stared at her small fishing rod in the rippling Danyang River
, motionless like a meditating monk. She was filled with resentment. "I've been sitting
here for an hour! Why has everyone else caught several fish, while I haven't even caught a shrimp?" she thought. "It was the same when I went
fishing They filled their buckets one by one, but I caught nothing." Sigh, was she not only
unlucky with the fish of the capital, but also destined to be forever barred from the plump, fresh perch of the Danyang River? I
wonder if the four of them still go fishing often. Maybe it's not just the four of them; even after I'm gone, there's still Cui Yuhuan
. If the eldest brother is with her, he'll naturally take her along when they go out together.

A beautiful painted boat glides leisurely past, a dashing young man and a delicate, beautiful
young woman standing side by side at the bow. The young man lowers his head slightly, speaking to the young woman, who smiles at him
with tender affection in their eyes.

Lin Ling, dressed in men's clothing and wearing coarse cloth, squats on the shore, her hands supporting her chin, watching them. The painted boat…
…Back then, Li Yiyang hugged her from behind, gently kissing her earlobe and whispering, "Ling'er, when I get back, I'll ask
my parents to choose a good day to propose to you, okay?"… Those words still seem to echo in her ears.
Does the eldest brother often accompany Cui Yuhuan on lake trips now? When they're together, are they as affectionate as this couple before her,
making everyone envious? He said he'd give me the painted boat, but alas, I'm not fortunate enough. Lin Ling sighed,
spitting out the foxtail grass in her mouth. Three years had passed. She'd traveled to so many places, but nowhere had she wanted to stay. She
'd met so many people, but none she wanted to know. Ultimately, it was because she couldn't give up. But she
couldn't live like this forever. She'd seen her boss wipe away Cui Yuhuan's tears, saying he wouldn't abandon her.
He thought she was dead. They were probably… already married. Even if she hadn't died, her boss would have
married her anyway. Who else would he have married but her? She was already in this state. So why, after three years
, was she still so heartbroken? She hadn't seen them married, so that ridiculous fantasy wouldn't die down, right? Well…
then she'd go back and see. Seeing her boss and Cui Yuhuan happily together would probably allow her to finally
give up and move on with her life. If her boss was still alone… then
… it was just a dream.

Lin Ling stood up and casually tossed her fishing rod onto the shore. She strode to the dock. "Boatman, I need a boat."

"Sir, would you like a southbound or northbound boat?"

Lin Ling answered crisply, "I want to go north."

Chapter 57 Reunion On

a quiet night, Lin Ling, dressed in men's clothing, stood outside the wall of the Li family's backyard. She gently touched the rough bark of the
large boxwood . Three years had passed, and nothing seemed to have changed, except that the large boxwood tree seemed to have grown
thicker. Lin Ling climbed the tree, her movements much more agile than three years ago. After all, she
had practiced the Moon Shadow Step her master had taught her over the past three years.

Lin Ling carefully hid in the tree, watching the Li family's servants sweeping and watering the flowers in the courtyard. The Li family's servants really
had a regular lifestyle. Three years ago, they were cleaning the courtyard at this time of year in winter, and three years later, it was still
the same .

After the servants finished cleaning the courtyard, they left, leaving only a riot of colorful flowers blooming in the Li family's backyard. Lin
Ling waited boredly in the tree for a long time, thinking that maybe no one would come to the backyard again tonight, so she waited a little longer.
"I'll leave then, I'll come back tomorrow night." Lin Ling told herself that she had only returned to confirm
whether Li Yiyang and Cui Yuhuan were married. This place was right under Xia Xiao's nose, so she had to be extremely
careful coming and leaving quietly, making sure no one noticed. Sigh… I wonder if Xia Xiao is married yet,
that immoral man… Would he be heartbroken if I died? But he deserved to be heartbroken, after all, he
bullied me like that back then.

Lin Ling was leaning against a tree, lost in thought, when she suddenly heard footsteps approaching. Lin Ling's heart skipped a beat; she could recognize
those familiar footsteps even with her eyes closed.

Li Yiyang walked into the yard, sat down on the stone bench, and habitually looked at the large,
leafy , his expression silent and desolate.

As soon as Lin Ling saw Li Yiyang, her eyes reddened. "Boss, why are you so thin?"
Lin Ling gripped the tree trunk tightly, having long forgotten why she had returned. She stared unblinkingly at
Li Yiyang , her heart filled with bitterness and sorrow. "Big Brother, being able to look at you like this is such a luxury for me right now.
I just wish time could stop.

" A gentle voice suddenly broke through Lin Ling's reverie, "Brother Yang, aren't you asleep yet?"
Cui Yuhuan, dressed in a pale yellow brocade dress, walked gracefully over.

Li Yiyang smiled and said, "I can't sleep. If you're sleepy, go and rest first. Don't always wait for me."

Cui Yuhuan's voice was gentle and charming. "If you can't sleep, I'll chat with you."

"Okay."

Cui Yuhuan also sat down on the stone bench. "How's business at the shop these days? Are you still so busy?"

"So-so. There are always some things to take care of."

"Take good care of yourself. Your mother-in-law is very worried about you."

Li Yiyang held Cui Yuhuan's hand, which was on the stone table. "I know. Yuhuan, don't always
worry about . Go out more often, find something you like to do, don't always stay at home. I'm often not
home, so I don't have much time to spend with you."

Cui Yuhuan said softly, "If we're both out, who will keep your parents company? And you said you're rarely
home. If I go out too, we'll have even less time together."

"There are so many servants at home. You just need to greet your parents every day and do your best."

"How can serving someone with servants be the same as having your daughter-in-law by your side? My mother-in-law is used to having me around now;
she looks for me as soon as I leave,"

Li Yiyang laughed. "You're so virtuous; I only feel more guilty towards you."

Cui Yuhuan smiled without saying a word.

The couple chatted for a while before going inside.

Lin Ling quietly climbed down from the poplar tree. Although it was expected, seeing it still left her feeling empty,
and she couldn't quite describe the feeling. Lin Ling walked aimlessly along the bluestone path. After walking in this daze
for a while, she looked up and found herself at the entrance of the Lin family mansion. Looking at her own black lacquered wooden door, Lin Ling smiled bitterly
and turned to leave, but stopped

after taking only a few steps. Her master had said he would tell her parents that if they couldn't bear to part with their daughter, they should move to another province in a few years and
meet Lin Ling again. Lin Ling didn't know if her parents had moved away yet. She hadn't seen them for over three years; how could she not miss them?
She felt that even just secretly catching a glimpse of their sleeping faces would be enough. Lin Ling thought to herself that she would
be leaving the capital at dawn the next day , and since she was already at her doorstep, she might as well sneak in for a quick look.

Lin Ling went around to the back courtyard of the Lin residence, pressed her ear to the wall, and listened; it was completely silent. Lin Ling
climbed over the wall, crouched low, and passed the pavilion in the back courtyard. Directly in front of her was her own bedroom. That was
the room she had lived in for sixteen years, from childhood to adulthood. For the past three years, she had been wandering and struggling, and every night when she lay on her hard, noisy,
and sometimes unpleasantly smelly bed, what she longed for most was her own bed. She knew she would probably never
have the chance to sleep in that bed again.

Lin Ling walked to the door, touching the familiar swastika pattern on the door panel, her heart filled with emotion. Suddenly,
something warm and soft pressed against her foot. Lin Ling cried out softly, taking two steps back and looking down.
A small black shadow was crouching at her feet. Lin Ling looked closer and saw that it was a fat cat. In
the moonlight, Lin Ling could see that the cat was pure white, with a ring of black fur around its left eye. Lin Ling thought, "Isn't that Mimi?
How did she get so fat? And how did she end up in my house from the palace?" Lin Ling was confused and couldn't figure it out.
Mimi raised its head, wagged its tail, and meowed at Lin Ling affectionately.

Suddenly, a deep male voice came from inside the room, "Who's outside?"

Lin Ling froze, her blood seemingly freezing in her veins. That voice—Xia Xiao!

Lin Ling turned and ran towards the backyard wall.

The person inside snorted coldly, "Trying to run?"

Xia Xiao pushed open the door and, in the clear moonlight, saw the figure of a thin man climbing the wall.
The curve of his shoulders, his slender waist… Xia Xiao's heart skipped a beat, his dark pupils contracted slightly. He
stared intently at the figure bathed in the soft moonlight, bent down slightly, grabbed the cat from the corner of the door, and
threw it with force.

Lin Ling climbed to the top of the wall, propped herself up with her hands, and struggled to reach the edge with one leg. Suddenly, a furry,
warm thing slammed onto her shoulder with a whoosh, its sharp claws leaving three
hot, . Startled, Lin Ling's heart trembled, and her arms went weak as she fell from the wall. Mimi let out
a pitiful meow and darted away after landing.

Lin Ling collapsed to the ground, watching Xia Xiao, handsome as a devil in the cold moonlight, approach step by step
. He stared intently at her, his eyes seeming to devour her. Lin Ling tried to back away, but after only
one step her back slammed against the wall. Lin Ling stared wide-eyed at Xia Xiao, motionless as if all her strength
had vanished. She felt like a small animal, trembling and
awaiting its predator's hunt.

Xia Xiao reached Lin Ling's side, crouched down, and a large, trembling hand touched her face. "...Ling'er?"

Lin Ling looked at him in terror.

Xia Xiao asked again incredulously, "Ling'er?"

Lin Ling didn't speak, her heart sinking. This time, there was no escape.

Xia Xiao opened his arms and pulled Lin Ling into a deep embrace, burying his face in her silky black hair, murmuring,
"Am I dreaming again?"

Lin Ling felt almost suffocated by Xia Xiao's embrace and protested, "Xia Xiao, you're choking me
!"

Hearing Lin Ling's voice, Xia Xiao, somewhat bewildered, lifted his head from her hair. Looking closely at her expression,
Lin Ling felt a chill run down her spine. Before she could speak, Xia Xiao fiercely kissed her. It wasn't a kiss at all; it was a
beastly bite, their lips grinding together. Xia Xiao seemed intent on biting off her tongue and swallowing it
whole. Lin Ling tried to pull away in fear, but Xia Xiao wouldn't let her. He pinned her against the wall and bit her lips hard. Lin Ling's mouth went numb with pain, and
tears streamed down her face.

Xia Xiao slightly raised his head; the intense exchange of lips and the metallic taste of blood in his mouth seemed to give him a sense of reality.
Xia Xiao stared at the bleeding wound on Lin Ling's lips and the glistening tears in her eyes, his voice filled with uncontrollable elation.
"Lin Ling, you're not dead!"

Xia Xiao held Lin Ling's arm tightly, not letting go. Lin Ling felt as if his arm was about to break. She said with a pained expression,
"I'm about to die now, Xia Xiao, please let me go!"

"Why? You died on my back back then, how could you not be dead!"

"I lied to you. There's a kind of medicine that makes a person temporarily suspended in death, and they won't wake up until twelve hours later.
Xia Xiao, please let me go, my arm is about to break!"

Xia Xiao's expression was strange, neither happy nor angry. He just kept muttering that she wasn't dead. Suddenly,
he ripped open Lin Ling's clothes.

Lin Ling's smooth, fragrant shoulder was instantly revealed in the pale blue moonlight. There were still teeth marks on it from when Xia Xiao bit her in the cabin three years ago
. The teeth marks had faded a lot after three years, but the traces were still there. Xia Xiao gently stroked
the mark, then lowered his head and bit down viciously. Lin Ling felt as if
Xia Xiao was tearing a piece of flesh off her shoulder, and she couldn't help but cry out in pain. She had imagined what it would be like if she met Xia Xiao again
, but she never expected it to be like this. Had Xia Xiao completely degenerated into a beast in these three years?
Only a wild beast would bite like this!

Xia Xiao raised his head, his mouth full of blood, his smile cold. He gritted his teeth and said, "Lin Ling, you actually lied to me!
You actually dared to make me think you were dead! You're really something!"

The wound on Lin Ling's shoulder made her gasp in pain, and she replied in a hostile tone, "Yes, I lied to you!
So what? Go ahead and kill me!"

Xia Xiao glared at Lin Ling fiercely, then picked her up and strode into the room.

Chapter 58 Reunion on the Boat

Lin Ling was thrown onto the bed by Xia Xiao, and couldn't help but smile bitterly. Just moments ago she thought she'd probably never
have the chance to sleep in this bed again, and now she was! *cough* One really can't be ungrateful. Now she
'd rather not sleep in this bed at all, but it's probably too late. Lin Ling was initially shocked and frightened when she saw Xia Xiao, but after he carried her into the room,
she knew the worst that could happen was this; Xia Xiao wouldn't really kill her. Since things couldn't get any worse, her mood
calmed down.

Lin Ling sat up from the bed. "Xia Xiao, let's talk this over!"

Xia Xiao snapped, "Talk my ass! Shut up!"

Lin Ling shut her mouth, clutching her torn clothes, looking at Xia Xiao warily.

Xia Xiao reached out to untie Lin Ling's belt, but Lin Ling quickly grabbed his wrist from her collar. "Xia Xiao,
I just got back! Let's... talk things out first."

Xia Xiao looked up at Lin Ling. "Are you trying to make me tie you up again?"

Lin Ling shouted at Xia Xiao, unable to bear it any longer. "Why do you always force me? Are you planning to force me for the rest of my life?
Let me tell you, I don't want to!"

Dark clouds gathered in Xia Xiao's eyes. "You don't want to?"

"Of course I don't want to! Xia Xiao, after what you did to me back then, it would be foolish of me to still want to!"

Xia Xiao's face moved closer, and he said, word by word, "Lin Ling, if you don't want to, I'll do it until you
do ." With that, he pushed Lin Ling onto the bed and ripped
off her hideous coarse men's clothing.

Lin Ling struggled fiercely, but her strength was nothing in Xia Xiao's eyes. Xia Xiao tore off the white cloth wrapped around Lin Ling's
chest , and he also roughly ripped her undergarment in half and threw it off the bed.

Xia Xiao barely slept a wink all night, his gaze lingering on the beautiful face he had longed for day and night. Lin Ling
had fainted, but was later awakened by Xia Xiao's vigorous movements. Her eyes were red, and she whimpered like a kitten,
pleading . Xia Xiao, however, was determined to ignore her. Finally, exhausted, Lin Ling drifted
off to sleep.

At the crack of dawn, Xia Xiao wrapped Lin Ling, covered in the marks of their lovemaking, in his cloak, carried her
out of the Lin residence, and boarded a carriage to head towards the Seventh Prince's residence.

Chapter 58 of Childhood Sweethearts Has an End: Reunion Inevitably Leads to a Boat Scene (H)

Lin Ling was thrown onto the bed by Xia Xiao, and couldn't help but smile bitterly to herself. Just moments ago, she had thought she would probably never have
the chance , and now she was sleeping in it. Cough cough, one really can't be ungrateful. Now she
would rather not sleep in this bed at all, but it was probably too late. Lin Ling was initially shocked and frightened upon seeing Xia Xiao, but after he carried her into the room,
she knew the worst that could happen was yet; Xia Xiao wouldn't really kill her. Since things couldn't get any worse, her mood
calmed down.

Lin Ling sat up in bed. "Xia Xiao, let's talk this over!"

Xia Xiao snapped, "Talk my ass! Shut up!"

Lin Ling shut her mouth, clutching her torn clothes, looking at Xia Xiao warily.

Xia Xiao reached out to untie Lin Ling's belt, but Lin Ling quickly grabbed his wrist from her collar. "Xia Xiao,
I just got back! Let's... talk things out first."

Xia Xiao looked up at Lin Ling. "Are you trying to make me tie you up again?"

Lin Ling shouted at Xia Xiao, unable to bear it any longer. "Why do you always force me? Are you planning to force me for the rest of my life?
Let me tell you, I don't want to!"

Dark clouds gathered in Xia Xiao's eyes. "You don't want to?"

"Of course I don't want to! Xia Xiao, after what you did to me back then, it would be foolish of me to still want to!"

Xia Xiao's face moved closer, and he said, word by word, "Lin Ling, if you don't want to, I'll keep doing it until you
do ." With that, he pushed Lin Ling onto the bed and ripped
off her hideous coarse men's clothing.

Lin Ling struggled fiercely, but her strength was nothing in Xia Xiao's eyes. Xia Xiao tore off the white cloth wrapped around Lin Ling's
chest , and he also roughly ripped her undergarment in half and threw it off the bed.

Upon seeing Lin Ling's pair of fair and soft breasts, which she hadn't seen for three years, Xia Xiao's eyes immediately reddened. He impatiently pulled down
Lin Ling's pants, pinning her naked beneath him.

Xia Xiao stared at Lin Ling like a ravenous wolf that hadn't eaten all winter, while simultaneously undressing himself.

Lin Ling was on the verge of tears; she didn't know how she would endure the night.

Soon, they were completely naked. Xia Xiao placed Lin Ling's legs on his shoulders, his hot, hard penis
pressing against her entrance.

Lin Ling fearfully tried to move back, but Xia Xiao grabbed her buttocks, holding her firmly in place. His penis
eagerly rubbed against her vulva a couple of times before his lean buttocks thrust forward, forcefully penetrating her
.

Lin Ling screamed, her eyes blurry with tears as she gripped Xia Xiao's arms tightly. He hadn't even bothered with foreplay before
rushing in! Even when aroused, Lin Ling found Xia Xiao's size difficult to handle. Having been celibate for three years, her
passage was as tight as a virgin's, unable to withstand his forceful, direct penetration. Lin Ling's body stiffened,
barely daring to breathe, her flower-like opening trembling as it sucked at Xia Xiao's thick, long penis.

Xia Xiao's handsome face twisted slightly; he couldn't wait for Lin Ling to adjust to his presence, and began thrusting into her
maddeningly opening.

Lin Ling was thrown up and down by his thrusts, the pain, the heat, the powerful penetration, the thick, long
friction , the speed so fast it made her lose focus… In the rhythmic, tumultuous union, those
chaotic, lewd memories, those past experiences she had tried so hard to forget for three years, all
surged back like a tidal wave in that instant. Those occasional, blush-inducing erotic dreams that haunted her in the dead of night, that handsome,
unrestrained face, that forceful penetration that left her breathless, that intense friction that made her weak all over… Lin Ling sadly wondered
why it took so long to forget something, yet only a second to remember it. She breathed heavily,
watching hopelessly as the tide of desire overwhelmed her.

Xia Xiao thrust into Lin Ling forcefully, mesmerized by how her tender little hole barely managed to swallow his
enormous member . He had thought he would live a life of mere existence, like a walking corpse, but he never imagined that one day his treasure would
be regained, that it could lie beneath him so warm, delicate, soft, and tight, yielding to his pleasure. Xia Xiao had never believed in ghosts or gods, but
now he only wanted to thank heaven.

Lin Ling trembled as she spoke, "Xia Xiao, be gentle."

Xia Xiao gently stroked Lin Ling's face with one hand, but his thrusts didn't lessen at all. Lin Ling's heart
trembled from his thrusts, her face flushed, and her knuckles turned white as she gripped the sheets tightly. "Xia Xiao, Xia Xiao, um
... ah..."

Xia Xiao's thrusts were fast and heavy, and Lin Ling couldn't bear it and closed her eyes.

"Ling'er, open your eyes and look at me!"

Lin Ling opened her eyes. Xia Xiao's eyes were bright and focused, and a bead of alluring sweat rolled down his sharply defined
profile and landed on Lin Ling's lower abdomen. Even his sweat felt so hot... Lin Ling's vagina couldn't help but
twitch with a tingling, numb sensation.

Xia Xiao greedily traced the shape of Lin Ling's eyebrows and eyes with his fingers, and his thrusts gradually increased.
"Ling'er, do you know how much I've missed you these past three years?"

Lin Ling had no answer, biting her cherry lips and feeling the suffocating pleasure that was gradually approaching.

Xia Xiao pried open her teeth, which were biting her lip, and slipped his fingers inside to tease her pink tongue. "Ling'er,
wait a moment, we'll do it together."

Xia Xiao thrust violently dozens more times, and thick, hot semen spurted out. Lin Ling trembled all over in the dizzying
climax, reaching her peak of bliss. Was this man truly her
destiny ?

Xia Xiao lay on top of Lin Ling, panting silently. Lin Ling's legs went limp and slid off Xia Xiao. His
limp penis was still inside Lin Ling's vagina, and semen slowly flowed out of the opening. Soon, their
point of contact became sticky. Lin Ling's smooth, soft breasts were pressed against Xia Xiao's strong chest.
Xia Xiao placed his hands on Lin Ling's waist, stroking her alluring curves up and down in an ambiguous manner.

Lin Ling nudged Xia Xiao's shoulder uncomfortably, her voice tinged with an unconscious coquettishness after being pampered, "Get up
, you're so heavy."

Xia Xiao braced himself against Lin Ling's sides and lifted himself up to look at her. Lin Ling's slightly pouting lips curved into a sweet
smile, fine beads of sweat glistening on her nose. Her eyes were lowered, her long eyelashes fluttering gently with her breath.
Xia Xiao lowered his head and kissed her thin eyelids, licking her long, curled eyelashes with his tongue, gently taking her watery
eyes . Lin Ling flinched in fright. Three years had passed, and Xia Xiao had developed so many problems—kissing her eyes with his mouth?

Xia Xiao held Lin Ling tightly, kissing her long, seaweed-like hair tenderly, then moving down her body, her temples, chin,
neck, collarbone, chest, waist, lower abdomen… As Xia Xiao kissed Lin Ling's body meticulously, he sat
up, his penis inside her gradually swelling.

Xia Xiao lifted Lin Ling up and placed her against his arm, letting her straddle his waist and place
one leg on the bed, while the other draped over his arm. He then wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind, adjusted his position, and began thrusting.

Lin Ling was already dizzy and disoriented from Xia Xiao's wet and gentle kisses. Only when
she felt Xia Xiao's movements below her did she open her eyes uncomfortably. Seeing herself leaning against Xia Xiao's chest and being aroused by him again
, she couldn't help but pout and say, "Xia Xiao, I'm tired!"

Xia Xiao continued thrusting, kissing her slightly pouting lips, "Don't whine to me! If you're tired now, what are you going to do
later ?"

In the past, when Lin Ling and Xia Xiao were together, Xia Xiao would sometimes not let her go after they were done,
holding and teasing her, and then they would end up doing it again. This was a common occurrence. Lin Ling had rushed back to the capital from Danyang in a month-long rush
, without a proper rest, and was already exhausted. But seeing Xia Xiao's condition, it was clear he had no intention of
letting her go, so she had no choice but to brace herself.

When Xia Xiao thrust into her from behind for the fourth time, Lin Ling knelt at the head of the bed, her hands
trembling as she gripped the railing. She couldn't help but sob, "Xia Xiao, I really can't take it anymore."

Xia Xiao seemed not to hear her, his thick penis thrusting deeper and deeper.

Lin Ling's uterus was filled with Xia Xiao's semen. He had ejaculated three times, but hadn't
withdrawn ; most of the semen remained deep inside her uterus. Lin Ling felt a burning, bloated sensation in her abdomen. Each
thrust from behind squeezed her uterus, causing a tingling, numb pain that made her heart tremble.

A whitish liquid dripped onto the pristine white sheets with the slapping sounds of their intercourse. Her beautiful little flower-like
opening was rubbed raw and swollen, yet it still had to reluctantly swallow and release Xia Xiao's enormous member. Lin Ling collapsed onto the bed, unable to bear it any
longer , only her tender white buttocks still held and manipulated by Xia Xiao. Tears quickly
soaked the sheets, forming a small puddle. She cried out, "Xia Xiao, I'm going to burst! Please, please
..."

"Beg me for what?"

"I'm so full, inside... inside is full, please, let me rest, I'm uncomfortable."

"Lin Ling, do you know how I've lived these past three years? You want to rest? I've rested for three years,
how are you going to make it up to me?"

"I...I...Xia Xiao, sob sob sob..."

Lin Ling curled her toes in discomfort. The fullness in her uterus made her flower-like opening even more sensitive; even
the slightest friction from Xia Xiao would cause her to tremble. Xia Xiao was experiencing intense pleasure, ignoring her cries and
relentlessly thrusting into her. Lin Ling, crying, was brought to orgasm after dozens of thrusts, a deadly pleasure
mixed pain, almost driving her to madness.

When Lin Ling's nectar gushed out like a tidal wave, only to be forced back into her core by Xia Xiao's thick penis,
she was speechless, only able to sob softly. Her face was pressed against the bed, her teeth clenching
a corner of the sheet, saliva dripping from her lips unnoticed. Xia Xiao, watching her alluring
demeanor, felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction. He had missed her for three years, but from now on, he would never
miss !

The red candles burned out, the night was deep.

Lin Ling, her face wet with sweat and her body flushed, lay limp on the bed, while Xia Xiao continued his relentless thrusting on top of her.
Lin Ling had lost count of how many times this had happened. She watched as Xia Xiao's handsome face swayed slightly with the rhythm of his movements
, her consciousness gradually blurring, her body feeling like it was falling apart…

Seeing Lin Ling's eyes close and her head suddenly tilt to one side, Xia Xiao's heart skipped a beat. He immediately
reached out checked her nose… Lin Ling's breathing was steady and smooth; she had apparently fainted.

Xia Xiao patted Lin Ling's cheek, but she didn't react. Xia Xiao spread Lin Ling's legs wider and continued
thrusting.

Xia Xiao had barely slept a wink all night, his gaze lingering on the beautiful face he had longed for day and night. Lin Ling
had fainted, but was later awakened by Xia Xiao's vigorous movements. Her eyes reddened, and she
whimpered pleading for mercy, but Xia Xiao resolutely ignored her. Finally, exhausted, Lin Ling drifted
off to sleep.

As dawn broke, Xia Xiao wrapped Lin Ling, whose body bore the marks of their lovemaking, in his cloak and
carried her out of the Lin residence, boarding a carriage to head towards the Seventh Prince's residence.

Chapter 59 Interrogation (Part 1)

Lin Ling awoke the next evening. Her body ached as she opened her eyes to find Xia Xiao sitting by
the bedside , gazing at her. The undisguised affection in his eyes stunned her for a few seconds before she remembered that she had
been caught red-handed by Xia Xiao the previous night. Sigh, her master would surely beat her on the head and call her an idiot if he knew. But
could she blame herself? How could she have imagined Xia Xiao would be in her room so late at night?

Seeing Lin Ling staring at him in astonishment, Xia Xiao awkwardly concealed the tenderness and affection in his eyes and said, "You're
finally awake."

Lin Ling looked around. "Where is this?"

"My bedroom. You've been here before, haven't you forgotten?"

Lin Ling remained silent, looking at Xia Xiao with some wariness. Looking at him now, so respectable,
but last night he was a beast…

Xia Xiao asked, “Are you hungry?”

“…A little hungry.”

“I’ll go get you something to eat.” Xia Xiao said, getting up and leaving the room.

Lin Ling stared suspiciously at Xia Xiao’s departing figure. Why was he so calm? As calm as if she hadn’t been gone
for three years at all. Ouch, my back is killing me!

When Xia Xiao came in carrying a steaming bowl of red bean and taro porridge, Lin Ling was rubbing
her back, wincing in pain. Seeing Xia Xiao enter, Lin Ling quickly pulled the thin blanket up to cover her exposed shoulders.

Xia Xiao came to Lin Ling’s side and helped her sit up to drink the porridge.

The red bean and taro porridge was perfectly cooked; the red beans were soft and sandy, and the taro was fragrant and sweet—it tasted quite good.
Xia Xiao fed her spoonful by spoonful with tender affection. Lin Ling ate in small bites, but inwardly she kept thinking, "It doesn't make sense.
I pretended to be dead for three years to fool him, and now that he's caught me, nothing's wrong with me. No anger, no complaints, no
resentment ... Is Xia Xiao really that good?

" After a few bites from Xia Xiao, Lin Ling whispered, "I can eat by myself." Xia Xiao

handed the bowl to Lin Ling, "Be careful, it's hot."

Lin Ling took it and continued eating while carefully watching her chest to make sure the blanket didn't fall down.

Xia Xiao's large hands moved behind her, gently massaging her aching waist.
When Lin Ling and Xia Xiao were together before, Lin Ling actually really enjoyed Xia Xiao massaging her. Xia Xiao's large hands were strong
, and he never complained about getting tired, which was much more comfortable than massaging herself.

Lin Ling finished her bowl of porridge, put it down, and said, "I'm done."

"Would you like another bowl?"

"No, thank you. Xia Xiao, just say what you want to say!"

Xia Xiao calmly massaged Lin Ling's back. "Oh? What do you think I have to say?"

"You insisted on marrying me back then, and I didn't want to. What else could I do but pretend to be dead? I
don't think you have the right to blame me. Of course, you've always been unreasonable,"

Xia Xiao laughed. "Aren't you really going to eat another bowl? You worked so hard last night, and you slept all day today
without eating anything. You only ate this small bowl of porridge. I'm afraid you won't have enough energy later."

Lin Ling couldn't stand it anymore and shouted, "Xia Xiao, just kill me or torture me! How exactly do you want to
torture me?"

Xia Xiao smiled innocently, "Ling'er, you really don't understand me. I love you so much, how
could I bear to torture you?"

After Xia Xiao finished speaking, he took the empty bowl from Lin Ling's hand and put it on the table. He took out a long black cloak from the cabinet and
draped it over her body. He then picked her up and walked outside.

Lin Ling said anxiously, "Xia Xiao! Where are you taking me? At least let me put on some clothes first!"

"No need. Putting on clothes is just putting them on and then taking them off, and you don't cooperate when I take them off. It's too much trouble."

Xia Xiao carried Lin Ling through several gates in the Seventh Prince's residence, finally entering a study. From there,
they opened a small door in an inner room and descended the steps.

Lin Ling could only see a dark abyss ahead. After descending a dozen or so steps, she
finally a narrow passageway. A few dim torches flickered on the red brick walls at intervals.
The torchlight cast eerie shadows on their figures, and Xia Xiao's echoing footsteps
sounded .

Lin Ling clung tightly to Xia Xiao's neck in fear. "Xia Xiao, where is this?" Although she thought it unlikely
… the atmosphere here was undeniably murderous.

Xia Xiao looked down at the tense Lin Ling. "Scared now? I thought you were fearless."
He kicked open a narrow door at the end of the passageway and carried Lin Ling inside.

Lin Ling found herself in a medium-sized room. In the center stood a stone bed, roughly the width of a person,
with thick iron chains fastened to four stone pillars surrounding it. In the flickering torchlight, Lin Ling also saw many strange objects hanging
on the walls , their purpose unknown, and… whips! Many whips, long and
short, thick and thin, hung neatly in a row on the wall like venomous snakes.

Lin Ling's face turned deathly pale, and her small hands, wrapped around Xia Xiao's neck, turned icy cold. She
couldn't believe … Xia Xiao would treat her like this!

Seeing Lin Ling staring at the whip with fear in her eyes, Xia Xiao quickly said, "Ling'er, don't be afraid. This
whip is just hanging there. How could I hurt you?"

Lin Ling's eyes reddened. "If you wouldn't hurt me, why did you bring me here? Xia Xiao, you always
bully me like this. I'll never like you!"

"Then if I didn't bully you, would you like me?"

Lin Ling was speechless for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "...No."

"Since that's the case, then you've lied to me for three years. Shouldn't you pay some price?"

Lin Ling's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her small mouth unconsciously pouted. She stared at Xia Xiao, and Xia Xiao
stared back at her without backing down. As Lin Ling stared, tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Xia Xiao felt both amused and exasperated. This girl had left him
for three years in a fit of rage. If it weren't for this chance encounter, she might have left him forever! Now she
acted as if suffered a great injustice, even though she was the one who had lied to him so cruelly! Xia Xiao was determined
to get to the bottom of what happened three years ago today, no matter what. How could Lin Ling, with her meager abilities, possibly have orchestrated such a elaborate deception?
Someone must have been helping her. He needed to find out the truth to eliminate any future trouble; otherwise, how could he
feel at ease ?

Xia Xiao untied the sash of Lin Ling's cloak, and the black velvet
cloak silently slid to the ground. He placed Lin Ling on the pale stone bed and chained her limbs to stone pillars.

Although it was the height of summer, the basement was damp and cold. Lin Ling lay
on the cold stone slab, shivering. She didn't know what Xia Xiao wanted from her. If he just wanted to have sex with her,
he wouldn't have bothered coming to this godforsaken place. Lin Ling was filled with shock and fear, and could only struggle desperately, saying,
"Xia Xiao, I hate you! I hate you!"

Lin Ling couldn't help but sob. "Xia Xiao, what exactly do you want?"

Xia Xiao whispered in Lin Ling's ear, "Guess what I'm going to do to you? You've always thought
I was a bad person, so guess just how bad I can be."

Lin Ling really couldn't imagine what Xia Xiao could do when he was ruthless, but the more she didn't know, the more terrifying it became
. Lin Ling couldn't help but show weakness, "Xia Xiao, do you really have to do this? We can
talk about it."

Xia Xiao laughed heartily. So his little cat was this bold. But even though she was so timid, she dared to pretend to be dead and leave him,
which showed that she wasn't afraid of him at all, and knew that he couldn't do anything to her!

Xia Xiao slowly spoke, "Lin Ling, do you know that after you died, your brother Yang quickly remarried
? He's been living a life of luxury, with beautiful women in his arms every night. These past three years have been incredibly comfortable, while I've been like a fool,
thinking about you every day. You want to discuss this with me? Fine, if you swear to be
devoted , and that you'll never have another man in your heart, I'll take you away from this room right now, okay?"

Lin Ling, upon hearing Xia Xiao's words, simply bit her lip and refused to answer.

"Speak! Can you do it? Lin Ling, as long as you swear you can, I'll forgive everything
that happened ."

Lin Ling closed her eyes. "I can't."

Xia Xiao was exasperated. She was clearly so afraid, yet she couldn't agree to be with me?!
Xia Xiao's smiling face instantly turned cold. "Lin Ling, you still want to leave me, don't you?"

Lin Ling remained silent.

Xia Xiao gritted his teeth and said, "Don't even dream about it! I'd rather die than let you leave again! If you have any ulterior motives
, you better not let me find out. If I do, I'd rather sever your tendons than let you go!"

Lin Ling couldn't help but shiver. Xia Xiao's expression was cold and ruthless; he was serious.

Xia Xiao leaned down again, looking directly into Lin Ling's eyes, and said, "My Ling'er, it seems we can't
discuss this anymore. Now let's settle the score for these three years!"

Chapter 59: Interrogation (Part 1)

Lin Ling woke up again the next evening. Her whole body ached as she opened her eyes and saw Xia Xiao sitting on
the edge of the bed looking at her. The undisguised affection in his eyes stunned Lin Ling for a few seconds before she remembered that she had been very
unlucky last night and had been caught red-handed by Xia Xiao. Sigh, her master would definitely hit her on the head and call her an idiot if he found out. But
could she blame herself? How could she have imagined that Xia Xiao would be in her room in the middle of the night?

Seeing Lin Ling staring at him in astonishment, Xia Xiao awkwardly concealed the tenderness and affection in his eyes and said, "You're
finally awake."

Lin Ling looked around. "Where is this?"

"My bedroom. You've been here before, haven't you?"

Lin Ling didn't speak, looking at Xia Xiao warily. He looked so respectable now, but last night he
was a beast…

Xia Xiao asked, "Are you hungry?"

"…A little hungry."

"I'll go get you something to eat." Xia Xiao said, getting up and leaving the room.

Lin Ling stared suspiciously at Xia Xiao's departing figure. Why was he so calm? So calm, as if he hadn't left at all.
Three years later, it's the same. Ouch, my back is killing me!

When Xia Xiao walked in carrying a steaming bowl of red bean and taro porridge, Lin Ling was grimacing and rubbing
her back. Seeing Xia Xiao enter, Lin Ling quickly pulled the thin blanket up to cover her exposed shoulders.

Xia Xiao came to Lin Ling's side and helped her sit up to drink the porridge.

The red bean and taro porridge was perfectly cooked; the red beans were soft and sandy, and the taro was fragrant and sweet—it tasted quite good.
Xia Xiao fed her spoonful by spoonful with tender affection. Lin Ling ate in small sips, but inwardly she kept thinking, "It doesn't make sense.
I pretended to be dead for three years to deceive him, and now that he's caught me, nothing's wrong with me. No anger, no complaints, no
resentment … Is Xia Xiao really that good?"

After being fed a few mouthfuls by Xia Xiao, Lin Ling said softly, "I can eat by myself."

Xia Xiao handed the bowl to Lin Ling, "Be careful, it's hot."

Lin Ling took it and continued eating while carefully watching her chest to make sure the blanket didn't fall down.

Xia Xiao's large hands moved behind her, kneading her aching waist with just the right amount of pressure.
When Lin Ling and Xia Xiao were together before, Lin Ling actually really liked it when Xia Xiao
massaged and he never complained about getting tired, which was much more comfortable than massaging herself.

Lin Ling finished the bowl of porridge, put it down, and said, "I'm done."

"Want another bowl?"

"No, thank you. Xia Xiao, just say what you want to say!"

Xia Xiao slowly massaged Lin Ling's waist, "Oh? What do you think I want to say?"

"You insisted on marrying me back then, and I didn't want to. What could I do but pretend to be dead? I don't think you
have the right to blame me. Of course, you've always been unreasonable,"

Xia Xiao laughed. "Are you really not going to eat another bowl? You had a tough time last night, and you slept all day today
without eating anything. You only ate this small bowl of porridge. I'm afraid you won't have enough energy later."

Lin Ling couldn't stand it anymore and shouted, "Xia Xiao, just kill me or torture me! How exactly do you want to
torture me?"

Xia Xiao smiled innocently, "Ling'er, you really don't understand me. I love you so much, how
could I bear to torture you?"

After Xia Xiao finished speaking, he took the empty bowl from Lin Ling's hand and put it on the table. He took out a long black cloak from the cabinet and
draped it over her body. He then picked her up and walked outside.

Lin Ling cried out anxiously, "Xia Xiao! Where are you taking me? At least let me put on some clothes first!"

"No need. Putting on clothes is just another hassle, and you won't cooperate when I do that."

Xia Xiao carried Lin Ling through several doors in the Seventh Prince's residence, finally entering a study. He then
opened a small door in the inner room of the study and led her down the steps.

Lin Ling could only see a dark abyss ahead. After descending a dozen or so steps, she could
finally
passageway. A few dim torches were lit on the red brick walls at intervals. The torchlight cast eerie shadows on the two figures, and Xia Xiao's echoing footsteps
sounded .

Lin Ling fearfully clung to Xia Xiao's neck, "Xia Xiao, where is this?" Although she thought it unlikely
… the atmosphere here was undeniably hostile.

Xia Xiao looked down at Lin Ling, whose face was filled with tension. "Scared now? I thought you weren't afraid of anything."
He kicked open a narrow door at the end of the passageway and carried Lin Ling inside.

Lin Ling found herself in a medium-sized room. In the center was a stone bed about the width of a person,
with thick iron chains attached to four stone pillars surrounding it. In the flickering torchlight, Lin Ling saw many strange objects hanging
on the walls , their purpose unknown, and… whips! Many whips, long and
short, thick and thin, hung neatly in a row on the wall like venomous snakes.

Lin Ling's face turned deathly pale, and her small hands wrapped around Xia Xiao's neck became icy cold. She
couldn't believe … Xia Xiao would treat her like this!

Seeing Lin Ling staring at the whip with fear in her eyes, Xia Xiao quickly said, "Ling'er, don't be afraid. This
whip is just hanging there. How could I hurt you?"

Lin Ling's eyes reddened. "If you wouldn't hurt me, why did you bring me here? Xia Xiao, you always
bully me like this. I'll never like you!"

"Then if I didn't bully you, would you like me?"

Lin Ling was speechless for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "...No."

"Since that's the case, then you've lied to me for three years. Shouldn't you pay some price?"

Lin Ling's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her small mouth unconsciously pouted. She stared at Xia Xiao, and Xia Xiao
stared back without backing down. As Lin Ling stared, tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Xia Xiao felt both amused and exasperated. This girl had left him
for three years in a heartbeat. If he hadn't caught her by chance this time, she might have left him forever! Look at her now,
acting like she's suffered a terrible injustice, even though she's the one who deceived him so badly! Xia Xiao was determined
to get to the bottom of what happened three years ago today, no matter what. How could Lin Ling, with her meager skills, possibly have orchestrated such a elaborate deception?
Someone must have been helping her behind the scenes. He needed to find out the truth to eliminate any future troubles; otherwise, how could he
feel at ease ?

Xia Xiao untied the sash of Lin Ling's cloak, and the black velvet cloak silently slid to the ground. He
placed Lin Ling on the pale stone bed and chained her limbs to stone pillars.

Although it was the height of summer, the basement was damp and cold, and Lin Ling
shivered as she lay on the cold stone. She didn't know what Xia Xiao wanted to do with her. If he just wanted to have sex with her,
he wouldn't have bothered coming to this godforsaken place. Lin Ling was filled with shock and fear, and could only struggle desperately, saying,
"Xia Xiao, I hate you! I hate you!"

Xia Xiao saw Lin Ling's fair and naked body struggling seductively on the stone bed, her legs pulled apart by iron chains.
This position left Lin Ling's vulva completely open, the two tender little petals of her vagina also temptingly parted,
vaguely revealing the pink flesh inside that gently undulated with her breath. Xia Xiao couldn't help but get an erection,
and he touched his chin and clicked his tongue, "My darling, how come you're always so tempting?"

As he spoke, Xia Xiao leaned down and gently flicked Lin Ling's small nipples, which were erect from the cold, "Are you cold?"

Lin Ling couldn't help but sob, "Xia Xiao, what do you want?"

Xia Xiao whispered in Lin Ling's ear, "Guess what I'm going to do to you? You always thought..."
"Am I a bad person? Guess just how bad I can be."

Lin Ling really couldn't imagine what Xia Xiao could do when he got ruthless, but the more she didn't know, the more terrifying it became
. Lin Ling couldn't help but show weakness, "Xia Xiao, do you really have to do this? Whatever it is... we can
discuss it."

Xia Xiao laughed heartily. So his little cat was that bold. But she dared to pretend to be dead and leave him even though she was so timid,
which showed that she wasn't afraid of him at all, and knew that he couldn't do anything to her!

Xia Xiao slowly said, "Lin Ling, do you know that after you died, your brother Yang quickly got married
? He had a beautiful woman in his arms every night, and he lived a very comfortable life for the past three years. Only I was like a fool,
thinking about you every day. You want to discuss it with me? Fine, if you swear that you will be
devoted you will never have another man in your heart, I will take you away from this house now, how about it?"

Lin Ling bit her lip and refused to answer after hearing Xia Xiao's words.

"Speak up, can you do it? Lin Ling, as long as you swear you can, I'll wipe the slate clean of
everything that happened ."

Lin Ling closed her eyes. "I can't."

Xia Xiao was furious. She was clearly so scared, yet she couldn't agree to be with him?!
Xia Xiao's smiling face instantly turned cold. "Lin Ling, you still want to leave me, don't you?"

Lin Ling didn't speak.

Xia Xiao gritted his teeth and said, "Don't even dream about it! I'd rather die than let you leave! If you have any ulterior motives,
you'd better not let me find out. If I do, I'd rather sever your tendons than let you go!"

Lin Ling couldn't help but shiver. Xia Xiao's expression was icy and ruthless; he meant it.

Xia Xiao leaned down again, looking directly into Lin Ling's eyes, and said, "My Ling'er, it seems we can't
discuss this anymore. Let's settle the score for these past three years!"

Chapter 60 Interrogation (Part 2)

Xia Xiao whispered in Lin Ling's ear, "Baby, which of those things hanging on the wall do you like?"

Lin Ling then realized that the strange-looking things hanging on the wall were actually torture instruments. Although she didn't know
how used, she could imagine that the consequences of using them on someone would be very serious.

Lin Ling closed her eyes and remained silent. She didn't really believe that Xia Xiao would actually use those things on her.

"Lin Ling, if you're smart, answer me honestly. Who helped you fake your death and escape back then?"

Xia Xiao knew that Li Yiyang and Cheng Haoran had been secretly making some moves before he and Lin Ling got married. He
just didn't want to take action. They didn't have the ability to secretly hide his woman. However, Xia Xiao didn't
expect that he would ultimately be tricked. Now, thinking about it carefully, he realized it didn't seem like a diversionary tactic by Li Yiyang and his
group ; otherwise, Li Yiyang wouldn't have taken another wife. If that's the case, then
who exactly is the person behind Lin Ling?

Lin Ling remained silent, determined not to reveal her master's identity under any circumstances. Xia Xiao
wouldn't kill her, but whether he would harm her master was another matter.

"Not talking? Lin Ling, you're stubborn and won't listen to reason." Xia Xiao walked
to , opened an iron box on it—the contents of which he had specially prepared for today.

Lin Ling heard the sound of the lid opening and turned her head to look, but from her angle, she couldn't see what was inside the
dark box.

Xia Xiao took out a small indigo porcelain bottle from the iron box, weighed it in his hand, and walked
back .

Lin Ling stared wide-eyed at Xia Xiao and the bottle in his hand.

Lin Ling cried out softly, feeling a burning sensation where the candle wax dripped, as if bitten by a tiny insect. She
twisted uncomfortably, "Brother Xia Xiao, what are you doing?"

Xia Xiao didn't answer, continuing to slowly move the candle along Lin Ling's body. Soon, amber-like candle wax dripped onto
Lin Ling clear, snow-white body. Her body, already controlled by the aphrodisiac
, felt more stimulation than pain. Xia Xiao's teasing
intensified . Lin Ling moaned softly, her vibrant, soft body
undulating alluringly like a bewitching enchantress in the flickering firelight. The bright red candle wax bloomed like tiny red flowers on her curvaceous figure, beautiful and alluring.

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