Show up? At the Pingshan Assembly?
Su Xiaoliu widened her almond eyes. Just as she was about to speak, the leader added, "Tomorrow I'll have someone train you well. Don't let them see through you right away. Yun Ruo won't come, so you can play her role without worry."
Su Xiaoliu forced a bitter smile. Looking up at the leader, she pointed at herself and said, "Do you really want me to show up? I'm bound to give myself away..."
In her mind, she pictured herself sitting high up there, staring wordlessly at a group of strange - looking people from the martial world...
The leader looked at her and suddenly gave a charming smile, maliciously saying, "It's okay. With some training tomorrow, you'll surely pass for the real one."
Training?
Su Xiaoliu was stunned. Could this really be trained?
A faint sense of drowsiness came over her. Taking this opportunity, Su Xiaoliu said, "I'll go back and rest first." With that, she turned around, opened the door, and ran away.
The leader stared at the empty doorway and chuckled.
Not long after, Su Xiaoliu appeared at the door again.
"What's the matter?" the leader asked with a smile, as if he had expected her return.
Su Xiaoliu walked over expressionlessly, holding out her hand. "The key."
The leader glanced at her with a smile and then suddenly said with an annoyed look on his face, "Oh no, I forgot where I put it."
"You..." Su Xiaoliu trembled with anger. "If you don't have the key, give me the bed!"
The leader chuckled and held out his hand. The key was lying quietly in his palm.
Su Xiaoliu glanced at the key and then at him. Knowing she had been tricked, she quickly grabbed the key and stormed off.
This amorous leader was really disgustingly bad!
The next day.
The spring was bright, and the warm sun shone on the flowers.
Su Xiaoliu changed into a tea - white silk dress. She gathered up her previous clothes and tidied up the room as well.
She wondered how her father and the others were doing. Suddenly, she really wanted to go back and have a look.
She opened the closet beside her. What came into view was the light - yellow dress she had worn when she first came. Su Xiaoliu reached out to take out the silk dress. With a crisp "clank", something fell to the ground.
Su Xiaoliu quickly looked down. For a moment, she stood there stunned.
On the ground was a delicate silver hairpin, and a familiar scent wafted over...
Su Xiaoliu quickly squatted down to pick up the silver hairpin. She carefully wrapped it back in the clothes and put it back in the closet.
After closing the closet door, Su Xiaoliu leaned against the closet, her brows slightly furrowed, and her breathing became a bit uneven...
That silver hairpin...
Why was it here with her?
Su Xiaoliu suddenly remembered those ink - black eyes that had watched her leave the old temple...
Did he already know that she wouldn't come back?
Su Xiaoliu tightened the cuffs of her sleeves. Her almond eyes were full of guilt.
She slowly squatted down, tightly pursing her lips.
Why did he give her this silver hairpin? Without it, he couldn't return to the mansion in Donglin Town. What on earth was he thinking?
"Knock, knock."
The door was knocked. Xia Liu's voice came from outside.
"Madam, it's me."
Su Xiaoliu looked up, quickly stood up, walked to the door, and opened it.
Xia Liu came in carrying a basin of water. As she walked, she said, "Madam, the leader asks you to go to him after you wash up today. He's waiting for you."
Su Xiaoliu was taken aback. The leader wanted to see her?
Su Xiaoliu suddenly remembered what he had said last night.
She nodded.
"I see."
After washing up, as soon as Su Xiaoliu stepped out of the room, she saw the leader at the other end of the corridor.
The leader was dressed in a dark - blue long robe, standing with his hands behind his back. His long hair was tied up with a blue ribbon. He had a high - bridged nose, sword - shaped eyebrows, and star - like eyes. His beautiful red lips were curved, and the stubble on his chin gave him a vicissitudinous air.
The leader obviously noticed her too and gave a light laugh.
Su Xiaoliu walked quickly towards him. She stopped a short distance away from him.
"Come with me to the back mountain," the leader said as he turned and walked forward.
Su Xiaoliu quickly followed.
Su Xiaoliu looked up at his side profile. Suddenly remembering something, she said angrily, "Why didn't you let me see the Golden Jade Tree yesterday?"
The leader glanced at her and said with a smile, "Are you still angry?"
Anyone would be unhappy if they were suddenly driven out just as they reached the door.
Su Xiaoliu looked at him and said sullenly, "It's not something to be hidden. It wouldn't hurt to take a look."
The leader chuckled and glanced at her sideways. "A certain girl almost cost the Second Madam half her life. I'm not even angry, but she's angry with me first."
Su Xiaoliu suddenly remembered the poisonous fruit from yesterday. Her face flushed...
The leader looked at her and burst out laughing.
As they chatted casually, they arrived at the back mountain.
The surrounding strong pines were lush and green, looking like coiled dragons and crouching tigers. A thin mist was floating on the ground. Not far away, there was a pavilion with fluttering curtains, looking like a place of immortals.
This was the back mountain?
Su Xiaoliu scanned the area. Her eyes suddenly fell on a figure in dark purple not far away.
Su Xiaoliu was stunned. At the mist - shrouded foot of the mountain, the clouds were swirling around him. His long black hair was casually scattered, and his long robe dragged on the ground, disappearing into the clouds.
His beautiful eyes were quietly looking ahead, as if he had been waiting for thousands of years. His extremely beautiful side profile was like a flower in a mirror or a moon in the water, as if it would disappear at any moment.
Hearing the noise, he slowly turned his head. His eyes seemed to look into her heart. Su Xiaoliu stood there stupidly, unable to move.
Seeing her, Gu Rongxue smiled slightly. The smile on his almost transparent white face was like a pear blossom in bloom, breathtakingly beautiful.
He walked towards them. His long robe dragged behind him with each step, just like an immortal walking out of a pond. His eyes fell on the leader beside him. He stopped a short distance away and said, "Leader."
The leader in the dark - blue long robe beside her nodded and said, "Thank you, Qiongxue. I've kept you waiting."
Gu Rongxue smiled and said softly, "It's okay."
The leader looked down at the somewhat absent - minded Su Xiaoliu and said with a light smile, "This is Mr. Qiongxue, another number - one beauty in the martial world at the upcoming Pingshan Assembly. You can train with him today."
Another number - one beauty in the martial world? Was it him?
Su Xiaoliu came back to her senses. Thinking that she would stand beside him, the gap between them made her feel a bit ashamed.
She looked up at the leader and then at Gu Rongxue, quickly nodding and saying, "Hello, Mr. Qiongxue."
Gu Rongxue was slightly stunned. Suddenly remembering something, he gave a knowing smile and nodded.
The leader looked up at Gu Rongxue and said with a smile, "Yun Ruo has lost her memory. She can't remember many things from the past."
Lost her memory?
Su Xiaoliu gave the leader a rather speechless look.
Such a lame excuse. Wasn't he afraid of being seen through?
Gu Rongxue was slightly stunned and nodded. "No wonder. It seems she still hasn't recovered..." He smiled and added, "Qiongxue understands."
Still hasn't recovered? What hasn't recovered?
Su Xiaoliu was completely confused. What had happened to Yun Ruo in the past?
The leader said with a smile, "Then I'll have to trouble Qiongxue today. I'll go back first."
Gu Rongxue nodded. The leader patted Su Xiaoliu on the head and then turned to leave.