When Cheng Xiran looked at Princess Ziyun, upon seeing her face, she tried hard to hold back her laughter. It seemed that the princess had believed what she said, for her face was flushed red. Her indecisive look of wanting yet not wanting was extremely comical.
"Princess, maybe what she said is true. Why not let it go? Look at how pitiful it is," Xiao Qi pleaded, her big, watery eyes fixed on the fox, her tone laced with pity.
"Let it go," Helian Duo commanded coldly. Immediately, his attendant carried the fox away.
This scene didn't sit well with Cheng Xiran. She had spent so much time scaring Princess Ziyun into not killing the fox, but Xiao Qi had managed to set it free with just one sentence. It was clearly special treatment. What a person who favored the opposite sex over her friends!
In a short while, the chatting among the noble ladies resumed in the hall, as if nothing had happened before.
Cheng Xiran felt restless and got up to leave. The mist was thick in the air. She took a deep breath and felt refreshed. This was the kind of fresh air that was hard to come by in modern times.
"What are you doing here?"
A cold voice suddenly came from behind. Lost in thought, Cheng Xiran was startled and nearly lost her balance.
"Why do you always appear behind people like a ghost?" Cheng Xiran frowned, clearly displeased with his behavior.
Helian Duo raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "The fox was hunted by Xue Lianyu. He intended to give it to Princess Ziyun. It wasn't my idea."
Was he explaining himself to her?
"Oh," Cheng Xiran replied indifferently.
"If you like it, I'll get you one another day," Helian Duo added quickly when he saw that she still looked unhappy.
Cheng Xiran shrugged. "I don't really care. I just don't like taking things that others don't want. You can give the fox to Xiao Qi. I think she might like it more than me."
"Why bring her up all of a sudden?"
It wasn't as if she wanted to mention Xiao Qi. It was Helian Duo who had been showing off with Xiao Qi in front of her. She hadn't said anything, yet Helian Duo was blaming her.
At that moment, Cheng Xiran suddenly had an idea. Looking at Helian Duo, she asked, "Do you think people would read serialized novels in the Capital Anecdotes?"
Helian Duo thought for a moment and replied, "Maybe. It's quite a novel concept."
Hearing this, a long - form novel popped into Cheng Xiran's mind. She didn't even need to think about the names. She could just use the people she had met on Xuan Mountain today.
"Xue Lianyu! You've gone too far!"
A roar suddenly came from inside the house. Chu Liyin ran out with red eyes, followed closely by Xue Lianyu, who looked anxious. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Cheng Xiran and Helian Duo.
"Have you seen which way Chu Liyin went?"
Cheng Xiran grabbed him and frowned. "Don't worry about where she went. What did you do to make her cry?"
Xue Lianyu rubbed his folding fan in frustration and sighed. "We were just playing a game. I didn't expect the tea to spill on her. I didn't do it on purpose."
It wasn't right to make fun of people like this. No wonder Chu Liyin was crying so bitterly. Cheng Xiran gave Helian Duo a disdainful look. "Keep your friends in line."
After saying that, Cheng Xiran went after Chu Liyin. Helian Duo, however, felt wronged. He wasn't the one who made her cry, nor was he the one who spilled the tea. Why was he being blamed?