41: That guard, he is the key

It was late at night, and the world was still.

At the Lin Manor.

When Lin Qinghuang returned, she happened to see Xie Weilou standing outside the manor, holding a handful of white snow.

“Xie Weilou, what are you doing here?”

Lin Qinghuang raised an eyebrow.

With such heavy wind and snow, and the weather so cold, why wasn't he at a brothel or home? Why was he here?

“Lin Qinghuang…”

When Xie Weilou saw Lin Qinghuang, a look of melancholy appeared in his eyes.

Lin Qinghuang froze for a second, then immediately asked, “What’s wrong?”

A hint of mist appeared in Xie Weilou’s eyes, and a line of clear tears streamed down his face. He said dejectedly, “The people from the Zhenxi Marquis Manor won’t let me go back…”

As he said this, he gently clutched his stomach and took another bite of the snow in his hand, looking pathetic, small, and helpless.

Lin Qinghuang fell silent upon hearing this. She looked at Xie Weilou and said, “Stay here tonight! We’ll eat something together later.”

“Okay!”

Xie Weilou took another bite of the white snow.

“Just a little longer, dinner will be ready soon.”

Lin Qinghuang flicked her sleeve, and the white snow in Xie Weilou’s hand scattered. She pulled Xie Weilou’s wrist and walked into the manor.

Not long after.

Inside the pavilion.

Steaming, fragrant food was already prepared.

Lin Qinghuang placed many dishes into Xie Weilou’s bowl: “Don’t just sit there, eat quickly.”

Xie Weilou looked at Lin Qinghuang, his eyes full of tenderness as he said, “Lin Qinghuang is so good to me. It would be even better if you warmed my bed again tonight.”

“Are you asking for a beating?”

Lin Qinghuang glared at Xie Weilou. This guy was already so pitiful, yet he still had a foul mouth.

Xie Weilou shoveled down his rice while saying to Lin Qinghuang, “At home, you rely on your parents; when you’re out, you rely on friends. But for the past three years, it’s been Qinghuang who has helped me, and it’s also been Lin Qinghuang who has helped me many times…”

Lin Qinghuang frowned. For some reason, she always felt that Xie Weilou’s words were a bit off, but she couldn’t find any evidence.

She gazed at Xie Weilou and said, “If you’re truly moved, then tell me some things you know. There are still many details about the Lin family’s destruction that you haven’t told me.”

Xie Weilou looked at Lin Qinghuang: “My guard, he’s the key!”

“I naturally know he’s the key, but after the Lin family was destroyed, he disappeared.”

Lin Qinghuang’s face showed a thoughtful expression.

When the Lin family was destroyed, there was evidence that both Xie Weilou and his guard were present. Xie Weilou was imprisoned, but the guard disappeared, which was certainly abnormal.

For the past three years, she had also been quietly investigating the guard’s whereabouts, but she had never received any news of him. That person seemed to have vanished into thin air, which was extremely strange.

“I know where he is.”

Xie Weilou said.

“Hmm?”

Lin Qinghuang instantly stared at Xie Weilou: “Where?”

Xie Weilou said with a faint gaze, “I killed him.”

“…”

Lin Qinghuang was somewhat speechless.

The faint light in Xie Weilou’s eyes disappeared, and a smile appeared on his face: “Just kidding! But if you let me have a bite, perhaps I really could recall something.”

“Eat!”

Lin Qinghuang picked up a piece of meat and placed it directly into Xie Weilou’s bowl.

When he said that, she knew she wouldn’t get anything more out of him.

After dinner.

Xie Weilou lay on the chair like a lord, while the maid cleaned up the table.

Lin Qinghuang, on the other hand, was looking at a scroll. What she was looking at was naturally not an ordinary scroll, but a cultivation technique.

After the maid left.

Xie Weilou walked towards the bed, took off his shoes and socks, and lay directly on it: “Qinghuang, your quilt hasn’t been changed; it’s still the same one from last time.”

Lin Qinghuang said indifferently, “It has been changed, it’s just the same color!”

“Qinghuang, This Young Master is in a very good mood tonight, so I’ll warm the bed for you. You can quietly slip into the covers later, but don’t disturb my rest.”

Xie Weilou pulled the quilt over himself. The soft, large bed was naturally very comfortable to sleep on.

“…”

Lin Qinghuang no longer paid attention to Xie Weilou. With a wave of her hand, a force sealed the pavilion door, and she walked to the side with the scroll.

She sat cross-legged, forming hand seals, and a powerful pressure emanated from her.

Xie Weilou didn’t continue to disturb Lin Qinghuang either. He closed his eyes.

— — — —

The night passed without a word.

The next day, early morning.

Lin Qinghuang opened her eyes and found herself lying on the soft bed, covered by a warm quilt.

“…”

Her expression changed, and she immediately looked to the side.

She saw Xie Weilou curled up in a ball, his head nestled against her arm.

Lin Qinghuang checked her body and, finding nothing amiss, she coldly spoke to Xie Weilou: “Xie Weilou!”

Xie Weilou’s eyes opened in confusion. When he saw Lin Qinghuang, he showed a surprised expression: “Lin Qinghuang, you really did sneak into the covers last night. No wonder I felt so warm.”

“Is that so?”

Qinghuang stared coldly at Xie Weilou.

How could she not know if she had climbed into bed herself?

She had been cultivating last night and had no impression of climbing into bed.

Xie Weilou said strangely, “Your strength is so great. If I put you in the covers, how could you not notice?”

“…”

Lin Qinghuang paused for a second; it seemed to make some sense.

Could it be that she had cultivated too much, her mind was hazy, and she had climbed in herself?

Xie Weilou said with a smile, “What cultivation technique are you practicing? You should stop practicing it, otherwise, you might damage your brain.”

Lin Qinghuang naturally hadn’t climbed into bed on her own; he had carried her there.

Last night, Lin Qinghuang encountered some issues during her cultivation. After Xie Weilou noticed, he carried her to bed.

The scroll Lin Qinghuang was looking at was extremely profound and had a very strong effect on opening the Dantian.

The problem she had last night was simply that she had consumed too much energy while opening her Dantian, so she fell into a deep sleep. It wasn't a big problem; a good night's sleep would fix it.

“I’ll spare your life!”

After hearing this, Lin Qinghuang immediately pulled her arm back and decisively left the bed.

On the floor, that scroll was still lying there.

She picked up the scroll and examined it carefully. The cultivation technique naturally had no problems. She closed her eyes and checked the condition of her body; her Dantian had expanded a bit more, and last night’s cultivation effect was decent.

“It seems that opening the Dantian last night consumed too much energy.”

Lin Qinghuang thought to herself.

Opening the Dantian naturally required complete focus, which consumed a great deal of mental energy.

“Qinghuang, last night you snuck in, and I didn’t even get to feel it. While the covers are still warm, how about you come back up and let me feel it?”

Xie Weilou eyed Lin Qinghuang’s graceful figure, his smile growing wider.

“Say that again, and do you believe I’ll throw you out?”

Lin Qinghuang glared at Xie Weilou unhappily. She felt she had lost out big last night and shouldn’t have brought this guy in.

Xie Weilou said dejectedly, “If we were to share a pillow someday, this life would count as growing old together. Can you bear to throw me out?”

Lin Qinghuang’s mouth twitched. She gently rubbed her temples: “I can tell now, that pitiful, wronged look you had last night was also an act. You’re such a drama queen, and I actually fell for it!”

The dejected look on Xie Weilou’s face disappeared, and his smile reappeared. He wrapped the quilt around himself, which made him even warmer.

“Get up.”

Lin Qinghuang glared at Xie Weilou. With a flick of her finger, the windows opened, and a cold wind blew in.

“…”

Xie Weilou shivered and immediately buried his head in the covers.