Chapter 71
He was going to destroy it because he liked it. This was so even despite that it would hurt him!
How could such an extreme person be someone with no hatred or regrets…
Mo Xuetong’s heart grew cold. She felt the cold permeating through her bones and blood, spreading into her limbs and her entire being…
Qin Yufeng did not notice this. He really liked the painting and had expended a lot of effort to get it. When he heard Mo Xuetong said that it could still be fixed, he could not help but be excited. He could not control himself and pulled Mo Xuetong’s sleeves. There was a light fragrance and his heart beat wildly.
He released her sleeves hurriedly. When he saw her beautiful face, he could not help but felt tongue-tied and shy. He hurriedly widened the distance between the two and said ashamedly, "Cousin Tong, I’m sorry. I was too excited. I have been impolite when I thought that you could have a way to fix it. Please forgive me."
Then, he bowed deeply.
"Cousin Feng, what are you talking about. I know that you like this painting a lot. Why don’t we make a bet?" Her eyes shone and she kept an adorable and innocent smile on her face. It made one think that she was a naive young girl who knew naught about the world.
"A bet?" Qin Yufeng was stunned. He was rather surprised by his cousin. Even though he seemed wild, he had always made plans before doing anything. Even greeting Mo Xuetong was something he had done after much contemplation. He was surprised by Mo Xuetong’s sudden suggestion.
"Yes! I wonder if Cousin Feng would dare to bet with me?" Mo Xuetong suddenly stood up. Her dark eyes were like glittering stars in the dark night. Her voice was innocent as the wind under the dark starry skies. She glanced at Qin Yufeng as if she was certain that he would not bet with her.
She was a little naughty and a little adorable. She was so wonderful one could not take their eyes off her.
"Cousin Feng, do you dare to?" Mo Xuetong smiled and asked again when she saw Qin Yufeng looking at her silently. There was a glimmer of confusion in her eyes as if she did not understand why Qin Yufeng was not speaking. The smile on her lips slowly fell off.
"Alright, I will bet with you. What would you like to bet on?" Qin Yufeng, who was always calm and composed, and would never do anything he was uncertain off, replied subconsciously. His gaze fell on her lips. Her smile had returned.
Qin Yufeng was shocked. He would never do anything he was not confident in, but yet, he was now teasing a girl innocently. Even though he calmed down immediately, Mo Xuetong noticed all of that. The smile on her lips grew even more charming and her eyes were beautiful in their coldness.
"Will you give this painting to me if I really fix it?" Mo Xuetong smiled. "If I can’t fix it, I am willing to make it up to you by giving you another painting. How about that?"
Qin Yufeng would never do anything he was not confident in. That was why he had taken every step carefully when he plotted against her with Mo Xuemin. They had gotten her to step into his traps unknowingly. In her second chance at life, Mo Xuetong had thought of many plans to deal with him, her biggest opponent. The best idea she had was to destroy the relationship between Mo Xuemin and Qin Yufeng.
However, she had just gotten here and did not know how far their relationship had progressed. As such, she could only test it out carefully, step-by-step. This painting was the first step.
She was confused by the feeling Qin Yufeng gave off right now. It was oddness she could not put in words! His character and his actions were completely different.
"Cousin Tong, if you can really fix the painting, I will give it to you. But if you can’t, you have to remember to let me come to Qingwei Garden to pick out a painting myself. "Qin Yufeng raised his brows, a hint of interest flashing through his eyes.
He could not believe that a girl of just 13 could fix a painting that he could not. He raised his brows up high, forgetting to think about why he had not hesitated to bet with Mo Xuetong. He truly liked the painting. Otherwise, he would not have brought the painting out to several places in such bad weather and had been trapped in the pavilion.
Without them knowing, the distance between the two melted in their light laughter. Qin Yufeng subconsciously turned around to look at the weather after he looked at the beautiful face of the intelligent girl. It was still snowing, but it was falling much lighter than before. Only a few odd flakes fell from the sky slowly in the cold air.
"Cousin Feng, I still have to go see Father. I’ll take the painting with me. I will definitely get you to come to take a look at it in a few days." Mo Xuetong looked at the weather and thought that Bai Yifeng should have left her father’s study. She smiled at Qin Yufeng and took the
"Alright! Then I will be waiting for your invite." Qin Yufeng answered with a smile. He seemed rather eager and even bowed to her. Mo Xuetong smiled happily.
Mo Xuetong turned and stepped onto the snowy grounds, holding the painting. Snowflakes fell onto her shoulders and black hair. She still looked like an ethereal fairy.
Mo Xuetong suddenly turned around. Through a curtain of snow, Qin Yufeng felt that her features were exquisite as if she belonged in a painting. Her eyes were no longer cold and were as bright as a burning fire. However, she just smiled at him and then turned around and left.
The fiery look disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Qin Yufeng frowned and felt that he had seen wrongly. How could an innocent girl like her look at him like that? He watched as she left and narrowed his eyes subconsciously. The smile in his eyes slowly turned into a sharp look!
Mo Yu had long been waiting outside Mo Huawen’s study. When she saw Mo Xuetong approaching, she hurriedly unfolded the cape in her hands and put it onto Mo Xuetong. She asked, "Miss, did Mo He make a mistake? She’s been kneeling in the yard and she didn’t say anything when I asked her about it."
Mo Yu, Mo He, and Mo Lan have grown up together alongside Mo Xuetong. They were closer than sisters. Mo Yu had already received news earlier this morning that their mistress would return and she had cleaned up their courtyard. She was cleaning up her mistress’ room when she suddenly saw Mo He entering, her face pale. She only said, "Miss will be going to Old Sir’s study. Go there and wait for her."
"Do you think that Mo He will not commit any big mistakes?" The wind lifted Mo Xuetong’s blue skirt. The snow grew heavy again and large snowflakes landed on her. The peacock blue cape that she had just put on was immediately covered in snow. The white snowflakes landed on the blue color, complementing her pale soft cheeks. However, the smile on her lips was cold.
Mo Yu suddenly felt afraid. She looked down and did not dare to look at Mo Xuetong’s face.
"Mo Yu, you all have been with me for five, six years, right?" Mo Xuetong smiled slightly, her brows lifted slightly. The smile on her lips became gentle again and she did not turn back to look at Mo Yu. Instead, she looked at the clean falling snow in front of her that landed on the ground.
The snow was all the same color, but because of where they landed, they ended up differently. Some remained clean and white while others fell into the muddied grounds. Some turned into water droplets, landing on plum blossoms and held a fragrance to them… However, no matter where they fell, they were all brought by the wind. They could not decide where they wanted to go. Clean or muddied, whether they turned into water droplets on plum blossoms, who would have thought that they were once the same clean white snow?
"Miss… We have been with you for six years." Mo Yu stood behind Mo Xuetong and could not see her expression. However, she could hear the faint coldness and sadness in her voice. She could not help but recall what happened when they had come together before their mistress who was only seven then. Mo He was the youngest then, and she had hidden behind her, peering at their mistress and not daring to say anything. She had held on to her skirt tightly.
She had been nervous. Despite that, she peeked at the little girl curiously, hoping that she would keep her. If she did not buy them, she would be taken back again. And every time they brought them back, the old women would starve and scold them. When she heard the girl pointing at them and telling them to stay, Mo Yu was so happy her heart almost burst out of her chest. She hurriedly pulled Mo He with her and they knelt in front of their mistress.
She, Mo He and Mo Lan had stayed by their mistress’ side from then on.
"Six years. That’s so long!" Mo Xuetong sighed lightly. She turned around to look at Mo Yu who was a little shocked and confused. Then, she asked seriously, "Mo Yu, have you all thought about what you will do in the future? Will you follow me, or do you have other plans? If you have other plans, I will not blame you all. I will ask Father to make arrangements for you all and allow you all to leave comfortably. You all have suffered with me."
"Miss, don’t make me go! I have served you for so many years and I can’t bear to leave you!" Mo Yu knelt down forcefully and cried out loud, holding Mo Xuetong’s knees. She did not know why her usually gentle mistress would become so stern and want to chase them away.
Don’t chase them away? But with Mo He’s character, she might not even be able to keep her life!
She had always thought that Mo He was just rash, but she did not expect her to be dazzled by Bai Yihao. She had disregarded her own status and had gone after Bai Yihao, even ignoring her own mistress. Then, she had even almost gotten into a fight with someone at the manor’s entrance. Others would not think that it was a maid who was going after Bai Yihao. They would only think that it was Mo Xuetong who was shameless. They would think that she was not only in love with Bai Yihao, but she had also even allowed her maid to fight with Bai Yihao’s maid. If this got out, she would have to die to rid herself of her sins!
Mo He was forcing her hand!
She could not help but shudder at this thought. She closed her eyes tightly, sighed, and pulled Mo Yu up.
There was a sound of low laughter accompanied by footsteps. The laughter was gentle and clear. It was a burst of teasing laughter that made Mo Xuetong stand stiffly. "Third Miss Mo, are you getting angry watching the snow?"
Mo Xuetong paused and turned around. Mo Yu also stood up and moved behind Mo Xuetong warily.
It was none other than Bai Yihao! The beautiful youth in white was leaning against the tree and looking at her with a vague smile.
Mo Xuetong took a few steps back subconsciously. She looked vigilant and frowned slightly. Then, she came back to her senses and realized she had overreacted. No matter what sort of person Bai Yihao would become in the future, he was just a gentle and beautiful youth. He was just distant and not a blood-thirsty killer.
She bit her lips and then smiled again. Her eyes were as clear as a stream as they turned. She ignored what he said and asked, "Sir Bai, are you done speaking with my father?"
"It’s no big matter. I just wanted to ask Lord Mo if he was willing to allow you to learn the Qin from me." Bai Yihao could not help but smile. He did not grow angry because of her ignoring what he said. However, what he said made Mo Xuetong grow stiff.
"Learn the Qin?" She looked at him with wide eyes, unable to react for the moment. She could only say this sentence in a stunned manner.
"That’s right. Learn the Qin. Lord Mo promised me earlier. He said that you have always admired me and was planning to learn the Qin for me. He had planned to get you to learn the Qin from me even if I had not asked. I was just in a hurry." If one did not look at Bai Yihao’s face, his words would have seemed polite. However, he was flicking his sleeves as he approached. Mo Xuetong felt the anger in her rise.
Learn the Qin? When had she wanted to learn the Qin? And it was because she admired him? What exactly was this? She glared at him with her beautiful eyes. Whatever he had just said had nothing to do with her. She blinked and then asked bitterly, "I wonder when I have admired Sir Bai so much that I would need to learn the Qin from you?"
Bai Yihao sighed and stretched out his hand elegantly. Mo Xuetong did not know what he wanted to do and stared as his slender fingers landed on her peacock blue cape. She watched dazedly as he helped her to wipe away the snow on her cape. His hand looked flawless against the snow. How could a man have a pair of hands that were even more slender than a woman’s!
Mo Xuetong’s face flushed as she watched his hand moved across her cape. She took a few steps back in a hurried manner and glared at him angrily. Her long lashes fluttered as she said angrily, "Bai Yihao, you…"
How could a nobleman like him do something so impolite!
"So you’ve admired me so much that you would say my name. Then I shan’t be polite either. Tong’er, your father is looking for you." Bai Yihao looked at her gently. His eyes were filled with gentle pools of water. "Go quickly. Lord Mo is going to tell you about this!"
Then, he turned around and walked away without waiting for Mo Xuetong’s reply.
Snow fell from the sky. The tall figure in white robes that were like snow walked further and further away from Mo Xuetong!