“Where did you get these two pots of succulent plants?” Baili Zongyang asked. He was free today, so he didn’t go to work.
“A flower shop at the Flowers and Plants Trading Center,” said Baili Zongxue.
“Was it opened by Gu Ning?” Baili Zongyang asked. Gu Ning was the first name that appeared in his mind, because the medicines produced by her pharmaceutical company also contained the same magical power.
“Yeah!” Baili Zongxue said.
“So you still found nothing till now?” Baili Zongyang asked.
Hearing that, Baili Zongxue panicked a little from a guilty conscience, but she wasn’t sure why Baili Zongyang suddenly asked that.
Was he simply asking her whether she had found anything unusual, or did he know that she had found out something unusual but kept it a secret from him and now gave her a chance to be honest?
Even if Baili Zongxue wasn’t sure of it, she decided not to tell him since she promised Gu Ning that she would keep it a secret. “No, not at all.”
Baili Zongyang, however, saw through Baili Zongxue, and squinted at her.
He actually just asked Baili Zongxue whether she had found out anything unusual, but he knew that she must have found something special after witnessing her guilty and uneasy reaction. However, she chose not to tell him.
Baili Zongyang became serious at once. “Zongxue, your reaction already betrayed you. Do you think I’ll believe you?”
Hearing that, Baili Zongxue got nervous and was mad at her poor acting. Her older brother was sharp-eyed, and it was impossible for her to deceive him once the secret was exposed.
However, even if she knew it was useless, Baili Zongxue still refused to be honest. “Forget it if you don’t believe it.”
Once she finished, she hurriedly turned around and went upstairs to her room. She ran away, which proved she was guilty.
Since Baili Zongyang already noticed her strange reaction, Baili Zongxue didn’t bother to argue with him. Anyway, she would continue to play dumb.
Baili Zongyang didn’t stop her, nor did he force her to tell him the truth. He understood that Baili Zongxue was unwilling to tell him for a reason, and precisely because of that, he realized that Gu Ning was much more complicated than he thought.
After Baili Zongxue was back in her room, she felt relieved, but it was only temporary. What if her older brother forced her to tell him everything? How should she handle it?
After that, Baili Zongxue sent Gu Ning a message on WeChat and told her what had happened.
Gu Ning didn’t expect it to be a secret for too long, so she actually didn’t care if Baili Zongyang found out.
Moreover, she had already told other people that she had a relationship with Shangguan Yang, they simply didn’t know she was Shangguan Yang’s disciple, Qing He.
Gu Ning trusted Baili Zongyang, so it didn’t matter if he learned that she was Qing He.
After he knew her identity, he wouldn’t pay special attention to her any longer. Therefore, Gu Ning replied to Baili Zongxue and told her to be honest with her older brother if she failed to keep it a secret, but she couldn’t tell other people, since it would do more harm than good.
In fact, it wasn’t easy for Baili Zongxue to keep the secret during these days, especially when she faced Baili Zongyang. She always felt guilty and uneasy. She knew the truth about Gu Ning, but couldn’t tell Baili Zongyang because she had promised Gu Ning not to do that.
Therefore, Baili Zongxue felt relieved when she read Gu Ning’s reply and she agreed with Gu Ning.
After having the call with Gu Ning, Baili Zongxue rushed out of her room and went to talk to Baili Zongyang about Gu Ning.
Baili Zongyang was still in the living room. He was enjoying tea and playing on the phone.
Seeing Baili Zongxue walk out, Baili Zongyang only gave her a glance, then continued to play on his phone, as if nothing had happened earlier. Baili Zongyang didn’t bring it up simply because he didn’t want to embarrass Baili Zongxue.
“Zongyang, there is something I need to tell you,” said Baili Zongxue.
“What is it? You have my ears,” said Baili Zongyang. Because Baili Zongxue seemed very determined not to tell him the secret about Gu Ning earlier, Baili Zongyang didn’t connect her words with Gu Ning right now.
“It’s about Gu Ning, but you must promise me not to tell anyone else,” said Baili Zongxue. She trusted her older brother, so she wasn’t worried that he might tell other people as long as he agreed to keep it between them.
Upon hearing that, Baili Zongyang became serious. “Sure, I promise.”
“In fact, Gu Ning is Shangguan Yang’s female disciple, Qing He,” said Baili Zongxue.
“What?”
Hearing that, Baili Zongyang stood up in surprise, because it was too shocking and he couldn’t stay calm.
Gu Ning was Shangguan Yang’s female disciple, Qing He?
They had different appearances, but he could understand it, because it was easy to change one’s appearance with make-up. However, there was no air of a cultivator on Gu Ning!
“Do you mean Gu Ning is Shangguan Yang’s female disciple, Qing He? But there is no air of a cultivator on her!” Baili Zongyang asked.
After that, Baili Zongxue told him what had happened that day.
“Gu Ning said she has a different physical condition. She can hide the air of a cultivator. We ran into an evil cultivator that day, and she was forced to show her level as a cultivator to save me. She told me her real identity afterwards, but she didn’t want me to tell other people, so I kept it a secret from you,” said Baili Zongxue.
Hearing that, Baili Zongyang was stunned for a long while. He couldn’t believe his ears.
He knew that Gu Ning wasn’t an ordinary girl, but he had never thought that she could be a cultivator too. She was even the female disciple of Shangguan Yang, Qing He.
No wonder she saved Baili Zongxue twice. They had a close relationship. If it was another person, Gu Ning might not have been so helpful.
“Zongyang, you’ve promised me not to tell other people, and you must keep your word. Don’t tell anyone, including our grandfather.” Baili Zongxue trusted Baili Zongyang, but she thought it was necessary for her to remind him to be careful. If Baili Zongyang told other people, she would feel guilty when she met Gu Ning again.
“Sure, I promise I won’t tell anyone,” said Baili Zongyang. He honestly wouldn’t tell other people about it since Gu Ning’s identity was exposed for saving Baili Zongxue.
Hearing Baili Zongyang’s answer, Baili Zongxue was relieved.
…
On Monday again, at noon, Gu Ning met Qu Hanjiao in the canteen. Because of the disappearance of the female water ghost, the yin on Qu Hanjiao’s body had faded a little, but it would take some time for her to completely get rid of it.
Qu Hanjiao still had a gloomy expression, and liked to be in a corner without anyone around her.
When Gu Ning and the others were halfway through their meal, Qu Hanjiao suddenly walked towards Gu Ning, but Gu Ning didn’t look at her and continued to eat.
