Xiao Bing quietly enjoyed the night sky while hugging Yezi. Meanwhile, over in the Peony Pavilion, the Peony Fairy and Zhu Mingyu were sitting and facing each other. He couldn’t see her but he could feel her looking at him through the veil. Her dazzling eyes seemed to be penetrating his heart directly. Even if he was blind, he could still feel it strongly.
Finally, the Peony Fairy’s voice was somewhat complicated. “Do you have the confidence to kill him?”
“No,” Zhu Mingyu said in a light tone. “He’s very strong. I can’t see through him. But if I fight him with my life, I have a 50% chance to kill him. The other 50% is my death.”
The Peony Fairy repressed her anger and said coldly, “Then have you ever thought about what would happen if you’re the one who dies? Who gave you permission to make your own decisions?”
Zhu Mingyu said calmly, “Fairy, doesn’t my existence mean that I’ll do things like this for you? I’m the only one in the Northern Manor who can kill Xiao Bing in a fair fight. So I’m the only one who can go.”
Zhu Mingyu said with a little self-mockery, “As the Northern Heaven Queen’s subordinate, isn’t it natural to die for the Peony Fairy?”
“But your life is mine!” The Peony Fairy erupted like a volcano. She slammed her hand on the table and growling angrily, “Who allowed you to gamble with your own life? No one but me can decide whether you live or die, not even you! Zhu Mingyu, remember this. You can’t die if I disallow it! Your life, no matter how cheap it is, isn’t something you can decide on so casually. Do you understand?!”
Sadness crossed Zhu Mingyu’s face but a smile soon appeared. Finally, he heaved a deep sigh and said, “But I have already agreed. What else can I do?”
“Don’t worry.” The Peony Fairy was almost gnashing her teeth. “No matter how strong Xiao Bing is, he will die this time. I have already made arrangements… You can leave now.”
Zhu Mingyu answered in acknowledgment before turning around and silently walking to the door. As he walked out of the door, he heard the Peony Fairy shouting, “Don’t think I will be grateful to you! I will never be!”
Zhu Mingyu closed the door with a sigh. He muttered to himself silently, “Do I need to be grateful for liking a woman…”
Xiao Bing and Yezi sat by the river until it was the middle of the night. She had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Looking at the Yezi’s pink, tender face and long eyelashes under the moonlight, he felt a twinge of excitement. It seemed that no matter how long they had been in contact, his heart would throb every time he faced her. It felt like he was a young teenager whose love was just budding.
Xiao Bing quietly lowered his head, placed his lips on the hair covering her forehead, and kissed her gently. When he took a deep breath, he got a whiff of a faint fragrance.
He was unwilling to ever let such a feeling stop. He was almost drunk off her intoxicating fragrance.
The night wind was slightly cool and refreshing. Leaves fell one by one, adding some charming romance to Xiao Bing and Yezi. Yet, amid all this romance, there were dangers hidden in it.
Xiao Bing was immersed in the fragrance. For a moment, he nearly lost his mind lost for this woman. When he calmed down, he felt the unease that came before danger. The feeling was so strong that his heart almost jumped out of his chest. He quickly opened his eyes. Thanks to the moonlight, he clearly saw that countless fine needles shotting toward this way through the falling leaves. None of these fine needles was aimed at himself but Yezi who was in his arms.
Today, he was enjoying such bliss with Yezi that a constantly alert person like him became distracted. It was too late for him to dodge the needles and the only thing he could do roll aside with Yezi in his arms. They managed to avoid most of the fine needles but a row of those needles neatly pierced his right arm. He broke out in cold sweat because of pain but did not make any noise. Yezi, who was pinned under him, woke up and asked, “What happened?”
Xiao Bing’s expression was somewhat unnatural. “There’s some… trouble.”
“Are these people here for me or Yezi?” Xiao Bing himself was a little confused. But after remembering that he had just offended the North Heaven Queen, he thought that perhaps she wanted to solve this privately.
Instantly, many thoughts crossed his mind. He slowly stood up and leaned against the tree with Yezi’s help.
Xiao Bing said in a quiet voice, “Lean against this big tree… no, you’d better stay with me.”
Yezi noticed that he didn’t look very well. When her gaze fell on Xiao Bing’s right arm, she said in a trembling voice, “Brother Bing, you don’t have to protect me… Are you hurt?”
Xiao Bing shook his head and gave her a comforting look. Then, he began to look around with a sharp gaze. He was more worried about protecting Yezi than about his injury. There was a fighting chance for him before his injury but now, especially with his enemy hiding in the dark, he didn’t have much of a winning chance.
Xiao Bing endured the pain, pretending that he wasn’t hurting. He shouted, “Who secretly hurt me and didn’t dare to come out to see me?”
No one answered in the darkness. But Xiao Bing saw something in the woods and heard a fading sound fading. Not wanting to chase after them, he let them run away. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief and put his left arm around Yezi’s waist. He said softly, “Yezi, we can’t stay here any longer. I will take you back.”
Even in such a critical moment of injury, Xiao Bing still didn’t forget to be gentle when talking to Yezi.
He held her through the woods toward the Ye family car. Only when they were inside the car, did he finally relaxed. He had been really worried earlier that the enemy would turn back. Based on his observation, the person who escaped ought to be a woman weaker than him. But now, he had been seriously injured and he also had Yezi to protect. If the enemy really wanted to continue the assassination, Yezi could be hurt or even killed even if Xiao Bing had the chance to escape or kill the enemy.
If Yezi was gone, how could he still live? For some reason, this was the first thought that came to his mind.
Inside the car, Yezi anxiously ordered the driver, “Go… to the hospital.”
“Yes, Miss. Is Mr. Xiao injured?”
Xiao Bing waved his hand. “Take Yezi home first.”
“No way!” Yezi widened her eyes. Who would have thought that the sweet and mischevious Yezi would be so imposing when she determined to do something? Xiao Bing was stunned to see her unquestionable eyes that a hint of domineering spirit. She was indeed the darling daughter of a big entrepreneur.
The driver understood the young lady’s anxiety and swiftly drove them to the gate of the hospital. After Xiao Bing and Yezi exited the car, the driver took out his phone and called Ye Bancheng.
Inside the hospital. Thanks to Zhang Yizhi, the hospital staff were familiar with Xiao Bing and a special attending physician was soon arranged for him. The doctor examined him and took him inside an operating room, with Yezi waiting anxiously outside. Several bodyguards from her family were waiting with her outside the operating room.
The doctor anesthetized Xiao Bing. After pushing him onto the operating table, Xiao Bing felt numbness all over his whole arm. The doctor was still in the mood to joke with him. “Even if you’re sewing clothes, you shouldn’t do it to this extent. What kind of person would stab himself with needles? Besides, things like sewing and cooking should be left to the women.”
“Oh, you weren’t sewing? Did your wife prick you with needles in a fight? That’s too harsh of her… Why didn’t she at least take them out after pricking you?”
Xiao Bing smiled wryly. “Doctor, you’re really funny.”
“How do I remove the needles if I don’t joke around? However, you’re quite strong even though you have been drugged. Many still feel pain after getting drugged. I wish I could give them all general anesthesia. Alright, you can leave after I wrap you up.”
The doctor applied ointment on Xiao Bing’s arm before wrapping it with a piece of white cloth. Finally, Xiao Bing put on his clothes and covered the white cloth with his sleeve.
Xiao Bing walked out of the operating room and saw Yezi rush toward him anxiously. He kissed her on the face with a smile. “Silly girl. I just have a little injury on my arm, not a life-threatening operation. What are you afraid of?”
“Don’t be careless, young man.” The doctor also came out of the operating room. While taking off his mask, he added, “A total of seven needles as thin as a hair pierced your muscles and directly pierced your bones. I really don’t understand how you endured this. Someone else would have fainted in pain. However, although these needles have been taken out, don’t use your right hand in the near future. You can’t do any heavy lifting with that arm because any carelessness will endanger your entire arm. Keep this in mind.”
Xiao Bing hurriedly said, “I understand. Thank you, doctor.”
“Well, you’re welcome. This is my duty. You should remember that not all doctors are like our former dean… Doctors treat their patients like parents treat their children. Most doctors are good people.”
Xiao Bing laughed. “I understand this.”
“Well, go home. Remember to keep your arms free from the wind and stress these days. Otherwise, you will easily break your arm. Come for a check-up every two weeks and I will change the ointment for you.”
“I understand. We will be taking our leave then. Thank you, doctor.”
Xiao Bing and Yezi walked with the bodyguards following them carefully. A distressed Yezi distressed touched Xiao Bing’s arm and said in a worried tone, “Brother Bing, have you ever thought about why are they doing this…? In three days, you will be facing the blind man in a life-and-death battle…”
