Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Confession
Sure enough, after turning the corner, Liu Lanhua saw two figures in the hazy moonlight. Judging by their silhouettes, it was a man and a woman. She hunched over and crept closer, only to hear the voices of Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen.
âThat shameless pair!â
âOut here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping...â
Liu Lanhua was about to charge out and curse Zhao Nuanyue, calling her improper, a vixen. But then she had a sudden thought: there were two of them and only one of her. What if they shoved her head in the river? She was no match for them; it would be a one-way ticket to her death!
At this thought, Liu Lanhua shuddered. Thankfully, sheâd come to her senses and resisted the impulse.
âSince I canât curse them to their faces, Iâll just have to follow them and see what that shameless pair is really up to.â
Wait, they werenât heading toward the Dragon King Temple. Instead, they had turned onto a path leading toward the back area.
âA man and a woman, alone in the middle of the night... Why would they be heading to the back mountain instead of going home?â
The thought made Liu Lanhuaâs pulse race. She was exceptionally thrilled, as if she had already uncovered some dirty secret between Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen.
Liu Lanhua crept along on her tiptoes, believing she was being so light-footed and cautious that there was no way Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen could discover her.
She had no idea that Zhao Nuanyue had known from the very start. And as she drew closer, Hua Yusen had sensed her presence as well.
Hua Yusen was about to turn his head, but Zhao Nuanyue stopped him. "Donât look back," she whispered. "Itâs Liu Lanhua!"
"Why?" Hua Yusen asked. "Sheâs skulking around. Sheâs up to no good!"
"Forget about making food tonight," Zhao Nuanyue said softly. "Letâs lead Liu Lanhua on a wild goose chase. Itâs time she got a taste of what we can do. We canât always be the ones theyâre trying to frame; we should set a trap for them, too."
And so, they began to put on an act to deceive Liu Lanhua.
Hua Yusen carried Zhao Nuanyue on his back as he led the way.
Zhao Nuanyue, her voice deliberately fluctuating between loud and soft, whispered, "Letâs find a cave in the opposite direction of the one we usually go to. Weâll pretend itâs our new rendezvous spot, just so Liu Lanhua âdiscoversâ it. That way, if we want to set a trap for her later, sheâll be more likely to take the bait!"
"Good, thatâs an excellent idea," Hua Yusen nodded in agreement. "Iâll follow your lead. Letâs go."
Hua Yusen searched in the opposite direction, and after many twists and turns, they finally found a relatively remote and clean cave.
When Liu Lanhua saw them go inside, her heart pounded with an excitement that was impossible to describe.
Liu Lanhua crept closer and closer to the mouth of the cave, then pressed herself against the rock wall to peer inside.
âHua Yusen really is a strong man,â she thought. âHe carried Zhao Nuanyue all this way and doesnât even look tired!â
Liu Lanhua grumbled to herself, filled with indignation.
âIsnât Zhao Nuanyue supposed to be so cautious? So clever? But here she is, caught red-handed by yours truly!â
Liu Lanhua gloated, completely unaware that she had walked right into a trap set by Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusenâa deep pit they had dug just for her.
Having seen what she came for, Liu Lanhua knew she had to leave. If Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen inside discovered her, she wouldnât just be in troubleâshe would lose this crucial piece of information.
She departed reluctantly, her mind already racing, plotting countless ways to catch Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen in the act.
She grew more and more excited as she schemed, so much so that she nearly stumbled and fell into the river.
"Is she gone? Has Liu Lanhua left?" Hua Yusen asked in a low voice. Being stared at by that woman had tainted what should have been a perfect moment.
Hua Yusen didnât want to waste such a perfect moment and wished the woman would just hurry up and get far, far away.
"Sheâs gone," Zhao Nuanyue said, looking toward the cave entrance. "She should be far away by now." She sent a sliver of her consciousness out to scout and confirmed that Liu Lanhua had indeed gone far.
"I love you, Nuanyue. I really, truly love you," Hua Yusen said softly, his voice full of sincerity.