âMy father, actuallyâŚâ Tang Xinyun began to speak, âis out for a trip to the Swallow ProvinceâŚâ
âThe Swallow Province?â Bai Yunfei quirked an eyebrow. He had heard this province not too long ago, so the name was still fresh on his mind. âWhat is he doing there?â
âHeâŚheâs gone toâŚâ Her voice was beginning to grow dimmer now, and Tang Xinyun bent her head down to avoid Bai Yunfeiâs gaze.
âHeâs gone toâŚcancel my betrothment.â
âBetrothment? What betrothment?âÂ
Tang Xinyun was starting to look anxious now. Fearful that Bai Yunfei would jump to an unwanted conclusion, she started to speak a little faster, âIâŚwhen I was born, my father had me betrothed to the son of a friend in the Swallow ProvinceâŚour familiesâŚhave been friends for a very long time, especially my father and their head of house. Since their son was only a little older than I was, the two decided to connect the families together through marriageâŚit was never officialized and not talked about for years after. But then their family started to send wedding gifts all of a sudden and asked us to officialize the betrothmentâŚMy father knows about us, so heâs going to the Swallow Province to annul the betrothmentâŚâ
She was looking more and more timid by the second, even as she tried her best to explain the situation to Bai Yunfei. She still wasnât brave enough to look up and see what kind of expression Bai Yunfei had.
âIâm sorry for not telling you about this earlier, YunfeiâŚI only heard about this betrothment once when I was very young, but it was never brought up again. I never thought about it, and I would never agree to it. IâmâŚIâm afraidâŚthat youâd misunderstandâŚso I never mentioned it. Please donât be any worse of thingsâŚplease? IâmâŚâ
The fact that Bai Yunfei hadnât said a single word yet was making her extremely nervous. She was afraid that he was angry. So anxious was she over the situation that she started to tear up in the eyes like a child caught misbehaving.
âEh?â Bai Yunfei took action straight away. Giving her a reassuring smile, he lifted a finger to brush at the gathering tears under her eyes. âWhatâs all this? Donât start crying now, Xinyun. Aunty Xue would think Iâm mistreating you! Donât let auntie Zhao see you either, sheâd definitely tear me apart if she sees you like thisâŚâ
This wasnât a reaction Tang Xinyun was ready for. A little mystified, she looked up, âArenâtâŚarenât you angry, Yunfei?â She asked gingerly.
âAngry?â Came the response. âWhy would I be?â
âIâŚbecause I never mentioned this beforeâŚ?â
âWhat kind of betrothment is it if you never had any say in it? It doesnât count. You said so yourself you wouldnât agree to it, so itâs nothing significant in my eyes.â Bai Yunfei replied, âWho cares about that betrothment? I only know that youâre mine now. Does anyone really think a strange betrothment like that is going to take you away from me? No way!â
Tang Xinyun couldnât help but giggle at the way Bai Yunfei was talking now. All of her worries were vanishing seemingly into thin air like smoke. The only thing left behind on her face was a hint of blush when she realized what else Bai Yunfei had said. âWhatâŚwhat do you mean, âyoursâ?â
âArenât you? Well, youâll soon be, hahaâŚâ Chuckled Bai Yunfei. âDidnât you say so yourself? If your father is going to cancel the betrothment, then thereâs nothing to worry about. And why else would he cancel it if not out of consideration for the two of us? Iâll be asking your father for your hand in marriage when he comes back. Youâll be âmineâ then!â
âIâyouââ She was sputtering now to stare at Bai Yunfei with wide-open eyes.
âWhat? Do you not want to?â Bai Yunfei asked, his face betraying a flash of hurt.
Like an apple, the red hue on Tang Xinyunâs face was far more intense than before.Â
âIâŚI didnât say thatâŚâ
âHaha!!â
Roaring with laughter, Bai Yunfei swept Tang Xinyun up into his arms for a tight embrace.
âAh!â
Tang Xinyun had only a brief moment to give a small yelp of surprise but her lips were met with Bai Yunfeiâs ownâŚÂ
  âŚâŚ
Perhaps it was because no one wanted to disturb Bai Yunfei and Tang Xinyun, but no one came to disturb them for a long while. Even Xiao Bai and Xiao Qi were off playing elsewhere, leaving the two alone to enjoy a nice conversation with one another.
Until a series of footsteps came running up to the doors of the courtyard.
âYoung miss! Young miss!! Lady Xue is awake!!â
The loud Zhao Mancha came running into the courtyard shortly after her voice made it there. Throwing open the doors, she was immediately greeted with the sight of Tang Xinyun being held very close to Bai Yunfeiâs chest.
âAh!!â
Realizing the situation she was in, Tang Xinyun leapt away from Bai Yunfei like a frightened rabbit with a scarlet face.
Bai Yunfei stood up in turn to give Zhao Mancha an embarrassed smile. âAuntie Zhao.â
âAuntie Zhao, you said mother is awake?!â Tang Xinyun cried out.
âAhâyes.â Zhao Mancha replied a half-beat slower than usual; she was clearly a little surprised by the sight earlier. âPlease, come quickly, young miss.â
âAunty Xue is awake? Thatâs great! Letâs go, Yun!â
Brightening up in the face, Bai Yunfei took Tang Xinyunâs hand into his and began to stride for the courtyard her mother was in.
âAiâŚâ Zhao Mancha watched as the two youths paced away from her with a silent look. After a while, she sighed and shook her head with a smile before following after them.
Plenty of people had already gathered at the courtyard Tang Xinyunâs mother was in by the time they arrived there. Tang Jing and Tang Wei, for example, were there with a few other elders. Pan Zhaoqi, the hired elder there to concoct medicine for her was there as well with a hand clamped on the womanâs wrist to see how her body was doing.
The arrival of Bai Yunfei and Tang Xinyun were met with the eyes of Tang Jing and Tang Wei at once. The two flashed the former a small look, their eyes showing just a bit of shock when they felt his aura.
âEldest brother, third brother.â
Tang Xinyun greeted her two brothers politely before running urgently for her motherâs bedside.
Bai Yunfei nodded at the two as well before following after Tang Xinyun. He stopped a step behind her just in time to see Pan Zhaoqi bring his hand back.Â
âSenior Pan,â Bai Yunfei whispered, âHow is aunty Xue?â
Pan Zhaoqi gave Bai Yunfei a small wince at the appellation. âBaiâŚmy friend, thereâs no need to call me âseniorâ. PleaseâŚcall me âelderâ Pan.â
It was only yesterday Pan Zhaoqi remembered Bai Yunfei being a Soul Exalt, or someone of the ânext generationâ. But the Bai Yunfei of today was a Mid-stage Soul King, which meant Bai Yunfei was even stronger than he was. How was wrong would it be to have Bai Yunfei call him âseniorâ then?
âElder Pan,â Bai Yunfei continued, âPlease relay to me aunty Xueâs condition, how is she?â
âPlease rest assured, Bai, my friend. Miss Tang is far healthier than she was yesterday. The medicinal immortal grass you gave her worked wonders far beyond what I anticipated. The poison might not be fully gone, but it wonât be long before sheâll make a full recovery.â
There was a hint of disbelief in his voice. He was still in shock at the wonders of the medicinal immortal grass in truth. Never had he seen something so utterly effective on a poison such as this before.
Of course, it wasnât just the medicinal immortal grass that helped Tang Xinyunâs mother. The Purification Earring did a great deal of work as well so that the poison within Tang Xinyunâs mother wouldnât grow any stronger. With the two, the poison would be purified bit by bit.
Tang Xinyun was already seated by the bedside while Bai Yunfei spoke with Pan Zhaoqi. Holding her motherâs hand with her own, Tang Xinyun started to speak softly, âMother, can you hear me? Youâll be cured soon! YouâŚyou wonât have to be in pain anymoreâŚâ
Her mother smiled in response to her daughterâs words. Stroking the hands holding hers with her free hand, she whispered, âSilly girl, what are you crying overâŚâ
Her voice was faint, and her actions were similarly without energy. The motherâs face was a pale white due to the fatigue and pain she had previously been in, so it was little wonder why hardly anyone could hear her beyond those to her immediate side.
Tang Xinyun sniffed once and smiled. âIâŚIâm just happyâŚâ
  ââŚâŚâ
Bai Yunfei stood off to the side with a small smile. He felt like a large weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Everything would be fine now that Tang Xinyunâs mother was back on track for a full recovery.
But there was also something that was nagging him. He recalled Tang Xinyun mentioning before that this time, the poison in her motherâs body had spiked all of a sudden. Her mother shouldâve been wearing the anti-poison earring he gave her last time still. And since her mother was apparently living far better than before with it, it was very very strange to see that a resurgence would happen.
Was it because a certain amount of time had elapsed for the poison to finally act out? Or was it because of something more sinister�