Chapter 179: Encounter
“This palace is no longer the little girl who would only pull on your sleeve and wipe her tears. Now, in the court, who dares to disobey me in the slightest… As long as I wish, the homeland you guard will instantly become a living hell, with corpses strewn everywhere…”
“I…”
Su Yu took two steps back. The girl was no longer wearing the flamboyant red makeup, but was just reciting the lines from the script. With a glance and a turn of her head, a sense of arrogance was etched into her bones. She looked down at him… just as she had said, she was no longer the little girl who would cry and clamor for him to accompany her to catch butterflies and play with dates. She was the long princess who held great power in the court. With a single command… corpses would be strewn everywhere.
People always change. The same story had a microcosm in reality. He was stunned for a moment and forgot to say his lines.
“Cut! Cut, cut, cut!”
Tang Xin quickly shouted “cut.” This scene was the climax, and he had actually spaced out at a critical moment. Now they had to start all over again.
“What’s wrong with you, Su Yu? You only have two lines in this section. Why are you just standing there and not saying them?”
“I… I forgot.”
Su Yu smiled apologetically and readily admitted his mistake. “I’m sorry.”
“Forget it, Xinxin. I know you’re anxious, but you can’t rush this. Su Yu probably didn’t rest well yesterday.”
Xia Qiange spoke up to help Su Yu out. She walked over with her script, a gentle smile spreading in her eyes. She was like a different person in and out of the play. There was no trace of the long princess’s arrogant and domineering attitude from the script.
In the rehearsals a few days ago, the red dress had stunned everyone on the stage. Someone had taken a picture and posted it on the school forum, and the post had been trending for a long time. Everyone had high expectations for the performance on the day of the art festival, and all the roles in the script had been finalized.
This was a good thing, but Tang Xin was under a lot of pressure. She was afraid that something would go wrong on the day of the performance, and then she would be the culprit.
“Sigh… it’s almost time. I just want to rehearse a little better. Everyone is watching us now.”
Tang Xin shook her head and brought over some milk tea for everyone to share. She even deliberately handed two cups to Su Yu and winked at him meaningfully.
Su Yu was stunned for a moment, then he understood. He gave a cup to Xia Qiange.
“Thanks.”
Xia Qiange wiped the sweat from her forehead and took the milk tea with her free hand. The corners of her eyes, which were lined with eyeshadow, were upturned, with a gentle smile. Her tone was unusually lively, as if she were really very enthusiastic about this play.
“Cough… you’re welcome.” Su Yu’s voice was a little hoarse, his tone a little cold and distant.
“Su Yu, what’s wrong with you…”
Xia Qiange was a little shorter than Su Yu. She tilted her head slightly and took two steps forward, closing the distance between them. She hadn’t removed her makeup yet, and her mature makeup and upturned lips made her look alluring and flamboyant. “Why do you look a little scared of me?”
She seemed to have been amused by the boy’s dazed appearance and suddenly burst out laughing, covering her vermilion lips, the end of her voice trembling. “Are you too into the role? Do you really think I’m some kind of princess?”
“Haha, not at all. You’re just too good at acting.”
The girl seemed to be deliberately joking to lighten his mood. Su Yu could only laugh along.
“Is that so?”
Xia Qiange squinted her eyes, a dark light hidden in them. The tip of her tongue licked the inside of her mouth without a fuss. “Then maybe I’m too into the role.”
She swallowed the saliva that had been secreted between her lips and teeth, trying to extinguish the surging lava in her heart, as if it would burn her body to ashes.
Long princess… haha, she couldn’t help but laugh. She was really a little too into the role. She didn’t need any power in the court. Controlling him alone was enough.
Her breath was hot, burning.
The plan had just begun, and she was already getting tired of the long and tedious planning.
Waiting for the prey on the spider’s web to be entangled in the silk and struggle until it was exhausted was a tormenting thing. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation to tear the prey apart and devour it, to merge her flesh and blood with it.
“Brother!”
A childish and delicate voice broke the noise. The girl’s voice sounded as sweet and tender as if it had not yet broken. She was wearing a light pink puffy dress, and her milky white knee-high socks accentuated the delicate and graceful curves of her calves. She was wearing rose-red, thick-soled leather shoes and was standing below the stage, her bright eyes staring at Su Yu, only him in her eyes.
Tang Xin was startled by the sweet address. The milk tea in her mouth had not yet been swallowed, and she choked and coughed several times. By the time she had recovered, the girl who had suddenly burst in had already run to the stairs leading up to the stage.
Su Yu obviously knew her. He called out “Xiao Xi” and chased the girl down.
“Why are you at school? Didn’t I tell you to stay at home?”
“What? I came to see you. I’m so bored at home alone.”
Su Xi pouted, her cherry blossom-colored lip gloss translucent and moist. She looked at him with her wet eyes, her small fists hitting Su Yu’s shoulder twice, like the playful flirting between lovers, with a hint of intimacy.
“I came out to buy books. I just happened to pass by and wanted to see you. Do you know how long I looked… to find this place?”
There were a lot more gazes around them. Su Xi seemed to have suddenly noticed the miscellaneous gazes. The excitement from just now was instantly extinguished by fear. She shrunk into a small ball and hid behind Su Yu.
A cold gaze fell on her face. Su Xi raised her head and saw the girl on the stage. Their gazes met. The other party smiled friendly. She was stunned for a moment, and the corners of her eyes immediately curved into a crescent moon, her smile innocent and cute.
“Forget it… let’s go back first.”
Su Yu was worried that Su Xi would throw a tantrum here. He apologized to Tang Xin. “I’m sorry. She’s my aunt’s daughter. Lu Siyuan should have told you.”
“Oh… I remember now. If you’re busy, you can go first. It’s okay.”
Tang Xin shook her head and even handed Su Xi a cup of milk tea that hadn’t been finished. “Here, drink this. You must be tired from running all the way.”
“Thank you, sister.”
Su Xi did not hesitate and took the milk tea naturally, smiling sweetly at Tang Xin.
“Are you leaving?”
Xia Qiange walked down from the stage and looked at Su Yu. Her gaze then shifted to the girl who was clinging to Su Yu like a pendant. “Your sister?”
“Yeah… Su Xi. My aunt asked me to take care of her.”
“I see. My name is Xia Qiange.”
“You’re so pretty, sister. Your skin is so good.”
Su Xi’s mouth was always very sweet. She never hesitated to say nice things to others, whether she hated that person or not. If it wasn’t for the pile of medicine bottles at home, no one would believe that this cute and lively little girl had such a serious mental illness.
“Let’s go.”
Su Yu pulled Su Xi and left. The girl reluctantly turned her back and waved goodbye to them.
…
“She looks quite lively. A high school student, right? Qian Ge… you’ll be her sister-in-law in the future. Why didn’t you say a few more words…”
Tang Xin muttered a few words, not taking it to heart. But when she turned her head, she had wanted to tease Xia Qiange a little, but for some reason, she felt that the smile on the other party’s lips was a little gloomy.
“Are you… okay?”
“I’m fine. She’s a very pretty little girl.”
She smiled, her voice light, without a single fluctuation.
