CHAPTER 249: 249- CHENG BO [2]

Fang Yuan stepped out of the room, his expression calm, almost casual.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he turned to one of the servants lingering nearby.

"Clean up the room," he said lightly, as though nothing had happened. "It’s a mess."

The servant stiffened, eyes flicking past Fang Yuan toward the chamber, then quickly bowed.

"Yes, Clan Head." With hurried steps, they moved to carry out his order.

The servants slid the door open and stepped inside and then, their eyes immediately fell upon Cheng Bo, slumped in the corner, his face pale, his robes damp.

Tears streaked down his cheeks, his breath uneven, the stench of fear thick in the air.

The servants continued about with signs of surprise as their expressions remained steady.

One began straightening the tea set on the table, another quietly wiped the floor as though cleaning after an ordinary spill.

A third servant, older and more seasoned, crouched slightly near Cheng Bo and spoke in a calm, almost gentle tone.

"Honored guest, would you like some help? Perhaps a bath to freshen up before you depart?"

Cheng Bo’s face twisted with humiliation. He scrambled to his feet, shaking his head violently. "N-no! I— I’ll go!"

Without another word, he bolted from the room, nearly stumbling as he fled down the corridor, the echo of his hurried steps lingering behind.

The servants, unbothered, continued their work in silence, restoring the chamber to order as though nothing had ever occurred.

Fang Yuan left the reception room behind, his steps unhurried as he made his way toward the southern side of the estate where the alchemy hall stood.

The faint scent of herbs drifted on the breeze, mingling with the fragrance of late-blooming flowers.

Along the path, he caught sight of Fang Mei. She stood still before the garden wall, her gaze fixed inward, so absorbed that she didn’t even register his approach.

That in itself was unusual, Fang Mei was rarely careless with her surroundings.

Curiosity stirred in Fang Yuan as he slowed his steps and followed her line of sight.

There, amidst a garden of crimson peonies and jade lilies, he saw Fang Tian.

The boy was speaking softly, laughter playing on his lips, while at his side sat none other than the Third Princess, Qin Yuyan.

The two of them looked utterly at ease, as if the outside world and its storms did not exist, merely youth enjoying a fleeting, tender moment within the garden’s serene embrace.

"Boo," Fang Yuan said softly.

It wasn’t much of a thought-out word, just the first thing that came to mind when he saw her staring at them sadly.

Fang Mei startled, her body stiffening before she turned with wide eyes.

The moment she recognized him, she bowed quickly. "Clan Head... forgive me."

Fang Yuan shook his head with a sigh. "Why are you apologizing"

And then he stopped before he asked quietly, "...Are those tears I see?"

Fang Mei blinked, as if only then realizing the wetness in her eyes.

She hurriedly raised her sleeve, wiping them away with trembling hands.

She didn’t answer him, her lips pressed tight as if words would break her and then she turned and ran, fleeing down the path.

Fang Yuan let out a slow breath, watching her go. He knew well enough why her heart ached.

His gaze shifted toward the garden and his jaw tightened. He had no warmth in his eyes as he looked at the pair.

"Brat," he muttered inwardly. "How could you toss Fang Mei aside so easily? To stand there smiling with a different woman..."

He turned away, cloak stirring faintly with his steps, and walked on toward the southern alchemy hall.

Love affairs had never been Fang Yuan’s strong suit. He soon arrived at the southern alchemy hall.

Inside, the air was thick with heat and the fragrance of herbs.

Disciples bustled about, tending to flames, formations, and pill cauldrons.

Fang Yuan offered a few nods of greeting as he passed, his presence alone was enough to make them bow respectfully, before heading straight to the main chamber.

There, his aunt Jingyi stood over a bronze cauldron, while sweat continuously dripped down her brow.

Her hair was bound in a simple knot, her robes replaced with a clean, loose garment suited for the toil of refinement.

Fang Yuan entered silently, choosing not to be an interruption. He folded his hands behind his back, his sharp eyes fixed upon her movements silently watching as she does her thing.

She was in deep focus, hands guiding the formation lines with practiced precision, the fire dancing in perfect response to her will.

With one hand she stirred the liquid essence within the cauldron, with the other she crushed herbs into powder, feeding them in with flawless timing.

Every motion felt neat and measured, meticulous and mesmerizing.

The fragrance rising from the cauldron was rich and potent, thick enough to stir the qi in his own meridians. Fang Yuan’s brows lifted slightly.

This aura... it’s close to a grade three pill at the very least.

He studied her, a rare flicker of surprise passing through his mind. Did Aunt Jingyi... make a breakthrough in alchemy?

Just then, a sharp, piercing scream from a girl tore through the alchemy hall, filled with such raw terror it even made Fang Yuan’s heart give a jolt.

The sound also shattered Aunt Jingyi’s focus as her hands faltered and the pill cauldron erupted with a deafening boom.

Smoke and sparks burst outward, her hair standing wildly on end, her face blackened with soot.

Fang Yuan’s gaze lingered on her for a while to confirm she was unharmed.

And then, once confirmed, without a word, he turned and shot out of the hall, his sword carrying him like a streak of light.

When he landed outside the Fang estate gates, the sight that greeted him made him halt his steps mid-air.

A head dangled from their arching gate, eyes glassy, lips twisted in a final grimace of fear.

It was Cheng Bo.