CHAPTER 373: CHAPTER 373: THE SHATTERED BRACELET

She politely yet distantly said to Jun Ning, "...Ah Ning, you’re here!"

It was only when Jun Ning got closer that she saw Lan Xihe’s swollen eyes. Her attention was completely drawn to Lan Xihe’s swollen eyes, so much so that she overlooked Lan Xihe’s sudden politeness and distance toward her.

"Sister Xi He, what happened, why are you crying?" Jun Ning asked with concern.

Lan Xihe glanced at Ye Ying, who was drinking tea and ignoring her.

She pressed her lips together, not saying anything, but tears fell uncontrollably.

"Why are you crying again?"

Jun Ning was a bit flustered, hurriedly taking a handkerchief from her belongings to help Lan Xihe wipe her tears, but the more she wiped, the more tears fell, as if there was no end.

Finally, Ye Ying impatiently coughed a couple of times and gave Lan Xihe a warning look, which stopped her from crying, and her tears ceased.

However, she was still choking on sobs.

Because she had cried so intensely just now, even though she wasn’t crying now, her emotions couldn’t be contained for a while, and she couldn’t control her sobbing.

Jun Ning comforted Lan Xihe, massaged her shoulders, and poured her tea.

After struggling for a quarter of an hour, Lan Xihe finally calmed down.

But no matter how Jun Ning asked, she refused to say why she was crying, simply unwilling.

Jun Ning decided not to ask anymore, choosing to respect Lan Xihe.

"Next, Sister Xi He, let’s get to the main topic." Jun Ning cleared her throat twice and said, "Sister Xi He, your family, your origin, there’s news now."

Lan Xihe, who was uninterested in everything, seemed dazed, but there was a gleam in her eyes upon hearing Jun Ning’s words.

"Really? There’s news about my family?" Lan Xihe was shocked, surprised, yet slightly delighted.

The family she had longed for years finally had a trace.

Could she... go home now?

"Yes, there’s news." Jun Ning said, "You were born in Bei Xia, of the Beast Taming Clan lineage. Soon, your family will send someone to take you home."

"The Beast Taming Clan lineage?" Lan Xihe was astonished.

She had heard of this mysterious family before but never expected she came from this mysterious lineage.

"Pack your things, say goodbye to the friends at Qianji Pavilion, and then enter the palace with me, okay?" Jun Ning said as she stood up herself, "Today, I won’t entertain or do accounts. Ye Ying, would you first send me back? And then bring Sister Xi He back."

"I’ll be waiting for her at Qi Mansion."

"...Alright!"

Ye Ying stood up to send Jun Ning back. Before leaving, he gave Lan Xihe a real look, "Go pack your things and say goodbye to your good sisters. Once I return, I’ll take you away."

If it weren’t for matters of going home, Ye Ying wouldn’t have suddenly spoken so much to Lan Xihe, or personally take her to Qi Mansion, essentially carrying her over.

Lan Xihe would have been overjoyed.

But now, looking at Ye Ying, tears welled up in Lan Xihe’s eyes. She sullenly nodded and said, "...Understood."

Ye Ying escorted Jun Ning away first, fearing that Lan Xihe would need a long time to say farewell to her good sisters. On the way, Ye Ying negotiated more time with Jun Ning, leaving Lan Xihe a day to bid farewell to those she cared about.

Jun Ning agreed.

Ye Ying was ready to take Lan Xihe tomorrow night, but when he returned after sending Jun Ning back, he saw Lan Xihe already waiting with her bundle.

"Master, I’ve already packed, let’s go!"

Ye Ying was silent for a moment, then asked, "Do you not need to say goodbye to your friends? Or, have you already done so?"

"The only one I care about is you," Lan Xihe said. "I just want to say goodbye to you, just a word, and it can be settled at the gates of Qi Mansion."

"Alright, then let’s go."

Ye Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Xihe’s waist and flew into the ink-like dark sky.

In Lan Xihe’s memory, this was the first time since becoming Ye Ying’s disciple that he took her flying, holding her like a lover.

She had yearned for her master’s embrace for so long, finally realizing that longing, but she wasn’t happy.

"Master... I don’t want to leave you..." Lan Xihe said, "Could you say you like me or that you want me to stay by your side? If only you’d say it, Xi He wouldn’t leave."

She wouldn’t search for the parents she got separated from, and she didn’t want glory, wealth, or the status of noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan.

She wanted none of it, only the man before her.

Yet, Ye Ying remained silent.

He had given his answer once, and he wouldn’t say it again.

"Master, you really don’t want Xi He anymore?" Lan Xihe cried again. No, more accurately, her tears hadn’t dried all day.

Falling, then wiped away, falling again, as if there were no end.

"Master, why aren’t you speaking, answer Xi He? Xi He is leaving you, and you still intend to ignore her?" Lan Xihe said with grievance.

Ye Ying looked ahead, expressionless, and said, "...Xi He, you will always be my disciple. Wherever you wish to go, Master respects you and won’t force you."

"But Master, don’t you know, I’d rather you forced me to stay." Lan Xihe said, "Because it would make me feel like you need me, like you can’t be without me, like you can’t bear to part with me..."

"..." Ye Ying did not respond.

Choking on sobs, Lan Xihe said, "Alright Master, I understand your answer, I shouldn’t have hoped for these things."

With that, Lan Xihe suddenly took off the White Jade Crystal Bracelet that Jun Ning had given her and fiercely threw it down.

The White Jade Crystal Bracelet shattered against some eaves below when Ye Ying, carrying Lan Xihe, leveraged from the rooftop, clearly hearing the bracelet break.

Ye Ying, in disbelief, said, "You smashed the bracelet Ah Ning gave you?"

"She even took away the one I love most, so why should I keep her bracelet?" Lan Xihe said with a vengeful face, "What bad luck!"

---

It shattered on the eaves below. As Ye Ying carried Lan Xihe, leveraging from the roof, he clearly heard the bracelet break.

Ye Ying, in disbelief, said, "You smashed the bracelet Ah Ning gave you?"

"She even took away the one I love most, so why should I keep her bracelet?" Lan Xihe said with a vengeful face, "It shattered on the eaves below. As Ye Ying carried Lan Xihe, leveraging from the roof, he clearly heard the bracelet break.

Ye Ying, in disbelief, said, "You smashed the bracelet Ah Ning gave you?"

"She even took away the one I love most, so why should I keep her bracelet?" Lan Xihe said with a vengeful face, "It shattered on the eaves below. As Ye Ying carried Lan Xihe, leveraging from the roof, he clearly heard the bracelet break.

Ye Ying, in disbelief, said, "You smashed the bracelet Ah Ning gave you?"

"She even took away the one I love most, so why should I keep her bracelet?" Lan Xihe said with a vengeful face, "It shattered on the eaves."