Chapter 85: No Longer the Way It Once Was

Xing Jue smiled gracefully. "The choice is yours."

Si Yao fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Do you know how Lin Xiao and Xing Ke are doing now?"

Not well.

That simple-minded fool Lin Xiao wore all her thoughts on her face for the world to see.

Xing Ke was fond of Si Yao as a person, not...

"Xuanyin... sister." It had truly been so long since their last meeting that she had nearly forgotten about Xuanyin's existence.

Nangong Ming, unable to hear Z's words, kept his gaze fixed on Xi Xichen's face. The longing and resentment that had been buried in his heart for four years surged up like a tide.

Wang Yue, who had been left standing to the side, rubbed his nose and quietly slipped out of his cousin's bedroom, closing the door behind him. He really had no desire to keep hearing his cousin's startled exclamations while she played games.

Ruo Xin glanced at Prince Yingning. In an instant, she seemed to glimpse a cold, detached smile at the corners of his lips. When she blinked again, it was as if it had been a hallucination, for the expression vanished, replaced by a hint of playful mockery.

All five princes of Emperor Changtai were remarkable in appearance. The second prince, dressed in a robe of blue silk, kept his gaze straight ahead, knelt before the Empress Dowager to pay his respects, then bowed to the Empress and the Lady Huo. Every gesture was perfectly proper.

Xiu Wan responded, "Yes!" Feiou and Bailu, feeling as though they had received a royal pardon, hurriedly withdrew.

Its massive form appeared in an instant, materializing right before Lin Tianyao. It lunged forward, snapping its enormous jaws at him.

After speaking, they started to move forward, noticing many grassy lawns ahead. Soon, they began to gather flowers and herbs.

"Hahaha." Watching Long Jinyu look so frustrated, and Long Shaoyan act as though he had finally protected his beloved, Helan Yao couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Half her face was swollen, her lips bitten and bleeding, a bump on her head, and her neck covered in deep purple hickeys. If her parents saw her like this, wouldn't they worry themselves sick?

Carrying a basket, she had just reached the middle of the mountain when she saw many bright lights below. Rather than stars in the night, they looked more like blazing torches.

The grander the occasion, the more exhilarated Su Qingwan felt. She hoped for a dramatic turnabout tonight; the higher the expectations, the deeper the impact when everything was reversed.

At the sound of that voice, Gu Fei, who had just been looking imposing and confident, instantly wilted. Why was Cheng Qiuqin here again?

Struggling to break free from the rope around his neck, he suddenly saw a dark figure appear before him. If the rope hadn't been strangling him, he would surely have let out a piercing scream.

"So, that sound just now wasn't a ghost?" Zhou Qingshuang's mind was still wandering in the realm of spirits.

"Look at you now, all suited up. With that new hairstyle, you really do look the part. But you need to learn how to drink red wine properly," Deng Hanyuan said with a smile.

Since he'd been discovered, there was no need to hide any longer. Gripping his bloodthirsty blade, he strode forward with his head held high.

To ease the tension, Ling Fei deliberately tried to spark some conversation, but his expression remained grim.

Zeng Bingbing, however, assumed Huo Jingran doubted her professionalism, so she responded with some annoyance, "Would I joke about my own health?" With that, she left with her prescription in hand. Huo Jingran followed, frowning but saying nothing.

With Sheng Mingzhu's words, Su Qingwan knew full well that the praise was actually veiled mockery. Her face grew even more sullen, yet she still forced a smile and exchanged pleasantries with Lady Sheng.

"Strategist Liang, we'd better go out and take a look," Fang Mu said to Liang Yingshi after giving instructions to Old Li.

Xiang Nan knew that Shanshan was watching him, but he didn't mind in the least. He simply sat there, letting her look as much as she pleased, occasionally raising his glass for a sip.