With the insect’s biting day after night, Bai Yao couldn’t bear anymore. She finally confirmed to herself that she felt something for Zi Qin.
In the last life, she was betrayed by her lover. Once she had been so sure that she would never fall into a rut. But now, she found it so vague what her heart yearned.
However, she remembered that she still sought revenge for her efforts. How could her mind be consumed by issues of love? The most important thing right now was to practice witchcraft and make herself stronger.
So, she would abandon any love for Zi Qin while this feeling was still a mere flash and still shallow.
She didn’t need any affection; she could live well alone.
Therefore, she began to hide from Zi Qin.
Though they were still together, Bai Yao practiced witchcraft, and Zi Qin watched her in the pavilion, but now their relationship was different.
Bai Yao tried to ignore the existence of Zi Qin, and she put her whole heart into her study. Zi Qin, at first, didn’t care about this.
He thought that Bai Yao had thought things through, and she chose the best route for herself, forgetting the man she missed before. Meanwhile, the insect inside her turned quiet again.
But later, he found it weird that Bai Yao was always hiding from him. In previous times, she would come to ask him to fight with her. When the insect she nursed grew up, she would be excited to bring the thing to show him. . . All those issues let him understand that she was an ordinary girl instead of a practicing machine. She had her hobbies and interests, and him.
But now, Bai Yao never went to him on her own. The talks between them were rare. She became more respectful of him and cared more about the courtesies. Was she trying to let him leave her world?
Why would she do this?
All the differences led to his disappointment and he went to ask her one day when they finished practicing.
Bai Yao knew what to do when she found his sudden visit, but she soon calmed down.
“Master, anything you need of me?” Bai Yao asked with respect.
Zi Qin squinted and asked her with discontent, “Bai Yao, why are you hiding from me since I came back? Have you met with any difficulties?”
Bai Yao was shocked by this direct question. She tried to hide her own feelings from him and blinked. Were her deeds so obvious?
She didn’t want Zi Qin to find her love for him, so she denied, saying, “Student didn’t hide from you, my master.”
Bai Yao emphasized the formal relationship as teacher and student. In fact, she was trying to remind herself that they were only teacher and student.
He heard her distance, and he felt a little helpless. “Bai Yao, I have told you, no need to be so aloof.”
She denied it again, “No, you are my master, and I am your student. We should keep the correct manners in mind. I shouldn’t offend you.”
Hearing this, Zi Qin thought that she was still angry with Shui Ling’er framing her. So he asked, “You still mind about the issue . . . ?”
“No!” Before he could finish, Bai Yao denied it She didn’t care which issue he was mentioning; anything should not be a reason that she hid from him.
She found herself out of control, so she pressed her hands to her temples, and said to him without any expression, “I need to have a rest. You should leave now.”
Zi Qin saw her fatigued face. He also found she had something she didn’t want to tell him. He took a deep look at her and then went away.
Bai Yao fell into the chair weakly. You did good! This is the right reaction. You shouldn’t have any idea of nonsense for him.
But the fragrance of eaglewood, the scent a.s.sociated with him, still lingered in the room. It should be a peaceful tranquilizer for her senses, but now it was a poison, which aroused the insect in her heart.
The insect bit her heart again and again, just like before. Bai Yao felt it so difficult to conquer it with her witchcraft. The insect bit even harder.
Was her witchcraft useless now? She was dying for this stupid reason?
Her face turned gray. The insect became stronger, stronger as her vision faded away, and her mind also drifted as she fell slowly to the floor.
A tear dropped down from the corner of her eye. Zi Qin, is loving you such bitterness?
At this time, someone pushed the door open. Zi Qin saw her lying on the ground. He was still outside and had not left.
Zi Qin held her and gently laid her on the bed, half embracing her, with his chin resting on her head. He already realized that she was suffering from the insect. He closed his lips and his eyes became deep again.
Then, he raised his right palm to touch her palm. A cloud of white lights was in his palm. He was trying to transmit some power into her heart to overcome the insect. He didn’t estimate that the insect in her had grown to such a powerful one, and his strength had no effect on the insect. Was she always using this way to conquer the insect’s movements?
Zi Qin’s own power was not strong enough, nor was his witchcraft. He needed her own powerful strength.
He called her name, trying to wake her up with a soft voice he never had before. “Bai Yao, Bai Yao, wake up.”
Bai Yao’s body was wet with cold sweat. She murmured, “Zi Qin, Zi Qin, Zi Qin . . .” She kept calling his name.
Her slight fragrance entered his nose, and he suddenly understood. So the one Bai Yao fell for was him. . .?
“So painful. . .” she cried out bitterly.
He came to his mind; this was not a time to think about this. He began to call her again.
Bai Yao woke up, and in her unclear sight, she saw a purple shadow. She was thinking that this was her dream.
She raised her hand to touch his mask, asking weakly, “Are you?”
Zi Qin had seen many aspects of her—the strongest her, the perseverant her, the ruthless her—but he had never saw such a soft her. Her helplessness made him want to protect her.
Zi Qin’s hand, which was holding hers, clenched.
Bai Yao heard the man answer. “Bai Yao, it is me. Now lead your inner strength to follow mine, and I will save you.”
The voice was so soft, like a wind in spring. But the tune was so steady. He said, he would save her.
Bai Yao believed in this voice, and she followed his leading to allow her strength to draw to her heart.
With the power of the two of them, Bai Yao pa.s.sed this time of insect biting.
But what about the next?
Zi Qin held her and lay down. Though she fell asleep soon, he wouldn’t leave.
He was still recalling her voice calling his name. His heart turned so soft, and his eyes were the same.
Bai Yao, don’t fall for me. Or you will be caught in disaster.