In the afternoon, the autumn breeze blew lightly bringing coolness in the air. Two brothers sitting on a stone step in front of a room suddenly sighed at the same time as they looked at the yellowing leaves and watched as leaves floated to the ground in the light wind.
"Elder Brother, we have been here at Ming Yue Manor for a month already. Why is Sister Hai Yao"s injury still not showing any signs of improvement?"
"Third Elder Brother said she is too seriously wounded and she is a person who already has one foot in h.e.l.l*. To be able to retain her life is totally because of the acc.u.mulated benevolence of her ancestors. Sister Hai Yao"s internal injuries are very serious. Her internal organs were severely traumatized and she has to recuperate for at least half a year before she can recover. That is the reason why Third Elder Brother decided to send her here to Ming Yue Manor.
(To have a foot in h.e.l.l means on the brink of death)
After they had finished talking, the two brothers looked at each other and sighed deeply again.
The eight-year-old Zhang Sheng pulled the sleeve of his Elder Brother and reminded him.
"Elder Brother, we can"t sigh here. Third Elder Brother wanted us to come and keep Sister Hai Yao company and make her happy. Not sit here and sigh in despair."
"That"s correct. Sister Hai Yao should be awake by this time. Let"s go in and see her."
Zhang Zhen pulled his younger brother up and knocked on the door. There was no response from inside the room and he gestured to his younger brother to remain silent. Then he carefully pushed the door open and tip-toed into the room.
"Is that Zhang Zhen and Zhang Sheng?"
Sitting on the bed was an exquisitely beautiful and elegant woman. Even though she looked pale and sickly, her beauty still shone through. Taking a closer look at her, her eyebrows would reveal a heroic air about her. She looked in the direction of the doorway with a pair of crystal clear, bright eyes.
"Yes, Sister Hai Yao. You are awake."
Zhang Zhen led his younger brother towards the bed and looked into her pair of clear, bright eyes. Although she was looking at them, her eyes were not focused. When the two brothers saw her, their eye rims started to turn reddish.
"I"m fine. At least, I"m still alive. The two of you should not worry."
Just now, she had overheard the two brothers talking outside the door and she was happy to have them with her in this strange and unfamiliar place.
"Sister Hai Yao, do you want to get down from the bed? We can help you."
Ever since Sister Hai Yao had been saved by Third Elder Brother, one and a half months ago, the time she spent sleeping was more than the time she was awake. Third Elder Brother had advised that she must rest more, so he had added sleeping drugs into her medicine to make her drowsy.
"That"s a good suggestion, since now that I don"t feel like sleeping. I"ve already been in bed for more than a month and during this period I really feel like a useless person."
Hai Yao"s delicate face revealed a trace of self-mockery. She lifted the quilt from her body and the two brothers quickly came forward to stand beside her, one on her left and the other on her right. Although the two brothers were still young but they still held her hands carefully.
"Take me to the courtyard."
"But......" The two brothers looked at each other with worry.
"Don"t worry. I just want to go outside to breathe in some fresh air. I don"t want to always stay cooped up in the room. Anyway, with the present condition of my body, I will not be able to withstand too long outside."
Hai Yao understood the two brothers" concerns and tried to appease them.
Her Third Elder Brother really understood her. He knew that even though she was heavily injured, it was impossible for her to stay in bed for too long. So he had put sleeping drugs into her medicine to make her rest in bed even if she was unwilling.
"Alright then. Sister Hai Yao, we will go out for a little while. Careful, there is a doorstep in front of you. Walk carefully."
Zhang Zhen thought for a while and decided that if they were careful, it would be alright. They carefully supported her, at the same time gave her a warning and helped her down the stone steps in front of the room. Zhang Sheng was very smart. He quickly ran back to the room and came back with a round stool, then helped her to sit down.
"Sister Hai Yao, the weather is gradually turning cold. You are still weak so you can"t stay too long outside. It will not be good to catch a cold. We will only stay for a while."
Zhang Zhen worriedly advised. They were instructed by Third Elder Brother to look after Sister Hai Yao carefully until she is fully recovered and moreover, they were also indebted to Sister Hai Yao. The two brothers really treated her as their family member and they were very worried about her health.
"I know. Zhang Zhen, how old are you? Why are you so long-winded like an old man?"
Hai Yao was at her wit"s end and sighed. Although she is happy to have them with her but if only he could keep quiet and not nag at her, she would be much happier.
"Sister Hai Yao......." Zhang Zhen cried out with displeasure.
"Yes, yes, yes......my good younger brother. I"ll stay for a while longer and I"ll definitely return to my room."
Hai Yao surrendered. Why didn"t she notice that he was so long-winded in the past? Third Elder Brother really had found someone most suitable to take care of her, she lamented deep in her heart.
Zhang Sheng who was listening in on the conversation between the two people could not help but laugh out loud. He felt very happy that Sister Hai Yao is so spirited today.
When Zhang Zhen looked his younger brother laugh and saw the helpless expression on Sister Hai Yao"s face, he could not control himself and he also laughed. He was glad that Sister Hai Yao is now able to talk and laugh with them like before.
"Elder Brother.......that man!"
Suddenly Zhang Sheng shouted in surprise. He pointed at two men who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were walking towards them. The most important matter was that they looked very familiar.
Zhang Zhen turned his head to look and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw them. Just as he was prepared to scream, one of the men tapped on his acupuncture points. Together with Zhang Sheng, they were lead aside by the man.
Hai Yao felt something was not right. Suddenly the voices of the two brothers had gone quiet and in addition, there was an unusual atmosphere in the air. She stood up and with her clear bright eyes looking in front sightlessly, she shouted.
"Zhang Zhen, Zhang Sheng, what is it? Who is here?"
"Who is it? Why don"t you say something?"
"Should I call you Dong Fang Jie, Zhao Ling, Dong Fang Hai Yao or my fiancée?"
As the last words were said, she felt her slender waist tightened and the next moment, her delicate frail body crashed into a thick hard chest. Her pointed chin was then forcefully lifted.
Long Hao Tian had stood in the shadows observing her for a long time. Initially, he could not believe what he saw but now he had personally confirmed and felt a great pain tugged in his chest. Unable to accept the fact that she was blind, he could not help but shout near her ear.
"d.a.m.n! What happened to your eyes?"
"Who are you? I don"t understand what you are saying. I don"t know you. Please let me go."
Her delicate body stiffened and a strong feeling of panic rose in her heart. Before she was blinded, she was already unable to win him with her martial arts. And now she is blind and injured, how can she even match up to him? The only defense she can muster now is not to admit anything.
His handsome face was gloomy, his eyes were full of fury and the nerves on his forehead pulsated. The arm that was around her waist tightened and his deep voice said coldly.
"Things have come to this stage, you still don"t want to admit?"
Suddenly her waist tightened, her elegant eyebrows wrinkled slightly and her body which was initially weak, could not bear it any longer. A feeling of dizziness rose and just before she lost consciousness, she stubbornly said.
"I.....originally......I don"t know you."
His dark eyes stared at the person who had fainted in his arms for a long time before he shouted out orders to Liu Yong behind him.
"Let"s go. Bring these two children along as well."
The large figure quickly disappeared just like he came without alerting anyone.
***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***
"What should we do? Sister Hai Yao must have been scared by the ferocious w.a.n.g-Ye and that is why she had slept for three days without waking up."
Zhang Sheng was so scared that he started to sob. When he thought of the man with his cold stern face and then look at Sister Hai Yao who was in a deep sleep without showing any signs of waking up, he felt very worried.
"That is because after Sister Hai Yao was in a coma, w.a.n.g-Ye had always remembered to feed her medicine every three sichen*. Did you forget that as long as Sister Hai Yao continues to take the medicine prescribed by Third Elder Brother, she will continue to sleep? w.a.n.g-Ye had summoned a doctor to look at her, so nothing will happen."
Zhang Zhen rolled his eyes at his younger brother but did not stop him from lying on the bed gand crying. If only he could make Sister Hai Yao wake up, it would be nice. Although he had tried to comfort his younger brother but anyone who sees her in a comlike this, he would feel worried. If that person says otherwise, he is definitely lying.
Talking about this w.a.n.g-Ye, he is really formidable. When the two brothers saw Sister Hai Yao had fainted in his arms, they were very frightened. Not to mention when w.a.n.g-Ye stared at them with his sharp eyes, the brothers obediently spit out everything. And when w.a.n.g-Ye heard that Sister Hai Yao"s medicine was prescribed by her Third Elder Brother, immediately he ordered his guard Liu Yong to return to Ming Yue Manor to look for the Manor"s Lord to get the prescription. The Manor"s Lord was really accommodating. After getting a clear explanation from Liu Yong, he did not only hand over the prescription with both hands but also gave a lot of medicine for Liu Yong to bring back.
"Zhang Shen, if you are going to carry on crying like this, sooner or later, Sister Hai Yao"s bed will be flooded."
A faint weak voice sounded which made the two brothers" eyes simultaneously lighted up and turned their heads towards the voice.
"Sister Hai Yao, you are finally awake!"
Hai Yao weakly pressed both her hands on the bed for support and pushed herself up to a sitting position. Zhang Zhen quickly placed a pillow behind her back to support her so that she could sit comfortably.
"Where is this place?"
If she guesses correctly, this must be Long Hao Tian"s place.
"This is w.a.n.g-Ye"s villa. He said you"ve been here before. Sister Hai Yao, are you really w.a.n.g-Ye"s fiancée?"
Zhang Zhen asked curiously, secretly trying to guess the two people"s relationship.
When w.a.n.g-Ye is angry, that terrible appearance of w.a.n.g-Ye always leaves him in lingering fear. Sister Hai Yao is really pitiful. To have such a relationship with this man, it is not surprising she will not admit.
"No."
Without thinking, she answered and her eyes showed her helplessness. Sure enough, just as she had guessed, will she never be able to escape from him?
"Are you certain?"
Suddenly a deep low voice sounded. When the two brothers heard his voice, they automatically moved away to hide in a corner.
Hai Yao"s delicate body trembled, widened her pair of dull eyes and subconsciously clenched both her hands into fists.
"The two of you can leave."
His dark eyes glanced at the two brothers hiding in the corner and ordered.
"Sister Hai Yao, you.......take care of yourself."
Zhang Zhen pulled his younger brother along. Although he would like to stay, he did not dare to disobey w.a.n.g-Ye and worriedly turned his head to look back several times.
When the brothers had left, there was a suffocating atmosphere in the room. Long Hao Tian looked intensely at the pair of eyes that was limpid and mesmerizing. At the moment, the eyes were looking in front without focus and his eyes rested on her pale, beautiful face
After listening to the two brothers, Long Hao Tian had learned that on the day of the accident, fortunately, Dong Fang Tang had pa.s.sed by under the cliff and he was able to save her. Her eyes were blinded because of a blood clot in the back of her head. As long as her health is properly taken care of and continue to consume the medicine prescribed by Dong Fang Tang, the blood clot will slowly disperse. In three months" time, her eyesight will gradually return. However, although she did not die but she is still seriously injured. If it was not for the G.o.d of Medicine she had encountered that day, it was afraid she would have long reported to the G.o.d of h.e.l.l.
She was in a coma for more than half a month and although she was alive but her internal injuries were severe. At the very least, it will take half a year before she can recover from her injuries but at least she is still alive. He should be grateful for Dong Fang Tang"s timely appearance. He stretched out his arms and pulled her defenseless body into his embrace. He could feel her fragility and he could not bear to see her suffer. Unconsciously his arms tightened around her.
"Are you planning to make me faint again?"
The person in his arms did not resist or it should be said she did not the energy to resist. She was strongly suspicious of his intentions and was determined not to faint again.
"Do you still deny you are Dong Fang Jie, my fiancée?
Long Hao Tian suddenly felt happy. His deep dark eyes looked smilingly at her and his big hand lightly caressed her delicate facial features.
"I"m not your fiancée. Please don"t acknowledge me as your wife indiscriminately."
She wrinkled her eyebrows and turned her face aside as she did not want him to touch her.
His black eyes narrowed dangerously. He did not allow her to resist, lifted her chin and blew warm breath onto her face. He whispered coldly in her ear.
"Your Eldest Brother, Dong Fang Ling should know about this matter. If you have the opportunity, you should ask him. As regards to this matter, not only did Jade Face Hunter, Dong Fang Jie pretended to have died, he had also suddenly changed into a female which is considered as committing a crime against the Emperor. I"m afraid no one in Dong Fang Family will be able to escape."
(In ancient times, when someone commits a crime against the Emperor, the Emperor can order the execution of all members of his family including related extended families. The entire clan will be completely wiped out including the old and young and even babies are not spared. Sometimes, this may also involve all immediate servants of the family.)
"Are you threatening me?"
Hai Yao"s beautiful face became taut, she pursed her lips and her voice was full of anger.
"It"s not a threat but just to remind you of the facts."
His deep low voice contained a trace of slyness. He stared at the person in his arms who had an angry expression on her pale white face. His dark eyes clouded and could not bear to see her like this. He wondered.......how serious are her injuries?
"What do you want?"
She shouted in frustration. She did not want the hundred plus lives of the whole of Dong Fang Family to come to harm because of her.
"You should know what I want. That is, as long as you admit you are my fiancée."
He had said it more than once before. That is, if she is really the daughter of Dong Fang Family, she will not escape from him. Not to mention the fact the two of them already had a marriage agreement. So whether she admits to the fact or otherwise, she still will not be able to escape him in this life.
"It seems I don"t have any choice." She said weakly.
This type of restriction had given him the advantage to trample on her and she knew from now onwards, she would have to get used to it.
"That"s correct, my fiancée."
As soon as he finished speaking, his fiery hot lips quickly caught her soft lips, forcing her to accept him until she became breathless. Then only did he finally and reluctantly released her.
Hai Yao panted as she lay in his arms. Is this man taking advantage of her because she is blind?
"Do you remember the first time we met? The hot spring that you soaked in? It is a great help in treating internal injuries. Presently with your weak body, although you should not soak for too long but you can still soak twice a day for a little while. I believe it will help greatly with your internal injuries."
His thick eyebrows frowned and he continuously stroked her back with his large palms. He felt worried as he looked at her panting breathlessly and did not like her current fragile condition. He had admired her former sarcastic personality who had always talked to him in a mocking voice. He had always liked the high-spirited Dong Fang Jie and not this weak and fragile Dong Fang Hai Yao.
"You.....when.....when did you first suspect I am a woman?" Hai Yao gasped for air as she asked.
This matter had made her frightened for a long time. She knew she had kept her secret hidden very well and no one had discovered it. How is he able to see through her?
"Do you remember that night when you and Cheng Gang came to my Mansion in pursuit of Butcher? That taunting laughter of yours before you left my Mansion and the laughter of that woman I met in the hot spring that night was the same. So I began to be suspicious of you. After that, when you were disguised as Zhao Ling and was poisoned by Luo Sha, I saw your half-moon birthmark behind your left shoulder and also the little red birthmark behind your right ear. All these confirmed my previous guess was correct."
His deep dark eyes gazed at the person in his arms, his fingers lingered on her delicate cheeks and his other hand continuously stroked her back lightly.
When she heard, she widened her dull eyes in shock. She did not expect that her ident.i.ty would be exposed because of the birthmarks on her body! She sighed with resignation.
"That day when you fell down the abyss, why were you able to survive?"
He was very grateful to G.o.d for letting her live but it was really a mystery. By right, after falling down the abyss, she should have died without any possibility of survival. How did she escape death?
"When Luo Sha pulled me down the cliff with her, at the same time, the poison in my body started to take effect. I forced myself to stay awake and pulled out the sword that was lodged in her body. I stabbed the tip of the sword into the rock face of the cliff to slow down the momentum of my fall until I could not hold on any longer."
At that time, she had not expected she would survive the fall but when she opened her eyes again, it was already more than half a month later. She still remembered when she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the expression of relief on her Third Elder Brother"s face. Then only did she realize she had just returned from the Gates of h.e.l.l.
"So that was it."
This time he finally understood. He had previously suspected that even if the medical skills of Dong Fang Tang were exceptional, how could a dead person be saved? It turned out she had used her sword to slow down the force of her fall in a timely manner or else who would be able to survive from a direct fall from the cliff?
"Then how did you know I did not die and also knew I was in Ming Yue Manor?"
This time, as she was able to survive this calamity, her three elder brothers took the opportunity to declare the death of Dong Fang Jie publicly so that Dong Fang Jie could disappear forever. She could then resume her ident.i.ty as Dong Fang Hai Yao but did not expect to be exposed by Long Hao Tian.
"Because Dong Fang Ling"s words made me suspicious."
"What words?"