TheLazyDreamer
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16. The Rumour
🕑 Added 2025-04-01 03:37:12 +0000 UTCBai Yunxi glanced around, a trace of hesitation flickering in her eyes.
"Su Kang… I prefer a simple and quiet place," she murmured.
Su Kang's gaze softened. "No one will disturb you here," he reassured her. "The servants won't enter without permission. Take your time and look around."
After a brief hesitation, she chose a secluded courtyard—tucked away from the livelier sections of the manor.
Tall jade-green bamboo swayed gently in the breeze, their rustling leaves blending with the soft trickle of water from a small pond.
A delicate garden lined the path, its fragrant blooms lending a quiet charm to the space.
By evening, Su Kang left to check on his family—only to find that his parents had already departed on a long journey.
His elder cousins were buried in clan affairs, and Su Ting went out for adventuring after his parents' departure.
"They must have gone to the secret realm…"
His thoughts lingered for a moment.
"The family really took action quickly. Everyone is working hard. I need to do my best as well."
That night, Su Kang made his way back to Bai Yunxi's courtyard.
"Let's eat together. I'll introduce you to Liyun City's specialties," he said casually.
Bai Yunxi nodded in quiet agreement, following him to the dining area where maids had already arranged a lavish spread.
As they sat down, Su Kang gestured toward the open-air veranda, where the glow of lanterns bathed the courtyard in warm hues.
"When you're bored in the future, you can stroll through the garden, or relax in the hot spring—you'll enjoy it."
The moment the words left his lips, Bai Yunxi's hand stiffened slightly around her teacup. A faint pink hue dusted her cheeks.
Su Kang raised an eyebrow, then chuckled inwardly.
"It seems… she's still embarrassed about that incident."
His smile deepened, but he said nothing more.
---
After dinner, Su Kang excused himself with a polite nod, leaving Bai Yunxi to retreat to her quarters under the soft glow of moonlight.
The corridors of the Su Manor were bathed in silver light, the polished stone floors reflecting the ethereal glow like a river of stars. Delicate lanterns lined the path, drawing energy from the spiritual stones within, their steady radiance untouched by the wind.
A maid followed Bai Yunxi with quiet, practiced steps, her presence unobtrusive yet attentive.
Breaking the silence, Bai Yunxi asked, "What's your name?"
The maid lowered her head slightly, her voice soft yet clear. "This servant is Xian'er. If the Young Lady ever needs anything, please call on me."
"...Young Lady?" Bai Yunxi echoed, the title catching her off guard.
Xian'er nodded with practiced ease, as if the matter had already been decided. "The servants are saying that Young Master personally brought the Young Lady back to the manor."
Bai Yunxi's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't mentioned anything like that… or perhaps, he hadn't even noticed the rumors.
Over the months of traveling together, she'd grown accustomed to misunderstandings. Whispers followed them like shadows, spun from fleeting gestures and shared journeys.
He would clear it up later… wouldn't he?
Shaking off the thought, she turned her attention back to Xian'er. "How… is your young master?"
At the mention of Su Kang, the maid's expression brightened, pride slipping into her tone.
"Young Master is a true gentleman—humble, carefree, yet wise beyond his years. He is close friends with the genius Li Fang, and his vision is far from ordinary."
Bai Yunxi listened in silence as Xian'er continued.
"When Young Master Li Fang was surrounded by enemies, it was the Young Master who convinced the family to intervene… even at great risk."
Bai Yunxi's steps faltered. "So it was like that…"
Su Kang had shared stories of their adventures—treasure hunts, secret realms, battles fought side by side—but never the extent of his sacrifices for Li Fang.
Xian'er's words painted a different picture, one that left Bai Yunxi's heart unsettled.
Without thinking, she asked, "Does your young master… have a fiancée?"
Xian'er cast her a sidelong glance, curiosity flickering beneath the lantern light.
"Young Master has no fiancée yet," she answered. Then, with a teasing smile, she added, "But now that the Young Lady is here… perhaps that will change soon."
Bai Yunxi's breath caught. Heat crawled up her neck as she clenched the hem of her sleeve.
Mistaking her silence for confirmation, Xian'er's smile deepened.
Bai Yunxi's face burned. "I'm tired," she muttered abruptly, quickening her pace.
She barely heard the maid's response as she slipped into her room, shutting the door with a soft click.
The chamber was grand, adorned with intricate carvings and luxurious furnishings, but it felt… empty.
Yet, her thoughts refused to settle.
What was he talking about that day... about the woman he likes?
Could it be... me?
No… he never said anything clearly. What if it's someone else?
Frustration twisted in her chest, tangled with something nameless.
---
That night, her dreams were restless.
Su Kang stood bloodied and bruised—one hand gripping a sword, the other a halberd. His robes clung to sweat-drenched skin, torn and stained with battle.
From the shadows, Li Fang emerged—his robes spotless, his eyes gleaming with triumph.
"Brother Su! I didn't think you'd actually kill it! That wasn't the plan!"
Su Kang wiped the blood from his mouth, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "The beast saw through our intentions. I had no choice but to go all out."
Li Fang's gaze swept over the fallen Eagle-Winged Lion. "Its body is a treasure… we're rich."
But Su Kang only wiped the blood from his lips, his expression calm and composed.
Bai Yunxi jolted awake, her heart pounding. The images lingered, burning behind her eyelids.
"Again these dreams… What's wrong with me?."
She exhaled slowly, pushing them aside.
---
Three days passed.
She wandered the gardens, soaked in the hot springs, and cultivated behind closed doors—yet a strange restlessness gnawed at her.
Su Kang never came to see her.
Xian'er's cheerful chatter helped pass the time, but the servants' constant "Young Lady" only made the silence heavier.
I need to talk to him about this.
By the third day, she couldn't bear it any longer.
If he wouldn't come to her… she would go to him.
After a light lunch, she cultivated until dusk before finally gathering her courage.
"Xian'er, take me to Young Master's residence."
The maid's eyes sparkled as if she had been waiting for this.
The walk to Su Kang's courtyard felt longer than expected.
With every bowing servant and whispered greeting of "Young Lady," Bai Yunxi's pulse quickened.
When they arrived, a servant led her through the garden.
"Young Master is in seclusion," he informed her. "But he left instructions—if Young Lady Bai visits, we are to inform him immediately."
Bai Yunxi's fingers curled around the sleeve of her robe.
"He cares for you, Young Lady," Xian'er murmured.
A warmth she couldn't quite name stirred in her chest.
Su Kang appeared soon after, his hair still damp from washing. His loose robe clung lazily to his lean frame, the faint scent of medicinal herbs lingering around him.
He blinked, momentarily surprised, then his lips curved into a familiar, lazy smile.
"Miss Bai… have you eaten?"
They settled into a quiet rhythm, the tension melting with the rustle of leaves and the glow of distant lanterns.
As they ate, Su Kang finally asked, "How are you finding the manor, Miss Bai?"
She told him about her days, her voice soft but steady. Then, gathering her courage, she hesitated before speaking again.
"What… what are you going to do about the rumours?"
Su Kang paused. "What rumours?"
She swallowed. "About me
being your… woman."
"Oh?" He leaned back slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I hadn’t thought much about it."
Bai Yunxi frowned. "You should deny it. It could hurt your reputation."
Su Kang chuckled, his voice light. "My reputation? Miss Bai, here, nobody knows about you."
He glanced at her, his gaze unreadable.
"If pretending ensures your safety, then I don't mind."
Bai Yunxi's lips parted, but no words came out.
His response was so natural—so utterly indifferent—that it unsettled her.
Finally, she asked the question she hadn't dared voice until now.
"What about… the woman you like?"
