Chapter 85(2/2): Sorry, I Lied to You

Two figures, one big and one small, looked alike—both utterly adorable.

They stared at each other across an ethereal sea of consciousness, equally baffled.

I stayed kneeling on the bed, then shifted to a more comfortable lying position suitable for pregnancy.

Fifteen minutes later, Su Liumeng returned.

She smelled of body wash, clearly having just taken a refreshing shower.

When she saw me, it seemed she remembered what happened earlier.

The usually stern girl’s expression cracked slightly.

“What did you go out for?” I asked softly.

“Cooling down.” Su Liumeng ground her teeth quietly.

“Cooling down?”

“What do you think I’m cooling down from? It’s daytime, why would you touch something like that…”

Everyone has sensitive spots.

These two little bumps she recently grew were the most sensitive.

When Si Xinyan put her hand on them, Su Liumeng didn’t feel a shock but a strange rigidity, with a hot wave rushing down.

Her skin, like white porcelain, instantly flushed a bewitching red.

Maybe her exaggerated expression made me realize I had done something wrong, though I had no idea what.

I opened my mouth, then closed it, hesitant.

Her soft scolding echoed in my mind.

Maybe my imagination was running wild, and I was feeling a bit emotional.

“What happened just now…” I whispered, almost a mosquito’s breath.

Su Liumeng snapped, “You’re a girl, I’m a girl, what do you think happened?”

She spoke from experience.

When close to Su Liumeng, my own thoughts sometimes wandered.

I blushed and stammered, “Let’s… change the subject—it’s daytime.”

Su Liumeng thought she had counted everything except that I’d climb on her in broad daylight and touch her dragon horns.

“Now you know to change the subject. Why didn’t you hold back when you touched it?”

She sat on the bed edge, cupping my chubby cheeks and gently rocking me side to side.

My eyes glared pitifully.

I didn’t touch it on purpose…

Zhi Zhi suggested it.

Faced with the girl’s questioning, I couldn’t betray my daughter.

I could only grit my teeth and admit,

“Yes, I touched it on purpose.”

“Who told you to be so mysterious all the time?”

“I felt something hard, so I touched it twice more—it even tickled my hand.” I spoke with a “damned if I do, damned if I don’t” attitude.

Being loved made me bold. Lately, I had been a bit unreasonable.

Su Liumeng fell silent, trying to shift the topic.

“I’ve been a bit feverish lately, so I have a big pimple. It’s ugly, so I covered it up with magic.”

Pimple?

Would touching a pimple cause such a reaction?

My doubt nearly overflowed.

Her recent words weren’t just empty talk.

Yesterday, when we went out, I clearly sensed it, but she insisted I was just sleepy and seeing things.

After all, it was the person I loved.

I couldn’t argue, so I reluctantly accepted her explanation.

But now, after this little episode, realizing the truth, I couldn’t let it slide anymore.

Biting my rosy lip stubbornly, I stared at her as if waiting for a convincing answer, unwilling to give up.

Su Liumeng’s small hand tightened gently.

For the first time, she felt the seriousness in Si Xinyan’s gaze.

A sudden, inexplicable tension rose in her heart.

Under the mounting pressure, Su Liumeng’s thoughts raced, searching for a suitable excuse.

Yes, an excuse.

She dared not speak the truth.

At least, until she could return to her human form, she lacked the courage.

Because the truth was too terrible; if it all came out, she wouldn’t be able to face it.

If the ending was destined to be breakup, then lying became somewhat acceptable.

This was Su Liumeng’s dark secret.

As long as she could keep Si Xinyan, she was willing to do anything.

So she thought about lying, never about confessing.

After a few seconds, Su Liumeng decided on her excuse.

“I’ve had some issues with my cultivation lately. The dragon blood I absorbed backlashed on me. I didn’t want you to know, so I kept it a secret.”

Hearing Su Liumeng’s cultivation had problems, I was filled with concern, ignoring the details.

I reached out my small hand and gently stroked the area she mentioned.

“Is it serious? Can it be fixed?”

“Does it hurt?”

“If it can’t be fixed, I’ll help you find a way.”

Her concern was sincere, her eyes brimming with worry.

Upon hearing this, I also felt sad.

Seeing this, Su Liumeng suddenly felt overwhelming guilt.

She was lying…

But Si Xinyan didn’t see through it and continued to care wholeheartedly.

Slap—

The sound of a slap echoed sharply in the boudoir.

At that moment, Su Liumeng truly felt worthless.

Deceiving a girl who only had eyes and heart for her—what was the difference from being an animal?

“What are you doing!”

I panicked and grabbed Su Liumeng’s hand. “Why hit yourself?”

“Don’t be crazy! Are you trying to trick me into feeling sorry?”

I was furious and glared at her, tightly holding her fingers, not letting her move.

“Sorry.” Her hoarse voice exploded like thunder in my ear. “I lied to you. I didn’t have cultivation problems.”

“It’s the dragon blood. Its effects on me…”

“I haven’t decided how to tell you exactly what happened…”

“Please give me some time to prepare, okay?”

She looked at me with pleading eyes.

“Ah?”

“Lied to me.”

Hearing I was lied to, my first reaction was anger—intense anger.

Who wants to be deceived?

Especially when you took it seriously, as if your sincere heart was thrown to the dogs.

But.

I looked into her eyes.

Su Liumeng, so strong, now only had pleading inside.

My heart softened.

My gaze was complicated as I looked at her.

“Su Liumeng.”

“You can’t lie to me.”

“I know…” She bowed her head slowly. The palm-sized slap left a deep mark on her cheek.

“It’s my fault—I’m worthless…”

“Forget it.”

I sighed and leaned in, wrapping her tightly around the waist.

I pressed my head to her chest, listening to her wildly beating heart.

The countless rebukes I had prepared vanished like smoke.

Only heartache remained.

At least, I didn’t want to see her speak so poorly of herself.

“You can’t say that about yourself.”

“To me, you’ve always been the best.”

“You can do anything you want, anything you promised me.”

“You’re my all-powerful Su Liumeng.”

Who would want to see the one they love degrade themselves?

“As for what you said.”

“Tell me when you’re ready.”

I held her briefly, then left her embrace and leaned on the other side of the bed, my eyes still complicated.

Su Liumeng looked at me, as if wanting to say something.

“Give me some time alone. Don’t talk to me.”

Seeing me dismiss her, she held back her words, tidied the bed, and left the room.

She didn’t go far.

Her former obsession with cleanliness had faded; she no longer minded dust.

Su Liumeng’s gaze darkened as she suddenly hugged her head and squatted down.

How did it come to this?

She stared at her slender fingers—since entering the secret realm, she had no time for manicures.

Her nails were trimmed clean with no edges.

Su Liumeng’s mood was truly troubled.

She had calculated countless things but never expected purifying dragon blood would bring such troublesome consequences.

Su Liumeng suddenly dispelled her illusion and looked at her real appearance on the phone screen.

Still beautiful and stunning, but somehow several years older.

Her once slightly chubby face was now flawless and radiant like a fully bloomed rose, exuding mature charm everywhere.

Si Xinyan’s comment that she had grown taller wasn’t a joke.

She hadn’t just grown taller—she had grown a lot.

The illusion was barely used when its flaws were discovered.

Si Xinyan found it hard to accept.

Su Liumeng understood better than anyone.

Not just a couple—good friends could also have problems.

Two people similar in age, interests, and height.

After one month, one suddenly became a stunning beauty with legs so long they dazzled.

Before, they were close in height, holding hands naturally.

Now, if one secretly grew taller like a plastic surgery, the contrast was stark, like a flower beside green leaves.

How could friends accept that?

Friends might tease, “You got prettier without me?”

But couples are different.

It was like you were the type they liked, then overnight you became the type they hated.

How could they keep loving you?

Even deep love would crack over time.

Especially since Si Xinyan had emphasized more than once that she didn’t like the ‘type’ of a tall, stunning beauty like Shangguan Xiyue.

She preferred the cute type…

Su Liumeng was silent for a while before standing.

No.

She felt if she didn’t act soon and find the right dragon marrow, when Si Xinyan saw her true form, she’d be utterly rejected.

After years of planning and effort, she was about to catch her wife.

If she abandoned her before marriage, Su Liumeng felt she might turn dark enough to destroy the world.

But, there was still hope.

Su Liumeng comforted herself.

She only lacked one dragon marrow.

Once she returned to her human form, she wouldn’t have to be anxious or fearful anymore.

Once, Su Liumeng was so glad her appearance was exactly what Si Xinyan liked.

Now, how painful it was that her half-dragon form was Si Xinyan’s least favorite.

Life’s ups and downs were like this.

Su Liumeng couldn’t bear the uncertainty anymore.

If Si Xinyan looked at her like that once or twice more, she might send herself straight to hell.

The worst thing in the world for Su Liumeng was to be completely hated by her Yan God.

She was going to ask Elder Grandpa for a concrete solution.

Meanwhile,

In the room, I didn’t curl up.

Now it was hard to hold my legs in the fetal position.

Si Zhiruo was indignantly scolding someone.

“Too much, too much. Didn’t she just catch you? We’re not even married yet, and she’s already lying to you.”

“Su Liumeng is simply not a good person.”

“Enough!” I raised my voice, cutting off her complaints.

“I can’t accept being lied to.”

“But was she really trying to deceive?”

“If she always wanted to lie, why would she admit it herself?”

“Since she has things she can’t say, I should be as understanding as when she couldn’t explain your matters to me.”

Si Zhiruo’s small hand clenched.

Mommy was mad at her.

For the first time,

She wasn’t an unreasonable ghost but thought about human logic.

After months of learning, her words and actions were close to human.

“That makes sense…”

“Baby, Mommy shouldn’t have been angry.”

“It’s okay. You’re my daughter. As a daughter, you’re Mommy’s warm little jacket.”

Si Zhiruo didn’t mind the earlier fuss.

Mommy was feeling bad; she hadn’t been right.

Her answer was reasonable—why didn’t Mommy get mad again?

Communication needs skill.

Si Zhiruo made a note in her human survival manual.

Having a daughter like this, what else could I ask for? My heart warmed.

I seriously said, “You will always be Mommy’s most important treasure.”

Si Zhiruo floated with happiness.

Worth it!

With her comfort, I no longer cared much about what happened.

I got up and cleaned the dust on the floor.

If I married into the Su family, this room might be my bridal chamber.

Of course, I had to tidy my little nest.

Looking at the room, a vision came to mind of bright decorations and the word “happiness” pasted everywhere.

Getting married—

Sometimes it felt so far away.

But it was really going to happen.

Running my fingers over the golden nanmu wood desk, tracing its beautiful golden lines, I felt a growing hope.

Marrying Su Liumeng made me happy—even excited.

And I often grumbled quietly that time passed too slowly.

“Mommy, what are you going to do now?”

Si Zhiruo, barely holding on without sleep, kept yawning.

Under the tree’s shadow, her little head bobbed like a fishing float—so adorable.

“Go to sleep soon.” I smiled gently, increasingly doting.

“I’m going to check on Su Liumeng’s mood.”

“Don’t stay up for me.”

“Be good. If anything happens, Mommy is the one who cares most.”

“Mm, mm, Zhi Zhi will listen.”

After saying this, Si Zhiruo finally gave in.

Her small body was covered with something—leaves picked from the tree.

The leaves were part of her Dao fruit, though less condensed than the actual fruit.

If taken outside, it would be a rare treasure causing endless conflicts.

But now, she used it as a little blanket over her belly.

She didn’t really need it.

But often seeing Mommy use a blanket, she wondered if she should have her own.

So she took a modest leaf from the tree right there.