“Bit by bit, the surrounding enemies consumed them, all with schemes and betrayal.” He Yi’s voice turned cold.
“Kindness is often the deadliest weakness in this world.”
The chilling air of the Dungeon seemed to bite even deeper.
Mu Xi felt a wave of dizziness, fragments of memory tumbling in her mind, yet she could never piece them into a complete picture.
“My parents…” Mu Xi murmured, her voice almost inaudible.
“What happened to them?” He Yi caught her words sharply.
Mu Xi’s gaze dimmed, her voice hoarse: “They were killed by Ye Lan.”
That sentence was like a key, unlocking a sealed door.
Agony surged from the depths of her heart, nearly suffocating her.
He Yi fell silent for a moment, a thoughtful gleam flashing through her eyes.
“So that’s it.” She said softly, “Do you know Ye Lan’s background? She’s no descendant of nobility, just a thug from the streets.”
She stepped forward, lowering her voice, “I wonder if it was your overly kind parents who saw her pitiful on the roadside and took her in? Inviting a wolf into the house, only to bring calamity in the end?”
Those words stabbed into Mu Xi’s mind like a sharp blade.
A piercing pain seized her instantly.
She clutched her temples, blurry images flashing before her eyes.
A young girl covered in wounds, standing in the rain, soaked through; a pair of gentle hands passing her a warm towel; a smiling face saying, “From now on, we’re family.”
“Ah!” Mu Xi doubled over in pain, cold sweat streaming from her forehead.
Seeing this, He Yi immediately stepped up to support her, her tone laced with concern, “What’s wrong?”
“My… head hurts so much…” Mu Xi managed to say, feeling as though something was about to break free from the depths of her memory.
“Don’t think about it, don’t think about it.” He Yi gently patted her back, her voice suddenly softening, “The past can come back to you slowly, there’s no rush.”
Mu Xi gasped for breath, the pain gradually receding, but the shock in her heart refused to fade.
She was the daughter of the Noble Household of Wu City?
Once a noble heiress?
And Ye Lan, the one who now imprisoned and abused her, might have been the orphan her family adopted?
This terrifying suspicion sent chills all over her body.
“I… I have to go back.” Mu Xi broke free from He Yi’s support, her voice trembling, “Ye Lan could return at any moment.”
He Yi didn’t try to stop her, only gave her a meaningful look.
“Remember, know yourself and know your enemy—only then can you emerge unscathed from a hundred battles. Understand your enemy, but also yourself.”
Mu Xi staggered out of the Dungeon, every step feeling like walking on cotton.
***
After returning to her Bedroom, she collapsed straight onto the bed, her mind a whirl of confusion.
Outside the window, moonlight poured down like water, casting a lonely glow across the dark green bedsheet.
Mu Xi stared at the ceiling, her thoughts tangled and wild.
If what He Yi said was true, then the relationship between her and Ye Lan was far more complicated than she ever imagined.
This was not just about captor and captive—it might also be entwined with betrayal, hatred, and more memories yet to return.
“Who am I, really?” Mu Xi whispered to herself, her voice echoing in the empty Bedroom.
Her memory was like a boundless ocean, and she was just a small boat drifting in darkness, searching for direction.
Night had fallen.
Mu Xi had been sitting by the window for three whole hours.
Her slender fingers gently traced the carvings on the window frame, her gaze never leaving the winding path leading to the entrance of the Manor.
Her silver hair shimmered coldly under the moonlight, highlighting her fair skin, like a delicate porcelain doll.
And so she waited—for three days.
He Yi’s words still echoed in her mind: “Ye Lan is no noble’s descendant, just a thug from the streets.”
A sudden engine roared, cutting through her reverie.
In the distance, a black sedan slowly entered the Manor, its headlights glaring like a beast’s eyes, casting two piercing beams through the darkness.
Mu Xi’s heart began to race.
‘She’s back.’
Mu Xi quickly composed her clothes and expression, standing in the center of the Bedroom.
She had already learned how to behave just right in front of Ye Lan—neither too eager, nor coldly distant.
Yet, the anticipated footsteps did not arrive.
Ye Lan did not head straight for her Bedroom as usual.
Mu Xi frowned, cautiously opened the door, and glanced down the hallway.
Two Guards in black stood at the corner, faces expressionless as they kept watch.
From her vantage point, she could see Ye Lan talking with a few subordinates, her face grave.
“If it really was them, I’ll make all of Wu City pay the price.” Ye Lan’s voice was icy cold.
Mu Xi retreated quietly, closed the door, her heart pounding like thunder.
Wu City—the word stirred her sealed memories again.
An hour passed.
Mu Xi sat on the edge of the bed, hands clenched tightly.
Every minute dragged on like a century.
At last, the door was flung open.
Ye Lan stood at the threshold, her long hair slightly tousled, her eyes glinting with danger.
She shrugged off her coat, tossing it carelessly to the floor, and strode towards Mu Xi.
“Did you miss me, little pet?” Her voice carried exhaustion, yet could not mask her innate dominance.
Mu Xi looked up, locking eyes with Ye Lan.
Those eyes that once terrified her now seemed colored with new complexities.
Were those the eyes of a betrayer?
The eyes once saved by her parents?
“I did.” She answered softly, her voice light as a feather.
Ye Lan leaned down, pulling Mu Xi tightly into her arms.
She carried the scent of dust and blood tonight, utterly different from her usual perfume.
“What’s wrong?” Ye Lan’s fingers traced Mu Xi’s cheek, her gaze sharp as a blade.
“Your eyes look off.”
Mu Xi tensed inwardly, but kept her face calm.
She was no longer the lamb to the slaughter.
“Just worried about you.” She snuggled obediently into Ye Lan’s arms, burying her head at her neck, “You’ve been gone so long…”
Ye Lan’s hand paused on Mu Xi’s back for a heartbeat, then continued stroking.
“Worried about me? Or worried no one is here to play with you?”
Mu Xi didn’t answer.
She could feel Ye Lan’s heart beating faster than usual, her muscles taut.
This woman was troubled tonight.
“You know,” Ye Lan suddenly let her go, stood up, and looked down at her, “things outside are turbulent lately. Someone’s challenging my authority.”
Mu Xi lowered her eyes, not daring to meet those all-seeing eyes.
“No matter what happens outside, I only belong to you.” She used Ye Lan’s favorite words as her shield.
Ye Lan’s lips curled into a cold smile.
“Is that so?” She squeezed Mu Xi’s cheeks, her strength alternating, “So many days without discipline—are you starting to itch down there? Want to be disciplined again?”
Caught off guard, Mu Xi’s eyes widened instantly.
She had never admitted she enjoyed those humiliating “games”.
But Ye Lan had already pushed her onto the bed, pulling a pink vibrator from her pocket.
“Take it off.” She ordered, her voice brooking no refusal.
Mu Xi bit her lower lip.
“What?” Ye Lan raised an eyebrow.
“Suddenly shy? Or…”
She leaned in, whispering in Mu Xi’s ear, “What are you afraid of?”
A chill crept down Mu Xi’s spine.
She forced a smile and said, “Nothing, it’s just…”
She pretended to be shy, lowering her head.
“Master looks tired today. I don’t want to disturb your rest.”
Ye Lan snorted, “Suddenly caring about me now? How rare.”
She lifted Mu Xi’s chin with her fingertip and said, “But I happen to be full of energy. Take them off. Put it in yourself.”
Mu Xi drew a deep breath and slowly reached to pull off her underwear.
Every step she took now was walking a tightrope.
One wrong look or movement, and her recovering memories might be exposed.
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