Love from the Falling Flowers, Indifference from the Flowing Water-Only You Will Never Let Me Down (2)

Although the inn was simple, Wang Dong'er was satisfied that it had enough vacant rooms for the five of them. If there hadn't been enough rooms... ahem.

After entering the inn, Tang San went straight to his room to sleep.

He could tell he was surplus to requirements, so he didn't force himself on them.

Besides, Xiao Wu was going with him to Shrek Academy. They would have plenty of time together later.

Ye Lingling also returned to her room and locked the door. She didn't even open it when Dugu Yan brought her food.

Dugu Yan could tell, of course, that Ye Lingling was in a bad mood.

She was quick-witted. Xiao Wu and she had both slept through the afternoon, leaving only Wang Dong'er, Tang San, and Ye Lingling together.

Tang San couldn't possibly have made Ye Lingling angry. After all, they were strangers, and there was no reason for it.

Even so, she was sure Wang Dong'er would have looked after Ye Lingling.

But Ye Lingling was so upset that she wouldn't say a word... It was highly likely that Wang Dong'er had angered her.

She knew Ye Lingling. Ye Lingling would never get this angry over something trivial.

Besides, Wang Dong'er had given her a precious Immortal Herb that could defy fate and change her life. That meant Wang Dong'er must have done something unforgivable, something that crossed Ye Lingling's bottom line...

After thinking it all through, Dugu Yan felt a jumble of emotions and had no idea what to do.

Just as she hesitated over whether to find Wang Dong'er and ask what had happened, Wang Dong'er came looking for her.

"Senior, do you have a moment? If you do, could you come with me?"

"I do... let's go."

After the two of them stepped outside the hotel, Wang Dong'er asked in confusion,

"Senior, you know Ye Lingling well. You must have noticed she was in a bad mood."

"Yeah." Dugu Yan nodded, then asked with a frown, "Did something unpleasant happen between you two this afternoon?"

"Nothing unpleasant happened." Wang Dong'er shook her head and told the truth. "I just accidentally knocked Ye Lingling's veil off. After I saw what she looked like, she... she suddenly got angry and stopped talking to me."

At those words, Dugu Yan glared at Wang Dong'er like a viper with its scales raised. Her eyes were so fierce that Wang Dong'er felt a chill inside.

"Dong'er, you're not joking, are you? You took Lingling's veil off and saw her face?"

"I didn't take it off. I just accidentally bumped it and saw her by accident."

Wang Dong'er waved both hands, denying it.

"Oh no. No wonder Lingling was so angry that she won't even talk to me. Oh, no!"

Dugu Yan crouched down, shaking her head with a sigh.

She was terribly annoyed with herself. Why had she fallen asleep in the carriage? Why had she been so sleepy? What an idiot!

"Senior, what's wrong?"

Wang Dong'er crouched beside her and asked. She felt increasingly uneasy, her heart climbing into her throat.

"You... ah!" Dugu Yan sighed. "This is partly my fault, too. I should have told you."

"Lingling's mother died early. That veil was a keepsake her mother left her."

"More importantly, the Ye Family has a rule: a Ye Family woman's veil can only be removed by the person she loves, and only her beloved may see her face."

"I've never seen what Lingling looks like, even after all these years. And now, in just one afternoon, Dong'er, you... ah!"

Douluo Continent was a contradictory society: feudal, yet not entirely so.

It wasn't feudal because strength ruled the Soul Master World.

Only the common folk's world had that whole male-superior, female-inferior business, though plenty of commoners believed in it.

It was feudal because everyone in this world, whether commoner or Soul Master, man or woman, took rules and personal chastity very seriously.

For Ye Lingling, having her veil removed and her face seen meant Wang Dong'er had violated the Ye Family's rule. To put it more seriously, Wang Dong'er had... Ye Lingling.

Take Xiao Wu, for example. Only her beloved could comb her hair. No one else was even allowed to touch the comb her mother had left her, and the only person who had ever seen it was Tang San.

"No wonder Senior Ye Lingling suddenly got angry."

Wang Dong'er's legs gave way, and she crumpled to the ground, cold sweat soaking her back.

"Apologizing won't be enough, Dong'er. You have to own up to what you've done."

Dugu Yan's expression was solemn as she gave Wang Dong'er a serious pat on the shoulder.

She seemed to lament the situation, but inside, she was overjoyed.

This was a good thing!

She had spent all these years trying to bring Ye Lingling around, and she was just one step away.

If Wang Dong'er and Ye Lingling got together, hehe, then she...

How wonderful. Her happy life was about to begin.

Wang Dong'er had no time to dwell on such pointless thoughts. Right now, she just wanted Ye Lingling to forgive her.

After getting to her feet, she went back inside the inn and found Ye Lingling's room, then gently knocked on the door.

But no matter what she said, no sound came from inside. If she hadn't been able to sense Ye Lingling's Soul Power aura, Wang Dong'er would have burst through the door, afraid Ye Lingling might do something foolish.

In truth, Ye Lingling was no longer angry.

As long as no one else knew what had happened, it wasn't a big deal. She had thought it through.

Besides, Wang Dong'er had done her a great kindness, choosing a precious Immortal Herb for her and helping her absorb it. If there weren't other considerations, giving herself to Wang Dong'er wasn't out of the question.

She just happened to be washing up and changing into her nightclothes, so she hadn't clearly heard Wang Dong'er's voice.

"Ah, she won't even open the door?"

Wang Dong'er sighed. She knew she had to make things clear. She went back outside, around to the rear of the hotel, and found Ye Lingling's room.

The curtains were drawn, but the window had been left open a crack for ventilation.

Wang Dong'er didn't hesitate. She immediately used Martial Soul Possession and, relying on her Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul, made her way to the window.

(If the Butterfly God knew that the Martial Soul tied to her Godhood Inheritance was being used for something like this, what would she think?)

Wang Dong'er had considered that her rash actions might make Ye Lingling even angrier, but there was no other way. To solve the problem, she had to explain things face-to-face.

She climbed through the window and pulled back the curtain. The moment she did, she froze like a stone statue.

She had thought the window opened into the room's sitting area. She had never imagined... it was the bathroom.

Ye Lingling was right there, washing up in her thin clothes.

Their eyes met. This time, Wang Dong'er saw Ye Lingling clearly.

To her surprise, Ye Lingling didn't panic and scream. Instead, she shyly wrapped herself in a bath towel, lowered her head... with no one holding her back, even her toes were out of sight.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Senior Lingling. I didn't know this was your bathroom."

"I came to apologize. I'm sorry about what happened this afternoon. I didn't mean to. If I'd known the veil was so important and had such special meaning, I never would have touched it."

"If you'll forgive me, I'll do anything you ask. Please don't let this upset you."

"If... if you can't forgive me, then I, Wang Dong'er, swear to the heavens: from now on, I will never let you down."