Everyone immediately looked in the direction of Ning Sang-sang's voice. A man dressed in black was striding toward them. He was tall and straight-backed, with handsome features and an air of nobility that seemed inborn. Beside him walked a beautiful man in purple robes whose looks blurred the line between male and female. They were Seventh Prince Chu Aotian and Gu Yunshen.
Seventh Prince Chu Aotian spotted Ning Sang-sang as soon as he approached and strode straight toward her.
Seeing Seventh Prince Chu Aotian heading her way, Ning Sang-sang frowned and grumbled inwardly:
Why is this old bastard Chu Aotian like a dog-skin plaster? I can't shake him off no matter what I do. I run into him wherever I go.
Hearing what Ning Sang-sang called Seventh Prince Chu Aotian in her thoughts, everyone's expressions turned peculiar, and they broke into a cold sweat on her behalf.
Seeing Seventh Prince Chu Aotian heading their way again, Ning Hui felt a headache coming on. He was just about to say something when Pei Yunluo spoke. "Ning Sang-sang, my seventh cousin really holds grudges. You'd better be respectful in front of him."
Having heard Ning Sang-sang's disrespectful name for Seventh Prince Chu Aotian in her thoughts, Pei Yunluo reminded her to watch what she said in her mind.
Ning Sang-sang nodded. "I understand, Commandery Princess Yunluo. Don't worry. I'll behave respectfully in front of the seventh prince."
Chu Aotian's heart is smaller than the eye of a needle, and he never forgets a grudge. I'll act respectful around him even if I have to fake it. After all, I just want to be an invisible nobody. I don't want anyone noticing me.
Pei Yunluo: "..."
Forget it. She couldn't be bothered with Ning Sang-sang anymore.
When Seventh Prince Chu Aotian reached them, Pei Yunluo hurried to greet him. "Seventh Cousin."
Song Huanhuan and her two brothers, along with Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui, all paid their respects to Seventh Prince Chu Aotian. He nodded, his gaze settling discreetly on Ning Sang-sang.
"Miss Ning, we meet again," Gu Yunshen greeted Ning Sang-sang with a smile.
Ning Sang-sang smiled back. "What a coincidence, Young Master Gu."
What rotten luck. I've run into this purple-skinned scallion again.
Hearing Ning Sang-sang's thoughts, Gu Yunshen's smile stiffened briefly before returning to normal. He muttered inwardly that he would stop wearing purple clothes, lest this girl keep calling him a purple-skinned scallion.
Just then, crisp applause rang out. Ning Sang-sang looked toward the sound and saw that Su Miaoling had finished her performance, earning waves of applause from everyone present. Su Miaoling stepped down from the stage with a smile and walked gracefully toward them.
At the sight, Ning Sang-sang muttered inwardly:
Time to slip away. Su Miaoling's here, so there's nothing left for an invisible nobody like me to do.
With that thought, Ning Sang-sang prepared to sneak away while everyone's attention was on Su Miaoling. Before she could move, however, Pei Yunluo looked at her sternly. "Ning Sang-sang, stay right beside me. Don't go wandering off."
Ning Sang-sang: "..."
Good grief, can Pei Yunluo hear my thoughts? I'd only just thought about slipping away, and she saw right through me.
Ning Sang-sang was only joking to herself and had never considered that Pei Yunluo really could hear her thoughts. But those words sent a sudden flicker of panic through Pei Yunluo. She didn't want Ning Sang-sang to know yet; she still wanted to hear more of her thoughts. So she said, "My mother told me to look after you properly. Don't go anywhere. Just stay beside me."
Ning Sang-sang raised her brows, puzzled inwardly:
What's gotten into Pei Yunluo today? Why does she keep insisting I stay beside her?
Hearing this, Ning Hui desperately wanted to tell his elder sister that everyone could hear her thoughts and ask her to stop talking in her mind. But the moment he had that idea, a mysterious force stopped him, leaving him unable to utter a word.
Hearing Ning Sang-sang's thoughts, Pei Yunluo opened her mouth to say something, only to see Su Miaoling approaching with graceful steps. She immediately went to meet her and praised her with a smile. "Sister Miaoling, you played the zither beautifully."
"You flatter me, Yunluo," Su Miaoling replied modestly.
Then she turned her gaze to Seventh Prince Chu Aotian, walked over, and paid her respects. "Miaoling greets Your Highness."
Before Seventh Prince Chu Aotian could respond, Ning Sang-sang's voice rang in his ears:
Why call him Your Highness? Call him Brother Aotian! That old bastard Chu Aotian loves hearing you call him Brother Aotian. It makes his heart feel like it's been coated in honey. When it's just the two of you, don't you keep calling him Brother Aotian over and over?
Seventh Prince Chu Aotian's face immediately fell, and he swept a cold glance over Ning Sang-sang.
What are you staring at? Keep staring, and I'll spread a rumor that you're wearing no underpants and letting everything swing free.
Everyone: "..."
At those words, Seventh Prince Chu Aotian's face darkened so much it almost seemed to drip gloom.
Su Miaoling sensed his demeanor suddenly turn icy and was bewildered. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, Gu Yunshen gave a light cough.
"Ahem..." Seeing Seventh Prince Chu Aotian's dark expression, Gu Yunshen promptly coughed a few times to smooth things over. "Aotian, anger is bad for your health."
Seventh Prince Chu Aotian remained silent, his face cold. He drew a deep breath and struggled to suppress his urge to kill Ning Sang-sang.
Seeing how terrible Seventh Prince Chu Aotian's expression was, Ning Hui decided his elder sister couldn't stay here any longer. As he searched for an excuse to leave, he spotted his second brother and hurriedly waved. "Second Brother, over here!"
Hearing Ning Hui's voice, Ning Chengxiao quickly looked over. When he saw Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui with Seventh Prince Chu Aotian and the others, his heart lurched, and a sense of foreboding rose within him. He hurried over, only to hear his younger sister's thoughts as soon as he arrived-
That old bastard Chu Aotian is so mercurial. His face changes faster than the pages of a book turn.
Ning Chengxiao instinctively looked at Seventh Prince Chu Aotian and saw his thunderous face. His expression couldn't have been worse. Ning Chengxiao felt a headache coming on. Just as he had suspected, Seventh Prince Chu Aotian and the others could all hear his sister's thoughts. He steadied himself and stepped forward to pay his respects.
Seventh Prince Chu Aotian nodded coldly, then looked at Ning Sang-sang with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "Ning Chengxiao, you certainly have a 'fine sister.'"
He placed particular emphasis on "fine sister." Ning Chengxiao heard the teeth-grinding anger in his voice, but pretended not to understand his implication and answered earnestly, "Thank you for the praise, Your Highness. My sister truly is quite wonderful."
Seventh Prince Chu Aotian: "..."
Indeed, only birds of a feather flocked under the same roof. Ning Sang-sang and Ning Chengxiao were both utterly thick-skinned.
The corners of Ning Sang-sang's lips lifted.
This second brother of mine is pretty good. I'll have his back from now on.
Hearing Ning Sang-sang's thoughts, Ning Chengxiao's lips curved slightly. Seeing Seventh Prince Chu Aotian's ugly expression, he walked over to Ning Sang-sang and said, "Sang-sang, Mother needs you."
Ning Sang-sang turned to Pei Yunluo. "Commandery Princess Yunluo, my mother needs me. I'll take my leave."
Without waiting for Pei Yunluo's reply, Ning Sang-sang hurried away. She really didn't want to remain here any longer. Ning Hui and Ning Chengxiao followed her.
Pei Yunluo didn't want Ning Sang-sang staying here and angering Seventh Prince Chu Aotian either, so she let her leave without stopping her.
Seventh Prince Chu Aotian frowned deeply as he watched Ning Sang-sang's retreating figure.
Seeing Seventh Prince Chu Aotian stare fixedly after Ning Sang-sang, Su Miaoling frowned slightly and felt deeply uncomfortable. She couldn't understand what charm Ning Sang-sang possessed that made everyone pay attention to her.
Only after they had gone far enough that Pei Yunluo and the others were out of sight did Ning Sang-sang stop. She turned to Ning Chengxiao behind her and asked, "Second Brother, what does Mother need me for?"
"Mother doesn't need you for anything," Ning Chengxiao replied. "I saw the seventh prince targeting you, so I said that deliberately to get you away."
Ning Sang-sang raised her brows at his words.
Now that my second brother's stopped being a love-addled fool, his brain is getting sharper and sharper.
Ning Chengxiao: "..."
Honestly, his sister really could be infuriating.
"Second Brother, your brain's gotten smarter since you stopped liking Bai Xinrou," Ning Hui teased, happy to fan the flames.
Ning Chengxiao shot him a sidelong glance. "Ning Hui, the money you borrowed from me..."
"Ahem." Ning Hui cleared his throat, cutting him off. "Second Brother, what did you say? I didn't catch it. I think my ears have suddenly stopped working."
Sure enough, the moment money comes up, everyone likes to play deaf and dumb, Ning Sang-sang muttered inwardly.
Once Ning Hui fell silent, Ning Chengxiao looked at Ning Sang-sang. "Sang-sang, let me take you out to the countryside. This Flower-Viewing Banquet isn't much fun."
Ning Chengxiao thought that too many noble families had attended today's Flower-Viewing Banquet, and everyone seemed able to hear Sang-sang's thoughts. She couldn't remain here any longer.
Ning Sang-sang's eyes immediately lit up, and she eagerly nodded in agreement. Ning Chengxiao had a servant inform their parents that they were going out to the countryside, then took Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui away from the Flower-Viewing Banquet early.
Bright sunshine bathed the countryside, and a gentle breeze brushed past, filling the landscape with vitality. Ning Sang-sang walked along a woodland path, breathing in the fresh air and feeling wonderfully at ease.
"Big Sister, could you tell us about the place where you grew up?" Ning Hui suddenly asked, full of curiosity about her childhood home.
"The place where I grew up has beautiful scenery. The mountains are green and the waters clear, with every kind of flower, plant, and tree you could want. It's like spring all year round." Ning Sang-sang briefly described her childhood home. The Ten Thousand Flowers Valley where she had lived was carpeted in lush green grass and filled with rare flowers and exotic plants-a beautiful paradise hidden from the world.
Hearing her words, Ning Hui was filled with longing. "Big Sister, if I ever get the chance, I'll definitely go see the place where you lived."
Ning Sang-sang didn't answer. Without someone from within to guide the way, entering the Ten Thousand Flowers Valley was simply impossible.
The three walked quietly along the woodland path, enjoying this peaceful moment. Just then, the creaking of a wheelchair rang out.
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