"Prince Dai, you've certainly been living the good life these past few years."
Before Yu Tianling could answer Dai Mubai's question, Zhu Zhuqing glanced at the twins in Dai Mubai's arms and spoke up, mocking him.
With her current strength and talent, her life was no longer in danger. By rights, she should have chosen to ignore Dai Mubai, but he was her former fiancé, after all. Seeing how far he had fallen, Zhu Zhuqing still looked down on this gutless man from the bottom of her heart.
"What I do has nothing to do with you!"
Seeing the disgust that filled the girl's eyes and words, Dai Mubai could not help snapping back angrily. Even a clay figurine had a temper.
At this point, Zhu Zhuqing gave up on Dai Mubai completely, deciding that rotten wood could not be carved. She had originally thought that after fleeing Star Luo City, Dai Mubai would devote himself to grueling cultivation in hopes of surviving the ordeal ahead. Instead, he had come to a foreign land to indulge in romance, and the strength she sensed from him was mediocre.
Seeing Dai Mubai in this state, Zhu Zhuqing wanted even less to have anything to do with him. She stated plainly, "I'm from the Star Luo Zhu Family, the second daughter. With that said, I imagine Prince Dai should know who I am."
After introducing herself, Zhu Zhuqing continued without waiting for Dai Mubai to speak. "I've already found a suitable partner, so our engagement ends here. We'll return to Star Luo City and settle the matter properly in the future."
With that, she paid no heed to Dai Mubai's reaction and pulled Yu Tianling past him. Dai Mubai had stood frozen ever since learning her identity, while they slowly walked away toward the Forest Hotel.
"Young Master Dai, are... are you all right?"
Seeing Yu Tianling and Zhu Zhuqing leave, the twins looked worriedly at Dai Mubai's livid face.
"Damn it! Damn it!!!"
Dai Mubai ignored them, staring fixedly at the man and woman holding hands tightly ahead of him. Rage burned within him, as though a bright green hat had been planted on his head.
After hearing her introduction, he already knew the identity of the girl beside Yu Tianling. The Zhu Family's second daughter-wasn't that his fiancée? Yet now his fiancée was clinging to another man. If he had not feared exposing his identity and disgracing the Imperial Family, or even possibly having the Imperial Family send people to drag him back, Dai Mubai would never have tolerated it. He would definitely have charged at them on the spot.
For now, although Dai Mubai was furious, he knew his limits and could only let Yu Tianling and Zhu Zhuqing leave. But judging by their direction, they clearly intended to stay in Suotuo City, which meant he still had a chance to teach them both a lesson.
With that thought, Dai Mubai turned to look at the twins beside him. Now, even their worried eyes seemed filled with contempt. His expression immediately darkened as he shoved them aside, then hurried off in a random direction, leaving the twins standing there alone.
Seeing this, the two felt that Dai Mubai probably would not seek them out again. The beautiful twin sisters were like mutes eating bitter herbs, suffering bitterness they could not voice.
Had Zhu Zhuqing explained everything clearly just now, the two might have understood. But she had left things half-said, leaving their heads full of mush. They had only asked out of concern for Dai Mubai, never expecting the usually gentle and refined man to storm off with a flick of his sleeves. Now, they intended to crack the clay pot and get to the bottom of it. Neither could accept leaving without understanding everything.
"Why don't we ask that girl from earlier?"
With that thought, the two exchanged a glance, their hearts in perfect accord. Clearly, they had reached the same idea, and they hurried after Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Tianling.
Fortunately, Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Tianling had been strolling and browsing ever since leaving Dai Mubai, so they were not moving very quickly. The twins soon caught sight of them again.
"Please, wait a moment, both of you. We sisters have something we'd like to ask you."
"Hmm?"
Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Tianling stopped and looked at the twins hurrying up to them, unsure why they had come after them instead of leaving with Dai Mubai.
"Sorry to bother you both. I'm Chen Meng, and this is my younger sister, Chen Yun."
Once the twins reached them, the older sister introduced them.
"Yu Tianling. This is Zhu Zhuqing."
Watching the twins hesitate to speak, Yu Tianling already had some guesses.
Sure enough, the twins asked exactly what Yu Tianling had expected.
"We'd like to know what exactly you and Young Master Dai..."
Chen Yun eagerly began to ask, but as she spoke, she felt she was being somewhat presumptuous, and her voice grew quieter and quieter.
"What is our relationship with Dai Mubai?"
"We have no relationship!"
Hearing Chen Yun mention Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing's expression instantly turned cold, her words full of contempt.
"But just now, you clearly..."
Chen Yun plainly did not believe Zhu Zhuqing's words. But as Zhu Zhuqing's expression grew colder, a chill instantly ran down both sisters' spines.
"Uh, sorry for bothering you. We'll leave right away."
Seeing how difficult Zhu Zhuqing was to communicate with, Chen Meng hurriedly apologized.
"All right, Qing'er, it's not worth getting angry over. Since these two young ladies want to know the truth, let's tell them. That's better than letting them follow Dai Mubai around without a clue, isn't it?"
Looking at the twins, who were like birds startled by a bowstring after Zhu Zhuqing's fright, Yu Tianling reached out to rub Zhu Zhuqing's head and quietly tried to persuade her.
To Yu Tianling, her relationship with Dai Mubai was hardly a secret. Besides, revealing it now might let the twin sisters learn just what kind of person Dai Mubai was. Abandoning his fiancée at the first setback, leaving her alone in danger while he fled by himself, was truly despicable.
"Thank you."
Hearing Yu Tianling's words, both twins looked at him gratefully, unable to stop thanking him inwardly. They had thought they would return empty-handed today, only to find another village beyond the dark willows and bright flowers.
To be honest, an ordinary person would surely have flushed and felt his mouth go dry under the gazes of two beautiful twins. But who was Yu Tianling? What sort of beauty had he not seen during his years in Spirit City? He was automatically immune.
"All right, let's talk as we walk."
Since Yu Tianling had said as much, Zhu Zhuqing naturally would not object, so she made the suggestion.
Chen Meng and Chen Yun were now impatient to learn the truth and naturally had no objection to Zhu Zhuqing's suggestion. Thus, the four walked along the street as they talked, and Zhu Zhuqing began selectively recounting her history with Dai Mubai.
For instance, Dai Mubai was a prince of the Star Luo Empire, while she was a noble of the Star Luo Empire, a daughter of the Zhu Family. They had been engaged since childhood. According to tradition, they would one day have to fight their own older brother and sister to the death. But several years ago, Dai Mubai had grown afraid, left without saying goodbye, and hidden in this city...