Finest Servant

Chapter 352 Damned Tenderness

As he felt the frail body in his embrace gradually growing cold, and An Biru's expression as calm as an ancient well, Lin Wanrong knew something was off. A sudden lamentation struck his heart. ‘Did I overindulge in lamb this afternoon, that I've begun to talk such nonsense?’ The previously warm and intimate atmosphere vanished in an instant. It was a classic case of joy turning into sorrow. Regret swelled within Lin Wanrong's heart.

"Get up. The people outside are gone," An Biru said quietly. Her face was devoid of any emotional ripple, her gaze toward him indifferent as though looking at a stranger. They were still pressed close together, but compared to the fervor from earlier, it now felt as if one was fire and the other was seawater.

"I won't get up!" Lin Wanrong, his mind whirring with ideas, managed a laugh. "So Master Sister is mad. I won't rise until you smile. Oh, how about I tell you a joke? Two dumplings got married. After sending off their guests, the groom returned to the bedroom only to find a meatball lying on the bed. Shocked, he asked where his bride was. The meatball shyly responded: 'How embarrassing, don't you recognize me once I've undressed?' Hahaha— Hahaha— Please, Sister, could you laugh? I'm really trying here."

An Biru looked at him silently, her eyes sparkling, not saying a word.

Toward this outwardly debauched Sister An, Lin Wanrong had always felt a peculiar sensation as if in this world, they were the two most similar people. Both were cunning and ruthless, sensitive yet melancholic, indifferent to societal norms, and unbridled. The previous frivolous and ambiguous interactions between them didn't invoke any feelings. But now that she suddenly began ignoring him, it felt as if Lin Wanrong had lost his best friend, leaving his heart desolate.

"You could tell a hundred jokes and it wouldn't matter. Did you really think I laughed because of your jokes? I've dealt with Prince Cheng for over twenty years, yet I've never let him take advantage of me. If it weren't for him threatening the safety of my village, forcing me to spend the night with you, not even the men of the entire world could coax a laugh from me," An Biru said, a hint of pride flashing across her face. As she gazed at him, her eyes gradually misted over.

A pang of fear hit Lin Wanrong, and he held her tighter. Grinding his teeth, he said, "That damned old turtle threatened the safety of your village? Damn it, I'll hack him to pieces, and his son, and his grandson, and his entire lineage for eighteen generations— Sister, please laugh. You're scaring me. I'm really timid. Please laugh, and I'll teach you how to pole dance."

An Biru shook her head slightly, "And what if you kill him? Kill one Prince Cheng, and ten, a hundred, a thousand more will rise in his place. Can you kill them all? As for laughing..." She wore a faint, dismal smile on her face, whispering, "Haven't I laughed enough at you in the past? Now, please let me go—"

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanrong was taken aback. Yes, Sister An had always been cheery around him before, always plotting against him, but it was fulfilling and sweet. Now that she wasn't smiling anymore, he felt increasingly suffocated.

"Release me." The grip around her arm was just as forceful as before, but An Biru looked at Lin Wanrong and said softly yet firmly.

"No!" Lin Wanrong loudly retorted, "If I let you go, you'll run away. Where else am I supposed to find a second White Lotus to capture you?"

Like magic, An Biru pulled out a silver needle from somewhere. "You know my capabilities, do you really think you can stop me like this?" she challenged.

"Well—" Lin Wanrong let out a helpless chuckle. Sister An's weapons were always so elusive, and the two guns he carried with him were useless; one he wouldn't dare use on Sister An, and the other she wouldn't let him use. Since coming to this world, he had always been successful with women, flirting and seducing without any significant setbacks. But Sister An, seemingly so unrestrained before, had suddenly transformed into someone else, leaving him at a loss for words. His frustration was understandable.

An Biru, having never seen him in such a crestfallen state, surmised he had been hit hard. Taking a determined look at him, she said, "Not all of life is joyous. When it's time to come together, we come together, and when it's time to part, we part. The time I spent with you was delightful and happy, tonight being the only exception."

Hearing the hint of world-weariness in her words, Lin Wanrong was startled. He hastily gripped her tighter. "Sister, you're not considering becoming a nun, are you? Please don't scare me. This boiling water of mine has never steeped tea leaves that don't grow hair [TL: I have never flirted with a woman who doesn't have long hair]."

"I'm not becoming a nun," An Biru shook her head, "Prince Cheng promised me that after tonight, he will guarantee the safety of my tribe for a hundred years. I've drifted outside for so many years, I'm tired and want to go back and see my tribe."

"Back to the tribe?!" Lin Wanrong's eyes widened, "Sister, let me go with you. It's been a while since I've visited an ethnic minority. I'll ride a horse and kidnap a bride there, then kidnap you back."

Hearing this, An Biru wanted to laugh but held it in. She gave him a stare, "What do you think my tribe is? Both men and women freely choose to be together. There is no such thing as kidnapping a bride."

Lin Wanrong sighed, regretfully saying, "Ah, I remembered incorrectly. It must be the Mongolians who kidnap brides. Your tribe values mutual affection between men and women. It seems that you and I are not exactly mutually affectionate."

An Biru gave him a cold glance, grinding her teeth, "You are Xian'er's husband, and I am Xian'er's master. How can I be affectionate with you?"

‘The fact that you are Xian'er's master makes it all the more exciting.’ But he couldn't say that at this juncture. "Oh, also, Master Sister, you asked me to deal with Fairy Ning. Our game just started, and now you're leaving, how should I cope?" As he said this, he glanced around. Theoretically, Ning Yuxi should have been close by.

An Biru shook her head, "Don't worry. She's smart enough to know when to show up. Given her ability, she probably already figured out that you and I were in cahoots. But it doesn't matter. As long as you use the same tactics on her that you used on me, you'll defeat her without a problem. I have faith in you."

An Biru had planned everything, clearly prepared to retreat long ago. Recalling the day she had bravely stormed the Heavenly Prison to save him, it seemed she was ready to lay down her life. Lin Wanrong was deeply moved and hurriedly searched for an excuse, pleading, "Sister, Prince Cheng said he sent you to seduce me. If you just leave like this, wouldn't he suspect something if he doesn't see you tomorrow?"

Sister An said softly, "Rest assured. Tonight, I will remain in the room meditating. You should get some good rest."

Lin Wanrong promptly jumped up, "Sister, you sleep in the bed, and I will meditate. Alas, it's been several months since I practiced kung fu. If I don't put in more effort, you will surpass me."

An Biru turned around, "You are always running around, unwilling to settle down. Even if you practice for a hundred years, you won't surpass me. Why should you meditate?"

Lin Wanrong had already climbed onto the chair, nodding in distress, "I also want to share the bed with Sister. But, given the propriety between men and women, with you looking like a fairy and me having weak self-control, if we accidentally cross the line, that wouldn't be good. So, let's sleep in separate beds. We can share one later."

Engaging in conversation with this youngster truly disrupted her tranquillity. An Biru took several deep breaths, calming her heart and mind. Her breathing gradually evened out, and she slowly fell asleep.

This was supposed to be a beautiful night of introduction. Even if they couldn't make love, a little touching here and there was inevitable. But he ruined everything with a single sentence. How careless! Lin Wanrong regretted so much, dozing off in the chair. After a while, he heard Sister An whisper, "Come over here and sleep beside me."

"Well, isn't it inappropriate? We agreed to sleep separately." Although he said this, he scurried over faster than a monkey, snuggling into the bed and inhaling An Biru's faint fragrance.

An Biru's slender hand extended, slightly trembling, gently stroking his hair. "Lin San, this world is complex, and people's minds are hard to predict. While I can't say human nature is evil, there are many who do evil. You've done many wrongs, but your heart is not evil, far better than countless hypocrites."

"Yes, yes," Feeling Sister An gently stroking his hair, he felt incredibly calm. He nodded hastily, "I am a genuine villain, never pretending to be a gentleman, either true or false."

An Biru faintly nodded, "Since meeting you, two things have moved me the most. Do you know which two?"

Seeing Lin San shake his head, An Biru sighed softly, "One was the night before we rushed back to Jinling when you were recovering at Weishan Lake. You sang that dreadful song."

"Sister, although I said something wrong tonight, you shouldn't criticize me like that. My singing is commendable; how can you call it dreadful?" Lin Wanrong said, feeling wronged.

"Only a mother is good in the world, a child with a mother is like a treasure. Embrace your mother, never exhausting the happiness." Sister An shook her head with a smile, "When I first heard you singing this song, I thought you were foolish. Now, I suppose I was the fool."

"Sister, actually, my singing of that song was indeed terrible, my mother used to say so," Lin Wanrong admitted in a rare moment of sincerity, lowering his head and speaking softly.

Sister An laughed heartily, but as she laughed, tears began to fall. "The second thing," she said, "is how you were willing to give up your life for me. When I broke into the Heavenly Prison, I had only one thought: to die with you. If I had known it would come to this, I would have killed you then and slit my own throat. It would have been better than having a dead heart now."

Lin Wanrong was shocked and quickly exclaimed, "Master Sister, I didn't mean to, don't scare me."

"If there is no Xian’er, if it wasn't for what you said tonight, we could have actually been happy together." An Biru suddenly smiled at him charmingly, her face full of brilliant tear drops that shone like a hillside of blooming pear flowers. Lin Wanrong fell into a deep sleep...

When he awoke early the next morning, he found himself alone. Sister An had disappeared without a trace, like a migratory goose that had flown away. Only the tear stains on the pillow remained, as if telling a story.

Lin Wanrong wiped the corner of his eyes, blaming the dew for falling into them due to the bad weather. He stared blankly at the damp silk pillow, recalling Sister An's soft whisperings from the night before. He was lost in thought for a while before he sighed softly, "Your damned tenderness..."

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