Chapter 8: The Pure One

The man walked over and whispered into Ouyang Mo's ear, "Princess Ruolan has arrived!" Ouyang Mo suddenly let go of her hand, the smile on his face deepening slightly. Out of curiosity, Xiao Xi raised her eyes to look into Ouyang Mo's eyes. In that fleeting moment, she seemed to see a different kind of profound affection in his gaze, much like the long-awaited look of a lover finally turning back to meet the eyes of one who has been watching them with yearning, as seen in television dramas.

Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, feeling as if it had fallen into an ice cellar. Her intuition told her that there was someone else in his heart whom he truly loved deeply. And she was nothing more than a momentary whim, or perhaps an object of amusement. For some reason, a sense of melancholy welled up within her.

Everything from last night was merely a way for a man to seek pleasure—a physiological need! All the deep affection and sweetness were hypocritical, because at this moment, she truly saw the profound emotion in his eyes, and *that* was the most genuine!

"Ziwen, escort Miss Tang back to her manor!" Ouyang Mo gave a hurried instruction. He didn't have the leisure to spare even another glance at her before turning and walking away with large strides.

Xiao Xi stood frozen on the spot, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss. But on second thought, was she an idiot? Last night was originally just a transaction, and her sudden agreement to marry him was only to escape the Tang family and to escape the fate of marrying a fool. Since it was merely a matter of using a connection, why bother being sentimental? He had his own pursuits; what did it matter to her who he wanted to love?

Taking a long breath of relief, Xiao Xi followed this man named Ziwen out of the Ouyang residence.

On the way back to the Tang family, Xiao Xi ultimately couldn't help herself and grew curious again. "Who is that Princess Ruolan?"

Ziwen froze, looking at Xiao Xi in astonishment. After a long pause, he asked in disbelief, "You just heard what I said to the Master?"

"Mm!" Xiao Xi nodded. Nonsense, they were so close to her, of course she could hear! She wasn't deaf!

"But I spoke in an extremely low voice. Even if you were standing right beside the Master, logically speaking, it should have been impossible for you to hear!" Ziwen was utterly perplexed.

"Was it really said in an extremely, extremely low voice? Logically speaking, it really would have been impossible for me to hear?" Being told this by Ziwen, Xiao Xi became confused as well!

Ziwen nodded solemnly. After thinking for a long time, he gave a grave warning: "You don't need to know who Princess Ruolan is, and you must never mention this matter in front of the Master again."

"So mysterious! And not even allowed to be mentioned!" Xiao Xi had truly never heard of any Princess Ruolan in the country she lived in. Could she be a princess from another country? But why couldn't she mention it in front of Ouyang Mo!

"It is for your own good!" Ziwen said very calmly.

"Fine! A wise man adapts to circumstances." Xiao Xi naturally knew that a man as outstanding, handsome, and sought after by every woman in the world as he was could not possibly fall in love at first sight with an ordinary girl like her based solely on one night. Therefore, she did not have the capital to challenge Ouyang Mo's patience.

Even though he had just been very gentle and kind to her, there was no telling if he would ruthlessly cast her into the eighteenth level of hell the moment she crossed his bottom line. Since she had finally managed to leave the Tang family, she couldn't let her latter half of life return to such a miserable existence.

After dropping her off at the gates of the Tang residence, Ziwen departed. Watching Ziwen's receding figure, Xiao Xi felt that although he looked cold on the surface, he was actually likely an easy person to deal with. In the future, once she married into the Ouyang family, she would inevitably have to interact with him. She would have to find a way to win him over.

Upon entering the house, she walked straight toward the small courtyard at the northernmost end where she resided. Halfway there, she ran into the Second Miss Tang, as if by chance. Xiao Xi felt that this Second Miss Tang must have been waiting for her here on purpose; otherwise, given her personality, there was no way she would suddenly appear here.

"Second Sister, is there something you need from me?" Xiao Xi cast a cold glance at the Second Miss Tang.

A smile was plastered on the Second Miss Tang's face, making her look like a completely different person from her usual self. She looked kind and gentle; this was the first time Xiao Xi had seen her second sister display such an unusual side when facing her. "Xiao Xi, Second Sister wants to come and have a heart-to-heart with you!"

"A heart-to-heart!" Xiao Xi was momentarily overly surprised! Had her second sister taken the wrong medicine today? She was still bullying her this morning, and now she wanted to have a heart-to-heart!

"Yes!" The Second Miss Tang walked over and affectionately took Xiao Xi by the arm. This immediately gave Xiao Xi goosebumps! Did she have to be this physically intimate at such close range! She couldn't stand it!

Xiao Xi wanted to push the Second Miss's hand away, but to her surprise, the second sister shamelessly leaned her head against Xiao Xi's shoulder. She spoke in a gentle, persuasive tone, "Do you still hold a grudge because Second Sister hasn't treated you well? Do you really dislike Second Sister?"

"No... no! What are you saying!" Xiao Xi actually wanted to say: *Yes, you're right, I do dislike you.* But she was curious about what tricks the Second Miss was playing today, so she had to go against her conscience and play along with her sister.

"Really? You truly don't hate Second Sister? Actually, Second Sister likes you very much too. It's always those other sisters who force me to come and bully you with them. They say if I don't take their side, they will find ways to harm me! I... I am also acting out of necessity!" The Second Miss Tang looked aggrieved and sorrowful.

"Is that so?" Xiao Xi stared at the Second Miss Tang suspiciously. "Let bygones be bygones. If you have something to say, just say it!" Please, she couldn't listen to this anymore.

The Second Miss Tang immediately lifted her head, looking bashful. "Xiao Xi, could you please tell Master Ouyang that when he marries you into the family, he should marry me in as well?"

"What?" Xiao Xi was clearly stunned by the Second Miss Tang's shocking idea. Were there actually women in this world who begged to become a concubine? What on earth was wrong with this world? "Second Sister, that is not for me to decide. Besides, a great figure like Master Ouyang, how could he listen to a mere concubine like me!"

The Second Miss Tang's expression froze for a moment, but it passed in an instant. She regained her smiling, friendly facade: "Xiao Xi, you probably don't know yet, do you? Master Ouyang has married eight concubines, but he has no primary wife."

Before this, Xiao Xi truly did not know. She had always assumed that among the eight wives Ouyang Mo had married, one must be the primary wife, the First Madam. "Who did you hear that from?"

"Everyone knows this. Which woman in the entire Yunxiang Continent doesn't know! Only you, who spends all day thinking about peddling your broken trinkets and has no interest in this, wouldn't know," the Second Miss Tang said.

For some reason, upon hearing this, the first thing Xiao Xi thought of was that Princess Ruolan. Could it be that Ouyang Mo had been keeping the position of primary wife vacant for this Princess Ruolan? "What does that have to do with whether you can marry into the Ouyang family together?" Xiao Xi's thoughts returned to the main point.

"Of course it has something to do with it! If the two of us marry into the Ouyang family together, when we compete for the position of primary wife with the other concubines in the future, we can watch over and support each other." The Second Miss Tang's eyes were darting around.

Xiao Xi suddenly gave a faint smile. Most likely, this second sister would ruthlessly step on her to rise to the top in the future! She wasn't stupid! "Is it just for the sake of the title of primary wife that you want to marry into the Ouyang family?" Xiao Xi asked.

The Second Miss Tang shook her head, her face full of admiration. "Of course it's not just because of that. Don't be fooled by the fact that Master Ouyang is already in his forties; not only is he handsome, but he is also extremely mature and charming." Moreover, he was the wealthiest man in the Yunxiang Continent, envied by everyone. If she could marry him, her life wouldn't have been lived in vain!

Xiao Xi let out a mocking snort. If her second sister knew that Ouyang Mo's actual age was only in his twenties, and that his original appearance was more than a hundred times more handsome than what she saw—that no man in the whole world could be more handsome than him—she would probably resort to any means necessary to marry him!

"Fine, when the housekeeper comes tomorrow to deliver the bank notes, I'll mention it to him. But I can't guarantee whether it will succeed!" After saying this, Xiao Xi turned to leave. As for whether she would actually say it or not, that depended on her mood tomorrow.

Upon hearing this, the Second Miss Tang immediately blossomed with joy. She excitedly hugged Xiao Xi and said gratefully, "Xiao Xi, to have a sister as magnanimous and kind-hearted as you in this life is my greatest blessing!"

Xiao Xi gave her a sidelong glance and also smiled. She was indeed magnanimous and kind-hearted, but she would certainly never use those virtues on the Second Miss Tang, who had bullied her since childhood.

After parting with the Second Miss Tang, Xiao Xi continued walking forward. Not long after, she encountered the Fourth Miss Tang. Xiao Xi helplessly pressed her hand to her forehead, watching as the Fourth Miss Tang, also wearing a smile, suddenly became kind and gentle as she walked toward her. Could this fourth sister also want to marry into the Ouyang family?

As it turned out, there was no such thing as being shameless; there was only being more shameless. The Fourth Miss Tang's reason for coming was identical to the Second Miss Tang's. The only difference was that her reason for bullying Xiao Xi in the past had turned into something Old Man Tang had ordered her to do.

Sigh, it seemed there wasn't a single pure soul in the entire Tang family!