Hidden Shadow – CH 290

Chapter Two-Hundred-Ninety: The Word “Love”

Mo Sigui did not wish to walk the path of revenge with her, but he had too many things left undone. Call it cowardice, call it selfishness, but his life and time would not be wasted on revenge.

There were only a handful of people in this world who understood him, and Lou Mingyue was one of them.

They could have been a perfect couple, but alas, he could not let go of his medical profession, and she could not let go of her hatred.

“Tomorrow…” Mo Sigui interrupted Lou Mingyue. “You leave after three days. A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. Can you not even wait three days?”

“I understand,” Lou Mingyue did not refute.

The pipe was out of embers. Mo Sigui tapped it on the table. “I remember when we were little, you were even more mischievous than the boys. Stealing birds and catching fish—you were always the one leading the charge, and I was always the one to cover for you when you got into trouble.”

Lou Mingyue did not know why he suddenly brought this up. Hearing this, a pang of pain shot through her heart, and her eyes welled up with tears. She quickly lowered her gaze, concealing the rare glimmer of emotion she felt.

Mo Sigui said slowly, “If you wanted to cry, you’d just open your mouth and wail; if you wanted to laugh, you’d laugh your heart out. I always thought you were a very easygoing person.”

Lou Mingyue held back her tears, her eyes slightly bloodshot. “Since you know I am not like that, why say such things?”

“Then may I ask, how did you get injured this time?” Mo Sigui put down his pipe and looked at her.

“To assassinate Yelu Huangwu.” Lou Mingyue pursed her lips, a hint of resentment showing in her stubborn expression.

Mo Sigui said, “I’ve heard that all members of the Yelu clan suffer from a disease that limits their lifespan to middle age. Yelu Huangwu is already nearing her end. You’d be better off assassinating Ning Yanli sooner.”

“You do not understand.” Lou Mingyue stood up, walked to the window, and opened it. A sky full of stars, veiled by a thin mist, came into view. “How happy and carefree I was in my childhood. Now, it is ten times more painful. Although the Ning couple were not my biological parents, they were not indifferent to me. Because of the Liao Kingdom’s schemes, my family was destroyed, and my father risked his life to save me…”

Lou Mingyue’s words suddenly choked, her brows furrowing tightly. No matter how hard she tried to hold back, tears still streamed down her face.

She still remembered her father’s arrows. He carried her for many li, and when pursuers caught up, he hastily threw her into the river. “I left you a letter,” he had said, “located in the artificial cave you always hide in. If you survive, my child, take it and read it. Do not seek revenge for your parents.”

These few words revealed his unwavering fatherly love. Whenever she was angry, she would hide in that cave for days, without even her personal maid. Only the kitchen maid knew, often bringing her food, but it turned out…

She floated and sank in the river, witnessing her father’s gruesome death at the hands of two black-clad men.

Back then, Lou Mingyue was well protected by the Ning couple. She had never seen a dead person before, let alone witnessed her father, with whom she had lived day and night, die before her eyes. The shock was devastating.

Every time she thought of that scene, she felt that even tearing those two black-clad men to pieces would not be enough to quell her hatred.

Lou Mingyue’s biological mother was a cold and wise woman, very strict with her. But it was not hard to see a deep love for her daughter. To Lou Mingyue, she was both a mother and a teacher. She was even somewhat like a close friend.

And yet, she had been forced to burn her own mother alive!

She could not forget the sight of her mother’s slightly open eyes in the flames. Even though it might have been an unconscious movement, in her dreams it was interpreted in countless ways: questioning, resentment, confusion, pain… waking her up in terror every night.

Twice her family was destroyed, yet Lou Mingyue did not break down. Instead, she grew even stronger, all because of this burning hatred!

She stood by the window, letting the night wind dry her tears.

Mo Sigui stepped forward and embraced her from behind. This was the first time in ten years they had been so close.

“Ningyu,” Mo Sigui’s voice was hoarse. Looking at her lonely back, he felt an urge to die with her, but in the end, he only said, “You do not need to sever ties with me. Though I cannot be with you through life and death, I want to be your support.”

Lou Mingyue felt the warmth from behind and did not push him away.

Sometimes she felt a pang of resentment, but upon calming down, she realized he owed her nothing. Why should she expect him to abandon his lifelong pursuit for some unrelated hatred?

If she could let go, she could be with him, living a carefree life amidst nature. Unfortunately, as long as her enemy lived, she could not sleep or eat in peace!

Compared to her lifelong ideals and deep-seated hatred, Lou Mingyue’s feelings for Mo Sigui seemed insignificant. It was not a passionate, irreplaceable love, but rather an unbreakable bond.

Childhood sweethearts, their bond was more complex, perhaps containing a mixture of familial affection and romantic love.

A jumble of thoughts churned in her mind. As the storm subsided, Lou Mingyue said, “Thank you.”

Outside the window, starlight streamed down from the night sky, cascading into the lake and shimmering on the water, mirroring the emotions in their hearts at that moment.

The night was still, the candlelight dim.

The next day, as dawn approached, An Jiu went to scout the terrain of Caishikou, while the others busied themselves with preparations.

The weapons Gao Dazhuang brought were clearly insufficient. Regardless of whether the rescue attempt succeeded or not, they could not return, so there was much to prepare.

An Jiu returned to the island before noon. Just as the small boat docked, a deafening roar erupted, and a flock of startled birds took flight, soaring into the sky. Immediately afterward, thick smoke billowed from the forest.

The islanders temporarily abandoned their tasks and rushed to Lou Xiaowu’s courtyard.

An Jiu was the last to arrive. She had barely stepped across the threshold when a dark figure lunged at him, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. “Fourteenth, Fourteenth, did you see that?”

“Quick, put out the fire!” Sui Yuntong hurriedly pulled An Jiu.

The surrounding trees were charred black. What had started as a few scattered flames had ignited and spread rapidly without their noticing.

Autumn and winter were dry seasons, making fires more likely, especially with the thick layer of dead leaves on the ground!

An Jiu, while rolling up her sleeves to fetch water, asked Lou Xiaowu, “What happened?”

“I was making bullets, but I have not finished them yet. However, I accidentally created a kind of fire bomb. How about that? Pretty powerful, right?” Lou Xiaowu said proudly.

Mo Sigui raised his pipe and hit her on the back of the head, yelling, “Put out the fire! I will deal with you later!”

Lou Xiaowu’s almond-shaped eyes, clearer and brighter than ever on her dark face, seemed to speak volumes, filled with grievance. Reluctantly, she picked up a ladle to pour water, only to be hit again by Mo Sigui.

“Are you watering flowers? Get me a bigger bucket!”

Mo Sigui had gone to great lengths to defend the island, and he was not about to give up easily. The Dream Flowers, as the first line of defense, had already bloomed; the Poison Orchids, as the second line, were just beginning to grow, and the herbs used to isolate the poisonous gas were still tender buds. If the fire spread, all the work he had put in months of effort would be destroyed.

Lou Xiaowu pouted and went to fetch water to put out the fire.

After working for half an hour, she finally managed to stop the fire before it spread to the herb garden.

Lou Xiaowu then quietly approached An Jiu, gently poked her with her finger, and asked with bright, sparkling eyes, “How is it?”