Heavenly Star

Ye Shuiyao turned to place the long flute on the table. Her face showed a desolate expression that she could not conceal, but when she turned back her expression was already as tranquil as before. “Then you should teach me how to paint that <>.”

Ye Wuchen shook his head again. Smiling, he said, “Sister you should really get some rest for today. I would like to make a painting for sister. Can I?”

“For me?”

Ye Wuchen proceeded forward and set up the painting board and spread out new paper. He moved to a spot beside the door, which happened to be on the opposite and facing Ye Shuiyao. He said softly, “Although the lotus flower is beautiful, it cannot be compared to sister’s beauty. I drawn mountains and crystal-clear water, beasts and birds, a hundred flowers and a thousand trees, but I have never painted a person before. I would like to try painting a woman of matchless beauty. Would you like to help me sister?”

His longing expression slightly touched the softest parts of her heart. Almost involuntarily, she slightly nodded her head, then stayed in her spot, silently waiting for him to paint.

Ye Wuchen’s gaze delicately swept across every part of her body, from her alluring and cold face, to her white jade sculpture-like neck, then to her breasts propped up by the clothing, her fine waist…… did not allow an inch to slip by. His gaze seemed to contain some kind of invading force, Ye Shuiyao even felt the sensation of her whole body being caressed by him. Her gaze continuously shifted around, afraid to meet him directly in the eyes.

From the beginning until the end, Ye Wuchen did not put the brush to the paper, only faintly smiling while delicately observing his own “sister”. A full minute went by when Ye Shuiyao’s body began to slightly twist under the invasion of his gaze. He suddenly closed his eyes as his right hand began to rapidly dance on the paper.

Ye Shuiyao secretly heaved a sigh of relief and quietly sat on a chair. She clearly had nothing else to do so she calmly stood up after a while, but then she felt a strong force that sapped all her strength.

Her gaze landed on Ye Wuchen’s face, his eyes still closed and he did not move for a very long time. This was the first time Ye Shuiyao had meticulously looked at him. At this moment, she did not have to worry that he would be aware of it, so her gaze shifted from his forehead, to his brows, to his eyes…… over and over. So very familiar, yet very strange, in a way… causing her to become infatuated.

Time slowly drifted away in the silence. The entire world was now left with only the sound of a paintbrush and its friction on the paper. Ye Shuiyao’s vision had lost focus as she gradually became engrossed in her train of thought.

“Sister, I’m done painting.”

The voice had woken the absent-minded Ye Shuiyao. Ye Wuchen’s gaze continuously shifted from the paint board to her, his face wearing a smile, as if comparing the two. Ye Shuiyao’s heart filled with hope and expectation. Striding to step in front of Ye Wuchen, her gaze wandered to the painting, where a woman of matchless beauty appeared before her eyes…

The lake was like a mirror, where a small boat drifting through and rippling the waves. A beautiful woman, like a goddess, was standing on the boat. Her looks were absolutely beautiful, truly out of the ordinary. Dressed in a light blue dress, her skin was as perfect as fine jade, her fluid glance wandered. The face of this beautiful woman was reflected in the water, adding to the overall gorgeousness of the image. Below her slender curved brows, deep eyes glittered with beauty. The corner of her mouth was slightly raised, showing a smile that could cause people to be driven to distraction. Her shoulders like blades, her chest proudly stuck out, her waist curved. The perfect figure made people want force their way through to her.

If any person were to be in a similar situation as this, they would certainly be dazzled and stunned, and would voice thoughts like “this woman was like a heavenly being, rarely found in our human world.”

“Is this person really me?”

Ye Shuiyao stared foolishly, her gaze was frozen on the recently completed painting. Her mouth uttered words of fantasy.

“Aside from sister, who else would fit the description of a ‘woman with matchless beauty’? Don’t tell me you don’t even recognize yourself?”

Ye Shuiyao’s gaze became obsessed. She extended an arm to gently caress the face of the woman in the painting.

“Look. On the painting, sister’s smile is so pretty. I believe that when sister smiles, the men of this world will be infatuated and fall head over heels in love. Sister, do you believe that?”

“……”

“I know that sister has not smiled for a very long time. Even in front of me, you have never smiled. If sister really likes this painting, can you… show me your smile?” Ye Wuchen turned his face around to look at her expectantly.

Her heart suddenly filled with warmth, but within the warmth there was a stabbing pain that would not go away. Her lips slightly moved, making great efforts to curve into a smile. She tried and tried, but was unable to produce a real smile.

“I have forgotten.” She answered, shaking her head. She had forgotten how long ago, maybe five years now, or maybe even ten years now. She had long forgotten how to smile.

“Impossible! Emotions are an instinctive ability every person was bestowed by the heavens. They wouldn’t get lost or forgotten completely. If sister has temporarily forgotten, then I’ll help you remember them, okay?” Ye Wuchen suddenly showed traces of a smile.

Ye Shuiyao looked at him, bewildered. She neither nodded or rejected. Ye Wuchen suddenly extended his hands to press them on both sides of her waist, and his fingers started rapidly tickling her, while his face grew teasing.

To have suddenly sustained such an attack, Ye Shuiyao subconsciously twisted her body to evade as her mouth cried out in surprise. Ye Wuchen would not easily let her go, so his hands wandered all around her waist, lightly and heavily tickling her…

“No… please don’t… ahhh…”

A roar of laughter sounded in both of their ears. Ye Shuiyao finally twisted her body away, but her laugh was absolutely beautiful. Her body had fallen onto Ye Wuchen’s chest after the disordered twisting, and her well-rounded breasts rubbed against his chest, causing all of her strength to fade because of the numbing sensation.

The naughty fingers had finally stopped, but both hands stayed on her waist, “Sister, you laughed.”

Ye Shuiyao leaned against his chest, panting heavily. His thin and weak shoulders made her want to snuggle against them forever. But… after being absorbed for a moment, she lightly pushed Ye Wuchen away, and inclined the opposite direction. “Xiao Chen, I’m tired. Can you please return now?”

“En, I’ll let sister get some rest.”

Ye Wuchen had not intended to stay over for long, so he headed out. Reaching the doorway, he turned, smiling and said, “Sister, your smile is really beautiful.”

His shadow disappeared from her view and the sound of his steps gradually faded. In the empty room, Ye Shuiyao was now all by herself with a very confused and restless heart.

She proceeded in front of the painting of her. Her gaze fixed on it and unable to move away. Without knowing when, her eyes were already filled with tears.

Today, she laughed, then she cried.

“Why does it have to be you… Why does it have to be you…”

She softly murmured while her fingers lightly caressed the face of the woman in the painting. Her pained heart almost shattered into pieces. Finally, a tear fell into the mirror-like lake in the painting.

…………

After three days.

Today was considered to be not just an ordinary day. According to the rumors circling around, the people knew today to be the formal betrothal of the Lin Family and the Hua Family. After this betrothal, their wedding day would follow.

But there were a few whispers that the young master of Ye also liked the young lady of the Hua Family. Rumor has it that these two admired each other greatly, so the Hua Family was already preparing to reject the marriage, and turn to the Ye Family. The most conclusive proof were the witnesses to Hua Zhentian of the Hua Family bringing his daughter to visit the Ye Family, His face had been beaming when he came out of the Ye residence.

…………

In the morning, a man slowly approached Tian Long City.

The first thing that comes into the one’s mind was… white. He was dressed in a full white suit, a white band was wrapped around his waist, his feet were fitted into white shoes, and a white headcover wound around his head. There were countless numbers of people wearing white in the main street, but for him to be dressed all in white caused people to raise their brows. His white suit not only offended the eyes of passers-by, but it was remarkably like mourning garments. Similarly, his face was a frightening pale and white. Facing all the different glances, his facial expression did not change at all, and remained deathly pale like the face of a zombie. This face like a dead person’s made people unable to determine his actual age, maybe thirty or forty years, maybe fifty or sixty, or maybe he was just wearing a mask made of human flesh.

His left hand held a sword… the sword sheath had a pure white hilt. His name was as frighteningly white as he himself was—Tao BaiBai.

He quietly walked. An observant person would have noticed that his steps were unhurried, yet well-distributed in every step, as if each had been accurately measured beforehand. He did not show off any energetic looks, and only a biting cold aura of death circulated his body, causing the people who passed him to shiver uncontrollably.

Tian Long City… Ye Wuchen…

Looking ahead, he drew back a corner of his mouth, exposing eerie white teeth causing people’s blood to run cold.

…………

Tian Long City, Lin residence.

The Lin residence’s guest hall was unusually lively. The highly respected superiors entered one after the other, as they took their seats. Lin Zhan stood before the hall, his face was filled with smiles to welcome the guests, but he was actually feeling deeply worried and sick at heart. The feast for a betrothal originally did not need to be this ceremonious, but they had no choice but to send out the invites and force this matter to become large-scale. They needed to pressure the Hua Family. He did not believe that Hua Zhentian would break his promise and ruin his and the Hua Family’s reputation in front of this many people.

Worst case, in front of the Emperor as well. Although the marriage proposal before had only been a verbal commitment, it had been personally matched and witnessed by the Emperor.

Lin Xiao was also in the hall, sending regards to all the guests. His manner and appearance were greatly praised by people one after the other, but anyone could see that there was something wrong with the atmosphere of this betrothal ceremony. Even though Lin Family was a large and influential family, there was no need to exaggerate with a ceremony like this. To invite all the highest officials of Tian Long City… the more they did this, the more they seemed lacking in confidence and caution. This would prove that the rumors were indeed real, that perhaps the Hua Family had really changed their mind.

“Superior Zhuge has arrived!”

…

“Superior Liu has arrived!”

…

“General Ye and young master Ye have arrived!”

The people conversing suddenly shifted their glances to the outside of the hall. General Ye was already enough, but they even brought along young master Ye, who was responsible for surprising the people of Tian Long. For the son of the Ye family who usually idled the time away to come to this gathering was food for thought to all the people present.

Translted by: Fatty_Uncle

Edited by: potrick_father_of_serious_dragons