Chapter 16 Love of Death

After half a month of twists and turns, Xue Zuining finally followed Elder Su to Yunnan.

Ever since the incident with the vehicle being tailed and tracked, everyone had been on high alert. Unless absolutely necessary, Xue Zuining had to stay quietly in her room, which was the safest course of action.

Pushing open the window of their residence in Yunnan, one was greeted by the tranquil and serene Erhai Lake, guarding this magical land like a mother. In the distance, towering mountains nurtured countless rivers, nourishing the hardworking people of this earth.

When Su Yi arrived, he saw an earnest yet languid woman leaning against a rattan sofa, her pen sketching something. Stepping closer, he realized Xue Zuining was copying the distant scenery.

"Not bad."

This brief appraisal made Xue Zuining turn her head abruptly, only to find Su Yi's magnified face right before her eyes.

"Why are you here?" Seeing this man—who had been as elusive as a dragon whose tail is seen but never its head throughout this period—suddenly appear before her, Xue Zuining felt a strange sensation stirring deep within her heart. She wanted to ask him about that man, yet she had no idea how to broach the subject.

Su Yi raised an eyebrow, took her sketchpad, and flipped through a few pages. Most of the works were landscapes, but when he turned to the final page, his gaze shifted abruptly from the drawing to Xue Zuining's face.

At first, Xue Zuining did not comprehend the look in the man's eyes, but she soon remembered the contents of that drawing and stood up to snatch it back.

Su Yi, however, deliberately held his hand high, his peach-blossom eyes curving upward as he looked exceptionally pleased with himself for catching someone in the act. "Didn't you say you wanted a clean break? Didn't you say you would never pay attention to that man again? Well then, my beautiful Xue, care to explain why you were secretly drawing his portrait?"

Faced with his intentional teasing, Xue Zuining was momentarily at a loss for words to retort.

Seeing her lost for words, Su Yi was utterly delighted. This woman was simply all mouth and no heart; clearly, she missed the man terribly, yet on the surface, she insisted on putting on an indifferent front.

Very well, she could keep up her stubborn denial all she wanted. He had his ways of making her confess.

"Hey, tell me, why are you here just to provoke me? Since when did Lord Su have so much idle time on his hands?" Xue Zuining sat down, took a sip of water to calm her nerves, and looked up at him leisurely. "Besides, if you're here to act as a lobbyist, you'd better watch out."

"I need to watch out?"

"That's right. Watch out for Grandfather stripping the skin and pulling the tendons of a rebellious good grandson like you."

"Heh, I doubt that. You can rest easy. As for me, I'm not here to waste my breath." Calculated and unhurried, Su Yi produced a red invitation card. "In a few days, it's Lu Huaining's wedding. I'm here to ask whether the Old Master will be attending. After all, the ties between our two families are right there; we can't afford to be discourteous."

"A wedding? Lu Huaining is getting wedding?" Xue Zuining bristled like a startled cat.

"You didn't know?" Su Yi crossed his arms and looked at her. "He proposed in America a week ago. The bride is said to be Ning Cairong, whom you've met."

Xue Zuining frowned and walked straight toward the door, ignoring him entirely.

Su Yi quickly blocked her path. "Hey, where are you going? The man is finally stepping into the halls of matrimony—you're not planning to hijack the groom, are you?"

"I wouldn't do that." Xue Zuining glanced at him and smiled suddenly. "I'm just going to strip his skin off, that's all."