Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Because I refused to confess even if beaten to death, Yan Luoxi put me under house arrest in the courtyard.

Fortunately, while I couldn’t leave, the girls in the residence could still sneak in. Every day, they gathered here to play cards, banter, and crack jokes, so the days weren’t too unbearable.

On this particular day, the sun was warm and gentle, so I led a group of my dear old sisters through some wellness calisthenics in the courtyard.

Deep winter was nearly over, and the weather had begun to warm. Everyone took off their heavy fur coats and wore only light padded jackets. Those following me into the splits did the splits; those doing backbends did backbends. The little courtyard was brimming with the feeling of spring.

Seeing how supple my waist was, and how my palms could press flat against the ground when I bent backward, Wanfang was instantly overcome with envy. She stroked one hand over the small of my back and sighed, “Sister, your waist isn’t a waist-it’s a soul-stealing scimitar~~”

I saw that her full split was perfectly straight and level, so I cheerfully returned the compliment.

“Little sister, your legs aren’t legs-they’re spring water by the willow-lined river~~”

Seeing the two of us shamelessly buttering each other up, Xiaotang, who was at the very back of the line, also tried to do a backbend. When I saw her straining so hard that her face and neck turned red, I went straight over to help.

To my surprise, though she was young, her frame was not small at all. As I helped her, I asked in astonishment, “Xiaotang, you’re so young. Why is your body so stiff?”

Unexpectedly, the moment I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, her face suddenly flushed bright red. She pushed me away and ran off.

I was just about to chase after her when Wanfang stopped me with a smile. “Children get embarrassed easily. Just let her be.”

“Let’s keep practicing.”

“Oh.”

When I looked over at the twins, they had already been doing handstands in the sunlight for half an hour.

Hiss…

Was that the kind of skill ordinary people could have?

“Something’s not right.”

“What isn’t right?”

At my words, Wanfang looked at me, her expression gradually turning solemn.

Even the twins practicing nearby fixed their eyes on me. The way their nerves seemed to pull taut made it feel as though they might draw a blade on me at any moment.

Of course, I was definitely overthinking it.

“I just feel like…”

Under everyone’s unreadable gazes, I asked in confusion, “The other five younger sisters… I don’t think I’ve seen them in a long time.”

“…”

At that, the twins withdrew their gazes and continued their meditative handstands.

Wanfang also let out a huge sigh of relief. “Oh, them…”

“They were married off by My Lord back on the day you got drunk.”

Me: “?”

After thinking it over carefully, my scalp instantly prickled. “Wait, no. Girls he’s already married and brought home can still be remarried to someone else?”

Hearing this, Wanfang hurriedly lifted a finger to her lips and gently shook her lovely head at me.

Following her wary gaze, I looked over and saw Yan Luoxi standing at the courtyard gate with his hands clasped behind his back. He wore a fish-dragon uniform, an Embroidered Gold Blade at his side, and his deep, quiet eyes were silently fixed on me.

Who knew how long he had been standing there.