C6 Marriage in My Previous Life

Zhong Tingyue and Xijun arrived at Liu Manor. At the crossroads, they spotted Labino dashing toward the market with urgency. Zhong Tingyue refrained from calling out to her, knowing the girl was single-minded and dutifully following Liu Xiaobao's orders as she hurried off to the market.

"Why is she in such a rush?" Zhong Tingyue mused, finding Labino rather endearing. She wasn't just a martial arts prodigy; she was also resolute, willing to risk it all for her young master.

Xijun remarked, "It's such a shame, with a young master like Liu Xiaobao. Given her talent, if she could receive guidance from a renowned teacher or study at an academy, her future accomplishments would surely be remarkable."

"Indeed, it's a shame. Having a maid like her is a stroke of luck for Liu Xiaobao." A thought struck Zhong Tingyue. "Xijun, why don't we take her under our wing? If you reveal your identity, Liu Xiaobao will surely consent. We can offer him some incentives. I bet that spendthrift would sell his little maid for the right price."

"That's an excellent idea. We can't let her talent go to waste."

The two beauties had been outside Liu Manor for quite some time, knocking persistently, but no one came to open the door.

"What's the matter? Have all of Liu Manor's servants perished?" Zhong Tingyue wondered aloud.

Unbeknownst to them, all the servants had indeed left the manor, leaving only Labino, who had just run past. No matter how vigorously they knocked, Liu Xiaobao, resting inside the inner courtyard, couldn't hear them.

"Regardless, we must prioritize saving lives," Zhong Tingyue declared, conjuring a water ball the size of a bowl in her hand. "Xijun, step back. I'm going to break in."

Once Xijun had retreated to a safe distance, Zhong Tingyue hurled the water ball at the door. With a resounding "Bang!" the gate of Liu Manor shattered under the force of the water ball.

"Let's enter," the two beauties decided, acting with impunity, leveraging their status to do as they pleased within Liu Manor. Inside, they discovered that the servants indeed were all gone. From the outer to the inner courtyard, not a single servant or gardener was in sight, though, thankfully, the courtyard itself was well-kept. Otherwise, they might have mistaken the place for a deserted estate.

Labino was hardworking, but there were many tasks she simply couldn't manage. She was clueless when it came to tending the plants and trees at Liu Manor. At best, she would clean the manor every other day, do the laundry, and cook. Of course, Labino was also the manor's protector, the primary guarantor of its safety.

Liu Xiaobao was in pain all over. As he removed his shirt, he noticed several bruises on his body. "Good thing they didn't hit my head, or I'd be disfigured. Chen Wenkai, you're going to pay for this. Just wait until I get stronger; I'll make you wish you were never born."

Such were the fantasies of a homebody, always dreaming of the day he would rise to power and exact revenge on his foes.

While Liu Xiaobao was busy conjuring up the Ten Great Tortures to unleash on Chen Wenkai, he sensed something amiss. There was a continuous sound of a door opening and closing outside, and it seemed to be a woman. "Could it be a female thief? My God, everyone knows the Liu Manor is penniless, yet you still come here to steal? What kind of thieves are you?"

Struggling to his feet, Liu Xiaobao braced himself against the table, intending to arm himself with a stool. But his arm, twisted by one of Chen Wenkai's men, was too weak to lift it. With no other option, he reluctantly grabbed a blue-and-white porcelain pot from the table and hid behind the door, ready to strike the unsuspecting intruder.

Zhong Tingyue and Xijun had turned the Liu Manor upside down, only to find it deserted. Xijun asked, "Tingyue, what's the deal with Liu Manor?"

"What else could it be? The heir must have squandered the family fortune, and the servants have all fled. Look at these rooms, completely bare. Only the one near the kitchen has some household items and children's clothing," deduced Zhong Tingyue, concluding it belonged to a young girl.

Xijun reflected sadly, "Poor Liu Xiaobao. After Duke Silverwind passed away, his son also died a decade ago. Now, Xiaobao is all alone, with no one to guide him, which has led to his current state."

"Why should I pity him? It's his own lack of effort. Shouldn't most people be motivated to strengthen themselves and uplift their family in such circumstances?" Zhong Tingyue wasn't singling out Liu Xiaobao; she simply believed that someone contemplating suicide without any apparent reason didn't deserve sympathy.

Impatiently, Zhong Tingyue exclaimed, "Where on earth is Liu Xiaobao hiding? We've been searching forever and still haven't found him. This is the last room. If he's not here, we're leaving."

Inside the house, Liu Xiaobao overheard Zhong Tingyue mention she was looking for him. "Could she be here to kidnap me? But why? I have nothing worth kidnapping for, and there's no one to pay a ransom. Maybe she's a human trafficker, targeting homeless and forsaken individuals to sell off?"

The more Liu Xiaobao pondered, the more troubled he became. He couldn't imagine anyone sneaking into Liu Manor with good intentions. If someone was sneaking around, they were surely up to no good. He remembered news stories from his past life about homeless people trafficked for their organs and young men and women sold off to remote mountain areas.

The door creaked open. Before Liu Xiaobao could get a clear look at the intruder, he mustered all his strength to hurl the blue and white porcelain pot in his hand at the newcomer.

As an Archmage, Zhong Tingyue was well-prepared to defend and counter any sudden threats. An Aqua Shield materialized in front of her and Xijun, and then Zhong Tingyue manipulated the water to securely ensnare Liu Xiaobao.

Now that Zhong Tingyue and Xijun could see their assailant, Zhong Tingyue demanded, "Liu Xiaobao, what's gotten into you? Why did you attack us out of the blue?"

Struggling fiercely, Liu Xiaobao sought any sliver of hope for escape. In response to the accusation, he retorted angrily, "You sneak into my home like a common burglar, and then have the audacity to question why I attacked you? Release me at once! I am the grandson of Duke Silverwind, the current young duke, and the future Duke Silverwind himself. Don't think you can just whisk me away to some mountainous backwater because you believe no one wants to see me. You're delusional..."

Liu Xiaobao rambled incoherently until Zhong Tingyue and Xijun finally realized why they had been attacked. Xijun clarified, "Liu Xiaobao, we're not thieves. We've come to heal you. Weren't you just assaulted by Chen Wenkai in the street? Tingyue came to your aid, and your maid can vouch for that."

Liu Xiaobao calmed down and took a good look at his visitors.

"Boom!" Liu Xiaobao was taken aback, his heart pounding. "What's happening? Why is she here?"

"Hahahaha!" Liu Xiaobao laughed uncontrollably. "You're still alive. That's wonderful, truly wonderful. You're still alive."

Zhong Tingyue, seeing Liu Xiaobao's frenzied state, said, "Liu Xiaobao, what's gotten into you? Calm down and let Xijun treat you. Your wounds are severe, and if not dealt with promptly, they could cause long-term issues."

"Have I gone mad? Yes, I've lost my mind. Yueting, I've failed you. It's my fault, my incompetence, my doing that led to your death," Liu Xiaobao admitted, gazing at Zhong Tingyue. "I never imagined you'd still be alive. It's incredible. Hahahaha, thank the heavens for allowing me to see Yueting once more."

Ignoring Liu Xiaobao's delirium, Zhong Tingyue instructed Xijun, "I'll restrain him. Treat him quickly. I don't have enough mana to cast advanced healing magic."

Princess Wuyang, Xijun, was also a Mage, specifically an advanced Level 4 Light Mage. Although not as gifted as the prodigious Zhong Tingyue, who could cast the advanced Level 5 Healing Rain, Xijun could still heal Liu Xiaobao with the advanced Level 4 Holy Light Magic.

Xijun summoned a golden staff with a pair of golden wings at its tip, the epic Golden Feather Staff.

Muttering an incantation beyond Liu Xiaobao's comprehension, Xijun enveloped the babbling man in a golden glow. Minutes later, she shrank the staff and tucked it away, with Liu Xiaobao's injuries fully healed.

Liu Xiaobao, having been healed, felt a wave of relief wash over him. Empowered by an additional 10 points of strength from the karma system, his total of 15 points allowed him to break free from Zhong Tingyue's hold. Ordinarily, even with 100 points of strength, Liu Xiaobao would stand no chance against Zhong Tingyue's restraint. But today was different. Zhong Tingyue had exhausted much of her mana in a desperate effort to save a dying mother and son on the street and to intervene in the altercation between Labino and Chen Wenkai, not to mention the energy spent breaking down a door. This extraordinary depletion of her powers was the only reason Liu Xiaobao managed to escape.

In a frenzy, Liu Xiaobao embraced Zhong Tingyue tightly, "Yueting, I won't let you stand in front of me anymore. I won't let you get hurt again. I'm a cheat now, a cheat, and I can protect you."

The two beauties were puzzled by Liu Xiaobao's words. Who was Yueting? A girl who resembled Zhong Tingyue? And what did he mean by 'cheat'?

Left with no other option, Zhong Tingyue delivered a swift palm strike to the back of Liu Xiaobao's head, knocking him out once again.

The Yueting Liu Xiaobao mentioned was Lee Yueting, his childhood friend from the orphanage. Liu Xiaobao had always excelled academically, often helping Lee Yueting with her studies, which gradually led to a blossoming romance. While Liu Xiaobao was timid, never standing up for himself when bullied, Lee Yueting was the exact opposite—a fearless warrior whose daily physical training turned her into a formidable fighter. Despite her academic struggles preventing her from attending university, Lee Yueting joined the Provincial Boxing Association and, through relentless dedication, secured second place in a national women's martial arts competition.

As time passed, Liu Xiaobao became a college sophomore, and Lee Yueting, a renowned female martial artist in the province. Despite their diverging paths, their bond remained strong. Lee Yueting frequently visited Liu Xiaobao at university, much to the envy of his roommates and classmates.

During their summer vacation, they made their way back to the orphanage. On a clear night with a full moon, the orphanage mysteriously caught fire. Not everyone was able to escape in time. Lee Yueting, leading a group of strong individuals, rushed into the burning building to save lives before the firefighters could arrive. Among those trapped inside was Liu Xiaobao.

Liu Xiaobao was deep in slumber when the intense heat woke him, only to find himself engulfed in a fiery inferno. Paralyzed with fear, he was unable to move even though the flames had not yet spread too widely, and he could have attempted an escape. Just then, the door was kicked open, and Lee Yueting burst in, quickly scooping up Liu Xiaobao and fleeing the blaze. Liu Xiaobao was eventually saved, but Lee Yueting succumbed to her severe injuries and passed away.

Liu Xiaobao witnessed the tragic death of his beloved right before his eyes, leaving him utterly devastated. If not for his own timidity, Yueting would not have braved the flames to rescue him. His cowardice ultimately led to the loss of Yueting's life.