Chapter 32 Searching for the Ice Eye

 　　"No need to say anything more, let's help look for her too. Once we find her, everything will be clear," Yongyu said urgently. This news was more important to him than anything else. He hadn't seen his sister for 11 years. Now that he knew Bing might be his sister, he was extremely excited.

　　Everyone watched Yongyu pacing back and forth, constantly making phone calls. They were happy for him, but also worried. If she returned, would it mean the marriage alliance of the four great families was about to begin, and everyone would lose their autonomy?
　　A short while later, several planes indeed flew over, and Youyun and the others slowly boarded them. After boarding, they saw Xi'er still standing there. Weiyi walked to her side and called her a few times. Xi'er immediately came to her senses and threw herself into Weiyi's arms, crying loudly. Weiyi helplessly comforted her for a few moments, then pulled her onto the plane.
　　After Youyun and the others boarded, the plane flew down the cliff to search for Bing Tong's whereabouts.
　　Seeing the princes leave, the remaining people stood there, unsure what to do. Finally, they decided to go to the location their teacher had mentioned, because only there would someone come to pick them up.
　　Meanwhile, Sakura, wearing a mask, stood at the cabin door, loudly calling Bing Tong's name again and again until her voice was hoarse, but received no reply. Ming walked to her side and said, "Evil Lord, don't worry, we will definitely find the Ice Lord." These planes belonged to Sakura Palace, and upon hearing of Bing Tong's accident, Ming immediately summoned everyone here.
　　Sakura glanced at Ming, then looked ahead. Suddenly, she saw a small island and said to Ming, "Quickly, fly the plane there." Ming immediately gave the order.
　　The plane quickly flew to the island, and Sakura eagerly disembarked. This was the only island within hundreds of miles, so she suspected Bing Tong had drifted there.
　　Sakura frantically searched the island for Bing Tong. Seeing her like this, Ming turned to everyone and ordered, "Everyone, conduct an investigation on the island, search for the Ice Lord's whereabouts, and report back immediately upon finding her." Everyone immediately sprang into action. After searching for a long time, Yinglin found nothing. She slumped to the ground, dejected. Suddenly, someone ran up to her and said, "Evil Lord, I found this." Hearing someone speak, Yinglin looked up and was stunned by what the person was holding. It was a bracelet that Bing Tong always wore, never taking it off, but now… Yinglin took the bracelet from the person. She suddenly noticed specks of blood on it, and panicked. She knew something must have happened to Bing Tong. She held the bracelet to her chest, tears silently streaming down her face.
　　Everyone except Ming lowered their heads. Their Evil Lord was crying; how could they bear to see it! Ming was different; he was a protector of the Sakura Palace and often interacted with Yinglin and the others. Although their positions were different, they had a good relationship.
　　Seeing the Evil Lord crying like that, Ming felt a pang of unease. He turned his head to look into the distance, and suddenly he saw several planes flying towards them. He quickly said to Yinglin, "Evil Lord, several planes are flying this way. Should we evacuate first?" Yinglin glanced in the direction he indicated, then stood up and said to everyone, "What happened today must not be told. If I hear anyone say that the Ice Lord is missing, I will make them wish they were dead. Do you all understand?" Her voice was laced with malice. "Yes, we understand," everyone replied in unison. Then Yinglin took the lead and boarded the plane, followed by the others.

Chapter 31 Cherry Blossom Forest's Wrath

 　　"No!!!!!!!" Yu Yun, fearing she would fall like Bing, hurriedly pulled her across the cliff. After crossing the cliff and walking a short distance, they reached the place their teacher had mentioned.

　　"Bing'er... Bing'er... No... Ah!!!!!!!!!!" Ying Lin broke free from Yu Yun's embrace and ran towards the cliff edge. Yu Yun caught her in time and held her in his arms. Ying Lin burst into tears, then suddenly seemed to remember something and fixed her gaze on Xi'er, who had just crossed the cliff. Seeing her gaze, Xi'er shivered violently.
　　Ying Lin stepped out of Yu Yun's arms and walked up to Xi'er. Looking at her, she said, "Mo Xi'er, it seems you haven't remembered what I said! I told you not to test my patience, and you've repeatedly violated it. How you want to die, I'll grant your wish." Hearing her words, Yu Yun and the others were stunned. 'Who is she? How could she say such a thing?' Moreover, they could clearly feel the murderous aura emanating from Yinglin. At this moment, Xi'er was frightened by her murderous aura, her eyes filled with fear.
　　Yinglin walked towards her step by step, a bloodthirsty smile on her lips. Seeing her like this, Wei Yi quickly stood in front of Xi'er and said to Yinglin, "Ying'er, calm down. Xi'er didn't do it on purpose. Let's go find Bing'er first." After spending so much time together, everyone could see that Yinglin always protected Bing; Bing was very important to her.
　　Yinglin smiled, then said to Wei Yi, "I didn't expect you to be so protective of her. What about the vows you made before? Have you forgotten them all? Didn't you say you would protect her forever? But now? Why are you hurting her like this?" "Wait, who is this 'she' you're talking about?" Wei Yi asked urgently, hoping to get the answer he wanted from Yinglin. Yinglin glanced at him and continued, "You're not worthy to know who she is." Without looking at Weiyi, she took out her phone and dialed a number. Once connected, she said to the person on the other end, "Gather everyone. Reach the cliff in the rocky valley within five minutes. Bing'er has fallen off the cliff. Instruct everyone to immediately search along the water at the bottom of the cliff. Immediately." She hung up.
　　"Ying'er, don't worry, we will definitely find Bing'er," Yongyu said. "Ha! Not 'we,' but 'I.' You have no right to look for her. Don't even think about hurting her," Yinglin laughed sarcastically. Then, a gust of wind blew by, and everyone looked up to see airplanes everywhere in the sky. They were all surprised. Then, a plane approached the cliff edge. Yinglin glanced at Youyun and then walked straight onto the plane. All the planes flew down the cliff in unison.
　　After all the planes had flown away, Zi Yu, holding Ci Xuan's hand, walked to You Yun's side and said, "What exactly is her identity? Even a British noble wouldn't have that much power!" "And who is this 'she' she's talking about?" Yong Yu also came over and said. "I think I know who this 'she' is," Wei Yi said, calming down from the earlier panic and walking over to Zi Yu and the others. "Bing Tong, right?" You Yun said, "My sister?" Yong Yu asked. Wei Yi nodded. From the vows Ying Lin made, Wei Yi knew who she was talking about. He was just unsure, which was why he continued to ask Ying Lin.
　　"How does she know Tong'er?" Yong Yu said. "Who knows what happened, but did you see Bing's hair just now?" You Yun said. "Yes, I saw it, purple hair," Yong Yu replied. “Ying’er has always protected Bing, and she was so angry just now because Bing fell off the cliff. Besides, Bing has purple hair, could she be…?” Zi Yu said calmly. “Possibly, but none of us saw if she had that rose mark on her face,” You Yun said. “No need to say anything more, let’s help look for her. Once we find her, everything will be clear.”

Chapter 30 Ice Eyes Falls Off the Cliff

 　　Wei Yi's influence on them was significant; they felt safe and less vulnerable following the princes.

　　Wei Yi and his group walked ahead, with the other students following behind. Occasionally, snakes would appear, but Wei Yi and his group would eliminate them. This further convinced the students behind that following Wei Yi would ensure their safety. However, they didn't realize that the person they should truly thank was Bing Tong, because it was Bing Tong's presence that ensured their safety.
　　Finally, they reached the cliff the teacher had mentioned. Many students hesitated to proceed, as a river flowed below, and a fall would be disastrous. But if they didn't go forward, snakes would attack, putting them in a pincer movement. It was a difficult choice! However, the vast majority of students chose to stay; even being bitten by snakes was better than falling to their deaths. Therefore, most students remained. Ultimately, only about ten people decided to cross the cliff.
　　Reaching the edge of the cliff, Youyun turned to everyone and said, "It doesn't look very narrow here, but everyone should still be careful. Yi, your hand is injured, so you'll walk in the middle. Let's support each other; I believe we can get across." Then he walked to Yinglin's side and said, "Ying'er, come with me!" "No, I want to stay with Bing'er," Yinglin hurriedly shook her head. Her purpose in coming here was to protect Bingtong; if Bingtong were harmed, Yinglin would be punished.
　　Youyun saw that her attitude was firm and couldn't change it. He thought for a moment and then said to her, "How about this, you stay next to me, and Bing'er stays next to you." Yinglin thought about it; this way she could stay with Youyun and also protect Bingtong, so she nodded.
　　After arranging their positions, everyone decided to cross the cliff. Let me introduce their current positions. First is Youyun, then Yinglin, then Bingtong, Xi'er, Weiyi, Cixuan, and Ziyu. The others will not be mentioned.
　　Everyone walked cautiously, afraid of falling. They all kept their eyes on the path ahead, but Xi'er stared at the two people in front of her, her eyes filled with a fierce light.
　　Because of Xi'er's distraction, she suddenly stepped off course. "Ah!!" Xi'er cried out. Wei Yi reached out to help her, but at that moment, Xi'er reached for Bing Tong instead, grabbing her arm right where Bing Tong had cut herself the night before. Xi'er pulled hard on Bing Tong's arm, managing to regain her balance, but Bing Tong was lifted off the ground by the force of her pull. "Bing'er!" Wei Yi shouted. Hearing his cry, Ying Lin turned around and nearly fell as well, thankfully caught by You Yun. Ying Lin tried with all her might to pull her back, but it was too late. Bing Tong's feet were already off the ground, and then a gust of wind blew, causing Bing Tong's hat to fall off the cliff. In an instant, her long purple hair fell down, revealing Bing Tong's face to them. Before they could even see her clearly, she fell. "Bing'er... Bing'er!" Ying Lin cried out loudly. But it was too late. "No!!!!!!!!!!"

Chapter 29: A Difficult Mission

 　　"Yi, what happened?" "Nothing much. I went into the forest at 5 a.m. to look for some food, and I encountered a large group of poisonous snakes. I was bitten, then I passed out, and I don't remember anything after that." Wei Yi told them what happened. "You were clearly bitten by a snake, but why are there no signs of poisoning?" Yong Yu continued to ask. "I already said I passed out after being bitten by a snake, how would I know I wasn't poisoned?" Wei Yi said impatiently. Seeing him like this, Zi Yu suddenly said, "Then go and rest! Don't forget, the teacher said there's a mission this afternoon." "Okay," Wei Yi nodded and went into the tent.

　　From beginning to end, Bing Tong had been listening to Wei Yi's story from being found to now. She couldn't help but scoff, 'Ha! Wei Yi.' Seeing him go into the tent, Bing Tong also went into the tent. As she turned to go in, Zi Yu kept watching her. The mystery surrounding her was growing.
　　Wei Yi went into the tent and slowly lay down, but he couldn't fall asleep at all. Although he had been unconscious last night, he felt someone come to his side, drive away the snakes around him, and detoxify him. When he woke up, he could taste blood in his mouth. That meant what happened last night was real. But who was that person? And the magic crystal was also gone; could that person have taken it too? He was completely baffled. In the afternoon
　　, everyone gathered at the place the teacher had asked them to meet, waiting for the teacher's instructions.
　　A short while later, the teacher said to everyone, "Today, you have a task: to form your own groups and help each other reach the opposite mountain peak. Someone will come to pick you up when you get there. Reaching the peak isn't difficult, but you'll see a cliff in the middle. You must stay close to the cliff edge as you walk, otherwise it will be dangerous. If any of you are too scared to go further when you reach the cliff, you can wait where you are, but be aware of snake attacks while you wait. Someone will come to pick you up. Okay, that's the purpose of our trip here. Everyone, get to work!"
　　Hearing the task the teacher described, everyone shuddered. What kind of task was this?! They might die here; they'd better not participate. A few students were about to tell the teacher they wouldn't participate when suddenly the teacher turned around and said, "Everyone must participate in this task." Then she left.
　　All the students hung their heads in dejection. Yinglin turned to Youyun and the others, saying, "In that case, let's go!" "Yes, since everyone has to participate, let's go too!" Youyun nodded. "Then let's go!" Yongyu said, looking at them.
　　Youyun and the others then entered the forest, as it was a necessary route to reach the mountain peak. Seeing their beloved prince and princess leave, the others no longer hesitated and helped each other into the forest.
　　The forest was full of poisonous snakes, and Youyun and the others walked cautiously, with the other classmates following behind. For them, Weiyi and his friends had a significant influence; they felt safe with the princes and that following them would reduce danger.

What exactly happened in Chapter 28?

 　　Bing Tong had lived here for a long time; the snake king of these snakes was practically her pet, which explained why the snakes obeyed her so obediently.

　　After leaving the forest, Bing Tong looked around to make sure no one was there, then went into her tent. Seeing Ying Lin still fast asleep, she smiled and lay down beside her.
　　However, Bing Tong was unaware that just after she entered the tent, a figure emerged from behind a tree. In the moonlight, the person's features were clearly visible. It was Yu Mo Zi Yu.
　　Zi Yu stood there watching Bing Tong enter the tent, a little curious: what was she doing out in the middle of the night?
　　Actually, Zi Yu had heard Bing Tong playing the flute, and he was curious who would play the flute at night, especially in a place like this. So he went out of the tent to see, only to see Bing emerge from the forest. This intensified his curiosity. Who exactly was Bing?
　　The next day, everyone got up very early. The last to rise was You Yun, who complained as he walked that Wei Yi hadn't woken him. Seeing everyone standing there, but with no sign of Wei Yi, he asked curiously, "Where did Yi go?" "Huh? Wasn't he in the same tent as you? I told him he usually gets up the earliest, but today we're all up and he's still not up," Yong Yu said, looking at him. "Then where did he go? I haven't seen him since I got up this morning," You Yun mumbled sleepily. "Oh no, he wouldn't be..." 'Going to look for the magic crystal!' Of course, Yong Yu didn't say this aloud, because Ying Lin and Bing Tong were standing right in front of them, listening intently. "If that's the case, he might be in danger. Let's go look for him!" You Yun said hurriedly. Magic crystals aren't so easy to find.
　　Hearing You Yun's words, everyone sprang into action. Although they always spoke in half-truths, Ying Lin understood, albeit vaguely. It's just that Wei Yi is missing! Mo Xier was certainly annoying, but Wei Yi was still You Yun's good friend, and Ying Lin was You Yun's girlfriend. Since Wei Yi was missing, Ying Lin should go look for him, even though she hated him.
　　Ying Lin then turned to Bing Tong and said, "Bing'er, you can rest here!" Bing Tong shook her head, and then Ying Lin said, "Then let's go together!" She then took Bing Tong's hand and followed them.
　　"Yi, where are you!" Xier shouted loudly. "Yi, if you hear us, say something!" You Yun also shouted.
　　"I...I'm...here." Hearing their calls, Wei Yi slowly opened his eyes and used all his strength to tell them his direction. Then, following the sound, everyone found Wei Yi. Seeing his numerous injuries, Xier immediately threw herself at him and cried. Wei Yi frowned slightly. The observant You Yun noticed his injury and said to Xi'er, "Xi'er, don't cry yet. Let's help him up first!" Hearing You Yun's words, Xi'er jumped up and, together with You Yun, helped Wei Yi up.
　　"Yi, what happened?" Yong Yu asked, looking at Wei Yi. "Don't talk about it here. Let's go back first! It's not safe here," Zi Yu said calmly. But he was right. Bing Tong had only given orders last night not to come here, but that didn't mean the snakes wouldn't come today.
　　Following Zi Yu's words, the group slowly helped Wei Yi back to sit outside the tent. Bing Tong had simply followed behind them the whole time, without any reaction. Back where they were, Xi'er found a first-aid kit and gave Wei Yi a quick bandage. After they finished bandaging him, Yong Yu asked again, "Yi, what happened?"

Chapter 27 Wei Yi is injured while searching for the magic crystal.

 　　'Huh? Wei Yi? What's he doing here? Could he also be looking for the magic crystal?' Bing Tong wondered. Sure enough, Bing Tong's guess was correct. Wei Yi walked towards the source of the light. He glanced around every now and then, just in case. But if danger comes, no amount of precaution will prevent you from escaping it.

　　Wei Yi reached the source of the light, a patch of grass. He gently parted the grass on either side. Sure enough, the magic crystal was there. Wei Yi picked up the magic crystal and turned to go back. Just as he was congratulating himself on how easily he had obtained it, suddenly, a commotion erupted around them. Bing Tong seemed to sense it too, and then poked her head out in Wei Yi's direction. At this moment, not only Wei Yi was shocked, but Bing Tong was also shocked. A large group of snakes surrounded Wei Yi. Judging from their color, these snakes were definitely highly venomous. And since these snakes had lived here for years, sulfur and such had no effect on them. Now, there was real danger. Suddenly, the swarm of snakes rushed towards him. Wei Yi tried his best to dodge, but there were simply too many snakes, and besides these, a large number were also advancing towards him. Once all the snakes arrived, Wei Yi's life would be in danger.
　　Despite Wei Yi's high level of martial arts, he was still struggling against the onslaught of snakes. His energy was slowly dwindling when suddenly, a snake bit his arm. Wei Yi used all his strength to kill the snake, but because of the snake's venom, he felt dizzy. 'Am I going to die here?' These were the last words Wei Yi thought as he fainted. Seeing him collapse, the swarm of snakes attacked fiercely. Seeing this, Bing Tong emerged from behind a tree, holding a xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute). She slowly picked up the xiao and began to play, and elegant melody emanated from her lips. Strangely, upon hearing the xiao, the snakes suddenly stopped moving. They split into two rows, lowering their heads, as if welcoming someone's arrival. Suddenly, a golden snake appeared before Bing Tong. Under the watchful eyes of the other snakes, it slowly approached her. Bing Tong stopped playing her flute, knelt down, touched the snake, then stood up, picked up the flute again, and continued playing. The golden snake seemed to have received a command, turning and leading the other snakes away.
　　After the snakes left, Bing Tong slowly walked to Wei Yi's side. She noticed Wei Yi's face was extremely pale, and the snakebite site was now black, clearly indicating severe poisoning. Bing Tong slowly knelt down, reaching out to touch his smooth cheek. Her face displayed a variety of expressions, including heartache and sorrow. She gently took Wei Yi's hand, took out a small knife, and made a cut at the snakebite site. Blood flowed out, black in color. Bing Tong lowered her head and kissed the bleeding spot, forcefully sucking out all the venomous blood, then turned and spat it onto the surrounding grass, wiping the blood from her lips.
　　Seeing Wei Yi's complexion gradually improve, Bing Tong took a small knife and cut her wrist again, blood flowing out instantly. Then, Bing Tong placed her wrist near Wei Yi's mouth, the blood flowing from her hand into his mouth. Perhaps no one knew, but Bing Tong's blood truly had healing properties. Watching Wei Yi's complexion gradually return to normal, Bing Tong withdrew her hand, wiped the blood from his mouth, took the magic crystal from his hand, stood up, gave him one last look, and then turned and left. She wasn't worried about Wei Yi getting hurt if he stayed, because the flute music she had just heard was an order to the snakes, commanding them not to approach. Many might wonder why the snakes obeyed Bing Tong so readily. That's because Bing Tong had lived here long ago; the snake king of this group was practically her pet, which explained their obedience.

Chapter 26 Will You Blame Me?

 　　Then she said to Wei Yi, "Yi, you won't blame me for hitting your girlfriend, will you?" (Ugh!! What a jerk! He hit her girlfriend and only now he's asking for forgiveness.) Wei Yi smiled at her and said, "How could I blame you!" "Oh! That's good!" Ying Lin said and continued eating. Actually, when Xi'er spilled the soup, Wei Yi felt a strong murderous aura emanating from Bing Tong. If it weren't for Ying Lin's two slaps, who knows what would have happened to Xi'er! In the end, he should thank Ying Lin! However, the culprit was Xi'er. Everyone could see that Ying Lin was very careful when carrying the soup, which obviously meant that the soup was very important to her, but Xi'er insisted on ruining it, and it was clear that Xi'er did it on purpose. But unfortunately, Xi'er was his girlfriend, and they were about to get engaged, so he couldn't say anything. He just held Xi'er in his arms and comforted her gently.

　　Xi'er cried in Wei Yi's arms, but her mind was filled with an evil plan: Heh! "Bing, Yinglin, I won't let you get away with this! I'll make you wish you were dead!" A glint of malice flashed in her eyes, but because she was nestled in Wei Yi's arms, no one saw it.
　　Bing Tong stayed inside the tent all afternoon, and no one knew what she was doing. The others sat outside, some chatting, some playing. In short, they didn't leave their spot all afternoon. As the teacher put it: "Since we just arrived today, everyone should rest for a bit. Starting tomorrow, we'll begin real training. Today, everyone should conserve their energy for tomorrow's challenges." So, everyone was listless, lacking any energy, unsure how to face tomorrow's challenges.
　　That evening, the teacher assigned some tasks, such as being careful at night! Don't wander around! Don't eat at night, because there are wild beasts and snakes in the area, and eating will attract them. In short, the students were told to be careful, not to run around, and not to eat. But some people disobeyed, causing unnecessary trouble.
　　Night fell, and darkness completely enveloped the sky. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the tent. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that this was Bing Tong, who had spent the entire afternoon inside. She cautiously stepped out, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then headed into the forest. (Spoiled: Of course! Why would anyone come out to check on you at night?!) Meanwhile, Ying Lin was fast asleep, completely forgetting that the person she was supposed to protect had left her. This wasn't entirely her fault, though, because before she fell asleep, Bing Tong had told her to rest well tonight and search for the magic crystal the next day. Bing Tong had also given her some sleeping potion, so she couldn't possibly wake up so easily. Bing Tong's purpose wasn't anything else; she simply knew that finding the magic crystal would be extremely difficult, and she didn't want Ying Lin to get hurt.
　　Venturing deeper into the forest, Bing Tong looked around, partly to search for the magic crystal, and partly to check for wild animals in case of danger. The magic crystal emits a light at night, which was why Bing Tong decided to search at night. However, Ying Lin didn't know this and therefore believed Bing Tong's words: it's easier to find the magic crystal during the day.
　　As she walked, a beam of light suddenly caught Bing Tong's eye. She slightly raised her head to look at the source of the light, then slowly walked towards it. But before she reached it, she suddenly heard footsteps. She hurriedly hid behind a tree, peeking out cautiously to see who it was. 'Hmm? Wei Yi? What's he doing here? Could he also be looking for magic crystals?'

Chapter 25 Xi'er Gets Beaten

 　　Yinglin picked up the spoon beside her and handed it to Bingtong, saying, "Bing'er, it's still warm! Eat up!" Bingtong slowly picked up the spoon and began to eat elegantly. Seeing her eat, Yinglin sat down next to Youyun. "Ying'er, what kind of soup is that?" Youyun asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind. "Oh! Actually, I don't know either," Yinglin replied; she truly didn't know. "Why, Bing'er..." Youyun was about to ask further when a sudden 'bang' sound drew everyone's attention. Everyone looked over, and then Yinglin stood up abruptly and ran quickly to Bingtong's side. It turned out that Xi'er had snatched the soup from Bingtong's hand and thrown it on the ground with a loud thud. "Bing'er, are you alright? Did you get hurt?" Yinglin asked Bingtong with concern. Bingtong shook her head. Seeing that Bing Tong was alright, Ying Lin turned her head and said coldly to Xi'er, "What are you doing?" Seeing her murderous gaze, Xi'er instinctively shrank back, then suddenly realized she was right. She straightened her back and looked directly at Ying Lin, saying, "I didn't do anything! Didn't you hear what the teacher said? No eating the food you brought! You brought this, didn't you? I was helping you. What if you get punished?" She said this with a smug air.

　　Ha! Ying Lin sneered, then raised her hand and slapped Xi'er's left cheek with a 'smack,' then her right cheek with another 'smack.' Xi'er stared wide-eyed, utterly unable to believe that Ying Lin dared to hit her. Not only did she not believe it, but You Yun and the others also couldn't believe it. Ying Lin was usually so gentle, how could she... "You...you...you actually dared to hit me?" Xi'er asked incredulously, covering her face. "Ha! I'll hit you, so what? Don't think I won't do anything to you just because you're some young lady from the Mo family. Even if you were Wei Yi's girlfriend now, I'd still beat you without hesitation. I advise you not to try and test my limits, otherwise, I'll make you suffer even more than you are now," Ying Lin said coldly from the side. At this moment, Xi'er had two lines of tears on her face, making her look pitiful, but Ying Lin was never one to pity people. "You wait, I won't let you get away with this," Xi'er said to her through her tears. "Whatever! I'm waiting for you," Ying Lin said indifferently, waving her hand.
　　After dealing with Xi'er, she went to Bing Tong and carefully checked her for injuries. Seeing that she was really alright, she said to her, "Bing'er, go and rest first!" Bing Tong nodded and then went into the tent. At this moment, her expression was icy cold. When Xi'er came to snatch it, it wasn't that she couldn't dodge, but that would have revealed that she knew martial arts, which would have been troublesome. In that instant, she did want to kill her. If it weren't for Ying Lin, Xi'er would have been beheaded long ago.
　　Seeing Bing Tong enter the tent, Ying Lin turned to look at You Yun. She saw You Yun's expression constantly shifting, so she went to his side and said, "Yun, what's wrong? Are you alright?" 'Did I scare him just now?' Ying Lin thought to herself. You Yun, regaining his composure, smiled at her and shook his head. Then he pulled her to continue eating. Halfway through the meal, she suddenly remembered something, abruptly looked up, startling everyone. Then she said to Wei Yi, "Yi, you won't blame me for hitting your girlfriend, will you?"

Chapter 24 Mushroom Soup

 　　“Now that we’ve found food, let’s make soup! You guys go find some firewood!” “Okay,” Youyun nodded, then left with Yongyu and Weiyi. Seeing them leave, Yinglin said to Xi’er, “Since they’ve gone to find firewood, let’s prepare the tools! We can start cooking when they get back.” Yinglin tried to soften her tone, but Xi’er ignored her. She thought of herself as an empress and arrogantly said, “How could I do such a thing!” After saying this, she found a place to sit down. Yinglin already disliked her way of doing things, and she had also heard about what Xi’er had done to Bingtong when she first arrived, making her even more disgusted with her. Since she didn’t want to do it, so be it. Yinglin didn’t have to stay with her, so she went to prepare the tools by herself. Actually, Bingtong had wanted to help her prepare the tools from the beginning, but how could Yinglin let her do such a thing? Sigh! Bingtong shook her head helplessly.

　　A short while later, Youyun and the others returned, each carrying some firewood. They slowly walked to Yinglin, placed the firewood on the ground, and dusted themselves off. "You guys go wait here! I'll be done soon," Yinglin said with concern. "Is what you made edible?" Yongyu teased deliberately. "Hmph! You'll have to eat it even if it's not, I'm going to poison you today!" Yinglin said fiercely. Youyun was amused by her cute appearance, and then he stopped the two from arguing, saying to Weiyi and the others, "Since Ying'er has said so, let's sit and wait for a while!" Then the group found a place to sit down.
　　Yinglin piled up the firewood, and then used the most primitive method—rubbing sticks together to start a fire—and the fire was lit. Then, she found a pot from somewhere, poured some water into it, and placed it on the firewood. (Darling: You found so many! Sakura: Of course! Don't you know who I am? Darling: Narcissistic Sakura: What did you say? Darling: How terrifying! Then she slunk away.) Afterwards, Sakura found another stone and put it in. Just as she did, she heard Xi'er say, "Can you even eat it if you put such a dirty stone in the pot?" Her tone was filled with disgust. "Of course you can eat it! If you're so capable, then don't eat it!" Sakura said calmly. Ha! She doesn't even have a shred of common sense.
　　After a while, the fragrant mushroom soup was ready. Everyone tasted it. 'Hmm, it tastes good.' They were all eating, except for Bing Tong and Xi'er. Bing Tong couldn't eat those kinds of things, and Xi'er was disgusted by them, but seeing how much they enjoyed it, she couldn't resist trying some. However, thinking of Sakura, she couldn't eat anymore.
　　Seeing how much they were enjoying their meal, Yinglin smiled and went into the tent. After a while, she came out carrying a box. Everyone looked up. "Ying'er, what's that?" Yongyu asked curiously. Yinglin replied, "No comment." Yinglin slowly walked to Bingtong and carefully opened the box. Everyone watched, curious about what was inside. Inside the box was a bowl covered with a lid to prevent spillage. Yinglin carefully took out the bowl, opened the lid, and everyone saw that it contained some soup. Yinglin picked up a spoon from the side and handed it to Bingtong, saying, "Bing'er, it's still warm! Eat up!"

Chapter 23 Finding Food

 　　"How could we possibly get it set up in such a short time!" Yinglin said disdainfully. Actually, Yinglin was right. Those people were all young masters and ladies who had never been to the wilderness before; how could they possibly know how to pitch a tent?

　　A long time passed, until Yinglin and the others were getting impatient, before the group finally emerged. Each of them looked exhausted, clearly worn out by the tent. These young masters and ladies had never pitched a tent before! Seeing that everyone was present, the teacher finally spoke: "I suppose everyone is ready. It's almost noon now. Go out and find some food! But you are not allowed to eat the food you brought. The purpose of this trip is to train you, so anyone who violates the rules will be punished. Also, be careful when you're looking for food. I don't need to tell you, you all know there are many poisonous snakes here, so please be careful. Also, pay attention to whether the food is poisonous. Return here to gather as soon as possible." "What?! We have to find food again?!" A group of people started complaining, except for Bing Tong and the others. After the teacher finished speaking, Bing Tong ignored their complaints and stood up first, walking into the forest. Seeing her go in, Ying Lin turned to You Yun and the others and said, "Let's go too!" Then she pulled You Yun to catch up with Bing Tong. Yong Yu and the others naturally followed them as well.
　　Entering the forest, everyone felt a chill, even though it was noon. Xi'er held tightly to Wei Yi's arm as they followed Bing Tong. Suddenly, they saw Bing Tong stop under a tree. Just as they were about to ask her what was wrong, they heard Xi'er say, "Yi, look, there are some mushrooms over there." "Yeah, I saw them too. I'll go take a look." Wei Yi slowly took her hand down, but when he got there, many snakes suddenly sprang out from all around, flicking their tongues and staring at them menacingly. Luckily, Wei Yi dodged quickly, or he would have been bitten. "Those mushrooms aren't poisonous, but those snakes look like they're highly venomous." Wei Yi frowned. Ying Lin, however, seemed unfazed. She slowly walked to the group of snakes, took a bottle from her pocket, opened it, and poured some onto the ground. The snakes scattered in terror; it turned out Ying Lin had poured sulfur.
　　Yong Yu walked to Ying Lin's side and said, "Ying'er, you actually brought this kind of thing! Very clever!" His tone was highly sarcastic. To know to bring something like this on her first visit to a place like this—ha! Truly not an ordinary person, Yong Yu thought. "Of course, she's my girlfriend," You Yun said, putting his arm around Ying Lin's shoulder. A blush instantly appeared on Ying Lin's face, and she pushed You Yun away, saying, "Alright, let's go pick mushrooms! We can make mushroom soup when we get back." "Okay," You Yun nodded, and then they picked mushrooms together.
　　Finally, they finished picking, and Ying Lin said to Bing Tong, "Bing'er, that's enough, let's go!" After saying this, she took Bing Tong's hand and walked out of the area, completely forgetting about her dear boyfriend. You Yun smiled wryly, sighing. He was indeed less important than Bing Tong. Then he and Zi Yu and the others walked out of the forest.
　　Once outside, they saw many students sitting together, each with a pained expression, clearly injured. However, there was some food in front of them, indicating they had been injured while searching for food. "Truly young masters and misses, they haven't experienced any hardship," Ying Lin thought disdainfully, then said to You Yun, "Since we've found food, let's make soup! You guys go find some firewood!"

Chapter 22 Setting up a Tent

 　　Then Wei Yi said, "Let's get on the plane!" "Yeah! We're going to Iwatani! Great, hee hee..." Ying Lin happily ran onto the plane first. Everyone fainted.

　　On the plane, Ying Lin and You Yun sat together; Wei Yi and Xi Er sat together; Zi Yu and Ci Xuan sat together; and Yong Yu and Bing Tong sat together. (Dear readers, I only wrote about the important people!) Ying Lin and You Yun played happily along the way, Xi Er confided in Wei Yi, and Zi Yu and Ci Xuan sat quietly. Zi Yu would occasionally check on Ci Xuan. Bing Tong naturally saw all of this, but she didn't understand. Since she came to this school, she had seen Ci Xuan always following Zi Yu, and Zi Yu cared about her a lot. Why was that? Could it be...? Thinking of this, a trace of sadness appeared on Bing Tong's face, but it quickly disappeared, leaving behind a coldness. From the moment they boarded the plane, Bing Tong had been gazing out the window. Seeing her so quiet, Cheng Yu didn't say anything, but he felt this girl really resembled his younger sister. Cheng Yu shook his head, then sat down and closed his eyes.
　　Finally, they arrived at their destination—Yan Gu. Only after all the other students had disembarked did Bing Tong and the others slowly get off the plane. 'Ha! Nothing's changed after all these years!' This was Bing Tong's first thought upon landing. After all the students had disembarked, the plane took off, promising to return in three days to pick them up. "Students, today is our first day in Yan Gu. There are many venomous snakes and ferocious beasts here, so please be careful. You can divide into groups and help set up tents. You can choose your own location, but try not to go too far. After you've set up your tents, meet here. Okay, everyone, get to work!" the teacher said first. "Ah! Princes, let me be in your group!" a girl said, approaching Wei Yi and the others with a hint of shyness. "We don't need to," You Yun said coldly, then walked towards Ying Lin and the others. Seeing this, Yong Yu and the others sighed helplessly and followed You Yun to Ying Lin's group. Once everyone was gone, the girl's eyes welled up with tears, and she stood there, bewildered.
　　"Ying'er, let's be in the same group!" You Yun said, walking to Ying Lin's side. Ying Lin looked at Bing Tong, who nodded slightly. Then Ying Lin said, "Okay!" "Then let's set up the tent!" Ying Lin continued. "Okay," You Yun nodded. Then the two went to set up the tent together. Halfway there, Youyun suddenly turned around and said, "Hey, what are you standing there for? Let's set up the tent together!" "Us?" Yongyu pointed to himself blankly and asked. "Of course." Youyun glared at him and then pulled Yinglin away. Yongyu smiled helplessly behind him, then turned to Ziyu and the others and said, "Let's go! Young masters." After saying this, he followed Youyun and the others. Weiyi pulled Xier and followed as well, but Ziyu did not follow. He looked at Cixuan beside him and said, "Xuan'er, you stay here for now! We'll do it." At this moment, Ziyu's expression was very gentle. Cixuan looked at him and nodded, and then Ziyu went to help Youyun and the others. Cixuan was not the only one left behind; Bingtong was also there. After they left, Bing Tong kept looking at Ci Xuan. She was very curious about what had happened to Ci Xuan. She had heard 'him' say that Ci Xuan was a cheerful girl, so why had she become like this? Sigh! I must investigate this thoroughly when we get back. This was what Bing Tong thought.
　　It didn't take long for You Yun and the others to set up their tents. They set up four tents. The first tent was naturally for Ying Lin and Bing Tong, because Ying Lin had to protect Bing Tong's safety, and they also had a mission here. If they stayed with others, they would definitely be discovered. Besides, Bing Tong didn't like staying with others. The second tent was for Xi Er and Ci Xuan, the third tent was for Yong Yu and Zi Yu, and the fourth, needless to say, was for Wei Yi and You Yun.
　　After everyone had packed their things, they went to the meeting point designated by the teacher. However, when they arrived, there was no one there except the teacher. "Huh? Where is everyone?" Yong Yu asked curiously. "Of course! They probably don't know how to pitch a tent and are just getting anxious on the sidelines! Besides, they brought so much stuff, how could they possibly pack it all up in a short time!" Yinglin said disdainfully.

Chapter 21 Taking an Airplane

 　After the destruction, she'd have to face the wall in silence. Sigh! Yinglin sighed, then obediently faced the wall. No one ever dared disobey Bing Tong's orders.

　　On the day of the exam, everyone arrived at school early, excited for the upcoming trip. They often traveled, but this time was different; the heirs of the four great families were going with them. Of course they were happy, but they got carried away and forgot where they were going. Bing Tong felt sorry for them; they wouldn't even know how they died.
　　The exam began. Youyun and the others quietly wrote their answers, while Yinglin bit her pen, thinking, "Who wrote these questions?! How annoying!" This was everyone's thought. Suddenly, Bing Tong sneezed. "Who's talking about me?" Bing Tong shook her head and continued working.
　　In less than five minutes, Bing Tong finished the entire test paper. She stood up, and hearing the chair creak, everyone turned to look, their eyes widening in surprise. "How did she finish so fast?" everyone wondered. Even Zi Yu, usually the fastest, looked up at her; he still had one question left!
　　Even the teacher was astonished. She quickly took Bing Tong's paper and looked at it. "She got them all right!" the teacher blurted out, though softly, the whole class heard her. Bing Tong then walked out of the classroom amidst the astonishment of her classmates. She sat down on a patch of grass.
　　A little while later, Zi Yu also finished his test and came out, also with all the answers correct. He immediately saw Bing Tong sitting on the grass and went over to her, saying, "Bing'er, you're so smart! You finished such a difficult question so quickly, and you got them all right." This was the first time Zi Yu had ever spoken so much to a girl he didn't know well! Bing Tong nodded, and then no one spoke again. Even the usually aloof Zi Yu felt a little awkward.
　　Just then, Sakura and the others came out, and she ran to Bing Tong's side, saying, "Bing'er, I finally did it, and I even got a perfect score!" Yu Yun, standing nearby, had a few black lines on his face. 'If I hadn't let her copy my answers, how could she have gotten a perfect score!' The following exams were the same.
　　Finally, the day's exams ended, and what followed was the 'wonderful' journey. That evening, no one went out to play; instead, they stayed home packing for the trip. Of course, because Sakura and Bing Tong had spent a long time there before, they knew what to bring and what not to bring, since too much stuff wouldn't be useful and might even be a burden. So they packed simply, and Yu Yun and the others understood this perfectly! So they packed very little.
　　The next day, Sakura and the others arrived at the airport early, preparing to fly to Iwatani School. A moment later, Yuyun and the others arrived. "Sakura, you're here so early!" Yuyun said. "Sakura, why did you bring so little stuff?" The observant Weiyi immediately noticed their meager luggage. "Bringing so much is useless! You brought so little! We're going there for training, not a vacation! Are you going to end up like them?" Sakura said, glancing at the group in the distance. Hearing her words, everyone looked in the distance as well. Sure enough, the group of young masters and ladies were each carrying a large suitcase, clearly packed with a lot of things.
　　'Uh!' A bead of sweat dripped down everyone's face. This was too much! Then Weiyi said, "Let's get on the plane!" "Yeah! We're going to Iwatani! Great, hee hee..." Sakura happily ran onto the plane first. Everyone fainted.

Chapter 20 Magic Crystal

 　　"Look at you, you're such a grown-up, so careless." Youyun pulled out a tissue and cleaned Yinglin's mouth, causing her face to flush instantly. She then lowered her head. Bingtong glanced at Youyun slightly, but quickly lowered her head again to eat. Everyone else was watching the affectionate couple, and no one noticed Bingtong's small gesture. The meal was finished amidst Youyun and Yinglin's sweet and loving atmosphere.

　　Because of the exams tomorrow, the school decided to let them go home early to rest, so the group packed up their things early to go play. After everyone had left, Youyun and the others turned to Yinglin and said, "It's still early, let's go play for a while! There's no point in going home anyway." "Okay!" Yinglin said happily, but she regretted it as soon as she said it. Then she slowly turned to look at Bingtong, who was slowly packing up her things and walking past them towards the door. She had a lot of things to do every day and didn't have time to play with them. "Hey? Bing'er!" Yinglin called out hurriedly. Then she saw Bingtong throw a note behind her and walk away. Yinglin ran over, picked up the note, and jumped up happily after reading it. "Great! Bing'er allows me to go play! Let's go!" Seeing her so happy, Youyun smiled, and then they walked out of the classroom hand in hand. The people behind them smiled helplessly and followed. After they left, Bingtong came out from a corner. She looked at Yinglin's happy face and couldn't help but smile. Through her observation, she knew that Youyun wouldn't hurt Yinglin, which was why she let Yinglin go play. However, this didn't mean Yinglin wouldn't be in danger. She then sent several text messages, ordering some people to protect her. Although she knew Yinglin's martial arts skills were high, she was still worried.
　　After making a series of arrangements, Bingtong walked out of the school, where someone was already waiting for her outside. "Your Highness," the man in black said, kneeling on one knee. Bing Tong nodded and handed him a slip of paper. "(Go to Angel's Tears)" "Yes," the man in black replied, then opened the car door and invited her in. The car quickly arrived at Angel's Tears. Bing Tong got out of the car and went to the entrance. "Lord Bing," the person standing at the door said, bowing. Bing Tong ignored him and walked straight in. From beginning to end, the guards dared not look up, because Bing Tong possessed a kind of magic that made it impossible to look directly at her.
　　Entering Angel's Tears, Bing Tong immediately attracted the attention of many people. This was the radiance that Bing Tong exuded. Wherever she went, she was a queen, impossible to ignore. Although she was wearing a hat, and others could not see her face, they were still attracted by her. Bing Tong went straight to a VIP room. This room was exclusively for Bing Tong, and ordinary people could not enter. Two people stood at the door of the room, seemingly guarding it. A short while later, a man walked in through the door. It was Ming, the same man Bing Tong and the others had met when they last came here. Ming stood in front of Bing Tong and said, "Lord Bing, I have found out what you asked me to investigate. You guessed right, the magic crystal that everyone in the underworld is fighting over is indeed in the Rock Valley. Should I go and find it?" Bing Tong shook her head, then waved to him. Ming then turned and left. The 'magic crystal' was rumored to grant control over the entire underworld, so everyone had been vying for it in recent years. However, Bing Tong wasn't looking for it for that reason. She never believed in such falsehoods; strength determined everything. She was looking for it simply to prevent the underworld from killing each other and disrupting peace. But Bing Tong was unaware that from the day she arrived, the underworld had already been far from peaceful.
　　That evening, "Bing'er, I'm back!" Ying Lin exclaimed excitedly as she entered the castle. Bing Tong merely glanced at the time and then went back to her work. Ignoring the person who had forgotten to go home while playing, Yinglin hurriedly ran over to apologize, saying, "I'm sorry, Bing'er, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have come home so late. Please forgive me!" Bingtong then handed her a note before going upstairs. ("Face the wall for three hours, then eat something and rest. By the way, we're also going to the Rock Valley. There are the legendary magic crystals there. We need to get them before they do. You can't let your feelings ruin everything. Remember what I said.)" Yinglin naturally knew who 'they' referred to. She then destroyed the note. Any useful information in Bingtong's notes had to be destroyed after reading them; this was something everyone with her needed to know, and Yinglin was no exception. After destroying it, she had to face the wall. Sigh! Yinglin sighed and obediently faced the wall. No one dared to disobey Bingtong's orders.

Chapter 19: Going to Iwatani

 　　Then, Bing Tong walked gracefully out of the castle. She strolled slowly around the castle grounds, followed by a large group of people, seemingly protecting her. An ordinary person would find it unbearable to have someone always following them, but over the years, Bing Tong had grown accustomed to it, used to having people following her.

　　Bing Tong walked slowly with her head down; the surroundings were quiet, and no one dared to disturb this moment of tranquility. Suddenly, Bing Tong stopped, and the people behind her also stopped moving. Bing Tong looked up, her hat falling off as she gazed upwards. She quietly looked at the sky, her purple hair fluttering. The moonlight shone on her, making her look like a magical fairy from an anime, radiating dazzling light. Those behind her lowered their heads, afraid to look at her, as if afraid of being burned by her radiance.
　　That day passed, and a new day arrived.
　　At school, "Ying'er, you're here! Have you finished everything?" As soon as Bing Tong and the others entered the classroom, You Yun saw them. So he hurriedly asked Yinglin, although it was Weiyi and the others who asked him to, but Youyun truly had feelings for Yinglin. "Yes! It's all done." Yinglin replied sweetly, then said to Bingtong, "Bing'er, I'm sorry! I'm sitting with Youyun now, so you won't blame me, will you?" Bingtong shook her head and sat down in her seat. Yinglin cutely stuck out her tongue and sat down with Youyun. A little while later, the teacher walked in and said to the whole class, "Classmates, we will have a mock exam tomorrow, please be prepared." "What! Another exam!" a girl said impatiently. "Classmates, after this exam, the school has organized a three-day trip to Iwatani. You can train yourselves there, help each other, and strengthen your friendships." After hearing the girl's words, the teacher wiped the sweat from her brow. These are all young ladies from prestigious families, not to be trifled with! "What? Iwatani! I heard there are a lot of poisonous snakes and wild beasts there." a student said dejectedly. “But didn’t you hear what the teacher said? It can enhance feelings! Maybe something wonderful will happen there!” A lovesick girl fantasized about what was about to happen, her eyes never leaving Zi Yu as she spoke, so you could imagine what she was daydreaming about.
　　“So, should we go?” Yong Yu turned to ask Zi Yu. “Sure! Didn’t you hear the teacher say it’s about cultivating ‘feelings’?” Wei Yi answered Zi Yu’s question before he could finish. “Yeah, let’s go! Maybe we’ll have some unexpected gains!” Zi Yu said casually. Then You Yun asked Ying Lin, “Ying’er, are you going?” “I don’t know, let’s go back and discuss it!” Ying Lin said, looking at Bing Tong. She couldn’t make up her mind about this either; she could only go if Bing Tong went. But Bing Tong kept her head down, so she could only say that she would discuss it when they got back that night.
　　The bell rang, and everyone headed to the cafeteria in groups, chatting about what to get from Iwatani. Sakura, however, chatted happily with Yuun and the others about other things. Only Hyoto walked at the back; Sakura had long forgotten about her. Going to the cafeteria early, it was obvious they would sit together—after all, Sakura was now Yuun's girlfriend! Soon, their food was served. Unlike the others, they didn't have to buy their own food, simply because they were members of the four major families. Seeing the food arrive, Sakura immediately picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of braised pork, putting it in her mouth. The oil stuck to her lips, looking incredibly tempting. "Look at you, how old are you? So careless," Yuun said, pulling out a tissue to clean Sakura's mouth. Sakura's face immediately turned red.

Chapter 18 A Busy Day

 　　"Miss Lan, your breakfast is ready. Please come with me." "Well then, Bing'er, I'll go eat first!" Yinglin said happily. After watching her leave, Bingtong turned to look at the computer. There had been more and more work at the company lately. Actually, Bingtong could have gone to school today, but because of the increasing work at the company, she made an excuse to take a day off. Besides, she wasn't comfortable letting Yinglin go to school alone. She decided to go together tomorrow!

　　(At school)
　　"Why didn't Ying'er come to school today?" Yongyu asked. "I don't know either! Is she sick? She was fine yesterday!" Youyun said. "Since you don't know, why don't you call and ask?" Weiyi said casually. Then Youyun took out his phone and dialed Yinglin's number. After they started dating yesterday, he had asked Yinglin for her phone number. "Hello?" Yinglin answered, holding her phone. She was incredibly excited to see it was Youyun calling, but since Bingtong was sitting opposite her, she had to restrain herself. "Ying'er, why didn't you come to school? Are you sick?" Youyun asked with concern after the call connected. "No, Bing'er and I have some things to take care of, so I won't be going to school today. Don't worry about me." Hearing his concern, Yinglin felt incredibly sweet. "Oh! I know, but take care of yourself too! See you tomorrow." Youyun hung up after saying this. Yinglin's face beamed with happiness. Seeing her infatuated expression, Bingtong knew who had called her. 'Sigh!' Bingtong worried about what would happen if she found out he was lying to her later.
　　"Yun, what's wrong?" Yongyu asked. “Oh! It’s nothing. She said she had something to take care of, so she’s not coming to school today.” Youyun answered his question and sat down in her seat. “Take care of something? What could they possibly have to do!” Yongyu pressed. “How would I know?” Youyun said impatiently, then slumped onto the desk. Seeing that he didn’t speak, Yongyu also sat quietly in her seat. All day, perhaps because Bingtong and the others weren’t there, the classroom seemed lifeless. Youyun and the others also lacked energy. It wasn’t until school ended that everyone packed up and went home.
　　Bingtong wasn’t as relaxed as them; she had been dealing with matters all day and had only just finished. Yinglin had been sitting opposite her all day, also holding a laptop, but not for work; she was playing games. Occasionally, she would look up at Bingtong, but seeing how focused Bingtong was, she felt too embarrassed to disturb her. The servants would bring food and drinks every now and then. After finishing these matters, evening arrived. A maid approached Bing Tong and said, "Miss, dinner is ready." Bing Tong nodded. "Finally, I can eat! I'm starving!" Ying Lin said happily upon hearing the maid's words, then took Bing Tong's hand and went to eat together. Dinner was plentiful but not too greasy, for the sake of her health; Bing Tong's meals were always specially prepared by someone.
　　After dinner, Ying Lin told Bing Tong and ran upstairs. Bing Tong smiled helplessly; she knew she must be on the phone with You Yun again. Afterward, Bing Tong walked gracefully out of the castle. She strolled slowly around the castle grounds, with a large group of people standing behind her, seemingly protecting her. An ordinary person would find it unbearable to have someone following them all the time, but over the years, Bing Tong had grown accustomed to it, used to having people following her.

Chapter 17 Happiness

 　　Realizing what had happened, Yinglin collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Bingtong watched her from the corner of the stairs. After a long while, exhausted from crying, Yinglin fell asleep against the sofa. Bingtong came downstairs; she wasn't wearing a hat, and a sorrowful expression graced her cold face. She gently walked to Yinglin, picked her up, and carried her upstairs to Yinglin's room. She gently placed Yinglin on the bed. Gazing at her face, slightly furrowed with grief, she reached out and gently wiped away Yinglin's tears before leaving the room. Those standing on either side bowed and said, "Your Highness." Bingtong nodded and returned to her own room. When

　　the children of the four great families turned 18, they would hold a marriage alliance. One girl would be chosen to marry a man from one of the other families, while those not chosen could seek their own happiness. The girl chosen by the four great families was Bing Tong. Before leaving, Bing Tong promised them she would return when she turned 18. Before her return, the other heirs of the four families were not allowed to have girlfriends unless she chose one of them. Violating the rules of the four families would be punished, but she hadn't made a choice yet. Why was You Yun violating the rules and dating Ying Lin? Was he using her? Bing Tong lay in bed pondering this. Ying Lin knew Bing Tong was from one of the four great families, but she didn't know about the arranged marriages, let alone that Bing Tong would choose one of them to marry. This was a closely guarded secret of the four families, unknown to outsiders. Bing Tong lay
　　in bed, her cold face filled with worry. She worried that You Yun would use Ying Lin, worried that Ying Lin would get hurt, but what could she do? She couldn't do anything; otherwise, 'he' wouldn't have died.
　　Bing Tong picked up the computer, opened the files on the four families, and looked at those people, a pang of pain rising in her heart. Why you?
　　The next day, Yinglin was woken up by the maid. She slowly opened her eyes, but because she had cried the night before, her eyes were slightly sore. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "What is it?" Her voice was a little hoarse from crying. "Miss Lan, Miss Bing requests your presence. She has something to discuss with you and is waiting for you in the lobby," the maid said, bowing. "Okay, I understand. I'll be right down. You can go out now!" Yinglin said, turning to her. The maid then left and closed the door. Yinglin was curious about what Bing Tong wanted to see her about, so she quickly changed her clothes and ran downstairs.
　　When she reached the lobby, she saw Bing Tong sitting on the sofa, still holding the same laptop. Hearing Yinglin coming downstairs, Bing Tong stopped what she was doing and looked up at her as she slowly descended. "Bing'er, is there something you wanted to see me about?" Yinglin asked, voicing her question as soon as she came downstairs. Bing Tong then beckoned to her, and Yinglin immediately understood and sat down next to her. Bing Tong handed her a note, and Ying Lin jumped up happily after reading it. (Ying'er, your mission has changed. You don't need to kill them anymore; you just need to destroy their gang. As for your fiancé, we'll deal with that later! Also, you don't need to go to class today; I've asked for leave. Let's rest for a day before going!) Bing Tong didn't tell her about the marriage alliance between the four great families, afraid it would upset her. "That's great, Bing'er! I'll definitely complete the mission diligently," Ying Lin said happily from the side. Bing Tong changed the mission to avoid causing Ying Lin conflict, not because she would lower her guard. Finally, Ying Lin was no longer sad, and Bing Tong was happy because of her happiness. As for that matter, Bing Tong would find a solution; she would never marry any of them. Seeing Ying Lin's happy expression, Bing Tong smiled helplessly. Then she waved her hand, and a maid walked up to Ying Lin, saying, "Miss Lan, your breakfast is ready. Please come with me." "Then, Bing'er, I'll go eat first!" Ying Lin said happily.

Chapter 16 Will You Be My Girlfriend?

 　　Yinglin's mind was a complete mess. Then Youyun said, "Ying'er, promise me, okay?" Looking at his gentle face, Ying'er nodded involuntarily. Youyun then exclaimed happily, "Great! Ying'er agreed to be my girlfriend! Great! Ying'er, I promise to treat you very well!" He then straightened Yinglin's face, looking at her affectionately. Yinglin looked back at Youyun, and their lips slowly met. Just like that,

　　Yinglin became his girlfriend in a daze, and even gave him her first kiss. She completely forgot that her mission here was to kill them. Meanwhile, Bingtong, far away in the castle, was unaware of this. If she had been there today, perhaps the events that followed wouldn't have happened.
　　The two stayed in the cherry blossom grove for a while before returning to the classroom. Yongyu saw them returning hand in hand and teased, "Hey! What's going on? Holding hands! Your relationship is something else!" Everyone else looked at them with smiles. Those looks...
　　Hearing him say that, Yinglin's already flushed face turned even redder. "From today onwards, Lan Yinglin is my girlfriend, Lingye Youyun's girlfriend. None of you are allowed to bully her," Youyun said, taking Yinglin's hand and addressing the whole class. "Oh! You're already boyfriend and girlfriend? Not bad!" Yongyu continued teasingly. Then Youyun pushed him away and pulled Yinglin to sit next to him.
　　Yinglin was initially reluctant, wanting to sit with Bingtong, but Youyun forced her there, leaving her no choice.
　　The two spent a sweet afternoon together, ignoring even Yongyu and Youyun when they spoke. Only Youyun knew that his happy times with Yinglin were fleeting, so he cherished them and didn't want anyone to disturb them. Yinglin, however, was overjoyed; she wished every day could be like this.
　　Finally, the school bell rang. After all the students had left, Youyun stood up and said to Yinglin, "Ying'er, let me take you home!" "No...no need, I can drive myself," Yinglin hurriedly replied. She didn't know what Yinglin would think if she knew she lived in a castle! And Bingtong would be unhappy too. "It's okay, it's normal for a boyfriend to take his girlfriend home! You can leave the car here, I can pick you up tomorrow!" Youyun said, looking at her. Actually, his purpose was to find out where Yinglin lived so
　　he could easily look up her information. But seeing the panicked expression on her face, he felt even more that Yinglin and her friends were extraordinary. "Really, no need, I have some things to do today, another day! I can drive home myself," Yinglin said slowly, adjusting her mindset. Then she added, "Well then, Youyun, I'm going now!" and ran off. "Don't rush this, take it slow," Weiyi said, patting his shoulder. Youyun nodded and then left the classroom.
　　Zi Yu turned to Ci Xuan and said, "Xuan'er, let's go!" Then he took Ci Xuan's hand and walked out of the classroom, followed by the others.
　　Ying Lin drove quickly, not quite sure how she had become You Yun's girlfriend in such a confused state, but she was still very happy. Having such a handsome guy as her boyfriend, what more could she ask for?
　　Soon, she arrived at the castle. She got out of the car and quickly ran inside; the car was naturally taken care of. As soon as she entered the castle, she saw Bing Tong sitting on the sofa with a laptop, surrounded by several servants. She happily said to Bing Tong, "Bing'er, I'm so happy today! You know what? Yun confessed to me!" Bing Tong then took a pen and paper from a servant, wrote a few words, and handed them to Ying Lin.
　　(You agreed.) Ying Lin looked at it and happily said to Bing Tong, "Yes!" Bing Tong then gave her a note that read: Have you forgotten your mission this time? "You're engaged? You've even forgotten that? Think about it carefully."
　　Then, carrying her laptop, she went upstairs. Seeing the note, Yinglin was startled. Right, her mission was to kill them! And she was already engaged. (Author: Too slow to react!) Realizing this, Yinglin collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Bingtong was watching her from the corner of the stairs.