[Vol. 1] Chapter 25 - A Secret Too Heavy
In a secluded area of Elder Guang's residence, far from the medicinal herbal wing and receiving hall, Elder Guang stood in front of the old maidservant.
Elder Guang stared at the fierce dog in the old maidservant's arms. The woman trembled like a quail under the Elder's pressure. Even the once-ferocious dog had quieted down.
He wasn't stupid. He was aware of this "gift" prepared by his "good daughter." He let out a world-weary sigh. Disappointing... truly, had he expected too much from her?
"Father, let me deal with the dog."
"...Do as you wish. A dog who bites its owner isn't worthy of being kept. It's merely a beast."
Elder Guang turned his back, turning a blind eye to his eldest son.
"Aaaawwwooo!"
The dog yelped and barked in pain. Warm, dark blood splattered across the ground, even onto the poor old woman.
"A... ah—"
The woman threw the dead dog onto the ground unceremoniously, trembling in terror. She retched in disgust as the smell of rotten blood assailed her nose.
"Hmph. Clean it up."
"Yes, yes, young master!"
As if she had been granted the greatest pardon, she quickly used her own sack to carry out the dog and ran out of the room. Her face was pale, her legs weak—but that did not stop her from fleeing.
Elder Guang glanced briefly at the dead dog. There was the pressure of Alpha emanating from the young master Lin.
His face grimaced, bristling from the Alpha pheromones. "You're dismissed. Remember to take care of Lu Xiashi for now."
Alphas couldn't stand other Alphas. That much was given.
With that, the young man left, whipping his sleeves. His expression unreadable, he disappeared down the corridor.
The Elder composed himself and strode toward another room, where he had invited the herbalist after the checkup with Lin Xiaolan.
"Elder Guang," the herbalist greeted, standing up and bowing briefly before sitting back down.
"Herbalist Qi Ze," Lin Guang acknowledged, raising a palm to halt Qi Ze's formality.
Qi Ze's hooded eyes stared at Lin Guang with a deep, meaningful gaze, internally thinking how to explain the problem.
"Is Xiaolan alright?" Lin Guang asked, no longer the minor Elder who managed clan heirs. Now he was just a father.
"She's well taken care of," Qi Ze answered. But his thoughts continued: Her internal dantian and qi seemed to be empty.
Such a thing happening to an Alpha heir was unheard of. A major event. It couldn't be spoken of lightly. More confirmation was needed. Otherwise...
He glanced at Lin Guang's relieved expression.
Indeed. He couldn't tell anyone about this. Not yet. Qi Ze added, "Just have her rest for a day."
Once Qi Ze had left, Elder Guang uttered, "Bai Yu."
Whoosh. A figure in black arrived silently, the gleaming shadow guard emblem imprinted on his back. He cupped his fist, head lowered. "Yes, Elder Guang."
The murky waters rippled. Undercurrents were shifting.
In such deep waters, like sharks smelling blood, only the fool Xiaolan hadn't felt the change.
[4 day locked: days remaining 2.]
[Pay off debt: 4000]
[Current charge points: 101]
It was afternoon. Xiaolan had been staring blankly at the system screen the whole time, replaying today's events and Xiashi's words.
She couldn't leave the bed. She had tried, and that led to the two guards outside putting her back down.
She sighed wearily. The two guards weren't shadow guards. They were normal ones, those assigned to guard and escort.
She remembered, painstakingly, how back then, those kinds of NPC guards would almost always try to seize her in a certain event.
Then she remembered the oppressive aura radiating from both Elder Guang and her brother. She shuddered.
Immediately, she wrapped herself into a cocoon with her blanket.
Her brother was definitely an Alpha. The most potent aura had definitely leaked from Lin Xiao. Indeed.
For now, recuperation was needed!
She missed A-Ling, that sweet girl. At least she was kept fed with congee and treated well... Huhuhuhu!
Bitter tears. It's all bitter!
***
Meanwhile, near the servant quarters.
A loud slap was heard.
"Still thinking of going there?" Meixiu scoffed.
"Let me go! I need to serve the young miss!" A-Ling yelled, trying to free herself from Meixiu's grip.
Meixiu was extreme. Even after knowing that the young miss, Lin Xiaolan, was injured... Meixiu wouldn't—
That's right. Meixiu supported the young master.
Meixiu didn't want her to take care of the young miss.
With a shuddering realization, A-Ling's eyes went wide, glaring at Meixiu. But even so, she wasn't let go.
SLAP.
Another slap. Both of A-Ling's cheeks were red and swollen. Tears were already welling up.
"Tch. Your young miss is an undifferentiated Alpha, and you're an Omega. Unless you two are..." Meixiu uttered coldly, her words gleaming like a knife, scandalous.
"No!" A-Ling quickly refuted. "It's my—"
"Of course not. Know your place." Meixiu's eyes flicked toward the hidden items. She added, "Really, you're just begging to be beaten up, aren't you?"
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
It was the sound of sandals and footsteps. Running past them was an old woman dressed in maidservant attire.
Her hair was tied in a bun, with messy strands clinging to her otherwise pale face. The smell of rotten blood and Alpha pheromones clung to her.
This was the same maidservant who had given the "gift." The dog that died in her hands. Fear had taken root in her, as well as desperation.
Meixiu only side-glanced at the retreating figure before unclenching her grip on A-Ling's clothes.
"If you know what's good for you, throw those things out."
A-Ling whimpered, stumbling back before catching her balance.
A-Ling stood frozen long after Meixiu disappeared from view.
Her cheeks throbbed. Her eyes burned. The hidden items pressed against her chest beneath her apron.
Know your place.
She thought of Xiaolan's face when she'd shoved the items at her. Desperate. Hopeful. Like A-Ling was the only person in the world she could trust.
A-Ling looked toward the heir's residence tiered on the mountainside, those courtyards, those platforms used as training grounds.
BANG!
The sound came from the nearby training ground. A figure draped in red robes with a green belt trained hard, oblivious to everything else.
Then A-Ling looked at the path leading away. The staircase pathway that led down, out of Lin Peak.
Her feet moved before her mind could stop them, Meixiu's words still echoing.
It was getting late. The sun slowly descended, its rays catching the edges of A-Ling's shirt and hair like honey.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of footsteps overlapped.
A-Ling ran from the servant quarters and towards the heir's residence.
The old woman ran through the servant quarters, a sack containing the dead dog clutched in her hands. A secret too heavy.