However, Baili Yu's plan probably wasn't as simple as it seemed on the surface. There was no way he'd bring her here despite the risks just because Nangong Yan was coming. After all, he had such a big reaction and had immediately decided to stay on that boat when Yuner said that this boat had danger.

  And he had only suggested coming here after hearing that Yuner wanted to come.

  So Yuner was probably the main reason for Baili Yu doing this.

  In line with this inference, when she retrieved her gaze and looked back towards the hold of the ship, she found that Baili Yu was currently sizing Yuner up. He looked as if he was examining a problematic product; his gaze was sharp and emotionless. At the same time though, there was still a faint smile hovering around his lips, which made it impossible for people to guess what he was thinking.

  She shifted her gaze towards Yuner and found that he was sitting there uneasily, not knowing what to do as he was being scrutinized. He didn't even dare lift his head and meet that gaze.

  Tang Doudou couldn't bring herself to watch on any longer. Yuner was just a kid. Even if he was some Mandate of Heaven's Child, it wasn't as if that status was something he had asked for.

  "Big evil spirit, that's enough. Don't scare Yuner." She walked over and patted Yuner. "Heh, Yuner, tell Big Sister why you suddenly wanted to come to this boat?"

  Yuner glanced at the boatman and shook his head.

  Upon seeing this, Tang Doudou silently berated herself for being dumb and asked with a laugh, "Were you uncomfortable because there were too many people on that side?"

  Yuner nodded.

  Yuner had changed a lot from the last time she saw him. He used to seem much more slow-witted.

  He seemed to have become smarter now?

  After she interrupted, Baili Yu retrieved his gaze and slowly asked, "Has Jun Xin told you about your identity?"

  When Tang Doudou heard that Baili Yu was starting to ask about the serious matters, she stopped speaking and looked towards Yuner curiously.

  Jun Xin definitely wouldn't keep someone at his side for no reason. The reason he saved San Yu was probably because he found Yuner's identity valuable.

  Yuner was silent for a while before he replied quietly, "He did."

  "En. Then what do you think about it?"

  "I-I don't know……"

  The current Yuner seemed very lost like a helpless little kid.

  Baili Yu didn't ask any further and simply closed his eyes to nap.

  Tang Doudou really wanted to ask Yuner what danger was on this boat, but she saw that he had lowered his head dispiritedly and was lost in thought.

  She could only sit down not far from the two and zoned out while staring at the ripples in the lake.

  Time gradually elapsed. The large boat and the small boat were not very far apart and they slowly moved forward together, one behind the other. Countless lotus leaves had already brushed past this boat.

  When they were looking at boats to rent, the boatman had told her to get this sort of smaller boat so that she could sit on the side of the boat and dip her legs in the water while the breeze, carrying the scent of the lotus blossoms, swept over her.

  The moment she heard that, she told Baili Yu to rent this small boat.

  And it truly was as the boatman had described. As soon as they got near a place with lotus leaves, the breeze would become filled with a refreshing fragrance.

  Even Baili Yu who had been napping now opened his eyes to look at the scene. The sight of the lush green leaves adorned with pure untainted lotus blossoms entered his eyes. It was very beautiful.

  If it weren't for the assassins lying in ambush within the lotus leaves, he definitely would have properly enjoyed this beautiful view with Tang Doudou.

  Yuner seemed to sense that the danger was getting close, as his entire body tensed up as he stared ahead nervously.

  Baili Yu had shifted his gaze to Tang Doudou, but it seemed as if he saw Yuner's nervousness. He used inner strength to direct his voice towards Yuner, saying, "Relax a bit. Always remember whose descendant you are. You should not show timidness."

  If he faced them so nervously, wouldn't it be like holding up a sign to tell the assassins that their whereabouts had already been revealed?

  Upon hearing this, Yuner felt even more ashamed. Just as he was about to lower his head again, he heard the shriek of a woman from the large boat ahead of them.

  Nangong Yan was the only female on that large boat.

  "What happened?" Tang Doudou turned back to ask Baili Yu with a confused expression.

  Right after she spoke, the entire boat started shaking violently. She was standing at the bow of the boat so she almost got thrown into the lake.

  Luckily Baili Yu instantly went over and pulled her into his arms. Following that, he narrowed his eyes. As he gestured with his fingers in a circular motion, the sky instantly became filled with countless flower petals that shot forward. Tang Doudou could hear the sharp swishes made by the petals as they flew past. Burying her head in Baili Yu's chest, she asked worriedly, "This is the danger Yuner talked about?"

  Then she suddenly cried, "Ah!" He had already mentioned earlier that the boatman was dangerous, but he was only protecting her. What about Yuner?

  "Don't worry, he can protect himself!"

  Yuner didn't even know martial arts, how could he protect himself?

  Tang Doudou felt like Baili Yu was overestimating Yuner's ability due to him being the Mandate of Heaven's child. However, the current situation with knife-like flower petals all around didn't allow her to move even an inch. She couldn't even look to see where Yuner was, much less go to save him.

  As the flower petals flew towards the dense lotus leaves ahead, waves of screams came. From the looks of it, there had been a lot of people lying in ambush.

  But, who exactly sent them?

  And were they here to kill her or Baili Yu? Or was this attack targeting Yuner?

  "Wife, don't get distracted. The true danger hasn't arrived yet." Just as she was becoming lost in thought, Baili Yu spoke.

  She hastily looked up and said, "Since you knew that it was dangerous, why didn't we head towards shore earlier?"

  A trace of apology appeared in Baili Yu's eyes but he didn't try to explain.

  This gave Tang Doudou a bad feeling. Just as she was about to continue questioning him, a familiar voice came from behind her. "Bai- Baili gongzi……"

  "Help me look after her." This surprised Tang Doudou even more. He had actually put her safety in Yuner's hands? In the hands of a child that didn't know any martial arts and might not even be capable of protecting himself!?

  She was angry now, very angry! What exactly did Baili Yu mean by this?!

  There was nothing she could do but accept it when other people kept things from her!

  But he kept her in the dark over and over! He was making decisions on his own too much!

  Moreover, how could it be possible for her not to understand what that apologetic expression in his eyes meant? He had clearly been using her in order to accomplish something, and she had actually thought that he was just taking her out to play!

  If it was said that she hated being deceived the most, then being used was what she loathed the most!

  Especially when it was by the person she liked. Back then……

  When Tang Doudou recalled what happened during the time she was reading, her face instantly turned pale as snow and her tone became as cold and biting as the winter wind. "Many thanks, Baili gongzi, for your good intentions. I don't need anyone's protection!"

  After she finished speaking, she struggled free from Baili Yu's arms and ran into the hold. Inside, she found the boatman's corpse. His eyes were wide open and his throat had been sliced by a sharp petal. Even now, blood was spilling out.

  No wonder he said there was no need to worry about Yuner, so it turned out he had already dealt with the boatman. This man seriously grasped everything so well people wanted to raise a middle finger!

  She hated this feeling!

  __________

  Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Edited by Dray

  [Chiyomira's Corner]

  C: "When Tang Doudou recalled what happened during the time she was reading……" I think it's referring to the time she finished reading about the Saint Tribes and got stabbed?