LOT – Chapter 126 Two Coal Balls Became Spirits

The imperial harem was a flurry of activity, and at the same time, Lin Mo was busy carving her jade sculpture.

Bai Xiao squinted, staring and staring, but he just couldn’t figure out what the thing was.

“Mo Mo, what is this you’re carving? A rooster? A pair of mandarin ducks? Neither of those seem like a fitting gift for the Empress.”

Bai Xiao had seen plenty in his life, but he really couldn’t make sense of this thing.

Lin Mo tapped the jade and said with great surprise, “You really can’t tell? This is a phoenix! But I made some modifications to it myself—it’s absolutely one of a kind!”

Looking at the chubby “phoenix,” Bai Xiao gave her a thumbs-up.

Forgive him, but it didn’t look like a phoenix at all. Anyone else would think it was just a mountain chicken.

After finishing the carving, Lin Mo admired her work with satisfaction, then pulled out coloring dyes.

Bai Xiao: !!! You fool, what are you trying to do now!

Lin Mo grinned smugly. “Hahaha, how could a phoenix not have color? I spent a great deal of time and money getting this dye. It absolutely won’t fade. Soon, you’ll see a radiant jade phoenix!”

Bai Xiao’s features scrunched together. Big sis, are you serious right now?!

But his protest only lasted a second. The next moment, he happily joined in on the coloring spree.

“Hahaha, painting this is actually fun! Are you sure it won’t fade?” Bai Xiao waved his brush, looking incredibly excited.

Lin Mo nodded firmly. “Don’t worry, it won’t! The seller said this dye is made specifically for jade. Even if it gets on skin, it’ll take half a month to come off.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly felt a cool sensation across her face.

Lin Mo: …

Bai Xiao: …

Bai Xiao stepped back a couple of paces, guilty. “If I say it wasn’t on purpose, would you believe me?”

He really hadn’t meant it! He just turned to switch sides, that’s all—it wasn’t intentional!

Lin Mo touched her face, and her expression slowly collapsed.

“Bai Xiao! I’m going to kill you!”

The courtyard instantly rang with the sound of scuffling and chaos. The people outside were long used to it.

As long as no one died, there was no need to interfere. Besides, with these two, death wasn’t on the table anyway.

A quarter of an hour later, two black-faced figures appeared.

The only white on their faces were the whites of their eyes and their teeth.

Lin Mo looked at the shiny black-skinned Bai Xiao in front of her and burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha! You’ve turned into a black person!”

Bai Xiao pulled out a mirror from who-knows-where, checking himself as he shot back, “And you dare laugh at me? You’re not much better yourself.”

Lin Mo’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a bloodcurdling scream.

“Ahhhhhh! My face! My skin! My handsome face!”

It had all started with Bai Xiao’s mistake. But when Lin Mo retaliated, she smeared his face pitch black. Bai Xiao panicked and lashed out in return—and that was how the two of them ended up like this.

Even the plump “phoenix” had turned into a black phoenix.

At dinner that evening, the Lin family’s faces twitched uncontrollably as they looked at the two blackened culprits.

Lin Qi furrowed her brows, bit her lip, and lowered her head, her shoulders trembling.

Don’t laugh, don’t laugh. Mom and Dad are angry—absolutely no laughing.

Lin Mo glanced at her parents’ expressions and kept winking furiously at Bai Xiao.

Everyone could see her rolling her eyes dramatically.

Lin Ran took a deep breath and turned her body away—if she couldn’t see it, she wouldn’t laugh.

【Think of something quick! How am I supposed to explain this to my parents? I still have to attend court tomorrow!】

Lin Mo’s eyes darted rapidly. With her face completely black, those white eyeballs stood out all the more.

【You’re asking me? How would I know! Just say we got poisoned or something.】

Bai Xiao really couldn’t come up with a better excuse.

Everyone else: … Poisoned? You really thought of that?

Minister Lin drew in a long breath and closed his eyes. “Can someone tell me what exactly happened here? Turning yourselves into this—what on earth were you thinking? Others say they don’t want you, and you took it literally and threw away your faces?!”

He had never seen such people in his life!

Bai Xiao muttered quietly, “It was an accident. We were preparing the Empress’s gift, and then when coloring it… the accident happened.” As he spoke, he nudged Lin Mo.

【Hurry up and say something too! Don’t leave me explaining alone!】

Lin Mo suddenly flashed a dazzling smile—her stark white teeth nearly blinded everyone present.

“Pfft!”

Lin Qi collapsed onto the table, muffling her voice as she burst out laughing. “Sorry, I really can’t hold it in—hahahahaha!”

His laugh completely broke the tense atmosphere. The room that had been filled with heavy air could no longer stay serious.

Lin Ran couldn’t hold back either, and even Madam Lin, who had been stern-faced, couldn’t stop herself. The sight of her daughter’s gleaming white teeth and bulging white eyes was simply too much.

The servants outside were already dying of laughter. Truly, Second Miss and Young Master Bai were a match made in heaven! As the saying goes: not family, no entry to the same house. These two were born to be one family.

Even Minister Lin finally broke down. He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and turned his head aside.

Only once his head was turned did he dare open his eyes again—only to be greeted by Bai Xiao’s ingratiating smile.

On that black face, the glaring white teeth and eyes almost dazzled him.

“Pfft.” This time Minister Lin completely lost it.

Lin Mo: 【Since my parents are laughing, does that mean we’re safe?】

Bai Xiao: 【Should be. That was my most flattering smile, after all.】

The Lin family was laughing so hard their faces hurt and their stomachs cramped.

They were both exasperated and amused. They had intended to scold the pair, but staring at those two ridiculous blackened faces, they just couldn’t get the words out.

That meal… everyone except for the two “black people” barely managed to eat at all.

Every time they looked up and saw those pitch-black heads, with white teeth flashing as food was chewed, the comedy effect was overwhelming.

After the meal, the two were promptly sent back to their courtyard. Honestly, they felt relieved.

“I thought we’d be scolded today. Can’t believe Father and Mother didn’t say anything.”

It was the first time Lin Mo had gotten into trouble without being punished.

“Not getting scolded is a good thing. Go to bed early—you have court tomorrow,” Bai Xiao said, rubbing his face. Tsk! The color really wouldn’t come off at all!