FRGNM -Chapter 109 The Flower Ball Visits

“Pfft! No wonder they recognized us so quickly. I didn’t expect the painting skills here to improve so fast—these people look almost lifelike!” Ling Ruoxi ran her hand over the scroll, nodding at the paintings. Indeed, they were strikingly similar to Luo Mingyu!

Luo Mingyu unfolded the scroll and looked at the people depicted. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “Clearly, you’re uglier than me—what is this? Now, Qiongyu Island is targeting me, so they should—”

Yes, the target was him. So why include Ling Ruoxi’s portrait too?

Based on that woman’s personality, she wouldn’t act against someone useless to her. Moreover, when Luo Song returned, he would reveal that Ling Ruoxi couldn’t use Dou Qi. Targeting a woman without Dou Qi… did she suspect Ling Ruoxi hid some secret that had to be discovered?

Knowing Qiongyu Island as well as he did, Luo Mingyu frowned and tapped the table, occasionally glancing at Ling Ruoxi.

In that moment, flames seemed to ignite. Ling Ruoxi wanted to slam him forever, but Luo Mingyu’s unusual gaze caught her off guard. What was going on with him? Why that smile?

“Qiongyu Island has now announced to Longxing Continent: anyone providing intelligence on the two of you will be rewarded. You are both in danger. There may also be Qiongyu Island agents hidden in Duanyun Kingdom. Be careful,” Ye Ningfeng said, his eyes falling on Luo Mingyu. Calmly, he asked, “Young Master Luo, you must explain the situation clearly, or…”

“There’s nothing to explain. If it weren’t for this foolish woman experimenting with my Dou Qi and poisoning me, how would I have ended up in Duanyun Kingdom?” Luo Mingyu pinched Ling Ruoxi’s cheek, feeling genuinely wronged. Somehow he’d been caught in her trap, and his power still hadn’t fully recovered.

“How was I supposed to know your Dou Qi was different!” Ling Ruoxi rolled her eyes and glared at him.

Ye Ningfeng, sipping tea, was slightly taken aback. “Miss Ruoxi, what did you say? Dou Qi… different?”

“Yes, your Dou Qi…”

“Precisely. Every person’s Dou Qi reflects their understanding of it. The Dou Qi in your body cannot be the same as mine. So yes, Dou Qi is different, isn’t it?” Luo Mingyu interrupted her, smiling faintly at Ye Ningfeng. Clearly, she was trying to make trouble for him.

Ye Ningfeng nodded, continuing, “However, tonight is Duanyun Kingdom’s Flower Ball Festival. For couples already together, it’s best not to go out.”

“Why?” Ling Ruoxi blinked. Flower Ball Festival? She had never heard of it before. Having come all this way, she at least wanted to see the festivities.

Sipping tea, Qingyi said calmly, “The Flower Ball Festival is when unmarried women give a flower ball to their beloved. Such a festival is not suitable for you.”

“I won’t give a flower ball, then. Hmph.” Ling Ruoxi smiled mischievously, touching her nose. If the night was for the festival, it must be lively.

She ignored their discussions and returned to her room early. Outside, colorful flower balls were already hung along the streets. Excited, she climbed onto the roof, quickly closed the window, and prepared to jump down.

“Where are you going?” A voice from the opposite room startled her. Turning, she saw a man holding a wine jug, cheeks flushed, slightly tipsy.

“Nothing, just wanted to take a look. Keep drinking, go ahead.” Ling Ruoxi smiled faintly, perching on the roof tiles, not wanting Luo Mingyu to drag her back.

The man didn’t stop her. “Go play if you want, but be back early. If I come and don’t see you, you’ll regret it.”

“Your grandfather!” Ling Ruoxi glared at Luo Mingyu, flipped off the roof, and vanished into the street below.

Looking at the seated men, Luo Mingyu rubbed his temple. “Old Ghost, didn’t you say that anyone who studies the Poison Scripture never has children? But she… she gave me two kids. How is that possible?”

“I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Qingyi said, raising his head and finishing his wine. “Before she came into contact with the Poison Scripture, she had already been pregnant for a few days. The Scripture merged with her, undetected, causing her difficult labor that almost killed her.”

“What!” Luo Mingyu’s cup shattered in his hand. He sank onto the seat, face dark.

Qingyi continued calmly, “Do you want me to repeat it? Because of the Poison Scripture, she almost died in childbirth. Fortunately, Senior Zuo Mingfeng was there, knowledgeable in these matters, and saved her life. She is the only person in millennia to survive the Poison Scripture and keep her children. Mingyu, cherish her. She bore you two children. Her body has been damaged by the Poison Scripture; she cannot have children again.”

Like a thunderclap, Luo Mingyu clenched his fists. “Tell me more! I want to know everything about her! Speak!”

Flower balls, flower balls!

Ling Ruoxi’s eyes nearly sparkled from the vibrant balls. The craftsmanship and patterns were lifelike; modern machines couldn’t match this.

Ancient crafts were mostly destroyed now. In the past, making handiwork was personal; nowadays, it was for profit. Generations of such artistry had been lost forever.

“So pretty! This one, this one! Boss, I want this one, this one, and this one too!” Ling Ruoxi grabbed ten or so flower balls at once. The shopkeeper could only laugh helplessly, staring at her.

“Miss, one flower ball is enough for the festival…” he said, but seeing her happy haul, he could only smile.

Ling Ruoxi nodded, grinning. “I’ll take them home to play with. Such treasures must not go to waste.”

Curious onlookers watched as she tossed the flower balls at men across the street. They caught them gladly.

Was this like the Water Festival—a polite custom?

Thinking so, Ling Ruoxi tossed another ball. Someone behind her suddenly collided with her arm, sending the ball spinning to another man.

Across the street, a man instinctively caught the ball. His eyes lingered on Ling Ruoxi, as if time froze. Only she existed in his gaze.

Oh no! Ling Ruoxi steadied herself, scanning behind her. A couple embracing hadn’t noticed. She glared at them, then looked into the crowd.

A handsome man in simple white robes, hair tied with a white ribbon, about Luo Mingyu’s height, held a flower ball she wanted. His face was ordinary, not striking.

“Um… sorry, I was just playing and got bumped. Could you return the ball?” Ling Ruoxi asked, smiling awkwardly.

The man in white was slightly stunned. Realizing, he returned the flower ball and quickly left.

A mute? Ling Ruoxi shrugged, then noticed Nangong Mo and Ye Ningfeng. She called out and tossed two flower balls to them.

For martial artists, flying objects are instinctively caught.

Nangong Mo and Ye Ningfeng both caught the balls, realizing they were just flower balls.

“What do we do? Wrong catch!” Nangong Mo murmured, startled. This was his first time in Duanyun, and he hadn’t expected to catch someone else’s flower balls by accident.

Ye Ningfeng’s face darkened. He was caught too! Even they, striking men, had never experienced a woman tossing balls without warning.

Both relaxed as they saw Ling Ruoxi approaching with more balls. She tossed them toward Nangong Mo.

“Ling Ruoxi!” Nangong Mo’s heart nearly skipped a beat. “What are you doing?”

“I’m asking you to hold the flower balls. If you don’t want to, Ye Ningfeng can hold them,” Ling Ruoxi said, noticing the strange gazes around her. “Did I do something wrong? Why are they looking at me like that?”

“Miss Ruoxi, the flower ball is a token given by a woman to a man she likes. That’s why this day is called the Flower Ball Festival,” Ye Ningfeng explained.

Ling Ruoxi nodded. “I know, then what?”

Ye Ningfeng sighed, pressing his palm to his forehead. “When a woman gives a flower ball to a man she fancies, if he likes her back, he catches the ball. Catching it means he accepts her. In other words, if you give a flower ball and a man catches it, he must marry you.”

“What!” Ling Ruoxi nearly jumped. Hugging her pile of flower balls, she suddenly remembered the man in white. She looked toward the crowd.

“Do you think everyone here is as clueless as you? They all know. Some, embarrassed, will return the ball after catching it. Three days later, they will come to your residence to fetch you.”

Nangong Mo realized defeat. This carefree woman was still the same as six years ago: occasionally proud, mostly silly.