"Nana, please stop making a scene — I'm begging you." Rulu stood to the side, completely at a loss, but Nana paid him no attention and continued to struggle and scuffle with C.C.

  Fortunately, C.C. had far more fighting experience than Nana and was considerably stronger. Before long, C.C. managed to get Nana under control. Despite Nana's struggling and resistance, the two of them forcibly brought her inside, then down into the secret underground room, locking the door behind them to keep her from running off again.

  Back in the secret underground room, Nana sat on the living room sofa with a face full of sorrow, not saying a word. Rulu kept talking to her, trying to expin himself, but Nana refused to so much as gnce at him — she ignored him completely.

  "Doesn't seem to be working," C.C. pulled Rulu aside and whispered. "Nana's completely stopped listening to you."

  "I know. I have no idea what to do — I've never seen her this angry before." Rulu let out a sigh, feeling his head begin to ache.

  "Who told you to only ever think about yourself and never consider anyone else's feelings? This is what you call reaping what you sow." C.C. said with undisguised glee.

  "Stop standing there gloating and help me figure out how to calm her down."

  "Nana won't even listen to you — why would she listen to me? Besides, this is between the two of you. I have no reason to get involved."

  "Is that so? If Nana stays angry, she won't be making any delicious food for you, C.C. Is that really fine with you?"

  "How despicable — using food as leverage against me. Fine, I'll try to think of something. But don't bme me if I can't."

  Rulu and C.C. huddled together, whispering and deliberating. Nana sat on the sofa watching them mutter away endlessly, and knowing full well they were discussing her, she couldn't help but speak up. "You two, what are you plotting over there? Speaking so quietly — are you trying to keep me from hearing?"

  Rulu turned to look at her. "As soon as Nana stops being angry, I'll tell you everything."

  Nana let out a "hmph," turned her face away, and grew annoyed again. Rulu went back to whispering with C.C. Watching the two of them together, so easy and familiar with each other, a strange feeling crept over Nana — as though she were the outsider, as though C.C. and Rulu were the pair, the real owners of this home.

  "Why is it that when C.C. sees Rulu hurt like this, instead of just being angry, she actually helps him? Does C.C. understand Rulu better than I do? Is she closer to him than I am?" With these thoughts swirling in her mind, a pang of jealousy rose in her chest, and she couldn't stop herself from speaking again. "Rulu, C.C., stop muttering over there — both of you, come here."

  "Nana, are you not angry anymore? Will you forgive me?" Rulu's eyes lit up and he quickly sat down beside her.

  "I can forgive you — but you have to expin yourself clearly. Where did you go today, and what did you do? If you can't tell me that, I absolutely will not forgive you."

  Rulu sensed a turning point and said, "Alright, I can tell you everything. But you have to promise that after hearing it, you won't get angry — and that you absolutely won't interfere in these matters. Can you do that?"

  "Well..." Nana hesitated, then looked over at C.C. "What about you, Miss C.C.? Doesn't it bother you, Rulu doing these dangerous things?"

  C.C. replied, "As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter much. That's just the way he is. Trying to change him is impossible, and since there's nothing to be done about it, the only option is to go along with him."

  "Even if it might get him killed — even if it costs him his life?" Nana pressed.

  "Of course I don't want him to die. But for him, there are things more important than life itself. I may not fully understand his way of thinking, but I don't think it's foolish — in fact, I find it admirable."

  Rulu shot C.C. a grateful look, silently thanking her for speaking up on his behalf.

  "You two really are close," Nana murmured.

  After that, Nana fell into deep thought. After a long while, she finally made up her mind. The sorrow left her face, and her gaze grew resolute. She turned to Rulu and said, "Alright, Rulu — I promise you. Whatever you pn to do from now on, I won't stop you or interfere. But you have to promise me too — no more lying to me, no more keeping everything from me."

  "I promise."

  "Then can you tell me now — where did you go today, and what did you do?"

  "Alright, here's what happened..." Rulu let out a sigh. He knew this was the only way to put the matter to rest, and so he stopped hiding things from Nana and gave her a brief account of everything that had taken pce that day.

  When Nana finished listening, she was deeply shaken. She had wanted to scold Rulu, but remembering what she had just promised, she held herself back and said nothing — only becoming subdued and downcast.

  C.C., too, was taken aback by what she heard. "Rulu, you really do have some nerve — not only did you break into the Governor's mansion at night, you killed General Feihu too. I honestly don't know what to say to you. The trouble you're stirring up just keeps getting bigger."

  Rulu gave a cold snort. "From the moment they killed Uncle Qiao — from the moment I killed the previous Governor — things were already beyond salvaging. Even if I hadn't killed him, General Feihu would never have let me go. I've had no way back for a long time now."