Love on the Turquoise Land

Waking up, the day was already bright.

Yan Tuo had just sat up when he felt his head weighing heavily. He pressed a hand to his forehead, taking a moment on the bed to steady himself before lifting his gaze to scan the room.

Back at the hotel?

Oh, right. He had called a designated driver.

On the way back, he had even taken a call from Lü Xian.

What was he supposed to do today again?

Lü Xian…

Shit!

Had something already happened to Lü Xian?

Yan Tuo frantically reached for his dedicated phone, only to remember after a long search that he had handed it to Nie Jiuluo the day before. He threw off the covers and hurried out.

He stopped short as soon as he entered the living room: Nie Jiuluo was already washed and dressed, sitting neatly at the dining table and eating—though her so-called "dressed" just meant throwing on a coat.

Hearing the noise, she glanced up at him. "Awake?"

Yan Tuo grunted vaguely and looked at the table.

Two servings of Western breakfast—hot milk with sunny-side-up eggs and a mixed vegetable salad.

"Room service?"

Nie Jiuluo nodded and went back to eating.

Distracted by this, Yan Tuo momentarily forgot why he had come out in the first place. After standing there for a while, he opened the mini-fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and twisted off the cap to drink. He had been drinking last night and still needed to drive today. To avoid a "next-day DUI," diluting the alcohol with plenty of water couldn’t hurt.

The icy water hit his stomach, a cold rush surging down his throat. Yan Tuo stiffened.

After returning last night, he seemed to have seen Nie Jiuluo… and even spoken to her.

He turned to look at her.

Nie Jiuluo sensed his gaze.

Since she was nearly done eating anyway, she pushed her plate aside and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "What is it?"

Yan Tuo hesitated. "I… got drunk last night?"

"Yeah."

"Did I do anything… inappropriate?"

Nie Jiuluo lifted her eyelids slightly. "Do you often do inappropriate things when you're drunk?"

Yan Tuo: "No, it's just that when people are drunk, their self-control tends to… slip."

Fragments of memories surfaced, but he couldn’t tell if they had really happened or if they were just drunken fantasies conjured by his intoxicated mind.

He double-checked with Nie Jiuluo: "I didn’t… offend you, did I?"

Nie Jiuluo: "Would you dare? If you had, do you think you’d have slept peacefully till morning?"

That was true. Yan Tuo exhaled deeply and turned to head back to the bathroom to freshen up.

While washing his face, he cupped cold water and splashed it forcefully onto his skin. After a few rounds, he suddenly spaced out.

Those eyes came back to him.

Truly the gentlest gaze he had ever seen in his life—the kind where you didn’t need to say a word, and she understood everything. It shattered all his evasive, half-baked excuses in an instant, as if he had surrendered on the spot, wanting only to tear open his chest and lay bare the sorrow, guilt, and even the grievances buried deep inside for her to see.

Yan Tuo lowered his head and scooped another handful of water, pressing it hard against his face.

Dreams were so nice. They had everything.

After freshening up, feeling much more alert, Yan Tuo sat down to eat breakfast.

Just as he was about to strike up a conversation with Nie Jiuluo, she raised a finger to her lips, her gaze lowered as if intently listening to something.

Only then did Yan Tuo notice she still had an earpiece in one ear.

Was she… still monitoring Lü Xian?

Yan Tuo tensed but didn’t dare interrupt, so he kept an eye on her expression while occasionally taking a bite.

After a while, she removed the earpiece.

Yan Tuo’s heart was in his throat. "Well?"

"Good news, I suppose. Lü Xian has left the farm."Yan Tuo was so startled that he nearly knocked over the glass of milk in front of him. He quickly steadied it and asked, "What happened?"

...

As for what exactly had happened, Nie Jiuluo couldn't say for sure.

All she knew was that around eleven o'clock last night, Xiong Hei had urgently summoned Lin Xirou away, citing that "something had happened."

The next update came just now. Lü Xian must have run into Xiong Hei while having breakfast in the restaurant and greeted him, "Brother Xiong, everything alright last night?"

Xiong Hei clearly didn’t want to elaborate and gave a perfunctory response.

Lü Xian pressed on, "Are we heading back to the city together today? Around what time?"

Xiong Hei replied, "You go ahead. We still have things to take care of."

Clearly, the plan that was supposed to target Lü Xian today had been forced to a halt.

The stroke of luck came so suddenly that Yan Tuo could hardly believe it. "Could it really be this coincidental? Just when we needed it, 'uprooting' cooperates with us by causing trouble now?"

Nie Jiuluo slid the dedicated phone and earpiece toward Yan Tuo. "Never mind that. It’s good news, no doubt."

She had never met Lü Xian, but since he had once snatched her life back from the jaws of death, she hoped he would stay safe.

After breakfast, the two set off again.

The drive from Zhengzhou to Anyang took two and a half hours on the highway. By noon, they had already entered the city.

Theoretically, Anyang should be an ancient city—after all, it was the birthplace of oracle bone script. Yan Tuo had expected to be greeted by a "sense of historical weight," but upon arrival, he realized it was nothing like that. Cities across the country were competing to embody the word "new"—new streets, new buildings, even the trees lining the roads swayed with youthful freshness.

Nie Jiuluo explained, "This is the new district. The old town still has some weathered charm."

Yan Tuo wouldn’t have time to seek out that "weathered charm" on this trip. Xu Anni’s workplace was a restaurant in the new district.

They arrived during lunch hour, but the restaurant wasn’t bustling. From its exterior, it was clear this was a budget-friendly, modest-sized establishment.

Unsure if Xu Anni was even there, Yan Tuo found the restaurant’s number on a review app and called, asking specifically for "Xu Anni." The front desk asked him to hold, then shouted, "Anni ya!"

The once stylish name was rendered utterly rustic.

Yan Tuo hung up. "She’s here."

He moved to get out of the car, but Nie Jiuluo stopped him. "Let me go."

Yan Tuo didn’t understand.

Nie Jiuluo said, "All the Di Xiao know you. I think it’s best you don’t show your face, even around people close to them. Besides, what can you do besides seeing her? I might as well go. It’s easier for women to talk to each other."

Yan Tuo glanced at the walking cane resting beside her seat. "You?"

"What about me? Just park the car by the entrance. I’ll walk a few steps, and someone will come to help me. Even while recovering, I can’t stay completely immobile."

Fair enough.

Yan Tuo pulled up Xu Anni’s photo from his email for Nie Jiuluo to see, then parked the car right outside the restaurant.

Just as he was about to get out and open the door for her, Nie Jiuluo snapped, "Don’t. Stay put. Let me struggle out on my own. Once I’m out, drive away immediately. I’ll text you when I need a pickup."What kind of nonsense is this again? Yan Tuo was both amused and exasperated, but he still did as she asked and "immediately" drove the car away—albeit very slowly. Only when he saw in the rearview mirror that someone from the restaurant had indeed come out to help her did he feel relieved.

...

The moment Nie Jiuluo entered the restaurant, she drew the attention of nearly everyone inside. Her beauty was secondary—it was her outfit that really stood out. Add to that her arm in a sling and her crutch, and there was no way she could keep a low profile.

She spotted Xu Anni, who was busy clearing and wiping down a table.

Xu Anni was very young, barely in her twenties, of average height, with a round face, big eyes, and a low ponytail. Her attire was simple—most girls her age would have some trendy flair, but she had none, appearing almost plain in her simplicity.

Nie Jiuluo walked toward that table.

Xu Anni hurriedly sped up her cleaning, gave the table a final wipe, and turned to greet her: "Hello, just one person?"

She reached out to help but quickly withdrew her hand—Nie Jiuluo’s coat looked expensive, and Xu Anni’s hands were still greasy from the rag.

Nie Jiuluo gave a faint "Mm" and sat down on the chair with visible difficulty and pain—so much so that Xu Anni’s heart ached for her. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Sis, did you just hurt your arm?"

Nie Jiuluo was momentarily taken aback by the address. No one had ever called her that before, and she didn’t particularly like the term—it made her feel old.

But coming from Xu Anni, it was understandable. The girl looked like a high schooler.

Nie Jiuluo nodded. "I can’t put any weight on it. It hurts if I do."

Xu Anni glanced curiously toward the door. "In your condition, you’re eating out alone? Your family didn’t come with you?"

Nie Jiuluo smiled faintly, certain her expression carried a trace of sorrow—she had practiced it in front of a mirror.

She lowered her head to look at the menu.

The table was covered with a transparent plastic sheet, and the menu was tucked underneath.

Nie Jiuluo said, "I’ll have the signature eggplant rice with a side of seaweed egg drop soup. Oh, and also a takeout order—my husband will have the braised pork ribs with vegetables, a bamboo shoot chicken soup, and a stir-fried beef with yellow peppers. Oh, and make sure the beef is tender, or he’ll yell at me."

By the last sentence, her expression was apologetic.

Xu Anni was baffled. "You’re in this state, and you’re still getting takeout for your husband? Can’t he get his own food?"

Nie Jiuluo bit her lip lightly, her eyes gradually reddening, and whispered, "Just place the order."

As she spoke, she even raised a hand to dab at her eyes.

...

The small restaurant wasn’t busy, and the chef worked fast. The signature eggplant rice arrived quickly.

Nie Jiuluo had only taken a few bites when she "accidentally" dropped her chopsticks on the floor.

As she bent to pick them up, Xu Anni, hearing the noise, came over, collected the dirty chopsticks, and brought her a new pair.

Nie Jiuluo said softly, "Thank you."

Xu Anni quite liked Nie Jiuluo. To her, this older sister seemed cultured and refined—so gentle in her speech and so beautiful to boot.

She remarked, "Sis, you’re injured, and you’re ordering such plain food. You won’t get enough nutrients like this."

Nie Jiuluo forced a smile. "I’m used to it.""What do you mean, used to it?" Connecting the dots from earlier, Xu Anni grew increasingly uneasy. She glanced around furtively and lowered her voice, "Sis, is your husband treating you badly?"

She had sensed something off from the start: a patient eating such plain food while ordering all heavy meat dishes for her husband—and making the injured wife pack and deliver the meal? What kind of man does that?

Nie Jiuluo looked up at Xu Anni.

Sometimes, to get someone to "open up," you have to be open first. To exchange secrets, you must reveal one of your own.

She reached out and gently touched her sling-bound left arm. "What do you think? He did this."

Xu Anni didn’t process it at first. After a few seconds, she stammered, "H-He did this? Your husband?"

Nie Jiuluo nodded tearfully.

What kind of monster was this? How could anyone do such a thing?

Xu Anni was furious on her behalf, but seeing her fragile demeanor, she also felt frustrated by her passivity. "You can’t just let him get away with this. At worst, you can leave him. Someone as beautiful as you—you’d have no shortage of suitors."

Nie Jiuluo burst into laughter, then quickly turned melancholic. "Relationships between men and women are too complicated. You’re still young—you’ve never even been in love, have you? You wouldn’t understand."

Xu Anni blurted out, "I wouldn’t understand? I may be younger than you, but I definitely know more than you do."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she seemed to realize she’d slipped up, her face flushing with embarrassment.

Nie Jiuluo knew why she was embarrassed: before "going straight," Xu Anni had frequented adult entertainment venues. At such a young age, she’d had to make a living in that world, exposed to all kinds of filth—so of course she knew more. But judging by her current appearance, clean and free of makeup, she clearly wanted to sever all ties with her past.

Nie Jiuluo feigned surprise. "You’ve already been in a relationship? Is your boyfriend good to you?"

At the mention of her boyfriend, Xu Anni’s eyes lit up with unconcealable joy. Shyly, she murmured, "He’s very good."

...

Half an hour later, Yan Tuo arrived to pick up Nie Jiuluo.

As instructed, he parked by the entrance without getting out of the car. To maintain the "cold and indifferent" act, he didn’t even open the door for her.

Yan Tuo saw clearly that it was Xu Anni who helped Nie Jiuluo to the door and opened the car for her.

He turned his face away, avoiding eye contact with Xu Anni, but he could hear every sound she made.

He heard her telling Nie Jiuluo to be careful, to take her time getting in, and saying something like, "Think carefully about what I said." Finally, she suddenly let out a loud, deliberate "Pfft!"

Yan Tuo didn’t understand, but he had a strong intuition: that "Pfft" was directed at him.

After driving for a while, he asked Nie Jiuluo, "What did you two talk about for so long?"

Then added, "Didn’t expect you to chat so much with a stranger."

There was no response from Nie Jiuluo for a long time.

Puzzled, Yan Tuo turned to look at her and noticed her gaze was unfocused, her expression strange. Her lips trembled slightly, and she occasionally licked them anxiously.

"Miss Nie?"

Nie Jiuluo jolted as if snapping back to reality. She turned to Yan Tuo, her voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor.

"Yan Tuo, Xu Anni is pregnant."

Xu Anni... is pregnant?Yan Tuo's mind exploded with shock. Instinctively, he stomped on the brakes, then suddenly remembered Nie Jiuluo's body couldn't withstand such abrupt stops and immediately eased off.

Finally, the car slowed to a gentle halt by the roadside.

The two sat in silence inside the vehicle, neither speaking.

At last, Yan Tuo broke the silence: "This can't be possible. How could humans and earthbound fiends possibly produce a child together?"

Nie Jiuluo gave a soft laugh. "Shocking, isn't it? When I heard her say that in the restaurant, I knocked over my soup bowl. It's taken me until now to gradually recover."

"There are two possibilities. First, they've already broken through this reproductive barrier and can mate with humans to produce offspring."

Yan Tuo wanted to say something, but Nie Jiuluo signaled him to wait and let her finish. "The second possibility is that Xu Anni thinks she's carrying Wu Xingbang's child, but in reality, it's not."

His mind still struggling to process this, Yan Tuo simply asked directly: "What do you mean?"

Nie Jiuluo hesitated. "Do you remember how Lin Ling once suspected she was being molested at night but could never wake up? What I'm saying is, Xu Anni would never refuse her boyfriend's advances. But if it happened at night, in the dark, when she was barely conscious... who knows if the man was really who she thought?"

Yan Tuo spoke each word deliberately: "You're suggesting Wu Xingbang arranged for someone to... with his own girlfriend..."

Nie Jiuluo lowered her head. "What girlfriend? Just a blood bag."

As she spoke, Xu Anni's smiling eyes seemed to appear before her again—so earnest when she'd said: "Sister, you need to be decisive. If it's time to break up, then break up. You have to believe the scenery ahead will be better. Like me—before I met my boyfriend, I attempted suicide several times. After meeting him, I often think how lucky I was not to have succeeded. Really."