"He Jiaqing" sensed something was amiss and turned to run outside the door.
He pulled at the door for a long time, but it didn't budge.
The phonograph was still sulking, endlessly complaining: "I knew that person with the surname Song was not simple, just with that talent he could charm that mad Han. Tell me, is she pretty?"
Red Lotus thought for a while: "It depends on the comparison. Comparing to your appearance before you died, she doesn't measure up. But as for your appearance now..."
The phonograph's voice trembled: "What's wrong with my appearance now? Didn't that mad Han say he didn't mind?"
Hong Ying advised from the side: "Xiaowan, don't be angry, don't listen to Red Lotus' gossip!"
"He Jiaqing" paused for a moment, doubting whether he had overreacted, as it seemed no one in the room cared about him.
Since they didn't care, he didn't need to be polite. "He Jiaqing" looked around and noticed two other doors in the room, one opposite and one along the wall.
Having chosen his direction, "He Jiaqing" rushed forward, grabbed Red Lotus with his left hand, and with his right hand holding the fan, pushed open the second son's door.
Squeak~
The door opened.
Clang!
The fan fell to the ground.
"He Jiaqing" was startled; how could the fan fall?
It was his life, and this fan never left his hand.
He looked at his bare wrist and suddenly understood why—the fan hadn't left his hand; his hand had fallen to the floor.
Hong Ying had chopped off "He Jiaqing's" right hand, picked up the fan from the ground, removed "He Jiaqing's" palm, and carefully examined it: "What is this treasure, why do you always clutch it?"
"He Jiaqing" tried to snatch back the fan, but Hong Ying stepped back into the second son's room, beckoning: "I walk backward, if you can catch me, the fan is yours!"
"He Jiaqing" endured the intense pain and desperately pursued, while Hong Ying retreated into the third room.
Red Lotus shouted: "Wretched woman, stop playing around and get me down first!"
Hong Ying chuckled: "Why save you? This person and your lover look so alike; take advantage of your husband not being home and enjoy yourselves."
Hong Ying continued bantering as she retreated, but "He Jiaqing," using all his strength, still couldn't catch up.
He had chased into the Bafang, realizing he might finally be able to catch Hong Ying.
With all his might, he lunged, slipped, and fell to the floor.
The fall wasn't light; "He Jiaqing" couldn't get up for a while, and Red Lotus was also lost to Hong Ying.
A voice in the room said: "This puddle of water was spilled just right."
An Arithmetic Cultivator lived in the Bafang, subdued by Hong Ying and ready to do her bidding at any time.
In situations like earlier, without even needing a command, the Arithmetic Cultivator in the Bafang would actively assist.
He calculated Hong Ying's stride and speed frequency, also deduced "He Jiaqing's" stride and frequency, and adjusted the furniture arrangement in the Bafang, causing "He Jiaqing" to step into the puddle.
Hong Ying, holding the Red Lotus and fan, continued to mock "He Jiaqing": "The fan is in my hand, your sweetheart is in my hand; keep chasing, finding a bit of fun is rare."
After speaking, Hong Ying retreated from the Bafang and entered the Seventh Room.
"He Jiaqing" could see how great the gap was between himself and this indescribable woman.
This woman could kill him at any moment; keeping him alive was just for amusement.
Wanting to die quickly, he didn't really need to chase anymore.
But the fan was in her hand...
That's the logic, but understanding and accepting are two different things; how could any living being not cling to life?
"He Jiaqing" chased into the Seventh Room, where Hong Ying still wanted to toy with him. Suddenly, the phonograph shouted: "Sassy hooves, have you fooled around enough? First, bring back Red Lotus; I have questions for her!"
Judging by the tone, it seemed related to Teacher Song's affairs. Xiaowan had lost her temper so greatly, Hong Ying dared not neglect it and quickly returned with Red Lotus to the main room.
"He Jiaqing" watched as Hong Ying walked further and further away, the fan drifting farther from him, his body growing increasingly sluggish.
He couldn't move anymore.
Was this the end...
"He Jiaqing's" thoughts came to a standstill.
...
Hong Ying brought Red Lotus to the phonograph, which asked fiercely: "Tell me, what dealings does that sassy hooves surnamed Song have with my husband?"
Red Lotus replied: "She is the teacher of Li Banfeng and He Jiaqing. She is clear with He Jiaqing, but as for her dealings with Li Banfeng, I can't say; after all, I didn't know that mad Han back then."
"Wasn't that person just now truly He Jiaqing?" the phonograph asked sharply.
With such momentum, even Red Lotus felt a bit frightened: "Could I deceive you? He didn't even know whether Teacher Song is male or female, definitely not real..."
"Who knows what your glances mean? Ying Ying, go bring that person over; I want to question him personally!"
Hong Ying, holding the fan, hurried to find "He Jiaqing," only to discover "He Jiaqing" lying immobilized in the Seventh Room.
"Xiaowan, what's happening to him..." Hong Ying dared not act rashly; she saw "He Jiaqing's" odd condition and noticed Zhao Xiaowan's off mood.
Back in the army, whenever Zhao Xiaowan truly got angry, everyone had to tread carefully with whatever was done.
"Useless! Can't even bring someone over without a struggle!" Zhao Xiaowan entered the Seventh Room and gave Hong Ying a smack that hurt, with Hong Ying rubbing it for a long time.
The fan neared "He Jiaqing," and after a while, "He Jiaqing" gradually started to respond.