Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 789 - 386 The First Meeting Between the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager_3

Chapter 789: Chapter 386 The First Meeting Between the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager_3

The burly man smiled faintly and fell silent.

Zhao Yuanhua’s face darkened like ink. Just as she was about to speak, her gaze suddenly shot toward the tightly closed window.

"Who!?"

The next second, the burly man vanished from beside the table. As the window slammed open with a "bang," his figure flickered outside.

He scanned the empty corridor, his brows furrowing deeply.

Zhao Yuanhua sneered coldly, "Just someone playing tricks to scare you."

The burly man glared maliciously at Zhao Yuanhua before returning inside and closing the window once more.

At the far end of the corridor, a petite figure shimmered like a shadow, slowly emerging into view.

Jiang Que stroked her delicate chin, murmuring, "It seems Guardian Jiang isn’t here after all."

She pondered for a moment before turning to leave.

Upon returning to her small courtyard, she saw a female monk dressed in tattered red and yellow robes sitting quietly on an open patch of ground. The monk was gazing silently at the slowly rising full moon.

Jiang Que formed a secret hand gesture and walked up to the monk with a smile. "Madam, surely you didn’t come all this way just to wait for me? May I ask your dharma name?"

"The Bodhi tree itself does not exist."

The female monk’s voice was calm, threaded with a slight magnetic quality.

Jiang Que narrowed her sharp eyes. "The Goddess of the Esoteric Sect, the Great Bodhi Mother?"

...

Late at night, another carriage stopped at the foot of Demon Sea Mountain.

Qu Hongling looked at the lights atop the mountain, scrunching her adorable face. "Luoxue Sis, could this Little River Map have led us astray? How could Jiang possibly be here?"

Faced with the young girl’s doubt, the two floating Yin Yang Small Swords beside her buzzed in irritated protest.

At this moment, however, Dugu Luoxue’s face was filled with worry.

She hadn’t expected Jiang Shouzhong to actually be in Nanjin Country.

After all, to prevent the darkening Ran Qingchen and Jiang Shouzhong from crossing paths, she had intentionally told Ran Qingchen that the Great Bodhi Mother was in Nanjin Country, hoping to draw her away.

Now, as fate would have it, they were both here.

Luckily, Nanjin Country was vast, and the Great Bodhi Mother might not necessarily be in this area.

"Let’s hope this doesn’t backfire," she said with a sigh.

Dugu Luoxue let out a soft sigh.

...

The night hung as heavy as a massive black silk drape, pressing down upon the world.

Inside the room, a single flame flickered in the stillness.

Jiang Shouzhong lay on the bed, dazedly staring at the shifting shadows cast by the unsteady candlelight. His empty eyes were brimming with confusion and regret.

Xiao Lingqiu nestled in the man’s arms, listening silently to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

This time, she could hear it clearly—the man’s heartbeat was for the woman named Ran Qingchen.

Xiao Lingqiu tilted her delicate face upward, as if wanting to say something. Yet, when she saw the man’s vacant expression, the words caught in her throat, her eyes betraying a faint sorrow.

In the past, whenever she nestled in his arms, she could feel his warmth and a sense of security.

But now...

It felt like she was clinging to a porcelain doll.

The familiar feelings had completely vanished.

From deep within Xiao Lingqiu, a vague sense of grievance welled up. She didn’t know why she felt this way, but it was a suffocating pain that made her eyes sting.

She turned her back to the man.

A small space grew between them.

Before, the man would always rest his hand on her, pulling her gently into his embrace.

But tonight, he didn’t.

It was as if he had forgotten.

Xiao Lingqiu bit her lip, reached out, and grabbed the man’s arm, placing it on herself.

Even with his arm on her, it remained motionless.

After a moment, a wave of pent-up frustration rushed to her head. Without really thinking, she suddenly tugged open her robe and placed the man’s hand inside, pressing it against her chest.