Chapter 257: You Will Learn The Truth
Rong Yue lowered his gaze, swirling the tea inside his cup.
As for him... he had no intention of standing back and waiting.
Ningyan already knew something was terribly wrong; he was chasing the truth with every step. So Rong Yue had merely done what he could. He offered just enough of a clue to draw the little bird back toward them.
His blue feline eyes softened. Come back to me, little bird...
Across the tea house, Ningyan rose from his seat. Perhaps lost in thought, he absentmindedly lifted the bamboo hat from his head. His newly shortened white hair fell neatly around his face, carrying Rong Yue back three hundred years in an instant, back to their days at the Celestial Beast Academy.
Rong Yue’s breathing hitched.
He really cut his hair...
He looked beautiful. Painfully so.
Ningyan walked out into the afternoon light, completely unaware of the eyes that had been watching over him the entire time.
Only after his figure disappeared into the bustling streets did Rong Yue finally stand. He placed a few spirit crystals on the table beside his untouched tea.
Beneath his own bamboo hat, his tiger ears twitched, and a gentle smile, steeped in quiet longing, curled his lips.
"Wuhen is going to be glad when he hears about this."
With that, Rong Yue stepped out into the crowd and dissolved into the stream of passersby, never looking back.
•^°^•
With the night sky veiled beneath heavy clouds and a cold wind howling through the streets, an inexplicable impatience coiled around Ningyan’s heart.
The bear beastman led him deeper into Water City, leaving behind the lively waterways for a quieter district where grand residences lay hidden among ancient trees. Beastfolk still passed by, but only in scattered numbers, each moving with unusual discretion.
Suddenly, the bear beastman came to a halt.
Ningyan nearly walked straight into his broad back.
Cautiously peeking around the corner, the bear turned back with an awkward smile. "We’re here."
Ningyan stepped forward, looking past the stone wall.
A modest yet elegant manor stood beneath the moonlight. It was... silent. There were no guards in sight.
His brows drew together. "Why isn’t anyone guarding the entrance?"
The bear beastman rubbed his hands together, his smile growing increasingly guilty. "I’ve brought you this far..." His eyes drifted toward Ningyan hopefully. "About those spirit crystals..."
Ningyan studied him for a long moment.
Something felt off.
Ever since entering this district, the hairs on the back of his neck had refused to settle. It was too quiet, far too quiet. He couldn’t sense a single powerful aura, yet somehow, that only heightened his unease. Either the place was truly deserted, or everyone inside was concealing their presence just as he was.
A pouch of spirit crystals materialized in his palm, and he tossed it over.
The bear beastman caught it with both hands, his eyes shining brighter than the gems themselves. Then, to Ningyan’s surprise, he bowed deeply.
"I swear upon the Heavens that I shall never reveal your return to another soul, Master Su!"
Ningyan stared at him in speechless disgust. "...Leave."
He flicked his sleeve.
With obvious relief, the bear beastman bowed repeatedly before scrambling down the street, as if terrified Ningyan might change his mind.
Only after the beastman had vanished did Ningyan turn back toward the manor, his violet eyes narrowing. "If this is a trap, I’m hunting that bear down first."
He paused.
Truthfully, the bear had answered many of his questions. Not everything, only the surface, but enough to confirm one thing. Everyone around him had been lying.
His fingers unconsciously brushed the crimson-gold flute hidden within his sleeve.
Taking a slow breath, Ningyan stepped out from the shadows. Instead of approaching the front gate, he circled the outer wall and vaulted lightly over the stone ledge.
He landed soundlessly, one hand steadying the bamboo hat on his head as his sharp gaze swept across the estate. Ancient trees, a narrow stream winding through the grounds, pavilions illuminated by warm lantern light...
Still, no guards.
How strange.
Slipping through the shadows, he moved seamlessly from one corridor to the next until he reached the outer hall. Golden lanterns bathed the polished floor in a warm glow, yet the entire manor remained unnaturally quiet.
Ningyan crossed another corridor, then abruptly froze.
He frowned. "...Wait."
He blinked. "...Why am I sneaking around?"
The realization hit him so abruptly he almost laughed. He had come here looking for answers, not to steal anything.
Before he could take another step, a familiar voice drawled from directly behind him, amusement dripping from every word.
"Because," the voice purred, warm breath brushing past his ear, "you know it’s rude to trespass into someone else’s home without an invitation... little bird."
Ningyan’s pupils contracted.
He nearly jumped out of his skin. His body reacted before his mind could catch up, beast energy surging instinctively as he spun around, only to come face-to-face with a pair of blue feline eyes.
It was a tiger beastman standing beneath the lantern light.
Golden hair flowed freely over broad shoulders, his robes loosely draped over a powerful frame that revealed the firm line of his chest. Golden tiger ears twitched lazily atop his head, and behind him, a long white tail swayed with unhurried elegance.
His lips curled into a warm and amused smile.
"You..." Recognition flashed across Ningyan’s face. "You were the tiger at the inn."
The pieces clicked together almost instantly, his eyes widening. "...You’re Rong Yue."
The tiger’s smile deepened.
"And yet..." His blue feline eyes rested gently on Ningyan. "...you don’t recognize me the way I wish you would, little bird."
For some inexplicable reason, Ningyan felt exposed. Not threatened, nor uncomfortable, simply seen, as though every layer he wore had already been stripped away beneath Rong Yue’s gaze.
"So..." Ningyan slowly recovered his composure. "You know who I am. And you know I’ve lost my memories."
Rong Yue inclined his head. "I do. You came here of your own accord because you’ve grown desperate. You want your memories back."
He took a slow step closer. "And unlike Wuhen... or Meishan... I won’t be gentle."
Ningyan’s brows rose. "What do you mean?"
"I mean..."
Rong Yue closed the remaining distance between them. His fingers gently caught Ningyan’s chin, lifting it just enough for their eyes to meet. He studied Ningyan’s face with heartbreaking patience, as though trying to memorize every feature all over again.
Ningyan did not pull away; he simply stared back into those calm blue eyes as the tiger’s tail continued its slow, rhythmic sway.
"You will learn the truth," Rong Yue said, his voice quiet, steady, and absolute.