1novels 082. Eve is angry!
082. Eve is angry!
After lunch, the three of them found a gentle slope on the grass to sit down. The afternoon sun filtered through the sparse sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows that danced among the green grass, carrying the languid warmth unique to late autumn.
Sylvie was the first to relax, and she lay down on her side next to Sinlai like a satisfied cat.
Her long, slender legs were elegantly crossed, and the hem of her skirt spread out like a pale purple cloud on the grass.
She squinted slightly, inhaling the fresh scent of the earth, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
This smile was unlike any she had ever given in the Peach Blossom Garden.
The laughter back then was delicate, restrained, and calculated, like a meticulously crafted work of art—beautiful, but soulless.
Now, her smile carries the scent of earth, the warmth left by the autumn wind brushing her cheeks, and something called "freedom."
"That's nice," she murmured softly, her voice like a sigh overflowing from her chest.
In the Peach Heart Garden, she had certainly seen the lawns. Those lawns, meticulously trimmed by the gardener, were as smooth as a piece of green velvet, and the air was filled with the scent of expensive roses and the deliberate spray of air freshener after trimming.
But that's not the taste of freedom; it's just another kind of sophisticated cage.
At this moment, wildflowers were blooming sparsely on the grass beneath her, and a few unknown weeds peeked out from the gaps. Ants lined up and passed by her skirt. These flaws, which would be immediately removed in a noble garden, were incredibly vivid and lovely in Sylvie's eyes.
For a moment, she was even in a daze, and a feeling of almost relief welled up from the bottom of her heart.
I'm so glad I chose Sinley, and so glad I didn't continue being Skechers' caged canary.
The thought came so strongly that her eyes welled up with tears.
She turned her head to look at Xin Lai's profile, a handsome face that inexplicably made people feel at ease.
However, not everyone can enjoy this tranquility on this peaceful meadow.
Eve knelt on the other side of Sinlai, her posture so upright it was almost stiff, as if she had measured the angle with a ruler.
Her hands were neatly placed on her knees, her back was ramrod straight, and she exuded an aura that said, "I'm very unhappy, please don't come near me."
But her eyes betrayed her; those resentful eyes stared at Xin Lai almost without blinking, as if trying to bore a hole through his profile.
Her eyes held a mixture of grievance, anger, and confusion, as well as a stubborn yet pitiful emotion that only a neglected girl would possess.
Watching Sylvie lean so naturally against Sinlai, she felt as if countless ants were crawling inside her.
On what grounds?
She almost blurted it out.
She was the one who met Xinlai first, the one who spent every day with Xinlai, she gave him her first kiss, and he saw all those places that no one else could see. They had already shared so much... so much...
But this woman was just from a brothel...
Why can she stand so confidently next to him as soon as she appears?
Eve grew angrier the more she thought about it, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel whose nuts had been stolen.
But she didn't dare to really lash out, because she vaguely sensed that if she made a scene, Xin Lai might not be on her side.
This feeling of powerlessness made her feel even more aggrieved, and her eyes even began to well up with tears.
"Is your magic still stagnant?"
Xinlai suddenly remembered this, speaking casually.
He naturally reached out, wanting to take Eve's hand to check her magical state.
This action itself wasn't unusual; it wasn't the first time he and Eve had made such contact.
But with Sylvie present, Eve's sensitive heart immediately went on alert. She didn't want to appear so...so easily manipulated by Sylvie in front of her.
"None of your business, hmph—"
Eve quickly pulled her hand back, the movement so forceful that her skirt fluttered.
She abruptly turned her head away, raising her chin high, leaving Xinlai with a stubborn back view of her head.
That "humph" was drawn out, with a slight tremor at the end, revealing that she wasn't as tough inside as she appeared.
The air was quiet for a moment.
"Eve".
Xinlai's voice suddenly turned serious, losing its previous casualness and replaced by an unquestionable authority.
The tone wasn't harsh, but it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that made people hold their breath.
"Have you forgotten who you are?"
Eve's body stiffened slightly.
Of course she hadn't forgotten.
How could she forget? She was Xinlai's personal maid, but in terms of title, she was nothing at all.
But feelings don't care about titles or status.
It came, and it came like an unstoppable tide. By the time she realized it, she was already deeply involved and unable to extricate herself.
An extremely complex emotion arose in Eve's heart.
She wanted to be angry, to shout at Xinlai: Why are you treating me like this? Why do you have another woman by your side?
But when she opened her mouth, the words were like a fishbone stuck in her throat, impossible to spit out or swallow.
Because she couldn't bear to part with it.
This realization made her even angrier, angry at her own weakness, angry at Xinlai's philandering, angry at the appearance of Xiwei, and angry at all the unfairness.
She was furious, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch.
She even cursed herself in her heart:
Eve, are you really that spineless? People have treated you like this, what are you still doing here?
But she really couldn't bear to part with it.
After being rescued from the dungeon, Xinlai became her only support.
During those dark and hopeless days, it was Xinlai who pulled her out of the abyss.
He gave her a new identity and a new life. Although he always had a stern face and spoke harshly, she knew that this man would stand in front of her when she needed him most.
She gave everything she could and couldn't give, except her body: her first kiss, joy, excitement, and even the heart that, at some point, no longer belonged to her.
If she just leaves in a huff, wouldn't she be at a huge loss?
The thought flashed through her mind, and Eve's expression became incredibly varied.
Anger, resentment, unwillingness, shame, resentment...
A mix of emotions caused her face to flush red and turn pale in turns.
"I, I..."
She was so anxious that she couldn't speak, as if something was blocking her throat.
Finally, she could only vent her anger in an almost childishly violent way, clenching her fists and pounding Xinlai's right shoulder repeatedly.
The force was neither too strong nor too weak; it was more like a playful act than a beating.
"You're bullying me!" she bit her lip, her voice trembling with tears. "You're just bullying me..."
Xinlai neither dodged nor spoke.
He simply endured Eve's blows silently, his gaze shifting to Sylvie on the other side.
Sylvie remained silent throughout the minor argument. She lay quietly on the grass, like a solitary island amidst the turmoil.
Her expression was calm, even carrying a faint, knowing smile.
That kind of laughter wasn't mockery or gloating, but rather a sign of acceptance.
When she was in the cage in the early Peach Blossom Garden, she understood a principle: staying by someone's side and possessing someone are two completely different things.
She chose to stay with Xinlai because Xinlai gave her freedom and the dignity of being a human being.
As for how many people will be around Xinlai, to be honest, it's really not important to her.
It's just that you get hit more often and spend less time on it.
Once you figure it out, it's not a big deal.
"Explain it to Eve, Sylvie."
Sinley's voice interrupted Sylvie's thoughts.
He looked at Sylvie with a subtle hint in his eyes.
This is something that Xinlai can't say himself, otherwise Eve will only think that he's "favoring" Sylvie and making excuses for his philandering.
But for Sylvie, the effect was completely different.
Sylvie understood that look in her eyes.
She nodded slightly, sat up from the grass, straightened her skirt, and then turned to Eve.
"Miss Eve," Sylvie's voice was soft and gentle, like the sigh of the last leaf falling in autumn, "I want to tell you my story."