Tangli Fried Snow

Jin Cheng was recalled to the military camp early in the morning, and Xue Li was happy to be free. She finally got to rest comfortably in her new home for a day.

This is an ordinary residence, but what makes it special is that it is very exquisitely built. There is a small river on the left, and a lotus pond has been built directly there. In summer, you can open the window and enjoy the view. Unfortunately, it is winter now, so there is not much to see. The layout of the courtyard is also very comfortable. A bamboo grove along the wall is still lush and green, separating this secluded dwelling from the houses of the neighbors.

During the day, she wandered around, always followed by two teenage maids and several burly guards who kept watch vigilantly. They were clearly people who practiced martial arts regularly; they seemed to be Jin Cheng's personal bodyguards.

She had a leisurely and pleasant day, and she even began to love this peaceful and relaxed life.

After dinner, it was still early, and the clingy girl wasn't around. She was holding a book, playing chess for fun according to the chess manual in the book. There were only a few candles in the room, emitting a warm and soft light. She was only wearing an undergarment, and her hair was tied into a loose low bun with a jade hairpin. She sat lazily cross-legged on a grand chair, like an adorable cat.

Before she knew it, Sherry had been entertaining herself for half an hour.

Suddenly, a gray weasel appeared out of nowhere, circled around her twice, startling her. She gasped and darted onto the table.

She wanted to scream, but upon closer inspection, it was just a "puppy" with a slightly long body. It seemed quite clever and cute, and it didn't attack her, so Sherry swallowed her scream.

The little guy appeared out of nowhere and was quite intelligent, even bowing to her with his hands clasped in greeting. He was clearly a trained pet.

It must be someone's pet dog here, right?

She was just considering whether to call someone in to take him away when the back window was opened silently, and she watched as two men jumped into the house.

A man in his thirties or forties, dressed strangely, with a high nose and deep-set eyes, had a somewhat Central Asian look, like someone from Xinjiang.

A handsome and tall man, looking excited, turned out to be his "good older brother" Jin Qingyan!

Jin Qingyan said quickly in a low voice, "Sister, it's me, don't call out!"

When Shirley saw it was him, she felt both happy and worried.

She was happy that her "family" had come, allowing her to leave. But she was also worried that if she went with him, she would still lose her freedom.

Should I choose to be with Jin Cheng and live the life of a caged bird? Or should I choose Duan Jingyu and live the fake persona he created for me and the life that was arranged for me?

Two little voices were battling within her.

So now she stood there, frozen, unable to utter a single word. She could only stand on the table, helplessly watching the two grown men.

Because it was evening and she was alone, the room was warm and cozy. She was only wearing a plain-colored undergarment, loose and baggy, with a strapless bra that accentuated her pert breasts, revealing her curves. When Jin Qingyan and Zhao Wuji climbed in through the window, they saw Xue Li standing on the table, her beautiful face fair and rosy, her hairpins and ornaments scattered, looking like a delicate beauty waiting for the rain to nourish her.

They had followed her all the way from Qingfeng Pavilion, so of course they knew about her being "kept" by Young Master Jin. Jin Cheng had been with Xue Li the past few days, and the two of them had been observing from the shadows, so they naturally knew that Jin Cheng hadn't left her bed these past few days.

They had no chance to come in and meet her before. Today, they finally waited until Jin Cheng left and then waited all day before they found a gap when the guards took over their shift. The two of them successfully climbed in through the window.

Upon seeing her disheveled appearance, her face as beautiful as a peach blossom, and her alluring beauty that she used to "serve men with her looks" all day long, both men couldn't help but swallow hard, their Adam's apples bobbing.

At that moment, when Sherry saw the expressions on the two men's faces, a string in her mind snapped back to life.

She appeared breathtakingly beautiful and unattainable, the person the other party had been pursuing for months. Seemingly important, they were actually searching for nothing more than a useful "thing"—something perfectly suited, highly useful, meticulously crafted with great effort and expense, only to slip away before it could even be used.

Their gazes finally brought her to her senses. No one truly cared about her. She had no family background, no connections, no relatives—like a wisp of duckweed adrift in this ancient world. No one treated her as a "person," and no one would give her what she wanted. Everyone just kept "consuming" her and "enjoying" her.

She couldn't resist the gazes of the two men before her, like octopus tentacles. They clung to her, wrapping around her, licking every inch of her skin under the guise of concern, affection, and justice.

She was merely a tool to be coveted, sacrificed, and consumed.

This tool has failed.

They're just people looking for tools!