After her transformation and rebirth, she manipulates the innocent and ruthless to overthrow the wor

"They're probably just the kinds of things you'd find in a woman's boudoir," Xiao Ran said, pursing her lips slightly, unimpressed.

She knew Nangong Ming's personality all too well; he had a strong curiosity about everything new and exciting in the world. Back then, her first encounter with Nangong Ming was because he was curious about her, and since then, his curious nature had never changed.

"Am I that bored?!" Nangong Ming snorted in dissatisfaction, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

He then strode forward a few steps, his arms tightly crossed over his chest, his body swaying unconsciously from side to side. "But you did guess one thing right! That's a portrait of a man!"

"It's perfectly normal to have a portrait of your husband in the house. It's just a little something between husband and wife. What do you know, you little brat?" Xiao Ran teased, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Ming's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple, with the blush even spreading to his ears.

"I'm not young anymore! In a few years I'll be of legal age! And this isn't some kind of romantic gesture. If I get married and my wife secretly keeps a portrait of me, I'll feel a little strange... even though I see her every day."

Xiao Ran couldn't help but chuckle when she heard his words.

In an instant, the image of Nangong Ming after obtaining He Wan's portrait in his previous life flashed into his mind. At that time, he regarded the portrait as a treasure, holding it in his hands every day to examine it closely. He even called it "appreciating lotus flowers" at home, but in reality, he was just using the guise of appreciating the painting to express his longing.

“Moreover…” Nangong Ming frowned slightly, shook his head gently, his face full of doubt, as if he was deep in thought.

"The man in that portrait doesn't seem to be her husband..."

As he spoke, he recalled that when he went to the house to look for them, he had secretly glanced at Zheng Lang inside. In his memory, Zheng Lang's appearance seemed to be different from the man in the portrait.

Xiao Ran raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this.

Actually, she had already begun to suspect Peony in the courtyard, because her demeanor didn't seem like that of someone concerned about their husband; rather, it seemed like...

Generally, it's like completing a task.

Peony's eyes occasionally flashed with a sharp and decisive glint, completely unlike the gentle and weak demeanor of an ordinary woman worrying about her husband.

"Where do you think she went while I was pretending to be asleep?" Nangong Ming pondered, stroking his chin, then said with certainty, "If you ask me, she definitely went to secretly inform Lord Wangyue!"

Perhaps to confirm his words about "informing others," a sudden gust of cool wind swept in, rustling the surrounding trees, and the shadows of those trees began to sway violently under the light cast by the bustling street.

Withered yellow leaves were swept by the wind and drifted into the water, slowly floating away with the gurgling current, carrying a touch of coolness that gently wafted towards Xiao Ran and the others.

Xiao Ran subconsciously adjusted her sleeves, her expression calm, and stared at the water as she softly said:

Perhaps the falling flowers are willing, but the flowing water is indifferent.

Nangong Ming scratched his head, looking completely bewildered and clueless. He then asked, "What do you mean by 'falling flowers and flowing water'... If there really is some conspiracy, I should be the one beating them to a pulp!"

Nangong Ming was still considering his family's chances of winning against Wangyue Tower, but when he looked up, he could no longer see Xiao Ran's figure.

When he turned his head again, he saw Xiao Ran already walking slowly into the pavilion.