Case 16: “Exposed.”

It happened 5 years ago, where the Minotaur and the White Wolf clan was in the middle of a war. It's been many years and the two factions are still keeping at it, only to exhaust their food stocks and cause unnecessary death to both people. Not to mention, their screaming and clashing weapons are very disturbing, even flowers shrink in annoyance when they hear it. The ancient Oaktree was no different, she was very disturbed until she wished to just eradicate both factions for peace on this island. But she knew she can't do that and doesn't want to, she's someone who doesn't want to attract unnecessary trouble that might disrupt her training. Hence, she can only detach her soul from her oak body, her soul formed into a beautiful woman dressed in all white clothes, she looked very graceful and elegant, she walked around while placing a noise-canceling talisman around her, and finally obtain the quiet and peaceful environment she wants, at least that's what she thought at first…

"…Pretty."

The tree fairy turned her body and saw a cute little girl staring at her in a daze. The girl was bringing a basket full of berries and mushrooms. This girl actually dared to come out to the forest while there's a war going on nearby, is she bored to live? The tree fairy couldn't help but stare at this girl helplessly.

The girl noticed that the extremely beautiful woman in front of her was staring back at her with a cold gaze. She thought she had disturbed the pretty lady and lowered her head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb the lady." The girl said apologetically.

The tree fairy was surprised by the girl's polite attitude. Back in a hundred years ago, all the kids around her were mostly rude and covered in mud. This is the first time she saw such a polite kid, moreover this girl is definitely from that White Wolf tribe. As far as she knows, tribe people are either playful or aggressive, it's very rare to encounter a tribe person who has a calm temperament. The tree fairy already took a liking on this little girl.

"It's nothing. I was just surprised, why are you here? Where are your parents?"

"My father is going to war with the other warriors in our village, while my mother is taking care of my younger sister who had just been born a year ago. Tomorrow is my mother's birthday, so I'm planning to give her some delicious berries and mushrooms, it's her favorite."

It is really a good kid and a filial daughter, but with the current situation, the tree fairy was wondering if this girl is either stupid or kind.

"You're a good kid, but there's a war been going on nearby. If the enemy escaped here and saw you, what would you do? Come, I'll take you back."

"But what about the lady?"

The tree fairy was taken aback, she asked rhetorically, "What do you mean?"

"Father said a girl shouldn't wander alone outside, especially when it's about to get dark because it's too dangerous. By the time the lady reaches my village, it'll be already dark, since we're both girls naturally it's also dangerous for the lady." The girl said carefully.

The tree fairy was amused, she's a demon Oaktree who has been cultivating for thousands of years, and this girl actually worried about her.

"Don't you also know I'm not a simple woman?" the tree fairy smiled and asked rhetorically, no one has ever been worried about her, instead they usually feared her.

"Of course. I've never seen a beautiful lady like you before, my father said our island is not easy to be found by outsiders, although I don't know why and how. But the fact that you are here means you're not a simple pretty lady." The girl replied, then she quickly added, "But that doesn't mean it's not dangerous for you..."

The tree fairy was amused by this girl and liked her greatly. She had been living for more than a thousand years and no one has ever treated her this way, especially a kid like her. Although she often said she liked to live in solitude and peace, that doesn't mean she never longs for the warm affection of others. When she was still traveling the world hundred of years ago, she often heard a rumor about a human dating a demon. At first, she didn't believe it and even sneered at it. That time, she hasn't yet understood the feeling of being cared for and caring for someone. Now that she meets this adorable little girl, she reminded her about that rumor from hundreds of years ago. The tree fairy shook her head lightly to dispel her strange thoughts and turned to the girl again.

"Since you said so, do you have a 'safer' arrangement for both of us?" the fairy tree asked with a smile.

The girl nodded excitedly, "Yes." Then, she added, "You can stay in my room for a day and come back tomorrow."

The tree fairy smile froze and she did guess that this girl would ask her to stay in the village for a while, but she didn't expect this girl would let her stay in her room instead. Even though they are both girls they're still strangers to each other, is this girl had no defense at all? Is this girl the type who lets anyone enter her room?

"Um, little girl. Did you always let outsiders enter your room?"

"No, only my family can enter my room. As for outsiders, you're the first."

--'you're the first'

For some reason, these particular words feel like an arrow flew to the tree fairy's chest. Her face subconsciously flushed and felt a bit heated. The tree fairy is a demon who had cultivated for more than a thousand years, and the one who got her aroused for the first time in a thousand years was actually a little girl. You really can't predict where you're heading in life…

Seeing the pretty lady didn't say anything and seemed to be in a trance. The little girl took the initiative to speak first, "Gu Zhuxuan."

Hearing the little girl's voice, the tree fairy returned to her senses and asked dumbfoundedly, "Huh?"

"It's my name… Gu Zhuxuan. You can call me Zhuxuan. Lady, lady, what's your name?" Gu Zhuxuan asked excitedly, she was curious what this pretty girl called, perhaps her name will be as beautiful as her appearance.

The tree fairy turned speechless once again, for a thousand years she had never thought about one. The people would only call her the Oaktree or Oak demon, she hesitated for a moment and decided to reply truthfully, "I don't have a name… people usually just call me 'Xiang'."

"Oak?" Gu Zhuxuan was quite surprised, how can people call her 'Oak' when the lady is so beautiful and calm like sparkling river flows?

Gu Zhuxuan was not satisfied with this, hence she decided to add the name, "Since you don't have a name, how about I give you a name Jiang Xiang? Jiang as in 'river' and Xiang as in 'Oak', your appearance is so beautiful and calm like a sparkling river, and you're as strong as an oak tree. Isn't it a good name?"

The tree fairy stared at the little Gu Zhuxuan and seemed to be in a daze, she didn't expect to get a name after living for a thousand years. She can't help but secretly rejoice in her heart, she thought maybe having somebody around isn't so bad after all.

"Very good." The tree fairy said softly, she didn't realize that her face was smiling so brightly right now.

Gu Zhuxuan was attracted by this pure smile and smiled back, "It's decided then. From now on, you are Jiang Xiang!"

…

...

Liu Meifeng was busy sweeping the dried leaves near the ancient Oaktree. Occasionally, she took a peek at the beautiful fairy who leaned on the Oaktree, she seemed to be looking far away and in a daze. Liu Meifeng doesn't know what the beautiful fairy was thinking about, but she had a hunch it had something to do with princess Gu Zhuxuan.

"Miss fairy, what are you thinking about?"

"It's none of your business." The tree fairy replied indifferently without looking back at Liu Meifeng. She was clearly in a bad mood, but her eyes revealed a trace of melancholy.

"Then, I'll change the question. Are you acquainted with Princess Gu Zhuxuan before?"

Hearing Gu Zhuxuan's name the tree fairy finally looked at Liu Meifeng, she glared at her coldly, "I don't remember asking you to be a noisy servant."

Liu Meifeng placed the broom on the Oaktree and approached the tree fairy,

"Then, I ask you… do you know the purpose of having a 'servant'?"

"Don't try to get smart with me."

Liu Meifeng sat next to the tree lady and spoke like a dealer,

"Miss fairy, having a servant means to serve you and make you live your life easier—"

Before Liu Meifeng finished speaking, the tree fairy interrupted, "And so you say, I told you to sweep the dried leaves, but here you are."

"Yes, and I did as you told me. But I didn't see your life become easier."

The tree fairy turned silent and began to ignore Liu Meifeng,

"Miss fairy, I know that you have a knot in your heart the moment you saw the first princess, and let me tell you something, the guy next to her is called Tang Cheng'an. He obviously had a crush on the first princess!"

The tree fairy flinched a bit and looked at Liu Meifeng suspiciously, "How did you know?"

"Miss fairy may not know this, but I'm pretty good at observing people. Even I could realize Miss fairy's sudden change of emotion when you heard the first princess's name. Although, it was only for a moment, but it didn't escape from my sharp eyes." Liu Meifeng said proudly, then she continued, "But judging by the first princess' expression, it doesn't seem like the first princess recognizes you. It can only mean you are more or less like an old friend. Say, am I right?"

The tree fairy smiled sarcastically, "Not bad. I always know you are quite extraordinary, but I didn't expect you to be this talented. Since you're able to guess my personal affair, how about I guess yours as well, Meifeng?"

Liu Meifeng was taken aback, she subconsciously stood up and stared at the tree fairy dumbfoundedly, "How.. how did you know?"

The tree fairy chuckled and said leisurely, "When I transferred the Earth root element to your body. My roots were connected to your mind and could see your past memory. You are the royal princess of Qianghai kingdom, no… or should I say the fallen princess? Your parents abandoned you, didn't they?"

The tree fairy had originally thought Liu Meifeng would get angry at her, but surprisingly she only smiled bitterly at her and sat back next to her.

"What can I say? My life is so short, and my illness isn't so simple to be cured easily. Even, my Shifu can't do anything, to be honest, at first, I wanted to prove to my parents that I could survive without them and live well as a form of revenge to them. But then I realized, they were dared enough to abandon me to Shifu. That alone already shows whether I'm dead or alive, they won't care. Perhaps, they've already given birth to their second children." Thinking of the possibility Liu Meifeng's face grimaced, but then she thought about Zhao Yu, Zhao Yu's smile, laugh, pouted face, and all kinds of expressions surfaced in her mind and couldn't help but smile sweetly.

"Oh? Judging by your reaction, it seems like you remembered your sweetheart, huh? What was her name? Oh, Zhao Yu was it?"

Liu Meifeng rolled her eyes and said helplessly, "Yeah, now you know most of my private affairs. Now, it's your turn to tell me your relationship with the first princess."

"Who do you think you are to know about my private affairs?"

"Your dear servant." Liu Meifeng winked.

The tree fairy scoffed in disgust and attempted to walk away, Liu Meifeng hurriedly said, "Are you sure you want to let things be? At this rate, the first princess might just get engaged with Tan Cheng'an."

The tree fairy stopped walking and went silent for a moment, then she replied "It has nothing to do with me."

Since Liu Meifeng was facing her back, she doesn't know what kind of expression the tree fairy currently made, but she can smell the bitterness in those words. Earlier, her cooking failed to bribe the fairy tree to teach her some skills, she did try to ask her straightforwardly but the tree fairy refused, it seems like only by helping her reconcile with the first princess could she make the tree fairy owe her something.

"During those years of living in solitude, have you ever regretted something?" Liu Meifeng asked in grievances.

The tree fairy tilted her head to the left and replied truthfully, "I do."

"Then, do you want to add another list of those things that you regret?"

"Liu Meifeng, you are too imposing. Just go back for today, I'm not in the mood to have anyone around me right now."

The tree fairy's figure changed into a light orb and dissipated into the Oaktree. With this, Liu Meifeng had nothing to do and can't disobey her command. Hence, she can only walk home dejectedly, not only did she fail to get the tree fairy to teach her some skills, but she hadn't found the Black Lotus that her Shifu mentioned.

When she went back to the cottage it was still noon, she saw Gu Yunxi standing in front of her cottage. Liu Meifeng approached her quickly, "Your Highness, what's the matter?"

Gu Yunxi saw Liu Meifeng approaching her and replied, "I want you to help me with something, but where have you been?"

Liu Meifeng was about to tell the truth, but she refrained and decided to tell her half the truth, "I was from the forest looking for the Black Lotus that my Shifu told me. What can I help you with?"

"Why didn't you ask me or Guanghe to accompany you? It's dangerous in the forest…"

"I don't want to bother everyone in the village for my own task." Liu Meifeng said indifferently as she opened the door and beckoned to Gu Yunxi like a gentleman, Gu Yunxi was slightly surprised by this action. Because the men in her village, even Ming Guanghe, have never been this chivalrous to her.

"Ahem, anyway.. in three days, it will be my sister's birthday. Father usually held a banquet for this occasion, but right now the whole village is busy with the watermill construction. Since you're capable of creating fine dishes, I want you to teach me how to make one." Gu Yunxi explained her reason for coming here as she walked inside the cottage.

When the two entered the cottage, a faint shadow showed up from the bushes nearby and seemed to be eavesdropping on the two.

…

Somewhere in the deep forest, the tree fairy sat on the Oak's branch while looking at a white pouch with flowers embroidery on it. Who knows how long she had been staring at this pouch, by the time she came back to her senses it was already dawn.

The tree fairy sighed and said lazily,

"How troublesome."