The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 57 Part 2

Yun Yan’s eyes were so gentle, her words so understanding. Lin Aoxue sniffled, her gaze dropping. Yun Yan’s damp red lips and delicate features exuded an irresistible allure, sending a tremor through Lin Aoxue’s heart. A sudden impulse surged from deep within her.

That impulse shattered what little restraint she had left. She pulled Yun Yan into a fierce embrace once more, mustering all her courage. Lowering her head slightly, she captured Yun Yan’s soft, glistening lips, closing her eyes as she clumsily deepened the kiss.

Yun Yan was momentarily startled, but then her lashes fluttered as she responded. A warmth as soft as flowing water rippled through her gaze. She welcomed Lin Aoxue’s hesitant, inexperienced kiss, feeling the rare courage and tenderness hidden within it. She parted her lips, making the lingering kiss even softer and more intoxicating.

Lin Aoxue had never kissed anyone before. She was holding her breath so much that she almost passed out, finally releasing Yun Yan when she could take it no longer. Yun Yan, on the other hand, remained completely composed. The mist in her reddened eyes had faded, replaced by a radiant gleam. A faint smile, fluid and gentle like water, graced her lips as she gazed at Lin Aoxue with a warmth that seemed to shimmer.

After her moment of reckless impulse, Lin Aoxue quickly came back to her senses. Flustered and mortified, she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.

Seeing her embarrassment, Yun Yan couldn’t help but laugh. With a teasing smile, she curved her lips and remarked playfully, “Aoxue, you’ve kissed me twice now.”

Lin Aoxue was utterly flustered, not knowing how to respond. In her panic, she blurted out foolishly, “You’ve kissed me several times too. We’re not even yet.”

Yun Yan let out a soft laugh. Wrapping her arms around Lin Aoxue’s neck, she lifted an eyebrow and cast her a teasing, sultry glance. Deliberately striking a seductive pose, she said, “So, do you want to settle it now?”

Something in Lin Aoxue’s mind seemed to explode with a deafening boom. The sheer impact made her ears ring and her vision blur, almost overwhelming her.

She coughed forcefully, trying to collect herself, then quickly averted her gaze, not daring to meet Yun Yan’s eyes. Avoiding the question altogether, she awkwardly changed the subject. “Uh… Yan’er, Lu Sheng told me you took all my things.”

Yun Yan knew that Lin Aoxue was embarrassed—this woman was as thin-skinned as they came. If she teased her any further, Lin Aoxue might just stomp her foot and run away. Holding back her laughter, Yun Yan decided to let the previous topic go and instead answered smoothly, “That’s right, I’ve kept all your things for you. Do you want to take a look now? You can take some back with you later.”

One of the reasons Lin Aoxue had come to find Yun Yan was indeed to retrieve some of her daily necessities—like the two sets of clothes Yun Yan had made for her.

“Mm, okay.”

Feigning composure, Lin Aoxue withdrew her hands, nervously and awkwardly tugging at the corner of her sleeve. The sight of her, all tense and fidgety, amused Yun Yan greatly. For someone so grown-up, her mannerisms were still as pure and sincere as a child’s.

“Come with me.”

Once again, Yun Yan took Lin Aoxue’s hand, naturally intertwining their fingers. Lin Aoxue was gradually getting used to this kind of closeness—she no longer resisted. Though her arm tensed slightly at first, she soon relaxed, even hesitantly squeezing Yun Yan’s hand in return. Under Yun Yan’s warm, affectionate gaze, she followed her into the inner room.

Yun Yan asked Lin Aoxue to wait while she fetched her belongings. However, as she reached for a particular delicately crafted wooden box, her hands suddenly paused. A brief hesitation flickered across her expression before she continued as if nothing had happened, carrying the box over to Lin Aoxue along with the rest of her things.

Lin Aoxue hadn’t expected Yun Yan to be so meticulous—she had even gathered small trinkets Lin Aoxue herself hadn’t paid attention to.

While Lin Aoxue was touched by the thoughtfulness, she continued watching Yun Yan methodically sort and pack everything into a bundle. Suddenly, a small box slipped out from among the clothing, catching Lin Aoxue’s eye. Her pupils shrank, and she froze in place.

She stared, wide-eyed, at the box nestled among her garments, a sudden wave of panic crashing over her.

She had completely forgotten—the wooden box containing the golden key had been stored together with the clothes Yun Yan had made for her. Since Yun Yan had taken her clothes, she must have seen the box. And not only had she seen it, but she had also taken it along with everything else.

Stepping forward, Lin Aoxue picked up the box, her expression flustered, a trace of unease flickering in her eyes. She had always known that Yun Yan had come into contact with another golden key before, yet she had chosen to keep this knowledge to herself. She was well aware that Yun Yan might have ties to the former loyalists of her father’s faction. If Yun Yan discovered that she, too, possessed a golden key, then her true identity would be impossible to conceal.

But she forced herself to remain calm, fighting off the spiraling thoughts. Maybe Yun Yan hadn’t opened the box—maybe she didn’t know what was inside.

Even though Lin Aoxue’s face was partially hidden by a mask, Yun Yan still caught the brief flicker of panic in her eyes. Just as she had suspected, Lin Aoxue had deep connections to the former Nation’s Protector Duke’s household.

This wooden box had not only been discovered by Yun Yan, but now, in this moment, it had been placed out in the open between them. If they didn’t talk about it today, this would become a lingering thorn, an unspoken divide between them.

In Lin Aoxue’s eyes, light flickered uncertainly—like the weak glimmer of a tiny flame, vulnerable to being snuffed out by the slightest gust of wind.

After a moment of silence, Lin Aoxue closed her eyes. When she spoke again, her tone was steady, as if her emotions hadn’t been shaken at all.

“Yan’er, have you… opened this box?”

Yun Yan studied her, a faint smile still in her eyes. Her meticulous attentiveness was present in every detail of life—even in every word she chose to say.

At this moment, Lin Aoxue was cautiously testing the waters, uncertain and hesitant. She didn’t know what to do next, so she wanted to gauge the situation through Yun Yan’s answer—to determine where she stood and how she should respond.

Upon hearing Lin Aoxue’s words, Yun Yan smiled slightly, her expression open and sincere. “Aoxue, if you don’t want me to see this box, then I never saw it. I don’t want it to become a burden to you.”

She was so understanding, so considerate. Even though she longed to hear the secret of the box directly from Lin Aoxue, she remained calm, suppressing the urge to strip away all pretense and lay the truth bare. She was telling Lin Aoxue that if she truly didn’t want this to be known—if she wished for it to remain undiscovered—then Yun Yan would bury it in her heart and never let anyone else find out.

But Lin Aoxue’s heart ached fiercely at those words. Yun Yan was too gentle, too indulgent toward her.

The box was already right there. With Yun Yan’s intelligence, it was impossible for her not to have deduced the truth. Yet she spoke this way only to ease Lin Aoxue’s worries and keep her from overthinking.

Lin Aoxue understood that trying to hide it any longer would be nothing but self-deception. Pressing her lips together, she lifted her gaze to Yun Yan.

She recalled the time during the New Year’s festivities, when she was still in the capital, working for the Prince of the First Rank. Back then, Yun Yan had spoken to her about exchanging secrets—one of hers for one of Lin Aoxue’s.

At the time, she had refused. There were boundaries she felt could not be crossed between them. Yun Yan’s true identity was a mystery, and Lin Aoxue couldn’t lower her guard. She feared that revealing herself would give Yun Yan leverage over her, jeopardizing her plans.

But now, she was someone who had already died once. Yun Yan had known everything all along yet had never exposed her. This woman’s kindness had seeped into Lin Aoxue’s bones, into her very soul—like the deadliest poison, luring her to draw closer despite everything.

It also gave Lin Aoxue a courage she had never had before.

At the very least, she believed Yun Yan would not betray her.

Taking a deep breath, the sharp glint in her eyes softened bit by bit. She let out a long sigh and said, “Yan’er, there are things I want to tell you.”

Yun Yan’s smile never wavered. Seeing Lin Aoxue make up her mind, she appeared utterly relaxed, as if confirming that Lin Aoxue had chosen not to hide anything anymore. The moment Lin Aoxue spoke, Yun Yan suddenly leaned in and, without warning, placed both hands on Lin Aoxue’s shoulders, gently pushing her back against the wall.

“??!”

Lin Aoxue was completely flustered, while Yun Yan still wore a teasing smile. Her lips curved into a beautiful, seductive arc as she asked, “Before you say anything, I want to ask you—between me and your secret, which is more important in your heart?”

Lin Aoxue’s expression turned awkward at once. Yun Yan’s unexpected assertiveness left her at a loss, but she still answered honestly, “In the past, my secret was more important. But today, nothing is more important than you.”

Her answer was flawless. The once inarticulate Lin Aoxue, upon opening her heart, spoke words so genuine and heartfelt that they could rival the most beautiful confessions of love.

Yun Yan laughed joyfully, her gaze bright as she looked at Lin Aoxue’s face. Chuckling, she asked, “Then, what was it you wanted to tell me?”

Whenever Lin Aoxue spoke, she never felt embarrassed in the moment—but the instant she reflected on her words, she wanted to disappear. Her face, along with her neck, flushed an impossible shade of red. Seeing this, Yun Yan found it utterly amusing. Even the previously weighty topic now seemed much lighter.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Lin Aoxue averted her gaze, avoiding Yun Yan’s deep eyes filled with unrestrained joy. Keeping her expression taut, she tried to maintain her composure as she said, “Yan’er, inside this box is a golden key.” As she spoke, she lifted her hand and opened the wooden box. A small, exquisitely crafted golden key lay within, placed openly before Yun Yan. “Do you recognize this?”

Upon hearing this, Yun Yan cast a brief, indifferent glance at the key and, without deception, replied, “Yes, I recognize it.”

Lin Aoxue’s heartbeat pounded like a drum, the deafening sound echoing in her chest, overwhelming her ears and making her feel dizzy. Even her breathing became labored. She pressed her lips together, steeling herself not to hide anything anymore, and spoke. “This object—I obtained it during the New Year’s festival when I entered the capital to carry out a task for the Prince of the First Rank. I intercepted a masked intruder who broke into the prince’s residence and took it from him.”

She recounted the experience in one breath—an experience she had never shared with anyone. She didn’t know if revealing this secret to Yun Yan would bring harm upon herself, but at this point, she no longer wanted to conceal it. If Yun Yan truly intended to use her secret against her, to manipulate her, then it would simply mean she had misjudged another person—again.

Her caution stemmed from past betrayal by someone she once trusted deeply. But Yun Yan had slowly broken through her defenses, making her unafraid to bare her heart.

Lin Aoxue took the golden key out of the wooden box and held it in her hand, her expression calm as she continued, “I worked for Beichen He to gain his trust. That masked man was an old acquaintance of mine—he recognized me. I thought my mission was about to fail, that Beichen He would lose faith in me. But to my surprise, that man rushed straight into my blade and placed this item on me before he died.”

Yun Yan was stunned. She had suspected Lin Aoxue had some ties to the former subordinates of Nation’s Protector Duke, but she hadn’t expected the connection to run this deep. Not only did Lin Aoxue know Sui Liang, but Sui Liang had willingly given up his escape and thrown himself onto her sword. This meant that to Sui Liang, Lin Aoxue’s identity was of utmost importance—more important than his own life.

A thought flashed through Yun Yan’s mind, and she couldn’t help but show her astonishment. Lin Aoxue met her gaze, her eyes steady.

“Yan’er, there’s one more thing. On the night of the Lantern Festival, after your embroidered pouch was stolen, I tracked down the thief. He told me that inside your pouch was a golden key. I went to the pawnshop to retrieve it, but it had already been taken. Connecting both incidents, I once suspected that you might be connected to the masked man who gave me this key.”

She laid everything bare—except for her past identity and her connection to Nation’s Protector Duke. Beyond that, there was nothing left to hide.

The surprise in Yun Yan’s eyes gradually faded. Then, she stepped closer to Lin Aoxue, her bright, intelligent gaze locking onto Lin Aoxue’s eyes. There was a mix of amazement and resignation in her voice as she said, “So, your identity as a farmer’s daughter from Linping Village was fake. The story about joining the army to avenge your family was fake. Even your name is fake. Let me guess, Aoxue—your real identity is that of Nation’s Protector Duke’s only daughter, Ning Muxue.”

Looking at all the clues together, it wasn’t difficult to deduce. Lin Aoxue had changed her surname to Lin because Grand General Ning’s beloved wife bore that name. And back when General Ning’s wife was pregnant, he had once joked that if their child was a boy, he would name him Aoxue, and if it was a girl, he would name her Muxue.

Very few people knew about that old remark, and after Ning Muxue was born, it was forgotten. No young master had ever been born in the Ning household for over a decade, so no one had reason to recall a joke made so many years ago.

Yun Yan leaned in even closer, her warm breath brushing against Lin Aoxue’s cheek, sending goosebumps up her neck.

“From the very beginning, the grudge you spoke of had nothing to do with the barbarians. So tell me, Aoxue—do you know who your real enemy is?”

“Of course I do,” she lowered her gaze slightly, her expression cold as she answered.

“And knowing that, are you afraid?” Yun Yan asked again.

“Death is the worst that could happen—what is there to fear?”

She had lived her entire life teetering on the edge of death. She had lost count of how many times she had hovered on the brink, surviving on nothing but sheer will.

Rather than feeling shame over having her secret exposed, Lin Aoxue felt an unprecedented sense of relief. It lightened something within her, and even her eyes carried a trace of amusement as she said, “But Yan’er, even with all my secrets, they don’t amount to even a tenth of yours.”

Lin Aoxue had indeed hidden many things, but in the end, all of them boiled down to one thing—family vengeance.

But Yun Yan was different. She carried countless unseen burdens on her back, effortlessly navigating between multiple factions and dealing with all kinds of people. Lin Aoxue couldn’t discern whether Yun Yan was following Beichen Ling’s orders or if her true allegiance lay with Beichen He. There were too many uncertainties about her, which was precisely why Lin Aoxue had never dared to reveal all her secrets.

Hearing Lin Aoxue’s words, Yun Yan let out a sudden laugh. Her eyes sparkled as she leaned closer, resting her head on Lin Aoxue’s shoulder. Smiling, she asked, “So, Muxue, I don’t even know where to begin. Instead, why don’t you just ask me whatever you want to know?”

That single utterance of “Muxue” sent a tremor through Lin Aoxue’s soul. Her heart rose and fell, as if bound by invisible threads that coiled tighter and tighter, pressing in on her. It brought a dull ache, yet at the same time, it felt like a firm embrace—a paradox of emotions both painful and comforting.

Yun Yan had effortlessly accepted Lin Aoxue’s true identity. She understood how much courage it had taken for Lin Aoxue to share this truth. At the very least, it seemed she was now the only person Lin Aoxue truly trusted. If that was the case, she would do everything in her power to be worthy of that trust—to let Lin Aoxue rely on her without worry.

Even knowing these secrets, Yun Yan would never use them to harm Lin Aoxue. In fact, she would use them to help chart a clear path for her, to avoid unnecessary dangers, and to ensure they never found themselves on opposing sides.

The greatest question weighing on Lin Aoxue’s mind was whom Yun Yan truly served. Since Yun Yan had given her permission to ask anything, she didn’t hesitate or feign reluctance. Instead, she asked directly, “Then can you tell me—who are you really working for? Beichen He or Beichen Ling?”

Though Yun Yan had expected this question, she hadn’t anticipated Lin Aoxue to be so blunt about it. She lifted her gaze, taking in Lin Aoxue’s serious yet slightly bewildered expression, and couldn’t help but chuckle. Gently, she traced Lin Aoxue’s brow and eyes with her fingertips. Then, under Lin Aoxue’s puzzled gaze, she leaned in close—so close that her lips brushed against Lin Aoxue’s earlobe as she whispered, “Beichen He thinks I’m his pawn. Beichen Ling believes I work for her. But in truth, neither of them is right.”

Her voice was soft and dreamy, light yet captivating.

Lin Aoxue was stunned—so much so that she was left speechless.

“In the past, I only served myself. But now, besides myself, there’s also you.”

Compared to Lin Aoxue’s straightforward yet clumsy confession, Yun Yan’s way of expressing her feelings was far more subtle. Lin Aoxue remained dazed for a long while before she finally grasped the true meaning behind Yun Yan’s words.