Protoganist's Sidekick Fights Back-Chapter 14: He Loves Me

After dinner, Su Kang excused himself with a polite nod, leaving Bai Yunxi to retreat to her quarters under the soft glow of moonlight.

The corridors of the Su Manor were bathed in silver light, the polished stone floors reflecting the ethereal glow like a river of stars.

A maid trailed behind her, her steps light and respectful, a silent shadow in the night.

Bai Yunxi broke the silence. "What's your name?"

The maid bowed her head, her voice gentle but clear. "This servant is Xian'er. If the Young Lady needs anything, please call on me anytime."

"Young Lady?" Bai Yunxi echoed, her voice tinged with surprise.

"Yes, Young Lady," Xian'er replied with practiced ease, as if the title were already set in stone. "The servants are saying that Young Master brought the Young Lady back to the manor."

Bai Yunxi's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't mentioned anything like that... or perhaps he hadn't even noticed the rumors.

Over the months of traveling together, she'd grown used to such misunderstandings. Rumors always seemed to follow them—half-truths woven from fleeting gestures and shared journeys.

He would clear it up later... wouldn't he?

Pushing the thought aside, she turned her gaze forward.

"How... is your young master?" Bai Yunxi asked, steering the conversation elsewhere.

Xian'er's eyes lit up at the question, a proud smile curving her lips.

"Young Master is a true gentleman—humble, carefree, yet wise beyond his years. He is close friends with the genius Li Fang, and his vision is far from ordinary."

"When Young Master Li Fang was surrounded by enemies, it was the Young Master who convinced the family to intervene... even at great risk."

Bai Yunxi's steps faltered. "So it was like that..." A strange warmth spread through her chest.

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Su Kang had shared stories of their adventures—treasure hunts, secret realms, battles fought side by side—but he had never mentioned the extent of his sacrifices for Li Fang.

Xian'er's words painted a different picture, one that left Bai Yunxi's heart unsettled.

"Does your young master... have a fiancée?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Xian'er glanced at her, eyes glinting with curiosity beneath the lantern light.

"Young Master doesn't have any fiancée yet... but now that the Young Lady is here, perhaps you'll decide together about your engagement or marriage in the future."

Bai Yunxi's breath caught in her throat. Her fingers clenched around the hem of her sleeve.

Xian'er, mistaking her silence for confirmation, smiled knowingly.

Bai Yunxi's face flushed crimson.

"I'm tired," she muttered abruptly, quickening her steps.

The maid's voice faded behind her as she slipped into her room, shutting the door with a soft click.

The room was grand and elegant, adorned with intricate carvings and luxurious furnishings, but it felt... empty.

Her thoughts wouldn't stop spinning.

What was he talking about that day... about the woman he likes?

Could it be... me?

No... he never said anything clearly. What if it's someone else?

Frustration coiled in her chest, tangled with something she couldn't quite name.

Sleep came in restless fragments.

In her dreams, Su Kang stood bloodied and bruised—one hand gripping a sword, the other clutching a halberd. His robes were torn, clinging to sweat-drenched skin.

Li Fang emerged from the shadows—his robes spotless, triumph flickering in his eyes.

"Brother Su! I didn't think you'd actually kill it! That wasn't the plan!"

Su Kang wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, his voice tired but firm.

"It was too dangerous. The beast guessed our intentions and attacked ferociously. I had no choice but to go all out."

Li Fang's eyes gleamed as he surveyed the fallen Eagle-Winged Lion. "Its body is a treasure! We're rich!"

Su Kang only wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression indifferent.

Bai Yunxi woke with a pounding headache, the images from her dream lingering in her mind.

"These dreams... they're getting stranger."

Shaking off the images, she dressed simply—her white-and-blue robe light against her skin, her dark hair pinned back with a single white ornament.

Breakfast arrived soon after, but she barely touched the food.

Without realizing it, she'd grown used to Su Kang's quiet presence across the table... to the steady calm he carried with him wherever he went.

Three days passed.

She wandered the gardens, soaked in the hot springs, and cultivated behind closed doors—yet a strange restlessness gnawed at her heart.

Su Kang never came to visit

Xian'er's cheerful chatter helped pass the time, but the servants' constant "Young Lady" only made the silence heavier.

"I need to talk to him about this," she decided.

By the third day, she couldn't bear it any longer.

If he won't come to me... I'll go to him.

After a light lunch, she cultivated until dusk before finally gathering her courage.

"Xian'er, take me to Young Master's residence."

The maid's eyes sparkled, as if she'd been waiting for this moment.

The journey through the manor felt longer than she'd expected.

Every bowing servant, every whispered greeting of "Young Lady" only made her heart pound faster.

When they reached Su Kang's courtyard, a servant led her to the garden.

"Young Master is currently in seclusion... but he left instructions. If Young Lady Bai visits, we are to inform him immediately."

Bai Yunxi's fingers curled around the sleeve of her robe.

"He cares for you, Young Lady," Xian'er added softly.

Her cheeks warmed, a flicker of something unfamiliar stirring within her.

Su Kang appeared soon after, his hair still damp from washing. His loose robe clung lazily to his lean frame, the faint scent of medicinal herbs lingering around him.

He blinked, surprised—then his lips curved in that familiar, lazy smile.

"Miss Bai... would you like to eat something? Let's eat."

They settled into a quiet rhythm, the tension slowly melting into the soft rustle of leaves and distant lantern light.

As they sat together, Su Kang asked, "How are you finding the manor, Miss Bai?"

She told him about her daily activities, her voice soft but steady. Finally, she gathered her courage.

"What... what are you going to do about the rumors?"

He looked genuinely puzzled. " What rumors?"

"About... me. Being your... woman," she mumbled, her gaze dropping to her hands.

"Oh," he said, understanding dawning in his eyes. "I hadn't thought much about it."

"You should deny it," she mumbled. "It could hurt your reputation."

Su Kang's laughter was soft, almost careless. "My reputation? Miss Bai, here, nobody knows about you."

He glanced at her, his gaze calm.

" If pretending ensures your safety, then I don't mind."

Bai Yunxi's lips parted, but no words came out.

His answer was so natural—so utterly indifferent—that it left her strangely unsettled.

Finally, she asked the question she hadn't dared voice until now. "What about... the woman you like?"

"Her?" He chuckled softly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Don't worry about her, Miss Bai. That's my own matter."

"I still... want to know." Her voice was quiet, careful. "What kind of person is she?"

A trace of hesitation flickered across his face, but under her steady gaze, he relented.

"She's... an ordinary woman." His voice grew distant, carrying a softness she hadn't heard before. "At first, I never thought much about her. But somehow... she kept appearing in my thoughts."

He looked down at his tea, the steam curling between them.

"I tried to forget. Investigated her... just out of curiosity." A self-deprecating smile touched his lips. "But the more I learned, the harder it became to ignore."

"She lost her husband decades ago, not long after they married. Her son became her whole world... she endured countless hardships to raise him alone."

"I helped him a few times... not for his sake, but because I thought... if he became stronger, life might become a little easier for her."

He fell silent.

Bai Yunxi's fingers curled under her sleeves, the warmth in her chest tightening into something unfamiliar.

He never asked for anything in return... all this time, he'd been quietly protecting her without ever revealing his intentions.

Why would someone like him care so much? What did she ever do to deserve that kind of devotion?

The realization pressed against her heart, unfamiliar and overwhelming. Yet at the same time—she didn't know what to do with it.