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"He went back with Bai Feiyang. Originally, he was supposed to escort me, but I thought with Chimera protecting me, I wouldn't need them anymore, so we parted ways," she hurriedly explained, fearing what Fu Tianlin might think.
That explanation was meant to ensure smoother cooperation with Fu Tianlin in the future; otherwise, dealing with a stoic guy like him would make it impossible for her to arrange things properly.
"Fu Tianlin came to find you himself?" It was strange; wasn't it said that rivals in the same field should be wary of each other? How could they not have that kind of conflict?
"Yes," she nodded proudly and boasted, "He came to ask me to save Tianxiang Restaurant. I agreed, but I won't reveal that I'm the one behind it. This is very beneficial for me... Anyway, I'll earn all the profits from there while letting Jade Pavilion remain low-key. Eventually, its existence will become quite ordinary."
"You," he said, looking at her with her eyes red and her demeanor spoiled yet proud, could only pityingly poke her forehead. Her convoluted mind was beyond his understanding—he could handle battles and strategies, but the deceit and intrigue among merchants were something he truly couldn't grasp.
"What's wrong with me?" Qing Luan raised her head and declared arrogantly, "I must live freely and never lower myself!" Even before the emperor, she would hold her head high with pride.
"Heh heh... silly girl," he chuckled as he watched her transform from her earlier dejection and pain into a domineering attitude. He affectionately ruffled her hair, only to be met with strong protests.
"Don't mess up my hair!" she cried out in protest while touching the beautifully styled hair that Qin'er had painstakingly arranged. "I'd rather lose my head than let my hairstyle get ruined!" She had endured a lot just to have it done right; if it got messed up again, she'd go crazy.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" His expression turned dark as he scolded her for speaking without restraint. "Stop talking nonsense from now on!"
"Uh!" Qing Luan once again found herself innocently caught in the crossfire.
With Qing Luan and Xuanyuan Rui knowing each other's secrets, their relationship grew closer. However, Qing Luan still insisted that she didn't need Xuanyuan Rui's protection... Even though he claimed few people knew him, there would always be someone in the capital who recognized him; she didn't want to invite trouble upon herself.
Not to mention Xuanyuan Rui's current status as a general favored by the emperor and his position as a close nephew. His dual identity could attract a lot of trouble. If Xuanyuan Rui's parents were still alive, he would have been married by now—perhaps even with children. Although she disapproved of early marriage, that was just how customs worked here; it wasn't something she could change.
He was currently refusing the emperor's arranged marriage and making excuses to delay getting married. However, for those ministers eyeing his fame and fortune, as long as he remained unmarried, they would still have hope. Holding onto him could save them years of struggle; it was an enormous temptation that could also bring them closer to the emperor—a connection that money couldn't buy. How could that not drive people mad?
If possible, Qing Luan hoped that no one would discover her acquaintance with Xuanyuan Rui so she could continue living a peaceful life; otherwise, the first ones to come after her would be those Young Ladies.
“ Luan'er,” this was the tenth time Xuanyuan Rui had protested today, but Qing Luan still resolutely shook her head, completely ignoring his pitiful expression of despair.
“Xuanyuan Rui, please, can you just stop? If others find out about this, I’ll be in serious trouble,” he seemed to have lost his mind, bothering her about this every day, making it impossible for her to focus on anything else as they wasted time in the secret chamber.
Sometimes, she felt like a hidden mistress, sneaking around and avoiding the sunlight.
“Who would dare let you die?” Seeing her resistance, Xuanyuan Rui felt a wave of regret. If he had known she would reject him so strongly, he wouldn’t have revealed his identity. Before he told her, her demands were simple; as long as he didn’t restrict her and left her alone, everything would be fine. Now they could only meet in the secret chamber; she refused to go anywhere else.
“The jealous Young Ladies and their families—I’ve blocked their interests. They would wish for my death a thousand times over,” Qing Luan insisted, clicking her tongue and completely disregarding the pleading look in his eyes.
“Haha, Luan'er, you’re being too dramatic,” he said with a helpless shake of his head, amused by her exaggerated expressions and words.
“I’m not being dramatic,” this was a serious issue. Qing Luan decided to educate him properly and said earnestly, “You think others’ feelings for you don’t concern me, but don’t forget that women can be more terrifying than men when it comes to jealousy. Who knows how many admirers you’ve attracted outside? What if someone plots against me?”
Her life was precious; she didn’t want to die because of another woman’s jealousy—that would be such an unfair death.
Qing Luan’s excuse left Xuanyuan Rui both amused and helpless. This was trouble brought by his identity; it wasn’t his fault.
“ Luan'er, I can guarantee I haven’t attracted any admirers! You know I’m always away—either fighting or looking for you. When do I have time to attract admirers?” To keep a low profile, he rarely attended court banquets for fear someone might suddenly decide to ask the emperor for a marriage decree.
“I don’t care,” even if his explanation was true, she couldn’t take that risk.
Just as the two of them were at an impasse, unwilling to back down, strange noises came from outside, prompting Qing Luan and Xuanyuan Rui to exchange puzzled glances. They wondered who would disturb them—A-Song and Qin'er knew better than to interrupt unless it was something important.
As they stared at each other in confusion, the door to the secret chamber opened, revealing Sister Yun with an anxious expression on her face.
"Miss, something big has happened," Sister Yun said as she walked in, her face pale.
"What is it? Take your time," I could tell from her expression that something was wrong, but the sky hadn't fallen yet, so why was she so anxious?
"Chen Xiaode has arrived, along with the Young Marquis. They are downstairs right now, and as soon as they came in, they drove all the guests away," Sister Yun hurriedly explained, looking at me with concern. This was something only I could resolve.
"..." Qing Luan didn't react with the anger Sister Yun expected; instead, she narrowed her eyes and stared off into the distance, lost in thought.
"Do you need my help?" If possible, he wished he could shoulder all her burdens.
"No need," Qing Luan rejected without a second thought. Please, there were already two troublemakers downstairs; if another one showed up, she'd go crazy. "Sister Yun, let's go. Xuanyuan Rui, you can stay here, but you cannot enter the Jade Pavilion. I'm not joking; if you dare to come over, don't ever show your face in front of me again."
Xuanyuan Rui was her trump card; she absolutely could not reveal him now.
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