Chapter 115: The Unwanted Kiss

Today marked the third day, and Zixuan was at his wit’s end. He wasn’t sure if Tang Wei didn’t come out soon, whether he would barge in just to catch a glimpse of her. He had originally intended to go out and clear his mind, but no matter where he went, he was always blocked, which was extremely frustrating. Staying alone in his room with nothing to do made him restless, so finally, he mustered the courage to head to the back mountain for some fresh air.

Zixuan wasn’t afraid of Ouyang Qianru; it was simply that with Tang Wei absent, he had no mood to engage in pointless chatter with her, so he chose to avoid her for now. But the thought of a grown man being forced indoors by a woman was too ridiculous to bear! So he decided to shake off his worries and go for a walk, planning to just ignore her if he saw her. He could have simply ordered the Ouyang patriarch to bring her back, but considering she was just a woman, was it really worth so much trouble? Little did he know, slacking off now would bring trouble!

Unexpectedly, this time he wandered for two or three hours without interruption. As he neared his courtyard’s gate, he finally felt at ease and thought, “She must have given up by now. Who would persistently make a fool of themselves? After so many rejections, she must understand how I feel. It’s not like she’s truly unmarriageable.”

In a good mood from not encountering anyone annoying, Zixuan hummed a tune as he stepped into his courtyard—only to be blocked by a figure at the gate. Looking up, his face instantly fell. Who else could it be but Ouyang Qianru, the one who waited for him to go out every day?

Today, Ouyang Qianru had searched several familiar spots outside but found no sign of him, so she had no choice but to wait right at his doorstep.

“Miss Ouyang, I think we both understand by now—I will never like you. You should give up this foolish hope. Please stop adding to my troubles. I already have a daughter and a son, and my senior sister is the woman I have chosen. I know we deceived you initially, and I admit that was wrong, but it was only for convenience to find someone. If you want to hold a grudge, I apologize now, alright? But please don’t follow me anymore.” Zixuan said helplessly, repeating what he had made clear many times before, hoping she would finally understand.

His words were unmistakably clear. Yet, some people just refused to understand or accept it. Wearing a pitiful expression, Ouyang Qianru looked at him with sorrowful eyes and said, “Brother Zi, I know you don’t mean to hurt me with your words. It’s just that we haven’t spent enough time together, so you don’t truly know me yet. I sincerely like you. Brother Zi, please give me a little time. Spend some time with me, and you’ll surely come to like me. I am more suitable for you than Sister Tang.”

“I’m sorry. I already have my senior sister, and my heart belongs solely to her. No matter how good other women are, I don’t see them. Only I know who suits me. If you want a man, then please bother someone else. I, Zixuan, cannot bear your affection.”

Zixuan’s tone was noticeably less harsh than usual; in the past, he would have mocked her into shame. But he had changed. Though proud inside, especially because of Tang Wei, he still maintained a gentlemanly demeanor—that was the biggest difference from before.

“Brother Zi, I don’t care if you don’t love me now. I just want to be by your side and see you every moment. Please give me this chance! Even if I have to be a servant attending to you every day, I’m willing. Please don’t drive me away!” Ouyang Qianru—usually quite clever—today seemed to have lost all sense. She mistook his obvious sarcasm for kindness, believed she had made progress, and pleaded with hope.

Zixuan wondered if her words were truly heartfelt or if someone was manipulating her from behind. If the latter, then certain people remained restless, using this woman to get close to them. They would have to be more cautious in the future to avoid falling into traps. Meanwhile, though the cultivation world didn’t enforce monogamy like the mundane world, and many high-level cultivators had numerous concubines and servants, Zixuan had no interest in that. With Tang Wei and the children, his world was already perfect. Extra people would only be a hindrance and a source of trouble.

He recalled Tang Wei’s words: men who hit women were the worst. Holding back the urge to give her a good beating, he said irritably, “I wouldn’t dare trouble you, Miss Ouyang, to serve me.”

“No! I am willing. Please, Brother Zi, give me this chance!” Ouyang Qianru, normally smart, seemed utterly naive today. She took his sarcastic remark as sympathy, thinking she had succeeded halfway, and pleaded with all her heart.

Zixuan took a deep breath, clenched his fists hard to resist striking her, and thought for a moment. Such a person could not be spared any dignity—they were just asking for trouble. Ouyang Qianru was the type who, if given a little attention, would treat it like a rainbow. So he spoke bluntly, “Miss Ouyang, since you don’t understand, I’ll be clear: your constant blocking me is truly annoying. Were it not for you being from the Ouyang family, I’d have thrown you down the mountain by now. Before, I could still see you as a person, but now, I wish you didn’t exist at all. Be honest with yourself—what do you see in me? I’ve changed, so will you accept that?”

Stung by such blunt rejection, Ouyang Qianru stepped back two paces, stunned, covering her mouth. “No! No! Brother Zi, you wouldn’t treat me like this. Is it because Sister Tang dislikes me? Has she threatened you?” Without knowing where she found the strength, she grabbed Zixuan’s hand and declared, “Brother Zi, don’t worry—I’m not afraid. As long as I’m with you, I wouldn’t fear death.” She must have watched too many romantic dramas; her mind was clearly troubled.

Zixuan recoiled two steps at her fervent expression. A nobleborn daughter should not be so naive. Could it be that this woman’s obsession with men had driven her mad? Seeing her so devastated earlier, he felt a twinge of guilt—after all, Tang Wei frequently teased him that men who hurt women were scoundrels, and he had been somewhat influenced. Looking at her pitiful, wide-eyed expression almost made him feel he had indeed wronged her, stirring a flicker of shame. But her later words and actions made him want to kick her. He now understood Tang Wei’s point—that ‘women’ came in different kinds.

Seeing Zixuan recoil as if from something filthy, Ouyang Qianru’s heart ached. Why did other men treat her like the most beautiful flower in the world, fawning over her like a living goddess? The patriarch treasured her like a gem, and even her brother—the next family head—couldn’t rival her status in the Ouyang clan. Yet this man had never once looked at her properly, dismissing her like a weed by the roadside. What did she lack compared to Tang Wei? Ouyang Qianru believed herself prettier and younger, yet this man simply wouldn’t acknowledge her.

Lost in these thoughts, she felt a fierce urge to rush out and tear Tang Wei apart, but she dared not. Her cultivation was too weak—she would surely die before reaching her. Believing she couldn’t harm Tang Wei, she suppressed her fury, unwilling to show it, and gradually fell into despair. She couldn’t compete with men, couldn’t kill her rival; living like this seemed utterly meaningless. Looking up at Zixuan’s incomparable handsome face, she wondered why such a perfect man wasn’t hers. A reckless thought took root in her mind, and a brilliant smile spread across her face.

Zixuan watched as she crouched silently on the ground, clearly hurt by his words, and began to feel uneasy. Though he understood things clearly now, his past and future wiped clean, and though he had only been alive for five years in this lifetime, he couldn’t be truly cold-hearted or ruthless. Seeing Ouyang Qianru look up at him with a strange smile, his guard rose. Was she about to do something drastic? But as a Golden Core cultivator, he had long ceased fearing her, so he relaxed somewhat.

Ouyang Qianru slowly stood and stepped closer, coming before him without blinking. Just as Zixuan braced for her to make a move, she suddenly reached out and tightly embraced him. The spiritual energy coursing through his hands left him momentarily frozen—not sure whether to push her away or pull back. As he realized her intention and prepared to reject her, Ouyang Qianru seized that moment and pressed her cherry lips to his.

Zixuan was dumbfounded—not in a good way. He immediately thought, even Tang Wei had never kissed him so boldly. If only Weiwei were this proactive! Damn his luck, why did he freeze right then?

He fantasized for three seconds before snapping back to reality. Before he could act further, Tang Wei burst in enthusiastically. Zixuan’s words caught in his throat as he froze, completely forgetting why she had come. He blinked in surprise, watching the two before him as if witnessing a performance, and unconsciously asked, “What are you two doing?”

When they pushed each other apart, Tang Wei finally snapped out of it, unsure how to face them, and turned to run.

“Weiwei! Don’t run! Let me explain!” Zixuan’s face went pale in panic. He shoved Ouyang Qianru aside and sprinted after Tang Wei. Not considering his own cultivation level, his full-force push sent Ouyang Qianru flying far back, crashing against the opposite wall, pinned there like a human scarecrow—whether alive or dead, no one knew.

But right then, Zixuan didn’t care. If he couldn’t catch Tang Wei, he might as well die.