Chapter 156 Sincere and True! Let's Escape Together!

Qi Tianyu was unaware that many people had already been plotting against him even before he arrived at the Qin residence. At this moment, he looked at the embroidered garments before him with considerable hesitation.

Should he sever ties with the Qin family or maintain them?

After pondering for a while, he still instructed his personal attendant to carry the clothes and followed him into the Qin estate.

Upon entering, he first went to pay his respects to Qin Huaiyong according to etiquette. After conversing for a short while, Qin Huaiyong had a middle-aged maid guide him to Qi Rongzhi.

Qi Rongzhi was accommodated in a guest chamber, but because she was a female relative, her room was located in the inner quarters just inside the flower-ornamented gate. As Qi Tianyu followed the maid all the way in, he crossed paths with quite a few people, and word had already been sent to Qin Yuru.

Qi Rongzhi was in a foul mood. When Qi Tianyu walked in, he saw her personal maid, Chunyi, kneeling on the floor and weeping, clearly having suffered another bout of temper. The expression on his face immediately darkened.

"Why aren't you going to pour tea for your eldest young master!" Qi Rongzhi kicked Chunyi and scolded, "Such a blind and clumsy thing."

Chunyi hurriedly stood up with reddened eyes and retreated in a flurry.

Chunxi quickly stepped forward to serve the tea.

Qi Tianyu seated himself on a nearby chair and instructed his attendant to place the clothes on the table.

Seeing these magnificent and luxurious garments, Qi Rongzhi's mood brightened. She reached out to touch the fabric, inspected the delicate borders and embroidered patterns, and smiled with satisfaction.

"Thank you, eldest brother!" When she saw Qi Tianyu retrieve an accessory box from his tunic, Qi Rongzhi beamed with joy. She took it and opened it to find that the items were indeed of the latest styles, much like the ones she had been wearing in her hair at Qin Yuru's place these past few days, or perhaps even prettier. Her eyes lit up.

"Rongzhi, since you are now living in the Qin residence, your every word and action must not be as unrestrained as they were back at home. Even if the young ladies of the Qin family have any shortcomings, you must simply endure them. Do you understand the intentions of our father and mother?"

Seeing that Qi Rongzhi was in a goodly mood and that only trusted confidants were present in the room, Qi Tianyu dropped all reservations and spoke with blunt candor.

"I know. It's just to have me choose... a better..." Qi Rongzhi's face flushed red, and she stammered slightly. This was precisely what her mother had repeatedly drilled into her ears when they traveled to the capital.

She was sent to the capital to secure a favorable marriage alliance by leveraging the Qin family's influence.

"Therefore, you must be even more cautious in your speech and conduct while in the Qin residence. You must never again come into conflict with the Qin sisters. You are currently living under their roof as a guest, and not a single word or action of yours should displease them. Otherwise, even elder brother outside cannot help you!" Qi Tianyu warned once more.

"Eldest brother, did Qin Yuru say something to you?" Hearing Qi Tianyu repeatedly say such things, the smile on Qi Rongzhi's face faded.

"It's not a matter of what Yuru said to me; it's a matter of you needing to understand your current situation. Before you secure a good marriage, remember strictly not to fall out with the Qin sisters. Wanru is still just a child and hardly worth worrying about, but Yuru... you must be much more careful around her!"

Qi Tianyu cautioned Qi Rongzhi.

"Eldest brother, I understand. Rest assured, I certainly won't cause trouble, and I definitely won't provoke Qin Yuru again!" Qi Rongzhi replied. It was precisely because she had figured this out that she had preferred to harbor her own stifled anger these past few days rather than go looking for trouble with Qin Yuru.

She could endure; for the sake of her marriage, she could endure anything!

This realization had only dawned on her because her wet nurse, who had accompanied her to the capital, had repeatedly laid the facts out before her.

"That's good then. I cannot stay here for long, so I will head back first. If you have any matters in the future, simply have an attendant send me a message." Qi Tianyu stood up and said, then paused and added, "Or you may also speak with the second brother."

"Qi Baiwu? Eldest brother, please, what could he possibly accomplish? When he steps through the door, at most he just finds Qin Wanru and climbs over walls to go play. But this isn't childhood anymore, nor is it Jiangzhou. Even if he wants to seek out Qin Wanru, she might not necessarily pay him any mind!" Qi Rongzhi said with a sarcastic tone.

She had never regarded this half-brother with any respect, and back at the estate, she had always treated him merely like a servant to be ordered around.

Seeing Qi蓉枝's attitude and knowing she could not be reasoned with at the moment, Qi Tianyu frowned, refrained from saying anything further, and turned to leave.

Completely absorbed by her new clothes and jewelry, Qi Rongzhi did not even bother to see him out of the courtyard. Instead, she immediately picked up a set of garments and went inside to change.

No sooner had Qi Tianyu turned a corner after exiting Qi Rongzhi's courtyard than he ran into Qin Yuru.

Dressed in a pale lotus-pink gown, Qin Yuru stood gracefully at the end of the cobblestone path. Her beautiful eyes were slightly reddened as she looked at him, clutching a handkerchief tightly in her hands. She appeared both delicate and heartbroken.

Qi Tianyu stopped in his tracks at a distance, his deep gaze fixed on Qin Yuru without stepping closer.

"Elder Brother Tianyu!" Qin Yuru pivoted on her heel and took the initiative to walk toward him, acting as if she were deeply surprised to see him, her face blossoming with pleasant astonishment.

"Eldest Miss Qin!" Seeing her approach, Qi Tianyu cupped his hands in a formal bow.

"Elder Brother Tianyu, you... why are you addressing me like that?" Qin Yuru looked as though heartbroken tears were about to fall. She halted right in front of Qi Tianyu, seemingly at a loss for words for a moment, leaving only sorrow and grief in her wake.

"Eldest Miss Qin, things being as they are now... is for the best!" Qi Tianyu shook his head, his expression desolate. His gaze fell slightly upon the ground three inches before his toes, maintaining a polite yet chillingly distant demeanor.

Merely in terms of appearance, Qi Tianyu was far more handsome than Di Yan—tall and striking. Furthermore, the two of them shared the history of childhood sweethearts, holding a naturally distinct place in Qin Yuru's heart. On top of that, they had previously discussed marriage. Back when there was no news from the capital, Qin Yuru had indeed been wholeheartedly devoted to marrying him.

It was only later, due to the intentions of Earl Yongkang's manor, that she had gone back on her word.

Even after breaking her promise, she had never felt particularly grieved. In her heart, she had always assumed that even if she and Di Yan formed a betrothal, Qi Tianyu would forever remain at her beck and call. But seeing Qi Tianyu's current determination to draw a clear line between them, she truly felt a sense of panic rising within her.

Her eye rims reddened in earnest. Taking two steps forward and forgetting entirely that they were still out in the courtyard, she grabbed Qi Tianyu's sleeve, and tears began to stream down: "Elder Brother Tianyu... I... I don't want it to be like this!"

"Eldest Miss Qin, the way things are now... is good for both of us!" Qi Tianyu was momentarily startled, as if he had not expected Qin Yuru to lose control to this extent. However, he immediately reached out, pried Qin Yuru's fingers loose from his sleeve, and said with an even tone.

"Elder Brother Tianyu, I don't want it to be like this... I don't want you to treat me this way... You have always been my Elder Brother Tianyu!" Qin Yuru broke down into uncontrolled sobs, tears falling in steady streams as her delicate body swayed toward Qi Tianyu's chest. Had she not been clinging to his clothes, she likely would have collapsed weakly to the ground.

A suffocating sorrow filled her heart. How could Elder Brother Tianyu treat her like this? How could he become so completely estranged from her?

Pushing her away again was no longer an option. Qi Tianyu glanced left and right, then pulled Qin Yuru behind the cover of a nearby rockery.

Although the spot where they had been standing was not a main thoroughfare, it would still look unseemly if anyone were to see them.

After leading Qin Yuru behind the rockery, his sharp-witted attendant checked that the path ahead was clear, then walked over to station himself behind a tree to keep watch for them.

"Elder Brother Tianyu! Elder Brother Tianyu!" Qin Yuru felt she had never experienced such profound sorrow. With no outsiders around, she tightly embraced Qi Tianyu, weeping bitterly while murmuring between her sobs.

Qi Tianyu stood motionless, allowing her to hold him. His gaze slowly settled upon that tear-streaked face—a face bearing the traces of his former affection, but which now looked utterly unremarkable. Indeed, this disheveled, weeping appearance struck him as almost laughable, and a heavy wave of irony nearly escaped his lips.

He pressed his lips tightly together, forcefully suppressing the urge to laugh that welled up in his heart.

"Alright, stop crying. This is simply a matter beyond anyone's control!" He let out a soft sigh, slowly placing one hand on Qin Yuru's shoulder, patting her gently and soothing her in a gentle tone.

"Elder Brother Tianyu, I don't want to marry someone else. I only want to marry you... I want to marry you!" Sensing Qi Tianyu's tenderness, Qin Yuru grew even more distressed. For a moment, she genuinely recalled all of Qi Tianyu's good qualities. The thought that these kindnesses might never belong to her again made the prospect utterly unbearable.

She had never imagined that Qi Tianyu would ever distance himself from her, and seeing his attitude just now had aroused an inexplicable anguish in her chest.

"You... want to marry me?" Qi Tianyu's gaze turned unfathomably deep, though his expression remained mild.

"Yes! I want to marry Elder Brother Tianyu. Elder Brother Tianyu, let's elope! Let's run away far, far away, to a place where no one can ever find us. Then no one will ever come looking for us again, and we can be happy together forever!" Qin Yuru clung tightly to Qi Tianyu, crying aloud.

At that moment, even she herself believed that she was utterly devoted to Qi Tianyu. She was willing to abandon everything and run away with him; she wanted nothing else in the world, only the two of them together.

"Alright... Shall we leave right now?" Qi Tianyu agreed in a gentle voice.

"R-Really?" The next instant, Qin Yuru's sobbing quieted. Though her head remained buried in Qi Tianyu's chest, her body involuntarily stiffened. Hesitating slightly, she asked, "Elder Brother Tianyu, where will we go? I... I don't know how to do anything... Will I become a burden to you?"

"No, as long as it's you, nothing else matters!" Qi Tianyu smiled, a somewhat peculiar smile, though Qin Yuru—still burying her face deeply and affectionately against his chest—failed to see it!

"Will... will my father come after us? And what about your imperial examinations, Elder Brother Tianyu? Are you truly willing to give them up just like that? Will I ruin your future?" Qin Yuru raised her face cautiously.

"Then... what should we do?" Qi Tianyu asked.

"I... I don't know. I only know I want to be with Elder Brother Tianyu, and I don't want this estrangement between us. I... I am unwilling to leave Elder Brother Tianyu, but I also don't want to ruin your future. Elder Brother Tianyu, what should we do? What are we to do?" Qin Yuru grew even more heartbroken, convinced in her own mind that they were the most tragic and deeply devoted lovers in history.

Even she herself now believed every word she uttered!

The anguish in her eyes was entirely genuine.

"We shall... speak of it later then. After I pass the imperial examinations with top honors... if you are still unbetrothed, I will undoubtedly come formally to your family's gate to ask for your hand once more." Qi Tianyu said slowly, his voice as gentle as the vows they had once exchanged back in Jiangzhou.

"Elder Brother Tianyu, is that true? Are you truly willing to come and marry me formally through proper matchmakers?" Qin Yuru was overwhelmed with excitement.