Chapter Seventy-Five: Deadlock, A Fight to the Death

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“Why are you back again?” The youth’s lazy voice carried a nonchalance that perfectly matched his current state.

“There are people on the road,” Qin Wanru replied gloomily, unsurprised that Chu Liuchen could tell someone else had taken over massaging him.

“People from Magistrate Qi’s residence?” Chu Liuchen’s lips curved slightly as he reached out to move Qin Wanru’s small hand to a different spot to knead.

“I don’t want to see Miss Qi!” Qin Wanru’s willow brows knit involuntarily. She truly didn’t want to see Qi Rongzhi at this moment, especially when Qi Rongzhi still carried herself with such arrogance, bringing along so many maids and matrons, barging in with a show of force.

She’d blocked her way back to the Quiet Heart Nunnery.

Qingyue had sharp eyes; spotting that large group from afar, Qin Wanru had hurriedly retreated.

“I’ve heard this Miss Qi, along with your family’s eldest miss, are now the laughingstocks of Jiangzhou. Their reputations are terrible. Best keep your distance! Remember to associate with those of good reputation in the future—though even that isn’t a guarantee. The more cautious you are, the longer you’ll live,” Chu Liuchen said carelessly.

His words made sense, leaving Qin Wanru silent for a while.

“Learn from your losses; not every problem requires rashness to resolve.” Chu Liuchen seemed in a good mood, a gentle smile appearing on his handsome face. For once, he didn’t bully Qin Wanru, nor did he deliberately drive her out.

Qin Wanru, who had thought it would take great effort just to be allowed to stay a little while, looked at him in surprise.

“What’s wrong, do you think I’m mistaken?” Chu Liuchen raised a brow.

“How could that be? Your Highness is always right!” Qin Wanru forced a smile. Not wanting to face Qi Rongzhi, she was all the more careful not to offend the Prince before her.

“Do you truly believe I’m right?” Chu Liuchen suddenly opened his eyes, raising his gaze. His dark eyes were clear as spring water, gentle and harmless.

“Of course, I sincerely believe Your Highness is right!” Qin Wanru kept her wits about her; she would never really believe this prince to be as harmless as he appeared.

He was ruthless at heart!

She was still seated at the small table, kneading his forehead. Now that he opened his eyes, their gazes were so close she could see every long, curling lash flicker. The youth was as beautiful as jade, with a gentle smile that could make any young girl lose herself.

But Qin Wanru knew this gentleness was only a façade.

She fluttered her lashes twice, finally glancing away. “Does Your Highness’s head still ache?”

Her hand was growing sore.

“It still hurts!” The gentle look faded from the youth’s face, replaced by a more innocent expression. He looked at her with pitiful eyes, his pale lips making him seem even more pitiable. Even if Qin Wanru didn’t want to, she had to swallow her words.

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“Your Highness, I still have matters to attend to. May I take my leave?” Qin Wanru tried a different approach.

“So now that I’m of no more use, you want to leave?” Chu Liuchen’s lips curled in a faint smile, the expression easing his sickly pallor. He looked every bit the scholarly youth—if only the mockery in his eyes wasn’t there.

“How could Your Highness think so? I truly have matters to attend to. Aunt Shui isn’t by Grandmother’s side, so it’s just me. If Grandmother can’t find me, she’ll worry.” Qin Wanru’s demeanor grew more respectful, her gaze lowered, her words measured—her meaning clear, her tone calm.

But inside, she was uneasy, uncertain whether the prince would let her go.

Chu Liuchen pressed his forehead, then turned over and sat up lazily. “You did well. Next time I’m unwell, you can massage me again.”

“I’ll certainly help Your Highness if I have the chance!” Unsure of his meaning, Qin Wanru replied cautiously.

“All right, you may go. I have matters to attend to and won’t see you out,” Chu Liuchen waved his hand generously.

Relieved, Qin Wanru stood, curtsied, and said, “Your Highness, I take my leave!”

“Go on, go on!” Chu Liuchen waved her off.

Only after he let her go did Qin Wanru turn away with an easy mind. Reaching the path to the Quiet Heart Nunnery, she found that, as she had hoped, Qi Rongzhi was already gone—saving her much trouble.

As for Qi Rongzhi, Qin Wanru had nothing to say and doubted her visit was well-intentioned.

What she hadn’t expected was that, though she’d evaded Qi Rongzhi, she hadn’t escaped Qi Tianyu. Qi Tianyu was waiting outside her room in the Fragrant Pavilion courtyard.

Seeing her approach, he stepped out from behind a tree. Qin Wanru had meant to pretend she hadn’t seen him, but he called out loudly, forcing her to stop.

“Wanru!” Qi Tianyu hurried over.

“Young Master Qi, what is it?” Qin Wanru stopped and, after saluting, spoke politely, taking two steps back to put distance between them.

“Wanru… why are you so distant?” Seeing her withdraw, Qi Tianyu halted, looking awkward.

“Young Master Qi, we were once on friendly terms, and you were to be my future brother-in-law, so I didn’t avoid suspicion. But now, that’s all over.” Qin Wanru raised her head, her watery eyes cold as she regarded him bluntly. “I don’t see any reason for you to seek me out now.”

After all that had happened, their families could never return to the past.

“I… Yuru and I might still…” Qi Tianyu stammered.

Qin Wanru cut him off with a cold laugh, “Young Master Qi, are you still not thinking clearly? Our families will never be joined again, nor will we ever be on friendly terms. What did my sister say to make you believe you two still have a future?”

She ruthlessly tore away the thin veneer Qi Tianyu tried to maintain.

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“You… Qin Wanru… you’re too harsh!” Qi Tianyu’s expression changed, anger and resentment flashing in his eyes as he glared at her. “Isn’t all of this your fault? If you hadn’t made such a scene, Yuru would already be my wife!”

“So you blame me? Was it I who pushed Qin Yuru to seek a high connection in the capital just to snatch you away? Qi Tianyu, even if no one’s told you, you should look in the mirror before leaving the house.”

She was not surprised by his response. Qin Wanru sneered, meeting his gaze without flinching, a flash of bloodthirsty hostility in her eyes. Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging into her palm.

It hurt, but not as much as her heart did.

In her past life, it was under this kind of senseless blame that she was ruthlessly pushed into a sea of blood.

“Qi Tianyu, you are nothing to me!” All the grievances from two lifetimes boiled down to this one sentence. As soon as she finished, Qin Wanru turned and walked toward her courtyard gate.

Qi Tianyu froze, his handsome face stiffening for a moment. Always so self-assured, he was now unceremoniously exposed by Qin Wanru, and anger flared in his heart. He reached out rudely to block her path.

Qingyue hurried forward to shield Qin Wanru.

“Qin Wanru, I don’t care what you say. I only know I like Yuru. I’d never care for someone as harsh and foolish as you!” The words squeezed out through Qi Tianyu’s teeth; in that moment, his refined façade crumbled, his eyes cold and venomous.

“If not for you, none of this would’ve happened! If not for you, Yuru would have had no choice but to marry me, no matter what she thought. That’s just how it is—she couldn’t escape it. Qin Wanru, I won’t let you off!”

He enunciated each word, his hatred palpable. Qin Wanru could see this clearly. Staring at the man before her, who had shed all pretense, she slowly smiled.

Her bright, clear eyes shone with sarcasm. Though short in stature, she met Qi Tianyu’s gaze head-on without the slightest hint of weakness. Her crimson lips curled up with a childlike innocence, but also a sword-sharp ferocity.

That ruthless aura pierced deeper than Qi Tianyu’s hate.

“Qi Tianyu, I’ll be waiting for you and Qin Yuru to join forces against me. We won’t stop until one of us is dead.” Her words were soft, yet the bloodthirsty chill seemed to surge up from the depths of hell. Only after Qi Tianyu had retreated several steps did he realize a strange chill had seized his heart, causing him to lose his composure and step back.

When had the Qin Wanru he once thought foolish ever been so formidable? For a moment, his gaze lingered on her straight back, filled with a strange sense of focus and revelation.

Qin Wanru sneered as she walked past Qi Tianyu, her head held high, the smile on her face dark and cold. This was the hatred she’d borne in her past life, words she’d never voiced. Since there was no hope for reconciliation, there was no need to pretend, or to guard against underhanded schemes.

No matter why Qi Tianyu had come today, she knew his purpose was anything but friendly. In her previous life, even after learning the truth, Qi Tianyu had continued to target her. She had never understood why—now she saw that, no matter the facts, Qi Tianyu would always lay the blame on her.

In his eyes, she was the root of all evil, someone to be trampled into the mud. So be it—there was nothing more to say.

The knot of her past life had been forced upon her by Qi Tianyu and Qin Yuru. In this life, she had no intention of untying it.

If it’s to be a fight to the death, then so be it.