It was precisely this attitude that made Liu Rushu feel a chill in her heart. She smiled calmly and said, "What, you have times when you're afraid?" Seeing their dark expressions, she sneered, "You two are all doing this for Qingyuan. Don't you find it ridiculous? Now it's perfect. You can choose to continue clinging to this unrealistic dream, or—wait to ruin your reputation."
With a slight smile, she glanced at Qingchen, her tone carrying a deeper meaning: "Qingchen, many years ago, in order to avoid friction with the underworld, you made the decision to expel Qingyuan from the One Leaf Alliance. Now, this time, I'm afraid it will be the same... um..." Before she could finish speaking, Mo Liyuan's hand was already gripping Liu Rushu's throat. She felt a wave of suffocation, and what met her eyes was a gaze full of anger.
“Liu Rushu, I’ve protected you all these years, not so you could do whatever you want.” Mo Liyuan’s fingers were already tightening; with just a little force, he could take Liu Rushu’s life. However, Liu Rushu smiled faintly, her voice weak yet clear: “I… just want… you to suffer, so… so what? All these years… who among you has ever cared about me? Ha… I’m not afraid of death, and I’d rather die than let you live comfortably…”
"So, you secretly did the same thing to let Susu go back then?" Qingchen's words were surprisingly calm at this moment. A faint smile appeared between his brows, without the slightest anger. "I will not make the same decision as back then."
At those casual words, Murong Shi was startled. Seeing Qing Chen's still-smiling expression, her eyes were now filled with fear. If they were to truly confront the underworld head-on, even the One Leaf Alliance would likely be powerless given the precarious situation with the imperial court.
However, Qingchen remained calm. Perhaps he was simply recalling the past, remembering that decision he thought was right, which ultimately led to Qingyuan's death.
What happens to him doesn't really matter. But—he won't allow anything to happen to Susu. So what if she's from the underworld? He is Qingchen, and he has never feared anyone…
Qingchen felt no confusion at this moment, but just as she was about to say something, she heard someone's voice in her ear, and her smile, which had remained unchanged for thousands of years, suddenly froze slightly.
"Aunt Liu? Why are you here? What are you doing?" Two figures landed in the corridor. A man in short clothes stood next to a woman in light, elegant attire. Looking at the strange scene, she was puzzled. In the blink of an eye, she walked to Mo Liyuan's side and rescued Liu Rushu from his restraints. Looking at Mo Liyuan, she showed a hint of displeasure: "Master Mo, it's been many years. You are still as domineering as ever."
Mo Liyuan was slightly taken aback when Zhuang Su appeared at this moment, and Murong Shi's brows furrowed slightly as well.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Love and Hate Across Two Lifetimes (Part 1)
Zhuang Su's appearance made Liu Rushu's smile become somewhat manic. She coughed a few times to catch her breath, and her voice was clearly full of laughter: "Su Su, it's been a long time. How have you been?"
Indeed, it had been a long time since they last met, and Zhuang Su was overwhelmed with emotion. The woman before her still possessed the same beautiful face she remembered, seemingly unchanged, which was why she recognized her at a glance. Zhuang Su was already overjoyed by Liu Rushu's sudden arrival, but recalling what had just transpired, she looked at Mo Liyuan suspiciously and asked, "Aunt Liu, why have you come to Shengxiao Valley? Did you offend Master Mo somehow?"
"No, it's nothing, I just came to see you." Liu Rushu noticed the cold gazes of the group, and a hint of sarcasm appeared on her lips. "Susu, I just have something to tell you, but—it seems someone doesn't want me to tell you."
"What is it?" Zhuang Su asked, puzzled.
"Liu, Ru, Shu!" Qingchen's voice suddenly rang out, its unusual anger causing Zhuang Su to turn around. She saw a slightly pale face, and in his deep, unfathomable eyes was a fear she had never seen before. She inexplicably felt... that this person seemed to be afraid.
Fear? A sudden jolt went through Zhuang Su's heart. Looking at Liu Rushu again, she almost said, "I don't want to know." But the words stuck in her throat. She bit her lip and didn't say them.
She had never seen her mother before the age of seven; Aunt Liu raised her single-handedly. She always believed that Aunt Liu would never harm her.
Zhuang Suqing's gaze fell upon her, her pure expression stirring Liu Rushu's heart. Only then did she realize how much the child who would one day snuggle in her arms had grown. She and Qingyuan looked nothing alike; she exuded such a serene aura, a quiet strength that was unforgettable. In that instant, Liu Rushu seemed to recall past events, lost in thought. But when she remembered Qingchen's expression, a flash of hatred crossed her eyes: "Susu, haven't you always wanted to know about your parents?"
Her low, somber voice seemed to freeze the air around her.
Regarding her parents? Zhuang Su's pupils relaxed slightly, and she subconsciously opened her mouth: "Aunt Liu, haven't you always said that it's better for me not to know?"
It's hard to say whether she's oblivious or just easygoing; in any case, from a long time ago, she's never refused a single word in front of Liu Rushu, and she remains so to this day. Liu Rushu chuckled, "Back then, it was true that you didn't need to know, but things are different now. Susu, I really can't stand seeing you living with the people who killed your parents..." Her voice was sweet and cold, but now it seemed to suddenly turn somber.
The enemy who killed her parents? Zhuang Su recalled the situation just now, her expression turned solemn, and she turned to look at Mo Liyuan.
When Mo Liyuan saw her looking over, his already somber expression darkened further, and he said in an unfriendly tone, "It wasn't me."
When those three words were mentioned, Zhuang Su felt as if his body was empty.
Besides her, Liu Rushu, and Shen Jian, the people here, if not Mo Liyuan, would probably not be Murong Shi either… She slowly turned around, meeting the man's gaze. The seemingly destined eye contact carried a sudden, abrupt illusion. For a moment, Zhuang Su felt her heart stop beating. Why she felt this fear, she didn't know. She only felt the sorrow in the man's eyes engulf her, making her feel icy cold, as if a net had enveloped her. When she wanted to scream hysterically deep inside, she felt as if something heavy was pressing on her throat, making her feel so uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong? Something must be wrong, right?" The pale, terrified voice made even Zhuang Su doubt whether it came from her own mouth. She looked at Mo Liyuan for help, then at Murong Shi, and finally, between the two awkward glances, she looked at Liu Rushu as if she were her last lifeline.
Zhuang Su had never felt this way before. Perhaps it was because everything came too suddenly. Just a moment ago, she was listening to Shen Jian tell her thrilling stories from all those years and was about to come to find Qing Chen when she was told that this man was her enemy.
He's Ye Chen… He's the Ye Chen who's famous throughout the land… How could she, such a nobody, be worthy of being his enemy? There must be some mistake, right? There must be…
Zhuang Su's gaze was somewhat unfocused as she looked at Liu Rushu, clinging to the last vestige of hope.
Tell her that her guess was wrong; tell her that the so-called enemy who killed her parents was not Qingchen; tell her, okay...
Zhuang Su saw Liu Rushu glance at Qingchen meaningfully, saw a cold, disdainful smile on her lips, and heard her say, "I'm not mistaken, Su Su. Your mother is the former leader of the One Leaf Alliance, known as Ye Qing—Qing Yuan." Liu Rushu's smile seemed somewhat smug, but there was such sadness in her eyes. Unfortunately, Zhuang Su's mind was blank at this moment, and she could no longer notice it.
Zhuang Su felt Qingchen's gaze fall upon her, heavy and profound, but her heart was also in turmoil... as if a pebble had fallen into a tranquil lake, suddenly creating ripples. These ripples spread in waves, making the once peaceful surface impossible to calm down.
It's Qingchen, no... why would it be Qingchen...? And how could she possibly be Qingyuan's daughter...? How could it be...?
Zhuang Su felt as if all the strength in her body had been released, and she unconsciously took a few steps back. As she staggered, she felt someone support her from behind. She looked up and saw a pair of cold eyes, but at that moment, she realized she couldn't smile at Shen Jian anymore.
She had heard countless stories about Qing Yuan since childhood, but to her, this woman had always been nothing more than a legend. Many people looked up to her, reveling in her sensational marriage to Shao Yu, but when it first reached her ears, it was merely a tale. She vaguely remembered that many versions said Ye Chen, in order to seize the position of leader of the One Leaf Alliance, didn't hesitate to issue a "thousand-mile kill order" against Qing Yuan. The feud between the underworld and the legitimate world only gradually subsided after news of their deaths spread throughout the martial arts world.
However, at this moment, someone told her that she was Qingyuan's daughter, the legendary Qingyuan.
Zhuang Su smiled faintly. She was just an ordinary person, truly an ordinary person. She wasn't beautiful, nor was she intelligent. Why her of all people? She suddenly understood why Qing Chen insisted she call him "Father." Ye Chen's affection for Ye Qing was common knowledge, wasn't it...?
When she looked up again, her eyes held a smile, yet it was filled with bitterness. It was as if a faint, emanating aura of sorrow and desolation lingered. At that moment, feeling Chen Jian firmly supporting her from behind, Zhuang Su felt grateful. Without Chen Jian, she might have already collapsed.
Zhuang Su had a vague idea of why Liu Rushu hadn't told her about her background, but as she calmed down, she wondered why she had to be told now. She hadn't just arrived at Shengxiao Valley, nor had she only recently been taken in by that person. Looking up, she saw not the gentle Aunt Liu she remembered, but only contempt and hatred in her eyes. Her heart ached again.
In a daze, she felt as if her whole body had been hollowed out. Stumbling and staggering, she turned and ran out of everyone's sight.
She needed quiet. All she needed now was some peace and quiet by herself. What did her background, Qing Yuan, Shao Yu, the One Leaf Alliance… what did any of that have to do with her? She was just herself, an ordinary person. Now, she just found it laughable; when everything was revealed, she suddenly realized she had been living in a web of lies fabricated for her. People were kind to her not because of who she was, but because—she was Zhuang Su.
It seems everyone is the same, wearing a mask, each person playing a different role around her, staging a drama on the stage where she is the protagonist. However, she, the protagonist, is the only one unaware of this... all of this makes her feel vaguely nauseous.
Perhaps from the moment she was kidnapped, she had already fallen into someone else's game. She vaguely remembered the feeling of calling that man "father," her lips parting slightly, revealing a hint of tenderness. But it was precisely because it was so vivid that she suddenly felt it was unforgivable.
Was he just a "pet" all along? Had he always seen another woman through his eyes? Had he been using her all along...?
Zhuang Su ran at full speed, and suddenly felt a chill at the corner of her eye. Only then did she realize that she had shed tears. In her dazed state, all she wanted was to leave this place, run out of Shengxiao Valley, and then run aimlessly into a forest.
For so many years, she had maintained a calm and composed demeanor, but now she felt utterly unable to muster any rationality. She kept telling herself she needed to clear her thoughts, but the more she tried to think, the more her head throbbed with pain. It was as if her usual composure was merely a facade; she was, in reality, just a vulnerable woman, utterly overwhelmed when a grand and magnificent spectacle was laid out before her.
Where did she come from? Where is she going? And who can tell her?
Zhuang Su felt a sharp pain in her ankles from running, but she didn't care if dust splashed onto her clothes. She just kept running, all the pain numbed by the feeling of her heart suffocating. She seemed to hear footsteps running behind her, when suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her hand as someone tightly gripped her hand and pulled her towards them.
"Mmm—" The sudden kiss made Zhuang Su's previously chaotic mind go blank. Her pupils opened in surprise, revealing a pair of seemingly calm but actually deep eyes that held a stormy undercurrent. She hadn't expected Shen Jian to catch up, much less that he would kiss her like this. But when she looked at him again, she saw his slightly furrowed brows, and her heart, which she thought had stopped beating, suddenly started pounding again.
Zhuang Su even forgot to struggle, only feeling her tears slowly streaming down her face, landing on his face and spreading a damp sheen. It was a very long time before he finally released her.
"You like Qingchen." Shen Jian's voice was somewhat dry, yet he uttered such indifferent words.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Su's drooping eyelashes trembled slightly.
The tone of Shen Jian's voice contained no doubt, but rather a statement...
Chapter Twenty-Five: Love and Hate Across Two Lifetimes (Part Two)
The tears that Zhuang Su had been silently shedding suddenly collapsed and flowed out in a torrent.
"I... like Qingchen?" Zhuang Su repeated unconsciously, tears streaming down her face, her expression somewhat bewildered. The burning heat of that kiss still lingered, and she couldn't understand how this person could speak so confidently about feelings that even she herself didn't understand.
So she actually liked Qingchen... the man she once called "father"? Because she liked him, she cried for him more than once; that's why she was so heartbroken five years ago when she heard his resolute words; that's why she's saddened now by realizing she's just a substitute...
Zhuang Su subconsciously gripped Shen Jian's sleeve, her eyelashes lowered, her voice trembling slightly: "Shen Jian, what should I do? I like Qing Chen, but he is my enemy. How can I like him... Ha, perhaps I mean nothing to him..."
Although he already knew the truth in his heart, hearing Zhuang Su say it herself still made Shen Jian feel a sudden tightness in his chest. However, seeing Zhuang Su's dazed helplessness, a strange sense of resignation crept into his voice: "Don't like him, he's a dangerous man. And don't tell me you like him, because—I like you..."
As she finished speaking, Zhuang Su felt a warmth spread through her body; Shen Jian had taken off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. However, she kept her head down, making it impossible to discern her expression or what she was thinking.
Shen Jianben had already guessed that she would react this way, and he just gave a faint, self-deprecating laugh, saying, "Not planning to go back to the One Leaf Alliance, are you?"
“Mm,” Zhuang Su replied. It wasn’t about whether she wanted to go back, but rather that she “couldn’t go back” anymore… She could no longer allow herself to continue living under someone else’s roof.
Shen Jian observed her expression and asked, "Where are you planning to go?"
Zhuang Su shook his head: "I don't know."
"Stay here and watch my clothes. I'm going to get my things and I'll be right back."
"What?" Zhuang Su was taken aback by Shen Jian's inexplicable words. Before she could recover, Shen Jian had already turned and walked away.
Zhuang Su stared blankly as the figure receded into the distance. She opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't call out to him. She clutched the coat she was wearing, curled up against a large tree, and huddled together. The coat still carried Shen Jian's scent, which made her feel slightly at ease; it felt familiar. Recalling Shen Jian's words from earlier, a slight warmth returned to her face.
Shen Jian liked her... It was the first time a man had ever told her he liked her.
Perhaps because she was used to his kindness, or perhaps because she had always known this fact, she didn't feel much alarm when she first heard those words. But it could also be because she had already been alarmed enough today, and now she had no energy to be surprised by anything else.
Zhuang Su didn't feel shy at all; instead, she felt strange and conflicted. She realized she always caused trouble for others... Zhuang Su smiled helplessly, tilting her head slightly, but felt the curve of her lips was unusually stiff. She then huddled there, her mind wandering, lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking about.
Shen Jian walked briskly, his steps hurried, and when he arrived at Shengxiao Valley, there was no one else in sight.
Qingchen sat casually at the table. Beneath the chair lay shards of porcelain cups and saucers. She didn't look up at him, her eyelashes lowered, and simply asked, "You caught up with her?"
"Yes." Shen Jian replied calmly, glancing at Qing Chen's hand, which was half-hidden by her sleeve, before subtly moving it away.
Bloodstains still clung to Qingchen's slender, long fingers, slowly pooling at his fingertips, gradually thickening, until the last drop fell to the ground. The once pristine ground was now stained a glaring crimson, and his hands were covered in a shocking stain of blood.
Judging from the man's expression alone, one might think he was completely indifferent. However, upon closer inspection, one would realize that the broken pieces of cups and saucers scattered on the ground were all crushed by him.
Could it be that this person truly has feelings for Zhuang Su? Shen Jian's expression darkened slightly.
At this moment, Qingchen glanced at him and said, "Take Susu away."
Shen Jian hadn't expected him to let go so easily, but his slight surprise was fleeting. A hint of sarcasm appeared on his lips as he asked, "What are the conditions?"
Qingchen raised an eyebrow casually: "I want you to fulfill the agreement we made back then and take over the Chu Kingdom. Within two years."
"Two years?" Shen Jian frowned. "Why the sudden rush?"
“Because I have no time left.” Qingchen smiled faintly. “Since you already know about Susu’s background, you should understand how people in the underworld will react when they find out. Didn’t you want to protect her?” He paused, his tone becoming more meaningful, his words carrying a deeper implication: “Besides, you instigated the Han Kingdom to instruct the Chu Kingdom to attack the One Leaf Alliance. Isn’t that because you couldn’t wait any longer…”
Shen Jian remained unfazed by the indifferent gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips: "That's right. If they could be wiped out like this, then the One Leaf Alliance is nothing special. The previous rumors were probably just empty boasts."
"If our alliance is truly 'nothing special,' then it wouldn't be worth your time, right?" Qingchen suddenly said with a smile. "So now, have you decided to cooperate with us, Prince Chu, my future King of Chu?"
Looking at Qingchen's expression, Shen Jian felt a subtle pressure emanating from him. It swept over him, making it impossible to fathom his thoughts. Shen Jian remained silent for a moment, and after a long while, he said, "I have one more condition."
Qingchen wasn't in a hurry: "Speak."
"From now on, you are not allowed to bother Susu anymore." Every word that Chen Jian uttered seemed to land with a resounding force, echoing in the surrounding emptiness. Then, everything fell silent the moment the last word landed.
Qingchen smiled, glanced at Chen Jian, and casually replied, "I won't look for her again even if you don't tell me. I treated her well before because she was Qingyuan's daughter and very obedient; she was a good choice as a toy. But it's different now. Now that she knows her true identity, she's no longer under my control, and to me, she's—a useless thing..."
A calm, even tone. Cruel, suffocating words.
Shen Jian felt a chill run down her spine at the ruthlessness of the person before her, yet he remained utterly unfathomable. Could it be that during the ten years she had spent with this man, she had truly been nothing more than a plaything in his eyes? If that were the case, why would he need to use a two-year agreement to protect this "insignificant" person?
Qingchen seemed to see through his thoughts and casually replied, "You don't need to doubt my intentions. Everything I'm doing is ultimately for Qingyuan. I just want to make amends for the mistakes I made in the past." He slowly raised his head, his eyes unusually devoid of any joking tone, and said in a cold voice, "I can only hold out in the underworld for a maximum of two years. You... understand what I mean?"
Shen Jian watched his expression intently for a long time before replying, "Okay... I agree."
Qingchen waved her hand, effectively dismissing the guest.
Shen Jian clasped his hands in a fist salute and left. As he walked further away, he faintly heard the mournful sound of a flute. He couldn't help but stop and look back. He saw that Qing Chen had also come out of the room and was standing alone in the center of the empty courtyard. From a distance, he was dressed in flowing white robes. When the wind blew, petals fell one after another, as if a language of flowers had descended upon the world. And that person, all alone, stood quietly amidst the falling petals.
From a distance, Shen Jian couldn't see Qing Chen's expression clearly, but he felt that the mournful sound of the flute was like a dark cloud floating in the sky, stirring people's heartstrings, as if it were brewing the most torrential rain of tears.
Such a figure, so frail and delicate, leaves an indelible mark in the instant it enters the eye. Though he seems to be the same as always, he evokes a profound sadness, a deep sorrow, and an overwhelming sense of oppression. The light surrounding him seems to have fallen, making one hesitant to approach and profane him. He always appears out of place amidst the harmonious beauty, seemingly unwelcome, yet there's a sense that he might be carried away by the wind at any moment.