Función clerical

Capítulo 14

Just now……

Wait, what's going on here?!

Against the rising sun, two slender figures, one in white and one in red, stood tall.

Su Chenche stepped in front of her: "Sorry, I don't remember you."

Ye Qianqian casually tossed the knife aside, her voice laced with threat: "It's alright if you forget, I'll make you remember."

Su Chenche thought for a moment: "Did you like me before?"

Ye Qianqian hesitated for a moment: "It's alright."

Su Chenche: "Is there any arranged marriage between us?"

Ye Qianqian: "This... I don't think so."

Su Chenche: "Do we have a relationship so profound that we absolutely must remember it?"

Ye Qianqian scratched her long, flowing hair: "It doesn't seem like it."

Su Chenche smiled and said, "In that case, you may leave now, young lady."

Ye Qianqian: "..."

"I knew I shouldn't have wasted my breath on you! If I believe you again, I'll change my name to Ye Qianqian!" Ye Qianqian shoved the knife into its sheath behind her back, grabbed Su Chenche's collar with such force that she almost tore it apart, and narrowed her exquisite and beautiful eyes dangerously. "I don't care if you remember or not, you're coming with me now! Otherwise, I'll kill you!"

Grabbing his collar, Su Chenche's eyes instantly darkened.

He forcefully pried Ye Qianqian's hand away with his fingers, still smiling as he said to her, "Miss Ye, since we're not familiar with each other, why bother!"

There was a hint of politeness, or rather, estrangement in his tone.

Ye Qianqian slowly loosened her grip, letting her hand fall lower. Her beautiful face showed a hint of weariness, and her gaze towards Su Chenche was somewhat complicated: "You really... don't remember anything?"

"Hmm, I don't remember," Su Chenche answered readily.

Ye Qianqian: "You actually... forgot... How dare you..."

Emotions were suppressed in the words, but the last syllable sounded like a wistful sigh, carrying an indescribable sense of loss.

Such a powerful and beautiful woman showing such a lost and forlorn expression at this moment is truly moving.

But……

"Um, gentlemen, may I interrupt for a moment?"

The ignored person silently pressed the back of their hand to try and wake themselves up.

Although it was a bit unkind to speak up at this time, Shen Zhili couldn't help but look up and say, "Ye Qian... Protector, wasn't it because you toyed with his body and mind and then pushed him off the cliff that Young Master Twelve Nights was seriously injured and lost his memory?"

So what exactly are you pretending to be pitiful for?

Upon hearing this, the two people who were having a melodramatic conversation turned their heads at the same time.

"Me?" Ye Qianqian pointed to herself, then to Su Chenche. "Toying with him?" Staring at Shen Zhili, her eyebrows furrowed. "Which eye of yours saw that he looked like he had been toyed with!?"

Su Chenche tapped his forehead, pondered for a moment, and said, "So that's how miserable I was before. No wonder they wouldn't tell me. Miss Ye, you came to capture me because..." He smiled slightly, his eyes crinkling, "...haven't you had enough fun yet?"

He was smiling, but Ye Qianqian felt a strange chill.

Her brows furrowed suddenly, and Ye Qianqian felt a surge of displeasure: "You believe her just because she says so?"

Su Chenche: "Yes, I believe you."

Ye Qianqian's displeasure deepened: "Why?!"

Su Chenche: "Because I like her."

Five simple words silenced Ye Qianqian, who had opened her mouth.

That vibrant red figure appeared somewhat dimmed under the gradually filling sunlight.

"You like her?" Ye Qianqian chuckled softly, then burst into laughter as if she had heard the most ridiculous thing. Then, as if seeking support, she gripped the knife behind her back, shifted her gaze, and said slowly, word by word, "But you also said you liked me! Just because you don't remember doesn't mean it didn't exist!"

Su Chenche paused for a moment: "For me, not remembering is the same as not existing."

"How cruel..."

Ye Qianqian lowered her head slightly, her bangs casting a faint shadow on her forehead, and said in a sinister tone, "...I should have killed you back then, instead of just pushing you off the cliff. But, since things have come to this..."

She slowly raised her head, and the knife was drawn from behind her, its chilling aura surging forth from the blade.

"My only option is to kill your lover first, and then get Hua Jiuye to brainwash you!"

"Who is his lover!?"

Shen Zhili sat on the ground, pressing his head, watching as the blade pointed straight at him, only managing to move slightly to avoid a fatal blow.

The blade pierced flesh with a soft thud, striking Su Chenche.

Ye Qianqian's hand trembled, and she suddenly drew her sword.

Su Chenche groaned, pressing his hand against the bleeding wound, his body still blocking Shen Zhili's path.

Ye Qianqian gripped the knife tightly: "Su Chenche, even if I kill you, will you stop me?"

Blood stained his white robes, but Su Chenche's eyes remained clear: "I can't just stand by and watch you kill the one I love."

Ye Qianqian gave Su Chenche a deep look, her voice suddenly weakening: "So... it was really true... Su Chenche, you lied to me..."

She swung her knife with her backhand, the full force of the blow shooting into a crevice in the rock behind her, where it became deeply embedded.

"fraud."

After saying that, Ye Qianqian suddenly turned around and left, her figure under the red dress appearing particularly thin and desolate.

Looking at the nine-ringed broadsword that was several feet deep inside, Shen Zhili swallowed hard.

If the strike had been with that kind of force... even two Su Chenches wouldn't have been able to withstand it...

Looking at Ye Qianqian's departing figure again, I inexplicably felt as if I were the supporting character who had interfered...

No, what does their mess have to do with her?

The effects of the poison were gradually wearing off, and Shen Zhili's consciousness was becoming clearer. She paused and said tactfully, "Su Chenche, aren't you being a little too cruel... Ah, hey, what are you doing?"

Su Chenche held her hand, his fingertips touching the scratched and bloodied skin on the back of her hand, and licked it tenderly.

"Zhi Li, you're so careless, how did you get hurt again..."

Whose injury is more serious?

Unable to pull his hand away, Shen Zhili looked at Su Chenche, who was half covered in blood, and said helplessly while taking out medicine, "You could have used the knife to block Ye Qianqian just now, why..."

"Yes, of course I want to see you feel sorry for her." Su Chenche's smile was no longer the polite one he used to show Ye Qianqian; it was as warm as the winter sun.

With a headache, Shen Zhili tore open Su Chenche's clothes to apply medicine to him: "Just to make me feel sorry for you? What are you thinking?"

Su Chenche tilted his head and smiled at Shen Zhili: "If she hadn't taken this hit, why would she have left?"

Shen Zhili paused: "Did you deliberately provoke her?"

Su Chenche: "I guess so."

He even had a smile on his face.

Ye Qianqian's words unconsciously echoed in my ears: "How cruel..."

It is widely rumored that Young Master Twelve Nights cherishes Ye Qianqian, who goes by the alias Bai Qian, as a treasure, spending a fortune to win her smile. He would rather be a small fan in summer and a small stove in winter to stay by her side and protect her, even if it means going through fire and water, risking his life.

But now...

Seeing Su Chenche's gentle expression, the question she was about to ask stuck in her throat. Shen Zhili quickly treated Su Chenche's wound and said calmly, "She probably won't be coming back anytime soon. Let's go quickly."

Just as I stood up, I heard Su Chenche's voice: "Wait..."

Shen Zhili didn't turn around: "Is there anything else?"

Su Chenche looked up with a hint of grievance: "Zhi Li, what kind of person is your master?"

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What kind of person is my master?

Shen Zhili didn't seem to have thought about this question either. To her, that person was too perfect, so perfect that she didn't know where to begin if she had to give him a description.

She first met her master in that courtyard.

At the end of the waterside pavilion where the snow has fallen, there is a cold lake and an icy spring, and the world seems to be tinged with the color of frost.

She was nervously led into the courtyard by the maid. Before she could even appreciate the beauty of the courtyard, her eyes were drawn to the man sitting in the center.

He wore a snow-white brocade robe, its hem trailing on the ground. His long, black hair hung loosely, covering one shoulder. Snowflakes swirled and fell around him. Just his clearly defined silhouette was enough to leave her speechless.

There are such beautiful people in this world.

He held a smooth, white jade cup, glanced at her, and beckoned her, his voice as clear as the sound of metal shattering: "Silly girl, come here."

She had been staring blankly at it for a long time.

To this day, she still remembers that face that seemed to melt in the snow, a slight curve at the corner of her lips beneath her indifferent countenance, and a melancholy that seemed to be forever frozen between her brows.

—Although Hua Jiuye was also beautiful, she was young at the time and lacked the deep composure and maturity that Shen Tianxing possessed.

Master is not a gentle person. Even Hua Jiuye, who is exceptionally talented in medicine, is often scolded by him. But in all the years he has taught her, he has never said a harsh word to her.

She asked why.

The master patted her head and said matter-of-factly, "Girls are meant to be pampered, and boys are meant to be disciplined. It's fair."

She was pampered like this for almost ten years.

She was pampered by him, and she learned all the medical skills he taught her to the best of his ability, and even his stingy nature.

Unfortunately, the person her master cared about was not her.

Su Chenche lowered his eyes: "Zhi Li, do you like your master?"

"Hmm." Shen Zhili carefully applied medicine to the wound on her arm, a smile playing on her lips. "Master is handsome, powerful, reliable, and takes such good care of me. Plus, he's my savior. It's not surprising that I'd like him. But at first, I really thought he liked me too..."

As if remembering something, Shen Zhili touched the bridge of her nose shyly.

The young girl, with a budding romance in her heart, changed into a new outfit on her birthday and excitedly ran to Shen Tianxing's desk without the slightest hesitation.

“Master, I have come of age this year.”

Shen Tianxing looked up from the mess of medical books on the table, a smile playing on his cold face: "Oh, very good, you've grown into a young lady."