Половины жизни, посвященной музыке и макияжу

Глава 45

Li Lingge smiled somewhat roguishly, bending his neck even more, his thin lips brushing lightly against Duan Chen's cheek: "That's your rule, we Western Xia people don't have that kind of custom."

Duan Chen turned his head, leaning back as much as he could, and said through gritted teeth, "You and my master are from the same generation. She almost became your woman back then!"

“You said it yourself, it was almost.” Li Lingke reached out and stroked Duan Chen’s nape, applying slight pressure to pull him closer. His rosy lips gently brushed Duan Chen’s forehead, then slowly traced down his delicate nose. A sly glint flashed in his azure eyes. “So that’s why God sent you to make it up to me. Don’t you all talk about children paying for their parents’ debts? Well then, you’ll pay for your master’s debts, how about that?”

Chapter Sixteen: Frivolity and Contradiction

"You tied him up, didn't you?" Duan Chen's pink lips parted slightly, her voice low and somewhat indistinct, yet it successfully stopped the man's continued lewd actions. Li Lingke moved his lips away, slightly shifting the distance between them, his azure eyes smiling as he looked at the woman before him, but his voice was noticeably cold: "Hmm?"

"You're the one who tied him up, and you're the one who carried him back to the room and re-bound him to the foot of the bed with the Thunder God Whip." Duan Chen slightly raised his chin to meet his gaze, his cold tone no longer a question, but a statement of fact.

Li Lingke smiled slightly upon hearing this, his eyes darting around as he began to scrutinize the woman before him. He was already exceptionally handsome, but his features and unusual eye color gave him a somewhat eerie quality when he smiled, especially when he wasn't. Coupled with his imposing and sharp aura, his expression now held an even more chilling edge, making one tremble with fear. The hand that had been gripping Duan Chen's waist reached forward, instantly seizing her delicate chin. Rough fingers slowly rubbed against her smooth skin, applying slight pressure when they touched her throat. The man's brow furrowed slightly, as if weighing something, and a cruel smile gradually spread across his crimson lips: "Those who are too clever never live long. Do you know why?"

Duan Chen had two fingers pressed tightly against his throat, making it difficult for him to breathe. However, upon hearing this, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth. His phoenix eyes stared coldly at the person in front of him, and he said with some difficulty, word by word, "Because they are not ruthless enough." As he spoke, the nuclear nail in his hand was already pressed against Li Lingke's chest.

Li Lingke, however, seemed to have anticipated her move. His other hand, which had been behind his waist, swiftly moved between them, gripping her wrists and flicking his finger, causing the nut to fall to the ground. Then, the hand holding Duan Chen's chin lifted her face, his eyes shining like stars, and he leaned down to kiss her: "Well said, I like it!"

Duan Chen knew his previous move would most likely miss, but he hadn't expected this person to be so shameless, and his eyes widened in astonishment. As the person's face drew closer, a wild aura swept over him. Just as a passionate kiss was about to land on his lips, the person suddenly raised his head, released his chin, pulled him into their arms, and looked in the direction the two had come from.

Duan Chen's hands were still firmly bound, his back pressed against that strong, broad chest. He looked up and saw Zhan Yun and Zhao Ting approaching almost side-by-side, stopping in front of him. Zhao Ting, his face cold, was about to step forward when Zhan Yun blocked his path with a flick of his folding fan. The two exchanged a brief glance. Zhan Yun cupped his hands, about to speak, when Li Lingke smiled mysteriously, raised a hand, and slowly ran his thumb across his lower lip. Then, like petting a cat, he stroked Duan Chen's cheek, his voice unusually low and husky: "Not bad. No wonder you two fight over it all day."

Duan Chen's phoenix eyes were about to spit fire from those words, and he struggled with both hands, ready to retaliate, when he felt his wrists loosen and his back warm. At the same time, the man whispered something in his ear, and then his whole body was pushed forward with a palm, landing between the two men, slightly closer to Zhan Yun.

As Zhan Yun reached out and embraced the beauty's slender waist, he turned her firmly into his arms. Zhao Ting, holding Duan Chen's arm, also turned around with them, his deep eyes fixed on the beauty's face. Zhan Yun, disregarding everything else, raised his hand to touch Duan Chen's chin, which was clearly swollen and red from being pinched. A faint shadow crossed his handsome features: "Does it hurt?"

Upon seeing the finger mark on Duan Chen's chin, and recalling the intimate scene of Duan Chen being embraced and having his head bowed in a passionate embrace as they approached, Zhao Ting felt a surge of emotion welling up inside him, and his breathing became rapid: "He kissed you?"

Duan Chen had been hugged and embraced all day, especially just now, when he was almost sexually assaulted by that person several times. He was already feeling suffocated and resentful. With Zhan Yun hugging and stroking him, plus Zhao Ting's obviously questioning tone, even the cold-tempered Duan Chen could not suppress the anger in his chest. He pursed his pink lips, glared at Zhan Yun, and pushed him away with all his might, intending to use his lightness skill to leave.

To everyone's surprise, even when Duan Chen pushed hard against Zhan Yun's chest, the man, just like Li Linke before, didn't budge an inch. Duan Chen's anger flared even more, and he clenched his fist and punched Zhan Yun in the chest: "Let go!"

In reality, Zhan Yun would usually shuffle away when Duan Chen pushed him, and Zhan Yun would grunt when Duan Chen made a move. This was because Zhan Yun didn't exert much force when Duan Chen attacked; otherwise, with Duan Chen's strength and skill, he wouldn't have been able to push him away at all. In terms of physique, Zhan Yun wasn't any thinner than Zhao Ting or Zhou Yufei. It was just that he liked to wear loose robes and had a rather gentle and refined demeanor, making him appear weak and easily pushed over. Only those close to him knew that this guy was an absolute martial arts expert, possessing profound internal strength and superb lightness skills. His attacks were fast, ruthless, and accurate, targeting acupoints all over his body, yet he always smiled harmlessly, earning him the nickname "Like Jade, Like Clouds."

Seeing Duan Chen's expression, Zhan Yun knew the man was truly anxious. His arm was forcefully pushed aside, and he subtly wrapped his arms around her waist. He let her vent her frustration by delivering two heavy punches to her chest. Finally, seeing Duan Chen's lips tighten after the last two blows, her phoenix eyes glistening with tears, Zhan Yun sighed inwardly. He loosened his grip slightly, but still held her close, his clear voice slightly hoarse: "Chen'er, don't hurt yourself."

Zhao Ting had been staring intently at Duan Chen. Seeing her slightly damp eyelashes, he felt a pang of unease, followed by a dull ache in his left chest. He thought to himself, "I've known this person for so long, when have I ever seen her so vulnerable? When she twisted her wrist, she didn't even blink, let alone shed a tear. After a short rest, she was back with everyone, energetically analyzing and deducing the case." A strange emotion surged within him, and Zhao Ting reached out again to support Duan Chen's arm, his deep eyes fixed on her face: "Chen'er."

Duan Chen was thoroughly annoyed by the two people calling him "Chen'er" all the time. He raised his arm to shake off their gentle touch, turned around and left: "Analyze the case."

Back in the courtyard, they saw that the lights were already on in Zhan Yun's room. Zhou Yufei was leaning against the door. Upon seeing the three of them, he slowly exhaled and raised an eyebrow: "Finally back! How did it go? Did you catch him?"

As Zhou Yufei was speaking, the other three people in the room came out to greet them. Liu Yichen immediately bowed and apologized to Duan Chen, "Miss Duan, I'm so sorry. Just now..."

Duan Chen waved his hand and said softly, "This is not Master Liu's fault." Then, he looked at Zuo Xin and Xiao Changqing standing beside him and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

Upon entering the room, Zhou Yufei picked up the teapot and poured a steaming cup of strong tea for each of the three. He then handed one of the cups to Duan Chen, saying, "This time it's definitely not poisoned. I've personally tested it. Drink up!" As he spoke, he winked his charming eyes and turned to find a place to sit down.

Duan Chen thanked him softly, blew on the tea in his cup, took a few small sips, and with the warmth of the stove in the room, he soon warmed up.

Zhou Yufei had already brought two more chairs from his room. Zhan Yun's room was almost twice the size of Duan Chen's, so everyone took their teacups and found places to sit. Zuo Xin raised an eyebrow at Duan Chen and said in a deep voice, "The one who poisoned the tea was clearly a novice. They poisoned the whole pot of tea and chose such a potent book. If it were anyone else, it wouldn't be so bad, but at our table, apart from the two young ladies, no one should be able to tell the difference."

"Miss Duan, did you do that on purpose?" Liu Yichen's brows furrowed deeply, his expression clearly showing disapproval.

Duan Chen nodded slightly, seemingly still pondering something: "Otherwise, even after he leaves, we might not be able to force him to show himself."

While waiting for others in the house, Zuo Xin and Xiao Changqing had already heard Liu Yichen recount the general situation. Although Liu Yichen had skipped over the part about Master Duan Chen, the two already knew that Li Lingke was lurking in the manor. Coupled with the poisoned tea from that evening, they all felt uneasy; things didn't seem to be over yet!

"The key question is, who exactly was he trying to poison with that pot of tea?" Xiao Changqing shuffled his chair over to Duan Chen, ignoring the hostile or helpless expressions of the people around him, and propped his chin up on the armrest with one hand: "Back then, it seems that kid surnamed Zhou had the butler brew you a stronger pot of tea to sober you up and warm your stomach, right?"

Duan Chen's brow twitched, and he glanced sideways at Xiao Changqing, only to see the man winking and grinning brightly at him: "I'm very smart, aren't I?" Then, he sighed deeply, his eyes sweeping over the three people beside him: "You child, you're just too lovable! The consequence of being lovable is being hated. I've learned that lesson the hard way over the years!" Xiao Changqing tilted his head back and looked at the rooftop, his face filled with a gloomy, melancholic, and helpless expression, which made Zuo Xin's eyes twitch in the distance. This poor show-off!

The expressions of everyone present changed, especially Liu Yichen's. Seeing that Duan Chen's eyes were half-closed and he didn't respond, Liu Yichen glanced helplessly at Zhan Yun, then turned his gaze back to Duan Chen: "Miss Duan, Mandie won't..."

Duan Chen took a sip of strong tea, raised his eyes to look at Liu Yichen sitting diagonally opposite him: "I know."

Xiao Changqing smiled and shook his finger, not in a hurry: "Girl, you can't say that. Sometimes leaving a way out for others is cutting off your own. You should think it through."

Zuo Xin coughed heavily, then frowned and glanced at Xiao Changqing, signaling him to be quiet. The other three were alright, but Liu Yichen's expression grew increasingly grim, his grip on the teacup tightening until his knuckles turned pale.

Duan Chen got up, walked to the table, poured himself another cup of tea, and slowly turned around, finally fixing his gaze on Liu Yichen. He said coldly, "If I may be so bold as to ask, if the murderers who killed Miss Lou are not the two people who died today, then what would you say, Second Master Liu?"

Liu Yichen clearly hadn't expected Duan Chen to ask such a question, and a hint of surprise appeared on her face: "What do you mean by that, Miss Duan?" A thought flashed through her mind, and Liu Yichen suddenly stood up, her eyes filled with anger, her voice trembling slightly: "You mean, it's Li Lingke..."

Duan Chen remained expressionless and said softly, "No." After a slight pause, he continued, "At present, everything is just speculation, and there is no concrete evidence yet. Second Master Liu, please do not act rashly."

Then, he turned to Zuo Xin and Xiao Changqing and said, "I'm afraid this is not the end of the matter. If you two intend to stay at Wanliu Manor, you must be careful."

Zuo Xin nodded, but Xiao Changqing opened his eyes wide with interest: "Oh? What do you mean?"

Duan Chen curled the corners of his lips: "The 'Fish-Gathering Fish-Tail Axe' has not yet appeared." Upon hearing this, the others all showed thoughtful expressions, and the room fell silent once again.

The deaths of Deng Dingbo and the third leader of the Deng Family Escort Agency this morning, while sowing the seeds for future conflict between the Northwest and Jiangnan, have finally brought things to light, no longer a chaotic mess. Since the Deng family colluded with the Western Xia, it's easy to explain why four weapons were stolen in succession, and why Fang Wenli and the other Jiangnan figures died tragically. Now, a feud has been formed between several sects and families in Jiangnan and Jiangbei. It can be said that Li Linke has achieved his goal. But why hasn't the Caiwei Axe appeared yet? What is the purpose of the seven small rings on the back of the Seven Victories Blade, which are wrapped around the severed hair of the seven dead? What is the connection between Lou Yueru's death, the deaths of these people, and Li Linke? And what about the poisoned tea tonight, and Li Linke's intervention…? All of this only makes everyone more confused, and many things remain unresolved. Duan Chen picked up his teacup and quietly drank, unable to help but recall Li Linke's parting words.

After Liu Yichen and the other two left, Duan Chen also got up to go back to her room. Seeing this, Zhao Ting quickly stood up and blocked her way, his thick, dark eyebrows furrowed: "Chen'er." Duan Chen was too lazy to argue with him about the form of address, so she suppressed her temper and looked up at him, indicating that Zhao Ting should speak if he had something to say.

Zhao Ting stared intently at the person before him, his thin lips parting slightly as he stammered, "You...you still haven't told us what Li Lingke said to you in Meilin." Actually, what he really wanted to ask was what had happened between Li Lingke and him in Meilin. However, Zhao Ting naturally didn't dare ask that now. He had caused Duan Chen no small amount of unpleasantness today. Just now in Meilin, his comment, "He kissed you," had almost made Duan Chen explode on the spot. Recalling her vulnerable appearance with slightly damp eyelashes at that time, even if Zhao Ting desperately wanted to know what had happened, he could only suppress the urge and leave it aside for the time being.

Duan Chen pondered for a while, then turned to look at the two men, frowning as he said, "I have a feeling that the person who killed Fang Wenli and Lou Yueru is not the same person who killed those people today with Seven Victories."

Zhou Yufei slammed his cup down, raised an eyebrow, and said, "That's not wrong! If the third leader of the Deng family's escort agency first used Qisheng to kill those six people, and then in the morning, Deng Dingbo used that knife to kill him, intending to frame someone else, wouldn't that fit perfectly?" As Zhou Yufei spoke, he twirled the cup on the table with one hand. "When Fang Wenli died, didn't we analyze that there were no more than five people in the entire manor who could possess such palm strength and internal energy? Even if we include Li Lingke, among the six people, the Liu family is impossible, and then Zuo Xin and Master Xiao are also ruled out, leaving only Deng Dingbo and Li Lingke! It doesn't matter which of them did it, they're in cahoots anyway."

Before Duan Chen could speak, Zhan Yun asked first, "What about Miss Lou's matter? If you want to stir up trouble in the martial world, killing those people is enough. There's absolutely no need to harm a young woman like her. Besides, she's also a member of Wanliu Manor. This whole thing feels contradictory."

Duan Chen nodded, his brow furrowing even more: "I always felt that the method of killing Lou Yueru was different from those of the others. But I couldn't quite put my finger on what was different..."