Chapter 93 Piercing the Window: "In what capacity are you questioning me tonight...?"

The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the breeze, and the hazy night spread out, with a dim yellow glow flashing across Xue Rongyue's cheek.

Qin Jin's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he subconsciously took two steps forward—he keenly sensed something ominous from the sudden, icy curve of Xue Rongyue's lips.

"How did I get here?" Xue Rongyue said, each word uttered slowly and deliberately, every light syllable squeezed out from between her teeth filled with anger.

She laughed angrily, saying, "It seems I shouldn't have come."

Having said that, she didn't even bother to say another word. Her whole body was filled with anger, her teeth clenched, and she turned to leave.

Qin Jin quickly stepped forward, trying to stop Xue Rongyue from leaving, but Xue Rongyue didn't give him the chance. In desperation, he grabbed Xue Rongyue's wrist with lightning speed, his large, dry hand tightly holding her in place.

"What's wrong?" Qin Jin asked cautiously, glancing at Xue Rongyue's expression. "Did someone upset you? I'll go teach him a lesson for you."

Xue Rongyue struggled twice in frustration to no avail. Hearing this, she simply stopped and glared coldly at Qin Jin, gritting her teeth as she said, "Really?"

"Of course," Qin Jin replied without the slightest hesitation.

As soon as she asked the question, Xue Rongyue didn't want to get entangled with Qin Jin in front of the mansion. She opened her mouth, but suddenly became speechless—she didn't know how to express the unquenchable anger in her heart to Qin Jin.

A distinct look of bewilderment crossed Xue Rongyue's icy expression. She repeatedly asked herself how she should express the anger that filled her heart.

Is it because they saw him strolling with a young woman?

He said he was reminded of his past frequenting brothels.

She even doubted that she knew the origin and source of her anger, and didn't understand why she was angry.

Like a bucket of cold water suddenly poured over her, Xue Rongyue seemed to calm down a lot. The anger and bitterness in her heart were still there, but she felt more confused, panicked and suddenly wanted to escape.

She pursed her lips, her cold and angry expression softening, replaced by a calm facade. She tried to pull her wrists free from Qin Jin's grasp, her tone no longer as indifferent as before: "Never mind, it's nothing. It's getting late, I'll be going now."

Qin Jin saw through her feigned calm at a glance. Although he didn't know what was wrong with her, he naturally wouldn't let her leave like that. Instead of reducing his grip on Xue Rongyue's wrist, he increased the strength of his grip.

Xue Rongyue struggled to break free a couple of times, then got angry again, her brows furrowed, and she said in a deep voice, "Let go, I want to go back!"

With his thin lips pressed into a straight line, Qin Jin's gaze was fixed on Xue Rongyue's face, hoping to find out the reason for her anger: "Tell me what's wrong with you first?"

Xue Rongyue herself didn't have an answer yet, and in her distress, she was unable to answer Qin Jin. She even felt a strange sense of panic and wanted to escape the answer to this question. She wished she could lock herself in her room as soon as possible until she could completely forget about the question.

"Let go!" Xue Rongyue said angrily, "I don't want to talk about it now!"

"Is it related to me?" Qin Jin said. "You came to me to interrogate me, didn't you?"

Qin Jin coaxed softly, "Did I do something wrong to upset you?"

Xue Rongyue's ears turned red instantly, a mixture of annoyance at being seen through and a hint of something else. She snapped, "I already said I didn't! Let go!"

Qin Jin was unwilling to let go.

He had a strange premonition that if he let Xue Rongyue go now, the distance between him and Xue Rongyue would grow further and further apart in the future.

"Let go!"

"I won't let go!"

"Qin Jin, let go!"

"I won't let go!"

Jingnu's gaze darted back and forth between the two. Amidst the stalemate of "let go" and "don't let go," she suddenly realized something: "Madam, are you angry because you saw Prince Qin walking with another young lady?"

Xue Rongyue's face immediately froze.

Feeling as if her face was on fire, Xue Rongyue glared fiercely at Jingnu, abruptly pulled her hand away, and turned to flee in panic.

"Don't leave!"

Qin Jin was stunned by Jing Nu's words. Before he could react, he had already grabbed Xue Rongyue's wrist again.

Grabbing Xue Rongyue's wrist tightly, Qin Jin used all his strength this time, giving her no chance to break free, and dragged her toward the main hall.

As if suddenly realizing something, Qin Jin's voice became hoarse: "Come with me."

"I'm not going! Where are you taking me?!" Xue Rongyue struggled with all her might.

Qin Jin said, "Let's have a good talk and clear up the misunderstanding."

"What misunderstanding? There's no misunderstanding, don't listen to Jingnu's nonsense!" Xue Rongyue denied it outright.

Qin Jin turned his head slightly, his usually sharp and indifferent eyes burning with a faint, bright fire, as if a deep pool frozen for thousands of years had finally shown signs of loosening. His breathing gradually became rapid: "If there is no misunderstanding, then we should have a good talk."

"What, Madam Xue, are you afraid to talk to me?" Qin Jin's tone was deliberately blatantly provocative.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Xue Rongyue sneered and gritted her teeth, saying, "What's there to be afraid of!"

Upon arriving at the main hall, Guang Sheng, with keen insight, dismissed the servants inside, closed the door, and stood guard in front of the main hall with Jing Nu.

Xue Rongyue asked coldly, "What does the young master want to talk to me about?"

“I am not familiar with that lady. She is Ji Dian’s younger sister. I have bumped into her a few times when I went to the manor to look for Ji Dian. Today, I ran into her on the street. Her carriage broke down, and she came to ask me for help, wanting me to take her back…”

Xue Rongyue grew even more annoyed and impatiently interrupted, "So you just sent her back?"

Qin Jin looked down at Xue Rongyue and said, "I didn't. Putting aside the fact that I was riding a horse today, where would I get a carriage to take her? Even if I had a carriage, I couldn't lend it to her. If word got out, there would inevitably be gossip."

Xue Rongyue remained silent for a moment before continuing, "I saw the two of you traveling together today."

Qin Jin's breathing became heavier and he explained, "I am on good terms with Ji Dian. After all, she is his own sister. If she hadn't asked me for help, that would have been fine. But since I found her, I couldn't just ignore her. So I sent Guang Sheng to the Guard Bureau to look for Ji Dian. I only walked a few steps with her. She went to the teahouse to wait for Ji Dian to send someone to pick her up, and I went to the jewelry store. We didn't have any further interaction or conversation along the way."

After hearing these words, there was indeed nothing wrong with them. Although Xue Rongyue's anger subsided a bit, she still felt a sense of frustration stuck in her heart, unable to go up or down.

She was about to ask about the incident she had witnessed in the palace when Qin Jin seemed to have guessed what she was going to ask. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his eyes, both deep and bright, showed a hint of barely suppressed urgency: "The Empress Dowager has always wanted to place her people around me, and that young lady is one of them. She is the Empress Dowager's cousin, and her every move is at the Empress Dowager's behest. There is no way I could have any dealings with her."

Xue Rongyue remained silent for a moment, but still couldn't help asking, "Your Highness used to frequent brothels."

Upon hearing this, Qin Jin's eyes widened: "You're wronging me by saying that."

Xue Rongyue sneered: "How did I wrong you?"

"Don't you know whether I've been to these places or not?" Qin Jin leaned forward, his strong and muscular body close to Xue Rongyue. He lowered his head, forcing Xue Rongyue to look him in the eye.

Xue Rongyue raised her eyes: "How would I know..."

Halfway through her sentence, Xue Rongyue suddenly remembered something and abruptly stopped talking.

Qin Jin curled his lips: "You remembered? When we were childhood sweethearts, let's not even talk about how old I was. Back then, we were inseparable. You didn't know where I went?"

"Even though we broke off all ties later, you still tried every means to bribe my servants and find out my whereabouts in order to compete with me. How could you not know where I go?"

Xue Rongyue lowered her head sheepishly.

And that is indeed the case.

If there's one person in the world who knows Qin Jin's whereabouts better than anyone else, it's her.

In those years, in order to find out Qin Jin's whereabouts, Xue Rongyue poured out silver coins like water. Not only did Qin Jin go somewhere every day, but he also knew exactly how many meals he ate and how many pastries he had each day.

Indeed, Qin Jin was never actually seen going to brothels to be all lovey-dovey with the young ladies beside him.

She had previously known these rumors were nothing more than idle gossip and hearsay, but now, upon closer reflection, she realized they were likely related to the Empress Dowager's faction, just like her reputation as a playboy. In her anger today, she had completely forgotten all of this.

"I see that Madam Xue's complexion is still not good." Qin Jin couldn't help but speak again, interrupting Xue Rongyue's subtle annoyance.

His rapid breathing hadn't calmed down, and the curve of his thin lips deepened. He cornered Xue Rongyue, who slammed into the chair behind her and fell down.

With his hands spread apart and placed on the armrests of the chair on both sides, Qin Jin trapped Xue Rongyue in a cage with nowhere to go. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his chest rose and fell slightly as he spoke: "Why is Madam Xue so angry?"

The man's warm breath was extremely aggressive, and the faint scent of agarwood lingered around Xue Rongyue's nose. She looked up at Qin Jin's usually unmoved but now openly expressed his emotions, his deep and arrogant eyes. Under his burning gaze, Xue Rongyue's heart began to beat rapidly for some reason, and the embarrassment of being seen through surged up belatedly.

Xue Rongyue forced herself to remain calm and said, "Has Your Highness forgotten? There are three rules: if Your Highness has someone you like, you should naturally make it clear in advance."

The veins on his neck bulged, and Qin Jin's deep voice rang in Xue Rongyue's ear: "Is that all?"

Xue Rongyue retorted, her neck stiff, "Of course, that's all!"

"Then why are you still unhappy?" This time, Qin Jin, unusually, did not give in easily, and continued as usual, following Xue Rongyue's words, "If that's all there is to it, why are you still unhappy?"

Xue Rongyue unconsciously pursed her lips and turned her face away.

"If it's just because of that three-point agreement, why are you still unhappy even after I've explained it clearly?"

Qin Jin had no intention of letting the matter rest. His rapid breathing reached Xue Rongyue's ears, and as Qin Jin pressed her with each word, her heart pounded faster and faster, as if it would jump out of her throat.

Why?

Xue Rongyue's lips trembled. She couldn't answer. Jiang Shiyan's words were stuck in her throat, making her feel uneasy and worrying about a future she had never imagined before.

Qin Jin had now abandoned all his usual composure and nonchalance. Like a leopard poised to pounce, his body was tense, his eyes blazing, as he approached his prey step by step, leaving it no chance to escape.

One pressed forward relentlessly, while the other retreated step by step. Xue Rongyue clenched her fists and glared at him angrily: "Doesn't the young master know that a gentleman should know when to advance and retreat?!"

The two were so close that Xue Rongyue could almost hear Qin Jin's rapid breathing, and beneath his broad, firm chest, her heart was also beating rapidly.

His breathing became rapid and tense, and the corners of Qin Jin's eyes reddened. His deep gaze was turbulent, as if fixed on Xue Rongyue's face. His jaw was taut, giving Xue Rongyue no chance to change the subject or escape: "Why does Madam Xue avoid answering? Is it because you don't know how to answer, or because you dare not answer?"

"For what reason is Madam Xue angry now?" No answer was needed. Qin Jin had already shown that he had long forgotten the gentlemanly conduct. At this moment, he could no longer maintain his usual calm and composure. He could not hide his restlessness and eagerness, and was desperately seeking the answer he had been longing for. "If it is a three-point agreement, setting a two-year term for the status of fiancée, I have already explained it clearly, and you will not be angry anymore."

For the first time, Xue Rongyue felt an overwhelming sense of pressure from Qin Jin. There was nowhere to hide under Qin Jin's gaze. For the first time, she dared not meet Qin Jin's aggressive gaze and could only stubbornly say, "You are not me, how do you know I won't be angry again?"

Amidst heavy breathing, Qin Jin slowly smiled: "Xue Rongyue, I understand you far better than you imagine."

Xue Rongyue's breath hitched, and her heart pounded even harder.

“In the palace, I watched that little follower who followed you step by step without any shame. I knew you would never look at him or pay him any attention, but I still felt uncomfortable. So much so that every time I saw him later, I felt deeply an eyesore.”

Xue Rongyue was stunned, her thoughts still not quite clear. She looked at Qin Jin, puzzled, and listened to his heartfelt words, her fingertips trembling.

Qin Jin completely tore away the thin veil separating the two of them: "Because I have never regarded you as more than just a fiancée betrothed by His Majesty, nor have I ever thought that we would only spend two years together after we got married."

"Xue Rongyue, from beginning to end, all I've ever wanted is to be with you forever."

Xue Rongyue's pupils widened as she stared at Qin Jin in disbelief, completely stunned by his blunt words. But Qin Jin did not let her off the hook. He revealed his true feelings, which he had previously concealed, and every word he uttered was burning with passion: "Therefore, I despise everyone who harbors ill intentions towards you, I am wary of everyone who gets close to you, I worry that you might like someone else, and I am bothered by the two-year deadline you mentioned."

"And what about you?"

"Xue Rongyue, what about you?"

"Why don't you dare answer me? Did you really come here today just because you're worried I'll break the three rules we signed?"

Why are you still unhappy even after I explain?

"In what capacity are you questioning me tonight?"

Xue Rongyue clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly with her fingertips. Qin Jin's urgent, persistent, suppressed, and close-up questioning made her ears ring and made her feel a little breathless.

Her thoughts were in turmoil, and she subconsciously wanted to escape—to escape Qin Jin's unusually intense questioning tonight, to escape the questions that left her feeling confused and unsure how to answer them.

They were even more eager to escape the answer that was already on their minds.

She tried to get up, but Qin Jin held her tightly, his broad body like a burning ember, making her afraid to touch him. "Let me... let me think about it, let me think..."

His Adam's apple bobbed violently, and the veins on Qin Jin's taut neck bulged even more. He took a deep breath, and despite his eagerness, he couldn't bear to keep pressing her with questions.

He slowly straightened up, took a step back, and stopped blocking her. He watched as Xue Rongyue hurriedly stood up and left, his deep voice trembling, filled with a pleading tone, as he asked one last time, "Really, can't you give me an answer?"

"Tell me, in what capacity are you questioning me tonight?"

Xue Rongyue stopped abruptly.

A bronze mirror sat on a table not far away, clearly reflecting her disheveled figure as she left, as well as the burning gaze behind her.

Are we really going to run away like this?

Xue Rongyue bit her lower lip, the direct gaze behind her making her back tense. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something—

Just then, the door in front of them was pounded on loudly, and Jingnu's anxious and panicked voice rang out: "Madam, something terrible has happened! Something has happened at the Xue residence!"

"Someone beat the drum to appeal for justice, accusing the Xue family of treason and disregarding human life. The Imperial Guards have already surrounded the Xue residence!"

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Author's Note: The young master is very concerned about the two-year deadline. Don't worry, once Xiaoyue understands her feelings, she will continue her dog training diary~ [Sprinkling flowers]