"After you started sending me paintings!"

"Although I have been spoiled like a star since I was a child, no one is as meticulous as you, and cares about me so much. You record my every expression and every happiness on paper, so vividly. No matter whether you are sincere or not, I am moved and touched! I really like you!" Zhu Xueling said as she looked at Zhixun, and her eyes gradually showed love and tenderness.

Zhixun kept his lips tightly pursed, said nothing, and lowered his head even more.

"I knew Qiushui liked you, and I also knew that you and Qiushui were destined to be together. At that time, I was very conflicted, and felt guilty and distressed. I was like a thief, secretly liking you, afraid of being discovered. But in the end, Qiushui found out. That day, Qiushui questioned me angrily, and in her excitement, I actually saw the faint scales on her face! At first, I thought I was seeing things, but the more I thought about it, the more wrong it seemed!" Zhu Xueling hesitated, "So, I used the demon-testing water on Qiushui. What I didn't expect was that Qiushui had no idea she was a demon. She even scolded me, saying that I poisoned her!"

"Just tell me. Since Qiu Shui doesn't know about this, I think the old painter must be unwilling to tell her the truth. Why should I tell her the truth and hurt her? Even if I have to tell her, it shouldn't be me who says it."

"So, I found the old painter. Under my coercion, the old painter told the truth. It turned out that Qiu Shui was a half-demon born from the old painter and a dragon! Love between humans and demons is taboo and treasonous. Half-demons are even more unacceptable to both demons and humans. If others knew that Qiu Shui was a half-demon, she would be dead!"

"Only our Zhu family's Emerald Ice Soul can suppress the demonic aura of a half-demon. As long as Qiu Shui carries the Emerald Ice Soul with her, no matter how excited she is or how big the situation is, her true half-demon form will not be revealed. Of course, no one will know she is a half-demon anymore! I think this is why the old painter joined the Zhu family as a full-time painter!"

"Everyone in Lanxuan City knows that the Emerald Jade Ice Soul is my dowry. Whichever man marries me in the future will own this Emerald Jade Ice Soul!"

"Zhixun, tell me, you started sending me paintings one by one and reaching out to steal my heart. Was it just for the Emerald Jade Ice Soul? Are you willing to sacrifice all the happiness of the rest of your life for Qiu Shui, and even lose your life for it?" Zhu Xueling asked Zhixun with a sad look in her eyes.

Mrs. Wei felt heartbroken at this moment, as if she was the one asking the question and she clearly knew the answer.

Zhixun didn't say anything and still kept his head down.

Zhu Xueling sighed and said, "Actually, you don't have to do so much. If I had known that my Emerald Ice Soul would be so useful to Qiu Shui, I would definitely... definitely find a way to help you obtain the Emerald Ice Soul, even if... even if it meant a fake marriage with you!"

Zhixun's eyes suddenly lit up, and he turned to look at Zhu Xueling in disbelief.

Zhu Xueling's face paled instantly. After a long while, she forced a smile that was uglier than crying and asked tentatively, "Do you want to have a fake marriage with me?"

Zhixun was speechless and fell silent again.

Zhu Xueling lowered her eyes and smiled bitterly, "But, you just said you wanted to marry me and stay with me forever!"

"I'm sorry!" Zhixun lowered his head again, pondered for a moment, and said, "Don't worry, I will keep my promise and stay with you!"