Chapter 45 Meng Shutai, I won't marry you.
While Loy Krathong is a festival, it differs from other traditional festivals.
"When our Seventh Prince was born, the people from the Imperial Observatory calculated that he had an unusual destiny. It was said that he would bring misfortune to his parents in the mortal world, but if he cultivated himself, he would benefit the country and its people. So he was raised in the palace until he was ten years old, and then sent to Shenji Mountain to study under some immortal Taoist master. It is estimated that he will never return to Luoyang in this lifetime."
"His Majesty misses his youngest son, so he specially set up the 'Lantern Festival' on the Seventh Prince's birthday, so that the people can relax for a day, enjoy family time, and commemorate our prince."
During the festive season, Madam Zhang Xiangyun's Juede Winery was busiest; her silk dress practically spun like a top. Le Jin suspected that if there were any more guests, sparks would fly from her feet.
However, after this trip, Le Jin realized that she had been overthinking things last time.
Jiang Yingyun was counting the newly delivered wine with the wine cabinet staff when Madam Zhang saw her casually pick a table and sit down. She immediately put aside her business and rushed over to keep her company, just as warm and cheerful as ever.
"Oh, what are you saying! Who would take something so baseless as to be true?"
Madam Zhang, with her long, arched eyebrows, categorically denied the past affair between Le Jin and Feng Yu'en.
Jiang Yingyun's work was quite time-consuming. Fearing that Le Jin would be bored and knowing that Le Jin was unfamiliar with Luojing after coming from Shuzhou, she thoughtfully explained the origin of the Water Lantern Festival.
"It's just getting dark, and the lantern festival at Aoshan hasn't started yet. Later, Lady Le and Lady Jiang will go to the lantern market together. I guarantee you'll be dazzled by all the sights!"
As soon as she finished speaking, as if in response to Madam Zhang's words, the musicians in the winery suddenly changed their tune, their strings tightening and their drums quickening, transforming the soft and leisurely melody into a passionate and high-pitched one, like a war song.
In the center of the railing, a man wearing a mask with a blue face and fangs, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, leaped down. The sword in his hand moved like a blue dragon with the beat of the stringed drum, and the wind whistled as it passed, startling the drinkers who applauded and cheered.
But the figure did not stop for them; after dancing around once, it went straight for Jiang Yingyun next to the wine cabinet.
He flipped the sword in his hand, concealing it securely behind his back. With his other hand, he deftly removed the ghostly mask, revealing a handsome, refreshing face, as beautiful as spring flowers and autumn moon.
Such a flamboyant entrance...
Le Jin stood at a distance, arms crossed, and couldn't help but pout and shake her head.
Having followed that person for a while and seen his back every day, even though he had experienced a lot in the past four years, Le Jin still recognized her former "master".
"Yingyun, this is for you: the mask and this sword dance."
Jiang Yingyun's almond-shaped eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Why are you back?"
"I've got a surprise for you!"
Calculating the days, Yuan Jingming should not be back for another six or seven days. That's why Jiang Yingyun felt at ease making plans with Le Jin today.
"Why didn't you accept it? Don't you like it?" Yuan Jingming took off the mask, looked it over from left to right, and muttered, "It's pretty good. The army uses it to ward off evil spirits."
Amulet for warding off evil spirits... Who would give a girl this kind of thing?
Jiang Yingyun smiled helplessly, grabbed his wrist, and walked towards Le Jin.
"You've come at a bad time. I have an appointment with this lady today."
Upon hearing the devastating news, Yuan Jingming let out a duck-like "Ah!" and exclaimed, "I rushed back to see you for the Lantern Festival... Wow! What a beautiful wife!"
When the two arrived in front of Le Jin, Yuan Jingming's tone suddenly changed, and he became cheerful.
Jiang Yingyun smiled and nudged him with her elbow: "This is Young Master Meng's fiancée, Le Jin."
"What?!"
Yuan Jingming was just lamenting that his sweetheart had made an appointment with someone else, but as soon as he heard about Le Jin's identity, he immediately perked up.
"So it's you! I am Yuan Jingming, the commander of the Imperial Guard, and also the heir of that so-called Prince Pingning. I grew up with Shutai and have known for a long time that he has a childhood sweetheart, but unfortunately we are separated by great distances and can never meet."
Having uncovered gossip about his childhood friend, Yuan Jingming was overjoyed, his eyes wide with delight as he praised Le Jin from head to toe.
"Lady Le is so beautiful, like a celestial being descended to earth. She and Shutai are a perfect match!"
This is terrible!
Le Jin's heart tightened; his energetic demeanor was exactly the same as when she was following the novel and shipping him and Jiang Yingyun...
Sure enough, Yuan Jingming started daydreaming: "If Shutai were here, the two of you standing side by side wouldn't be any less impressive than Yingyun and me, hahaha..."
Yuan Jingming, you big idiot—
Le Jin clenched her teeth tightly, but still managed a forced smile. After all, she was still playing the role of someone "devotedly in love with Meng Shutai," so she could only reply perfunctorily, "Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness."
Yuan Jingming scratched the back of his head, as if he had done a great thing by playing matchmaker, and actually became shy.
"Let's not talk about that. When you get married, I'll definitely gather mountains of rare treasures for you." After he finished speaking, he took Jiang Yingyun's hand and turned to leave. "Then we'll be going now."
With a "smack," Jiang Yingyun slapped the back of his hand.
"Did you think I was joking with you?" She broke free from Yuan Jingming's hand and stood beside Le Jin. "A promise is a promise. I made the appointment with Lady Le first. There's no reason for me to abandon her."
As expected of the female lead, she is incredibly righteous.
But when Le Jin, the gleaming "third wheel," recalled the day she agreed, she realized that she was actually just scared of being confined at home, and didn't really need someone to accompany her shopping or sightseeing...
Le Jin didn't want the poor couple's good day to be wasted by her, and was about to decline when Yuan Jingming spoke softly to her, his voice tinged with a hint of pleading: "Lady Le, why aren't you with Shutai today?"
you!
So you're trying to instigate me because you don't dare argue with the person you like?!
It's easy to get hurt when you're around someone whose heart and eyes are completely occupied by the girl they love.
I hate your love-struck brain for a second.
"He's busy, busy with important matters. I don't want to bother him." Le Jin came up with a convenient excuse, hoping to keep Meng Shutai out of the conversation on such a lively and warm day.
To everyone's surprise, Yuan Jingming actually accepted the challenge!
"Indeed, I heard that they're going to welcome the Buddha's relics. It'll be quite a grand affair, from the imperial court down to the various states and departments. The Meng family will be very busy."
But wouldn't this keep you busy for a year or two? Wouldn't that mean Le Niangzi would be neglected for a year or two?
Yuan Jingming's handsome brows furrowed slightly, showing a hint of reluctance, and his gaze towards Le Jin held a touch of pity.
"Madam Le, please rest assured. As imperial merchants, they receive both imperial rewards and official allowances from below. This double-dealing is tacitly approved. For the Meng family, the more hard-working the years, the greater their wealth and prosperity."
"Is this something you can just gossip about?" Le Jin clicked her tongue, awkwardly touching her neck. The Meng family's business seemed to be in jeopardy.
Yuan Jingming comforted her, "If Lady Le feels lonely, why don't the three of us travel together?"
"Huh?" She gasped, hesitant to reply, but Jiang Yingyun looked at her expectantly with a smile.
There's just no way to deal with them.
Le Jin nodded, but decided to make an excuse to go home after crossing only one street from the winery. These two star-crossed lovers didn't have much time left; let them enjoy it to the fullest.
As the guests left the winery in twos and threes, they were greeted by the brightly lit and bustling city of Luoyang, teeming with tourists. But the night was cool and still, and a gentle breeze brushed past the three of them.
The stillness and coldness in her body clashed with the dazzling noise around her, and Le Jin suddenly shivered.
After walking a few steps, a carriage with glass wind chimes hanging from the eaves stopped beside them.
A clear, cool voice, tinged with surprise, asked, "Jingming, you're back?"
Yuan Jingming turned to look at the person who had lifted the carriage curtain and laughed heartily: "The busy man has appeared! Where did you come from and where are you going?"
Meng Shutai slowly stepped off the carriage, instructed the servants to return to the mansion first, and then stood with Le Jin and the other two.
He was dressed in pure white tonight, but the fabric was of the finest quality. Under the lamplight, it shimmered and shimmered, like the scales of a white snake, exuding a quiet yet eerie beauty that seemed otherworldly.
"I just met with several ministers and vice ministers from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works. I'd like to go to Juede Winery to pick up some snacks."
"Hmm? I remember you don't like sweets?"
Meng Shutai remained silent for a moment, his gentle gaze falling on Le Jin, who hadn't spoken for a long time.
"Lady Le loves to eat it."
Yuan Jingming and Jiang Yingyun also looked at Le Jin, who now became the center of attention for the four of them.
Oh no, the "light bulb" has increased its wattage, there's no escaping it!
When Le Jin met Meng Shutai's eyes, she thought of Le Zhao. He seemed to have been hiding something from her ever since he met Meng Shutai.
But he didn't say anything, and Meng Shutai couldn't figure it out either. Even though Le Jin sensed something was wrong, she could only stay quietly and not provoke anyone, hoping to peacefully wait until the day the two families got engaged.
Now that she had encountered Meng Shutai, she was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan and just wanted to get away, but Yuan Jingming was completely oblivious and even joked with Meng Shutai.
"My cousin, who is practicing asceticism on Mount Chenji, even said that if Bodhisattva Meng continues to be detached from worldly desires, he should stop worrying about the Meng family and just go to the mountains to keep him company! Hahaha, his wish has been dashed."
The Emperor and Prince Pingning were born of the same mother, and the Seventh Prince Yuanfang and Yuan Jingming were cousins. For a few years in his childhood, he followed his cousin around.
Amidst laughter and chatter, the four of them entered the lantern market together, strolling amidst the dazzling lights.
Meng Shutai asked, "Did you go to Chenji Mountain to see Fang Sui?"
“Yes, we took a detour after leaving Qingzhou. It’s true that everyone is thinking about you!” Yuan Jingming counted on his fingers, “Besides my cousin, oh, now I should call him ‘Xuan Shengzi’, there’s also the prefect of Qingzhou.”
"That person is eagerly awaiting your visit to Qingzhou. He is extremely grateful for your great help in rebuilding Qingzhou. If it weren't for you sending the Yuexi Gui from Qingzhou to the imperial court, they don't know how many generations they would still be poor in."
Now that the family is wealthy, how could the Meng family's income be insufficient? This has been one of the Meng family's sources of income for generations.
Le Jin was originally focused on keeping her eyes down and counting her steps, looking for an opportunity to go home, but suddenly her ears caught something: the Moon Breath Osmanthus.
That was a gift from Meng Shutai, and it was also the first warm moment she had experienced since her death and transmigration into the book.
Le Jin unconsciously looked up at him, only to see Meng Shutai's long eyelashes casting a sorrowful shadow on his jade-like face.
"If we are talking about the grace of being reborn, it should belong to Jiu'an."
Upon hearing this, all three fell silent. Only Yue Jin's eyes widened like bells, unable to believe it for a moment.
When did you get involved with her?
Curiosity prompted her to ask in a low voice, "Why?"
Yuan Jingming countered, "Do you know Jiu'an?"
Le Jin nodded, his lively tone finally softening slightly after a night of activity. "Back then, Jiu'an died in the midst of banditry while saving Shutai, and he was carrying this Moon-Breath Osmanthus on his person. The Empress Dowager was very impressed by Jiu'an's fearless act and took the Moon-Breath Osmanthus with her. That's why Shutai's family has been cooperating with Qingzhou to provide osmanthus every year."
It sounds simple, but when Le Jin worked there, she witnessed the kitchen purchasing staff and meat and vegetable vendors colluding, with the former taking a cut after a deal was made. There's nothing new under the sun.
But there was a throbbing pain in her head, a feeling that she had missed something.
Jiu'an was placed by the Empress Dowager to be by Yuan Jingming's side, responsible for secretly disciplining Yuan Jingming's every move. This was something she knew after her "death".
That means...
From the day that sachet was hung on her body, the Empress Dowager would one day notice it, and in doing so, she would also notice Qingzhou behind it.
Then it's a foregone conclusion that Qingzhou will be remembered by the imperial court, and most importantly, the Meng family will be completely wiped out.
The news that Qingzhou produced excellent osmanthus was spread from "Jiu'an".
A dizzying hurricane swept through her mind, and an overwhelming fear descended upon Le Jin.
Meng Shutai's methods were a hundred or a thousand times more sophisticated than those of the people Le Jin had ever met.
Use someone else's strength against them; be two-faced.
The moment this person looked at you, he felt like he could tear you apart. But at the time, she was completely unaware and thought he was truly kind and benevolent.
Upon accidentally glimpsing the intricate web of someone's mind, Le Jin's lips quickly turned pale, and her head began to feel heavy.
Her chest heaved more and more, and she felt short of breath when her drooping wrist touched two long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles.
It was Meng Shutai who noticed her pale complexion and gently touched her with his finger to check her temperature:
"Are you cold?"
Le Jin shuddered and moved her wrist away, hiding it behind her back. "It's not cold."
"Tsk tsk tsk," Yuan Jingming said as if he had seen something extraordinary, leaning close to Jiang Yingyun's ear: "Even the Bodhisattva Meng has a day when he's close to women..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yingyun punched him. He chuckled and rubbed his chest, seemingly quite satisfied.
However, Jiang Yingyun ignored him and kept her eyes fixed on Meng Shutai, wanting a reply on something very important.
"Young Master Meng, I forgot to ask, did you place the plum wine I gave to Jiu'an at his grave?"
His gaze finally left Le Jin's face. Meng Shutai's smooth, black hair fell to his shoulders and brushed against the back of Le Jin's hand, feeling cool and refreshing.
"Don't worry, Madam Jiang, I have already placed it carefully and it has been placed in front of his grave."
Almost instinctively, Le Jin took a step back, dodging the handsome young man in white robes standing before her.
He lied.
There was nothing in front of Jiu'an's grave except for the things he had given him.
A burning, churning sensation returned to her stomach, and the nausea and vomiting returned, making Le Jin dizzy and lightheaded, as if she were a leaf blown by the wind and could barely stand.
"Lady Yue!"
Seeing that she was about to fall, Meng Shutai grabbed Le Jin's forearm and pulled her into his arms, holding her firmly.
As soon as his hand touched her trembling, thin back, Meng Shutai felt a force pushing against his chest.
He and Le Jin broke up.
Le Jin's face was as pale as paper, with cold sweat even forming on her forehead, and her lips trembled uncontrollably when she opened her mouth:
"I want to go home."
After she finished speaking, she stumbled and pushed her way through the crowd, ignoring everything else.
Don't look back, don't look back.
She told herself this over and over again in her heart.
I really will throw up later.
——
The city of Luoyang has numerous waterways, and water lanterns of all shapes and colors float on the water like a slowly flowing carpet of golden orange lanterns, shining brilliantly.
The more water lanterns there are, the more people will release them.
Le Jin could only alleviate the fear that felt like a snake coiling around her by hiding in the throngs of people by the water and moving along the river with them, immersing herself in the laughter and chatter of others.
She wasn't a girl raised in a pampered environment; in her sixteen years of life experience, she had already witnessed the evil in human nature. But in her social class, malice was always open and brutal, savage and direct. Le Jin disliked it, but she could still recognize it and clearly distinguish herself from it.
But Meng Shutai was different.
He was like a long snake coiled in a dark, damp corner, silently concealing his breath, even able to lie dormant under layer after layer of molted skin in order to capture his prey.
Just when Le Jin thought she had understood his wickedness, she would find a drooling venomous fang in his sloughed snake skin.
She almost thought that Jiang Yingyun really didn't remember her! She thought that they had long since abandoned "Jiu'an" and gone their separate ways!
Actually, there isn't, right?
In fact, she, this speck of dust, had brought meaning and emotion to other people's lives. She was not foolish, nor was she presumptuous.
My heart was throbbing with pain, but I felt mostly angry at Meng Shutai.
He destroyed everything that was beautiful.
With her fists clenched tightly in her sleeves until they trembled, Le Jin secretly spat at the lanterns floating on the river.
This "Milky Way" on the water is just like the jade lanterns lining the corridors of Meng Shutai's house. Equally dazzling, equally magnificent, and equally linked to power and wealth.
Le Jin once felt insignificant and humble under that lamplit corridor, but now she suddenly realized that there is no such thing as superiority or inferiority between people.
Even if you lay your heart bare, it's still uncertain who's right and who's wrong.
As the mind gradually calms down and one relaxes, fatigue creeps back in.
Le Jin was really tired.
She raised her hand to press her sore eyes and stopped walking by a small stone bridge.
People around me were in groups: young women playing together, couples strolling hand in hand, and families shopping together... They each had their own kind of harmony, and the world was bustling with life.
She leaned on the stone railing of the bridge with both hands, thinking of San Niu a little.
Upon careful consideration, continuing in this passive manner is not the best course of action; every day spent in the same time and space with Meng Shutai only adds to the nausea.
Sorry, Yue Zhao, your spoiled and marriage-obsessed younger sister is back in action.
However, this is a good thing, because after Le Jin completes her mission and leaves, Le Zhao's real sister, "Le Jin," will return.
"My wife!"
Suddenly, an anxious shout pulled Le Jin back to reality. Startled, Le Jin looked around at the source of the voice, "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to stay home and rest?"
Last time, Bao Yin encountered misfortune before she had fully recovered from her illness and went out. Le Jin was terrified afterward, so she deliberately didn't take Bao Yin with her when she went out tonight. She only told her to rest well and that she would definitely bring back anything fun or delicious for her.
Bao Yin pushed through the crowd to Le Jin's side, hands on her hips, panting heavily: "Something's happened!"
"Young Master Feng's parents came to our house, saying that their son has never returned since leaving home! They know that Young Master Feng came to Luoyang to find his wife, and now they are asking our young master for her!"
Feng Yu'en!
Didn't he return to Shuzhou a long time ago? He should have been able to crawl home by now, even if it took him so long!
He didn't go home, so where could he have gone? Where could a young master who only knows how to indulge in pleasure go? Who was the last person to see him...?
Mengshutai.
Bao Yin's arm, which she was supporting, suddenly went limp. She asked, "Wife, why do you have no strength?"
But Le Jin couldn't hear. The scene before her eyes blurred for a moment, Bao Yin's features melted like wax, and the whole world twisted and tugged at her with a burning heat like flames.
Fragmented memories danced through Le Jin's mind.
That day, after Meng Shutai saw Feng Yu'en off, he went to the Jingxinliao bathhouse for a long time. What did he do that required him to shower during the day...?
A tear welled up in her eye, and as if that was the beginning, a string of teardrops fell down in a flurry, catching Baoyin completely off guard.
"My wife, don't cry. Feng Langjun loves you so much, how could he bear to leave you all alone? He'll be alright..."
Baoyin gently hugged Lejin and tried to comfort her, but the person in her arms just shook her head, her tone incoherent and hard to understand.
“Yes, he loved Le Jin so much, he came all this way… I should have gone to see him off. He loved Le Jin so much, he would have been so happy to see her one last time… But I didn’t, I didn’t…”
Even Feng Yu'en's last memory was of his beloved childhood sweetheart falling into someone else's arms.
My heart sank into an ice cellar, where it was covered with a layer of frost called "self-blame".
After the mission is over, how can she return "Le Jin's" life to its rightful owner? One of the reasons she cares so much about Bao Yin is that she doesn't want to disrupt the composition of someone else's life.
They tried so hard to repair it, thinking they could return it intact, but in reality, it hadn't been returned at all.
Before her eyes, light and shadow alternated between black and white, and a surge of boiling blood energy rushed to the top of Le Jin's head, which actually stabilized her previously weak and limp body.
"Baoyin, are you feeling any better?"
Bao Yin was surprised that her wife's first question after her crying stopped abruptly was about this.
She nodded, her voice utterly sincere: "I'm all better now, really. I don't have a single problem at all."
"Okay, that's good."
Le Jin's eyes were filled with deep sorrow, but the corners of her mouth were still slightly turned up as she whispered to Bao Yin, "Go home."
"My wife, won't you come back with me?"
"I have other things to do."
——
Meng Shutai held a delicate peach-shaped hairpin between his fingers for a long time.
Just now, Yuan Jingming and Yuan Jiang passed by this place. Yuan Jingming picked out a lot of pearl flowers for Jiang Yingyun and urged him to pick out some for Le Jin as well.
"Cute and pretty little items, girls will definitely be happy to receive them."
Would she be happy? He thought Le Jin was only happy with candied fruit and desserts.
Meng Shutai did not buy it, and Yuan Jingming even said that he did not understand romance.
Actually, no.
He just felt that these were too cheap and unworthy to be worn in Le Jin's hair.
However, after making an excuse to part ways with the two sweet lovers, Meng Shu wandered around and ended up back in front of this small stall.
There's a hairpin that's quite interesting.
The velvet flowers are shaped into round little peaches, fluffy, pink and cute, like Le Jin's slightly puffed cheeks when she's sulking with him.
He gently poked the little peach with his finger, as if he were poking Le Jin.
But the feel of the ball is nowhere near as good as hers.
With a hint of regret, Meng Shutai put down the hairpin and turned around. The real "Peach" was quietly standing not far from him, staring at him intently.
Meng Shutai smiled broadly, as if pleasantly surprised: "Didn't Lady Le go home?"
Under the glow of the golden orange lamps, Le Jin's eyes were wet, as if she had just cried, and her brows and eyes had a delicate, watery quality.
"I was bored at home alone, so I came back."
Thanks to his fame in Luoyang, Meng Shutai was very easy to find. Le Jin only needed to ask four or five people along the way to determine his location.
He walked towards Le Jin, his tone gentle yet tinged with a hint of lonely melancholy:
"I'm just like everyone else. Jingming and Jiang Si Niangzi are deeply in love..."
Their relationship didn't end well, but they're still dating well for now, which is good. Le Jin was relieved.
"I have something I want to tell you."
Meng Shutai had already walked up to Le Jin when he suddenly realized that her condition was quite unusual.
In the past, whether she was being coquettish or angry, her expression was always lively and spirited. But now, she seemed to be shrouded in gloom, looking blank and somewhat cold.
With a slight frown, Meng Shutai disliked Le Jin's appearance.
He wanted her to be more lively, that would be more fun.
Leaning slightly closer to Le Jin, Meng Shutai pointed to Aoshan Mountain at the end of the long street, as if coaxing, "Shall we go and see this year's lanterns? We can talk as we walk."
The magnificent Aoshan Mountain lit up, its radiant lights illuminating all darkness and filth, and everyone was heading in its direction as if on a pilgrimage.
Le Jin nodded, her fingers slipping between Meng Shutai's fingers and locking into his palm. Meng Shutai was startled, his phoenix eyes shining as he looked at her.
Le Jin just smiled and said casually, "There are so many people, I'm afraid we'll get separated."
The girl's hands were small and soft, like a fledgling bird nestled in Meng Shutai's palm. He could feel the subtle warmth emanating from beneath her skin, a sensation that stirred his heart.
This is what it feels like to be led by her. Like a fledgling bird clinging to her, my heart pounding.
His fingers slowly wrapped around hers.
With Meng Shutai there, people made way for them, not daring to crowd the two of them.
Le Jin walked between the two walls of people, her gaze sweeping over their faces, each with a different expression, and suddenly felt a pang of envy.
I envy them for having their own lives.
"Meng Shutai."
Le Jin squeezed her hand tightly. Meng Shutai turned to look at her. Her stunningly beautiful face was bathed in a soft gold glow from the lamplight, and she had an expression of indulgence and elation.
"Um?"
"I'm not marrying you."
A few words were uttered in a clear, bell-like voice, and the ambiguous, soft gold faded in an instant, replaced by a withered stiffness that spread between Meng Shutai's brows.
Why did my heart ache when I heard her say those words?
Isn't everything proceeding according to his plan right now? But why does he suddenly want to silence her with a kiss, making her swallow her words?
Lost in his thoughts, Meng Shutai also momentarily lost his mind and actually asked her:
Why didn't you get married?
Why ask that question? Did he really want to marry her? But he still asked it anyway.
"because……"
Meng Shutai gazed intently at Le Jinyan's rosy lips, listening attentively to her words.
The next moment, something thin suddenly pierced between my ribs, barely grazing the bone.
With her other hand—that other obedient "fledgling"—she held an ivory dagger and stabbed Meng Shutai from bottom to top, the blood instantly soaking through his plain white clothes.
"I'm returning this stab to you... You should taste the bitterness of being stabbed and bleeding yourself!"
Her breathing trembled like a sieve, and the moment the warm liquid flowed onto her hands, she tightly closed her eyes, trying to escape the fear of killing.
The ivory dagger was pulled out and fell to the ground with a clatter.
The excruciating pain seemed to have taken root in his ribs, a pain that felt as if it were cruelly crushing his bones. The incision, though small, allowed blood to seep out, like a bright red flower blooming on his ribs.
This is Le Jin's masterpiece.
She killed someone.
Le Jin retreated repeatedly, then turned and ran away in a panic, leaving only the ivory dagger lying on the ground.
Everything happened so fast, in the blink of an eye. The crowd only then reacted, and suddenly cried out in alarm:
"Someone's been murdered!"
"Young Master Meng has been stabbed!"
"Report to the authorities immediately! Summon reinforcements!"
The swarming crowd, like a pack of bloodthirsty sharks, surrounded Meng Shutai, who was writhing in pain. In the chaos, his pristine white robes were trampled and filthy.
They fall to the ground and turn to dust.
But Meng Shutai's gaze remained fixed on the blood-stained ivory dagger.
She concealed a knife on her person, saying, "Here, take it back." She was paying for her debt with blood...
A figure that had been dead for many years suddenly came back to life.
Meng Shutai's heart pounded wildly. He covered his bleeding wound with one hand and frantically crawled to pick up the dagger, ignoring everyone's stares.
The pain in his body made him pale, but his captivating phoenix eyes held an almost manic expression.
He stood up and pushed aside the people who didn't understand what was going on.
"Get out! Get out of here!"
Suddenly, the view opened up before him. Meng Shutai, dragging his blood-stained white clothes and writhing in excruciating pain with every step, chased after Le Jin in the direction she had fled, as if pursuing her soul.
Cold sweat soaked his clothes, and his body temperature plummeted. Meng Shutai staggered and ran, but his spirit was trembling with excitement. In a daze, he felt as if he were floating on air, and all the noise and vulgarity of the mortal world seemed to have disappeared.
"System! System!"
As Le Jin ran, she shouted it out, on the verge of collapse, "Even if I stab him, I'll completely destroy him! The mission is over, right?!"
Even if the person doesn't die, Le Jin has experienced the feeling of being on the verge of death, which is enough to scare a living person into a lifelong trauma.
The system light flashed, and it replied:
[Logically, this is possible]
【but……】
"But what but!"
Le Jin couldn't run anymore, so she turned around and hid in a deserted dead-end alley, supporting herself on her knees and breathing heavily.
[Based on system analysis, he was not destroyed.]
"What?! By what right?!"
Suddenly, a noise came from behind her, and Yue Jin turned around in horror—she saw that Meng Shutai's jade hairpin had already slipped off and disappeared, and his waist-length black hair was draped in the night, making his ethereal and beautiful face look pitiful. His clothes were red with blood and black with ash; his once elegant white clothes were now in a sorry state, like a stray dog.
However, the dagger was still in his hand, and a strange anticipation and joy flickered on his almost demonic face.
Their eyes met, and he smiled enticingly, asking, "Tell me... who are you?"
The pain in his ribs forced Meng Shutai to kneel down against the wall, but he refused to keep his distance from Le Jin.
With his knees hitting the bluestone slabs, the fresh pain in his ribs was both tormenting and pleasurable. Meng Shutai slowly moved his knees toward Le Jin.
There were no colorful lights here, only the cold, pale moonlight. He was like a ghost formed from moonlight meeting a living person, eerily overjoyed.
"Ah—don't come any closer!" Le Jin cried out in fright, kicking Meng Shutai in the shoulder.
He took a solid kick, but only let out a muffled groan and continued crawling on his knees.
Le Jin was cornered with no way to escape.
Bai Shang, kneeling, was hidden above her embroidered shoes, like piled-up snow. Meng Shutai rested his chin on Le Jin's soft belly, which trembled with fear, and a clear smile welled up in his eyes, which were filled with tears.
Le Jin was terrified as this man cruelly grabbed his cold fingers and deliberately pushed them towards his rib wound. He pleaded pitifully:
"Feel it, it hurts..."
-----------------------
Author's Note: The entire story consists of four parts. The first two parts are now complete, leaving one large and one small part. Most of the foreshadowing and setup from the first forty-odd chapters is resolved in this chapter, finally giving me a chance to breathe [laughing and crying emoji]. If judged by the standards of mature commercial online novels, the first chapter of *Yandere* is a particularly poor choice. Too much setup, too much description, too little plot, too little conflict, and it feels very pretentious and artificial, offering little reason to continue reading. But a common trait of newcomers is their stubbornness. In the early stages of writing, I was practically holding on, hoping one day I could tell everyone, "I had a plan for the first chapter; it wasn't just random writing." Finishing this chapter fulfills that little wish, so it's worth commemorating, haha [sprinkling emoji][sprinkling emoji][sprinkling emoji] However, as I write more, I've gained a deeper understanding of writing rhythm, and I'll be more careful about doing something as silly as laying out forty-odd chapters in the future [laughing and crying emoji] (I probably will... [newbie emoji]).
Next, let me address a reader's concern: "The male lead is so terrifying, will it end happily?" As you've read, the male lead is indeed terrifying; he suffers from a mental illness. Our female lead isn't there to "conquer" or "save" him. Therefore, this book isn't simply a "happy/unhappy" romance story. I don't know how to summarize the ending using existing romantic tropes; I can only hope you enjoy the book and are willing to continue reading.
But rest assured, regardless of whether you accept the ending or not, I will provide a complete explanation after the story is finished. I will absolutely not be perfunctory or hurt the precious feelings of my readers. Farewell, Fei Yong! [Sprinkling flowers]
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