Chapter 90 Blood. I will always be with you.
After court, Xie Qingyu went straight back to his residence. As soon as he entered the Spray Frost Courtyard, he saw someone waiting for him under the eaves.
In early summer, the courtyard was filled with snow-white gardenias, like endless wisps of cloud. Xie Yunying was dressed in a peach-pink flowing fairy dress. He was surrounded by guards from his courtyard, but seemed to have no personal maid with him. She had been squatting on the ground, idly staring at the lotus flowers in the pond, when she looked up and saw him, and her eyes immediately lit up.
Xie Qingyu stepped forward and gestured for her to follow her inside.
The two sat down behind a screen made of nanmu wood and mica. A maid served them a plate of tea, fruit, and cakes, and then slowly withdrew.
With no one around, Xie Qingyu abandoned her feigned gentle smile and asked, "Speak, what brings you here all of a sudden?"
Xie Yunying blushed and said, "It's just... it's just... I have something I'd like to ask you for a favor."
"...Do you have any way to allow me to go to Yuan Nanjie legitimately?"
Seeing Xie Yunying constantly glancing up at him, Xie Qingyu found it somewhat amusing: "I thought it was something important, is that all?"
"What do you mean 'that's all'?" Xie Yunying pouted in dissatisfaction. "Of course you, a grown man, wouldn't understand. I'm an unmarried woman. It's really difficult for me to take the initiative to meet other men, okay?"
As spring transitioned into summer, Xie Yunying frequently visited Yuan Nanjie, each time using props.
She had considered visiting normally, but Yuan Nanjie had his servants refuse her entry, not even allowing her to enter the main gate of the Yuan residence, on the grounds that it was against etiquette.
The system watched Xie Yunying, who had returned home in a rage after being rejected and buried herself in the covers, pounding on the bed: "Host, ancient mattresses are very thin, it will hurt your hands if you keep hitting them."
"Damn it!!!" Xie Yunying gritted her teeth. "I wanted to be gentle and slowly cook the frog! Yuan Nanjie is forcing me to use force on him!"
System: "...Would the host like to activate Forced Love Mode?"
Xie Yunying said in frustration, "Otherwise what? He won't even see me, how am I supposed to advance our relationship? He doesn't attend banquets often, and even when he does, I can't always find an opportunity to be alone with him..."
System: "So, how does the host intend to force love?"
Xie Yunying: "The first step, of course, is to go to his house!"
Meanwhile, the Yuan residence was quiet.
Yuan Nanjie, dressed in a moon-white long robe, sat quietly under the locust tree in his courtyard. In a distant corner, banana leaves and magnolia blossoms climbed the moon gate, letting in sparse, cool light and shadow.
Summer was approaching, and the sun was getting scorching hot. The wooden wheelchair was bathed in sunlight, radiating warmth, yet he felt a chill run through his body.
He lowered his eyes and quietly watched the fish and water lilies in the pond.
I still want to die.
Living is meaningless; this was something he understood long ago. The beating of his heart meant torment and pain, while death meant lasting peace and liberation. He was like a stubborn rock, letting time flow by as it would.
He couldn't understand why someone like him could be given a second chance at life.
He was barely holding on. He stared at the pool of water, and for the first time, he felt as if it were his coffin.
There was no one in the courtyard; Yuan Nanjie had dismissed everyone. If he had fallen in, by the time people found him, he would probably be beyond saving, wouldn't he?
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from above, interrupting his frantic thoughts. Yuan Nanjie was slightly startled. He looked up and saw a misty white scene.
A large handful of soft, snow-white locust blossoms was poured over my head.
Before that, he had clearly seen the girl crouching among the tree branches. Amidst the pure white blossoms, she was like a bright, delicate pink, dazzlingly beautiful and lively.
Xie Yunying pressed her hand against the flower branch, looking down at him. When she saw that he had finally noticed her, she grinned and smiled brightly.
Yuan Nanjie stared blankly up at the sky until the drifting white flowers covered his eyelashes.
The locust blossoms, like snow, fluttered down and drenched his head. Through his half-open eyes, he saw Xie Yunying jump down from the tree, landing gracefully in front of him without making a sound.
The girl moved closer to him, her bright eyes looking at him: "I'm here again! How about it, are you surprised to see me?"
A few locust flowers were still adorning his hair ornament. He must have looked ridiculous, but he didn't care at all.
Yuan Nanjie's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "...How did you get in?"
"I climbed over the wall to get in," Xie Yunying said nonchalantly, her tone arrogant. "I can go wherever I want. Didn't I tell you who I am last time? You should know my style by now, right?"
Yuan Nanjie frowned slightly, gripped the wheelchair, and widened the distance between them. He then straightened up and looked at her: "Second Miss, this is the Yuan residence. I am an outsider. If this is discovered, your reputation as a woman will be ruined. You say you always act as you please, but do you know the consequences?"
Xie Yunying stared at him: "Who told you not to let me visit? If you let me in through the main gate, would I have climbed over the wall? Isn't it all because you forced me to?"
"You..." Yuan Nanjie was speechless, pursed his lips, "Second Miss, you can't twist the truth! It was clearly you who trespassed into our residence, you were in the wrong first..."
Xie Yunying was too lazy to argue with this old-fashioned guy. She stood up, moved closer to him, and slammed her hand on the armrest of his wheelchair.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Yuan Nanjie fell silent, staring blankly up at her: "You......."
The girl who had him pinned in his wheelchair raised her red lips, revealing a malicious smile: "Not only am I going to trespass on your property, but I'm also going to kiss you on the lips without your permission. What can you do about it?"
Yuan Nanjie was startled by her raucous words, and his neck immediately flushed crimson.
He gripped the handrail nervously, trying to back away, but Xie Yunying quickly grabbed his hand.
Xie Yunying looked down at him, a smirk playing on her lips: "What? Trying to run away?"
Yuan Nanjie was cornered and unable to move. He had never encountered such an unreasonable person before, and now he was completely at a loss for what to do: "You...you..."
Xie Yunying's face came closer, and Yuan Nanjie thought she was really going to kiss him, so his heart tightened and he closed his eyes.
But the expected soft and fragrant embrace did not arrive. He opened his eyes shakily and was met with Xie Yunying's bright smile.
Xie Yunying's eyes were bright, and her smile was undisguised: "Still with your eyes closed, are you looking forward to me kissing you?"
Yuan Nanjie lowered his head in embarrassment, avoiding eye contact, but his ears were already bright red.
He gripped the wheelchair handles tightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Second Miss, please have some self-respect!"
Xie Yunying didn't listen at all. Instead, she squatted down, her arms, like two white lotus roots, resting on his knees, her soft face nestled on them, and the corners of her mouth slightly upturned as she smiled.
Yuan Nanjie had no feeling in his legs, but as he watched this scene, he felt his knees, which she had touched, were burning hot.
He heard Xie Yunying say, "I really like you. Yuan Nanjie, will you marry me?"
Thump, thump.
Yuan Nanjie heard his own heartbeat. He was still alive, and his heart was beating—that was normal. But he hadn't heard his own heartbeat so clearly in a long time, just as he hadn't truly felt that he was still alive in a long time.
Do you like him?
Does she like Yuan Nanjie? When did it start?
He opened his mouth, his voice low and hoarse, and asked, "...Why do you like me?"
Xie Yunying, who was lying on his lap, was stunned for a moment because she didn't expect him to ask that question.
Xie Yunying: "System, how am I supposed to answer this???"
System: "Praise him! Praise his good looks and physique! Praise his wealth and status; a single word from him can bring down a powerful figure! Praise his uniqueness, his one and only! So what if he's disabled? His disabled body has a unique and captivating charm!"
Xie Yunying: "......."
She must be crazy to ask about this Divine Gold System.
Xie Yunying racked her brains and stammered, "I... I just like you. I've liked you for a long time. No matter what other people say about you, I don't think you're that kind of person."
Listening to Xie Yunying's sweet words, Yuan Nanjie's heart slowly grew cold again.
He is not Yuan Nanjie. Even though he was reborn in this body, he clearly remembers his past and his former identity.
He doesn't deserve to live in this world, and he shouldn't steal love that doesn't belong to him.
So he said, "I'm sorry, I can't marry you."
Xie Yunying was stunned. Although she had long been prepared that he wouldn't agree, why was there a hidden pain in his voice?
She looked up to see Yuan Nanjie's expression, but he pushed away her arm that was on his lap.
Yuan Nanjie refused to look at her anymore, turning his wheelchair away and saying, "You should leave, or I'll call for help."
Xie Yunying wanted to get closer, but as soon as Yuan Nanjie saw her coming, he immediately raised his voice to call for help. Xie Yunying had no choice but to slink away first.
But she did not give up. In the following days, she used the props one after another. First, she used the live-streaming prop to confirm that Yuan Nanjie was alone, and then she used the wall-penetrating prop to enter Yuan Nanjie's courtyard from the alleys around the Yuan residence.
After being harassed by her for a long time, Yuan Nanjie gradually found a way to deal with her.
When he was reading in his room, he would have servants stand guard in a corner. Whenever he left the room, he would be accompanied by several servants. Xie Yunying could not find an opportunity to be alone with him, and therefore could not openly harass him.
Xie Yunying's first phase of her strategy has thus failed.
Despite encountering obstacles, the system didn't seem to notice how disappointed she was. The system was even a little curious, "Host, why haven't you been cursing him lately?"
Xie Yunying was staring blankly at the Xiangfei bamboo outside the window when she heard this and was taken aback: "...Hmm?"
"Didn't you always say that Yuan Nanjie was shameless?"
“…” Xie Yunying scratched her hands. “…Actually, I think he’s a pretty gentle person.”
The system thought it was experiencing electronic tinnitus: "...Huh?"
Xie Yunying: "I've been harassing him so much, and the fact that he hasn't arrested me and sent me to the authorities is already very kind of him."
Not to mention, he never actually scolded her harshly. The previous times she bothered him, he tried to persuade and educate her with words, and never threatened her with things like "If you come again, I'll arrest you."
Xie Yunying felt a rare pang of disgust and contempt for her own behavior. She sighed dejectedly, "What should I do? He seems completely uninterested in me..."
System: "Don't give up, host! Perseverance is victory!"
Xie Yunying: "But he doesn't like me, how can I marry him?"
"Host, he doesn't need to like you; just make him have no choice but to marry you."
Xie Yunying was stunned: "What do you mean?"
System: "It means, in one fell swoop, force yourself upon her, and make it a fait accompli!"
Xie Yunying: "......."
Xie Yunying's face flushed instantly. She threw off the blanket and mentally cursed, "You madman! I'm still a respectable young lady from a respectable family. Besides, how could I, a woman, force myself on a man?!"
System: "Who says it can't be done? I'm telling you, all you have to do is 'beep—' then 'beep—' and then sit on his 'beep—'"
Xie Yunying's mind was filled with the sound of mute effects; she was about to go crazy: "That's not what I was asking!"
The system said earnestly, "Host, you're out of options now, aren't you? The slow, insidious approach isn't working. So you have to fire a bang and blow everything blocking your way away!"
Xie Yunying lay on the bed like a lump of mud, chuckling, "Was this firecracker going to kill him or me?"
System: "Master! Don't be like this. Listen to me, you don't necessarily have to force him. You can put on an act! Your goal is actually to make him face your feelings instead of constantly running away. Only by changing this will you have the opportunity to be together face to face, and only then can you cultivate feelings!"
As Xie Yunying listened, she became somewhat persuaded; what the system said did make some sense. She hesitated for a moment: "But won't this really have the opposite effect?"
The system countered, "Do you have a better way?"
No.
Xie Yunying gritted her teeth and finally made up her mind: "Alright! I'll give it a try!"
The night was deep and starry. When Yuan Nanjie slept, the servants in his courtyard would stay outside. Seeing that Yuan Nanjie had already retired for the night, Xie Yunying knew that her chance had come, so she once again used a teleportation item to enter his room.
The rosewood canopy bed was hidden behind a sky-blue silk curtain. The bamboo-shaped pillow, carved from a single piece of Hetian jade, exuded a chill. By the moonlight, one could vaguely see the back of Yuan Nanjie lying on his side, his long, dark hair cascading down his slender back, his breathing rising and falling rhythmically.
Yuan Nanjie was a light sleeper and was easily awakened after falling asleep. Therefore, he woke up as soon as Xie Yunying climbed into his bed.
While his consciousness was still half-asleep, he smelled a soft, warm fragrance of clouds and water. The fragrance, emanating from an unknown source, drew closer and closer to him, like a refreshing mist invading his bedchamber and slowly enveloping him.
Yuan Nanjie finally opened his eyes slowly and just happened to see Xie Yunying straddling his lap.
In the dead of night, a girl wearing only her undergarments was on top of him.
This was truly shocking.
Yuan Nanjie instantly regained his senses. His first reaction was to call for help, but Xie Yunying had already been watching his every move and reached out to cover his lips tightly.
She rubbed against him, and upon touching something, Yuan Nanjie's ears instantly turned bright red. His body, which had been struggling, stopped moving, and his eyes welled up with tears.
Xie Yunying moved closer to him, her voice extremely low: "Don't move. You want to call for help, don't you?"
“I can let you go and let you scream.” As Xie Yunying spoke, her breath touched his nose, eyelids, and cheeks, becoming scalding hot wherever it passed. Yuan Nanjie’s chest heaved as he heard Xie Yunying’s words, “But you’d better think it through.”
“If someone were to come in now and see us having an affair, my innocence would be ruined, and you would have no choice but to marry me.”
Yuan Nanjie's body stiffened abruptly. Xie Yunying, seeing that the threat had worked, was secretly pleased and softened her voice, "I don't want to force you, but please don't always avoid me, okay?"
"Let me stay with you, let me come to you, even just to talk." The voice beside her ear was like a seductive ghost whispering, "I like you so much."
Seeing that Yuan Nanjie was no longer refusing, Xie Yunying stopped pressing him down so tightly.
She relaxed her grip slightly, waiting for Yuan Nanjie's reply.
His lowered eyelashes trembled slightly. After a long while, his lips, which were pressed tightly against her palm, slowly parted: "...I promise you. Miss Xie, please let me go first."
Xie Yunying was overjoyed and quickly got off him, kneeling beside him with her eyes shining: "You agreed?!"
Yuan Nanjie struggled to sit up, leaning against the headboard, and let out a heavy sigh: "Hmm."
"...But you must never do that again next time."
Xie Yunying was stunned for a moment, then saw Yuan Nanjie frowning, looking at her with strong disapproval, "How could you sneak into a man's bedroom in the middle of the night and even get into his bed? Do you know how dangerous that is? If the other person isn't a gentleman, do you know what you'll do...?"
He was at a loss for words. Xie Yunying was still staring at him blankly when Yuan Nanjie gave up and turned his face away.
She noticed that the base of his ears was still red.
Xie Yunying's fingers twitched, and she reached out and hooked her hand around his. Yuan Nanjie was suddenly touched by her hand and froze again.
She leaned closer. The sweet fragrance emanating from the young girl enveloped him warmly.
"Yuan Nanjie," Xie Yunying said softly, shaking his hand, "Do you like me even a little bit?"
Yuan Nanjie's ears were burning hot.
He said in a hoarse voice, "No, I don't like you."
Xie Yunying stared at him, then pouted and said, "Okay."
Yuan Nanjie's life had always been conventional, and he had never encountered someone as unconventional and eccentric as Xie Yunying. He simply couldn't handle her. He had no choice but to go along with her for now, because he genuinely didn't want to hurt her.
A sharp, piercing pain suddenly struck.
Yuan Nanjie suddenly hunched over and curled up, his expression turning extremely painful. Xie Yunying was startled. "What's wrong with you?"
"Yuan Nanjie, don't scare me!" Xie Yunying helped him lie down, looking at him in a panic. "Where does it hurt? I, I'll go get a doctor for you!"
Yuan Nanjie grabbed her wrist. Xie Yunying was taken aback and realized that in just a short while, cold sweat had already seeped from the man's forehead.
Despite the pain coursing through his body, Yuan Nanjie whispered, "...Don't go."
"I'm fine, I'll be alright in a bit."
Xie Yunying became anxious: "You don't look like you're alright at all!"
But no matter how she asked, Yuan Nanjie simply held her hand tightly without saying a word.
Xie Yunying had no choice but to slowly squeeze his hand back, trying to give him some strength.
She leaned closer and whispered, "...Yuan Nanjie?"
"Where do you feel unwell? Would you like me to take a look?"
Yuan Nanjie could no longer hear her voice.
He felt as if every bone in his body was about to be crushed. It seemed that he had experienced the same pain before he died in his previous life.
He's long since rotted and should have died long ago, so why is he still alive?
Yuan Nanjie vaguely recalled his first encounter with Xie Yunying a while ago.
I remember now.
It was because of that kiss.
The young lady Xie in front of me likes Yuan Nanjie.
If he commits suicide, "Yuan Nanjie" will also die, and she will be very sad.
It was as if only at that moment that he realized that rebirth was the best torture and hell for him. He was forced to live in a world he utterly loathed, and no longer had the right to end his own life.
Tianzu knew he would soften his heart, and he also knew that even if he wanted to die, he would not want to owe anyone anything.
Before long, his clothes were soaked with sweat. Xie Yunying touched Yuan Nanjie's back and asked him in a low voice, "Does it hurt here?"
Xie Yunying smelled warm and pleasant. Yuan Nanjie unconsciously moved closer, burying himself in her arms. He didn't know what he was saying, and his voice was almost inaudible: "It hurts..."
Xie Yunying mentally prepared herself before straightening up and slowly peeling off Yuan Nanjie's robe.
He was very thin, and when his clothes were undone, his thin, translucent chest was revealed. Xie Yunying's original intention was to unbutton his clothes to see if he had accidentally bumped into anything and left a wound that would hurt, but she unexpectedly saw Yuan Nanjie's scars.
The mottled, hideous scars lay across the inside of his arm, like a small patch of white thorns.
Those are scars left from countless cuts made to the arm with a knife, and after the wounds healed, the skin and flesh were cut open again.
Because of his struggle, his fresh wound reopened and began to bleed slowly.
Countless speculations flashed through Xie Yunying's mind, leaving her stunned. But Yuan Nanjie's groans reached her ears, reminding her that he was still teetering on the edge of pain.
Xie Yunying could only barely put aside those thoughts that were entangled in her mind and first examine his body.
After unbuttoning his inner garment, Xie Yunying pulled open his collar and ran her hand down his back. There were no wounds or bruises, but his muscles were stiff and numb, and he was covered in sweat.
Yuan Nanjie was still breathing softly, seemingly in great pain: "My back...it hurts so much..."
Xie Yunying stared at him blankly: "...System, could it be that he has depression?"
Self-destructive tendencies, self-harm, low mood, somatization symptoms... it does indeed look like depression.
System: "This... I don't know either..."
Even though she knew the system would know nothing after the plot changed, Xie Yunying was still incredibly agitated. The person in her arms had their eyes closed, enduring the pain.
Xie Yunying's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly closed her eyes.
Xie Yunying's mother was a psychiatrist who paid close attention to her mental health from a young age, and Xie Yunying learned a lot about mental illness from her mother. But that was a memory that seemed like a lifetime ago.
Xie Yunying recalled her mother's words and began to gently stroke Yuan Nanjie's back.
"It's fine."
Yuan Nanjie's voice was as soft as willow catkins: "...It hurts so much."
“It’s okay, I’m here. I’ll always be with you, no matter where you go or what happens,” Xie Yunying whispered. “Yuan Nanjie, I need you.”
"...To me, you are the most important person."
Whether it was her comforting words or not, Yuan Nanjie stopped sweating from the pain. His previously trembling breaths gradually became calm and long.
That night, Xie Yunying stayed in Yuan Nanjie's room until early morning.
Because she hadn't slept all night, Xie Yunying was afraid that she might accidentally fall asleep and be discovered by the servants of the Yuan family. So, while she was still relatively conscious, she used a teleportation item to return to the Xie family mansion.
Since that incident, Yuan Nanjie's attitude has also changed.
Although Yuan Nanjie seemed to have finally stopped resisting and avoiding her, Xie Yunying had new troubles.
Xie Yunying has been using a lot of items these days, and she's almost spent all the money she had saved in the system. If this continues, she'll probably be unable to continue. She has no choice but to ask her accomplice for help.
Xie Qingyu raised an eyebrow: "Are you really planning to marry that eldest son of the Yuan family? Isn't he disabled?"
Xie Yunying was speechless: "What can I do? Isn't this a system task? If I don't do it, I can't go home."
Xie Qingyu: "Your task is just to marry him? Is it done once you enter the family?"
Xie Yunying: "Yes. The night I married him, I considered my mission accomplished."
Xie Yunying hadn't known this before and thought she would have to go through a post-wedding storyline before she could go home. After finding out from the system, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Whether Yuan Nanjie is a ghost or a demon, she doesn't need to worry anymore. At most, the two of them will go through a ceremony, and before the wedding night, the system will extract her soul and send her back to the real world. At that time, everything in this book will be irrelevant to her.
Xie Yunying fondly recalled her life before she transmigrated into the book. Although her family wasn't wealthy, she had a happy family, her parents loved her dearly, and she got into a good university after the college entrance exam, studying a major she was somewhat interested in. Her life was ordinary yet happy.
She misses her parents a little.
Xie Qingyu pondered for a moment: "It's not that there's no way."
"If you become a court official, you will be able to visit him openly and meet with him privately."
Xie Yunying was stunned, dumbfounded: "Become an official? But I don't know anything about it..."
Xie Qingyu: "In terms of academics, you are indeed completely ignorant. But Xie Yunying's martial arts skills are quite good."
"You are the daughter of the Xie family. If you want to enter officialdom through the recommendation system, it will be a piece of cake. If you have thought it through, I will send someone to make arrangements for you. There should still be vacancies for military officers in the court."
Xie Yunying: "Oh dear, I'll have to go through the back door."
System: "It's alright. Even if you were to participate in the anthology, you'd probably just be a runner-up. What other options do you have?"
Xie Yunying: "...Although it's the truth, could you please not say it so directly? It's hurtful!"
Xie Yunying naturally agreed.
She had only come to Xie Qingyu because she needed something, and now that the matter was settled, Xie Yunying got up to take her leave.
After sending Xie Yunying away, Xie Qingyu looked up and saw Yin Yi standing at the door, his expression as calm and indifferent as usual, but clearly showing a hint of hesitation.
Xie Qingyu lowered her eyes and spread out the files on the table: "What are you standing there for? Come in."
"Just say what you need to say, I'm very busy today."
Yin Yi pursed his lips and stepped forward: "Young Master. Huang Qiu and the others brought back some intelligence this morning, about the Yue people."
Xie Qingyu's hand, which had been flipping through the folded book, suddenly stopped. He looked up. "What happened?"
Ever since the Green Ghost case and the subsequent house arrest of Yue Yining, Xie Qingyu had been secretly protecting Yue Yining with the guards in his mansion. Whether she was going out or staying in the princess's mansion, he had people specifically assigned to watch over and protect her.
At first, he was just afraid that she would encounter insurmountable dangers without his knowledge, but later, without realizing it, his actions became somewhat distorted.
The guards would occasionally bring back news about Yue Yining.
Knowing what she does every day and who she meets makes Xie Qingyu feel incredibly at ease, as if he knows everything about her life.
Seeing Yin Yi's expression, Xie Qingyu seemed to sense something and frowned: "What are you hesitating about? Just say it."
I'm afraid you might do something rash and end up killing yourself after hearing this.
Yin Yi thought expressionlessly.
"...That's right. Last night, Huang Qiu and the others saw Her Highness the Princess's maid give a pet slave to the Yue King," Yin Yi reported respectfully, bowing his head and speaking in a measured manner. "The person was carried into the bedchamber in a box tied with silk."
Out of the corner of my eye, Xie Qingyu's figure was already motionless. He sat steadily behind the desk, his breathing so faint it was almost inaudible.
Xie Qingyu said softly, "And then?"
Yin Yi: "Huang Qiu and the others observed from the rooftop all night. The maids brought water seven times, and the lights in the room stayed on until almost midnight before going out."
As if struck head-on, he caught his breath, and a dull, persistent pain shot through his chest.
Xie Qingyu remained in a daze for a long time.
His mind was a deep, silent blank. His body was surrounded by an icy chill. After a long while, he felt a strange, burning heat in his palms, as if he were holding a handful of lava.
He slowly lowered his head and opened his palm. Before he knew it, his fingernails had scratched his palm, and the blood flowing from the wound smeared his hand.
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Author's Note: PS: The series has reached 91 chapters so far. The side couple's romance only has 2 chapters. Moreover, Xie Yunying's redemption of Yuan Nanjie is a very important plot subplot and one of the keys to changing the female lead's final fate. That's why it's written in the main text (I've actually been writing very restrainedly and quickly, trying not to take up too much space).
It wasn't written just for the sake of creating a secondary couple; it actually affects the main storyline.
This article originally had 16 subplots, which I have now reduced to only 8. Please believe me in my emphasis on conciseness and pacing; what I am presenting to you now is already very condensed content.
The above is a response to the feedback in the comments section of this chapter. I understand everyone's thoughts and feelings, and after thinking about it for a long time, I still feel that this part needs to be explained clearly.
It seems like no one has guessed Yuan Nanjie's true identity [poor thing]. Actually, it's quite easy to guess, but I really can't say, or I'll spoil the whole thing.
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