Chapter Fifty-Three: Truly Delicate

Update time: June 21, 2013

Lian Yue’s apricot-shaped eyes narrowed as she noticed that Qin Che was utterly oblivious, and with ulterior motives she asked, “So, Cousin, when you married that woman back then, did you truly have feelings for her? Or is it that you’ve now come to love her sincerely?”

Closer… closer… Hurry up and answer, hurry up!

Qin Che, as expected, did not disappoint. “When I married her, it was only because of my father. Cousin, why ask what you already know? In my heart, from beginning to end, there’s only Shui—Lan Shui. It was true in the past, it is now, and it will always be. But fate has denied us; since I married Jingru, I must bear my responsibility. In truth, she too is a pitiful soul.”

Lian Yue looked at the ashen-faced woman behind Qin Che and felt a surge of satisfaction. You hurt my Sister Lan, how could I let you be happy? Cousin really knows how to play along—now you’ve heard it with your own ears. Are you satisfied? Whether you are or not, I certainly am.

The frail woman, whose face was so pale it seemed devoid of blood, stared hollowly at Qin Che’s back, murmuring as if in a dream, “Is everything you said… true?”

At the very first sound of her voice, Qin Che spun around in surprise. Upon seeing her standing there, he asked with some astonishment, “Weren’t you resting in your room?”

The woman seemed not to hear him, still pressing, “Is it true? You only feel responsible for me?” In her eyes, a faint hope flickered, but it slowly extinguished as Qin Che remained silent. With a bitter smile she said, “I understand, I always have. I just wanted to give myself a little hope. I kept thinking, perhaps with time you would forget her… In the end, it was just my foolish wish.”

Seeing his delicate wife on the verge of collapse, Qin Che could not help but relent, “Actually…”

The woman gazed at Qin Che with deep affection, “You don’t need to comfort me. I know, I understand everything.” Then, swaying, she curtsied to Lian Yue and the others. “Forgive me for disturbing you all.”

With that, she turned to leave the way she had come. Her steps were unsteady, as if she were treading on clouds, and after only a few paces she had already stumbled several times.

Even Lian Yue felt a twinge of guilt at that retreating figure—how much more so must Qin Che, who spent every day with her? He knew well enough that Lian Yue had done this on purpose, but no words of reproach would come. He also knew that if he chased after her now, it would only deepen the misunderstanding between his cousins and himself. Yet in the end, he could not restrain his feet. Without so much as a word of courtesy, he hurried after that fragile figure.

As the evening clouds faded from the sky, a glazed brilliance spread across the heavens. Lian Yue watched the two figures, cloaked in sunset, walking further and further away. She curled her lips in disdain. “Saying one thing, feeling another!”

Qiao Zhi nodded in agreement. “Mm, mm! He doesn’t even know whom he truly loves; it really is pitiful.”

Lian Yue, already in a foul mood, found an outlet at last. “So you’re quite the expert, are you?” Her voice took on a strange tone.

“Of course!” Qiao Zhi tossed his hair with self-satisfaction. “How could my discerning eyes be mistaken?”

“Indeed, who hasn’t heard of Prince Carefree’s reputation? It’s truly renowned.” Lian Yue replied, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

“Ahem…” Qiao Zhi, who had been floating on air, was brought abruptly down by her words. He’d never cared much about his reputation, but somehow, hearing it from her lips, it carried a meaning he couldn’t quite grasp. Steadying his spirit, he replied, “Well, would you care to hear my analysis?”

Lian Yue had always thought the man before her was rather useless, and as persistent as a patch of stubborn plaster. She decided to let him say his piece.

“In my experience, that woman was definitely putting on an act just now,” Qiao Zhi began, immediately drawing the attention of both siblings. “From my… ahem… observations of women’s physiques, that lady shouldn’t be so frail and delicate. I know a bit about the situation. If her temperament were truly so fragile, years of your aunt’s cold sarcasm would have long since sent her to her sickbed. Yet here she is, perfectly fine, and has Qin Che tightly wrapped around her finger.”

Lian Yue recalled how, under her aunt’s harsh scolding, the woman had always appeared on the verge of collapse. She’d thought perhaps her aunt was putting on a show for their benefit, but now, hearing Qiao Zhi’s words, she realized she might have misunderstood her aunt.

Now, instead of merely listening, she exchanged a thoughtful glance with her brother, almost as if seeking advice. “So, Your Highness means…”

Qiao Zhi was pleased with their reaction and leisurely shared his insight. “She’s clearly playing the victim. Not that you can blame her—Qin Che falls for it every time. You’ve only just arrived at He Luo Manor, so you may not know, but that little lady has used her delicate act to spark many quarrels between your aunt, uncle, and Qin Che. Your cousin even made a special trip back from afar to teach her a lesson.”

Lian Yue realized she’d underestimated Li Jingru. Her cousin’s gentleness and virtue were well known, and she spoke to the servants with great courtesy—or so Lian Yue’s limited memory recalled. For even her cousin to lose patience, this woman must truly be something.

“Now, only Qin Che is still fooled by her; everyone else sees through it. Did you notice how conveniently Qin Che ended up at the office with me and the magistrate? It was because she played the victim with your aunt and schemed to lure your cousin out, hoping to stir up trouble. If not for me and the magistrate being together, something would have happened. Just now, she must’ve caught wind of what was going on and came over to upset you all, not expecting you, Little Sister Yue, to beat her at her own game.”

Qiao Zhi’s face was full of schadenfreude, and he even added another compliment, “Your skills are still superior, Sister Yue.”

Yet, hearing this, Lian Yue felt anything but praised. Regardless of whether Qiao Zhi’s analysis was true, she found herself agreeing with it. It seemed Li Jingru was just as restless as before. In hindsight, letting her off so lightly just now was far too generous.

But for today, this would suffice. If Li Jingru showed herself again, Lian Yue would have no qualms about teaching her a lesson.

To be fair, Qiao Zhi’s analysis was quite insightful, and soon enough, someone would prove him right.

Qin Che, full of guilt, supported the woman at his side, not knowing where to begin.

“Um…” Qiao Zhi opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again, deciding he ought to explain. “What you just heard—”

“Husband, there’s no need to explain,” Li Jingru’s delicate, weak voice interrupted, as she dabbed a teardrop from the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, forcing a smile. “As I’ve always said, if you truly can’t let go of Miss Lan, I’m willing to be a concubine. As long as I can stay by your side, that’s enough.”

Qin Che was moved by her sorrow and knew there was no hope for him and Lan Shui. Lan Shui wanted a love everlasting, and he—well, what did he have to offer? It was better to cherish the one before him. “Don’t worry, Ruer. You will be my only wife.”

Li Jingru, eyes brimming with tears, gazed at Qin Che in joy, murmuring, “Husband…” Then she nestled lightly in his arms. With beauty in his embrace, Qin Che cast aside his worries, holding her tightly, feeling warmth at last.

Sensing his embrace, Li Jingru’s lips bloomed with the loveliest smile, though her gaze, cast to some distant place, held not a trace of tenderness.

Outside Qin Manor, Lian Yue’s face was now as dark as ink, Yue Lingjun’s fists were clenched tight, and only Qiao Zhi looked faintly embarrassed.

“Look, that’s the young lady the prince just had his eye on.”

“Judging by her attire, she doesn’t seem short of money. How could she disregard her reputation so?”

“That poor girl, I do hope she turns back from the brink.”

The street outside Qin Manor was busy as ever. Lian Yue felt that every passerby looked at her with either pity or disdain. She’d long heard of Qiao Zhi’s reputation, but never expected to find herself in such a scene. She even saw a middle-aged woman, upon spotting Qiao Zhi, quickly push her daughter into a nearby shop.

Among all those glances, there was some envy and longing—mostly from young women, unable to resist Qiao Zhi’s charms.

Lian Yue’s patience finally snapped as they passed a lavishly decorated building.

“Well, if it isn’t the Prince of He Luo! Why haven’t you come to visit me today…”

“Yes, you don’t know how much I’ve missed you…”

“Exactly, exactly…”

Lian Yue watched as Qiao Zhi was quickly surrounded by a throng of gaudily dressed women, their heavy perfume assaulting her senses. Even beside Yue Lingjun, two women clung to him, heedless of his glare. Seeing he was about to lose his temper, Lian Yue, seething, strode forward, pushed the women aside, and grabbed her brother, ready to leave.

But the women would not have it. “Oh, so you’re from that other establishment, daring to steal business right at the door of Cuiwei House…”

Hearing herself lumped in with them, Lian Yue strode forward unceremoniously and slapped the woman hard across the face.

Slap! The crisp sound immediately drew everyone’s attention. Qiao Zhi hurriedly disentangled himself from the women and rushed over, asking with concern, “What happened?”

At the sight of the culprit, Lian Yue lost all restraint and shouted, “What happened? Ask your lovely companions! Since you’re so busy, Prince, there’s no need to follow us any longer. We won’t disturb your pleasures—farewell! Or rather, goodbye forever.”

She did something with her hands and feet—whatever it was, the Cuiwei House guards who had tried to surround them dropped to their knees in pain. Without so much as a glance back, Lian Yue strode from the crowd, not sparing another look for that place of trouble.