The night wind of Beishuo Cheng was like a knife tempered in ice.
Luo Qingwu clung to the cold walls of the Zhenbei Jiangjun Fu, feeling very much like a thief forced into a corner.
Exhaling a long plume of white mist, she mentally cursed her “cheap” parents and her “dear sister,” Luo Jin’er, at least eight hundred times.
Three days ago, she had woken up to find herself transmigrated into a melodramatic novel titled Jinghua Dinü, becoming the “true” eldest daughter who had been switched at birth.
The story was simple: the prefect, Luo Yuandao, was about to be promoted to the capital, but he found the marriage contract he’d arranged years ago too shabby—marrying his daughter off to a border guard, Lin Lang.
In the eyes of the Luo family, Lin Lang—whose father and brother had died in battle and who possessed neither power nor influence—was nothing more than a poor soldier. Thus, they remembered their biological daughter, Luo Qingwu, who had been raised in the countryside after being brought back. She was the perfect tool for a “substitute marriage.”
Luo Qingwu didn’t actually have a problem with the marriage; at least it would get her away from her biased parents.
The trouble started this afternoon when that top-tier “white lotus,” Luo Jin’er, insisted on gloating in front of her.
“Sister,” she had whispered into Luo Qingwu’s ear with schadenfreude, “Brother Lin Lang and I are childhood sweethearts. He promised me personally that he would never marry anyone else in this lifetime. Even if you marry into his house, don’t dream of him even laying a finger on you.”
That smug “I’m the real one, you’re just a replacement” face successfully ignited Luo Qingwu’s competitive spirit.
Who was she? A research dog who believed that “practice is the sole criterion for testing truth!”
You say he’ll marry no one but you?
Fine, then I’ll come “check the goods” tonight!
…
Luo Qingwu took a deep breath and leaped down, landing silently in the courtyard.
The estate wasn’t large, and only one courtyard had a light on, making it easy to find. She crouched and crept toward it as a faint scent of blood and medicinal herbs drifted through the air.
Was he injured?
Luo Qingwu approached the room noiselessly and peered through a crack in the window.
With just one look, her breath hitched for a moment.
Inside the room, a man was shirtless, his back turned to the window. The dim candlelight traced his broad back and narrow waist, his muscle lines brimming with explosive power. A hideous wound stretched from his left shoulder blade down to his side; the flesh was mangled, and blood had soaked through the gauze.
The man was struggling to apply medicine to himself, beads of sweat rolling down his temples indicating extreme pain.
He let out a muffled groan, heavy with suppressed agony.
Luo Qingwu’s heart inexplicably twinged at that groan.
This was the Lin Lang who Luo Jin’er claimed was hopelessly in love with her? He looked… a bit pitiful.
“Damn it…”
The man cursed under his breath, and the medicine bottle in his hand fell to the floor with a clatter.
Now!
Without further hesitation, Luo Qingwu pushed the door open and walked right in!
The man reacted instantly, whipping around with a terrifying killing intent in his eyes, his right hand already reaching for the longsword under his pillow!
But Luo Qingwu was faster! She lunged forward, slamming him back against the edge of the bed. Her left hand clamped over his mouth like lightning, while her right hand firmly pinned the wrist that was about to draw the sword.
“Don’t move!” Luo Qingwu lowered her voice, her warm breath brushing against his ear. “I am your future wife!”
The man’s body froze instantly. His eyes, like cold stars, stared fixedly at her, filled with shock and scrutiny.
Seeing that he had temporarily lost the intent to resist, Luo Qingwu grew bolder, her gaze daringly sweeping over him from head to toe.
“Tsk, not bad. Your face is still intact, no disfigurement.”
The man before her was even more exceptional than she had imagined.
He had a high brow, a nose as sharp as if carved by a blade, and a pair of phoenix eyes as deep as a pool. Even though blood loss had turned his lips pale, it couldn’t hide the noble and overbearing aura that radiated from him.
“Your physique is good too; you’ve got abs.” Luo Qingwu nodded in satisfaction. “The injury is a bit serious, but no matter. It’ll be fine with some rest.”
“Alright,” she decided, letting go of him to pick up the medicine bottle on the floor. “I’ll take this deal.”
The man was finally able to speak. His voice was hoarse from weakness yet carried an inherent authority: “Who exactly are you?”
“Me?” Luo Qingwu shook the medicine bottle in her hand and looked back righteously. “Luo Qingwu, your fiancée. The unlucky soul the Luo family sent to be the substitute bride.”
As she deftly scooped out some ointment, she said in a casual tone, “Don’t get the wrong idea; I have no interest in ruining someone else’s true love. It’s just that Luo Jin’er’s ‘green tea’ acting is an eyesore. It annoyed me, so I came to see what kind of man her ‘marry no one but him’ Brother Lin Lang actually was.”
The cool ointment was spread over his burning wound, causing his body to tense up.
“Now that I’ve seen you,” Luo Qingwu’s voice carried a hint of a mischievous smile, “I think you’re much more interesting than she is.”
Therefore, she was definitely going through with this marriage.
The man didn’t speak again, but his bottomless eyes never once left Luo Qingwu’s face.
After finishing the bandage, Luo Qingwu clapped her hands, looking at her masterpiece with great satisfaction.
“There, General,” she stood up and looked down at him. “My name is Luo Qingwu; remember it. From this day on, I am your fiancée. Forget about that childhood sweetheart of yours and just wait to marry me.”
With that, she turned and left with a flourish.
“Wait.” The man behind her suddenly spoke, stopping her.
Luo Qingwu turned back and raised an eyebrow. “What? Won over by my overwhelming charisma?”
Looking at her, the man’s pale, thin lips curved into a faint, barely perceptible arc. A mysterious, unreadable light flashed in his deep eyes.
“My wound hasn’t fully healed yet,” he said slowly.
“And?”
“So,” he leaned against the headboard in a lazy posture, yet he was like a bow drawn and ready, “will you come again tomorrow night?”
Luo Qingwu was stunned for a moment, then laughed.
This man was quite interesting.
She tilted her chin up. “Depends on my mood.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she had already disappeared outside.
The room fell into silence. After a long while, a dark shadow appeared like a ghost and knelt on one knee:
“Your Highness, this subordinate has arrived late!”