Yao Chiyue drove the car to the summit of the suburban mountains, an area serving as a summer retreat for the dignitaries and wealthy of Luzhou.
The car came to a halt in front of a villa within a garden. Seeing that Yao Chiyue had no intention of getting out, Qiao Mengdi, sitting in the passenger seat, remained still as well.
“Is there any water?” she asked, breaking nearly an hour of silence since they had entered the vehicle.
In truth, she wasn’t thirsty. It was simply that in such a confined space, the other woman’s presence felt too heavy and intense; she wanted something to distract herself.
Yao Chiyue turned her head toward the back seat. “There should be some in the back.”
Following suit, Qiao Mengdi turned as well.
The strands of their hair brushed together lightly. That faint touch instantly sent a searing electric current through Qiao Mengdi, causing her heart to skip a beat.
Immediately, the embarrassment caused by Yi Hongzhou’s words—”So, it’s a one-way street”—truly hit her. It transformed into a crimson flush that spread across her fair face.
Was there anything more humiliating than having a woman who “doesn’t like women” find out that you like her?
Qiao Mengdi felt that, at this moment, there truly wasn’t.
There was water in the back seat, but it was slightly out of her reach.
Yao Chiyue saw her struggle. Efficiently, she unbuckled her seatbelt and reached back to grab two bottles of water. Because she moved so quickly, as she turned back, her head collided with Qiao Mengdi, who hadn’t had time to move away.
As luck would have it, Qiao Mengdi was struck right on the bridge of her nose—the most fragile spot. She covered her nose, unable to stop herself from let out muffled groans of pain.
“Are you… alright?”
“It hurts so much,” Qiao Mengdi replied, her voice nasal.
She kept her head down, clutching her nose for a long time. The dull ache eventually sharpened, piercing through to the top of her head.
“Sister Yao, even if you’re angry with me, you didn’t have to… hit my nose. It’s not that serious, okay!”
Qiao Mengdi’s voice was buzzing, lacking its usual soft, delicate tone.
Yao Chiyue unscrewed a bottle cap and handed it to her, saying, “Who said I was angry with you?”
“You aren’t?” Qiao Mengdi looked up. Because the movement was too sudden, a wave of pain hit both her nose and her head, causing her face to contort and her eyes to mist over. She looked like a pitiful little kitten.
“Of course not. It has nothing to do with you.”
By now, Yao Chiyue had regained her composure. During the drive, her irritation and frustration seemed to have been cast behind them or pushed deep into her heart. Her ability to manage her emotions was something Qiao Mengdi truly admired.
Taking the water, Qiao Mengdi took a symbolic sip.
As she reached out to take the bottle cap from Yao Chiyue, she felt a wetness in her nostrils. She tried to sniff, but the moisture wouldn’t stay.
“Another nosebleed!” Yao Chiyue said, quickly pulling out several tissues and handing them to her.
Damn it! What did she mean by “another” nosebleed?
It made it sound just like that time in front of the Lulin Securities building.
This was beyond frustrating! This time it wasn’t her own fault; how could she call it “another” one?
Sister Yao, the nature of these two nosebleeds is different. You can’t use that word. That word is very hurtful to me, do you know that?
Qiao Mengdi’s emotions were incredibly complex. She stared blankly at Yao Chiyue, who held the tissues mid-air, allowing the blood to slowly trickle down.
Seeing the blood about to reach her lips, Yao Chiyue raised her hand and pressed the tissue against Qiao Mengdi’s nose just in time.
Qiao Mengdi stayed there, dazed, letting Yao Chiyue wipe the blood away.
“It’s only a little bit.”
Qiao Mengdi could clearly hear the sense of “luckily” in Yao Chiyue’s tone. However, because of that word “another,” she was still extremely annoyed. Coupled with the shame of losing control in front of her last time, she snapped.
“What do you mean ‘only a little bit’? Were you expecting more?”
Even though she was angry, her words came out soft and powerless.
Yao Chiyue gave a faint smile.
Their eyes met, and Qiao Mengdi’s heart rate quickened a beat too late.
“It’s clean now.” Yao Chiyue looked away and put the used tissues into a plastic bag.
Qiao Mengdi saw that there really wasn’t much blood on the tissue. Still, she leaned up to check herself in the rearview mirror. It was indeed clean, though the bridge of her nose was bright red, showing clear signs of the impact.
“Your head is really hard, Sister.”
“Compared to a nose, of course it is.”
Due to this little episode, the turmoil Yi Hongzhou had stirred in both their hearts seemed to have calmed significantly.
“By the way, what is this place?” Qiao Mengdi looked out the window again. This villa was massive. While it didn’t look brand new, it was imposing. The garden was also absurdly large, with lawns stretching so far they looked like pastures.
“My family’s house.”
“Why did you bring me here without saying a word?” Qiao Mengdi saw that Yao Chiyue still had no intention of getting out; the engine was still running.
“What did Yi Hongzhou say to you?” Yao Chiyue rested her right hand on the steering wheel, her face turned toward Qiao Mengdi.
Qiao Mengdi knew she would ask eventually, and she knew the questions would be about her. “Actually, he didn’t say much.”
“Really? That doesn’t sound like him.” Yao Chiyue wasn’t doubting Qiao Mengdi; she was just surprised.
“When we first met, he did say he wanted to tell me things about you, but I refused. Then, he said I owed him a favor for yesterday. Somehow, I ended up at that restaurant with him…”
Aside from those factors, Qiao Mengdi was too embarrassed to admit that she was drawn by his idol status and the lingering question of whether he was actually Ji Hongqian.
“He has many tricks.”
“Oh, right. He said he told you beforehand about the lunch and even wanted to bet on whether you could find us. But I’m not that bored.”
“He did tell me.” Yao Chiyue’s face was calm. Since Qiao Mengdi was safe, she felt there was no need to mention the threats Yi Hongzhou had made. “In the future, try your best to keep your distance from him.”
Yao Chiyue’s tone carried the implication of: I can’t always arrive in time.
Qiao Mengdi remembered this plot point. In the story, Yao Chiyue had indeed warned the original character, but the original character never listened. She was completely infatuated with Yi Hongzhou the moment she saw him, just as Qiao Mengdi had been when Yi Hongzhou first debuted.
“But I feel like his target isn’t me.”
“Correct.” Yao Chiyue was very calm now. “He will use any means necessary to deal with me. Today, you being dragged into this was only the beginning.”
“I see. Actually, he didn’t really do anything to me today.”
“That’s because I did what he asked—” Yao Chiyue stopped abruptly at the unpleasant part.
The question of why she would let him manipulate her naturally surfaced in Qiao Mengdi’s mind again.
“I understand.” Seeing that she clearly didn’t want to elaborate, Qiao Mengdi didn’t push. She considerately looked away. Right now, whether it was a gaze of concern or curiosity, it would only be a burden to Yao Chiyue.
The car fell into a suffocating silence once more. The thoughts of both women filled the cabin like a thick darkness.
“You must be very confused.” The silence didn’t last long before Yao Chiyue spoke again.
“A little. If it’s not convenient for you to talk about it, don’t force yourself.”
Qiao Mengdi knew that exposing one’s inner darkness required great courage. One wrong step could cause secondary trauma.
“In the past, no matter what he wanted, I could let it go. But this time—”
Yao Chiyue looked at Qiao Mengdi. Despite her calm expression, Qiao Mengdi could easily see the unbearable frustration beneath the surface.
Recalling Yao Chiyue’s words yesterday—”Whenever he sees me having something he doesn’t, he wants to steal it”—and Yi Hongzhou’s question—”How do you think I compare to your Sister Yao?”—along with the novel’s plot, Qiao Mengdi understood what came after “but this time.” She meant she couldn’t tolerate Yi Hongzhou trying to steal her partner.
Regardless of whether there was real affection between them, the act of stealing a spouse was an extreme insult that no one could endure.
“Don’t worry, Sister Yao. He won’t be able to steal me away.”
“You don’t understand him. He destroys what he cannot have.”
Qiao Mengdi froze. To what extent did “destroy” mean? The word, when applied to a person, sent an instant shiver down her spine.
Now, she finally understood a bit more why Yao Chiyue was being manipulated by him. The side trying to protect is always in a much more difficult and passive position than the side trying to destroy.
“Why is he like that?”
“Many reasons.”
Many reasons… just how unspeakable must they be?
Although she desperately wanted to know the details, Qiao Mengdi couldn’t bring herself to pry further. Even though they were about to be married, they were far from being close enough to bare their souls to one another.
“I will protect myself. I won’t become a burden to you.”
Yao Chiyue looked out the window at a small, clear fountain glistening in the sunlight. “It was I who dragged you into this.”
“Our marriage was always full of risks. There’s no such thing as ‘dragging’ someone in. You don’t need to take responsibility for that.”
Yao Chiyue withdrew her gaze, staring at the steering wheel for a moment before saying, “I meant Yi Hongzhou.”
“I know you meant him. If we have to blame someone for dragging me in, it’s Yi Hongzhou, not you, right?”
“If you didn’t marry me—”
“But I chose to marry you, and you chose to marry me.”
Qiao Mengdi didn’t want her trapped in the pain of “what ifs.” It was clear that Yi Hongzhou’s actions had caused her countless unspoken troubles and distress.
From her tone and expression, Qiao Mengdi saw a hint of retreat.
But for the sake of her own survival, she had to keep them moving forward into marriage. Anything that happened after the wedding would have to be dealt with then.
“The potential harm is obvious.”
Compared to staying alive, what does ‘obvious harm’ matter? Qiao Mengdi couldn’t say that out loud.
“I just don’t understand,” she said.
Yao Chiyue explained, “Some people, when they are in pain, want to drag others down with them.”
“So, Yi Hongzhou is that type? The kind who won’t let himself go, and won’t let others go either?”
“Yes.”
“He’s crazy.” Qiao Mengdi suddenly felt that the path to saving her own life was going to be covered in thorns.
When other people transmigrate into books, don’t they change their fate and live glorious lives? Why am I…
I should never have touched that book “Blood and Tears Marriage”. She wept inwardly.
“Pretty much.”
“Can’t the pain in his heart be healed?”
Yao Chiyue couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. “It can.”
“How?” Qiao Mengdi asked, immediately feeling that something was wrong.
“You saw it today. By torturing me.”
“It can’t go on like this forever, right?”
“He is someone who has already given up on himself.”
“What a headache!”
“Are you afraid to marry me?”
“Fear is useless, isn’t it, Sister?”
Yao Chiyue smiled weakly. “Let’s get out of the car. I’ll get you some ice for your nose.”
Doing something so intimate? Just the thought of it made Qiao Mengdi’s heart beat faster and faster.