“That’s right, I do like Big Brother Jiang…”
Jiang Xunbai’s voice abruptly sounded by Lu Qingtang’s ear, startling her into taking several steps back.
Lu Qingtang paused briefly, then tried to cover it up: “N-no, not at all.”
Jiang Xunbai moved to her side, studying her curiously, trying to see through the thoughts hidden beneath her surface. Lu Qingtang hardly dared to meet his gaze, keeping her head lowered in an attempt to minimize her presence.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Xunbai found it utterly amusing. He raised an eyebrow lightly: “What? Miss Lu seems reluctant to speak?”
Unable to hold back, Lu Qingtang retorted: “Since Second Young Master Jiang can tell I don’t want to talk, why do you keep asking?”
She had been so direct—surely Jiang Xunbai wouldn’t press further?
But Jiang Xunbai truly surprised her. He simply said: “It’s fine if Miss Lu doesn’t wish to speak. Let me take a guess and see if I can figure out what’s on your mind.”
Hearing this, Lu Qingtang lifted her eyes to look at him, a flicker of curiosity in her gaze.
Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao walked at the front, whispering about something that made Su Lingyao’s lips curve into a slight smile. Jingchun, carrying a small bundle, couldn’t resist glancing back at Lu Qingtang every now and then. She noticed the Second Young Master Jiang leaning close to Lu Qingtang, bending down to whisper something in her ear that made Lu Qingtang’s eyes widen instantly, looking utterly shocked.
Lu Qingtang stared at Jiang Xunbai in astonishment. His words echoed thunderously in her ears: “Miss Lu, I suspect your relationship with Bai Wujin isn’t great. You didn’t just pass through Wangshui Zhen—you’re running away from a marriage. It’s just—”
He paused, a puzzled expression crossing his face: “I can’t figure out why you changed your mind, Miss Lu?”
Of course, Jiang Xunbai wasn’t relying solely on guesswork. According to the system’s information, Lu Qingtang was indeed fleeing a marriage. What he couldn’t understand was why she acted as if she and Bai Wujin were deeply in love when she was with him.
Based on the system’s intel, Lu Qingtang should have been infatuated with his elder brother, Jiang Yijie. Yet, the Lu Qingtang before him showed only respect toward Jiang Yijie—he couldn’t detect a trace of admiration in her eyes.
This Lu Qingtang seemed to have strayed from her original path, but he couldn’t comprehend why she had changed so drastically. That was why he kept testing her, even at the risk of lowering her favorability.
Meanwhile, Lu Qingtang was equally taken aback, stunned by Jiang Xunbai’s sharp perception.
A paper character—more precisely, a cannon-fodder male side character who appeared only a handful of times—could he really be this perceptive?
Moreover, her own knowledge about Jiang Xunbai’s role was minimal. In the novel the system provided, Jiang Xunbai appeared no more than three times. Yet now, he was sticking with the main party, clearly becoming one of the core characters besides the male and female leads.
Lu Qingtang decided there was no point in hiding it anymore. She resolved to follow the original Lu Qingtang’s mindset from the novel. She spread her hands, her eyes curving into crescents like moons, and praised: “Second Young Master Jiang truly has a keen eye for detail.”
“You flatter me. I was merely guessing blindly.”
Lu Qingtang’s gaze shifted, a rare chill entering her eyes: “Second Young Master Jiang can hit the mark even with blind guesses?”
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Her eyes would never hold anyone else.
Thinking this, Jiang Xunbai’s lips curved downward slightly, revealing a bitter smile.
Seeing that Task Two was completed, Lu Qingtang looked up at Jiang Xunbai in high spirits, only to unexpectedly meet a pair of eyes filled with sorrow. Lu Qingtang froze for a moment, her smile stiffening at the corners of her lips. Why did she see boundless sorrow in Jiang Xunbai’s eyes, as if it would overflow the next instant?
Lu Qingtang blinked, and the sorrow in Jiang Xunbai’s eyes vanished without a trace, as if the grief from moments ago had been a figment of her imagination.
Jiang Xunbai then shifted his gaze to Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao walking shoulder-to-shoulder ahead, chatting and laughing. He said somewhat lazily, “Miss, you should give up on this. There’s absolutely no possibility for the two of you.”
The male lead in the novel can only belong to the female lead.
Following his gaze, Lu Qingtang replied perfunctorily, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Jiang Xunbai’s lips twitched, and he cast a faint glance at Lu Qingtang.
Is she really this infatuated?
Author’s Note:
Tang-Tang: Yay, mission accomplished!
Jiang TangTang: What to do, she’s so in love (worried)
Both think the other is a fictional character (laughs)
Chapter 8: Wangshui Zhen, Part Eight
“That’s right, I just like Big Brother Jiang…”
Jiang Xunbai’s voice suddenly rang out by Lu Qingtang’s ear, startling her so much that she stumbled back a few steps.
Lu Qingtang paused for a moment, then said evasively, “N-No, not at all.”
Jiang Xunbai walked to her side, staring at her with great curiosity, trying to discern the thoughts hidden beneath her facade. Lu Qingtang didn’t quite dare to meet his gaze. She lowered her head, trying to minimize her presence as much as possible.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Xunbai found it utterly amusing. He raised an eyebrow slightly. “What’s the matter? It seems Miss Lu is rather reluctant to talk.”
Lu Qingtang couldn’t help but retort, “Second Young Master Jiang, since you can already tell I don’t want to talk, why do you still ask?”
She had been so direct; surely Jiang Xunbai wouldn’t keep pressing her, right?
But Jiang Xunbai truly managed to surprise her. He simply said, “It’s fine if Miss Lu is unwilling to speak. Allow me to take a guess and see if I can figure out what’s on your mind.”
Hearing this, Lu Qingtang lifted her eyelids to look at him, a trace of curiosity in her eyes.
Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao were walking at the very front, whispering about something that made the corners of Su Lingyao’s lips curve up slightly. Jingchun, carrying a small bundle, couldn’t help but glance back at Lu Qingtang every few steps. She saw that Second Young Master Jiang was leaning in close to Lu Qingtang, his head bowed as he whispered something in her ear. The words made Lu Qingtang’s eyes fly wide open in a look of utter shock.
Lu Qingtang stared at Jiang Xunbai in astonishment. The words he had just whispered in her ear were still thundering in her mind: “Miss Lu, I’m guessing your relationship with Bai Wujin isn’t all that great. You’re not just passing through Wangshui Zhen this time; you’re running away from your wedding. It’s just—”
He paused, a look of bewilderment on his face. “What I can’t guess is why Miss Lu has changed her mind again.”
Of course, Jiang Xunbai wasn’t just guessing. According to the information the system had given him, Lu Qingtang was indeed running away from her wedding. But he couldn’t understand why she was now acting as if she and Bai Wujin were deeply in love.
The system’s information stated that Lu Qingtang was supposed to be in love with his elder brother, Jiang Yijie. Yet, the Lu Qingtang before him showed only respect for Jiang Yijie; he couldn’t see a single trace of affection in her eyes.
The Lu Qingtang in front of him seemed to have deviated from her original path, but he couldn’t figure out why she had become like a different person. That was why he repeatedly tested her, again and again, even at the risk of her favorability score dropping.
At this moment, Lu Qingtang was also quite surprised. She was shocked by Jiang Xunbai’s sharp perception.
Could a fictional character—or more accurately, a cannon fodder supporting male who appeared only a handful of times—possess such a high level of acuity?
Moreover, the information she had on the character Jiang Xunbai was extremely limited; after all, in the novel the system had given her, Jiang Xunbai appeared no more than three times in total. But now, Jiang Xunbai was constantly with the main group, clearly having become one of the core characters besides the male and female leads.
Lu Qingtang decided to stop hiding it from him and play along with the original Lu Qingtang’s mindset from the novel. She spread her hands, her eyes curving into a pair of crescent moons as she praised, “Second Young Master Jiang is truly perceptive.”
“You flatter me, you flatter me. I was merely taking a wild guess.”
Lu Qingtang’s gaze shifted, a rare coldness entering her eyes. “Second Young Master Jiang can hit the mark even with a wild guess?”
Detecting the hint of displeasure in her tone, Jiang Xunbai immediately explained, “I just have sharp ears and happened to overhear a few words of the conversation between you and your maid.”
Lu Qingtang’s gaze rested on him for a moment. That wasn’t impossible. She and Jingchun had mentioned running away from the wedding twice, and both times Jiang Xunbai had been nearby. It wouldn’t be surprising for a demon hunter, with his own cultivation, to have heard them.
As Lu Qingtang was still pondering, the system, which had been absent for a long time, suddenly flashed: [Task Two: Express your feelings for the character Jiang Yijie in the presence of either the character Jiang Xunbai or the character Su Lingyao. Host, please complete this task diligently.]
When Lu Qingtang heard this task, she felt like breaking down for a second. What kind of task was this? Confess to Jiang Yijie, and in front of either Jiang Xunbai or Su Lingyao, no less?!
Confessing in front of Su Lingyao was out of the question. Lu Qingtang had always felt that interfering with a couple was a deeply unethical thing to do. It was better for her to accumulate some good karma.
But in front of Jiang Xunbai…
Lu Qingtang looked up and suddenly met a pair of handsome, peach-blossom eyes. Seeing her look over, Jiang Xunbai raised an eyebrow slightly. Lu Qingtang’s face fell. Is this right? Is this right? Is this right???
Did she really have to confess?
Lu Qingtang bit her lower lip, silently repeating the system’s words in her mind, one by one. A flash of inspiration struck her. The system said to express her feelings for Jiang Yijie in the presence of Jiang Xunbai or Su Lingyao, but it didn’t say she had to confess directly to Jiang Yijie. So, could she just tell Jiang Xunbai that she liked Jiang Yijie when neither Jiang Yijie nor Su Lingyao was around?
Lu Qingtang waited for a long while. When she didn’t receive any objection from the system, she decided to try this approach first.
With that thought, she looked at Jiang Xunbai again. He was baffled by her stare. “Miss Lu, why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.
Lu Qingtang tried to open up to him, asking tentatively, “Jiang Xunbai, do you like Sister Su?”
Jiang Xunbai froze for a moment, momentarily unable to follow Lu Qingtang’s train of thought. Weren’t they just talking about her running away from her wedding? Why had it jumped to such a bizarre topic?
He answered cautiously, “What kind of like?”
“The romantic kind, between a man and a woman.”
“I don’t.”
Jiang Xunbai answered without a moment’s hesitation. Who would fall for their own future sister-in-law? Lu Qingtang must have a screw loose. And he must be crazy too, for discussing this with her here.
Though that was what Jiang Xunbai thought, he still asked in return, “Why? Miss Lu, do you like my brother?”
He had only meant it as a casual question, but unexpectedly, he had hit the nail on the head and played right into Lu Qingtang’s hands. Without much thought, Lu Qingtang smiled. “That’s right, I just like Big Brother Jiang.”
[Congratulations, Host. Task Two has been successfully completed. Current total mission progress is 1.5/10. Please continue to work hard and complete the missions soon.]
Jiang Xunbai abruptly lowered his gaze. He saw the girl’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes sparkling as if they held all the stars in the sky. For some unknown reason, a flicker of disappointment flashed through Jiang Xunbai’s heart.
He thought for a long time and finally understood. Perhaps it was because he had never seen any sign of Lu Qingtang’s affection for Jiang Yijie, which made him think that the her before him and the her in the book were two different people. Now, he suddenly realized they were, in fact, the same person. No matter what different experiences she went through, the second female lead from the novel would still fall head over heels for the male lead.
There would be no room for anyone else in her eyes.
At this thought, the corners of Jiang Xunbai’s mouth drooped slightly, revealing a wry smile.
Seeing that Task Two was complete, Lu Qingtang was in a good mood. She looked up at Jiang Xunbai, only to meet a pair of eyes filled with sorrow. Lu Qingtang froze, the smile on her lips stiffening. Why did she see an endless sorrow in Jiang Xunbai’s eyes, a sorrow that seemed ready to overflow at any moment?
Lu Qingtang blinked, and the sadness in Jiang Xunbai’s eyes vanished without a trace, as if she had imagined it out of thin air.
She saw Jiang Xunbai turn his gaze toward Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao, who were walking ahead, shoulder to shoulder, talking and laughing. He said with a hint of laziness, “Miss, you should just give up. There’s absolutely no chance for you two.”
The male lead in the novel could only belong to the female lead.
Lu Qingtang followed his gaze and replied perfunctorily, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Jiang Xunbai’s mouth twitched as he shot Lu Qingtang a faint glance.
Was she really that infatuated?
Qing-Tang: Yay, task complete!
Jiang TangTang: What do I do, she’s so in love (worried).
Both of them think the other is a fictional character (lol).