I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 149

Chapter 149

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Inside the Marquis’s residence, Lishi wailed, the two sisters anxiously awaited, and members from the other two courtyards anxiously paced back and forth, occasionally approaching Marquis An Nan to inquire.

Lin Qingyang, as the only composed person, was also the only one who seemed less concerned, silently waiting for news.

Until the evening, Lin Qingyang suddenly heard a sound in his mind.

【Main Mission 2, Mission 4: Help the Male Lead with the Ritual Cleansing of the Ministry of Rites – completed】

The progress increased to 50%, and the points increased to 180.

Immediately, someone in the residence reported that the matter had been thoroughly investigated. Lin Qingxu did indeed engage in the buying and selling of exam questions, cheating in the process. Although Lin Qingxu claimed to be influenced by others, the facts were already established.

While it didn’t lead to imprisonment, his lifelong examination qualifications were revoked, and he received a severe thirty lashes.

Upon receiving this news, everyone in the Marquis’s residence wilted like frostbitten eggplants. It wasn’t just Lin Qingxu’s misfortune; the entire Marquis’s residence was now subject to whispers and pointing fingers behind their backs.

Members from the second and third courtyards were quick to blame, fearing that their children’s reputations and future careers might be adversely affected. Their voices were louder and more intense than ever before.

Lishi doted the most on Lin Qingxu. Upon hearing the news, she directly fainted. Lin Qingyao cried inconsolably, and Lin Qingwei’s expression became grim.

Lin Qingyang thought Marquis An Nan would remain calm, but he ended up being so enraged that he spat out blood.

This essentially told them that not only was Lin Qingxu unable to use his legs anymore, but his future prospects were also ruined. He could only assist the family in business and would never become the heir of Marquis An Nan’s residence.

The Marquis’s residence was in chaos, and Lin Qingyang had to temporarily take charge.

Before long, Lin Qingxu was brought back in a state of unconsciousness.

After a period of medical treatment, it was estimated that Lin Qingxu would be bedridden for the next six months.

When Lin Qingxu woke up, the room was naturally crowded with his relatives, all reproaching him. Lin Qingyang stayed in the outer room, drinking tea and listening to the reprimands inside. However, he didn’t hear Lin Qingxu offer any excuses; he only admitted to discovering others cheating, getting anxious, and unintentionally going astray. He admitted fault, apologized to his father, and asked for forgiveness.

It seemed that Marquis An Nan was quite affected this time. After a stern rebuke, he turned and left, seemingly unwilling to waste any more time on this son.

As he came out, his two uncles naturally surrounded him, talking about something. When Marquis An Nan saw Lin Qingyang outside, his expression changed.

Lin Qingyang was somewhat curious about whether Marquis An Nan regretted the current state of their relationship. Although they had hardly engaged in confrontational conversations, both were aware of the distance between them. Otherwise, he still had a son who could at least gain some face by being a study companion. However, now it was widely known that he rarely stayed at the Marquis’s residence and had little connection with it.

Previously, Marquis An Nan had invested a considerable amount of effort in preparing for the spring exams for Lin Qingxu, indicating that he valued him more. However, with Lin Qingxu’s recent actions, it seemed like all that effort had gone to waste. Lin Qingyang wondered if Marquis An Nan’s pride was stinging now.

Marquis An Nan’s response remained consistent, and Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but feel sorry for the original owner. Even in this situation, the father showed no signs of growing closer to his legitimate son, which seemed peculiar.

However, Lin Qingyang’s attention shifted when Lishi and Lin Qingyao came out. Their expressions towards Lin Qingyang changed significantly. It appeared that they were no longer as hostile as before. Lin Qingyang speculated that they might have heard various analyses from other aunts inside, leading to a shift in their perspective.

Despite Marquis An Nan’s unchanged stance, the altered attitudes of Lishi and Lin Qingyao hinted at potential shifts in the dynamics of the family.

Lin Qingwei accompanied them outside and approached Lin Qingyang. With teary eyes, she said, “Second Brother, Third Brother wants to see you.”

Lin Qingyang thought Lin Qingxu probably wanted to have a word with him. Upon entering the room, he didn’t approach the bedside. Instead, he stood at a distance, looking at Lin Qingxu lying on the bed. “Why do you want to see me?”

“Lin Qingyang, are you satisfied now?”

Lin Qingyang raised an eyebrow, “The way you say it, it sounds like I’m the one who harmed you?”

“I’ve reached this point, isn’t it because of you?” Lin Qingxu suddenly exclaimed, looking at Lin Qingyang with eyes even more fierce than when he was caught. If they weren’t standing at a distance, Lin Qingyang would have suspected that he might leap forward and stab himself.

“You brought this upon yourself; don’t blame others. You really have some nerve, deciding on such matters privately. Even cheaters have the decency to inform their families. Is it because you have too much money in your hands? Blame Father too, for giving you too much freedom,” Lin Qingyang remarked with a cold laugh.

Lin Qingxu’s eyes were bloodshot, and as he looked at Lin Qingyang’s seemingly relaxed demeanor, his hatred almost overwhelmed his reason.

“Lin Qingyang, spare me your sarcastic remarks! What on earth possessed you to suddenly become like this? It should have been me going to the palace as a study companion. I could have become a supporter of the Third Prince, avoiding the need to participate in those useless imperial exams. I wouldn’t have panicked upon learning about cheating and agreed to the deal. It’s all because of you! You’ve ruined my entire life!” Lin Qingxu shouted.

Watching Lin Qingxu scream and cry, Lin Qingyang found it amusing. “Lin Qingxu, don’t pretend to be the victim. It’s all your greed, wanting to surpass me and fearing the consequences of another failure. Even if I wanted to harm you, it would be fair retaliation. After all, you’ve done your fair share of sowing discord and plotting against me. Don’t forget, you… once wanted to kill me with an addictive substance!”

Lin Qingxu was utterly stunned, and his expression was one of regret. It wasn’t regret for confronting Lin Qingyang, but rather regret for not eliminating his legitimate elder brother in the quickest way possible from the very beginning.

He hadn’t anticipated such a drastic change in a person within such a short period. Lin Qingxu even began to suspect if Lin Qingyang had been hiding his true abilities all along.

Lin Qingyang had only come in to witness Lin Qingxu’s humiliating situation, bidding farewell to the past. A person with such pride and arrogance was bound to have a difficult future. Lin Qingyang found it rather satisfying and waved dismissively, saying, “Take care of yourself. At least as the son of the Marquis’s residence, you won’t starve.”

Such words were naturally insulting to Lin Qingxu, who angrily threw a pillow at Lin Qingyang. “Just because I failed doesn’t mean Father will choose you! Let me tell you, Father will never choose you!”

Lin Qingyang was barking ineffectively, laughing a couple of times before leaving. Since there was nothing for him here, he naturally couldn’t wait to return to the other courtyard to find Chu Lishu.

However, he was intercepted by Qi Yan halfway.

Qi Yan jumped onto the carriage and took a few breaths, “Heavens, you scared me! I just came out of the Imperial Court of Justice Review and was looking for you. I almost got caught up in it. Luckily, I don’t have big ambitions, just want to be a playboy.”

“Don’t say such arrogant things,” Lin Qingyang looked at him speechlessly. “All of you were investigated?”

“Yeah, last night, the Ministry of Rites Assistant actually approached me, and said a lot of things implying, fortunately, I didn’t fall for it, or I would have confessed today.”

Lin Qingyang nodded, having already guessed as much.

Then Qi Yan reached out and patted Lin Qingyang, “You guys don’t know, if I hadn’t been with you yesterday, guiding me, I would have been done for. I’m here just to say thanks. I’ll give you a token of gratitude later.”

“We haven’t done anything, you don’t need to worry. Just relax and continue being a playboy. Anyway… the future might not be so peaceful,” Lin Qingyang said.

“Heh, my old man said the same thing. He mentioned that the atmosphere in the court has been getting worse lately. The princes are growing up, and they all have their own ideas,” Qi Yan complained. After that, he wanted to invite Lin Qingyang to a nearby tavern to celebrate, but Lin Qingyang resisted in vain and was still dragged along.

However, having learned from past experiences, this time Lin Qingyang only drank enough to feel a slight buzz before making his exit.

Back at the courtyard, eager to meet Chu Lishu, Lin Qingyang was once again intercepted, this time by Nanny Ding. After all, with such a major incident happening in the Marquis’s residence, people in the other courtyard had become aware of it, and others naturally wanted to inquire.

“Father… will he demand that we go back?” Lin Qinglan expressed her concern.

“Sister, don’t worry. As long as you don’t want to go back, you don’t have to,” Lin Qingyang reassured.

“Has your father ever mentioned the matter of nominating you as the heir apparent?” County Princess Yawen suddenly asked.

Lin Qingyang shook her head, “Third brother just had an incident, I’m afraid he’s not in the mood to bring up such matters at the moment.”

However, County Princess Yawen’s expression didn’t look quite right. “Does he really look down on my son so much? It’s come to this, and he still hasn’t chosen you.”

Lin Qingyang was a bit surprised. It seemed that his mother had long known that him not being nominated as the heir was not simply due to his age. The excuse of not having come of age was just that—an excuse. Initially, Lin Qingyang thought it was because he didn’t resemble the original owner, and it was normal for the Marquis not to choose him. Later, he thought it might be due to the other half of his heritage, fearing that selecting him could lead to trouble. He could understand all that. However, now that the Marquis had no other options, there was still no sign of him taking action.

In reality, Lin Qingyang didn’t care at all about the title of heir apparent. The political landscape could change drastically, especially when the male lead ascended the throne. Many titles and positions would likely be rearranged. After all, he was currently following the real big shot. As long as he clung to that influential figure and worked hard to gain favor, what position wouldn’t he attain in the future?

After comforting his mother for a while, Lin Qingyang finally managed to slip away. Shuncai was waiting at the door, holding a food box. Lin Qingyang took the food box and headed straight for Chu Lishu’s courtyard. Inside the box were famous pastries from the capital, bought right after his return. He shared some with his mother and elder sister and left behind the flavors Chu Lishu liked.

However, upon arriving at the courtyard, he was informed that Chu Lishu had gone to the hot spring pool area.

The hot spring pool that Chang Jun had designed was something Lin Qingyang had soaked in several times before. Surprisingly, Chu Lishu also had an interest in enjoying these facilities, so Lin Qingyang hurried over.

However, when he reached the entrance with a bamboo-made fence, Lin Qingyang’s steps came to a sudden halt. He felt a bit hesitant.

He remembered that when he soaked in the hot spring, he wasn’t wearing any clothes, and the water in the hot spring pool was very clear—everything was visible. Maybe it would be better to wait for him in the courtyard.

Just as he was about to turn away, he suddenly heard a voice from inside.

“Cousin?”

Lin Qingyang was momentarily stunned, quickly responding, “It’s me, I’m back, and I brought some pastries for you.”

“Come in.”

Come in?

Lin Qingyang blinked. This didn’t seem right. Why was the male lead so unguarded now? Did the male lead still remember his character?

“Cousin?”

“Ah… coming.” Lin Qingyang felt a nervous tightness in his chest but went ahead and agreed, regretting the immediate response.

His hand, holding the food box, tightened involuntarily. Feeling a strange tension, he lowered his gaze to the ground. Following the small path paved with white stones, he walked into a space enclosed by green bamboo walls. After circling half the area, he finally saw the rising steam, which moistened the surrounding vegetation and created a rippling effect.

Inside, there were several pools, and the sound of flowing water could be heard.

“Here.”

Chu Lishu’s voice echoed once again.

Lin Qingyang’s eyes flickered, following the sound. He had mentally prepared himself; after all, he had seen Chu Lishu’s body before, so there was no need to be nervous.

However, the scene that met his eyes nearly made Lin Qingyang’s blood surge.

In the small pool at the far corner, someone was lying. The white inner clothing wrapped around their body was completely soaked, almost turning transparent. It clung tightly to the slender and delicate cold white figure, resembling sheep-fat white jade immersed in water. Together with the mist, it created a hazy and alluring beauty that was almost too captivating to look at, even more so than being completely unclothed.

Chu Lishu’s brows, eyes, and hair were all dyed a darker shade by the steam. His lips became even more cherry-red, and droplets clung to his eyelashes, slightly drooping under their weight. His eyes seemed as if they had been cleansed, mixed with a gentle watery glow, appearing like an innocent and pure puppy, soft and delicate, evoking a sense of tenderness.

Against the backdrop of verdant bamboo rafters with lights hanging above, casting a warm tangerine glow, the scene unfolded on the water’s surface, shimmering with ripples.

Lin Qingyang found himself dumbfounded once again. Suddenly, he felt the urge to capture this scene on canvas, like a celestial being descending into his family’s hot spring pool. It deserved to be recorded in rich and bold strokes on a scroll, but he feared that his current artistic skill might not be sufficient to depict the captivating beauty before him.

Chu Lishu… when did he become so handsome? Although the original plot mentioned that he was good-looking enough to transcend gender, Lin Qingyang, as a heterosexual man, had only been stunned for a few moments. However, now he found himself frequently entranced.

Had Chu Lishu’s appearance changed? Had he become even more attractive? Was it because they were about to restore their relationship to its original state as Yuan Ran?

Seeing Lin Qingyang stupefied by his appearance in the pool, Chu Lishu felt helpless but couldn’t help but smirk. Just as Lu Yi had reminded him that Lin Qingyang was standing outside, seemingly too hesitant to come in and not wanting to offend him, Chu Lishu knew that this fool must be curious but was probably too afraid to admit it. So, he decided to call him in, considering it a compensation for what happened yesterday.

However… from another perspective, did it make it even more torturous for him?

Chu Lishu was truly helpless but also had a subtle sense of satisfaction. Seeing his lover so infatuated with him, he couldn’t resist the urge to tease a little.

“Cousin, what are you looking at?” Chu Lishu’s voice, tinged with a teasing tone, came through.

Perhaps from soaking in the hot spring for a while, his voice carried a lazy and magnetic quality. Combined with the softened water vapor lingering in the air, it sounded sticky and somewhat intimate, causing a tingling sensation in Lin Qingyang’s heart.

“Not… not looking at anything! I just thought, why are you wearing clothes while soaking in the hot spring?” Lin Qingyang quickly averted his gaze.

“Should I take them off, then?” Chu Lishu said in a seemingly innocent tone.

Lin Qingyang felt his forehead starting to sweat. “No… you can soak however you like.”

Seeing his reaction, Chu Lishu decided not to tease him further and explained directly, “The physician advised me to soak. He modified this place into a medicinal pool to help with my recovery.”

Lin Qingyang only now noticed that the pool here was enclosed and not flowing. It contained hot spring water mixed with herbs, but the fragrance was overshadowed by the natural scent of the hot spring.

Keeping his composure, Lin Qingyang walked to the bamboo tea table on the side, placed down the food box. “How long do you plan to soak?”

“An hour. I’ve been in for a while,” Chu Lishu replied. As he spoke, he turned around, and opened the food box, revealing the pastries Chu Lishu liked. As a member of the royal family, he had developed a habit of not explicitly expressing his preferences. He rarely showed his likes and dislikes, and only those who had been with him for many years would notice subtle differences in treatment. Previously, it was only the palace attendants who had been with him for a long time who could discern his preferences. However, Lin Qingyang, after observing him for a few times, had managed to figure it out. It showed how attentive he was.

“Uh… then you soak, I’ll come back later.”

Why did his voice sound nervous again?

Chu Lishu looked up and saw that Lin Qingyang had completely turned away, even his ears had turned red.

It’s not surprising, Chu Lishu thought. When Lin Qingyang handed over the pastries, he leaned over a bit, and the water-saturated clothing at the chest became heavy, causing it to sag and reveal a significant portion. The butterfly bones on the back, the winding spine, the gracefully curving waistline, and… the rest were all submerged in the water. In that moment, it seemed like a silver-white mermaid was lying by the shore.

Lin Qingyang didn’t want to perceive Chu Lishu as a beauty, but he couldn’t deny the captivating allure.

Chu Lishu turned around, his gaze flickering. He spoke directly, “Cousin, if you have something to discuss, just come down and join me in soaking. I’ve inquired, and this medicinal bath is beneficial for Cousin’s injuries. You can soak for a while, that’s enough.”

“No…” Lin Qingyang turned to leave, but Chu Lishu’s wet hand grabbed him, as if a mermaid was pulling someone into the water. The person being pulled, however, was already too powerless to resist.

“Come down and talk about serious matters.”

Lin Qingyang felt as if he were being commanded, and in a daze, he removed his outer clothing and, wearing only his inner clothes, entered the hot spring pool.

The heat of the water brought him back to his senses. Looking at Chu Lishu, who was close at hand, it seemed like he had adapted after a while. Now, there wasn’t much tumultuous emotion. After all, he was a heterosexual man; how could he have any thoughts like that? If he had to blame someone, it would be the male lead with his unbelievably attractive appearance, disturbing the clarity of others.

Suddenly, Chu Lishu approached, his hand reaching behind Lin Qingyang, encircling his waist. With a firm pull, he said, “Come closer.”

“Ah…” Lin Qingyang’s heart instantly panicked. Chu Lishu’s unique scent now completely enveloped Lin Qingyang, overshadowing the fragrance of the hot spring.

“Your area has protruding stones; isn’t it uncomfortable? Come over here, lean against me,” Chu Lishu patiently explained.

However, Lin Qingyang felt at a loss and tried to avoid Chu Lishu’s touch. Just as he attempted to move away, his foot slipped, and in an unsteady motion, he turned and pressed against Chu Lishu. In an instant, Chu Lishu was pressed against the edge of the pool, and Lin Qingyang nearly ended up on top of him.

Reacting instinctively, Lin Qingyang braced his hands against the pool wall. A muffled groan, tinged with pain, came from beneath him, resonating through Lin Qingyang’s soul.

Lin Qingyang tensed all over, and when he lowered his head to look, he saw Chu Lishu, his features contorted in pain, completely enclosed within his arms.

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