I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 159

Chapter 159

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The newlyweds, adorned in bright red wedding attire, slowly knelt toward the heavens and the earth outside the main gate.

However, Lu Yi and Lu Shi, hidden in a concealed spot, were both dumbfounded. What was their master doing? Why wasn’t he taking action? Didn’t he already neutralize the poison before? Could something have gone wrong again?

Their anxious breaths were almost uncontrollable. This was the Crown Prince, dressed in bridal attire, kneeling with a man like a mountain bandit. It was an outright insult to their master. Even if it meant risking their lives right there, they had to stop this ceremony and protect the dignity of their prince!

However, just as the emotions of the two were reaching a boiling point, on the verge of eruption, Lu Yi suddenly noticed something peculiar and immediately stopped Lu Shi.

Lu Shi glared at him with his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Master… It seems like he’s doing this willingly. I saw him kneel down on his own,” Lu Yi said in astonishment.

“What… How is that possible?!” Lu Shi was shocked.

“Maybe… Master changed his mind at the last moment. Let’s observe a bit more. If that’s really the case, we can’t disrupt our master’s plan,” Lu Yi suggested.

Lu Shi couldn’t believe it, almost wanting to pop his eyes out, but he too had noticed. Even though their master was assisted by the elderly woman, many of the actions seemed to be initiated by him. Perhaps others couldn’t see it, but those who had been following their master closely could never miss it.

Master… Was he really participating in this wedding ceremony with that person?

Lin Qingyang was also questioning himself. Was he really participating in a wedding ceremony with Chu Lishu? He felt like his actions were not his own; he was incredibly nervous.

Initially, he had planned to intercept Chu Lishu in the courtyard. However, the defense was too tight, and he couldn’t even get close. Dai Heng, who had been following him, tried to persuade him to give up and take him away.

But how could Lin Qingyang give up? So, he came up with a plan: set fire.

He intended to burn down one of the rooms here, luring away the guards.

When Dai Heng heard this plan, although it was risky, he saw the potential and decided to lend a hand.

However, they had never expected their luck to be so terrible – they were discovered directly by the Second Master.

Dai Heng had initially planned to bluff their way out with Lin Qingyang, but he wasn’t as clever as his sister, and their flaws were quickly exposed. The Second Master was a man of few words, with a venomous personality, and he immediately took action.

The two ended up fighting directly in the empty room. Dai Heng was clearly at a disadvantage, and Lin Qingyang could only try to help when there was an opportunity.

Weapons were already scattered during the scuffle. Suddenly, Dai Heng managed to entangle the Second Master at close range, attempting to attack, but it backfired as the Second Master countered and subdued him.

Lin Qingyang had no choice but to rush forward, using both hands and feet to restrain the Second Master. Lin Qingyang’s attacks were insufficient against the skilled Second Master. The Second Master lifted both of them and continued to step back, as if trying to crush Lin Qingyang against the wall on his back.

However, at the same time, Lin Qingyang used his elbow to strike the Second Master’s jaw, forcing him to open his mouth. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Qingyang forcefully shoved a pill into the Second Master’s mouth.

The Second Master couldn’t react in time and was muffled by Lin Qingyang. He couldn’t even spit out the pill.

With a loud crash, Lin Qingyang was slammed against the wall, feeling like his internal organs were about to burst. At the same time, the Second Master suddenly lost his strength. Otherwise, with his relentless attacks, Lin Qingyang might have truly turned into a pancake.

Watching the unconscious Second Master, Dai Heng was still struggling to grasp the situation. After all, this had escalated into a direct confrontation, leading to a significant disaster.

Just as they were unsure about what to do, someone came looking for the Second Master.

As the door was closed, and others didn’t know what the Second Master was doing inside, they hesitated to enter. They waited at the door, reminding him that the auspicious time was approaching, and the bride had already been sent away.

This situation was truly awkward. Chu Lishu had left, there were still people planning to poison him during the wedding feast, and now the Second Master had been drugged and was unconscious, unable to wake up for a day and night due to the medicine he had exchanged from the system.

Due to the direct confrontation with the Second Master, Dai Heng found himself trapped in the room, looking as lifeless as ashes.

Lin Qingyang, faced with the masked Second Master in wedding attire, used his wits to quickly undress the unconscious man. Luckily, the Second Master had a similar body shape, so Lin Qingyang could dress him in his own clothes. With a mask covering most of his face and a bit of dirt strategically applied, they managed to make him appear disheveled enough to pass inspection.

Without much consideration for anything else, they both understood the danger they were in. Dai Heng took the disguised Second Master and hid, while Lin Qingyang, wearing a deadpan expression, confidently followed the matron conducting the wedding ceremony to this location.

Upon seeing Chu Lishu dressed in bridal attire with a red veil covering his head, Lin Qingyang dared not look directly at him. He felt that for the male lead, this must be a great humiliation. In the original plot, apart from the Dai siblings, there were no survivors in this mountain fort. Regardless of how Chu Lishu’s character had changed, after enduring such humiliation, he would likely spare no one in this place.

Just as Lin Qingyang settled into place, an alarm sounded in his mind. Someone was out to kill him.

And in this situation, the most likely person to kill him was probably the male lead.

Not only did he want to kill, but he was also capable of doing so. It seemed like the male lead was not entirely powerless.

Lin Qingyang had to quickly remind himself of who he was.

Fortunately, Chu Lishu soon realized what was happening, and the alarm in Lin Qingyang’s mind disappeared.

However, the current situation became even more awkward. Were they really going to kneel down for the wedding ceremony?

In his line of sight, Chu Lishu had already bent his knees with the support of the old woman, and Lin Qingyang’s knees couldn’t help but tremble.

The emotions in his heart were so complex that he found it difficult to understand, feeling like his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

“One bow to the heavens and the earth, kneel and bow.”

The red figure beside him slowly knelt down, the red veil swaying, and for a moment, Lin Qingyang could glimpse the tense line of Chu Lishu’s jaw.

Bowing to the heavens and the earth with a man was something Chu Lishu naturally disapproved of, and it seemed that he was enduring it for the sake of the overall situation.

Lin Qingyang felt extremely guilty; if he had a bit more ability, he could have stopped it early and spared Chu Lishu, a person of such dignity, from enduring such a thing.

Lin Qingyang tried his best to synchronize his movements with Chu Lishu. When they stood up after the bow, he couldn’t help but reach out to help Chu Lishu up.

Chu Lishu’s hand was no longer as tense as it was initially; instead, it gently rested in Lin Qingyang’s palm.

Laughter echoed around them, mocking the Second Master for being useless. They hadn’t even completed the ceremony, yet he was already so protective of his new bride.

The teasing voices made Lin Qingyang feel embarrassed, as if he was genuinely taking care of a delicate little wife.

Guided by the old woman, the two turned around.

At this point, they were probably going to perform the second bow in front of the elders.

The thought of bowing before these people made Lin Qingyang’s inner disgust intensify, especially on behalf of Chu Lishu.

During this moment, Lin Qingyang noticed the uneasy expressions of the siblings from the Dai family who had come to witness the ceremony. He wondered if the Second Master had been successfully hidden.

Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a voice rang out.

“Second bow to friends and relatives, bowing respectfully.”

Lin Qingyang was momentarily stunned but quickly realized that there was no ancestral hall for the Second Master to bow to. This brought some relief to Lin Qingyang, but he couldn’t help feeling awkward. Considering the term “friends and relatives,” Lin Qingyang pondered if Dai family siblings, especially the future relations with the male lead, could be considered relatives. Wait… He was bowing alongside the future consort of the male lead. Was this appropriate?

Lin Qingyang’s head was tied in knots with embarrassment, but eventually, he followed Chu Lishu in bowing respectfully.

“Third, bow as a couple, kowtowing.”

Lin Qingyang’s heart tightened abruptly, as if his breath had become heavy. He struggled to move his steps and turned to face Chu Lishu, only catching a glimpse of his straight posture beneath the red veil, adorned with a pair of intertwined hearts swaying gently.

As Chu Lishu was guided by the old woman to kneel down, Lin Qingyang quickly followed suit, as if a child admitting a mistake, thumping down on his knees. Having humiliated the male lead enough, it was wise to show compliance now.

What was supposed to be a staged wedding ceremony, especially as Lin Qingyang, a modern person, should not have felt so nervous. However, he clearly felt the palms of his hands sweating, his heartbeat racing at an unprecedented speed, cruising on the highway of the highest limits.

Amid the joyful drumming and music around, Lin Qingyang gradually lowered his eyes with the bowing motion. Suddenly, he felt like his head hit something, and his heartbeat momentarily stopped. Did he really hit his head? But Chu Lishu, the one he supposedly collided with, didn’t seem to have moved and was maintaining the posture of their heads touching, still bowing.

The sensation of that touch made Lin Qingyang feel as if he wasn’t facing the uncertainties alone, but rather had someone accompanying him.

Inexplicably, it seemed like a psychological suggestion formed in his mind that he and Chu Lishu had developed some kind of special bond.

Stop overthinking, it’s just a staged wedding ceremony forced by the situation. A real man doesn’t fuss over trivial matters. Although the male lead might possibly get angry, it’s all for the sake of survival!

“Ceremony complete!”

Lin Qingyang quickly helped Chu Lishu stand up. Now, all they needed to do was to take him back.

Various voices of congratulations echoed around, but they were all wishing well for Second Master. As for Chu Lishu, there was still disdain, and even mockery.

“Let’s tease the newlyweds, tease the newlyweds!” Suddenly, someone shouted.

Lin Qingyang couldn’t speak, so he could only pretend to be cool and stand in front of Chu Lishu.

Fortunately, at this moment, Dai Xueyang spoke up, “Second Master can’t wait any longer. Are you trying to disturb his intimate moment? Time waits for no one. Let Second Master satisfy his desires first before anything else.”

Lin Qingyang immediately cooperated, boldly wrapping one arm around Chu Lishu’s waist. Chu Lishu leaned into Lin Qingyang’s embrace, silently conveying, “Can’t wait, don’t make a scene.”

Lin Qingyang knew they had to leave quickly; otherwise, staying silent for too long would seem odd. So, he nodded towards the direction of the patriarch, disregarded the laughter and comments around them, and started to walk away with Chu Lishu.

Suddenly, the Master, who had been enjoying the show, shouted, “Hold on, you must have a drink with us before leaving.”

“Yeah, yeah, you have to reveal the bride’s face. Many of our brothers haven’t seen the beauty of the sister-in-law yet!”

“We want to see the new bride, we want to see the new bride!”

“A drink, a drink, let’s have a toast!”

Lin Qingyang took a close look at the Master who willingly brought them the wine. He immediately recalled the poisoning incident, but ignoring the people and leaving directly wasn’t a feasible option. He tightened his grip on Chu Lishu’s hand, displaying his nervousness, and Chu Lishu would surely take notice.

The wine glasses were already in front of them, and there was a sense that something ominous emanated from within. The Master handed one of the glasses to the woman in charge of controlling Chu Lishu, indicating that she should feed the wine to him. However, at this moment, the system issued a warning about Chu Lishu. It turned out that the wine was indeed poisoned.

Lin Qingyang stared intently, contemplating whether to come up with an excuse to knock over the wine glass or replace it. However, any such action would require speaking up, and that would inevitably blow their cover. To avoid speaking, he could only cooperate.

In this predicament, how could one save someone?

Suddenly, Lin Qingyang had a moment of inspiration. He thought of a plan.

At this moment, someone naturally had to come and help Chu Lishu to drink the wine. However, Lin Qingyang opened the hand of the person approaching, tightly embracing Chu Lishu. Amid the puzzled gazes of the crowd, he raised the wine glass with one hand, signaling to everyone before bringing it to his lips and taking a sip.

When the crowd was caught off guard, Lin Qingyang directly took over the cup of celebratory wine from the old woman’s hand, which belonged to Chu Lishu, and drank it. No one saw the antidote miraculously appearing in his hand and dropping into the wine cup, which he then drank as well. Lin Qingyang felt fortunate that his points were sufficient for him to squander multiple times.

The onlookers only saw Lin Qingyang puffing his cheeks, seemingly holding the wine, then grabbing the red veil and lifting it slightly. This revealed only half of Chu Lishu’s face as Lin Qingyang dipped his head into the veil. It seemed he didn’t want his newlywed bride to be seen by others.

However, watching his half-concealed actions, it was evident that he was tenderly holding his new bride and sharing a kiss through the veil.

This scene naturally elicited a strong reaction from the crowd, with the hall filled with whistles and cheers.

Only the Master wore a troubled expression. Though poisoning someone might lead suspicions to fall on him, the patriarch wouldn’t necessarily confront the Master for the sake of an outsider. At most, the Second Master might seek revenge, but if the Second Master died, the Master would find himself in a difficult position.

In fact, Lin Qingyang had earlier mixed the poisoned wine with an antidote and consumed it. This was the safest and best solution he could think of. It was also a perfect way to terrify the steward, that old schemer. Lin Qingyang guessed the Master was probably worrying about when he and Chu Lishu would suddenly drop dead and how he could wash away any suspicion.

However, when Lin Qingyang held Chu Lishu’s face, slipped under the red veil, and found himself face to face with him, Lin Qingyang was stunned.

Under the red veil, there was still that familiar face, but now it was flushed red. It was unclear whether it was the reflection of the red veil or due to anger, but it made his entire face come alive, further confirming that his appearance was indeed exceptionally beautiful.

Especially when his eyes met Lin Qingyang’s gaze, those pair of eyes resembled autumn water cut from the finest jade, clear and bright. It seemed like they had crushed the starlight and scattered it within, sparkling with a captivating luster. The tender gaze released at this moment appeared to convey a myriad of emotions, enhancing the beauty of his eyes. They became deep yet remarkably clear, just like the person himself—dark yet pure. It possessed an irresistible and fatal charm, as if once one got entangled, there would be no escape.

Truly a mesmerizing beauty, like a painting, surpassing countless worldly beauties.

An electric current surged through his brain nerves, instantly taking control of all Lin Qingyang’s senses. He felt like he was drawn into another world, isolating him from all external noises. Only the enchanting melody echoed in his mind.

Meanwhile, Chu Lishu was tightly gazing at the person in front of him.

His rationality had not yet shifted from the wedding ceremony, and he found himself embraced by Lin Qingyang.

He felt a wave of embarrassment. During the three bows just now, his head was still spinning, and his body acted before his mind. There was a rolling heat wave churning in his chest. He hadn’t expected that he would hastily go through the wedding ceremony with Lin Qingyang in such a simple manner. He was dissatisfied; it shouldn’t have been such a rudimentary ceremony. Yet, he couldn’t restrain the excitement in his heart. Simultaneously, he felt angry that Lin Qingyang took risks to appear here.

It was a mix of anger, urgency, and undeniable joy.

Lin Qingyang was always like this, appearing suddenly and doing things out of the blue, stirring up all his emotions and disrupting his every move.

But when he recalled Lin Qingyang urgently kneeling down during the final bow between the husband and wife, he couldn’t help but soften his heart. Despite it being a fake wedding ceremony, and he didn’t know why Lin Qingyang appeared here, the guy must be extremely excited. After all, he liked him so much that they went through this fake ceremony, and he could sense Lin Qingyang’s genuine happiness.

Forget it, he thought. Let’s set aside questioning him for now. Allow him a small satisfaction in his heart. Consider it as playing pretend family for a while. After all, there would be more formal occasions in the future. This childish act could be seen as early practice.

Chu Lishu was lost in his thoughts. He heard the commotion outside just now. He knew the danger at the moment, but he couldn’t help but be distracted.

Even the insulting remarks about others wanting to see the new bride didn’t bother him. Toasting? Should he drink? He probably couldn’t lift the cup himself, as it would raise suspicion. He would likely have to rely on the maid. Wouldn’t that mean the maid would share the toast with them? Tsk!

However, at this moment, he seemed to hear something different. Lin Qingyang actually drank two cups by himself. What’s the meaning of this? Didn’t he want to share a toast with him?

Soon, the veil was lifted slightly, and Lin Qingyang slipped inside. Chu Lishu was taken aback, and there was a burst of enthusiastic laughter outside. Suddenly, Chu Lishu realized that Lin Qingyang, holding his face, seemed to want to publicly share a toast in such an intimate way.

This fool, doesn’t he realize where we are? Doing such a thing in front of so many annoying people, can he really go through with it?

Tsk! Surely, he thought since they were acting, he could use that as an excuse to do anything, taking advantage of the situation with his courage.

He wants to flirt with me, doesn’t he? Chu Lishu felt embarrassed for him, and his face became even hotter.

Staring straight at him, Lin Qingyang made Chu Lishu swallow nervously. However, Chu Lishu decided to give up resisting. He thought, why not? They had already gone through the formalities, what harm could a little kiss do?

The two of them continued to gaze at each other, but there was no action from Lin Qingyang. Chu Lishu couldn’t understand until he noticed that Lin Qingyang had already sipped the wine. Could it be… this fool swallowed the wine in nervousness, and now he couldn’t find a good excuse to take advantage of the situation and kiss him?

So, a casual kiss would do, anyway. Since it’s all for show, he wouldn’t pursue it afterward, what a fool.

Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang’s gaze had already swept over every corner of Chu Lishu’s face. He instinctively wanted to capture the details, to later paint a picture of Chu Lishu just like this. However, when his eyes landed on the alluring red lips, a thought popped into his mind—what if they had really shared the wine with a kiss? How sweet and delicious it would be.

Suddenly, a burning sensation jolted Lin Qingyang awake. Apparently, there was a reaction between the antidote and the poison, but the discomfort quickly subsided. The system didn’t provide any specific information.

Lin Qingyang immediately realized that now was not the time to be distracted and hastily withdrew his head.

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