Chapter 209
“Taking a walk? Now?” Chu Lishu furrowed his brows slightly, showing clear disapproval. “You’ll be in pain with any movement. How can you go for a walk?”
“In fact, walking slowly won’t hurt. I’ve been lying down all day, feeling uncomfortable all over. Come on, it’s rare to have such a full moon tonight. It would be a shame not to take a walk.” Lin Qingyang hurriedly found a reason.
As a result, Chu Lishu had been quietly staying in the tent with him for two nights. How would the plot trigger then? Given the Third Prince’s change in attitude today, it’s likely that he knows Pei Jin’s secret. Plus, Chu Lishu mentioned that the Eldest Prince’s army would likely attack between tomorrow and the day after, making tonight the most likely time for the plot to unfold. If the plot doesn’t trigger, Pei Jin would be in trouble. Lin Qingyang couldn’t just stand by and watch that happen, so Chu Lishu had to go out.
Feeling helpless, Chu Lishu helped him up and accompanied him outside.
Since their tent was not far from Pei Jin’s tent, Chu Lishu didn’t find it strange when Lin Qingyang led him in that direction, thinking they were just taking a detour.
Under the moonlight and gentle breeze, Chu Lishu supported Lin Qingyang as they walked slowly forward. Walking under the moonlight had a special feeling to it, and Chu Lishu probably wouldn’t have felt this way if Lin Qingyang wasn’t there by his side.
Lin Qingyang probably wanted to enjoy this time together with him, so he…
Just as he was thinking, Lin Qingyang suddenly pulled Chu Lishu towards a dark corner where the torchlight couldn’t reach.
Chu Lishu felt a sudden surprise, unsure of what Lin Qingyang was up to. He was then pushed onto the tent, with Lin Qingyang pressing tightly against him.
“Shh, someone’s coming,” Lin Qingyang whispered.
Chu Lishu couldn’t help but find it amusing. What was the big deal if someone passed by while they were just taking a walk? Listening to the footsteps, they didn’t sound like assassins or killers, probably just ordinary passersby. Besides, there were guards patrolling nearby. Why do they need to hide?
As Chu Lishu watched Lin Qingyang press tightly against him, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was intentional, if Lin Qingyang was finding an excuse to get close to him.
In the moonlight, in that dim corner, amidst the tense atmosphere, with the person he liked pressing against him so tightly, Lin Qingyang seemed to be enjoying himself. Chu Lishu couldn’t help but smile at the thought.
He didn’t expose Lin Qingyang’s little game, allowing him to continue fiddling around. They both looked around, checking for any blind spots in their surroundings to avoid any potential embarrassment.
Suddenly, both of them heard the voice of the Third Prince.
Chu Lishu realized that the one passing by was none other than the Third Prince, and at that moment, the prince was dismissing the guards in the vicinity and instructing them not to patrol this area temporarily.
Why would he do that?
Considering whose tent area this was, Chu Lishu quickly drew a conclusion. Was the prince here to discuss important matters with Pei Jin, or…
Soon, as the surrounding guards left without noticing the two hidden figures, Lin Qingyang hurriedly pulled Chu Lishu out, heading directly towards Pei Jin’s tent.
This time, Chu Lishu didn’t show much reaction because he also wanted to know why the Third Prince had come here so late at night. Perhaps they could catch him doing something incriminating.
As the two approached the tent, they suddenly heard Pei Jin cry out in surprise from inside. Although the sound quickly subsided, it was clearly suspicious.
Lin Qingyang’s expression changed instantly, while Chu Lishu furrowed his brows slightly, showing a hint of puzzlement. He couldn’t help but wonder if the Third Prince had really turned to Pei Jin, and if Pei Jin was resisting. After all, if Pei Jin was unwilling, could the Third Prince still force his cousin, who assisted him, to do something against his will?
Chu Lishu was immediately shocked by the conversation coming from inside.
Pei Jin… is really a woman???
His eyes narrowed slightly as numerous thoughts flashed through his mind, and his gaze slowly shifted to Lin Qingyang.
At that moment, a notification rang in Lin Qingyang’s mind, indicating that the mission was completed, with a bonus of one hundred points. However, he couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling, especially after hearing Pei Jin’s voice filled with humiliation. Anxious thoughts flooded his mind, and just as he raised his head to look at Chu Lishu, he was suddenly caught off guard by the intense gaze from Chu Lishu’s deep eyes, making him feel incredibly uneasy.
Chu Lishu didn’t speak, simply withdrawing his gaze and pulling Lin Qingyang to leave.
“Don’t… don’t leave, shall we not help?”
The two had already taken a few steps away. Chu Lishu muttered discontentedly, “Help? Why should we? We are enemies, destined to clash sooner or later. What’s the point of meddling in this? Pei Jin is a member of the Pei family. If she is indeed a woman, with her status and identity, she will eventually become the prince’s woman. We are not heroes who intervene in others’ affairs. They are family, so don’t get involved. Pei Jin might blame you for hindering her path to gaining the prince’s trust, and don’t forget… she once conspired with Lin Qingxu to kill you.”
Chu Lishu’s tone grew impatient, clearly showing his unwillingness to get involved.
Huh? This plot isn’t going the right way. Chu Lishu shouldn’t feel like it’s a great opportunity to use Pei Jin to divide the Pei family, right? Regardless of how Chu Lishu feels, Lin Qingyang knows that resolving Pei Jin’s current predicament is the priority.
“Wait, I’m not trying to meddle unnecessarily. I know we’re on opposite sides, but… don’t you think we should think this through? If Pei Jin doesn’t want this, it’s a conflict between them. Don’t you think we could use that?” Lin Qingyang hurriedly interjected.
But Chu Lishu suddenly grabbed Lin Qingyang’s wrist and pulled him in front, his eyes sharp and piercing as they locked onto Lin Qingyang’s.
Lin Qingyang felt a chill run down his spine.
Chu Lishu had many doubts in his mind, but now wasn’t the time to voice them. He knew Lin Qingyang was right. If they wanted to divide the Pei family, Pei Jin was the best leverage. Even if Pei Jin resisted now, as a woman, she would eventually yield to the will of her family’s elders. Once Pei Jin became the consort of the Third Prince, even if she resisted initially, she would eventually succumb, and there would be no animosity between the Third Prince and their family. In fact, they would be able to cooperate better with Pei Jin. Then, the Pei family would likely be unified.
The Third Prince probably had this idea, which is why he ambushed Pei Jin after learning her identity.
But he didn’t like Lin Qingyang’s actions, thinking he couldn’t see through them, although Lin Qingyang’s words seemed to be in line with their goals, in reality, he just wanted to save Pei Jin.
He had known all along that Pei Jin was a woman but kept it a secret…
He heard about those things during the day and started worrying about Pei Jin. He suspected that the Third Prince would target Pei Jin, so he only came out to check under the pretext of a moonlit stroll tonight.
So he was so cautious when he saw the Third Prince just now.
Everything was for Pei Jin.
Although Pei Jin was a woman now, Lin Qingyang couldn’t have any feelings for her, but he had already seen that Pei Jin treated Lin Qingyang differently. He used to think that Pei Jin was just a sworn brother, but now he understood that Pei Jin, as a real woman, had feelings. So Chu Lishu was very annoyed by Lin Qingyang’s actions to defend Pei Jin.
Due to this aversion, he could ignore the Pei Jin line and focus on other ways to divide the Pei family, albeit with some inconvenience.
But seeing Lin Qingyang’s anxious and distressed expression, Chu Lishu knew that he always had an extra sense of compassion and respect for women. He endured and asked, “Do you want to save her?”
Lin Qingyang was taken aback, then quickly nodded, as if not nodding would prompt Chu Lishu to take him away immediately.
Chu Lishu suppressed his irritation, scanning the surroundings before pointing to an empty tent not far away. “Go and light it up. Once you’re done, return to our own tent. Leave the rest to me. Be careful in your actions.”
Lin Qingyang’s eyes lit up immediately, and he obediently moved.
Seeing Lin Qingyang so excited, Chu Lishu felt even more displeased. But he still followed the plan.
After leading away the Third Prince and seeing Pei Jin lying on the bed, trembling and crying, Chu Lishu could confirm that Pei Jin was unwilling. Only then did he call out.
Pei Jin clearly didn’t expect him to appear, nor did she have the energy to think about anything else. She only felt a beam of light shining in the cold, dark abyss, providing her with a path to escape the most terrifying situation.
Pei Jin walked quietly in fear until the familiar figure appeared at the end of that beam of light.
Lin Qingyang. It was indeed him who saved her again.
Pei Jin froze in place, tears once again uncontrollably streaming down her face. She looked at Lin Qingyang’s slightly awkward yet concerned expression. Finally, her rationality was destroyed by impulse, and she wanted to step forward to seek comfort.
But before she could take a couple of steps, someone had already passed her and reached out to grab Lin Qingyang’s hand, asking in a deep voice, “Did you encounter any danger?”
“No, it was just setting a fire. By the time I left, they had almost extinguished it. It was treated as a fire caused by the unstable torches nearby,” Lin Qingyang explained, then looked at Pei Jin with concern, wondering if Chu Lishu would arrive in time.
After being interrupted, Pei Jin seemed to have forgotten her impulse and lost the courage to step forward. She just said in a low voice, “Thank you… thank you all.”
“It was just passing by, and my cousin couldn’t bear it, so he lent a hand. Hopefully, it’s not us meddling where we shouldn’t,” Chu Lishu said indifferently.
Seeing Pei Jin’s exhausted face, as if she couldn’t recover her senses, Lin Qingyang suggested, “You should sit down first and rest for a while. Have some hot tea…”
Lin Qingyang was about to pour the tea but was stopped by Chu Lishu, who said, “Let’s go out for a moment. Give her some time to calm down and tidy up her clothes. We can also check the situation outside.”
Lin Qingyang thought it made sense and was about to leave when he heard Pei Jin force herself to stay calm and say, “There’s no need. I think I should leave. If the Third Prince finds out I’m missing, he’ll come looking for me, and it will put you in danger. You’ve helped me, and I can’t repay kindness with ingratitude.”
“But you can’t just go back. What if…” Lin Qingyang exclaimed in surprise.
Pei Jin’s face paled, and she bit her lower lip fiercely, as if she might draw blood. “I’ll go find officials from the Pei family and chat with them all night. I can stay outside if necessary. He can’t force me back to the tent. This was my carelessness, and I won’t let it happen again.”
Seeing Pei Jin, who had just experienced a setback and still hadn’t calmed down, trying hard to figure things out for herself, was truly poignant.
Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu, who said, “How do you know the officials from the Pei family won’t just hand you over? If the Third Prince dares to do this, it’s likely that Concubine Pei would agree. The officials from the Pei family here are more inclined to support the Third Prince than you, aren’t they? Besides your sister’s side, who else would help you tonight?”
Pei Jin’s face grew even more unpleasant, her eyes burning with anger as she stared fiercely at the ground, as if doing so could bolster her courage.
“Huh, since when did you become so kind-hearted, considering so much for me?” Pei Jin said with a hint of sarcasm. She believed Lin Qingyang would help her because he was foolish, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe Chu Lishu would be so kind-hearted.
“I just think you’re a bit foolish. The Third Prince wouldn’t dare to openly search for you now. At most, he’d dare to search the Pei family’s tents, but he wouldn’t go looking for others. He would feel guilty himself for doing such things. If your identity as a woman were exposed, it wouldn’t benefit him in the slightest. If he threatens you, it’s actually detrimental to him. You don’t have to succumb to his threats. At worst, we’ll face the consequences together.”
Pei Jin lifted her head to gaze at Chu Lishu, her expression growing colder. Huh, facing dire consequences may indeed preserve her innocence and prevent the Third Prince from gaining any benefit, but it would bring calamity upon the Pei family, endangering her own life as well. As the heir of the Pei family, she had no right to sacrifice herself like any other woman to protect her reputation.
Sensing the tense atmosphere between them, Lin Qingyang quickly summarized, “So it’s safest to stay here tonight. The Third Prince might calm down tomorrow and realize he shouldn’t force you. We can only help you for tonight. Rest here and think about how to handle things next.”
They weren’t exactly friends. Lin Qingyang helped mainly out of a sense of duty and to follow the plot, so he wouldn’t go out of his way to be overly considerate.
As soon as the two of them left, Pei Jin sat down somewhat embarrassedly, tidying up her disheveled clothes while silently wiping away her tears. She needed to figure something out, she needed to protect herself. But the Pei family, like an enormous invisible hand, had her firmly in its grasp, and no matter what decision she made, she couldn’t escape its influence.
“Sigh!” Lin Qingyang stood in the open space in front of the tent, sighing heavily. Just as he was about to say something, he turned his head and saw Chu Lishu’s dark eyes seemingly penetrating everything as they looked at him.
Lin Qingyang awkwardly smiled.
“Is there something you want to tell me?” Chu Lishu tilted his head, his tone devoid of emotion, but the imposing aura emanating from him was unmistakable.
Lin Qingyang’s legs trembled slightly. Anyway, revealing it now wouldn’t affect the plot, so he began recounting the incident of him diving to save Pei Jin directly.
Chu Lishu listened with an unchanged expression.
After Lin Qingyang finished, he cautiously said, “I didn’t mean to deceive you. At that time, we didn’t have any power, and if it had been disclosed, we might have been silenced. Moreover, she was indeed a woman, and I felt…”
“Alright,” Lin Qingyang said, unable to continue. If it weren’t for a plot constraint, given their hostile factions, holding such a big leverage over Pei Jin, not using it would be foolish. In power struggles, it’s a matter of life and death; what’s the point of morality? They could completely expose Pei Jin’s identity, forcing her to stop assisting the Third Prince, or use it to threaten other matters. Kindness is a big taboo; it only harms oneself.
“Um, are you mad at me?” Lin Qingyang asked, feeling conflicted.
Suddenly, Chu Lishu reached out and tapped Lin Qingyang’s head. “Of course, I’m mad. Don’t you forget, we had a cold war for quite some time over that outsider. It’s just a trivial matter; it’s not worth it at all.”
He hadn’t forgotten. At that time, he felt that Lin Qingyang was lying to him, and that’s when he started to have some genuine feelings for him. But then he got disappointed and almost completely distanced himself from Lin Qingyang. In the end, it was all about helping Pei Jin conceal her identity as a woman. It’s frustrating to think about.
Lin Qingyang was somewhat surprised. “You’re not mad at me? What if I had told you earlier? Maybe you could have dealt with the Pei Family sooner.”
Chu Lishu sighed. “Forget it. I know you don’t like to target a woman with schemes, especially attacking her as a woman. Besides, exposing her wouldn’t be the best way to deal with the Pei Family.”
Lin Qingyang breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, if exposing her was the best solution, the male lead in the original plot would have done it long ago.
As they were talking, sure enough, the Third Prince came by with some guards, looking somewhat irritated. Seeing the two of them outside, he frowned. “What are you doing?”
“We’re admiring the moon,” Chu Lishu replied calmly.
“Have you seen Pei Jin?” the Third Prince questioned again.
Lin Qingyang looked puzzled. “Didn’t she return to her tent to rest?”
Now the Third Prince had nothing to say. He couldn’t possibly have known that Pei Jin was right behind them, let alone resort to violence to search for her. So he left it at that.
“As a prince, he could have any willing beauty he wanted, but he had to resort to this,” Lin Qingyang sneered.
“Because Pei Jin usually appears smarter than him, he had to assert his dominance in this aspect. It’s all about maintaining control,” Chu Lishu remarked with a cold laugh.
Immediately, the two returned to the tent. Pei Jin’s face was pale as she looked up at them, likely having heard the commotion caused by the Third Prince and his men outside.
“It’s alright now. Rest here tonight. You sleep…” Lin Qingyang began, about to offer his own bedding.
But before he could finish, Chu Lishu spoke up. “You sleep on my side. My bedding hasn’t been used.”
Pei Jin’s expression changed slightly at this. Unused… Then last night…
Lin Qingyang didn’t think much of it. The fact that the bedding hadn’t been used was likely because Chu Lishu had gone out to handle some business after he fell asleep last night. Anyway, when he woke up the next morning, Chu Lishu was already in the tent, and he hadn’t seen him use the bedding. However, Lin Qingyang didn’t expect Chu Lishu to offer his own bedding, which was considerate of him. After all, his own bedding had been used for two days already, and it didn’t seem appropriate for a girl to use it.
So, Pei Jin slept on Chu Lishu’s bedding, while Chu Lishu slept with Lin Qingyang.
As Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu lying beside him, he couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. If things had followed the original story, it would have been Chu Lishu and Pei Jin lying together now—fragrant and tender, deceiving both heart and body—instead of him sleeping peacefully with this big man. It felt… much better.
Lin Qingyang chuckled as he thought, and Chu Lishu, taking some ointment, glanced at him and whispered, “What’s so funny?”
Startled, Lin Qingyang wondered if he had actually laughed. Wasn’t that a bit mischievous? After all, he had inadvertently thwarted someone else’s romantic opportunity. “I didn’t laugh!” he denied, but the curve of his lips remained, tempting Chu Lishu to just kiss him.
Chu Lishu’s gaze darkened slightly. “Shh, I’m applying the ointment for you. Keep your voice down.”
“Wait, why do I need ointment? Pei Jin is here today,” Lin Qingyang glanced nervously in Pei Jin’s direction, noticing she was sleeping with her back to them.
“She’s under the blanket, she can’t see, and if you don’t apply the ointment, tomorrow…” Chu Lishu hesitated before continuing, “Trust me, I can apply it without lifting the covers. This medicinal ointment is potent; a few applications will do the trick.” Normally, one application would be sufficient for minor bruises.
Lin Qingyang wanted to heal quickly, but how would they do it? Even if it were himself, he’d have to fumble around for a while to locate the injury. Was Chu Lishu so talented that he could accurately locate the wound even without seeing it?
Lin Qingyang was skeptical at first but eventually decided to trust Chu Lishu.
However, when Chu Lishu’s cool hand slowly traversed down Lin Qingyang’s waist, inch by inch…
Lin Qingyang: … I should have never trusted you! Stop it!
Lin Qingyang tensed up, feeling nervous. He turned his head to glare at Chu Lishu, who appeared innocent but continued his probing. Just as Lin Qingyang began to suspect if Chu Lishu was doing it on purpose, he finally found the right spot.
Chu Lishu glanced at Lin Qingyang, who then shyly lowered his head. Any bad mood they might have had earlier in the evening vanished. Chu Lishu had enough of teasing Lin Qingyang. Of course, he could accurately locate the spot—he was familiar with every inch of Lin Qingyang’s body. It was all intentional.
Before long, Lin Qingyang fell asleep. It was late at night, and the medicine they used had calming properties, so Chu Lishu had no qualms about cuddling him openly. Lin Qingyang was unlikely to wake up easily. Chu Lishu could hug and kiss him as much as he wanted, but he wouldn’t do anything excessive, mindful of his injuries.
With Pei Jin’s presence today, Chu Lishu intended to behave himself, content with just holding Lin Qingyang.
Upon Chu Lishu’s sideways glance, he unexpectedly noticed that Pei Jin, who was in the distance, had turned around and was absentmindedly staring in their direction, where Lin Qingyang was lying down.
Since Lin Qingyang’s face was turned towards Pei Jin, it appeared as if the two were facing each other.
Chu Lishu immediately felt displeased and gently adjusted Lin Qingyang’s head to face another direction. This action naturally caught Pei Jin’s attention.
However, the next moment, Pei Jin’s breath hitched as Chu Lishu kissed Lin Qingyang directly in front of her. She could hear Lin Qingyang struggling to breathe, making faint sounds. Then Chu Lishu suddenly opened one eye, peering past Lin Qingyang’s body with a warning gaze directed at her.
Pei Jin’s face instantly flushed red. She immediately turned over, facing away from them, too embarrassed to look anymore.
Yet, the sounds in her ears, sticky and persistent, seemed to seep into every corner.
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Chu lishu not supposed to be that harsh towards Pei Jin. She’s the victim, being harassed and all. Humph.