I Rely On The Collapse Of The Character Setting To Survive In The Hands Of The Male Lead Chapter 237

Chapter 237

Lin Qingyang’s eyes instantly lost their luster, and Chu Lishu realized that the drug was taking effect. Regardless of what Yu Suoxi wanted to ask, he didn’t want Lin Qingyang to be treated like this.

But before he could speak, Yu Suoxi ripped off his headband and instructed his guards to tie it back over Chu Lishu’s mouth, rendering him unable to speak properly.

Chu Lishu’s anger surged, and the redness in his eyes became more pronounced. His black hair cascaded down, reminiscent of his demeanor during the days of the arena. Yu Suoxi noticed this but instead of being concerned that Chu Lishu might revert to his former mad self, he became excited.

“Not curious? How sincere is your beloved? So you won’t be deceived again?”

Chu Lishu couldn’t reply, though his expression carried a contemptuous smile. Did he need someone else to ask about Lin Qingyang’s feelings for him?

“You seem quite confident. Are you already together? He appears straightforward and simple, but the changes happening to him are truly astounding,” Yu Suoxi chuckled, revealing that he had thoroughly investigated Lin Qingyang in recent days.

Chu Lishu’s eyes flickered briefly, but he continued to regard Yu Suoxi with cold eyes.

Yu Suoxi continued to indulge in his game.

“Lin Qingyang, tell me, how long ago did you find out about his identity?”

Lin Qingyang struggled slightly, then obediently replied, “…a year ago.”

Chu Lishu paused, his eyes slightly dazed as he looked at Lin Qingyang. He had suspected that Lin Qingyang might have realized something recently, but… a year ago?

Lin Qingyang knew about his identity a year ago?

How is that possible?

At that time, not even Mr. Cao knew, no one in this world knew he was posing as Chu Lishu.

If Lin Qingyang knew from the beginning, then were all those praises for Yuan Ran intentional?

Although Chu Lishu appeared calm, Yu Suoxi had already seen what he wanted to see. One question made Yuan Ran… uneasy. But it also made Yu Suoxi a bit displeased; it seemed that Lin Qingyang really had a significant influence on Yuan Ran.

“How did you find out about his identity?”

Lin Qingyang: “…I just knew.”

Yu Suoxi was momentarily stunned, trying different ways to ask, but found that he couldn’t elicit any other response. Every time Lin Qingyang answered, it was just to confirm that he knew. Yu Suoxi also didn’t notice that before each answer, Lin Qingyang would hesitate for a moment, as if the original words were being processed in his mouth.

Not dwelling on it, Yu Suoxi switched to another question, “Was the sudden change in attitude towards Chu Lishu because you found out about his identity, right?” Lin Qingyang’s initial attitude toward his cousin was well-known throughout the academy, so his subsequent change had shocked everyone.

Lin Qingyang: “…Yes.”

Chu Lishu’s pupils trembled slightly, his lips tightening. The others were also surprised by Lin Qingyang’s response.

“Not reporting him… There must be some special reason for that, right?”

Lin Qingyang: “…There is.”

Chu Lishu’s eyes flashed for a moment, staring straight at Lin Qingyang’s face.

Yu Suoxi smiled softly at Chu Lishu and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ll ask for you. I’m curious too.”

“Suddenly changing your attitude and not reporting him… Could it be because you’ve fallen in love with him?”

Lin Qingyang struggled for a moment, “…No, it’s because I’m afraid.”

Yu Suoxi burst into laughter.

Chu Lishu’s expression changed for a moment, but he quickly shook his head as if denying something.

“Why were you afraid?”

Lin Qingyang hesitated for a moment before replying, “…Because he wanted to kill me.”

Chu Lishu froze, the color draining from his face at a visible rate. Memories from the past resurfaced rapidly – the bamboo basket and the venomous snake… He had indeed intended to kill him back then. But then Lin Qingyang confessed his feelings for him, causing him to hesitate and spare him. So, Lin Qingyang knew? It was for self-preservation…

Yu Suoxi continued, “Oh, so you pretended to like him and treated him well just to save your own life? Then, could you tell us in detail what you were thinking at that time?”

Lin Qingyang replied, “…Because he’s very dangerous. He wanted to kill me, and I was afraid. I wanted to survive, so to save my life, I pretended to have a secret crush on him. That way, he wouldn’t kill me.”

Chu Lishu looked at Lin Qingyang in bewilderment, his face drained of color, as if his blood was gradually turning to ice. Nothing could be more cruel than hearing the harsh truth from the person he loved, expressionless, right in front of him.

He thought Lin Qingyang loved him? Loved him so much that he would do anything for him. He thought Lin Qingyang couldn’t live without him, so he gradually opened his heart. He thought… it was genuine.

Was it… because he was afraid of him?

Yu Suoxi was struggling to hold back his laughter. “He’s a softhearted person. He probably doesn’t intend to kill you anymore. Why do you keep clinging to him? Why do so many things with him?”

Chu Lishu’s lowered eyelids trembled slightly, as if a condemned prisoner had just glimpsed a glimmer of hope.

Lin Qingyang replied, “…I want to see him ascend to the throne as emperor. That’s the only way I’ll have a future, the only way I can survive.”

Chu Lishu was momentarily dazed, feeling as if his body was being torn apart.

Was it really because of that?

Yu Suoxi finally couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer and burst into loud chuckles. He leaned in close to Chu Lishu, who was already stiff all over, and pretended to be surprised as he whispered in his ear, “Oh my, can I understand it as just pledging allegiance to a new master, picking sides, and not love at all?”

Chu Lishu looked at Lin Qingyang, his eyes gradually losing focus, as if a layer of water had obscured his view, making it difficult for him to see Lin Qingyang’s face clearly.

While everyone else was left stunned, the level of shock was comparable to all the truths they had heard tonight.

They couldn’t believe that not a single one of them had noticed this deception.

Especially for Lu Yi and Lu Shi, who had been following Chu Lishu from the beginning. Their eyes, now filled with anger as they looked at Lin Qingyang, felt betrayed. How could someone do this? Their master’s only moment of affection, the countless efforts they had put in for him, the interference they had run for him, and the changes they had made to their original plans—all because of him. How many dangers had they faced? Their master had already decided to defy everyone and spend his life with him, yet now it was all supposedly a lie? A lie? They couldn’t accept it, not just for their master’s sake, but for their own sake as well.

Yue Chen and Huo Luo didn’t have many thoughts on the matter because they simply couldn’t believe it. They had witnessed so much, and everything seemed to be genuine. Was this really the effect of the medicine? Or was it a conspiracy by Yu Suoxi?

Qi Ci was more surprised that His Highness had been deceived by another man’s affection, and he wasn’t sure if the so-called medicine was actually effective. However, he could see more rationally that Lin Qingyang cared about Chu Lishu, and that was definitely not fake. So he immediately spoke up, “Your Highness, don’t be influenced. Who knows if it’s true or not?”

Yu Suoxi chuckled as he stood up. “Whether it’s true or not, only you know. After all, you prepared the medicine yourselves. I don’t know how effective it is. But, well, there’s one more thing. Although it’s just my little suspicion, I think it’s worth taking this opportunity to verify.”

Yu Suoxi recalled Lin Qingyang’s gaze when he looked at the Saintess and smiled, “Lin Qingyang, do you really have no interest in men?”

The question sounded odd, as everyone knew Lin Qingyang was naturally inclined towards men.

However, this time Lin Qingyang didn’t hesitate, as it was a question he could answer himself.

“I don’t.”

This simple answer left everyone present even more incredulous. But then they suddenly realized that although they had always heard about his inclinations, his actions, aside from initially being deceived by the young attendant, and his keen interest in Xu Wenze, were mostly focused on pleasing Chu Lishu. Compared to the rumors, his behavior seemed more like that of a regular man. None of them had interacted with the previous Lin Qingyang, but the current one indeed didn’t give off any vibes of having different inclinations.

“Ah, is this for real or just a facade? I can’t judge anymore. But if he’s always liked women from the start, then all those things about him liking you would be fake, Yuan Ran. As the Crown Prince, it’s common for people below you to disguise themselves to please you, nothing extraordinary, right?”

Yu Suoxi watched as Chu Lishu’s eyes grew redder, feeling excited. The revelations of the past hadn’t driven him to madness, but Lin Qingyang’s actions had. With a wry smile, he said, “See, there’s no such thing as true love after all. You changed yourself for nothing. Truly foolish. I told you earlier, you should have learned your lesson. You shouldn’t easily trust others like this.”

Chu Lishu suddenly struggled fiercely, looking like a trapped beast in distress.

However, this enraged Yu Suoxi. He didn’t like seeing Chu Lishu like this, feeling so useless. So he quickly exerted force to stop his struggling, his other hand gripping Chu Lishu’s chin, forcing him to look up and face Lin Qingyang’s expressionless gaze, as if making him watch how the blade would slowly torture his own soul.

“Yuan Ran, stop deceiving yourself. I still know you very well, after all, we almost became the same kind of person. Dare you say, after spending so much time together, you never once doubted whether he truly lacked the profound thoughts and exquisite acting skills of your Uncle to deceive someone who’s been with you day and night. Who are you? You’re Yuan Ran! Ordinary people can’t escape your scrutiny. Just look carefully, and you’ll see, he doesn’t like you as much as you think. Clearly able to see through people’s hearts, yet choosing to turn a blind eye, self-deception, covering up his shortcomings with lies, unwilling to face reality. Yuan Ran, it’s because… you can’t bear to let him go. You need that false love.”

“Trapped in the abyss of hatred, still harboring subconscious fantasies of redemption, making the same mistakes… it’s truly pathetic, Yuan Ran.”

Chu Lishu’s breath became shallow, his heart seemed to have been completely crushed, the pain leaving him numb. His eyes, once bright, now lost all their radiance as he tried to avoid Lin Qingyang’s gaze, turning as dark as the deepest abyss. His face gradually emptied of all emotion, as if someone had unearthed the self-defense mechanism buried deep within his heart, revealing the cruelest truth…

Yu Suoxi was right. He had indeed harbored doubts, but he simply… didn’t want to confront them, so he chose to stop thinking about it.

He had been making the same mistake all along.

Deception, lies, manipulation… Why did those he tried to trust always end up betraying him?

Falsehoods, everything beautiful was false, all warmth was false, all affection was false… He had given Lin Qingyang the opportunity to deceive him. He had let his guard down. He hated… he hated it so much… If it was all false, he shouldn’t have given him hope.

Indeed, light had never entered his world. And when he realized this, his world grew even darker.

“No… no…” Suddenly, Lin Qingyang made a sound.

Chu Lishu’s icy red eyes gradually focused on Lin Qingyang’s face.

“No!” Finally, as the effects of the drug subsided, Lin Qingyang emerged from that uncontrollable state. He remembered what he had said, and he was painfully aware of how each word had shattered the expression on Chu Lishu’s face. It was as if someone had grasped his hand, forcing him to wield a sword and stab Chu Lishu repeatedly.

One thrust, one hole.

He watched, and his heart shattered along with it.

Lin Qingyang almost shouted, “Chu Lishu, listen to me…”

But before Lin Qingyang could finish speaking, Chu Lishu lost control. A burst of inner energy erupted, pushing Yu Suoxi aside. The next moment, Chu Lishu suddenly rushed forward, grabbing Lin Qingyang’s throat.

The sudden change caught everyone off guard.

Chu Lishu’s eyes turned blood-red, emitting a fierce and ferocious glare, resembling that of a crazed beast.

“You, lied, to me!”

A word stabbed into Lin Qingyang’s heart.

Lin Qingyang wanted to speak, but his throat was gripped tightly, rendering him unable to make a sound. He could only grab onto Chu Lishu’s wrist, desperately shaking his head and struggling. Tears had already welled up in his eyes.

“Your Highness, don’t!”

“Your Highness, please calm down,” Yue Chen and Huo Luo shouted one after another.

Even Lu Yi and Lu Shi noticed that their master was having an episode. Despite their current anger towards Lin Qingyang, they couldn’t ignore the situation. “Master, please stop!”

Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu’s face, frozen with hatred, and felt an overwhelming sense of pity. The words “I’m sorry, I love you” couldn’t escape his lips, only tears dripping down his cheeks onto Chu Lishu’s hand.

Chu Lishu seemed to react as if he’d been burned and suddenly released Lin Qingyang.

Lin Qingyang fell to the ground, coughing in a sorry state, and looked towards Chu Lishu.

Yu Suoxi watched everything unfold, his brows furrowing in dissatisfaction. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Chu Lishu’s shoulder. “Don’t act yourself, let me handle this. Those who humiliate you shouldn’t be allowed to exist.”

With an ominous smile, he took a step towards Lin Qingyang.

Just as the alarm, which had remained silent until now, finally rang out, a booming voice shattered the air: “Get lost!” In the next moment, a figure flashed by, and the alarm abruptly ceased.

The two figures, one white and one black, instantly engaged in a fierce battle. With eyes ablaze in red like unleashed beasts, each move they made carried a frenzy of murderous intent. Their peak-level martial prowess and inhumane attacks left Yu Suoxi unable to defend himself, nearly completely suppressed as he retreated. With a sharp crack followed by a grunt, other guards immediately tensed up and rushed to protect him, the situation changing rapidly.

Huo Luo and Qi Ci seized the opportunity to protect Chu Lishu, while Lu Yi and Lu Shi struggled to stand up, nervously watching the opposition. They were still at a slight disadvantage, but it was better than being completely dominated just a moment ago.

At this moment, Yu Suoxi was supporting his recently broken arm, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth due to internal injuries. From his perspective, Chu Lishu was standing protectively in front of Lin Qingyang, his stance resembling that of a raging dragon, shielding his vulnerable spot with his massive body, keeping anyone from getting close.

Yu Suoxi raised an eyebrow and then waved his hand. Surprisingly, his guards all eased off their aggression and slowly backed away, indicating a desire to avoid conflict.

“Yuan Ran, I came here just to catch up. I didn’t intend to become your enemy. Your affairs should indeed be handled by you alone, and I overstepped my bounds. With our reunion concluded, I’ll take my leave. I won’t interfere with anything you do. I look forward to seeing your future actions,” Yu Suoxi said, casting a meaningful glance at Lin Qingyang before laughing and departing with his entourage, genuinely opting not to engage in hostility with them.

Lin Qingyang snapped out of his daze, afraid of missing the opportunity, and quickly reached out to grab Chu Lishu.

But as he reached out, Chu Lishu dodged aside, turning back to look at him coldly, his blood-red eyes especially striking.

Lin Qingyang had never received such a look from Chu Lishu before. It was colder and more resentful than his initial guardedness.

Lin Qingyang realized that the high wall of trust between them had truly collapsed.

Lin Qingyang forced himself to steady his emotions and quickly said, “Chu Lishu, I’m sorry. From now on, I’ll tell you the truth. Before, I lied to you to save my life, to be kind to you, and it was all with a purpose. But I don’t know when it started, my secret admiration for you became real. My actions were sincere, and I really, truly like you. Even though I didn’t like men in the past, I’ve fallen for you. The questions Yu Suoxi asked were too tricky. But if you ask me if I love you, my answer will always be yes. If you don’t believe me, I’m willing to take the truth-telling incense again and answer all your doubts.”

Initially, Lin Qingyang thought they didn’t need these cheesy confessions between them. After all, two men in love should understand each other’s hearts.

But he had also secretly fantasized about how he would confess if the time came.

But he never imagined it would be such a desolate and bitter scene. No matter how much he disregarded his dignity, no matter how sincere his expression, or how many heartfelt words he used, it seemed like none of it could penetrate this person’s eyes and heart.

He really didn’t believe anymore.

Lin Qingyang became even more anxious. Tears welled up again, making him feel like a cowardly loser. But right now, he’d rather be a coward because he was terrified. He felt like he was on the verge of losing Chu Lishu completely.

Chu Lishu’s temperament was well known to Lin Qingyang. After experiencing such brutal deception and betrayal, Chu Lishu’s psyche had become twisted, to the point where he couldn’t tolerate any deception at all. The only exception had been made for Lin Qingyang. Chu Lishu hadn’t delved deeply into many things concerning him, giving him freedom. But now, Chu Lishu discovered that it was all deception from start to finish, and that was simply unforgivable.

This was also the fear that Lin Qingyang had always kept hidden in his heart. However, he had thought that as long as they loved each other, there would eventually be an opportunity to confess everything from the past. At that time, Chu Lishu might be angry, but he wouldn’t misunderstand his current sincerity. But…

“Chu Lishu, aren’t you clever enough to feel it? Every moment we’ve spent together, enduring hardships side by side. Even if I was slow to realize my feelings for you, you should have sensed it too. I’m genuine—”

“Genuine? So what if it’s genuine? What difference does it make if it’s fake?” Suddenly, Chu Lishu’s hoarse voice interrupted Lin Qingyang’s intense emotions.

Lin Qingyang stared blankly at Chu Lishu.

Chu Lishu’s red eyes gradually faded, but his expression remained chilling. He looked down on Lin Qingyang with an air of superiority, his demeanor unfamiliar and intimidating to Lin Qingyang.

“Anyway, I don’t like you,” Chu Lishu seemed to address both the audience and himself.

Lin Qingyang widened his eyes in bewilderment, reaching out, trying to touch Chu Lishu.

“No, you still don’t believe me, do you? What I said was all true.”

“Wasn’t I clear enough? I do care about you, because you were the first person to be kind to me after I became Chu Lishu. But that doesn’t mean I like you. Maybe we’re just cousins,” Chu Lishu denied everything, holding onto the shattered remains of his dignity. “Did I ever say ‘I love you’ to you? Or did you assume that being intimate with you a few times means I love you?”

Chu Lishu’s expression carried a hint of mockery, making Lin Qingyang feel as if he had been slapped multiple times.

His lips trembled. “But that day when you kissed me, we… weren’t we…”

“I thought you liked me, so I kissed you. I saw you crying for me, so I felt grateful and comforted you, that’s all.”

Lin Qingyang’s pupils trembled, feeling powerless. Still, he struggled to argue, “I… I do like you.”

“Shut… up,” Chu Lishu didn’t shout, but his cold words had the effect of a fierce roar. Lin Qingyang froze, feeling as though he had been scolded harshly. However, Lin Qingyang couldn’t accept being misunderstood like this, couldn’t just resign himself to it.

He suddenly stood up, wanting to rush towards Chu Lishu, to embrace him.

But he suddenly saw a dagger pointing straight at him, blocking his way.

Lin Qingyang stopped.

Chu Lishu held the dagger, seeming to resist Lin Qingyang, yet also appearing like a helpless person struggling to protect himself.

“Don’t come near me. I’ve sworn to kill all those who deceived me, and you should be grateful that we still have some camaraderie. I remember that you saved me. Otherwise, I would have taken your life long ago. From now on, don’t ever appear in front of me again, and don’t say you love me. Otherwise, don’t blame me for not cherishing our past.”

With that, Chu Lishu swung his arm, and the dagger flew directly towards Lin Qingyang, almost grazing his hair as it flew towards the wall behind him, burying its entire blade into the wall.

Lin Qingyang was completely dumbfounded, his throat unable to produce a sound, as he watched Chu Lishu turn around to leave.

With reproachful glances, both Lu Yi and Lu Shi followed suit, while Qi Ci naturally caught up with them.

Yue Chen and Huo Luo exchanged a glance, showing some hesitation. Just then, Chu Lishu suddenly stopped in his tracks, not even looking back as he said, “Huo Luo, keep an eye on him. Don’t give him a chance to reveal my identity.”

Lin Qingyang listened in disbelief.

Huo Luo was momentarily stunned, his expression showing some reluctance, but he obeyed nonetheless. Yue Chen’s eyes flashed for a moment as he reached out to pat Huo Luo on the shoulder, whispering softly, “I’ll discuss Yu Suoxi’s matter with His Highness first. Protect Lin Qingyang.”

Huo Luo would naturally do as instructed, but Yue Chen mentioned protection? Wasn’t His Highness’s order to keep an eye on him?

Seeing that Huo Luo didn’t react, Yue Chen felt helpless too. He glanced back at the dazed Lin Qingyang before shaking his head and leaving.

However, as Yue Chen followed after them, he saw Qi Ci supporting Chu Lishu.

Chu Lishu had already collapsed, coughing up blood.

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