I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 91

Chapter 91

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“Well, we’re quite fated, unexpectedly meeting again,” Yue Chen greeted with a smile, taking a seat directly opposite Lin Qingyang.

Huo Luo, however, lagged behind, looking around with suspicion.

Seeing food and wine on the table, Yue Chen didn’t hesitate to start eating.

Chu Lishu, with an unchanged expression, asked, “Are you two here to witness the ceremony? It doesn’t seem right to hide here instead of being outside.”

“They’ve handled this matter in a despicable way, but as old friends, not bringing a gift wouldn’t be appropriate either, so we’re just making a symbolic appearance,” Yue Chen explained as if he knew all the inside details about the marriages of the two families.

“Well, you guys can’t be here just to witness the ceremony… are you here to cause trouble?” Yue Chen chuckled.

When Yue Chen glanced at Lin Qingyang, Lin Qingyang smiled and said, “I would love to do that, but to avoid implicating my eldest sister, I’ll pass.”

Yue Chen burst into laughter, lowered his gaze to the wine cup in his hand, and casually asked, “So, you’re here to see the Fourth Prince?”

Lin Qingyang’s expression changed slightly. According to Xu Wenzhe, the Fourth Prince’s visit this time was supposed to be a private one, not publicly announced. Did Xu Wenzhe inform Yue Chen?

It was deliberate that Yue Chen sat directly opposite Lin Qingyang. Faced with such a person, every subtle change on Lin Qingyang’s face conveyed significant information to Yue Chen.

“Why I know the Fourth Prince is coming? Certainly not from Xu Wenzhe; he’s not that loose-lipped,” Yue Chen proudly declared.

“The marriage of a concubine girl, even a second marriage, wouldn’t be significant enough for a royal member to pay a visit. It just so happens that during this period, the Fourth Prince got permission from the emperor to leave the palace for leisure, and coincidentally, there’s a wedding at Duke Wei Guo’s residence, so he’s here to join in the fun. Soon, Xu Wenzhe will enter the palace as a study companion, and the people behind the Fourth Prince would naturally want him to come, showing closeness and importance to Xu Wenzhe. Since you appeared here with Xu Wenzhe and are not here to witness the ceremony, it seems… you’re planning to choose the Fourth Prince?” Yue Chen analyzed with a sly smile.

Lin Qingyang, after hearing this analysis, was impressed and wanted to give Yue Chen a thumbs up. Damn, he’s too smart. Fortunately, such a person isn’t a match for Chu Lishu; otherwise, Chu Lishu’s path of revenge would be even more difficult.

Lin Qingyang didn’t dare to speak much, only waiting for Chu Lishu to respond.

However, Chu Lishu chose to remain silent. He calmly continued to pick and offer dishes to Lin Qingyang, encouraging him to eat.

Yue Chen, undisturbed, continued, “Comparing the first three options, indeed, the fourth would be a wise choice. Besides, the first three are currently suffering heavy blows. Who knows, the fourth might be the one with the most advantages now. What do you think?”

Yue Chen directed the question to Chu Lishu, but Chu Lishu still showed no reaction.

Lin Qingyang looked at Yue Chen, sympathizing with the awkward situation he seemed to have brought upon himself. Yue Chen was someone who liked to show off his intelligence. If the other party reacted, he would feel even more pleased. What he disliked the most was when there was no response at all, making him feel uneasy.

Sure enough, Yue Chen’s smile couldn’t be sustained any longer. “Big brother, why don’t you share your thoughts? It’s lonely when I’m the only one talking.”

Chu Lishu then spoke, “You’ve analyzed everything. What else is there for me to say? Are you not confident in your own judgment?”

This direct response left Yue Chen at a loss for words. Watching a fox display a somewhat choked expression, Huo Luo and Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Yue Chen glared at them, and his mouth twitched. “So, what about you? Are you trying to please the Fourth Prince, hoping he’ll appreciate you? I must remind you that although the Fourth Prince is young, he has a temper. It’s not so easy to win his favor during this willful and capricious stage of his life.”

“It’s just a meeting. If there’s a chance, he’ll naturally appreciate it. If not, so be it,” Chu Lishu said calmly.

Yue Chen looked at Chu Lishu and couldn’t shake the feeling that he had everything under control, raising suspicions in his mind.

Just as he was about to ask more questions, Huo Luo, who had been eating and drinking quietly, suddenly seemed to sense something and stood up.

This abrupt move startled the three.

“What are you doing?” Yue Chen asked.

Huo Luo frowned. “Someone is here. I’ll go check.” With that, he turned and walked away.

Yue Chen was accustomed to such behavior, but Lin Qingyang was unsettled. He looked at Chu Lishu, and indeed, there was a subtle change in his expression.

If an ordinary person were passing by, it wouldn’t trigger such a reaction from Huo Luo. It had to be a skilled individual, and not just any skilled person but someone extraordinary, someone who moved stealthily and mysteriously. Could it be Lu Yi and Lu Shi?

Today, Lu Yi and Lu Shi were supposed to assist Chu Lishu with something. If discovered by Huo Luo, considering the current situation where the two sides hadn’t recognized each other, there was a high risk of Huo Luo unintentionally disrupting Chu Lishu’s plan.

Damn it, this mission couldn’t afford to fail. Who knows how many points would be deducted for a failure?

Wait a minute. Something’s not right. If the original characters were involved in this part of the plot, could Huo Luo’s martial skills overcome the assassination attempt by Lu Yi and Lu Shi?

Could it be that in the original plot, these two characters were not present?

Wait a minute! In the original plot, Yue Chen and Huo Luo met Chu Lishu in the palace. Because he disrupted the plot, they met earlier than expected, leading to this change.

Given Yue Chen’s intelligence, he probably guessed that Chu Lishu would be here based on various circumstances, so he deliberately brought Huo Luo here?

So, it’s his fault again?

Lin Qingyang’s analysis left him in a dilemma. Has the mission become more challenging with Yue Chen and Huo Luo becoming variables?

Seeing that Huo Luo was about to leave, and Chu Lishu was currently unable to stop him, Lin Qingyang hurriedly stood up.

Chu Lishu and Yue Chen both looked at him.

Lin Qingyang blushed but couldn’t think of a reasonable excuse to go out. Suddenly, a bright idea flashed in his mind. He covered his stomach and said, “I… I don’t feel well in my stomach. I need to find a restroom. Carry on without me!”

Without waiting for their response, he briskly walked out.

“I heard he was injured. How come he’s still so energetic? Has the injury already healed?” Yue Chen said with a smile.

Chu Lishu, thinking about the way Lin Qingyang held his stomach, suddenly felt uneasy. He stood up and said, “It’s not fully healed yet. I’ll go check on him.”

But the next moment, Yue Chen held him back. “Seeing him like that seems fine. It’s just the two of us now, and I have a lot to talk to you about. For instance, the last time you went to the imperial tomb, I heard you even redrew a portrait for the late Crown Prince. I deliberately went to take a look. The drawing was meticulous. I wonder what your opinions are on the late Crown Prince?”

Chu Lishu’s expression changed slightly. “Young Master Yue is quite bold to openly discuss this with me, huh?” Chu Lishu knew that Yue Chen wouldn’t let him leave for the time being. Since the restroom wasn’t far, and Lin Qingyang should be back soon, he sat down, thinking about how to get Yue Chen and Huo Luo to leave; otherwise…

On the other side, Lin Qingyang, who had chased after Huo Luo, was lucky to catch sight of him just before he disappeared. He immediately rushed over, disregarding the advice against strenuous activity.

As the chase approached its end, Lin Qingyang quickly shouted, “Brother Huo!”

Huo Luo’s swift pace stiffened, and he turned to look at Lin Qingyang in surprise.

“Sorry… I have a stomachache. Do you know where the restroom is?” Lin Qingyang caught up to Huo Luo, holding his stomach. This time, he was genuinely in pain, and his face had turned pale.

Huo Luo, seeing his genuine discomfort, pointed in the direction and said in a low voice, “It’s on the other side.”

“Could you please help me there, Brother Huo? I’d appreciate it,” Lin Qingyang thickened his skin and used an affectionate term, hoping that Huo Luo wouldn’t feel comfortable refusing.

Huo Luo was straightforward and easygoing. Being called “Brother” instinctively prompted him to lend a helping hand. “Sure, let’s go.”

Lin Qingyang quickly apologized, “I’m sorry if I delayed your business. It’s my first time here, and I don’t know the way. By the way, were you chasing someone just now? Is there a bad person in Duke Wei Guo’s residence?”

“Not really. I didn’t catch up in the end. I was just looking around.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyang finally felt relieved. He guessed that in terms of skills such as lightness technique and stealth, Lu Yi and Lu Shi were probably superior, but the upcoming task might pose a challenge.

After using the restroom, Lin Qingyang didn’t let Huo Luo leave. He shamelessly pleaded with Huo Luo to wait for him outside.

Huo Luo nodded in agreement, leaning against a nearby tree, waiting idly. He was fine, but Lin Qingyang was in a difficult situation. To keep Huo Luo occupied, Lin Qingyang had to pretend to have stomach issues, carefully timing it and spending time in the restroom.

Even though it was the restroom of Duke Wei Guo’s residence, it still had its distinctive odor. Lin Qingyang endured it with tears in his eyes for about fifteen minutes. As a tool sacrificed to prevent trouble for the male lead, he truly sacrificed a lot.

After coming out, Lin Qingyang felt a bit embarrassed. Seeing that Huo Luo still maintained a stern expression without any signs of impatience, Lin Qingyang felt even more uneasy.

“Are you alright? I heard from Yue Chen that you had an abdominal injury. Do you need me to find a physician for you?”

“No… I just had some cold wine and got a bit of diarrhea,” Lin Qingyang said awkwardly. “I didn’t expect you guys to know about my injury. I thought it wasn’t widely known.”

Huo Luo reached out again, supporting Lin Qingyang. “I didn’t know. Yue Chen is more concerned about you, and he told me.”

That Yue Chen is really a sly fox. It’s not comfortable being targeted by such a fox.

Afterward, Huo Luo planned to escort Lin Qingyang back. It seemed like he intended to continue patrolling Duke Wei Guo’s residence after dropping Lin Qingyang off. Lin Qingyang was sweating bullets, figuring out what to do.

As the two were walking towards Xu Wenzhe’s courtyard, they suddenly heard voices from the other side of the garden wall as they passed by.

It was a woman’s voice.

The two initially intended to avoid eavesdropping to prevent any mishaps. However, they overheard a woman whispering, “Today, I must succeed! Otherwise, there will be no chance again!”

Another woman reassured, “Rest assured, our young lady has said everything is prepared for you. Once you go, it will be done.”

The two halted their steps. This conversation didn’t sound like a good omen. Moreover, Lin Qingyang felt the voice was somewhat familiar, but it was too low for him to identify who it was.

They exchanged glances, preparing to secretly observe who was conspiring and against whom.

However, it was definitely too late to go around. Without hesitation, Huo Luo directly leaped, clinging to the wall and peering over. He saw the backs of two women, but Huo Luo didn’t recognize them. When he wanted to bring Lin Qingyang up, the women were already gone.

The two exchanged glances. After all, they were men, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to chase after women. Moreover, if there was a misunderstanding in their conversation, it could lead to trouble.

“What should we do?” Huo Luo raised an eyebrow.

Lin Qingyang’s eyes lit up, suddenly feeling that this was a great opportunity. “Let’s go find Xu Wenze. This is their family’s matter. Inform him just in case something really happens, and he can handle it.”

Huo Luo thought Lin Qingyang made sense. “I’ll go find him alone; you go back.”

Lin Qingyang shook his head. “Let’s go together. I’m fine now.” He stood up straight, indicating that he didn’t need assistance. He couldn’t let Huo Luo act alone. What if he discovered something along the way? He had to stay close to Huo Luo and interfere at any time.

Huo Luo didn’t think much about it and went with Lin Qingyang toward the front courtyard.

Listening to the commotion outside, with gongs and drums playing, it indicated that the welcoming procession had arrived. They were probably making a lively entrance.

The two went around to the front courtyard, about to enter the main hall, just as the welcoming procession broke in. Soon, Lin Qingyang saw the face of Ying Wenlong, and he quickly covered his face with his sleeve.

Looking at him, Huo Luo chuckled, and Lin Qingyang awkwardly said, “I forgot I can’t show myself. I’ll wait here for you. You go inside and find him.”

Huo Luo nodded and turned to enter the main hall. Logically, at this point, Xu Wenzhe should be waiting in the main hall for the arrival of the wedding party.

Lin Qingyang sneakily glanced around and didn’t spot Xu Wenzhe within sight. Standing near the gate among the onlookers, Lin Qingyang saw the crowd approaching and thought about stepping back to avoid the commotion.

However, more people suddenly surged around, probably wanting to squeeze into the main hall to witness the spectacle, so they were pushing each other.

As a result, the entrance to the main hall turned into a crowded scene.

Lin Qingyang covered his face with one hand and tried to push through the lively crowd to retreat. However, in the chaos, he ended up unlucky and got pushed further inside.

Lin Qingyang had no choice but to shrink into a corner, waiting for an opportunity to leave. He dared not lower the sleeve covering his face; if he were discovered, given his identity, the consequences could be dire. Fortunately, most people here were focused on the newlyweds, and few paid attention to him.

At this moment, the bride, Xu Rui’er, was summoned to accompany Ying Wenlong in serving tea to the elders.

Watching Ying Wenlong’s triumphant smile, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he had offended Duke Wei Guo’s residence, he probably thought that marrying the daughter of the Wei family would ease any dissatisfaction. However, in reality, the Wei family had decided to abandon their daughter.

The head of Duke Wei Guo’s residence, taking the tea, took a sip and offered a few soulless words of advice, probably about maintaining harmony in their marriage and wishing for early offspring.

Lin Qingyang was too lazy to watch. He discreetly searched for the figures of Huo Luo and Xu Wenzhe. Strangely, at this critical moment of marrying off a daughter, as the eldest legitimate son, Xu Wenzhe was not present. Not only was he absent, but Huo Luo was also missing.

This frustrated Lin Qingyang. Regardless of why Xu Wenzhe wasn’t there, he was afraid of losing Huo Luo.

As he anxiously tried to leave, a mishap occurred. Lin Qingyang, in his haste, stumbled over a foot that was carelessly extended from below. Instantly losing balance, he desperately twisted his body, knocking down the surrounding people in an attempt to avoid falling. This triggered a chain reaction in the crowded space.

Dear, have you ever heard of something called a domino effect?

As people fell one after another, it created a chain reaction, turning the surroundings into a chaotic scene. What’s worse, some of those who fell collided with the people sitting in chairs.

A middle-aged man in his fifties fell forward, and in front of him was none other than Ying Wenlong.

Not wanting to faceplant, the middle-aged man instinctively reached out, attempting to grab something to break his fall. Unfortunately, he ended up grabbing Ying Wenlong’s clothes. Unluckily for Ying Wenlong, the recent financial strain on the Ying family meant they had to cut costs on the groom’s outfit. They had spared no expense for the bride’s beautiful attire, but when it came to Ying Wenlong’s wedding attire, they had to economize, considering it was a second marriage. As a result, the fabric wasn’t of the highest quality.

All of this was secretly arranged by Old Madam Ying, who thought it was best to be frugal where possible. After all, men wouldn’t pay much attention to such details, so Ying Wenlong remained oblivious to the subpar quality of his wedding attire.

The man pulled quite forcefully, even though there was still the dress’s hem covering the pants. As a result, a collision occurred.

Ying Wenlong, unable to react in time, lost his balance and fell towards Xu Rui’er beside him. There was a sharp tearing sound.

In an instant, a glaring white area abruptly appeared in the midst of the red wedding gown.

The scene fell silent.

As Lin Qingyang observed the aftermath he unintentionally created, he was so astonished that he forgot to use his sleeve to cover his face. After a moment of mental disarray, Lin Qingyang’s mind was suddenly filled with a significant question.

“So… small.”

Muttering that single word instantly caused a commotion in the crowd.

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