In that instant, all the hairs on Qi Jin’s body stood on end.
She knew that if she were dragged out of this room, there would be only one outcome—death.
But she didn’t want to die.
Back then, when Qi Zhen had ordered Madam Wang to kill her, she hadn’t wanted to die.
And now, she wanted to live even more.
After witnessing how Qi Yuan lived, she refused to die.
Why should she?!
She had received a better education than Qi Yuan and had once possessed far more than Qi Yuan.
If Qi Yuan could live so well, then so could she!
She simply hadn’t been ruthless enough. As long as she was ruthless, shameless, and willing to risk everything, she could live even better!
A surge of unwillingness and overwhelming terror ignited her strongest will to survive.
She stared fixedly at Qi Wang, her eyes wide: “Your Highness, the Qi family! No one knows the Qi family better than I do! I may not be strong enough now, but I can borrow someone else’s knife—I have the best knife to use in the Qi family!”
Interesting.
Qi Wang half-smiled and raised his hand to stop his secret guards, leaning forward slightly as he spoke meaningfully: “Oh? Is that so?”
Like someone drowning who had finally grabbed a piece of driftwood, Qi Jin burst into tears and snot, frantically nodding as she sobbed and wiped her face. “Yes, yes! Your Highness, my brother…”
She didn’t even bother to correct herself: “My brother, he always listens to me! Back when I was driven out, my brother clashed with Qi Yuan more than once. He doesn’t like Qi Yuan—he only likes me!”
Qi Wang’s expression grew a little complicated.
He let out a cold laugh: “Then his eyes must be pretty useless.”
…
Qi Jin stared at him, confused.
What did that mean?
What did Qi Wang mean, saying Qi Yunting’s eyes weren’t any good?
But Qi Wang clearly had no intention of explaining. He just nodded, signaling her to continue.
So Qi Jin choked back her sobs and explained how Qi Yunting had repeatedly fallen out with Qi Yuan for her sake.
Qi Wang’s expression became even more complicated.
Qi Yunting had hit Qi Yuan, choked her by the neck, even framed her using servants to falsely accuse her of practicing witchcraft and curses.
And yet, Qi Yunting had actually survived?
This…
This was getting interesting.
He knew better than anyone that Qi Yuan always said whoever wanted her dead, she would make sure they died.
But the truth clearly wasn’t that simple.
Qi Yunting’s survival already proved that Qi Yuan had spared him.
Many things in life come down to just that tiny difference—and the key often lies in that sliver of difference.
Thinking this over, Qi Wang suddenly laughed.
Good. Very good.
He really wanted to see Qi Yuan’s face when she got stabbed by the very person she had once spared.
That would be quite the sight.
He waved his hand, signaling the secret guards to stand down.
Then he bent down and gripped Qi Jin’s chin tightly. “I don’t have much patience. I gave you one chance, and you failed. Now I’m giving you a second chance—but don’t even think about getting a third. Understand?”
Tears still in her eyes, Qi Jin frantically nodded, not daring to harbor the slightest false hope.
She knew—when Qi Wang said he wanted her dead, he meant it.
It took a long while for her tears to stop before Qi Jin cautiously got up.
She was given a small residence and a few silver notes.
These were arranged for her by Eunuch Xu, under Qi Wang’s orders.
Sitting in the spacious courtyard, Qi Jin felt as if she were in another life.
For the past few months, every day had been filled with silent terror.
Every day when she opened her eyes, she had to train, had to fight others for the chance to stay alive.
So many times, she had almost forgotten that she was still human.
The last time she sat in a place like this drinking tea—it felt like it was from a past life.
She slowly closed her eyes and murmured softly: “The New Year’s coming soon.”
The little maid beside her smiled and poured her a cup of tea. “Yes, Miss. The New Year’s almost here—every household is hanging lanterns and cleaning up. Just look at the streets these days—every window is decorated with hanging cured meats and sausages.”
Qi Jin caressed the teacup in silence for a long time before softly responding, “Mhm.”
She no longer had family to spend the New Year with.
But that didn’t matter.
Very soon, Qi Yuan wouldn’t either.
The Qi family would have no one left.
She would make those who abandoned her kneel—kneel in front of her and beg for her forgiveness.
After finishing her last sip of tea, she casually said, “Put everything in place. Follow my instructions. Leak the news early.”
The little maid quickly responded, “Yes.”
At this time, the entire Qi household was also busy hanging lanterns.
Old Marquis Qi personally stood in the courtyard of Mingyue Pavilion, watching the servants climb up and down to hang the decorations. He nodded in satisfaction and turned to Qi Yuan with a smile. “I…”
Before he could finish his sentence, something suddenly latched onto his pant leg.
He instinctively frowned and tried to shake it off when he heard a shout: “Marquis! Don’t—don’t!”
That voice…
He furrowed his brow and saw Liujin rush over like the wind, grinning widely as he arrived at his side.
Honestly…
Old Marquis Qi frowned inwardly.
Was Liujin treating their Qi household like the Crown Prince’s residence now?
How could he come and go so casually, as if this wasn’t someone else’s home?
Liujin, unaware of the Old Marquis’s internal complaints, bumped him aside and scooped up the little culprit who had just bitten the Old Marquis’s pant leg. He called out loudly to Qi Yuan: “Miss Qi! Look what I’ve got here?!”
Qi Yuan’s gaze fell on what he was holding, and she met a pair of round, rolling eyes.
A small yellow puppy was currently nestled in Liujin’s arms, sticking out its tongue at Qi Yuan, its round eyes darting about nonstop.
Baizhi let out a surprised sound, “A puppy!”
Liujin grinned, “Young Lady Qi, the New Year is coming. His Highness said he wanted to send you a gift—to keep you company!”
Qi Yuan instinctively wanted to refuse.
She didn’t want to raise such a thing.
After all, she was a ruthless person, not like Feng Caiwei, who mourned the passing of the seasons and loved all things and all people like a goddess.
But the little puppy suddenly stretched out its tongue and licked her finger.
The words of refusal caught in her throat and wouldn’t come out.
She suddenly remembered that year at the villa, when she was climbing the mountain and had also once picked up a little dog.
That little dog had accompanied her through many long years.
When she went up the mountain, she wasn’t truly fearless. Passing by those desolate graveyards, she had cried, had shed tears, had had nightmares. When there was no food to eat, she would shrink into a corner, feeling miserable.
It was Little Yellow who had stayed with her.
But later, it appeared on Butcher Xu’s table as a dish to go with his wine.
Ever since then, she had never again thought of raising anything.
The words of refusal circled in her mouth over and over, but in the end, she softly said, “Thank His Highness for me.”
This was the first gift she had ever received.
Maybe Little Yellow had come back to be with her.
The old Marquis Qi froze.
Had he seen it wrong?
Just now, there had actually been a glimmer of tears in Qi Yuan’s eyes.
But—it was just a dog.
