Chapter 3
When she became aware of herself again, she was standing somewhere unfamiliar.
A group of people surrounded her, talking to her.
At first, their voices were muffled and indistinct, as though someone had covered her ears.
Only after she adjusted could she make out what they were saying.
“An illegitimate brat, and he actually thinks he’s a proper young master.”
“Hand over Ye Xinyuran, and we’ll let you off.”
“Qiuqiu? What’s wrong? Yours is the last bucket. Hurry up and teach this little bastard a lesson.”
A somewhat shrill female voice urged her on right beside her ear.
Bai Nianqiu stared at the person before her in disbelief.
The handsome, aloof young man stood straight across from her. Water weighed down his long lashes. His face was beautiful, his features fine, and his lowered eyes were black as ink.
He had such gentle features, yet the chill in his eyes was enough to make one’s heart tremble.
Bai Nianqiu’s heart gave a shudder too. Surely no one could stay calm after seeing the same person at six and eighteen within the space of ten minutes.
“Qiuqiu, what’s wrong?”
The other girls noticed something was off. Their arrogant expressions instantly softened with concern as they turned to her.
What did some ungrateful asshole matter compared with their precious Qiuqiu?
Married an alcoholic and died from domestic abuse.
Framed for embezzlement and died in prison.
Had both legs cut off, was sent to a psychiatric hospital, and died by suicide.
Looking at the three girls before her, Bai Nianqiu silently counted off their ultimate fates.
Her strange behavior caught Yu Qi’s attention.
His pitch-black eyes settled on her. Under that assessing gaze, Bai Nianqiu felt like nothing more than prey beneath his feet.
Help. How was Yu Qi already this terrifying at eighteen?
Girls, are your colored contacts the wrong prescription? Can’t you see how dangerous this guy is?
Bai Nianqiu’s scalp prickled as she screamed inwardly.
She remembered this part of the plot. The heroine was being bullied, and once again she had sent Yu Qi to suffer in her place.
Bai Nianqiu glanced down at the bucket of slops she had been holding all this time, then at Yu Qi, filthy from head to toe yet still standing straight.
Quite an achievement for these pampered young ladies, who had never done a day’s work, to dream up such a degrading trick.
Gritting her teeth, she lifted the foul-smelling bucket and poured its entire contents over herself.
The three girls around her shrieked and jumped aside, staring at her in utter bewilderment.
Yu Qi was a little surprised too. Something unreadable flickered through his eyes, then quickly faded.
What was this woman up to now?
He remained where he was, coldly waiting to see what else she would do.
But a moment later, a rare look of astonishment appeared on his usually impassive face.
The girl before him, just as filthy as he was, stared at him without blinking, her eyes red. The hurt and grief in them made it seem as though he had bullied her terribly.
When clearly, he was the victim here.
“Is Ye Xinyuran really that wonderful?” Her voice shook a little, as though she could bear no more.
Ye Xinyuran was that heroine with the truly bizarre way of doing things.
Yu Qi said nothing. Didn’t Bai Nianqiu like Yu Lengye?
Wasn’t she taking her anger out on him precisely because she liked Yu Lengye and was jealous of Ye Xinyuran?
Then what was this tone supposed to mean?
It was as though… he was some faithless lover who kept protecting Ye Xinyuran and casting her aside.
Yu Qi startled himself with the thought. Remembering all the vile things Bai Nianqiu had done before, he grew suspicious again.
“I understand. I won’t trouble her again.”
Yu Qi’s eyes snapped up.
Bai Nianqiu clenched her hands tightly. She seemed to be trying hard to control herself, but her slender body still couldn’t stop trembling.
She bit her petal-colored lips until they went pale, as though unwilling to accept it yet powerless to do anything.
Finally, she gave Yu Qi a long, deep look, then turned away. There was a trace of finality in her retreating figure.
That one look held so much that his fingers trembled despite himself.
The three girls exploded with fury.
“Yu Qi, you bastard!”
“If you dare go looking for Ye Xinyuran, I swear I won’t let you off!”
The last girl stepped forward and shoved him hard, heedless of the filth covering him.
The onlookers shook their heads, condemning Yu Qi for not knowing how to cherish a girl. Some even cursed him for passing up the swan right before him to chase after a toad.
Yu Qi pushed back his soaked hair, exposing his smooth forehead.
For once, he was confused.
Had he really wronged Bai Nianqiu?