Chapter - 8
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This is… Xiao Jiuci's room?!
Qiao Han's heart began to pound wildly.
Who can tell me why the male lead just didn’t go back to his own room?
What should he do now? He couldn’t explain himself for randomly barging into someone else’s room.
What should he do now? He had just barged into someone else’s room without permission. No matter how he tried to explain it, he’d never clear things up.
Other than admitting he didn’t know and entered the wrong room, the only logical explanation left would be: I knew it was your room, and I purposely came in while you weren’t around to do something.
What could that 'something' be?
Stealing: Smack! He’d get thrown out.
Admiring the room’s interior: Are you out of your mind?
Throwing himself at him... Pfft! Stop that thought!
Qiao Han slowly turned around, his mind in full-on panic mode. But no matter how hard he tried to come up with a plan, getting caught red-handed like this had scrambled all his wits. By the time his gaze met Xiao Jiuci’s, not a single idea had come to mind.
What if... he pretended to have amnesia? No, no, that might work in other transmigration stories, but here, it’d probably get him investigated for body-snatching! Heaven help me!"
Xiao Jiuci stood at the door, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his demeanor composed and proper. There was no hint of intimidation in his presence; it was merely a simple question, and the curve of his lips even conveyed a gentle warmth.
He seemed like an older brother asking his mischievous junior why he had sneaked into his room. Was he planning to do something naughty?
Those phoenix eyes, looking at Qiao Han, sparkled like a sky full of stars, yet they held an unsettling vastness, causing Qiao Han to feel a shiver run down his spine.
Xiao Jiuci tilted his head slightly, his gaze still questioning.
Qiao Han snapped back to reality, his mind frantically buzzing with the system.
It seemed the system had been annoyed long enough and finally came online: “The villain's persona cannot collapse.”
Qiao Han: “I’m about to collapse! The male lead is starting to suspect me! Hurry, come up with a plan!”
System: “There’s nothing I can do. This situation was caused by the host's own carelessness. The system cannot interfere.”
Qiao Han: “What good are you, then?”
No matter how angry Qiao Han got, the system kept repeating that the villain's persona could not collapse. Suddenly, a bright idea struck Qiao Han—why not take this opportunity...
Xiao Jiuci’s smile was already fading, but his voice remained as soothing as a breeze rustling through the trees: “Qiao Gongzi.”
Qiao Han immediately replied, “I just remembered! There’s something very important and private I need to discuss with you in secret, so I came to find you!”
Xiao Jiuci maintained his composure, “Didn’t Qiao Gongzi see? I went to your room.”
Indeed, he saw, but he didn't realize it was his room, so he could feign ignorance!
I’ve regained the high ground in intelligence!
Qiao Han feigned nonchalance, “Oh? I didn’t notice; I was a bit flustered.”
Xiao Jiuci nodded thoughtfully. Is that so? Was it merely his illusion that he had been watching Qiao Han closely all this time?
“Didn’t you call out? Didn’t you knock? You just walked in?” Xiao Jiuci expressed his doubts.
Qiao Han, feeling a bit petulant, retorted, “That’s how I am at home; I’m just not used to it yet. I’ll change in the future.”
Seeing Xiao Jiuci nodding as if deep in thought, Qiao Han quickly realized, “Aren’t you the same? You just walked into my room!”
If it truly was his room, the male lead had every right to come and go freely! But now, he needed to press this point; otherwise, it wouldn’t hold up.
Xiao Jiuci clarified, “I was originally checking the protective barriers in the area, but when I passed by your room, I sensed something unusual. I was concerned there might be a problem, so to avoid alarming anything, I entered without permission. I apologize for my rudeness.”
“What was unusual?” Qiao Han asked, genuinely puzzled.
Xiao Jiuci gazed at Qiao Han, his expression becoming increasingly serious. “I sensed a trace of demonic energy passing through.”
This had nothing to do with him, so Qiao Han replied boldly, “Is the protective barrier really that useless?”
Xiao Jiuci's eyes flickered as he scrutinized the subtle expressions on Qiao Han's face, finally settling on those clear amber eyes. “It's difficult for barriers to provide absolute protection; they occasionally miss weak traces of demonic energy.”
Qiao Han adopted an expression of someone who had learned something valuable.
Xiao Jiuci averted his gaze, stepping into the room to prepare tea for Qiao Han.
In truth, there was no demonic energy present. When Qiao Han had entered the courtyard with him, his cautious demeanor contrasted starkly with the arrogance he had shown when he first arrived.
Not to mention, when he asked whether Qiao Han would be returning to his room, the latter’s nervous posture had been as if he was hiding something.
So, Xiao Jiuci had suddenly diverted into Qiao Han's room to observe his reaction. After all, if there truly were any issues, his room might leave behind some traces.
Yet, he found no evidence of any traces, but instead discovered that Qiao Han had entered his own room.
Even if Xiao Jiuci considered the worst-case scenario, it would only be that Qiao Han had been possessed, realizing that his suspicious behavior was intended to ambush him in his room. When he had just entered, Xiao Jiuci's hand had been ready at all times to summon the Ice Soul Sword.
But Qiao Han stood there, completely unguarded in his room.
Maybe he was really overthinking things.
Qiao Han probably couldn’t even begin to understand how he had narrowly escaped a disaster. Even if Xiao Jiuci suspected possession, he would only think that something had gone wrong during the time Qiao Han was absent. After all, anyone who had been possessed would have lived here for a while; how could they possibly not recognize their own room?
So now, Qiao Han was feeling quite pleased with himself, thinking he had successfully pulled one over on the male lead.
However, once he sat down to drink tea, Qiao Han began to feel a bit nervous. The excuse he had just come up with wasn’t entirely fabricated; he had genuinely thought of it long ago but hadn’t found the right moment to bring it up. Now, he was caught in a dilemma.
Before he could speak, the system seemed to know what he was about to say and started issuing warnings.
Xiao Jiuci was also waiting for Qiao Han’s explanation to finally clarify things. Just what kind of important and private matter could cause someone to be so flustered?
Xiao Jiuci poured some spirit tea and handed it to Qiao Han. “What does Qiao Gongzi wish to discuss?”
As Qiao Han furrowed his brows in irritation at the system's constant nagging, he noticed the hand that was serving the tea.
It was the male lead’s hand—long and fair, with a beauty mark on the second joint of the index finger, giving off an inexplicable air of propriety. But according to the original story, this beautiful finger had been broken and then sewn back together, leaving an ugly scar.
The pain from that severed finger had been endured to save a female cultivator. However, when she woke up and discovered that her savior was the male lead, who was wanted by the Immortal Alliance, she believed he had ulterior motives and even suspected it was a trap set by him. Without hesitation, she turned around and betrayed him.
Qiao Han blinked, feeling a slight pang in his chest. But he quickly raised his gaze and looked directly at Xiao Jiuci. "I want to join Qingyun Sect as an official disciple."
Xiao Jiuci was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Qiao Han to make such a request. It seemed completely unnecessary.
"Are you bothered by what Junior Sister Suwei said earlier?"
Qiao Han paused, recalling that Jiang Suwei had indeed mentioned in front of others that he wasn't truly part of Qingyun Sect.
Xiao Jiuci explained seriously, "We are dao companions. After the marriage ceremony, you’ll be officially listed in Qingyun Sect’s records, entitled to use the sect’s resources for cultivation. Even without the ceremony, there's not much difference. Didn’t Elder Mei already invite you to Pu Xian Peak? So, you don’t need to worry..."
Having the male lead mention "dao companions" and "marriage" to his face made Qiao Han’s toes curl with embarrassment. It was unbearable. He had been planning to establish a good relationship with the male lead before the critical plot developments, hoping to gain Xiao Jiuci’s absolute trust. But with this whole "dao companion" precondition, everything would remain awkward no matter how they interacted. This had to be resolved quickly.
"Because I want to dissolve the marriage contract."
Qiao Han dropped this bombshell out of nowhere, causing Xiao Jiuci’s eyes to widen in shock. "What?"
"Why are you so surprised? Do you really like men? Do you seriously want to marry and dual-cultivate with another man?" Qiao Han asked.
Xiao Jiuci was stunned, staring at Qiao Han, who was now looking at him with a "why don’t you get it" expression, clearly exasperated. "If you have to dual-cultivate, why not do it with someone you actually like? Don’t your preferences and feelings matter?"
If it were anyone else, they might covet the benefits of Luo Yanxuan's physique for their own cultivation. However, Qiao Han knew that Xiao Jiuci was different, so he aimed to help the male lead break his first shackles.
It was rare for anyone to speak to him this way. Though surprised by Qiao Han’s boldness, Xiao Jiuci couldn't help but find it amusing. "Wasn’t the marriage contract something you replaced?"
Xiao Jiuci's tone held no mockery or blame; he was merely stating a fact, which left Qiao Han momentarily speechless.
Well, the truth was that not only had the original host replaced someone else, but it was also shocking to think that the original host's sister, Qiao Wan, was the true female lead in a broader sense.
When the male lead was in dire straits, Qiao Wan had returned from Wangyue Island, learned about the situation, and encountered Xiao Jiuci. Not only did she assist and rescue him, but she also tacitly accepted her engagement to him, silently protecting him as his fiancée.
The male lead had avoided burdening her, maintaining a friendly distance, but even after his sacrifice, Qiao Wan remained a widow for him, embodying great righteousness. In the cultivation world, everyone praised her character.
In Qiao Han’s heart, this sister he had never met was the true female lead. If the marriage contract hadn't been switched, they would have been a perfect match, and perhaps with Qiao Wan around, the male lead’s path would have been much smoother. Therefore, Qiao Han was determined to make amends.
He also knew that it would be difficult to justify the marriage contract replacement, but he could always shift the blame.
Qiao Han blinked and instantly put on a look of grievance. "Actually, I was forced into this."
Xiao Jiuci: ?
"I simply don't like men!"
Xiao Jiuci: !
"It's all Luo Yanxuan's fault."
Xiao Jiuci: ...
"Let's not be Dao partners anymore; let's be brothers instead."
Xiao Jiuci: So it really is something important and private that can leave someone so flustered.
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noo stay dao companions foreveeer...also I thought he had to stay dao companions with him for a time?
ReplyDeleteI thought the system said they couldn’t break it off till the time was right….
ReplyDelete