"He's stupid! Why is he going near that woman?"
"Doesn't he know she's cursed?!"
Listening to what the others were whispering Jian Shen who sat beside the expressionless woman asked, "What are they talking about?"
Showing slight surprise, the woman who understood that Jian Shen genuinely didn't know about the curse shot him a weird look before closing her eyes once again.
"Is it beauty that you are cursed with?"
While these words made a happy smile tug on the corner of the woman's lips, she quickly went back to looking expressionless and even put a lit distance between her and Jian Shen.
Seeing this, however, Jian Shen didn't leave the woman alone because he only felt more curious about her.
"Who are you?"
"What is this curse they are talking about?"
"Care telling me why you are here?"
Answering reluctantly since Jian Shen didn't look like he had any intention of giving up, the woman only hoped that he didn't have too many questions.
"I'm Lai Meirong."
"I'm here for the same reason as you, exploring the ruins."
Though she did ignore the second question, Jian Shen continued asking her more questions until he was finally sure about something.
"You were sent by the Empress to keep me safe."
Opening her eyes wide, the woman looked towards Jian Shen in surprise because she was unable to understand how he managed to figure this out.
"How... "
"How did I figure it out? It's because you're the only one here other than me who looks like she isn't going to explore the ruins."
Looking at the rest of them inside the same carriage with her, the woman saw how everyone was covered in so many life-saving treasures.
Still, this shouldn't have been enough for him to find out about her, and it truly wasn't.
"Also, I just made a blind guess. You were the one who gave it away."
Chuckling a little for the first time in God knows how long, Meirong unconsciously moved closer to Jian Shen because she was getting comfortable with him when she suddenly stopped and moved even further away from him.
"You should stay away from me. Being near me will only bring you misfortune."
"Huh?"
Seeing how serious Meirong looked, Jian Shen didn't choose to go near her and make her uncomfortable. So, he spent the rest of the journey to their destination by just sitting in the same place while looking at Meirong.
...
Walking down the carriage after the beasts that were pulling it landed, Jian Shen was forced to stop looking at Meirong because the person responsible for guarding the ruins along with the other soldiers came near him and began explaining everything he needed to know.
This special treatment made not just the nine tournament winners but even Meirong who was given the responsibility to guard Jian Shen feel surprised and curious about his identity.
Nodding his head non-stop, Jian Shen in the end only asked one question, "Do you know what this curse Lai Meirong has is?"
The man who explained everything was truly shocked by this question and only after making sure that no one heard them he slowly whispered as if afraid of something bad happening if he spoke loudly.
"You should stay away from her Young Master Jian Shen. That woman is bad news. The word outside is that everyone she is close with will suffer some sort of bad luck for sure. In fact, many of them who ignored this warning due to doubting the curse have ended up dying as well."
A curse again.
Muttering those words on the inside, Jian Shen who learnt that the eleven of them would enter the ruins tomorrow left to stay in the tent which was assigned to him.
'Is this curse something real?'
"Curses are real husband. But it isn't possible for me to know what they are talking about without seeing the curse mark."
Before Jian Shen even needed to ask the question, Qingyu began explaining what it was that he didn't understand.
"A curse mark is what serves as proof that someone has been cursed and it is also what makes sure that the curse takes effect on the cursed."
"Usually a curse mark is very small and not too noticeable. But the larger a curse mark is, the more dangerous the curse is."
Learning about the curses, Jian Shen once again felt his interest in the mysterious Meirong increasing.
After all, she was one of those beauties who made someone like Jian Shen want to protect her.
Silky black hair tied into a bun, eyes which were a mix of black and grey, pale pink lips, luscious white skin, and a voluptuous body.
Most importantly however it was that aura of pitiful loneliness she had around her which Jian Shen just couldn't forget about.
Even though she was dressed in cheerful bright red clothes, that aura couldn't be masked or hidden at all.
Therefore, Jian Shen left his tent and walked towards the one Meirong was inside of.
Unfortunately, before he could even decide on how he could knock on the tent and ask her if he could enter, Meirong's voice came from the inside.
"Leave."
"That was rude."
"I don't care, I'm doing this for your own good. You should stop trying to get close to me if you value your life."
"Is that a threat?"
"Consider it a threat or warning, just stay away from me."