Zhou Zhiruo let out a quiet sigh. "Brother Wuji, I am now Mrs. Song. If your affections are genuine, then promise to marry me. I am willing to face the world's scorn if it means being with you. Once I become your wife, on our wedding night, you can...do as you please with others. They will be at your mercy." As she spoke, Zhou Zhiruo's face flushed with embarrassment.
Zhang Wuji's mind was in turmoil, and he stood up, recalling the times he held her hand in the past. "Zhiruo, I will marry you, without a doubt!"
Subconsciously, Zhou Zhiruo took a step back, clutching at her collar. "I said you could have me after we are married...not now. I am still Mrs. Song, and I hope Master Zhang will respect that."
"Yes, yes, I was hasty," Zhang Wuji hastily nodded.
"Brother Wuji, are you truly willing to marry me?" Zhou Zhiruo asked, her voice filled with shy anticipation.
"Of course! I want nothing more than to marry you," Zhang Wuji replied, approaching her with an affectionate gaze.
Zhou Zhiruo sighed softly. "Brother Wuji, you embarrass me..." In this tender moment, both of them instinctively avoided mentioning Zhao Min.
The two remained in a tranquil silence for a while until Zhou Zhiruo's gaze fell upon Song Qingshu lying on the adjacent bed. The realization that she was now Mrs. Song struck a pang in her heart, and she sighed faintly. "I'm sorry, Qingshu."
Zhang Wuji offered his comfort. "Zhiruo, we were meant to be together. You never loved him, so there's no need to apologize."
"But we can't continue sneaking around like this," Zhou Zhiruo retorted, her eyes narrowing as she observed Song Qingshu's cold expression. "Either I kill him, and you go back and kill Zhao Min so that no one can ever hinder our future rendezvous."
"How can we do that?" Zhang Wuji was taken aback. Though he cherished Zhou Zhiruo, abandoning Zhao Min was something he couldn't bring himself to do.
"Brother Wuji, people are deliberately testing you," Zhou Zhiruo slyly smiled. "I have already caused enough harm to my husband. If I kill him, I would be no different from those infamous women in history. If you truly agree with my proposal, I won't dare to have any further interaction with you. You may desire to be Ximen Qing, but I don't want to be Pan Jinlian."
Zhang Wuji was stunned, a wry smile appearing on his face. "My dear Zhiruo, you truly possess a kind heart..."
The following day, sunlight streamed into the room as Song Qingshu awoke to find it empty. The bed across from him was impeccably made, devoid of any trace. He let out a long sigh of relief, wondering if it had all been a mere dream.
But then, Song Qingshu's expression darkened. He noticed that the sheets on the opposite bed had been changed. Though the difference was subtle, Song Qingshu distinctly remembered it not being so yesterday. Why had the sheets been replaced? Song Qingshu looked up at the sky and muttered to the empty air, "If you can see from above, you should know it wasn't due to my lack of effort, but rather your wife and Zhang Wuji who were entangled in the sheets."
How did Song Qingshu know that the bedsheet had been damp with tea the previous night, and Zhou Zhiruo had intentionally replaced it with a clean one?
"Qingshu, are you awake?" Zhou Zhiruo entered the room with a pot of steaming water, a towel squeezed dry in her hands, which she offered to him.
Song Qingshu glanced at her with a tinge of disgust, convinced that she had done something unfaithful with Zhang Wuji the previous night. Now, out of guilt, she displayed an unprecedented tenderness and consideration.
"Why were the sheets changed?" Song Qingshu inquired quietly, already aware of the answer.
Zhou Zhiruo glanced nervously behind her before replying, "They were accidentally soiled, so I replaced them."
"Oh," Song Qingshu ceased his questioning, unwilling to press further.
As Zhou Zhiruo left to fetch water, whether due to psychological suggestion or not, Song Qingshu's gaze followed her as she walked. He couldn't help but notice the loss of youthful innocence on her face, replaced by the allure of a mature woman. A surge of irritation stirred within him for no apparent reason.
"Wretched fool, brother, I will avenge you." Now that it had come to pass, Song Qingshu knew he had to confront the situation. He was never one to shy away from challenges. However, considering that he couldn't even defeat a disciple of Zhou Zhiruo's school, let alone Zhang Wuji, renowned for his martial arts skills, and that Zhou Zhiruo's gentle appearance in the original tale concealed a strong and resolute heart, seeking revenge would only lead to his own demise.
As he pondered, a hearty laughter echoed through the room. "Brother Song, you seem to have regained your vigor. Your injuries appear to be healing well."
Song Qingshu looked up and found Zhang Wuji strolling in. The blood vessels at the corners of his eyes twitched involuntarily, and he responded coldly, "What brings you here?"
Everyone present was aware of the animosity between Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji, so his tone didn't come as a surprise. Zhang Wuji paid no mind to his attitude and instead wore a gracious smile. "I heard that Brother Song was concerned about his meridians, so I came to see if I could be of any assistance."
"Brother Wuji, it seems that some people don't appreciate your kindness." A sweet, melodious voice rang out at that moment. Song Qingshu, consumed by anger, hadn't noticed Zhang Wuji's companion until now. He saw a woman with eyes as clear as water, a face as radiant as jade, and a faint blush that gave her a fresh and enchanting appearance. Her beauty was so stunning that it made one feel both awestruck and unworthy to gaze upon her.
It was Zhao Min, undeterred by Song Qingshu's scornful words, who came forward to defuse the tension. Song Qingshu shot her a fierce look. While her noble birth bestowed upon her a sense of inherent grace, he felt exposed under her gaze, as if she could see through him to his very core. Unsettled by this, he shifted his gaze away. There was no need to engage in a futile battle at the moment. Zhang Wuji was indeed fortunate, surrounded by such alluring women. However, the thought that he already possessed a beautiful princess, yet still chose to provoke Zhou Zhiruo, only fueled his anger further.
Zhao Min caught his glance and it felt as if he stood naked before her. The discomfort was palpable. She moved to stand behind Zhang Wuji, harboring a negative impression of Song Qingshu in her heart.
The morning sun cast its golden rays upon the room, rousing Song Qingshu from his slumber. To his surprise, the space opposite him was bereft of any presence, as if it had been wiped clean of all traces. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, leaving him wondering if it had all been a mere figment of his imagination.
However, his momentary respite was soon shattered as Song Qingshu's gaze fell upon the immaculately changed sheets on the adjacent bed. The alteration was subtle, yet he distinctly recalled the tea stains that had adorned it the previous night. It hadn't been a mere accident; Song Qingshu knew that Zhou Zhiruo had purposely replaced the soiled sheets with pristine ones.
How had he discerned the deliberate act of replacing the sheets, damp with tea from the previous night, and the guilt that now seemed to emanate from Zhou Zhiruo's every gesture?
Zhou Zhiruo, entering the room with a steaming pot of water and a towel wrung dry, offered it to him with a tenderness that was uncharacteristic of her. Song Qingshu's gaze, tinged with a touch of disgust, bore into her as he contemplated the possibility of her infidelity with Zhang Wuji the previous night. Her current display of affectionate care seemed more like a desperate attempt to assuage her guilt.
"Why were the sheets changed?" Song Qingshu's voice carried a low, quiet tone, his knowledge of the answer already apparent.
Zhou Zhiruo's gaze flickered nervously behind her before she responded, "The sheets were accidentally stained, so I replaced them."
The words fell upon his ears, and Song Qingshu ceased his line of questioning, unwilling to press the matter further. He had already made up his mind—seeking revenge against Zhou Zhiruo and Zhang Wuji would only lead to his own demise. His previous encounters with Zhou Zhiruo's disciples had shattered any illusions of his own martial prowess. Moreover, he knew that Zhou Zhiruo, behind her gentle facade, possessed an iron will and determination.
As he contemplated his next move, a hearty laughter resonated through the room. "Brother Song, it seems your vigor has returned, and your injuries appear to be healing well."
Song Qingshu raised his gaze and found Zhang Wuji striding into the room. A flicker of irritation passed through his eyes, and he responded with a cold tone, "What brings you here?"
The tension in the room was palpable, as everyone present was aware of the deep-seated animosity between Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji. However, Zhang Wuji paid no mind to the icy reception and instead wore a gracious smile. "I heard that Brother Song was concerned about his meridians, so I came to see if I could be of any assistance."
"Brother Wuji, it seems that some individuals fail to appreciate your kindness," a sweet, melodious voice chimed in. Song Qingshu, consumed by anger, hadn't even noticed Zhang Wuji's companion until that moment. He found himself gazing upon a woman with eyes as clear as crystalline water, her visage radiant like polished jade. A faint blush graced her cheeks, lending her an enchanting and fresh allure. Her beauty was so awe-inspiring that it left one feeling both captivated and unworthy to meet her gaze.
Zhao Min, undeterred by Song Qingshu's scornful words, stepped forward to diffuse the mounting tension. His eyes narrowed with a mixture of disdain and discomfort, feeling exposed under her penetrating gaze. He shifted his gaze away, realizing that engaging in a futile battle at this moment would only lead to his downfall. Zhang Wuji was indeed fortunate, surrounded by such captivating women. And yet, the fact that he had already won the heart of a beautiful princess and still chose to provoke Zhou Zhiruo only fueled Song Qingshu's anger further.
Zhao Min caught his glance, and it felt as if she peered deep into his soul, leaving him feeling vulnerable and exposed. Swiftly, she positioned herself behind Zhang Wuji, harboring a deep-seated aversion toward Song Qingshu in her heart.