Regardless, the face of the female protagonist, who was fated to be with the Fortuitous One, was basically flawless. She was blessed with impeccable features. Her eyes glistened like the rivers as her brows arced like the moon; her hair was silky and her snowy cheeks were glowing with radiance. With the white garment she was donning, she appeared extraordinarily elegant. Her energy was so serene it couldn't be described with mere words. It was as if her sole existence was an accident bequeathed upon mankind by the heavens.
Yet, she seemed rather unsettled today. After all, she had been requesting to see Gu Changge, only for the request to be approved after three days, and which resulted in her bafflement toward Gu Changge's true thoughts. Prior to that, every man she had come into contact with always looked at her with worshiping eyes just like Ye Chen. It was as if they didn't dare to lay their fingers on a Goddess. Gu Changge, on the other hand, couldn't care less about her status, and that was her first time seeing a man so apathetic toward her. Therefore, Su Qingge couldn't help but feel uneasy, scared of the obstacle that might come her way. Nevertheless, this time, she could not afford to be indecisive. For the past three days, she had been discussing her next steps to rectify the current situation with her other soul.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Saintess Qingge?" Gu Changge, sitting at the highest spot of the palace with his legs crossed, opened his eyes and faintly asked. His deep eyes were as cold as ever, as if he was overseeing every spirit in the world. Naturally, he knew Su Qingge's intention, but he didn't expose her yet. At such a moment, in order to subdue her, he shouldn't be amiable with her.
At the end of the day, the Fortuity within Su Qingge was closely related to her identity as the female protagonist. What would happen if the female protagonist willingly submitted herself to the antagonist? Gu Changge, too, was curious about that. Besides, unlike Ye Chen, he had leverage against Su Qingge, so it was certainly easier to make her give in.
At that moment, Su Qingge looked at him and expressed, "Prince Gu, I've come to apologize for the matter that happened three days ago." In fact, she had been wishing to do that, only for Gu Changge to deny the opportunity.
"Oh, and what fault do you hold?" Remaining a straight face, Gu Changge, countered.
"Ye Chen's mistakes started with me, but I've never mentioned it once to you. Thus, my apologies." Impressive was Su Qingge for her tactfulness given how she voiced her clarification openly without hiding anything. Since countless particulars failed to stay unrevealed before Gu Changge's eyes, she might as well fess up. While she was at it, she even laid out everything she went through with Ye Chen, including Ye Chen's adoration for her. Therefore, in front of such an omniscient being that was Gu Changge, all she could do was to disclose everything to prove her sincerity.
[Interesting, this woman.] With that, Gu Changge subconsciously revealed an enthralled look as he was somewhat dazed by her honesty. [Perhaps even Ye Chen didn't see this coming—Su Qingge divulging everything between them to me. Such a wise woman truly deserves the title of the female protagonist. Her personality clearly bespeaks her distinctiveness from other women as she knows how to adapt during turbulent times.]
Right now, as her Sect was in trouble, she knew precisely the dos and don'ts. To the Sect, Gu Changge was the firmest backbone. If she were to pick one to offend between Ye Chen and Gu Changge, the latter was indubitably not her choice. And that was what many referred to as adapt and overcome.
In that instant, Gu Changge couldn't help but admire the damsel, solely for her gut, of course, and not drooling over her.
<*Ding!* A shift in Su Qingge's personality. Ye Chen loses 40 Fortuity. User is rewarded with 200 Fatums.>
All of a sudden, the system alerted, which left Gu Changge stunned. [Fascinating. It seems changing anyone related to the Fortuitous One also costs him his Fortuity while I gain Fatums. Now, now, things have just gotten much simpler.]
"What are your intentions telling me all this? You don't think I am interested in you, and thus will release Ye Chen, are you?" Nonetheless, Gu Changge's tongue was as vile as ever, carrying a trace of satire within his icy tone.
Despite having anticipated that, Su Qingge was shocked as her face blanched before she hastily explained, "I wouldn't dare to. I am aware of where I stand and I am nowhere close to your liking. My reason is simple—to convey my earnesty and for you to forgive what happened that day. Essentially, I am in no place to amend what Ye Chen had done. Prince Gu, you may have overthought it."
"Oh. But Ye Chen is so infatuated with you. He would even risk everything and challenge the entire Supreme Stygian Holy Land for your sake. Don't you feel the slightest remorse for him doing this?" There was a hint of provocation in his Gu Changge's eyes when he spoke.
Su Qingge was visibly pained by his words. "My father poured his heart and soul into cultivating the Sect. For the sake of it, nothing else matters anymore."
As usual, Gu Changge remained unaffected, uttering not a word, though he was actually scoffing at her in his heart. [The emotion card… Wondrous indeed.]
"Prince Gu, I have one more thing to say. I possess the Mysterious Nine Maiden Physique. Nobody else other than I know about this." Studying his stony eyes, she continued, revealing her ultimate secret in order to show her integrity to him.
[Mysterious Nine Maiden Physique? As in the exceptional refined physique?] Unquestionably, such a physique was engraved in Gu Changge's memory. Yet, the revelation left him stupefied. However, very soon, he acknowledged her intention. [That's her leverage, and by telling me about it, she wishes to crystallize the genuineness in her apology earlier. What is this if not the first step of surrendering?]
<*Ding!* Su Qingge's yielding heart occurs for the first time. Ye Chen loses 40 Fortuity. User is rewarded with 200 Fatums.>
At that moment, the system, once again, alerted.
Never had Gu Changge expected the process of subduing Su Qingge to be so effortless. Consequently, Ye Chen's Fortuity had dropped to approximately 300.