What?

Chu Zhao frowned. Liang Qiang suddenly appeared and then said such things, which seemed rather strange, but she immediately understood.

She glanced at Xie Yanlai.

Xie Yanlai also looked at her, raising his phoenix eyes, smiling to reveal his fine white teeth.

“I told you, you brought this on yourself,” he said softly. “Who told you to cling to me?”

Chu Zhao glared at him, then looked back at Liang Qiang. Her expression showed no panic or unease; rather, it carried a certain sharpness: “Young Master Liang, you have it backwards. It is precisely because of your Liang family’s rumors about me that I am standing here talking with Young Master Xie.”

Xie Yanlai smiled, knowing that this girl was quite fierce. Tsk, tsk, watching her turn the tables.

Liang Qiang looked at the Xie family son’s smile, which was uncomfortable to see no matter how you looked at it—

“Miss Chu,” he also smiled slightly, “you and this Young Master Xie don’t look like you’ve just met. Rather than saying it’s because of my family’s rumors, it would be more reasonable to say that you saw Young Master Xie being beaten in the street, felt pity, reached out to protect him, and then became acquainted.”

Xie Yanlai smiled even more joyfully, saying softly to Chu Zhao: “This boy is formidable, you didn’t lie.”

Seeing how he looked as if he could hardly keep from applauding, Chu Zhao stepped forward, looking at Liang Qiang without the slightest panic at being exposed.

“Young Master Liang, things have already come to this point. Whatever I say now cannot change what has happened to your family, nor can it change your suspicions,” she said.

These words were so direct, clearly saying ‘I don’t care to explain to you, just go away.’ Liang Qiang looked at the girl before him, his chest tight with pain. She wouldn’t even bother to find an excuse, make up a lie, or try to appease him—

He stared steadily at Chu Zhao, his gaze bitter.

“Miss A-Zhao, was your praise of my bravery all false?”

Praise his bravery? Chu Zhao was stunned for a moment, hearing Xie Yanlai lean in again to whisper with laughter, tsk tsk tsk—

“Young Master Liang, let’s not talk about the past,” Chu Zhao said, looking at this young man. “Even now, and in the future, you are brave. You know what kind of person you are, how could it be false?”

The girl’s expression was frank, her eyes bright, her voice without the slightest hesitation. She was speaking the truth. Liang Qiang’s expression became somewhat powerless, like throwing a punch that hit nothing.

“Since you know me and praise me, why—” he gritted his teeth, his expression angry, “why do you treat me like this?”

This was confusing, and Chu Zhao asked: “How have I treated you?”

She had been polite enough to Liang Qiang, not kicking him like she had Liang Qin, nor cursing him in public. Moreover, when Liang Siqing got into trouble this time, she had not kicked him while he was down.

She had been as merciful as a bodhisattva to the Liang family.

Liang Qiang looked at the girl’s furrowed brow, the confusion in her eyes, so unfamiliar—completely unlike how she was with this Xie family son: lively, casual, natural, joyful.

He looked at the Xie family son again.

That Xie family son gave him a provocative smile.

How could the Liang family compare with the Xie family? The Liang family was like the setting sun, while the Xie family was like the rising sun. And how could he compare with this Xie family son? This Xie family son could kill and commit arson, yet continue to strut around, and the Xie family would gain prestige from it. As for him, his uncle alone was convicted for his official duties, and the entire clan was implicated, dressed in prison clothes, trekking thousands of miles to serve in the border commandery—

Liang Qiang looked at Chu Zhao, enunciating each word: “Miss Chu has been very good to me. I will remember Miss Chu until we meet again in the future!”

With that, he turned and strode away.

A-Le pointed at Liang Qiang’s retreating figure: “Miss, he’s threatening you.”

Chu Zhao had certainly caught that too. Although Liang Qiang was acting somewhat strange, it wasn’t surprising. Her relationship with the Liang family had always been poor; they had been enemies for a lifetime.

“What enmity?” Xie Yanlai laughed. “Chu Zhao, why are you pretending to be clueless? This boy is harboring hatred born from love for you.”

What hatred is born from love? Chu Zhao glanced at him: “Where would any love between us come from—”

“How would I know?” Xie Yanlai said with a half-smile. “You must have used him as a shield again, saying some life-and-death pledge.”

“I did not,” Chu Zhao said disdainfully, looking at Xie Yanlai’s smiling face again. “Not everyone can be my shield.”

Huh, looking at this girl’s attitude, the Liang boy must have been bewitched to fall for her. Xie Yanlai sneered: “What’s there to be proud of about gaining another enemy?”

An enemy? Chu Zhao smiled slightly, looking toward the alley. Liang Qiang was no longer visible in the alley. Although she knew how brave Liang Qiang had been in that past life, she wouldn’t go curry favor with the Liang family.

If the Liang family were to be her enemy, she might as well avenge both her past and present grudges at once.

“I have many enemies,” Chu Zhao said. “Having one less isn’t something to be proud of, and having one more doesn’t matter either.”

Xie Yanlai nodded: “That’s right. Since I met you, you’ve been constantly offending people and making enemies.” He turned to leave as he spoke, “Farewell, Enemy Star.”

Chu Zhao laughed. There were Disaster Stars and Calamity Stars, but what was an Enemy Star?

Watching the young man walk swiftly in the opposite direction, she quickly called out, “Hey, slow down, I won’t follow you anymore.”

The young man didn’t slow his pace, nor did he look back. He heard the girl call out again from behind, “I’ll send you medicine in a few days.”

Just to deliver a letter to her father, was all this necessary?

Xie Yanlai quickened his steps, the pain in his back keeping him clear-headed.

She was manipulating him, knowing that he lacked nothing, wanted nothing, except—

In this world, perhaps only one person would ask him a question.

Does it hurt?

That person was no longer here.

…

…

“Hey!”

Chu Zhao, who hadn’t chased after him, was immediately surrounded by Qi Leyun and the other two girls.

“You, you all—”

Qi Leyun looked at her, then at the young man’s retreating figure. He walked so fast; in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Chu Zhao cut off her words: “What about us? I’ve already entered the Xie residence and met Xie Yanfang, so of course I’m familiar with Xie Yanfang’s brother.”

Qi Leyun made an “oh” sound, as if that made sense, but—

“He—”

Chu Zhao pressed her hand back down: “Stop going on about him. Tomorrow we’re going to Wangchun Garden, focus on yourself first. Is your dress ready? Don’t wear the same as others.”

This was underestimating her. Qi Leyun glared: “My family may not be extremely wealthy, but we have our assets, including our embroiderers.”

Chu Zhao pushed them: “Then hurry back to try on your clothes.”

Her strength was great; one person pushed all three. Then, without waiting for more conversation, she tossed out a sentence about preparing her garments and ran off.

Qi Leyun stood in front of the carriage, coming to her senses, annoyed: “Chu Zhao and Xie Yanlai must have something going on!”

The girl beside her wasn’t angry, thinking of the young man she had just seen: “So that’s what Xie Yanlai looks like. If that’s the case, if Chu Zhao likes Xie Yanlai and gives up on Xie Yanfang, it’s not unreasonable.”

Qi Leyun struggled a bit internally, but finally waved her hand: “Third Young Master Xie is still better. This Xie Yanlai looks too fierce.”

He was indeed very handsome, but somehow made people afraid to look too long. One more glance, and it felt piercing, fierce light stabbing the eyes.

Yet Chu Zhao could still smile at him like that.

But it wasn’t strange.

“Chu Zhao is also very fierce.”

…

…

Whatever the girls speculated, Chu Zhao didn’t care, nor would she explain. With the upcoming commotion in the capital, these matters were trivial.

As soon as dawn broke, Chu Tang had prepared the carriage. Chu Lan and Madam Jiang also came out to see them off—mainly to admonish.

“You must remember, you don’t represent just yourself. If you get into trouble, it will implicate the entire family,” Chu Lan said gravely.

Chu Zhao smiled: “I remember. Uncle should also remember to protect the family. Don’t be like before with my father, avoiding everything when trouble came. If you, as an elder, don’t protect me, how can others believe I’m not at fault?”

Chu Lan’s face turned green with anger. Who was lecturing whom? He had only said one sentence!

“Let’s go quickly. Others can arrive late, but we can’t,” Chu Tang said timidly from the side.

That’s right, Chu Zhao was already hated to the bone by the Third Prince, and poor Chu Tang had to go along and would be implicated. Madam Jiang quickly pulled Chu Lan back: “All right, all right, enough said. You two hurry along.”

Chu Tang gave Chu Zhao a secret smile, gesturing for her to get in the carriage.

Chu Zhao didn’t want to make things difficult for her and obediently got in.

Watching the carriage drive away, Chu Lan sighed heavily to the heavens, not knowing what fate awaited the Chu family.

What a grievance.