Chapter 125: Grace

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Su He gazed into Yi Qingchen’s clear, open eyes. He was astonished by the change in her, yet secretly ashamed of himself. He was a man, after all—how could he be less free and easy than a woman?

The realization filled him with embarrassment. He folded his hands and bowed to her.

Yi Qingchen sprang to her feet in alarm and caught him by the arms. “What are you doing?”

“For everything that happened before, I owe you an apology. Please, I beg you, do not take it to heart.”

“I thought it was something serious.” Yi Qingchen stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. A faint flush rose across her cheeks. Though she was still a little awkward, her bright eyes were filled with relief as she smiled. “This was partly my fault to begin with. You cannot be blamed.

“If… if not for me, you would not have been placed in such a difficult position.”

After a brief pause, she continued with a smile, “From now on, just do whatever you wish. As long as, when you have some free time, you still remember that you have a friend like me, that will be enough.”

Hearing this, Su He was so ashamed that he wished he could find a crack in the floor and crawl into it.

At the same time, he felt even more sympathy for the girl’s clarity of heart. How fortunate he was to have met her, and to have received such devotion from her. Yet reality had forced him to bury all her goodness deep within his heart.

He sighed. “Miss Yi, your words truly put me to shame.”

Yi Qingchen did not wish to linger on the subject. She was afraid that if she said too much, the resolve she had finally mustered would collapse completely.

If Heaven had decreed that they could never be together, then let things remain as they were. Even so, she would accept it willingly.

She clasped her hands behind her back and said, “Enough. You still haven’t told me why you trust Brother Yun so much. I remember that Brother Yun was…” She paused. “Well, he does not seem particularly fond of you.”

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, full of teasing and mischief. The sight made Su He unable to look away, and for a moment he was lost in it.

Then he abruptly dragged his nearly runaway thoughts back under control. He invited Yi Qingchen to sit, and only then slowly explained, “There is a saying: the friendship of gentlemen is as light as water, while the friendship of petty men is sweet as wine.

“Though Brother Yun and I often disagree, is that not simply his true nature? Toward me, he has always been utterly sincere.

“He is the sort of man who would lay bare his heart and liver for another. If even he cannot be trusted, then whom can I trust?”

Yi Qingchen nodded. She made no mention of what had happened in the alley, asking only, “Why did Senior go to the wine shop? Had he not yet finished his wine?”

“I heard from Ji Ren that this wine is greatly beneficial to his wounds. Senior was very excited when he heard that, and invited the two of us to go buy more.”

“Really?” Yi Qingchen looked surprised. “I never knew Wangsun Wine had such an effect. One truly cannot judge a wine by appearances.

“But why do I feel that Senior is more interested in the fact that Ji Ren avoided the drugged wine by drinking last night?”

Su He glanced at her and smiled faintly. “Perhaps.”

Then he asked, “Miss Yi, have you eaten breakfast?”

Yi Qingchen took a sip of water. “Not yet. I do not care much for food, but if you are inviting me, I suppose I can try some.”

“Very well.”

“You really mean to invite me?”

“Yes.”

Su He gave a slight nod and left the room first. Yi Qingchen stared blankly at his back, then suddenly found her sorrow turning into joy.

She hurried after him downstairs. The young waiter was particularly attentive, entirely unaware of what had happened the previous night—or that he had narrowly returned from the gates of death.

He pulled off his sweat towel and wiped the table once more, then draped the towel over his shoulder and poured tea for them both.

“What would the two of you like for breakfast? The morning dishes here may not be the finest in the city, but they have a flavor all their own. Sour, spicy, sweet, bitter, salty—we have just about everything.”

Yi Qingchen found this amusing. “What delicious things do you have here?”

She did not attach much importance to such things, but the waiter was so enthusiastic that she could not help indulging her playful side.

The young waiter was every bit as honest as his proprietor. He rubbed his head sheepishly and said, “That depends on what flavors you like, Miss. If I tell you that the spicy dishes are good and you do not eat spicy food, then… well, then I would only be wasting my breath, would I not?”

Yi Qingchen could no longer hold back. She turned her head and fought down her laughter, trying to maintain a natural expression.

“I do not eat spicy food. I like sweet flavors, and anything light will do.”

“Then there are plenty of choices. Still, one should not eat anything too heavy for breakfast. Let me tell you, there is…”

Su He silently sipped his tea without interrupting.

Looking at Yi Qingchen before him, he felt that this was the first time he had seen her so happy.

Her laughter was sincere and unrestrained, without the slightest trace of stiffness.

In the end, Yi Qingchen did not order much: two baskets of dim sum, two plates of small dishes, and two bowls of thin rice porridge.

They chatted and laughed throughout the meal, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

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It seemed that after their frank conversation, the two of them had returned to the way they had been before. Yet something was slightly different, as though they had drawn closer.

Whatever the case, it was a good beginning for Yi Qingchen. As long as he stopped avoiding her, she would support whatever he chose to do without condition.

Even if he chose to be with another woman.

She trusted Su He’s character, and she believed that he must have his reasons for doing so. Perhaps he had some unavoidable difficulty, which was why he could not tell her.

Su He, too, was grateful for her understanding and admired her more than ever.

Halfway through the meal, Yi Qingchen asked, “Are you going to Nine Luminaries Tower today?”

“Not for now.”

“Why?” She gave him a sidelong glance. “Yesterday, you could hardly tear yourself away from that young lady. I am surprised you are willing to stay away.”

Su He looked somewhat embarrassed beneath her gaze. He cleared his throat and said, “Her name is Wangyou. She is the leading courtesan of Nine Luminaries Tower.

“However, she resembles a deceased friend of mine. That is why I lost control of myself yesterday.”

“Oh…” Yi Qingchen nodded. “Was she a relative of yours?” Or perhaps… something else?

Seeing the expression in her eyes, Su He knew at once that she had misunderstood. He hurried to explain, “No. My younger brother died at her hands. How could she have been a relative?”

Yi Qingchen’s grip on her chopsticks tightened abruptly, then relaxed. “I am sorry.”

“It is all right.”

“So you were curious about why the two of them look alike?”

“That is right.”

“Then how did your friend die?”

“I killed her.”

He did not conceal the truth, speaking with complete composure. Yi Qingchen, however, did not even realize when her chopsticks slipped from her fingers. She only noticed after he reminded her.

“Miss Yi?”

“N-No, it is nothing.” She calmed her unsettled heart, picked up the chopsticks, and placed them properly. “Why did she kill your younger brother?”

Su He took another pair of chopsticks and handed them to her. “It is a long story. At the time, the person she intended to kill was not my younger brother, but someone else.

“I tried to save that person. My younger brother saved me instead, and was killed by her.”

Yi Qingchen accepted the chopsticks, picked up some greens, placed them on her spoon, and slowly brought them to her lips.

“According to what you have said, she did not intend to kill him. Was it not too harsh for you to take her life?”

Su He sighed. “The matter cannot be explained in just a few words. The truth is…”

She had never believed, even at the moment of her death, that she had done anything wrong.

Although some time had passed, the rights and wrongs of that day remained vivid in his mind.

…

While the two of them were discussing Wangyou, Wangyou herself had returned to Nine Luminaries Tower before dawn.

She removed her black clothes and slipped back beneath the gauze canopy.

When Lin Mao awoke, the beauty was still trapped beneath his powerful arms. A look of masculine satisfaction immediately spread across his face.

He climbed down from the bed, picked up his scattered clothes from the floor, and put them on one by one. Then he stood before the bronze mirror and carefully arranged his hair. To make it neater, he even borrowed some of Wangyou’s hair oil.

Radiant and refreshed, he walked out of Nine Luminaries Tower, arousing the envy of countless men.

The guests staying at the tower all wished that they had been the ones to emerge from Wangyou’s room.

If Su He’s presence there the previous day had made them envious, that had been nothing more than a passing fantasy. This was something that made them genuinely covetous.

Nine Luminaries Tower held every kind of beauty, yet none could stir a man’s soul as Wangyou did, despite her having risen to fame in such a short time. She was the sort of woman whom men could not forget after seeing her, and whom even women could not help but be moved by.

In appearance, Wangyou was certainly not the most outstanding.

In talent, she was more than merely excellent.

Yet this seemingly unremarkable beauty had quickly risen within Nine Luminaries Tower and become its leading courtesan, her fame for beauty spreading throughout the royal city.

Countless men arrived bearing vast amounts of gold and jewels, all for the chance to see her once—even if all they received was an angry, disdainful glance.

Every man who had tasted Wangyou’s charms became possessed, unable to let her go. Even when Wangyou sent them to the rooms of her sisters, their hands might rest upon peonies while their hearts yearned for lotus blossoms.

Thus, when Lin Mao emerged after spending the entire night in Wangyou’s room, the madness of the others was easy to imagine.

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Only after Lin Mao had left did Wangyou summon Xing’er and have her prepare fragrant hot water for a bath.

The water was slightly hotter than usual, filling the room with hazy steam.

She disliked being watched while bathing, so she had sent Xing’er outside early to stand guard.

As she recalled her meeting with the Demon Prince, her vision seemed to grow hazy before her eyes…

Not long after leaving Nine Luminaries Tower, she had sensed someone following her.

So when she reached the desolate outskirts, she sent the black insects scattering in different directions, shaking off everyone who had been tracking her.

After confirming that no one remained on her trail, she took several detours before entering Hundred Wonders Peak. When she passed the foot of the mountain, she kept her head down and avoided attracting attention amid the conflicts there.

Only after that did she quietly return to human form and follow the blue-winged insect sent to await her. It led her to the waterside pavilion, where she met the Demon Prince.

She still remembered that there had been no tea brewing in the pavilion this time. The air lacked the lingering fragrance of tea that usually filled the room.

The person reclining on the soft couch asked, “Has she arrived?”

“Yes.”

“How did it go? Did he take the bait?”

“Xiyuan cannot be certain.”

“Then why did you send a message requesting an audience?” Red Makeup abruptly opened her eyes.

“Although Xiyuan cannot be certain, I am seventy percent confident.”

“Oh?”

“I have mastered everything Elder Sister taught me. I am not as adept in its use as you are, but I believe I have gained some understanding. Given enough time, I will certainly not disappoint you.”

“From what you are saying, he reacted to your face?”

“Yes. That day, I saw him leave Autumn Heart Pavilion with Yi Qingchen, so I deliberately created a disturbance and arranged for us to meet by accident.

“Xiyuan clearly remembers the shock in his eyes. Because of this face, he even abandoned Yi Qingchen without a second thought. That is why I am confident.”

“Very good.”

“Thank you, Elder Sister. Xiyuan wishes to ask you for another favor.”

“What favor?”

“Lin Mao’s life.”

At the mention of Lin Mao’s name, Red Makeup showed a trace of surprise. “He found you?”

“Yes. That is why I dared to ask you for this favor. Leave this man’s life to Xiyuan.”

“Very well.”

Not long afterward, Xing’er interrupted her thoughts.

Standing by the doorway, she asked, “Miss, you have been bathing for quite some time. Shall I bring in more hot water?”

“No need.”

“Oh…”

But once her thoughts had been interrupted, she could no longer remain in the bath. She rose, threw on a loose outer robe, and sat before the bronze mirror to tend to her dark hair.

She caught hold of the ends and slowly combed downward. Her hair looked black, lustrous, and alluring. She pulled out a single strand.

At once, it transformed into dozens of tiny black insects, writhing across her pale palm. They seemed to catch the scent of something sweet. After burrowing around in her hand, they plunged into her flesh.

Small bumps rose visibly along her arm as the insects moved rapidly upward, climbing to her collarbone, then her neck, then her face. At last, they disappeared into her scalp and grew back into a single strand of hair.

Because of Lin Mao, she had become this inhuman, half-monster creature—unable to die by her own will.

It was Heaven’s punishment for the death of her daughter, and she did not resent it.

But Lin Mao had deceived her. He had betrayed her…

She would make him pay.