Chapter 269: To me, you are very important

"He is leaving."

Shi Xue leaned against the massive soft couch, gently pinched the small ears of the fox yawning on her lap, and advised her friend beside her:

"Aren't you going to see him off?"

"I am not."

Li Qiushui's expression was calm, with not a trace of emotional fluctuation visible on her face, as she inserted her fingers into the fur of the Fox Tail.

Raising an eyebrow, Shi Xue set the fox on her lap aside, rose, and sat down next to Li Qiushui.

"No, I'm serious, I still suggest you show your face, don't you think?"

"Whether you like it or not, from an outsider's perspective, he has helped you quite a lot."

It was unknown when it started, but Ren Yidao had already been branded with the mark of the Ninth Princess.

In their eyes, this favorite of the Emperor had long since become a person of the Ninth Princess.

A Ninth Princess Party member without a doubt!

"According to my speculation, there must be quite a few people looking forward to seeing you see him off, right?"

Shi Xue lay on the table, raised her hand to grab a passing little fox, rested her head on its soft belly, and asked with a smile while tilting her head:

"Don't let others feel disheartened; won't you give them some peace of mind?"

As an existence independent of this storm, Shi Xue did not care at all about the kind of pressure the person involved, Ren, was under.

Being roasted over a fire?

No, that's not enough!

Add fuel to the fire for this County Princess!

Let the fire burn as brightly as possible!

I want to see that fellow surnamed Ren burning fiercely in the Great Fire Star!

Hehehehe...

"Mm! Huh?"

While snickering, Shi Xue suddenly felt her cheek lightly brushed by a furry tail.

Who!?

Which disobedient one is ambushing me?

Just as she prepared to take proper revenge on that disobedient little fox, she heard Li Qiushui's sigh.

"Wipe that expression off your face; your intentions are too obvious."

Li Qiushui held a section of the Fox Tail and shook her head helplessly.

"I know you want to see him get embarrassed and frustrated, I can understand that, but have you considered my feelings?"

"He is being roasted over a fire, but is he the only one?"

Li Qiushui was somewhat speechless.

Her childhood best friend, after meeting Ren Yidao, didn't know if she had been stimulated too many times, or if she had unknowingly been tainted by his colors...

How had she started to become someone she didn't quite recognize?

Was the original you the type of person who holds grudges like this?

"Oh right, and you!"

Seeing Shi Xue's sudden realization, Li Qiushui felt a little comforted in her heart.

Thankfully, she just forgot, it wasn't intentional...

"Then shouldn't you go even more?"

"Hm?"

In Li Qiushui's slightly widened eyes, Shi Xue said with a straight face:

"Think about it, if you don't go, wouldn't that just give others an opportunity?"

"Li Fengyao certainly won't let this opportunity slip by; that fellow who loves to put on a show will definitely make a big deal out of this."

Shi Xue patted her best friend's shoulder with feigned heartbreak and said in a deep voice:

"For the sake of my... for the sake of not letting him succeed, you have to go!"

Ninth Princess!

For the sake of my entertainment, please sacrifice yourself!

Go quickly!

Slap.

Disdainfully brushing Shi Xue's mischievous hand off her shoulder, Li Qiushui turned her head away and ignored her.

She could see it now: Shi Xue didn't truly want her to see Ren Yidao off; she just wanted to see her and Li Fengyao clash over a man.

Shi Xue just wanted to cause Ren Yidao some insignificant trouble, making him someone both the prince and princess were vying for, pushing him to the forefront of public opinion once again.

"But, seriously, setting those things aside... you two are friends, at least, right? Are you really not going to see him off?"

"..."

A flash of unclear emotion crossed Li Qiushui's eyes, and she shook her head slightly, saying softly:

"If he considers me a friend and knows my Heart Star, then whether I go to see him off today or not, the result is the same."

"And if he does not consider me a friend, then I have even less reason to see him off."

Shi Xue looked at Li Qiushui's profile, looked at the determination in her eyes, shook her head gently, and sighed silently:

"You, oh you..."

A personality like yours will be misunderstood by others.

As a childhood friend and best friend who grew up together, Shi Xue's understanding of Li Qiushui ranked in the top three in this world.

She understood that beneath her seemingly rigid exterior, there actually hid a soft Heart Star.

Li Qiushui is proud.

She is also lonely.

She believes that those who understand her will understand all her thoughts, and there is no need to care about those empty formalities.

For those who do not understand, there is even less need to waste energy maintaining them.

Those who know me, say my Heart Star is troubled;

Those who do not know me, ask what I am seeking.

Shi Xue, who has known her for many years, can understand, but can Ren Yidao, who has only been acquainted with her for over a month, see through to this point?

Can he do it? Shi Xue cannot say for sure.

What's more...

"Qiushui, there are some things that, even if he can understand them in his heart, it still makes a difference whether you actually do them or not."

Why is the behavior of putting on a show always so effective in interpersonal relationships?

It is because even if one understands the other party has the intention of deliberately pretending, it is still better than doing nothing at all.

One does not strike a person who is smiling.

If you put on a smiling face, it will make the other person's heart harbor a bit of hesitation, and their original thoughts might change.

Just as Shi Xue was sighing over Li Qiushui's awkward personality, she heard Li Qiushui's counter-question:

"And what about you?"

"What?"

Li Qiushui turned her head back, looked quietly at her friend who seemed not to have understood, and asked slowly:

"Aren't you also on good terms with him?"

"Aren't you friends? Since you want me to go so much, then why don't you go to see him off?"

Tsk.

Was she discovered?

Shi Xue pursed her lips and, feigning composure, spread her hands out on the table.

"Me... indeed, we count as friends, and our relationship isn't bad; I should see him off."

"But... he beat me to it."

Speaking of this, Shi Xue scratched her head in some embarrassment, her voice dropping as she muttered:

"Damn it!"

"I clearly only told you, I didn't tell him! How did he guess it?"

Before, Shi Xue only wanted to be a Constable in Chongzhou City to experience the life she imagined and work hard for the common people.

But now, she wants to go see the vast territory of Beigan and witness this Heaven with her own eyes.

Speaking of this, Shi Xue realized what happened and stared at Li Qiushui with wide eyes.

"You betrayed me!?"

Traitor!

So you were the Ghost Star inside!?

Then, she was calmly denied by Li Qiushui.

"No, it wasn't me."

"……Really?"

"Really."

Shi Xue stared at her carefully for a while, then nodded, half-believing and half-doubting:

"Oh, that's good then... *Cough! *"

"Anyway, he already said goodbye to me once yesterday, and even held a farewell party for me, drinking several cups of wine."

Burying her face downward into the belly fur of the little fox, she said indistinctly:

"Then if I go to see him off now, wouldn't that be very strange."

"Not going, not going! He can leave if he wants to, I am certainly not going to see him off."

Li Qiushui looked at Shi Xue's ears, which had turned somewhat pink, and then looked at the four empty cups of Sobering Tea on the table, not exposing her obvious lie.

"A little drunkard who falls after three cups, heh."

According to Li Qiushui's understanding of Shi Xue, she was probably on a whim yesterday, challenged Ren Yidao to a few cups of wine, and was then knocked out and sent back to the Shi Mansion...

Not wanting to see him off is probably because she is still regretting and embarrassed about what happened yesterday, and doesn't dare to see him.

Li Qiushui shook her head and was just about to get up and leave when Shi Xue stared at her hair and asked out of the blue:

"Speaking of which, Qiushui, when did you change this hairpin? Why haven't I seen it before?"

Li Qiushui:!

Her body stiffened imperceptibly for half a breath, but Li Qiushui quickly adjusted her mood and said indifferently:

"Someone else gave it to me."

Someone else?

"……Oh ho, someone else gave it to you, huh."

Although she could not detect any clues from the tone, Shi Xue still instinctively smelled a hint of something unusual.

"Who is it? Do I know them?"

Li Qiushui: "..."

After a moment of silence, Li Qiushui put down the fox in her hand and walked quickly toward the outside without looking back.

Shi Xue:???

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Don't walk away!"

"Come back! Li Qiushui! You are not allowed to run! You give me a clear explanation before you leave!"

……

……

"Your Highness Second Prince, there is really no need to see me off any further."

"Hehe, you and I hit it off the moment we met. Today, Daoist, you are going on a long journey; how could Feng Yao not see you off a bit more?"

"There is really no need, I can go by myself."

"Daoist is so resistant, could it be that you dislike Feng Yao? If I am truly making things difficult for you, Daoist, then Feng Yao... will just leave."

"Don't see me off."

Ren Yidao waved his hand decisively at Li Fengyao, who was posturing to leave, curled his lip in disgust, and had no intention of asking her to stay.

First of all, the place they were at was already outside the boundaries of Wentian City, and they were even about to walk past the suburbs.

There had long been no outsiders following them, so there was no need to continue acting hypocritically.

Under Li Fengyao's insistence, she had already personally seen him off for several dozen miles...

Stop seeing me off; if you keep seeing me off, I'll be home soon.

Secondly...

You're trying to pull this act on me, someone who runs a tea house?

Don't you know I am proficient in the art of tea!

However, Li Fengyao was indeed worthy of being a tea art master recognized by Ren Yidao.

Seeing that Ren Yidao had no intention of wavering, she naturally put away her tearful expression, as if the person who was about to cry before had nothing to do with her, and chuckled:

"I wanted to say this earlier; compared to how you treat others, are you not... a bit too harsh toward me?"

"You were able to drink with Shi Xue yesterday and even personally sent her back to the Shi Mansion late at night. Why are you afraid when it comes to me? What are you afraid of? Are you worried that I will eat you?"

Ren Yidao glanced sideways at the Second Prince, who was asking despite knowing the answer, and sneered in his heart.

You really don't know what I'm worried about?

You are someone with a criminal record.

Huhu here is really worried that you will take a risk and want to lock me in a small dark room to be a star slave!

Li Fengyao met Ren Yidao's gaze frankly and nodded as if she were open and aboveboard.

Look!

She admitted it!

Officer, it's this person!

Ren Yidao curled his lip, didn't waste any more effort tugging at this issue, squeezed the horse's belly with his legs, rode forward, and said casually:

"Your Highness, peeping is not a very good habit."

Seeing that Ren Yidao was no longer driving her away, the corners of Li Fengyao's mouth curled up slightly, and she followed on horseback.

"Hehe, Daoist is joking. Feng Yao just happened to hear this news."

Happened to?... I think you actively planted dozens of people to watch me, right?

However, forget it.

Although you have some yandere potential for being a stalker, and this partiality is indeed a bit heavy.

But considering your genuine looks, I will just pretend I didn't notice anything.

After all, as long as one looks good, one's values follow one's facial features.

Huhu is still very loyal to his inner desires.

Li Fengyao stared at Ren Yidao's profile, her smiling eyes containing unspeakable emotions, and she suddenly stopped her horse and said meaningfully:

"Or is it that in your heart, I am still an enemy that must be guarded against?"

There were no outsiders here, and no one would hear their conversation again. Li Fengyao seemed to have finally taken off her external disguise and revealed her true heart to him.

She asked:

"How... do you really view me?"

In your eyes, what exactly do I count as?

She wanted to get an answer.

"Asking this question, are you a woman? Uh... cough! Pretend I didn't say anything."

Giving a light cough to cover up his embarrassment, Ren Yidao looked at Li Fengyao, whose expression was somewhat unkind, thought for a moment, and said:

"What do you think is the most important thing in this world?"

"Is it wealth? Is it power? Or is it personal strength?"

Although she didn't know what Ren Yidao meant, Li Fengyao didn't think much and said without hesitation:

"Power."

"Only by holding power in one's own hands is it the most important."

She had chased after imperial power for a lifetime, so choosing this was naturally not surprising.

Ren Yidao nodded slightly, but then shook his head slightly:

"Perhaps for you, that is the case."

Li Fengyao's brows furrowed slightly, and she asked back somewhat unconvinced:

"Then in your view? Which one is the correct answer?"

Hearing this, Ren Yidao waved his hand and said the prepared lines:

"To me, these are not important!"

Not having you is important to me!

"Do you think those are important to the gods?"

"Not important."

"To Them, nothing is important."

Ren Yidao slightly activated the Demon God Remnant Soul in his left arm, letting the aura on his body subtly shift.

His pupils became cold, radiating a lofty and grand aura, like a Supreme deity looking down upon the world.

Li Fengyao:!!!

The terrifying transformation lasted only for an instant before Ren Yidao's aura returned to its previous peace, and he smiled at Li Fengyao.

"Of course, I am not yet a god, and currently I cannot reach that realm, unable to remain detached from everything."

"Right now, you are... very important to me."

He gazed at Li Fengyao affectionately, but soon shook his head with some bitterness and sighed softly:

"But in the future, I cannot guarantee whether I can maintain my current self."

Although Ren Yidao spoke with sincerity and deep emotion.

These, without a doubt, were fake.

Stealing a glance at Li Fengyao's expression, watching the intense excitement erupt in her eyes after a moment of shock and suspicion, Ren Yidao knew...

He had bet correctly.

For Li Fengyao, what could be easily obtained would instead make her lose interest.

Only this kind of thing that could not be easily attained could pique her interest.

In order not to let Li Fengyao lose interest in him, he had to be a distant goal that made her obsessed, letting her chase him for a long time.

Even if this analogy was a bit strange, Ren Yidao's current "playing hard to get" really resembled a cold goddess dangling a simp...

Although it seemed he had taken the wrong script, this did not affect Ren Yidao from continuing to perform.

"I don't know if your existence is good or bad for me, but at least for this moment, I don't feel that meeting you is a mistake."

Deeming the timing ripe, Ren Yidao gave Li Fengyao a look that could be called a deep, affectionate glance over his shoulder, squeezed his legs, whipped his horse, and rode away quickly.

"The mountains are high and the road is long; there will eventually be a parting."

"Feng Yao, do not see me off any further."

Li Fengyao stopped in place, silently watching Ren Yidao's figure gradually drift away, her expression flickering and changing incessantly.

Finally, after Ren Yidao's figure completely disappeared, Li Fengyao suddenly started to laugh.

"Hehe..."

She raised her hand to touch the jade ring newly hung around her neck, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

"Rest assured, you cannot escape."

Although she did not get the answer she wanted from Ren Yidao's mouth, Li Fengyao had figured out the answer in her own heart.

She whispered in her heart:

"No matter where you escape to, in the end... you will definitely belong to me."

Took two days to recover and my mood is a bit calmer; I'll go have a good talk tomorrow and hope for a clean break.

I don't know if I'll be blocked after talking tomorrow; if I am, I'm prepared to find someone to have a drink with... we'll see.

I hope that starting the day after tomorrow, I can change back to two updates of six thousand words a day.

Updated four thousand four hundred words today, requesting Monthly Ticket.