Chapter 137

Shi Hongying both despised the Xueyueshen Sect's ways and worried that Shi Bai was getting too deeply entangled with them.

In her view, the Xueyueshen Sect was so arrogant and overbearing, so full of themselves, that sooner or later they would bring catastrophe upon themselves and be called to account; when that day came, would the Liuhe Gang, which was in cahoots with the Xueyueshen Sect, meet a good end?

Unfortunately, no matter how she tried to persuade him, Shi Bai was dead set on throwing in his lot with the Xueyueshen Sect.

With no other choice, Shi Hongying could only sabotage her brother's plan.

"Wei Zhongxian... Shuai Mengxiong... the Abi Luo King..."

Shi Hongying's eyes flickered uncertainly: "If the Abi Luo King sends a marriage proposal for me, would brother refuse? Or would he, just like in the story, force me even if I don't want it?"

At this thought, her heart suddenly lost its footing.

【That Shuai Mengxiong is big and burly, like a bear-man, and he's Wei Zhongxian's running dog—Shi Hongying agreeing to marry him would be strange indeed】

【But a small arm can't twist a thick one, so she could only pretend to comply】

【On the wedding day, Shi Hongying fired poisoned needles at Shuai Mengxiong in a sneak attack, but unfortunately the other man was wearing a Golden Silk Treasure Armor, so the ambush came to nothing】

【Shuai Mengxiong then resolved to use force】

【Fortunately, "Xia Gu Dan Xin" isn't an NTR plot—when the story's heroine runs into trouble, the male lead naturally has to jump out】

【The male lead in the story is Jin Zhuliu, who shows up and rescues Shi Hongying right away. Just when I thought things were wrapping up, I didn't expect this kid to pull an utterly brain-dead stunt!】

【Because he had foiled Shuai Mengxiong's plot, he felt victory was in his grasp, so he swaggered and bragged right in front of Shuai Mengxiong】

【But fine, show off all you want—why did you have to leave Shi Hongying's side and then turn your back on Shuai Mengxiong, blabbering away?!】

【Shuai Mengxiong took one look and thought, huh? Heaven never seals off all paths—hasn't the chance just arrived?】

【So he rushed over, seized Shi Hongying in one move, used a hidden passage mechanism to snatch her and run, leaving Jin Zhuliu alone on the spot, raging uselessly】

"This..."

Seeing this, all the women were speechless.

The plot did have its twists and turns, but why did it feel like the male lead had left his brain behind?

They always say villains die from talking too much—now it's somehow the reverse.

In the room, Shi Hongying's heart leapt to her throat; she stared fixedly at the diary, terrified that her innocence would be ruined.

Even though that was only the version of herself in the story, when it came to something like this, how could she possibly not care?

But then she noticed that Jiang Sishui had said "Xia Gu Dan Xin" wasn't an NTR plot, and the taut string in her heart instantly loosened.

Presumably, after the darkness came the light, and she was rescued once more.

【At this moment, someone came to tell Jin Zhuliu that they knew where the passage's exit was】

【Jin Zhuliu immediately gave chase, and happened upon Shuai Mengxiong—who, failing to force himself on her, flew into a shameful rage—lifting a huge boulder to smash Shi Hongying to death】

【So at the critical moment, Jin Zhuliu struck; after a bitter fight, he killed Shuai Mengxiong】

【This plot is pretty baffling】

【I'm thinking, since Jin Zhuliu can't break through the hidden passage anyway, if I were Shuai Mengxiong, I'd just cook the raw rice into a done meal right at the passage's entrance】

【Once it's all over, there's no longer a top expert guarding the entrance, so breaking out of the encirclement would be a breeze—beauty and life both secured, right?】

"Bah! As if you're the only clever one!"

In front of the diary, no one knew how many women clicked their tongues in contempt.

As the person involved, Shi Hongying hardly needed saying—her face was red as an apple....

Although Jiang Sishui was only positing a hypothesis, between the lines it plainly revealed his covetous intentions toward her.

"If I don't submit to him, will he use force on me?"

Such a thought popped into Shi Hongying's mind, and her heart began to pound.

After pondering for a while, she felt he probably wouldn't, but that guy would most likely do as he did with Jin Lingzhi—wear her down with soft and hard tactics until she could no longer hold out.

【And that Shuai Mengxiong still had the nerve to call himself 'the Number One Master Beyond the Pass'—give him the chance and he couldn't deliver!】

【So in reality, the glorious and great mission of putting a prairie green hat on Jin Zhuliu is hereby handed to me!】

【Shi Hongying... hmm, later I'll snatch Lin Shiyin over too; if the two of them look exactly alike, wouldn't that be double the joy?】

"So I really do look just like Lin Shiyin, the same as Bai Feifei, Ningxiang, Shui Furong and the rest?" Shi Hongying murmured thoughtfully.

At the same time, a strong curiosity about that woman named Lin Shiyin welled up within her.

……

Jinzhou, Li Yuan.

Lin Shiyin sighed, a knot of unresolvable sorrow gathered between her brows.

Back when Jiang Sishui received that shock at Huang Yaoshi's place and his mindset changed, she had begun to worry.

Because the one in her heart was her cousin Li Xunhuan, and she had no idea how to resist Jiang Sishui.

For the sake of love, she would even rather give up the diary copy, but the diary copy, like its master, was just as domineering—once given, she couldn't refuse even if she wanted to.

So Lin Shiyin 3.7 could only pin her hopes on Jiang Sishui one day overlooking her.

After all, there were so many beauties in the Central Domain—one less wouldn't matter... right?

Unfortunately, she had still been called out by name by Jiang Sishui.

Being called out by name alone wasn't the worst part—the key was his word choice—snatch!

What did that imply?

Lin Shiyin understood perfectly well.

Just as she was worrying, another line appeared in the diary—

【I wonder if Li Xunhuan has already given Lin Shiyin to Long Xiaoyun?】

【Hope not yet】

【Although Lin Shiyin after marriage is equally charming, as a normal man, you'd have to be sick in the head to want your own wife touched by another man】

【By that calculation, I need to speed up my journey—the sooner I reach Jinzhou, the sooner I can rest easy】.

152 Li Xunhuan — what good brother wouldn't like him?

"Give her away?!"

Lin Shiyin's pupils contracted sharply as she stared at the diary's contents in disbelief.

She couldn't help rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, then got up and lit the lamp.

After confirming she wasn't seeing things, Lin Shiyin froze on the spot.

"Cousin gave me away? Gave me to Long Xiaoyun?"

Lin Shiyin's expression went blank, her face full of disbelief.

"How could this be? How could this be? My cousin and I grew up together, we knew and loved each other, never doubting one another — how could he give me to someone else?"

"Long Xiaoyun? Who is Long Xiaoyun?"

"I don't know this person, but why does the name sound so familiar, as if I've heard it before?"

Lin Shiyin knit her brows and thought carefully, then a sudden chill struck her heart: "Ah, half a month ago my cousin wrote to say he was safe, mentioning he'd just sworn a sworn-brother, seems to be… was…"

Thinking of this, Lin Shiyin couldn't help panicking, and hurriedly dug out that letter.

With trembling hands she opened it, her gaze peeking in cautiously…

Long Xiaoyun!

It really was that name!

The letter fluttered to the ground; Lin Shiyin's limbs went weak, her whole body drained of strength as she slumped down, her pitifully lovely eyes empty and lifeless.

Although 27 nothing had happened yet, the overlap and interweaving of reality and the story's plot still threw her heart and mind into utter chaos.

"What on earth happened… what on earth happened…"

Lin Shiyin's expression was dazed; she forced herself to the edge of the bed, then picked up the copy of the diary and continued reading.

【Compared with Jin Zhuliu's smugness, Li Xunhuan's act of putting a green hat on himself is simply unforgivable】

【Just because his sworn brother Long Xiaoyun also liked Lin Shiyin, so as to fulfill his own brotherly bond, he forcibly shoved his childhood-sweetheart cousin and fiancée to the other man】

【And when he made this decision, he never once consulted Lin Shiyin's wishes, not even a tentative probe—not even that.】

【What's more, to make Lin Shiyin lose hope in him and completely cut off her longing, the obstinate Li Xunhuan even deliberately went carousing among flowers and seeking out willows.】

【Lin Shiyin saw it all, suffered it all in silence, yet despite everything, she still waited for Li Xunhuan for two years】

【Two years! Li Xunhuan tormented Lin Shiyin for two years, watching her suffer, watching her wash her face with tears, yet never once turning back】

【Because in his heart, righteousness among brothers always came first】

【In the end, Lin Shiyin, in a fit of fury, married Long Xiaoyun — who had been warming her with care over those two years — just as he wished】

【Li Xunhuan and Long Xiaoyun got what they wanted, but because of his decision, Lin Shiyin suffered for over ten years, until her death】

【This matter also became a stain Li Xunhuan could never wipe from his life】

【So even though he is one of the "Three Young Masters under the old master's pen," even though his fame is greater and his popularity hotter, still many people look down on him】