Chapter 111
Chapter 111: Master Is So Important to Me
Chu Zhi Rou bit her lip, struggling to hold back the curse that threatened to spill from her lips. She looked at Shi Zi Chu, whose smile was sweet yet as venomous as poison, her beautiful eyes glimmering with tears that held a deep, bitter resentment.
At that moment, the soft, rhythmic sound of approaching footsteps echoed from within the room, drawing nearer and nearer.
Shi Zi Chu lazily lifted her gaze.
Her hands rested gracefully by her sides, her posture elegant and poised, radiating an air of effortless grace.
When she heard Xing Lan’s approach, the fury that had been burning in Chu Zhi Rou’s eyes melted into helplessness and pity. She struggled to rise but ended up kneeling on the ground in a sorrowful, tragic pose.
“What happened?” came the cold, measured voice, carrying with it an undeniable aura of authority and dignity.
“It’s my fault, Master. It’s not Junior Sister’s fault,” Chu Zhi Rou stammered, her voice trembling with barely controlled emotion.
Her appearance was pitiful, indeed.
As if afraid that Xing Lan might miss it, she subtly tilted her head, exposing half of her face, which bore the unmistakable imprint of a harsh slap. The pale skin was bruised and swollen, a sight both frightening and pitiable.
On the ground, Chu Zhi Rou resembled a delicate flower caught in a storm, fragile and in desperate need of protection.
Unfortunately, neither of the two present had any intention of sparing a thought for her fragile beauty.
Xing Lan’s gaze never once shifted to Chu Zhi Rou; as soon as he entered the room, his eyes fixed on Shi Zi Chu.
Watching the pitiable display of Chu Zhi Rou, Shi Zi Chu shifted her gaze and subtly glanced back at him.
“Master~”
Her voice was soft, full of suppressed sorrow, as she raised a hand to cover her face, leaving only her reddened, almond-shaped eyes visible. “It’s my fault, Master. I struck Junior Sister Zhi Rou. Please punish me.”
Seeing this sickening performance, Chu Zhi Rou’s eyes filled with shock and anger. But under the weight of Xing Lan’s presence, she gritted her teeth, not daring to speak a word.
Watching Shi Zi Chu feign tears, Xing Lan stood silently for a moment before speaking.
“Come here.”
Shi Zi Chu moved forward with light, graceful steps.
Suddenly, it seemed as though she had stumbled, falling toward Xing Lan.
Just as Chu Zhi Rou thought Xing Lan might step aside, his strong arms reached out and steadied Shi Zi Chu, catching her effortlessly.
“Wuwu…” Shi Zi Chu buried her face in Xing Lan’s arm, her voice carrying a hint of a sob, “Master, I didn’t know what I did wrong. How could Junior Sister Zhi Rou hurt herself just to frame me?”
With a heart as clear as a mirror, Xing Lan reached out and gently patted Shi Zi Chu’s back, his touch soothing and tender, as if comforting a child.
The gesture was enough to unravel Chu Zhi Rou’s composure completely.
“You slapped me!!” she cried out, her voice trembling with fury.
Xing Lan’s gaze, cold and filled with quiet authority, made Chu Zhi Rou feel as though all the air had been sucked from her lungs.
Yet, seeing Shi Zi Chu cling to Xing Lan, her heart burned with a fury she could hardly contain.
“Please, Peak Master, you must see the truth! It was Senior Sister who hit me! She’s twisting the facts!” she pleaded desperately.
At Chu Zhi Rou’s words, Shi Zi Chu seemed startled. She moved closer to Xing Lan, clinging to him as though she were a frightened child.
“Enough.”
Xing Lan’s cold voice, devoid of anger yet dripping with commanding authority, caused Chu Zhi Rou’s words to falter.
Unable to refute, Chu Zhi Rou’s red eyes filled with tears of frustration and sorrow. She turned and slowly walked out of the room.
As she stood and turned, she caught a glimpse of Shi Zi Chu’s side-eye. Her dark, slender brows curved into a satisfied smile, and the cruel glint in her eyes was as venomous as it was triumphant.
Shi Zi Chu’s smile was that of a victor, clearly reveling in the power she held over her adversary.
She was like a serpent, coiled in Xing Lan’s embrace—beautiful and dangerous. Beneath her elegant demeanor, her venomous fangs gleamed, ready to strike at those who dared to challenge her.
Seeing Shi Zi Chu’s arrogant, victorious posture, Chu Zhi Rou’s mind began to unravel. She could barely hold back the overwhelming urge to tear Shi Zi Chu’s face off, to skin her alive!
As Xing Lan lowered his gaze, Shi Zi Chu quickly masked her expression, softening it into a sorrowful, innocent look as if nothing had happened.
Xing Lan, seemingly unaware, withdrew his gaze.
Chu Zhi Rou’s heart was consumed with burning hatred as she walked out, step by step, determined to make Xing Lan see the truth of Shi Zi Chu’s nature when she returned as his personal disciple.
After Chu Zhi Rou had left, Xing Lan withdrew his arm.
“Master~”
Shi Zi Chu tilted her head up, a few forced tears glistening in her peach-blossom eyes, now faintly reddened, exuding both pity and allure.
Xing Lan, unmoved, simply regarded her.
Shi Zi Chu clung to his arm, gradually climbing up and wrapping herself around him like an octopus.
Xing Lan silently reached out and supported her by the hips as he walked into the room.
Inside, Xing Lan sighed quietly as he sat down on a stool.
Shi Zi Chu slid down and straddled his lap, leaning back with a slight distance between them, her gaze studying his impassive, cold expression.
“Master, please listen,” she began, placing her hands on either side of Xing Lan’s face. “I only have a formal marriage with Clan Chief Ye. The truth is, I’m meant to be the Seventh Prince’s consort, and he happens to be the Seventh Prince.”
Xing Lan’s eyes flickered slightly at her words, though beneath his calm exterior, a subtle sense of jealousy began to rise within him.
Shi Zi Chu continued, explaining the details of the plot involving regicide and usurpation, her voice tinged with pleading and softness.
When she finished, she blinked her eyes, her voice barely more than a whisper, “Master~”
Xing Lan didn’t know what to say.
Murdering fathers, mothers, brothers, husbands… and even Jiang Wan Sheng. All for the throne.
Such cold ambition. Just like Jiu Jiu.
“Master, master~ Master, please understand me,” Shi Zi Chu shook his face with her hands in a bold yet affectionate gesture.
Xing Lan pulled her hands away, “I’m not ignoring you.”
She gazed at him with a pitiful expression, and Xing Lan sighed quietly, a note of unspoken pity for Jiang Wan Sheng and Ye He Qi stirring within his heart.
But if it had been him…
He couldn’t help but wonder if he would have met the same end.
Shi Zi Chu raised two fingers in a solemn promise. “Master, I don’t have any improper feelings for Ye He Qi!”
Xing Lan pushed her fingers down.
“Jiu Jiu, what if it were me?”
Shi Zi Chu froze, her eyes deepening.
The surface calm of her eyes concealed an ocean of turmoil.
Xing Lan’s expression remained unreadable, but inside, a quiet, unacknowledged insecurity began to stir.
Jiu Jiu, heartless and cold—a person willing to do anything to clear the path ahead.
Suddenly, Shi Zi Chu’s soft, slender hand clasped Xing Lan’s cool, broad palm.
She looked up at him with a gentle smile in her eyes. “Master, would you stop me?”
Xing Lan shook his head slightly.
Shi Zi Chu’s eyes sparkled with a crescent smile. “I know Master will help me remove the obstacles.”
Xing Lan nodded silently.
“When things settle, I’ll make you my emperor consort,” she grinned mischievously. “If you dare refuse, I’ll tie you up.”
Her eyes, full of teasing, briefly shimmered with regret.
“…Go down.” Xing Lan’s face remained expressionless.
Shi Zi Chu clung to his neck with a soft, sticky embrace. “No~”
“You are so important to me, Master!” Her soft, fluffy head nuzzled into Xing Lan’s neck, the silken strands of her hair brushing against his skin, sending a tickling sensation down his spine.
“I understand,” Xing Lan murmured, gently pressing her head down, urging her to stop.