Chapter Nineteen: Those Who Are Forgotten
What’s it like to have a princess as your fan? Honestly, besides being flattered, Lu Li felt a lingering suspicion, especially with Zhu Xi sitting across from him, legs crossed, sunglasses firmly in place, an air of reluctance surrounding her. Is Zhu Xi really “Cute Little Corgi”? Could there be a pair of identical twins?
A waiter brought two lattes, intimidated by Zhu Xi’s aura, not daring to ask any questions before quickly retreating. Lu Li stirred his latte with a spoon. He didn’t like coffee in any form; given a choice, he would always prefer tea. He watched the milky white foam blend with the dark coffee, lost in thought. Zhu Xi stared out the window, ignoring her latte.
What is she up to?
Lu Li wondered. He recalled the horrific incidents from his past life. The bloody truth told him that Zhu Xi was not a kind person. She might not even possess a normal sense of morality, her values built on conspiracy and bloodshed, fueled by hatred. That was the real Zhu Xi. “Cute Little Corgi” was merely an illusion; it was time to abandon such naive fantasies.
To meet a princess through a game, fall in love, and create a beautiful story—what a boost to a man’s ego!
Lu Li took a sip of his latte, the initial excitement fading, replaced by a cool composure.
He’d been blinded by the comforts of his current life, harboring unrealistic hopes about Zhu Xi…
“Ugh, so annoying,” Zhu Xi suddenly muttered, shaking her head irritably. Had she seen something? Lu Li was about to follow her gaze when she slammed her hand on the table, drawing his attention back to her.
She slowly removed her sunglasses, revealing her sharp, fox-like eyes.
Sister Yameng’s eyes were also sharp, but Zhu Xi’s were different. Sister Yameng’s sharpness was like a white eagle soaring in the clear sky, full of vitality and strength, a yearning for progress. Zhu Xi’s sharpness was like a lone wolf pacing the wilderness, calm and calculating, hinting at death and decay. Her gaze made Lu Li uncomfortable; he felt like a bird preyed upon by a wolf or a fox, waiting to be pounced on the moment he landed.
“Um… is something wrong?”
“Lu Li.” Zhu Xi addressed him by name, surprising him. “Your game is good.”
“Huh?” Such a harsh tone to deliver a compliment? Lu Li was confused. He’d expected her to make demands, propose a deal, or something along those lines.
“Thank you. Your… Highness, is there anything else you wanted to say?”
“Don’t call me Your Highness. Just Zhu Xi is fine.” Zhu Xi clicked her tongue and finally took a sip of her latte. “You’re the son-in-law of the Chu Family’s main branch. You might end up with a higher status than this insignificant princess.”
Insignificant princess? He should take those words with a grain of salt.
The current generation of the Zhu Family might be a bunch of incompetent fools, but the Fourteenth Princess was definitely not one of them.
“Marrying into a family isn’t exactly respectable for a man, is it?” Zhu Xi said pointedly.
Lu Li paused, picking up his cup, not answering immediately. He took a sip of his latte and glanced out the window. He noticed a girl with a large sunhat in the distance, her figure eye-catching. Chuanhai truly was a first-tier city, full of beautiful women.
“I don’t plan to marry into the Chu Family,” he said firmly.
Zhu Xi’s hand, stirring her latte, froze. Then a playful smile spread across her face. “If you don’t marry in, how will you explain yourself to Chu Xiaodong? You don’t really think he’s the type of person who’s unconditionally kind, do you?”
Lu Li wasn’t that naive. He knew that his future father-in-law would be his biggest obstacle. Chu Xiaodong was a man of great depth, always projecting an aura of kindness, making everyone feel at ease. But what did he truly think? Probably only he knew. Lu Li believed that many of the Chu Family’s enemies had been brought down without ever realizing how it happened, some probably dying without knowing who had orchestrated their downfall.
Someone like Zhu Xi, who wore her ambition on her sleeve, might be easier to deal with.
“I will marry Chu Jingyi with dignity.”
“Hahaha…” Zhu Xi laughed unrestrainedly, drawing stares from other patrons. She found his words childish, completely inconsistent with his usual behavior. Didn’t he understand the vast difference in their social standing? Even with the capital he’d accumulated from his game, the gap between him and Chu Jingyi remained as vast as the sky and the earth, the clouds and the mud. Lu Li silently endured her laughter, then asked, “Is it that funny?”
“Isn’t it?” Zhu Xi held up her pinky finger. “This little finger represents you. Guess where the Chu Family is?”
“Your thumb?”
Zhu Xi tapped her head. “Here.”
“…”
“One should have some confidence in oneself,” Lu Li said calmly.
“It’s more important to be self-aware,” Zhu Xi retorted.
“What about you, Your Highness?” The title lacked any respect, laced with challenge. “What are you striving for with your powerless princess title? Are you lacking self-awareness as well?”
Lu Li’s words were provocative. He was prepared for an argument, but to his surprise, Zhu Xi suddenly fell silent. He felt awkward and stirred his half-finished latte, the metal spoon clinking against the porcelain cup.
“You’re right,” Zhu Xi said suddenly.
“What?” Lu Li hadn’t processed her words.
“One should have confidence in oneself.” Zhu Xi raised an eyebrow at him. “I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”
Looking at her cold, beautiful face, Lu Li felt a flicker of doubt. Perhaps Zhu Xi isn’t so bad after all?
“You seem a little afraid of me.” Zhu Xi didn’t want to dwell on the previous topic. “I believe I have a decent reputation. Do you have some misunderstanding about me?”
Your reputation is decent now, but that might change in the future. Lu Li chuckled dryly. “I just think you resemble a certain animal.”
“What animal?”
“A hungry wolf.”
A glint flashed in Zhu Xi’s eyes, and she chuckled softly. “Not a fox? My father… My father always said I have fox-like eyes.”
“Foxes and wolves often travel together. Or perhaps, they are two sides of the same coin.”
Two sides of the same coin… Zhu Xi’s smile widened. She found Lu Li intriguing, more so than she had initially observed.
Lu Li finished his latte. “Your Highness, perhaps we can discuss the real reason we’re here.”
“The real reason? What real reason could there be between us?”
“Do you remember Shanzhu Village?”
Chapter Twenty: Budding
Zhu Qiao held a newspaper, sitting on a small stool outside the newsstand. She had poked a small hole in the center, peering through it to spy on Sister Xi and Mr. Producer in the cafe. She had learned this trick from a movie. Since leaving the ancestral hall, Zhu Qiao had discovered two new joys: playing games and watching movies. Passersby gave her curious glances. In this day and age, who still read newspapers, especially sitting outside a newsstand?
The elderly newsstand owner, seeing how sweet, delicate, and polite Zhu Qiao was, set up a parasol for her and began chatting idly. He subtly steered the conversation towards his recently graduated grandson, expressing his hope of seeing him settle down before he died. Zhu Qiao, naive and inexperienced, didn’t pick up on the hints, simply nodding along, her attention fixed on the cafe.
I wonder if Sister Xi told Mr. Producer what I wanted to say. And will he be happy?
A mix of nervousness, anticipation, and a touch of fear made the innocent girl’s heart flutter like a wind chime in a tower.
So Mr. Producer’s name is Lu Li. And he really is as handsome as he seemed… As expected of Mr. Producer…
Zhu Qiao’s thoughts wandered.
For some reason, she suddenly remembered her first puppy, the inspiration for her online name. When Sister Xi had brought the puppy home, it had barked incessantly, refusing to acknowledge anyone. At first, she had asked Sister Xi for help, and Sister Xi had trained the puppy. She had assumed the puppy would be obedient afterwards, but it only wagged its tail for Sister Xi. Whenever she tried to pet it, the puppy would snarl and scare her away. But as soon as Sister Xi reached out, the puppy would rush to her side, tail wagging.
Sister Xi is so amazing… Unlike me.
Zhu Qiao’s mood darkened. She didn’t know why she kept thinking about this.
She saw Sister Xi laughing happily inside the cafe. Were they talking about something interesting? Sister Xi rarely laughed so freely. Mr. Producer must be a good conversationalist. Zhu Qiao’s grip on the newspaper tightened, crumpling the edges.
Will Mr. Producer be happy? He must be. He’ll think I’m a likable girl, right? But… is the “Zhu Qiao” he sees really “Zhu Qiao,” or is it “Zhu Xi”?
If even her words and body are replaced by another person, is she still the “Cute Little Corgi” chatting happily with Mr. Producer?
The parasol shielded her from the scorching sun. But in the shadows, dark seeds of doubt began to sprout.
Zhu Qiao’s thoughts churned like shards of glass, sharp and cold. She suddenly realized how extreme her thoughts had become. She shook her head, admonishing herself, What am I thinking? Sister Xi is the kindest person to me…
She looked down at the newspaper; she had unknowingly torn a hole in the edge.
As long as I have Sister Xi to take care of me, that’s enough…
She repeated the phrase in her mind like a mantra.
“Young lady, do you have a boyfriend?” The newsstand owner’s voice pulled her back to reality.
Zhu Qiao blinked, confused. Boyfriend? Did he mean a romantic partner?
“I… no… I don’t know how…” she replied, bewildered.
The old man’s eyes lit up. An unmarried young woman these days was rarer than gold. This was an opportunity he couldn’t miss for his grandson.
“I thought you young people might have more in common. Why don’t you add my grandson on WeChat? You can chat and get to know each other.” He tried to sound casual.
What is a boyfriend? Or rather, what is love? Zhu Qiao was inexperienced, but not stupid. She didn’t agree immediately, instead asking herself, What is love? Love in movies was always passionate, always love at first sight, always unforgettable. From the moment the protagonists first met, their fates seemed intertwined, destined to fall in love. But Zhu Qiao had never experienced anything like that in real life. In Mr. Producer’s Evening Collection, there was a short story about love. It said that if you felt anxious about someone, your emotions swayed by their every action, your heart constantly filled with their goodness, then you probably had love sickness. It was called sickness because such love was often one-sided, a torment to the heart.
If that was the case, then she wasn’t in love.
Zhu Qiao gently shook her head. “I’m sorry, Grandpa, I don’t really like meeting strangers…”
“It’s alright, it’s alright. I was just asking. I’m old; I don’t understand you young people’s ways. Don’t worry about it.” The old man sighed. It seemed his grandson wasn’t destined for this lovely, gentle girl.
I wonder which lucky boy will marry her in the future.
Zhu Qiao turned her attention back to the cafe. Mr. Producer and Sister Xi seemed to be leaving. They stood up, still talking, as if they had endless topics to discuss. Zhu Qiao was glad Sister Xi had gone in her place. If she had gone herself, she would have been too shy to speak.
Mr. Producer waved goodbye and left, probably heading to the subway station.
Sister Xi put on her sunglasses and walked towards her.
“Grandpa, my sister is here to pick me up. Thank you!” Zhu Qiao bowed politely. The old man chuckled, his heart warmed by the girl’s sweetness. He felt a pang of regret that such a wonderful girl wouldn’t become his granddaughter-in-law.
Zhu Qiao skipped towards Zhu Xi. “Sister Xi, Sister Xi, how did it go?”
Zhu Xi’s furrowed brows relaxed. “Little Qiao, what do you mean ‘how did it go’? Are you asking about my impression of him, or his impression of you?”
Zhu Qiao giggled. “Both!”
“My impression of him? He’s a good guy, just a bit of a flirt and a little arrogant.” Zhu Xi glanced at her sister. “His impression of you? Hmm… I’d say he was satisfied.”
Zhu Qiao happily hugged Zhu Xi’s arm. “I knew I could trust you, Sister Xi! Hehe… You didn’t tell Mr. Producer that we switched places, did you?”
“I didn’t say anything, and he didn’t ask.” Zhu Xi felt a twinge of unease, but she didn’t bother correcting it. “By the way, Little Qiao, do you remember Shanzhu Village?”
“Of course! Isn’t that where you found the Colored Stones, Sister Xi? You’ve told me about it so many times. What about it?”
“…N-nothing.” Zhu Xi’s brows furrowed again. She took Zhu Qiao’s phone and searched for Shanzhu Village on the browser, then checked its location on Baidu Maps.
“Sister Xi, is something wrong?”
Zhu Xi pushed her sunglasses up her nose and smiled. “Nothing’s wrong. Lu Li was just being alarmist. Come on, let me show you around Chuanhai. You’ve never been to the south, have you?”
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