inspire-indiana Chapter 118 It Still Has to Be You
Chapter 118 It Still Has to Be You
"I'm sorry, Xiaoyu." Chen Xin, her face still streaked with tears, tried to force a smile as she sat on the edge of the bed. But she crumbled under Jiang Yu's pained yet comforting gaze, and tears welled up in her eyes again.
Jiang Yu sat down next to her friend, put her arm around Chen Xin's shoulder, and silently comforted and accompanied her.
They were led to a suite at the very back of a small palace. Although the servant who brought them there did not say so explicitly, Jiang Yu understood that this suite would probably be their temporary area of activity.
Although it's called a suite, it's actually more like a double suite, with two identical symmetrical bedrooms facing east and west. The rooms are quite spacious, and each bedroom also includes a small bathroom and a walk-in closet.
Between the two bedrooms is a medium-sized living room. The walls around the sofa are lined with bookshelves filled with books, making it look like a living room that also functions as a study.
To enter the bedrooms on either side, one must first enter the living room through the main entrance, and then enter the bedrooms from the east or west directions respectively.
It is worth mentioning that both the windows in the living room and the bedroom have a layer of dark metal bars with a thorn pattern on the outside, which have a sense of imprisonment far more than a decorative function.
This place appears to have been specifically used to imprison nobles.
“They’ve locked us up.” Chen Xin had obviously noticed it too. She looked around and said, “It’s like a golden cage where we’re used to living a life of luxury.”
“In a way, it’s also a form of protection,” Jiang Yu said softly. “Don’t worry too much. Given how much women are valued here, we’re unlikely to get into any serious trouble. And we should trust our husbands’ abilities. Qingyin and the others will only be more anxious than we are.”
But that's not what she really thought. Mrs. Tini was sharp-tongued, and Ren Kecheng was vindictive. These two women, both of even higher status, were unlikely to let them off easily.
With Zhong Qin added to the mix, having already made this move, he's essentially fighting with his back against the wall. He'll only instigate and push Mrs. Tini to take drastic measures against them. Unfortunately for them, they're now completely on the defensive, making a counterattack virtually impossible; they can only try their best to protect themselves.
"Xiaoyu, am I the only one who can't see that Zhong Qin is a scumbag and a degenerate?" Chen Xin hugged Jiang Yu's arm. "It seems like everyone around me dislikes him and advises me to leave him. How stupid of me to think that I'm standing by him against the whole world."
Jiang Yu suddenly remembered Fan Qingyin's actions when comforting her, so she touched her hair and said softly, "You really are fighting against the world for him. It's his fault. You gave your heart and he didn't. He used you as a shield, and now he's not only using you as a ladder, but he also wants to trample you underfoot. He won't get his way. We won't let him go, and God will punish him."
"I misjudged people, and I have only myself to blame for ending up in this situation. But Xiaoyu, what does this have to do with you? You were dragged down by me. I deserve to die, he deserves to die. I wish I could tear his tendons out and skin him alive." Chen Xin gritted her teeth with hatred at the thought that her friend had suffered such an undeserved disaster because of her.
"It's not necessarily all because of you."
“Zhong Qin feels that we look down on his background and has always held a grudge. It’s not just now, but he will take it out on us whenever he gets the chance. Besides, because of Commander Kong’s matter, I have a grudge against Ren Kecheng. The two of them, plus me, stumbled upon Mrs. Tini’s affair. No matter how you look at it, we were bound to suffer this calamity.” Jiang Yu sighed.
"So Xin Xin, don't take all the blame upon yourself. When soldiers come, we'll deal with them; when water comes, we'll dam it."
"But you have to think this through. Since he's treated you this way, if we get through this peacefully, and one day he comes to you begging for forgiveness or tries every means to get back together with you, how will you treat him?" Jiang Yu asked seriously. She was really afraid that her friend would have no bottom line when it came to Zhong Qin.
"Don't worry." Chen Xin forced a stiff smile. "No matter what, someone who can sleep with an old woman who has given birth to three children is a piece of trash with no morals or sense of propriety. I would feel disgusted if I saw her again."
Jiang Yu was temporarily relieved, hoping that Chen Xin would be as she said. Zhong Qin was so audacious that he probably considered that even if he failed, he might be able to get Chen Xin to forgive him with a little effort. If he succeeded, he could get close to the most prestigious woman in the Ocean Empire. No matter how you looked at it, it was a win-win situation.
Unfortunately, Chen Xin had her by her side, and she would rather die than let such a villain scheme against her friend again.
"Don't worry about me. I've really figured things out after this incident. I wish I could go back in time and slap myself for being so blinded by greed."
“Zhong Qin’s methods of bewitching people are too sophisticated. It’s not your fault. Think about what kind of person Mrs. Tini is. What kind of people hasn’t she seen? She still fell into his trap of beauty.” Jiang Yu expressed her amazement. “It’s true that male beauty can lead people astray.”
"Hmph, that Mrs. Tini isn't a good person either. Believe it or not, she's done this kind of shady business more than once or twice. And her nephew whom she hasn't contacted in a long time, how can she even say that? It's disgusting." Chen Xin said with utter contempt.
"Keep your voice down, sis." Jiang Yu quickly covered her mouth. "Have you forgotten where we are? Be careful, walls have ears! I won't hold Zhong Qin's matter against you, but if you cause me to lose my head because of your loose tongue, I'll really thank you." Jiang Yu was furious.
“How could I lose my head? I heard that beheadings aren’t common here,” Chen Xin retorted, unconvinced.
"..." Jiang Yu choked up, "Fine, it has to be you!"