Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 104: She Was So Happy.

　　The moment Pei Ji spoke, An Jiu immediately understood he was talking about Fei Chen.

　　After safely delivering her to He Ziqing, Fei Chen had left. Since then, An Jiu hadn’t heard a single word from him. She didn’t even know if he’d managed to find Qiansha Pavilion or not.

　　But judging from Pei Ji’s tone, it seemed like he did find it—just that the outcome probably wasn’t great.

　　And she was right. A moment later, the two of them arrived at a forested mountain. They weren’t even close yet when she spotted someone sitting cross-legged on the ground among the trees.

　　The man wore a tattered golden-red kasaya, as if it had been battered by wind, sun, and rain for days. What was once a vivid and majestic color had now faded into something dull and lifeless.

　　And the robe wasn’t the only thing worse for wear—its owner didn’t look much better. The man’s face was gaunt, and the clean-shaven scalp he used to have now showed patches of dark stubble. His jawline was also shadowed with unkempt growth.

　　His complexion was sallow, and though his eyes were closed, he sat quietly, slowly rotating a string of prayer beads in his hand. His lips moved slightly as he silently recited sutras.

　　If she hadn’t seen him before, An Jiu would never have recognized that this man was the same pure, radiant monk Fei Chen from her memories.

　　Now, he looked more like an ordinary monk who had been begging for food on the road—dusty, weathered, and terrifyingly thin.

　　Her eyes froze in place, and for a second, her breath faltered.

　　That flicker of emotion didn’t escape Pei Ji’s sharp gaze. A storm instantly brewed in his pitch-black eyes, dark and ready to break.

　　After being affected by the love Gu, seeing the person you once loved would trigger some unusual reactions.

　　Pei Ji remembered how, in his past life, after Lin Qingyan was infected with the love Gu, she would often fall into a daze whenever she saw He Ziqing again.

　　His gaze darkened. Holding the girl in his arms, he slowly descended in front of the monk who was still reciting with closed eyes.

　　“Do you recognize him?” he asked coolly.

　　An Jiu snapped out of it at the sound of his voice. When she turned to face him, her expression was already calm again.　　

　　She was still looking at him with those bright, sparkling eyes, her gaze full of visible joy—the kind of expression only a girl in love would have when facing the person she liked.

　　“I recognize him. He’s Master Fei Chen from Wuyin Temple,” the girl said, then glanced back at the monk who hadn’t reacted at all, even after hearing their conversation. Her voice was filled with pity. “What happened to Master Fei Chen? Why does he look like this?”

　　As she spoke, she greeted him gently, “Master, are you alright? It’s me, An Jiu.”

　　At the sound of her voice, the monk’s fingers, still clasping his prayer beads, paused for a moment. It was as if he only just became aware of them. He stopped chanting and slowly opened his heavy eyelids.

　　The whole motion took much longer than it should have, as if even the simple act of opening his eyes required every ounce of his strength.

　　An Jiu couldn’t help but feel her heart grow heavier.

　　She could tell—Fei Chen’s condition was really bad. If he didn’t get help soon, he’d die.

　　And the reason he ended up like this… if she had to guess, it was hunger.

　　It was obvious now. He’d been trapped here all this time, unable to find a way out, and with no food either.

　　The original novel mentioned that when He Ziqing rescued Lin Qingyan, he got stuck in the formation outside Qiansha Pavilion. He only managed to escape because he had a sudden breakthrough and used a supreme sword technique to forcefully break through the formation and escape.

　　Fei Chen, on the other hand, didn’t have that kind of strength. He didn’t know how to break formations either, so he was left to die here.

　　It had been over a month since they parted ways back on Wuyi Mountain.

　　Judging by how he looked now, Fei Chen must’ve been trapped for about a month too.

　　A month exposed to the elements, a month of barely surviving. Looking at the scattered fruit pits near his feet, it was clear the only thing he’d had to eat were a few wild berries he’d found in the forest.

　　Pei Ji didn’t stop him from eating those, but he also didn’t kill him outright. His intentions were clear—he wanted Fei Chen to die slowly, trapped and starving.

　　So ruthless.

　　Even though she already knew what kind of man Pei Ji was, An Jiu was still shocked by the cruelty.

　　Should she say it? That this man really was the novel’s ultimate villain?

　　Fei Chen opened his eyes, and through his blurry vision, he saw two figures. He’d heard a familiar voice earlier. After focusing his gaze for a moment, he finally saw who it was.

　　“An Tanyue… and this gentleman…” the monk said slowly, his voice weak and faint.

　　“This is Fei Yi,” An Jiu pointed to the man beside her.

　　“Master, what happened to you?” she asked with a worried and sympathetic look in her eyes, though her feet stayed rooted to the spot.

　　Fei Chen’s dull and lifeless eyes swept over the two of them, but he said nothing.

　　He wasn’t stupid. From their expressions alone, he could already tell they weren’t here with good intentions. Even in this weak state, with death knocking at his door, the monk’s face remained calm from start to finish, not showing the slightest hint of fear.

　　The girl’s concern didn’t seem fake, but it was obvious that she cared more about the man named Fei Yi.

　　Just as expected, when Fei Chen didn’t respond, the girl turned back around, reached out her soft little hand to tug at the man’s sleeve, and gently swayed it as she pleaded sweetly, “Fei Yi, let’s set Master Fei Chen free, okay? He looks so pitiful.”

　　The man lowered his head, casting a glance at that soft white hand. He let out a low chuckle. “Is it really just because he looks pitiful?”

　　His voice paused slightly, then his dark eyes quietly studied her face, like he was trying to read her mind. He asked slowly, “What if I told you to kill him?”

　　An Jiu froze for a moment, then quickly snapped back, her delicate brows knitting together in hesitation. After a moment, she nodded her little head with difficulty. “If you really want me to do it… I-I can.”

　　After she spoke, the girl puffed out her small chest, trying to look strong. Her eyes were full of determination.

　　A flicker of doubt crossed Pei Ji’s eyes.

　　So it wasn’t him?

　　In his past life, Pei Ji had once said something similar to Lin Qingyan. He wanted to see her and He Ziqing tear each other apart. Watching two lovers be forced to kill each other amused him.

　　But when Lin Qingyan heard the order, she refused to move forward. Even with the love Gu in effect, she still couldn’t bring herself to hurt someone she once loved.

　　So had he guessed wrong this time?

　　Or was this girl lying to him?

　　“As long as it’s something Fei Yi asks me to do, I’ll do it for you,” the girl said with a soft smile, tilting her head up to look at him with sweet eyes. “Because I like you the most, Fei Yi.”

　　His long, narrow eyes narrowed slightly. Suddenly, he raised a hand, and from beneath his dark sleeve, a dagger the length of a palm appeared in his hand.

　　He handed it to her. “Then go on. Kill him for me.”

　　The girl froze again. Her flushed little face turned a shade paler, but still, she gritted her teeth and took the dagger.

　　“Alright… I-I’ll do it…”

　　Her fingers were pale and delicate, clearly the hands of someone who had never held a weapon before. She was a pampered noble lady who probably hadn’t even seen a chicken slaughtered. Her grip on the dagger was awkward, and when she stood in front of the monk, she had to tug at the sheath twice just to pull the blade out. Then she grabbed the hilt with both hands, crouched down in front of him, and moved slowly.

　　Fei Chen looked at her calmly, his eyes still and deep like a quiet well.

　　An Jiu crouched there, her fingertips trembling. She took a deep breath and silently mouthed the words, “I'm sorry.”

　　She knew she had no choice right now. Only if she went through with this could Fei Chen have a chance to live.

　　She didn’t know if he understood what she mouthed, but Fei Chen slowly lowered his eyelids. The look beneath his long lashes was calm and quiet, almost like he was giving silent permission.

　　But in Pei Ji’s eyes, that silence and lack of resistance looked more like numbness.

　　His gaze mostly stayed fixed on the girl. Standing behind her, he couldn't see her face, but he could hear her unsteady breathing, see the dagger trembling in her hands, and even catch the faint sound of her swallowing.

　　She was scared. That much was obvious to anyone.

　　Just when Pei Ji thought she might give up and back out, she suddenly moved.

　　She stretched both arms forward and let out a sharp “Ah!” like she was bracing herself. With a soft squelch, the little dagger stabbed straight into the monk’s chest.

　　Fei Chen’s body swayed, and his face turned even more ashen.

　　An Jiu instantly let go, jumping back like a frightened rabbit. She ran over to Pei Ji in a panic and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her soft arms tightly around his waist.

　　“Wuwuwu, that was so scary! There was so much blood! It was horrible!”

　　Her face was buried in his chest, and she didn’t dare look back. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably from fear.

　　Pei Ji lowered his head to look at her carefully.

　　The girl was clearly terrified. She looked up at him with watery eyes, desperately seeking comfort. Tears clung to the corners of her eyes, her face pale with no trace of color, and she pouted in a pitiful voice. “Fei Yi, I did what you told me to do. Please don’t make me do something like that again, okay? I was so scared…”

　　“...Alright.”

　　With her soft body in his arms, Pei Ji’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he gave a quiet response.

　　Of course, he didn’t agree just because she was being sweet. It was because he realized she truly didn’t like Fei Chen.

　　Her face showed only fear and guilt, not hesitation or heartbreak.

　　The person she loved wasn’t Fei Chen.

　　That thought had just taken root, and suddenly Pei Ji didn’t find the monk so much of an eyesore anymore.

　　Faced with the girl’s gentle pleading, he was even willing to go along with her request.

　　“Then how about we let him go? Master Fei Chen is just so pitiful. He looks really scary like this.”

　　Pei Ji glanced over at the monk.

　　After being starved for so long, Fei Chen was skin and bones, his frame scrawny and sunken. His cheekbones stuck out, and his features were hollow. The once-loose robes now hung on him like rags. He hadn’t had the chance to clean himself up either, so overall, he looked awful.

　　The young lady had always treated people based on status. Back then, she liked Fei Chen because he was graceful and refined. Now, seeing him so down and pitiful, she didn’t even bother to hide her distaste.

　　Pei Ji relaxed a little. Even though the stab she gave was far from deadly—it barely pierced the surface and completely avoided any vital spots—he still agreed to let the monk go. There was a risk Fei Chen might come back stronger one day, but Pei Ji didn’t mind.

　　He no longer feared anyone. Even if Fei Chen did return, so what?

　　He already held control over all the top martial artists in the jianghu. No one could touch him now.

　　“Alright, as you wish. Let him go,” Pei Ji said lightly.

　　The girl smiled sweetly and rubbed her cheek against his chest, her voice soft and sugary. “Fei Yi, you’re so good to me.”

　　“Xian Wuming, what did you do to An Tanyue?”

　　A low voice suddenly came from behind them.

　　An Jiu turned her head and saw Fei Chen lifting his eyes, the once-clear gaze now firmly locked onto the man in black.

　　“An Tanyue doesn’t love you. You must have done something to her, right? That’s why she’s like this. There’s no way she came with you willingly. You must’ve forced her.” Fei Chen’s voice was weak and slow from exhaustion, but his tone was full of conviction.

　　An Jiu nearly choked on her breath.

　　He just barely escaped death, and now he was trying to anger Pei Ji again? What was the point? Couldn’t he see she was trying to save him?

　　Sure enough, Pei Ji’s anger flared up. Right now, the last thing he could bear was someone claiming she didn’t love him.

　　“Heh. If you’re so eager to die, I can make it happen sooner.”

　　Just as he raised his hand, the girl quickly stopped him, pressing down on his arm. He looked down at her, eyes cold. “You still want to plead for him?”

　　An Jiu shook her head hard, shaking it so fast it was like a rattle drum.

　　“No, no, I just want to say a few words to Master Fei Chen.”

　　Under Pei Ji’s simmering gaze, the girl turned to the monk and said, “Master Fei Chen, please don’t say things like that anymore. Fei Yi and I truly love each other. He didn’t force me into anything. I don’t know why you would think that, but I need to clear things up with you.”

　　Then she turned to Pei Ji, her brows furrowed in frustration. “Do a lot of people misunderstand you like this? I came with you willingly, and yet they think you’re such a bad person.”

　　“Fei Yi, let’s not kill Master Fei Chen. He’s still my friend, after all. Let him take a letter to my family and friends, telling them I truly like you and came here with you because I wanted to, alright?”

　　She looked up at him, her little face glowing with innocent happiness.

　　To her, being with the one she loved was the happiest thing in the world.

　　She wanted everyone to know it. She wanted to share her joy with the whole world.

　　Her radiant smile was like a beam of sunlight, like two warm and gentle hands smoothing over the cold and violent storm inside Pei Ji’s chest, leaving behind nothing but soft, gentle warmth.

　　Pei Ji's raised hand slowly lowered without him even realizing it, and the flames of anger in his eyes gradually faded away.

　　A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He nodded slightly and said gently, “Of course. Do whatever you want. Go and tell everyone you love me.”

　　That was enough. Now everyone would know—she loved him.

　　She loved only him.

　　The gaping hole in his chest that had been howling with emptiness finally felt like it was being filled. A rare sense of completeness settled into him, steady and consuming.

　　At Pei Ji’s command, Fei Chen was swiftly tended to. His injuries were treated cleanly and efficiently. After spending the night recovering in Qiansha Pavilion, he was sent off with a stack of letters written by An Jiu.

　　Every single letter had been written under Pei Ji’s watchful eye, and not a single word seemed out of place.

　　Every page was filled with the girl’s sweet declarations of love for him.

　　She even went out of her way to explain why she ran away from the wedding. She told them not to look for her, that she was living happily with her beloved Fei Yi in a beautiful place, and that she was truly happy.

________________

Author's Note:

Everyone around An Jiu knows she likes Pei Ji, so sending those letters is basically like screaming: “Help, I’ve been kidnapped, someone come save me!!”

Meanwhile, Pei Ji, head full of love-brain, is like: “She posted me on her friend circle. She's showing me off. She really loves me! QAQ”

——

T/N: Poor Pei Ji! Hahaha 🤣 This man really out here living his best delulu life.

 

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