âLady Chongjie, please enter the sedan chair!â The warriors subtly encircled her, their stance suggesting they would resort to force at the slightest hint of refusal.
Wanyan Chongjie struggled inwardly for a long time but ultimately dismissed the idea of resisting. After all, she had no idea who was behind this. Revealing her martial skills would be far too dangerousâuntil she succeeded in killing Wanyan Liang, she had to maintain the harmless image of a helpless little rabbit.
âFine, Iâll get in. But heâs coming with me.â Wanyan Chongjie suddenly pointed at Song Qingshu.
The group had brought only one sedan chair, clearly intending to take only her. They hadnât expected her to have a companion. By making this demand, Wanyan Chongjie was deliberately reminding these warriors that if they planned to silence witnesses, Song Qingshu would have no choice but to fight.
Song Qingshu frowned, instantly understanding her scheme. Just as he was weighing whether to act, the warriors replied, âNo problem. Get in.â
Not only was Song Qingshu taken aback, but even Wanyan Chongjie was stunned. The sedan chair was clearly designed for a single passengerâit might have some extra space for one, but two people would undoubtedly be squeezed uncomfortably close. She stared in disbelief. âYou expect me to cram in there with him?â
The leader frowned slightly. âLady Chongjie, please hurry.â
Song Qingshu, standing nearby, couldnât help but laugh. Abandoning any thought of fighting, he became genuinely curious about the master behind these men. Without hesitation, he ducked into the sedan chair and sprawled comfortably inside, taking up most of the space.
Wanyan Chongjieâs eyes widened. Pointing at the scene inside, she snapped, âLook for yourselves! How can two people possibly fit in such a tiny sedan chair?â
âYou can squeeze in,â the leader replied impatiently. âAre you getting in or not?â
Wanyan Chongjie took a deep breath, steadying her emotions. âFine, Iâll sit!â She was too curious about the mastermind to risk exposing her hand prematurely.
However, with Song Qingshu lounging like an emperor inside, there was almost no room left. She glared at him. âMove over.â
âIâve always sat like this since I was a kid. If you canât fit, you can sit on my lap. I wonât mind,â Song Qingshu replied coolly, completely unmoved by her request.
Wanyan Chongjie was so angry she laughed. âGo ask aroundâhow many men in the capital dream of holding me? Yet none have succeeded! If you want to take advantage of me, just say it outright. No need to beat around the bush.â
Song Qingshu scoffed. âWhoâd want to take advantage of a little girl like you? Your chest is like steamed buns, and thereâs barely any meat on you. A pretty face isnât enoughâIâd worry about getting poked holding you.â
Wanyan Chongjie nearly fumed on the spot. Aside from her slightly smaller chest, every other part of her was flawless, the object of countless menâs desires. Was this b*stard blind or just stupid?
Since she was now inside the sedan chair, the people outside couldnât see what was happening. Assuming she had settled in, they quickly lifted the sedan and set off. The sudden movement made Wanyan Chongjie lose her balance, and she stumbled straight into Song Qingshuâs arms.
Song Qingshu raised his hands, signaling he hadnât touched her. âSee? Youâre the one taking advantage of me now.â
Wanyan Chongjie had never been this close to a man, let alone fallen into oneâs embrace. Flushing red, she stammered, âYou jerk! Itâs because they started moving suddenlyâI lost my footing!â
Song Qingshu smirked. âYouâre supposed to be a martial arts expert, yet a little jolt makes you unstable? Who are you trying to fool, a three-year-old? If you wanted to take advantage of me, you shouldâve just said so. No need for such roundabout tactics.â
Wanyan Chongjie hadnât expected the tables to turn so quickly, with him throwing her own words back at her. At a loss for a response, she simply decided to be brazen. âSo what if this lady wants to take advantage of you? Move!â She shoved his thigh aside and squeezed into the sliver of space that appeared.
âHey, weâre pressed so close I can feel your b0dy heat. Arenât you embarrassed, little girl?â Song Qingshu couldnât resist teasing.
âBy family hierarchy, youâre my uncle-in-law. Whatâs wrong with sitting close to an elder?â Wanyan Chongjie rolled her eyes, unwilling to dwell on the topic. She changed the subject. âWho do you think their master is?â
âHow should I know?â Seeing her annoyed expression, Song Qingshu chuckled. âBut Iâd guess their master is probably a woman.â
âWhy?â Wanyan Chongjie was puzzled. These people had appeared out of nowhere, and she was still clueless. How could Song Qingshu possibly know their masterâs gender?
Song Qingshu gestured to their tightly pressed bodies. âIf their master were a man, theyâd never dare let me squeeze into the same sedan chair with you.â
Wanyan Chongjie understood immediately. If a man had ordered her abduction, it was likely due to lust. In that case, allowing another man to get close to her would only anger their master. Only if their master were a woman would they have no qualms about confining the two of them together.
âJust who is this b*stard? How is he so perceptive?â
She stole a glance at Song Qingshuâs profile.
Meanwhile, Song Qingshu was lost in thought.
âA woman⊠Zhao Min?â
He knew the guess was recklessâeven if a woman were behind this, it could be out of jealousy, or revenge if her man had fallen for Wanyan Chongjie. But his first instinct was still to think of Zhao Min.
âNo point overthinking.â
He quickly dismissed his speculations and closed his eyes to rest.
Wanyan Chongjie, seeing this, was initially furious but soon found herself admiring his unflappable composure. Perhaps influenced by his calm, she too settled down and closed her eyes to meditate.
Time passed indeterminably before the sedan chair jolted abruptly. Wanyan Chongjieâs eyes flew open, and she flushed with embarrassmentâshe had actually fallen asleep.
âHow careless of me!â
As she woke, she realized her head had somehow ended up resting on the manâs shoulder. Noticing a small damp spot on his clothes, she instinctively wiped her mouth, her face burning.
âSo embarrassing! I even drooled in my sleep! Please donât let him have noticedâŠâ
She cautiously lifted her head, only to meet Song Qingshuâs amused gaze. Freezing in place, she quickly raised a fist in warning. âDonât you dare mention what just happened! Otherwise, Iâll expose your secrets too!â
âAnd what secret has Lady Chongjie so concerned?â
A melodious womanâs voice suddenly rang out from outside.