Volume 3, Chapter 165 – The Abyss

Actually, Lu Zhuxin had been waiting here for quite a while already.

She was certain Qin Qingfen had noticed her actions.

In the original text Lu Zhuxin had written, Song Shiyuan was also seen with the hairpin by Qin Qingfen when she came to attend her elder brother Song Shixuan’s wedding.

In the original text, Song Shiyuan didn’t care about the identity of Chi family’s eldest young lady.

Moreover, in terms of foundation alone, the Nanhe Song Clan, an ancient family with a thousand-year heritage, couldn’t be compared to the Chi family, a merchant household.

To the original Song Shiyuan, what mattered was only that bloodline would no longer be her obstacle.

Other titles, power, and wealth were all unimportant to her.

Therefore, in the original text, Song Shiyuan and Chi Xiyan had almost no conflict.

But now, ever since Lu Zhuxin began severing the karmic ties between the Heaven-Mandated Female Lead and Heaven-Mandated Male Lead Song Shixuan, all plot developments had become completely different from the original text.

Only by being in the midst of it could Lu Zhuxin so clearly feel that this was an incredibly real world.

Not like in the original book, where all character actions were driven forward by Lu Zhuxin’s descriptions.

The perception of being the original author couldn’t represent the truest face of this world.

Perhaps it could be said this way: Lu Zhuxin was just a writer before. She had never truly come to this world, nor had she truly known the characters in this world.

However, fortunately, before their destinies were severed, these Heaven-Mandated Female Leads’ character settings didn’t differ much from Lu Zhuxin’s original text.

Their actions, Lu Zhuxin could predict roughly.

Just like now, since this suddenly appearing “Chi family eldest young lady” might very well become a stepping stone on her path forward, Chi Xiyan would use her own eyes to personally confirm her opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, rather than relying on subordinates.

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Chi Xiyan’s actions at this moment were indeed as Lu Zhuxin expected.

She used a sixth-order talisman to conceal her movements, not knowing such concealment was completely useless against Lu Zhuxin.

Though Lu Zhuxin herself had combat power of five, the perception brought by Eighth Realm cultivation was genuine.

Chi Xiyan’s little movements couldn’t escape her perception.

Lu Zhuxin chuckled inwardly. She raised her hand and inserted the crystalline white jade hairpin into her hair.

This hairpin was what Song Shiyuan had given Lu Zhuxin that day beneath the fox clan’s marriage ancient tree as a token of their pledge.

However, at that time, Lu Zhuxin hadn’t given Song Shiyuan anything in return.

This hairpin had always remained with Lu Zhuxin.

Lu Zhuxin had never imagined before that she would one day take out this hairpin to use as a prop.

Lu Zhuxin adjusted the hairpin, murmuring to herself, “You really are my little lucky star.”

After slightly arranging her yellowed black hair, Lu Zhuxin took a light breath.

Her cute little face filled with disappointment and dejection. Her entire being seemed to have lost color as she walked onto the street with heavy steps.

Even without looking back, Lu Zhuxin knew Chi Xiyan was following not too far behind her.

However, how long did that girl plan to follow?

For the next period of time, Lu Zhuxin visited over ten pawnshops in succession. Each time, she produced those few shabby pieces of jewelry from her body to pawn them. After being refused, she would walk out of the pawnshop with a dejected expression.

Soon, half an hour passed.

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Chi Xiyan was more patient than Lu Zhuxin had imagined. Even though she’d meaninglessly followed behind Lu Zhuxin wasting nearly half an hour, Chi Xiyan showed no sign of impatience.

Worthy of being the money cheat in the original novel.

A successful merchant should indeed possess sufficient patience.

Though Lu Zhuxin didn’t understand what meaning there was in wasting time following behind someone.

Perhaps she truly wanted to observe Lu Zhuxin for an entire day?

Before she knew it, the black-haired young woman in tattered clothing stopped before a bustling restaurant.

Chi Xiyan also stopped.

She’d followed that girl all the way today, knew what encounters this girl had along the way, and was clear about how many cold looks and difficulties she’d faced today.

“So… will you give up on yourself and fall into depravity, little sister?”

Chi Xiyan looked at the black-haired young woman ahead, her brows knitting slightly.

She saw that black-haired young woman standing before the restaurant, raising her head.

The restaurant’s sign prominently displayed three characters: “Five Immortals House.”

Five Immortals House. Just from the name, this was an ordinary restaurant.

But as the Chi family’s eldest young lady, she had investigated this restaurant’s background before.

Though it sounded like an unremarkable restaurant, the business it operated covered many, many aspects. Among them were brothels, gambling houses, and so on…

“This girl… could she really be planning to…”

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Chi Xiyan had seen many people who’d reached their last resort and witnessed these people’s madness at the end of their road.

For a young woman, whether selling herself to a brothel or borrowing from gambling houses, both were ways to quickly obtain money.

Yet whichever it was, neither was a good choice. Ultimately, both only led to the same result.

Chi Xiyan had seen too many similar cases.

So, was this girl before her the same?

Would just this degree of setback make her give up on herself and fall into the wrong path?

In Chi Xiyan’s view, all problems in this world that could be solved with money weren’t problems.

Chi Xiyan saw that young woman’s hesitant appearance.

She thought of what Qin Qingfen had said earlier.

If this girl truly was that cousin who’d disappeared from the Chi family sixteen years ago, then in the future, she might very well become an obstacle to Chi Xiyan’s control of the Chi family and Lingbao Commerce Association.

Qin Qingfen’s position was to eliminate her early, before the Chi family discovered this girl.

Though this idea was cold-blooded, it most aligned with Chi Xiyan’s interests.

However, Chi Xiyan felt doing so would carry considerable risk.

There were no walls without gaps in this world. If this matter left traces, it would inevitably become a hidden danger in the future.

Therefore, Chi Xiyan didn’t agree with such methods.

But what if that girl willingly degraded herself?

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If she truly entered Five Immortals House and defiled herself, the Chi family couldn’t possibly accept such a legitimate daughter anymore.

In this way, that girl could no longer become her obstacle.

And accomplishing this wouldn’t even require Chi Xiyan to act.

It was that simple. She only needed to stand here watching, doing nothing, letting that girl jump into the abyss herself.

No need to dirty her hands. All of this had nothing to do with Chi Xiyan. It was all that girl’s own choice.

Chi Xiyan only needed to respect another’s destiny.

“Hah…” The black-haired young woman let out a heavy sigh. As if making some kind of resolution, she stepped forward and walked into the restaurant before her.

Chi Xiyan silently watched that young woman’s retreating figure.

She hadn’t expected this matter to be so simple. That girl had stepped into the abyss herself.

Chi Xiyan lowered her eyes slightly and turned to leave.

The rest of the matter, she hardly needed to watch anymore. Five Immortals House was a place that devoured people without spitting out bones.

The Chi family had competed with Five Immortals House for many years. Naturally, they knew the darkness behind this restaurant.

Therefore, she didn’t need to do anything. That foolish country girl would be completely devoured by Five Immortals House.

However, Chi Xiyan’s just-departing steps suddenly paused.

As the Chi family’s young lady, she had witnessed or heard of various underhanded methods in inner court struggles.