Volume 3, Chapter 264 – I’ll Kill Him for You

“Sister, it really isn’t what you’re thinking!” Lu Zhuxin said helplessly. “I genuinely don’t have those kinds of feelings for Shuang’er.”

“Those kinds of feelings?” Chi Xiyan said. “What kinds of feelings are you referring to? Keeping Shuang’er as a bed companion?”

“How could I possibly think something like that!” Lu Zhuxin said.

Even if I did, I certainly wouldn’t say it out loud right now.

Chi Xiyan lowered her gaze slightly. “I believe you.”

“You like her face, and I can allow her to stay by your side. Great families are cold and lonely places. Every young lady of such a family wants someone close to her heart.”

“A personal maidservant fills that role. She’ll accompany you for a long time, and if you end up with one who doesn’t suit you, that becomes its own kind of torment.”

“But…” Chi Xiyan paused briefly. “Little Xue’er, I still have to remind you. A young lady of a great family must eventually marry.”

Lu Zhuxin slowly began to pick up on something beneath the words.

“Sister…” She pressed her lips together lightly. “What you mean is that great family daughters all have to marry, and I’m no exception. So Shuang’er is your way of giving me something in compensation?”

“We were born into families like this,” Chi Xiyan said. “Many things are not ours to decide. All I can do is secure for you what falls within the bounds of what’s permitted.”

Ha.

Lu Zhuxin laughed coldly to herself.

Securing what falls within the bounds of what’s permitted?

Little Xiyan, is that really the extent of your ambition?

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Rules are made to be broken.

“Sister,” Lu Zhuxin said. “Are you telling me this now because you’ve already found a match for me?”

“Not yet.” Chi Xiyan said. “I’m only saying it in advance so you can prepare yourself. There are some prospects taking shape.”

Lu Zhuxin lowered her head slightly. “Then has Sister already made arrangements to ensure that someone like me, with a tainted past, won’t be rejected?”

Chi Xiyan paused before replying. “Little Xue’er, rest assured. As long as the Chi family stands, as long as I’m here, no one will dare mistreat you.”

“Alright, Sister.” Lu Zhuxin’s voice had gone a little flat. “I understand. I trust Sister’s arrangements.”

Chi Xiyan heard the low, subdued tone in the girl’s voice. She could feel the heaviness in it.

Something unsettled her.

She felt a faint twinge of regret.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have said any of that.

The girl in front of her had gone from a farm girl to the Chi family’s second young lady. Finding her a suitable match was hardly simple.

Too lowly a family and the Chi family wouldn’t consider it. Too prestigious a family and they would never accept a newly married daughter-in-law who wasn’t untouched.

Since the Chi family had formally recognized Chi Muxue and entered her into the genealogy, quite a few families and sects had indeed sent calling cards looking to propose a match. But those small clans grasping for a higher perch weren’t remotely within the Chi family’s consideration.

What Chi Xiyan had said was mostly just a reminder to Yu Lizhi. She was now Chi Muxue, the Chi family’s second young lady, no longer the carefree farm girl she had once been. When it came to feelings and marriage, she couldn’t simply do as she pleased.

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Chi Xiyan believed Chi Muxue would understand.

But seeing the girl’s reaction, she still felt a discomfort she couldn’t quite shake.

“I know you’re unhappy about this,” Chi Xiyan said. “But this is the fate of a great family’s daughter. I hope you can accept it with grace, and not cause a scene that puts everyone in an awkward position.”

“Shuang’er is allowed to stay by your side. She can only ever be an ordinary servant. Nothing more.”

“I understand, Sister.” Lu Zhuxin smiled with a trace of bitterness. “You’ve said as much more than once.”

“Yu Lizhi isn’t that foolish.”

Allowing Shuang’er to stay, yet not allowing anything to come of it.

Why bother, little Xiyan?

If you cared this much, you could have simply not bought that woman in the first place. Why make things this awkward?

Not straightforward at all.

“Good, as long as you understand.” Seeing her looking so obedient, Chi Xiyan bit her lower lip lightly. “A Fifth Realm martial artist is a rare and powerful asset. If you can manage your relationship with her well and have her protect you, I’ll feel at ease too.”

“Last time you went out with Nanny Qin, if she had been with you, the wolf clan princess wouldn’t have been able to snatch you away so easily.”

Lu Zhuxin’s expression turned a little strange.

If Chi Xiyan knew that the wolf clan princess she was talking about and Lan Shuang’er were actually the same person, she wondered what her reaction would be.

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Chi Xiyan, unaware of any of this, continued. “Of course, as a young lady of a great family, the dangers you’ll face going forward won’t stop at just the one incident. Shuang’er may be strong, but there will always be moments when protection comes too late.”

This sort of thing had already happened to Yu Lizhi more than once, in fact.

“So, Little Xue’er, starting tomorrow, I will personally oversee your cultivation training.”

“What? Cultivation training?!” Lu Zhuxin’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock.

“Yes.” Chi Xiyan said. “I’ve had this plan for some time. It was only put on hold because the Chi family hadn’t yet formally entered you into the genealogy.”

“But you should be prepared. You’re no longer young, and the best window for beginning cultivation has already passed. Even if your talent is strong, it will be harder for you than most.”

“Painful, even.”

Chi Xiyan’s expression was grave. “Even so, I hope you’ll push through. At the very least, you need some ability to defend and protect yourself.”

“Can you do that?”

The muscles in Lu Zhuxin’s cheeks stiffened slightly.

This wasn’t some power fantasy novel about a nobody rising to greatness. So why did she, a Eighth Realm great demon, have to start cultivating from scratch?

“I…” Lu Zhuxin bit down lightly on her back teeth. “I’ll do my best, Sister.”

Getting that affirmative answer, a small glimmer of satisfaction entered Chi Xiyan’s eyes. “It’s getting late. You can go rest for today. When the sun rises tomorrow, I’ll come wake you.”

Hm?! Wait a moment!

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What did she just say? Sunrise?!

Getting up at dawn? Is there no humanity left in this world?

Lu Zhuxin wailed inwardly.

In that moment, a great demon of the Eighth Realm who had somehow never managed to kick her habit of sleeping in late suddenly felt all her dreams crumble to dust.

Chi Xiyan, unaware of the lamentation happening behind her, walked out of the courtyard while slowly turning over the training schedule she was putting together for Chi Muxue in her mind.

Leaving Lu Zhuxin alone to be scattered by the autumn wind.

After Chi Xiyan left, Bu Lianshuang stepped out from the grove of trees at the back.

Her expression wasn’t particularly good.

“You heard all of that, didn’t you?” Lu Zhuxin said, not bothering to hide her irritation. “What a headache.”

Bu Lianshuang raised her hand. On her long, fair fingers, sharp claws slowly extended.

Her voice came out low and quiet. “If she tries to marry you off to someone, I’ll kill him first.”

Lu Zhuxin clutched her head in anguish.

Shuang’er, that is not what I meant!