Volume 3, Chapter 353 – Chi Xiyan’s Little Schemes

“Besides, the situation this time is unusual. Bringing her along could very well invite trouble.”

“Trouble?” Lu Zhuxin narrowed her eyes.

“Yes…” Chi Xiyan said. “The specifics can wait until we are out. I will explain everything then.”

Lu Zhuxin tightened her fingers where they rested on Chi Xiyan’s arm, refusing to let go. “Is sister telling me the whole truth? There is no other reason?”

Something dark flickered through Chi Xiyan’s eyes when she heard that. “Little Xue’er, are you saying you think I have a selfish motive?”

“I… ” Lu Zhuxin lowered her head a fraction more. “I would not dare doubt sister… I am just worried about Lan Shuang’er…”

She was probing. She wanted to see just how deep Chi Xiyan’s jealousy ran.

She could not say for certain whether Chi Xiyan truly had no way to bring Bu Lianshuang along. Only Chi Xiyan knew the answer to that.

In many stories, the domineering type had an extremely strong possessive streak, sometimes to an almost irrational degree. Chi Xiyan was not quite that archetype, but in terms of personality, she came close enough.

She had already shown glimpses of her desire to control Chi Muxue before. Perhaps Chi Xiyan herself had not fully recognized it.

Lu Zhuxin was curious. After that night they had shared, how did Chi Xiyan see Chi Muxue now?

Had she truly not made sense of her own feelings even once?

Turning that thought over, Lu Zhuxin let a note of pleading creep into her voice.

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“Sister… I really do not want to leave Lan Shuang’er behind. She matters a great deal to me…”

Will you get angry hearing this, Chi Xiyan?

Your dear little sister is doubting your intentions and pleading with you, all for the sake of another woman.

Lu Zhuxin waited for Chi Xiyan’s reaction.

In the brief silence that followed, Chi Xiyan held her gaze with those dark, heavy eyes. Several breaths passed before she finally spoke, her voice low and slightly hoarse. “She matters a great deal to you, does she?”

Lu Zhuxin caught the suppressed note beneath Chi Xiyan’s words and felt a quiet flicker of satisfaction.

Yes. That is exactly what I was listening for.

Chi Xiyan, a Fifth Realm martial artist is a rare asset even for you, is she not?

Would you really abandon her for reasons that are not entirely rational?

Would you throw away a Fifth Realm genius just because of some feeling you have not even managed to sort out in yourself yet?

Chi Xiyan, that hardly fits the image of a businesswoman, does it?

Lu Zhuxin pressed her head lower. “Sister… I am sorry. I do not mean to make you angry…”

“But Lan Shuang’er is my closest friend…”

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“Friend?” Chi Xiyan asked softly. “Only a friend…”

“Sister… I am sorry!” Lu Zhuxin said again. “If you must be angry, be angry at me. Please do not take it out on Lan Shuang’er…”

The look in Chi Xiyan’s eyes sharpened into something more dangerous. “Little Xue’er, what kind of person do you think I am?”

“Why would I be angry at you over something like this?”

“And I certainly would not take it out on your friend.”

Liar.

Lu Zhuxin could not help the inward roll of her eyes.

The domineering type in stories, when they started losing their composure, tended to throw all sense out the window.

“Only… Little Xue’er, I have said this to you more than once already.” Chi Xiyan continued. “Lan Shuang’er is your personal attendant. You may be fond of her, but you should not treat a servant as a friend.”

As expected.

Lu Zhuxin was not the least bit surprised. That was Chi Xiyan all over.

Either way, Bu Lianshuang was going to be sacrificed.

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Poor little wolf.

Though, to be fair, the little wolf did not like Chi Xiyan either.

Wolf Clan people were deeply devoted in their bonds, the polar opposite of Chi Xiyan in every way.

Still, now that she had gotten a clear read on Chi Xiyan’s position, the probing could end here.

Lu Zhuxin was not actually some reckless, willful little girl.

She knew perfectly well what she was doing. Pushing any further would genuinely eat into the precious time they had to escape.

And besides, Lu Zhuxin had used the system to gain a thorough mastery of formations. She understood the layout of the Chi family’s grand array better than most.

What Chi Xiyan probably did not know was that Chi Jingwen, that old fox, had long since quietly altered part of the array’s routing.

The courtyard where Lu Zhuxin was staying, for instance, was under the cover of a confounding trap formation.

Getting in was easy enough. Getting out was another matter entirely.

“Sister…” Lu Zhuxin lifted her head, her eyes carrying a look of resolve. “You are right. I have been too indecisive…”

“Precisely in moments like these, one must make the most correct choice…”

“Sister, you are the most important person to me. Lan Shuang’er is an outsider…”

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“So I choose you!”

Chi Xiyan was caught off guard by Lu Zhuxin’s sudden decisiveness. After a moment, a faint smile surfaced on her face.

“That is my good little sister.”

Lu Zhuxin nearly laughed out loud.

Chi Xiyan, could you not be just a tiny bit less obvious about your little schemes?

Inwardly shaking her head, Lu Zhuxin kept her expression perfectly mild.

“Sister, I have nothing to pack. Let us go now.”

“Yes.” Chi Xiyan nodded.

Without further delay, she stepped forward, scooped Lu Zhuxin up in her arms, and made for the window.

The movement was so natural that even Lu Zhuxin did not register it at first.

It was only when she realized Chi Xiyan was about to carry her back out through the window the same way she had come in that Lu Zhuxin snapped to attention and cried out.

“Wait! Sister!”