Chapter 116: A New Beginning

“Zhang Cheng, after you opened your spiritual world, your persistence and effort really moved me. Whether your intention to save me comes from guilt or a sense of responsibility, you have shown your answer through concrete actions, so I have no doubt about your care for me.”

Lu Qiuchen’s expression was extremely serious at this moment. Zhang Cheng choosing to open his inner world was a huge show of trust toward her.

Many of Zhang Cheng’s actions had made Lu Qiuchen angry, but many of them had truly touched her as well. After serious contemplation, she decided to make an agreement with Zhang Cheng.

Lu Qiuchen’s decision was not only to break free from the shackles imposed on herself but also because she believed it was necessary to respond to Zhang Cheng’s trust.

Zhang Cheng had proactively offered to open his heart to her. If she continued to evade him, what would Zhang Cheng think then?

In the future, the initiative between them would lie in Zhang Cheng’s hands. Just because he could tolerate her temporary avoidance didn’t mean he could endure it forever. What if one day Zhang Cheng could no longer bear it, lost control, or suddenly turned dark? Her fate could become indescribably grim.

It was better to get everything out in the open early on, use this agreement to hold Zhang Cheng back, give him some hope, keep him hanging, and prevent him from going to extremes.

On this point, Lu Qiuchen didn’t think she would lose out. After all, if Zhang Cheng truly blackened his heart and no longer cared about their relationship, he would likely exploit the contract’s restrictions to force himself on her.

At that time, not only would the hard-earned balance between them be shattered, but after her body was defiled, she would live a daily life of being dominated with no way to resist.

Thinking about such a terrifying future, if it really came to that, she would be the one who suffered the most.

But no matter how much Lu Qiuchen rationalized her reasons, toying with Zhang Cheng’s feelings was still a despicable act. On Earth, this would be called scheming or being a jerk.

“I know you… have some thoughts about me.” Lu Qiuchen directly pierced through Zhang Cheng’s mind, deliberately keeping her tone flat, but the slight fluctuations still betrayed her heart.

“But those reasons don’t make me accept your feelings. The fundamental reason is that our relationship is not equal. The more I do for you, the more afraid I become. That’s the most unacceptable part for me. So I…”

“Say it. I can agree to anything!” Warmed by the flames released from Lu Qiuchen’s hand, Zhang Cheng’s state had recovered by now, and he interrupted her words.

When Zhang Cheng chose to reveal his true feelings to Lu Qiuchen, he already knew this moment would come and was somewhat prepared, yet his heart still fluttered nervously, uncertain how she would view him, and saddened by her distrust.

From Lu Qiuchen’s recent confession, Zhang Cheng better understood where her unease came from, which only deepened his guilt toward her.

Zhang Cheng’s actions alone weren’t exactly wrong, but because his family bore the identity of perpetrators, their relationship was cast under a shadow. His every move toward Lu Qiuchen was tainted.

Since Zhang Cheng had broken free from his previous abnormal state, he realized his past behavior had been too frivolous and resolved to mend their relationship.

And just as he was struggling with how to solve this problem, Lu Qiuchen took the initiative to extend an olive branch, giving him a chance to make amends. Zhang Cheng was overjoyed and agreed without much hesitation.

Seeing how things developed in line with her expectations, Lu Qiuchen breathed a sigh of relief and silently apologized to Zhang Cheng, raising a finger.

“First rule: From now on, you’re not allowed to use the system’s partner control functions to force me, including checking my emotions or similar abilities.”

Lu Qiuchen knew Zhang Cheng had never intended to do such things, but she still needed his assurance.

Hearing the first rule, Zhang Cheng immediately relaxed. This was a minor issue. If they could mutually understand and respect each other, he would never have reason to use those tools. He nodded at once.

“Second rule: Regarding the search for the Sky Fragment, neither of us is allowed to hide anything from the other or deliberately delay progress.”

This seemed unnecessary, but Lu Qiuchen considered that after completing the contract with Lai, their relationship would become unstable. Given Zhang Cheng’s previous anxious attitude toward her, she was somewhat afraid he might use tricks to delay the task’s progress, thus prolonging their bond.

The longer it lasted, the more variables there would be. Lu Qiuchen only wanted to give Zhang Cheng some hope, not to let him truly court her.

“That’s fair.” Zhang Cheng nodded again.

Seeing Zhang Cheng agree once more, Lu Qiuchen closed her eyes, pressed her lips together, and mustered the courage to state the third rule.

“Third rule: Please recognize that I now have a woman’s body. From now on, don’t touch me anymore!”

Admitting with her own mouth that she had a female body—and that she was a woman—made Lu Qiuchen’s cheeks flush red.

But she also knew that having been reincarnated into the Eternal World for almost three years, no matter how much she deceived herself, she could no longer revert to being male.

Fortunately, dragons didn’t have the “negative buff” human women suffered, sparing her from embarrassment. Because of this, she accepted her new body quickly and had gradually become accustomed to living as a woman.

Moreover, when Gale had once taken her for etiquette lessons, it caused Lu Qiuchen’s lifestyle to be fully assimilated with her body’s gender. Originally somewhat frail, after transforming into human form, she no longer showed any masculine traits but radiated the elegant aura of a refined lady.

If she still tried to evade this reality now, it would be utterly clueless.

‘Since it’s already so embarrassing, I might as well say it all at once!’ Lu Qiuchen bit her lip and, recalling her earlier plan to appease Zhang Cheng, whispered her next words.

“I can’t let you be the only one giving. I know what’s in your heart… If you agree to these conditions, as a return… I—I can give you the right to pursue me!”

Enduring the embarrassment flooding her heart, cheeks burning red, Lu Qiuchen voiced her thoughts and lowered her head, unable to meet Zhang Cheng’s gaze.

Opposite her, Zhang Cheng nodded again after hearing the third rule. All three were acceptable to him, which was far better than he expected.

And when he heard Lu Qiuchen’s last words, joy surged uncontrollably in his heart. She had already accepted her female identity? And even agreed to let him court her?

Was this not a dream of his fantasies but a real occurrence?

Zhang Cheng pinched the back of his other hand, pain flashing through. He glanced at the shy Lu Qiuchen kneeling before him, making him realize that what he had just heard was indeed real and true.

He recalled the heavy obstacles that once stood between them, along with Lu Qiuchen’s attitude toward him, which had crushed his confidence and made him pessimistic about their relationship.

He had already suppressed his feelings for her and decided to give up this impossible love, dedicating all his energy to saving her and uncovering the truth of the Eternal World.

Unexpectedly, things took a sharp turn. Happiness came too suddenly, reawakening his dormant heart, and his face unconsciously brightened.

His reaction was immediately noticed by Lu Qiuchen, who, too shy to meet his gaze, chose to secretly observe him with her spiritual power.

What a pervert! Did he think I didn’t know what filthy thoughts he had in his heart?!

Seeing Zhang Cheng’s expression, Lu Qiuchen knew exactly what he was thinking, her shame and anger rising, so she quickly stood and lightly kicked his calf.

She deliberately controlled the force of the kick so as not to truly hurt him, only causing a bit of pain.

Hearing Zhang Cheng’s exaggerated scream, though she knew he was pretending, Lu Qiuchen still felt a slight sense of satisfaction. She pressed her lips, seeing that he still had the energy to joke around, which eased her mood and slowly faded the flush from her cheeks.

“Hmm, I have one more thing to tell you. I’ve prepared a set of armor, weapons, and a shield for you. You’ll see them when we get back.”

Seeing Zhang Cheng’s excited expression, Lu Qiuchen decided to strike while the iron was hot, firmly locking his attention on her.

She understood the principle of giving a slap and then a sweet treat. The three rules she had just set gave her some security but also conveyed her distrust of Zhang Cheng, which would surely hurt him.

Granting him the right to pursue her and telling him about the weapons prepared for him were meant to comfort Zhang Cheng’s spirit and evoke his feelings, showing that she not only distrusted him but also cared for him as a friend.

She believed this would make him more determined to protect her in the future.

“I commissioned the Gray Dwarves’ craftsmen to make a one-handed broad sword entirely from Adamantine and personally enchanted it. Also, there’s a Mithril Gothic armor. I know this design lacks joint protection, so I added a Mithril shield for you…”

Lu Qiuchen spoke rapidly, suddenly noticing the sparkle in Zhang Cheng’s eyes, and stopped mid-sentence.

It was the first time in her life she had seen such bright eyes. Thinking of how her words carried strong purpose and the guilt she felt for deceiving Zhang Cheng, she couldn’t bear to continue.

“I completely agree! And I promise I won’t hide anything from you in the future!” Zhang Cheng, seeing her stop talking and thinking she had finished, didn’t notice anything was amiss and quickly replied.

He then repeated the three rules as instructed by Lu Qiuchen.

Having seen Zhang Cheng’s memories, Lu Qiuchen knew his true feelings should indeed be as he said. Hearing his response, she felt slightly relieved but the guilt deepened.

‘Although being greedy for my own body is too embarrassing, this also has its benefits. Zhang Cheng will owe me now, so things will be more stable.’

She had too few cards to play, and how long Zhang Cheng’s promise would hold depended entirely on his mindset.

With Zhang Cheng’s assurance, Lu Qiuchen believed he wouldn’t act on her for several months. But to keep this fragile relationship stable, she would have to make repairs from other angles.

In our relationship, I’m the weak little lamb, and Zhang Cheng is the fierce tiger! I can’t give up the gains I just fought for because of guilt!

With this thought, Lu Qiuchen suppressed the guilt rising inside her.

At this point, the conflicts between them had been preliminarily resolved, forming a new relationship. Zhang Cheng received an unexpected delight, and Lu Qiuchen gained a sense of security. Both could now temporarily set their minds at ease and focus on completing Lai’s mission.

After all, whether or not Zhang Cheng had feelings for her, he was the only person in this world she could completely trust.

She sincerely hoped that one day she could confidently entrust her back to Zhang Cheng. That would depend on his future actions.

They had once been inseparable best friends. How could she wish their future to be full of pain, facing each other with cold glares every day, or even turning into enemies?

Though she had transformed into a dragon and her emotional threshold had risen significantly, it didn’t mean she had a heart of stone.

‘If Zhang Cheng can share my burdens, things would certainly be much easier from now on.’

Lu Qiuchen silently thought this, suppressing the vague fear of the future and beginning to feel a faint hope for their new relationship.

*****

He knew all her efforts were noticed. When she said he could pursue her, did her heart hold a tiny sliver of hope for that possibility?

From her previous behavior, it was clear that her hatred toward Zhang Guang hadn’t made her hate the whole world. Even if she was negatively affected by him, when she was rational, her attitude toward Zhang Cheng was relatively objective.

“Watch closely. I won’t disappoint you for the promise I made,” Zhang Cheng silently resolved.

Since Lu Qiuchen had relaxed her mental defenses, he would seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance to prove himself.

The suppression he had felt before was swept away. Zhang Cheng had never felt the world so vast. His excitement nearly overflowed, and the emotions infected him so deeply that even the snowflakes falling no longer felt cold.

The snow drifting onto the equally white Lu Qiuchen created a beautiful, poetic scene.

Zhang Cheng seemed to find some inspiration and subconsciously cast a projection spell, successfully recording the image.

“Hm? What are you doing?” Lu Qiuchen, also lost in thought, was startled awake by the faint magic Zhang Cheng emitted and tilted her head in confusion.

Seeing Lu Qiuchen’s unintentionally adorable expression, Zhang Cheng suppressed his urge to use the projection magic openly and smiled as he replied,

“Nothing. Let’s go back. Laiti and the Eternal Fragment are still waiting for us. If we don’t return soon, she’ll probably start worrying.”

“You’re reminding me! I haven’t settled things with Laiti yet!” Lu Qiuchen glared at Zhang Cheng, hesitated a moment, then grabbed his sleeve.

A flash of white light passed, and the two disappeared from the snowy ground.