Chapter Thirty-Six: Adversaries and Enemies are the Same

  "Hmph? I didn't think you still had the mind to appreciate tea?" Although she had tried her best to suppress her anger, Bu Yao couldn't help but grip the edge of the table tightly, scratching several marks on it with her fingernails. Gnashing her teeth, she said "You despicable person! You actually made arrangements early on, wanting to kill two birds with one stone? Unfortunately, your plan was disrupted. You didn't think Long Ye would suddenly appear, nor did you think that Prince Zi Yin was nearby, and even more so, you didn't think the Emperor would let me off? Is that right?"

  Listening to Bu Yao's account, Qi Lin also mostly guessed the situation at that time. It should be when Peony was about to do something bad to Bu Yao, Long Ye burst in and interrupted. In anger, Long Ye hurt Peony and saved Bu Yao. This also startled Zi Yin who was nearby, came forward upon hearing the noise, and punished Peony. Also startling Feng Changqing

  So, from the time she lost consciousness, what exactly was done to her? Why did she end up in Feng Changqing's arms? Bu Yao is so clever, and at that time, she must have been with Long Ye. Why did it turn out like this?

  Although she was thinking of so many things in her heart, Qilin still looked at Buxia with a calm expression. She must have misunderstood her. But would explaining it be useful?

  "I myself am a startled bird, why must you secretly calculate against me who is just like you?" Qi Lin continued to stare at Bu Yao, "How could Long Ye let you fall into Mu Dan's hands?"

  Peony was startled. Obviously, she was the one being questioned. Why did it feel like she was the one being interrogated now? However, thinking carefully about it... At that time, she was just about to take Long Ye over to "watch the show". But halfway through, Long Ye was called away by a servant. She had originally planned to go and take a look first, but unexpectedly got dizzy from the fragrance that came rushing at her nose. When she woke up, she was already on Peony's bed.

  Bai Yao got up and walked to Qilin's side, leaned in close to Qilin and sniffed hard, scaring Qilin away, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

  Just as she was about to ask Bu Yao what she was doing, Bu Yao suddenly grabbed her collar, her eyes blazing with anger, her lips trembling slightly.

  "What are you doing?!" Has she ever felt a person's anger?! Zilin couldn't help but feel some turmoil, wanting to escape from Buxia's clutches, only to find herself being held down firmly.

  "Really you? The fragrance on your body is the same as that time?" Bù Yāo angrily grabbed Qí Lín. At this moment, the candlelight reflected in her eyes, just revealing her anger. The strength in her hand was almost about to tear Qí Lín's clothes apart. Bù Yāo coldly said "You still say you're innocent? Even if others say you deliberately plotted against me, I would still believe you a bit. After all, I, Bù Yāo, am not stupid to that extent. But this body full of medicinal fragrance, how can I trust you?"

  The fragrance of medicine? Qi Lin's furrowed brow was puzzled? She made an effort to sniff her nose? Indeed? There was a faint scent on her body, similar to the aroma of tea? But it wasn't entirely like tea? Suddenly, she thought of the man who had come earlier and sprinkled something? Could it be that?? But that was just ordinary??? Wait a minute

  If that's really the case... Thinking of that possibility, Qilin couldn't help but bite her lip tightly, anger burning within her, as she grasped Xie Yao's wrist with a reversed grip, her eyes also reddening in anger.

  It was clear that she hadn't expected Qilin to do this. As she looked into her eyes, which were filled with anger, Pei Yao suddenly felt a little guilty. She tried to calm herself down and shook off Qilin's hand, but accidentally stumbled backward. The chill of the ice penetrated through her thin clothes and into her bones, causing her to frown slightly.

  "Don't think you can intimidate me with this show of force! I'm telling you, Qilin!"

  "Slap"

  Qilin slapped the table, causing the teacups to shake and spill some tea. At the same time, Bu Yao was startled into silence, her eyes wide with confusion as she stared at Qilin.

  "Bu Yao, whether you believe it or not, I won't explain. " Qi Lin raised her eyes and looked at Bu Yao with a high nose, her mouth slightly raised, not like the lack of confidence just now. She continued, "Thanks for choosing to trust me a little bit. As for that other person you mentioned, why don't you suspect her instead?"

  She was questioned by Qilin, but she understood the reason. However, as soon as she thought of the "others" in her words, Bu Yao couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  "Qilin, do you know who the other person I'm referring to is?" Seeing Qilin's hesitation, Buxiu stood up and looked down at her, saying "It was your former sister, Cui'er. She told me that she personally saw you letting someone bring me in, and then going to seduce the Emperor."

  Although she had prepared for the worst, Qilin still felt a sharp pain in her heart, and her eyes moistened. She gritted her teeth to hold back, took a deep breath, and fantasized about swallowing her tears along with it.

  "What's the big deal?" She carelessly brushed off the dust on her body. Qilin said nonchalantly, "But she can say these things to you? I suppose you two are in cahoots? But... Bu Ya, whether what she says is true or false isn't important... What's important is how much you trust her? Today she can say this about me, who knows what she'll say about you tomorrow?"

  "This is just an excuse, isn't it?" Buxia understood Qilin's words. She had also been in the workplace for so many years. How could she not understand these principles? However, she couldn't stand Qilin's self-righteous attitude. Why should she listen to her?

  With a flick of her sleeve, she brushed past Qilin's face. Bu Yao turned around swiftly and said, "In the past, we were opponents because of Peony, but from now on, you are not just my opponent, but my enemy. I will never show mercy to you. One day, if you fall into my hands, I will personally torture you."

  "So I must be on tenterhooks all the time? Such a life? I don't reject it?" Originally, we were just opponents. Even if our common opponent is gone, we are still opponents. It's all the same whether before or after."

  Just thinking of Qiao'er... Qi Lin still feels a pang of sadness. The girl she once vowed to protect has now become her opponent, even her enemy. What was it all for?

  But if she were treated like that... She would also choose to hate, wouldn't she?

  Until Bixiao left, Lüzhú came in to clean up the things. Although her face was full of worry, she didn't mention a word. After cleaning everything, she bent down beside Qílín and said, "Miss, it's time to rest."

  "Green bamboo, why is it that if someone were to push you into the tiger's mouth, yet not let the tiger eat you, occasionally giving you a lifeline, but not letting you grasp it? Why is this so?" Qilin said calmly, thinking back on all this time, she felt like a small boat drifting aimlessly in the vast ocean, the only thing she could hold onto was her own heart.

  Maybe one day she will lose her heart too

  "Miss?" He squatted down, holding Qilin's slightly chilly hand and gently wiping away the fine sweat with his handkerchief. "Since Miss is not in control of herself, then just go with the flow. Can't do what you like? Then do what you're good at."

  Never thought that Green Bamboo would be like this. Qi Lin looked at Green Bamboo with a hint of surprise. Although Green Bamboo didn't talk much on ordinary days, but when she spoke, it was always what she thought in her heart. She did things carefully and meticulously, with a delicate mind.

  Facing the green bamboo, she smiled slightly and said, "You're right. If you can't do what you like, then do what you're good at. Isn't this what I'm best at?"

  Xiaoxiao smiled foolishly and felt a bit tired. Qilin raised her hand and said "Help me rest for a while."

  Lying in bed, sleepless, yet still letting Green Bamboo extinguish the candle and sending her away, closing his own eyes to feign sleep.

  It was around midnight. Suddenly, she felt a gentle breeze sweep across her bed, and the faint scent of tea wafted up to her nose. Qilin slowly opened her eyes, and indeed, someone had arrived.

  "Haven't slept yet??" Even in the dark, he could tell that Qilin was awake. This was half because of his martial arts skills and half because he understood her. Since Shi Yao had come today, he must have known that Qilin had figured something out.

  So he came

  Qilin slowly got up, then instinctively stretched out her hand to find the man's sleeve. A cool sensation entered her fingertips, and she was reluctant to let go. She gently placed it on the tip of her own nose and said, "You said that if I didn't agree, you wouldn't touch me. Is that true?"

  Didn't expect Qilin to be like this? The man was slightly stunned... He nodded slightly in the darkness... Suddenly realized that Qilin might not be able to see him... He hummed softly.

  Who would have thought? With a sudden tightening of his waist, Qilin had already grabbed his belt and climbed onto his body. The unique fragrance that belonged to Qilin immediately spread out, but this time there was an added hint of tea fragrance that was not easily noticeable.

  "What are you doing?!" He pushed Qi Lin away, but found that Qi Lin's body was icy cold. His palm was on Qi Lin's slender arm, and he slightly furrowed his brow. "How did you become so thin?"

  Qilin raised her hands and slowly hooked them around the man's neck, speaking softly. "How about it? Didn't I agree to this? Come on, perhaps after today we won't be able to see each other again. Although I've hated you and resented you, this time you're taking me away, avoiding an awkward situation and gaining the emperor's attention - a two-for-one deal! It must be that Ziyin values you because of your cleverness and exceptional martial arts skills."

  Listening to Qilin's gradually cold tone, the man only felt a chill in his heart. It was like the icy water of March flowing from head to toe, an unprecedented feeling.

  "In my world, there was a dynasty with a chancellor named Bi Gan. He was intelligent and wise beyond measure, his wisdom unmatched by ordinary people. Legend has it that he had a heart with seven holes. As I speak, my slender, icy fingers dance across your chest, and I continue: 'However, in the end, his heart was dug out by the emperor's beloved concubine, curing his heart disease. Who knows? Maybe I'll become that concubine and dig out your heart with seven holes. At that time, will you be like Bi Gan, unable to taste the pain of losing one's heart?'"

  The man smiled slightly and held Qilin's restless hand, saying "I am heartless"

  "Is that so?" Qilin stretched out her other hand to press against the man's steadily rising and falling chest, saying lightly "Actually... you didn't promise not to touch me, just can't touch me, right?"

  After finishing speaking, she raised her clear black pupils and searched for the man's equally deep eyes in the darkness.

  "Didn't I say so? You ate that Mei Ren Hong thing, didn't you? Even if it's just a temporary effect, it can only be used once. She said calmly, her thin body trembling slightly in the air. She deliberately dressed like this to stay awake. "Today, knocking me out and quietly taking Bu Yao to Mudan's room is also very simple, isn't it? Letting your scent stick to my body... This time you changed a bit, added something, so when Bu Yao found me, we became enemies... Wasn't that your goal?"

  Qilin's voice was a bit illusory, as if it had drifted from the horizon, and listening to it felt somewhat unreal.

  "But you forgot? Yu and Bu Yao were originally rivals? " Qi Lin raised the corner of her mouth, as if mocking, and continued, "I'm afraid you didn't expect me to meet Feng Changqing either?"

  The man was so absorbed in listening that he was suddenly asked back and couldn't answer properly.

  "You're indeed very clever!" He gently lifted his hand and accurately stroked Qi Lin's icy face, saying "However, you only got half of it right. It was I who allowed Xiang Yao to enter Mudan's room, no mistake about that. But the one who took you away wasn't me. My intention in putting medicine in your water was also like this. However, I also knew that you two were originally opponents. Doing so was just helping you return to your original positions."

  "Isn't it you?" Having heard so much, although surprised, but Qilin was more concerned about this sentence "Isn't it you? Could it be Ziyu?"

  Thinking carefully again doesn't seem right... waiting for the man to speak up

  "This you don't need to worry about, I will handle it myself." He gently pressed down on Qilin's head and held her in his arms, softly saying "You just need to listen obediently, at least let others give you an apology, I will help you get it back."

  The man's words made her tremble slightly. Qi Lin immediately blushed and pushed the man away, but was quickly tapped on a sleep-inducing acupoint. Her eyelids heavily fell shut.

  Put Qilin to bed? Carefully help her cover the quilt? Wipe away the fine sweat on Qilin's forehead? The man spoke, "It's just that I let you suffer injustice... You can only get it back yourself... Qilin... I will make you fall in love with me..."