Chapter 45: Is He Dead?

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Is He Dead?

Qiao Suluo looked up at Que Hongjin, meeting his shimmering, smiling eyes. The deep affection she saw in them made her heart skip a heavy beat.

At this moment, her mind was a tangled mess. She had no idea how to answer him.

Seeing her silence, Que Hongjin sighed inwardly. "Is my wife unwilling to accept me?

"If there is anything you don’t like about me, I will change it.

"I will work hard to make my wife like me."

As he spoke, the smile in his eyes gradually faded, making him seem nervous.

Qiao Suluo’s eyelashes fluttered lightly. Knowing she couldn’t bear to see him look so sad, she whispered, "No.

"You are wonderful. Don’t overthink it.

"It’s just too sudden. My mind is a bit messy right now, and I wasn’t mentally prepared for this."

Hearing this, Que Hongjin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He gently stroked her hair and said softly, "It’s my fault. I didn’t tell my wife in advance.

"Then I will take it as my wife’s agreement, but I will give you a few days to mentally prepare yourself.

"Does that sound good?"

His voice was deep, mellow, and enchanting. Like a babbling, clear stream, it flowed right into the tip of her heart. His warm breath brushed past her reddened earlobes, making her mouth feel even drier.

Her head was buzzing as she nodded uncontrollably. "Okay."

Seeing her nod, Que Hongjin seemed overjoyed. With a tender, shimmering smile reaching his eyes, he held her close, lowered his head to kiss her forehead, and murmured, "My wife is so good to me. In a few days, I will love my wife properly."

Qiao Suluo’s heart raced wildly. She felt completely unable to look straight at him like this; her heartstrings had been fiercely plucked by him.

Turning her head slightly, she suddenly noticed the props resting on the table and immediately snapped back to her senses. "Why?" she asked in confusion. "I wasn’t good to you before, and I even abused you."

Even if Que Hongjin wasn’t superficial about looks, considering what she had done to him in the past, he shouldn’t have developed feelings for her. Putting herself in his shoes, she would only feel disgust. How could he possibly harbor such romantic intentions toward her? Furthermore, even if she had turned over a new leaf, given their past experiences, he shouldn’t trust her.

Looking at Qiao Suluo’s thoroughly bewildered expression, Que Hongjin found it somewhat amusing. He lowered his head, leaning close to her ear, and said in a teasing, sultry voice, "Because my wife is not her."

He stated this as a matter of fact, without a hint of doubt or inquiry. His voice was low and husky, feeling like a fingertip brushing lightly over her heart, sending a shiver through her.

Qiao Suluo jolted in shock, her eyes widening in sheer disbelief as she stared at him.

"You... you..." She wanted to say something but found the words caught in her throat.

She was utterly astounded. How had he managed to discover this in such a short amount of time?

Observing her innocent reaction, Que Hongjin murmured, "The purebloods of the Peacock Family possess unique abilities. I can see things that others cannot, which allows me to discern the truth."

Like her soul, which was so breathtakingly beautiful.

"That is why, from the very beginning, I only ever wanted to be your Beast Husband, not hers," he added.

At this moment, Que Hongjin’s picturesque eyes were brimming with moonlight. Her features were reflected in his pupils, which burned with a tender, affectionate glow, as if trying to melt her right into them.

His words were like a pebble tossed into the lake of her heart, sending thousands of ripples outward and belatedly spreading a profound sweetness within her.

A sudden warmth welled up in Qiao Suluo’s eyes, and she felt a stinging sensation in her nose. An uncontrollable layer of mist blurred her vision. In this instant, all the lingering anxiety and confusion in her heart were caught and held steady by him.

"So, you knew," she said, her voice slightly choked with emotion.

All her unfamiliarity and unease toward this world, along with her constantly taut nerves, seemed to finally relax. At long last, someone understood her. Someone knew she wasn’t the original owner of this body, freeing her from having to bear the burden of her predecessor’s past.

Seeing the tears brimming in her eyes, Que Hongjin felt a sudden prick of pain in his chest, as if he had been stabbed by a needle. He reached out with his long, jade-like fingers to gently wipe the moisture away.

When the tears persisted, he let out a soft sigh, lowered his head, and kissed the dampness from the corners of her eyes.

"Yes, I know. I will always be here. Don’t be afraid."

He silently promised that she didn’t need to fear this unfamiliar world. He would stand by her side and protect her.

Soothed by Que Hongjin’s incredibly gentle aura, Qiao Suluo gradually relaxed, allowing herself to lean fully into his embrace.

Sensing her trust and reliance in this moment, he held her even more carefully, treating her as though she were a priceless treasure.

"I always thought you all hated me," she murmured.

Que Hongjin sighed softly. "How could we bear to?"

How could he ever bear to hate her?

"You aren’t her," he continued. "My wife could have told me from the very beginning."

Qiao Suluo shook her head. "I couldn’t say it."

The system forbade her from revealing the truth. If she disobeyed and tried to speak of it, she would be automatically muted. However, if they discovered it on their own, it didn’t violate the rules; she was allowed to admit it.

Que Hongjin immediately understood that there were likely some restrictive conditions tied to her arrival in this world.

However, as a thought crossed his mind, a trace of unease welled up within him. "Will my wife leave again?"

As he asked this, his arms tightened, hugging her securely, as if holding onto her tightly was the only way to ensure she wouldn’t vanish.

Resting in his arms, Qiao Suluo replied, "Probably not."

"Is she... still here?"

When mentioning this "she," a dangerous, dark glint flickered in Que Hongjin’s eyes. That "she," of course, referred to the original owner of the body.

Qiao Suluo shook her head. "No, she’s gone. On the day she was struck by lightning, her soul shattered and scattered."

Que Hongjin slowly exhaled a sigh of relief. "That’s good.

"My wife, don’t be afraid. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You can do whatever you want, and I will always be right here to accompany you."

Qiao Suluo nodded. Having completely opened her heart in this moment brought her a profound sense of peace. She now felt an indescribable level of trust toward Que Hongjin.

She was finally no longer alone in this world.

That night, Qiao Suluo dreamt of Yue Hanzheng again. The dream was exactly the same as the previous one, which left her feeling deeply unsettled.

Therefore, early the next morning, Qiao Suluo didn’t even bother setting up her stall. Instead, she immediately rented an ox cart with Que Hongjin and Bai Qianluo and set off for Medicine King Valley.

The journey by ox cart from their village to Medicine King Valley took about two dual-hours—roughly four modern hours. By the time they reached the outskirts of Medicine King Valley, it was already noon.

Medicine King Valley occupied a massive valley, much like an expansive manor. Its perimeter was heavily guarded by mechanical traps and tactical arrays.

Following her predecessor’s memories, Qiao Suluo approached the outer boundary and asked the gatekeeper to help fetch Steward Lin of the Outer Valley.

The gatekeeper went inside to pass on the message, leaving Qiao Suluo waiting outside. Even from where she stood, she could smell the rich, pungent aroma of medicinal herbs.

A short while later, the guard returned and said, "Steward Lin said you may enter."

Qiao Suluo went inside along with Que Hongjin and Bai Qianluo. They eventually arrived outside Steward Lin’s small courtyard.

Upon seeing Qiao Suluo arrive, Steward Lin said flatly, "You came at just the right time. Yue Hanzheng’s body is failing. Take him back and handle his funeral arrangements."

The reason Steward Lin was willing to let Qiao Suluo take the man away was that Yue Hanzheng used to belong to the Duke Dingguo Mansion. If the people of the Duke Dingguo Mansion ever remembered him and came looking for trouble, it wouldn’t be worth the hassle for Medicine King Valley.

It was better to just let Qiao Suluo take him back. That way, if the Duke Dingguo Mansion ever sought revenge in the future, they would direct their anger at her instead.

"What?" Hearing this, the color instantly drained from Qiao Suluo’s face.

Her fingers trembled as she thought in dread, "Could it really be like the scene in my dream? Is he going to die?"