Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

"But I am not. I am also a human being. I am also afraid of the cold, afraid of the dark, afraid of being alone. I also wish that someone could be with me, to talk to, and to hand me a glass of water when I practice swordsmanship until my arms can't be lifted anymore."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, his throat tightening. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Lu Xueqi turned back to look at the top of the tent.

"Your cultivation and talent are no less than mine, and you're young," she said, her voice tinged with amusement. "Although you're a bit short, you're good-looking and kind to me."

She turned to face him and reached out to touch his face.

"Jiang Xiaochuan, tell me, what is it about you that makes you unworthy of me?"

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a lump in his throat and his eyes welled up with tears. He blinked to suppress the sensation.

He thought about it, and it seemed... that was indeed the case. His cultivation level was inferior to hers, but not far off either. He wasn't as high as hers, but...

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and he blurted it out:

"But……"

"But what?" Lu Xueqi asked, gently tracing his name with her finger.

"But you..." Jiang Xiaochuan bit his lip, his voice even lower, "You shouldn't be like this."

Lu Xueqi's hand stopped.

The room fell silent again, this time eerily so. Jiang Xiaochuan could feel Lu Xueqi's breathing pause for a moment, then slowly sink down, becoming quite heavy.

After a long silence, Lu Xueqi finally spoke, her voice very soft:

"You're thinking about her again?"

Jiang Xiaochuan fell silent.

Lu Xueqi looked at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled. The smile was faint and gentle, like ripples spreading across water in the wind, which quickly dissipated.

"Jiang Xiaochuan," she said softly, her tone tinged with helplessness, and something else entirely, "you..."

Before she could finish speaking, she flipped over and pinned Jiang Xiaochuan beneath her.

Jiang Xiaochuan exclaimed in surprise and instinctively grabbed her arm. Lu Xueqi looked down at him. Moonlight shone from behind her, and her face was hidden in shadow, with only her eyes shining frighteningly bright.

"Who am I?" she asked softly, but each word struck Jiang Xiaochuan's heart like a hammer blow.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, at her eyes, at her nose, at her slightly parted lips. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a hoarse voice:

"Lu Xueqi".

"Which Lu Xueqi?"

"My Lu Xueqi".

Lu Xueqi smiled, a deep and genuine smile that flowed from her eyes and filled her entire face. She lowered her head and kissed him.

……

In the end, he lay paralyzed on the bed like a lump of mud, his eyes red and swollen, his lips cracked and bleeding. He was panting, his chest heaving violently, staring at the ceiling with a vacant look in his eyes.

Lu Xueqi lay down beside him, turned to her side, one hand on his waist, her fingertips gently sliding along his waist.

"Tomorrow..." Jiang Xiaochuan began, his voice hoarse, "I want to go back to Dazhu Peak."

"Okay," Lu Xueqi replied readily.

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback, then turned to look at her: "You...aren't you going to ask me what I'm going to do?"

"Say what you want to say," Lu Xueqi said, her fingers still tracing his name on his waist, round and round.

Jiang Xiaochuan pursed his lips, then turned his head back to look at the top of the tent. After a long while, he whispered:

"I just wanted to go back and see my master and mistress. On their wedding day... my master didn't look too well."

Lu Xueqi hummed in agreement but didn't say anything.

The two lay there for a while longer. Jiang Xiaochuan felt sticky and uncomfortable and wanted to get up to wash, but Lu Xueqi pressed him down and said, "Don't move." She got up, got out of bed, and went to the outer room to fetch a basin of hot water.

She wrung out a cloth and gently wiped Jiang Xiaochuan's body, her movements very light and careful, from his face to his neck, chest, waist, and legs. Jiang Xiaochuan kept his eyes closed, letting her do as she pleased.

The warm cloth felt comfortable against his skin. He drowsily wondered, would Lu Xueqi have always served people like this? Probably not…

When Lu Xueqi touched his inner thigh, she paused. Jiang Xiaochuan opened his eyes and saw her looking down at the three words on his inner thigh. Moonlight shone in from the window, illuminating that spot, making the light red words stand out against his pale skin.

Lu Xueqi stretched out her finger and gently stroked the words, causing Jiang Xiaochuan to tremble.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

Jiang Xiaochuan shook his head: "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Lu Xueqi didn't say anything. She watched for a while longer before continuing to wipe him. After she finished, she threw the cloth back into the basin, wiped herself briefly, climbed into bed, and hugged Jiang Xiaochuan.

……

In my mind.

Linglong sat with her knees drawn up to her chest in a void. All around her was a thick fog, obscuring everything, except for a faint glimmer of light in the distance—the world as Jiang Xiaochuan saw it.

She sat for a long time, motionless, her face expressionless, her eyes empty, as if she hadn't thought of anything, or as if she had thought too much, so much so that they were empty.

Day and night, he listened to his beloved entwined with another person, listened to his panting, his moans, his cries, his pleas for mercy, listened to Lu Xueqi say "You are mine" over and over again, taking him again and again, pushing him to the brink of collapse time and time again.

Linglong felt that she was about to collapse.

I felt a mix of emotions.

It felt like there was a hand inside, gripping and twisting, turning all the internal organs into a jumbled mess.

She wanted to cry, but couldn't; she wanted to shout, but couldn't make a sound. She was just a remnant soul, unable to do anything but listen, watch, and suffer.

Sometimes she thinks, if only she had been more forceful back then, and had just...

No, no.

A person like him wouldn't like to force things. Even if he gets the person, what's the use if he doesn't get their heart?

But sometimes, seeing how Lu Xueqi treated him, seeing him being tormented so badly yet still snuggling into Lu Xueqi's arms, still whispering "Xueqi, be gentle"... Linglong would think, maybe, maybe he didn't really hate that.

Maybe he just needs someone to be tough on him, to pin him down, and to tell him, "You're mine, and you can't escape."

Linglong closed her eyes and buried her face in her knees.

Footsteps sounded behind her, very light, but exceptionally clear in the silence. Linglong didn't look up; she knew who it was.

Hongli walked over, sat down beside her, and without saying a word, simply reached out and pulled her into her arms.

Linglong stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed, burying her face in Hongli's chest. Hongli had a faint fragrance about her, it was hard to describe what it was, but it smelled very nice, warm and reassuring.

"Still sad?" Hong Li asked, her voice lazy and slightly amused.

Linglong didn't say anything.

Hongli sighed and gently stroked her hair with her fingers.

"I tried to persuade him," Hongli said casually, as if she were commenting on the nice weather, "to have them all, to have them on both sides, how wonderful, but unfortunately he wouldn't agree."

Linglong remained silent.

"You," Hongli lowered her head, resting her chin on the top of her head, "if you had been more forceful back then and just raped him, you might have several children by now."

Linglong stiffened for a moment, then slowly raised her head to look at Hongli. Hongli was also looking at her, with a smile on her face and her eyes curved like crescent moons.

"He won't like me," Linglong whispered, her voice a little hoarse. "What's the use of getting his body if you can't have his heart?"

Hongli smiled and reached out to pinch her cheek.

"You still don't understand him," she said.

Linglong was stunned.

"That person of his," Hong Li let go of her hand, leaned back, put her hand behind her head, and looked at the thick fog above her head.

"He's soft-hearted, easily influenced, and has a soft mind. If you treat him well, he'll know it. If you force him, he might resist or get angry at first, but over time, he'll accept it."

She paused, turned her head to look at Linglong, and her eyes held a cunning that seemed to see through everything.

"Besides, even though he said no, he was secretly thrilled. Believe it or not, if you had just forced yourself on him back then, he might be living with you by now."

Linglong's eyes lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed again. She lowered her eyes and whispered:

"What's the point of saying all this now?"

"It's useless," Hongli nodded, readily admitting, "but it's fun."

Linglong glanced at her, said nothing, and buried her face back in her knees.

Hongli smiled, not minding at all. She stood up, stretched, and said:

"Alright, you can continue being your melancholy goddess. I'm going to tease that little fox."

After saying that, she flashed and disappeared into the mist.

Linglong raised her head and looked in the direction where Hongli had disappeared. She stared for a long time, then sighed and buried her face back down.

……

yard.

Xiao Bai sat on the stone steps, holding a wine jar in her hand. The jar was empty, but she still held it, shaking it to listen to the sound of the remaining wine hitting the side of the jar.

It was late at night, the moon was setting in the west, the starlight was dim, and the wind rustled through the bamboo in the yard.

The air still carried the warmth of the daytime, mixed with the coolness of the night dew, and felt just right on my skin, neither too hot nor too cold.

But Xiaobai felt cold.

The cold seeped from between the bones.

She tilted her head back, turned the empty wine jar upside down, and poured some into her mouth. The last few drops of wine fell into her mouth; they were bitter and astringent. She frowned, then tossed the jar aside. The jar rolled a few times, hit the corner of the wall, and shattered.

The fragments gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

Xiao Bai stared at the fragments for a long time, then raised her hand and covered her face.

Then, sounds came from inside the house.

Suppressed sobs, pleas for mercy, and Lu Xueqi's low, repeated "You are mine" could be heard clearly through a door and a wall, like knives stabbing into her heart again and again.

Xiaobai clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood. She gritted her teeth, her whole body trembling.

She wanted to kick the door open, rush in, pull Jiang Xiaochuan out, and take him away, far away, to a place where no one could find him. She wanted to cover his ears and tell him not to cry, not to beg, that she was here and would take him away.

But she can't.

Jiang Xiaochuan said that Xiaobai is a good person and wouldn't do that.

Xiao Bai thought about it and found it ridiculous.

Okay? What's the use of being okay? Will being okay make him like you? Will being okay make him push Lu Xueqi away and go with you?

She grabbed another jar of wine next to her, broke the mud seal, tilted her head back, and gulped it down. The wine flowed down her chin, down her neck, and into her collar. She drank too fast and choked, coughing violently until tears streamed down her face.

But she kept drinking, one sip after another, as if she wanted to drink herself to death.

A soft laugh suddenly came from behind.

"Drinking like this can harm your health."

Xiao Bai paused, put down the wine jar, and turned his head.

Under the moonlight, a woman in red leaned against a bamboo stalk, arms crossed, smiling at her.

The woman was extremely beautiful, with delicate features and a tall figure. Her red dress shone like a flame in the moonlight, burning intensely.

Xiao Bai narrowed his eyes, stared at her for a few seconds, then turned back and continued drinking.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"Me?" Hongli walked over, sat down next to her, picked up a jar of wine, broke the clay seal, and took a sip. "I am his wife."

Xiao Bai paused again. She slowly turned her head, looked at Hong Li, and her eyes were a little confused.

"Wife?" she repeated, as if confirming the meaning of the word.

"Yes," Hongli nodded, took another sip of wine, wiped her mouth, and said with a smile, "It means wife or lady."

Xiaobai was even more confused. She looked at Hongli, then at the room, then back at Hongli, her brows furrowed tightly.

"What about Lu Xueqi..."

"Don't worry about this," Hongli waved her hand, interrupting her casually, "It's just a form of address anyway. If you like, you can call yourself his wife too, it doesn't matter."

Xiao Bai stared at her for a long time, then tugged at the corners of his mouth and smiled. The smile was faint and cool, as if it would dissipate with a breath.

"I'm not interested," she said, turning back to continue drinking.

Hongli didn't mind and sat down next to her, drinking with her. Neither of them spoke, only the sound of the wine going down their throats, gulping and gurgling, was particularly clear in the quiet night.

After drinking for a while, Hongli suddenly spoke:

"You like him that much?"

Xiao Bai paused, then remained silent.

"So much that you'd rather eavesdrop here and get yourself drunk than go in and snatch him away?" Hong Li asked again, her tone tinged with mockery.

Xiao Bai gripped the wine jar tightly, her knuckles turning white. She gritted her teeth and whispered:

"What do you know?"

"I don't understand." Hongli nodded, admitting it readily. "But I do understand one thing: if you like someone, go for it. If you can't get it, drug them. If the drug doesn't work, force yourself on them. You have to try at least once, otherwise your feelings for them will have been in vain."

Xiao Bai turned to look at her, her eyes cold.

"Do you think everyone is like you?"

"What's wrong with someone like me?" Hong Li raised an eyebrow, took another sip of wine, then leaned closer to Xiao Bai and whispered.

"Let me tell you, he may look gentle, but he's actually quite the connoisseur. If you had been in southern Xinjiang back then, you would have just..."

"Shut up," Xiaobai interrupted her, her voice cold.

Hongli smiled, leaned back, and stopped talking.

The two drank in silence for a while longer. Suddenly, Xiaobai spoke, his voice very low, as if talking to himself:

He said I was fine.

"Um?"

"He said Xiaobai is a good person and wouldn't do that." Xiaobai twitched the corners of his mouth, but the smile was uglier than a cry.

"So I can't do that, I can't let him down."

Hongli didn't respond immediately.

She tilted her head back and took a sip of wine, the liquid dripping down her chin without being wiped away, letting it slide into her collar. Then she put down the jar, turned to look at Xiaobai, her eyes sharp, like knives:

Do you know what your biggest problem is?

Xiao Bai didn't say anything, he just drank.

"You're too concerned about saving face," Hongli said, her voice flat, but every word was like a needle.

"You want him to like you, but you're afraid he won't like you back. You don't dare to speak up, you don't dare to fight for him, you just dare to wait, waiting for him to suddenly turn around one day, see that you're still in the same place, and then be moved, and then choose you."

She leaned closer to Xiaobai, her breath reeking of alcohol in her face:

"But how many 'sudden' events are there in this world? Even if they were, it wouldn't be your turn."

Xiao Bai froze, his fingers clenching the wine jar so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Look at Lu Xueqi," Hong Li leaned back, her tone mocking.

"Does she have no shame? She doesn't care if you're upset or if he wants it or not. If she sets her sights on something, she'll snatch it away. Once she gets it, she'll lock it up. Does she care if he says 'he's great'? No, she'll only let him know."

Hong Li paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:

"You are mine. Your good, your bad, everything about you is mine."

Xiao Bai suddenly turned her head, her eyes red, but not from crying, but from anger:

"What's the difference between that and being a robber?!"

"Yes, even a robber feels guilty after stealing something, but she doesn't. She just feels that it was rightfully hers."

Hongli smiled.

She stood up, dusted off her clothes, and looked down at Xiaobai:

"So you see, what you want is 'love,' what she wants is 'ownership,' what you want is 'him willing,' what she wants is 'him by my side.'"

"Tell me," Hongli said, turning to leave, her voice drifting back, "who will be the final winner?"