Chapter 83: I Am Not the One You Call Ci’er

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Night had deepened. With a furrowed brow, Hua Qinci returned to her home, waiting for dawn to break before setting out for the Qian estate. Since the Qian family was rich and she happened to need money, it was only fair to return the ox’s hair to the ox itself. For now, this seemed the best solution.

When she first met Shang Jinxiu, she hadn’t fully believed the stories about the Qian family, though she was well aware of the layers of intrigue within them. Now, with the Qian family presenting her father’s promissory note and an odd abundance of silver, only two explanations remained: either Shang Jinxiu was coercing her, or one of the Qian family’s concubines was stirring up trouble.

They had failed to kill her the first time and had returned for a second attempt. Unless she resolved the matter with the Qian family, she would find no peace in this little Creek Village—or even in Liuli City.

Back then, her only thought had been survival—she was terrified of dying. Now that she’d been reborn, she was determined not to die so easily.

First, the merchant’s wife was assassinated at the inn; then the Qin household caught fire in the middle of the night for no reason. Both incidents pointed to someone in the Qian family wanting her dead.

Later, while gathering herbs, she’d nearly fallen into a wild boar trap. It hadn’t been a careless misstep—she had distinctly felt someone push her hard from behind. Though she hadn’t seen anyone at the time and dared not be sure, she later noticed fresh footprints and broken grass at the scene. At first, she’d thought they belonged to hunters, but now she realized her first instinct was right: someone had deliberately tried to murder her.

Then, on a stormy day, she’d chased after Qin Youtian, trailing a shadowy figure all the way to the wolves’ territory on Pigeon Hill, only to find herself trapped, with no sign of Qin Youtian. Had he not appeared in the nick of time, she might have truly perished.

Such ruthless methods.

Lying on her bamboo bed, gazing at the starlight reflected in the river outside, Hua Qinci thought that perhaps it was time to strike back.

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“Cier!”

Lost in thoughts of retaliation, Hua Qinci was startled by Liu Qingyun’s sudden voice.

Was this man a god, she wondered, or was he always lurking around the original owner? How did he always manage to find her? Clearly, his courage had grown by leaps and bounds.

She shot him a sidelong glance, wanting nothing to do with him.

“Cier, don’t be afraid. It’s all right. I don’t care about your past!” Liu Qingyun pressed on when she remained silent.

He had stood guard at the Qin family’s door all day, afraid they would mistreat her. Liu Bingbing had endlessly encouraged him, reminding him how pitiful Hua Qinci was now—she might even be driven to take her own life.

He knew how much country women valued their reputations. If a woman was cast out by her husband’s family, the tide of gossip would drown her.

When rumors had spread in the village a few days ago that Hua Qinci was a harbinger of misfortune, he had always defended her, frequently quarreling with the local women and widows.

This time, having witnessed Qin Youtian bullying her and then turning around to divorce her, Liu Qingyun was truly furious.

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But with Liu Bingbing’s constant urging, Liu Qingyun began to believe she was right—this was his chance.

He was willing to run away with Hua Qinci, caring nothing for her past.

Seeing her in tears just now had pained him deeply; he had held back from approaching her for a long while before finally daring to come forward.

“Cousin, why are you out in the middle of the night instead of sleeping at home, always showing up at other people’s houses? If anyone hears of it, the rumors will only multiply.”

After a moment’s thought, Hua Qinci concluded that Liu Qingyun was a real nuisance. Last time, he’d been manipulated by Liu Bingbing after getting drunk; now, it was surely Liu Bingbing stirring up trouble again.

For that useless Qin Youtian, she really wouldn’t rest until one of them was dead! One day, she would make her eat the bitter fruit of her own schemes.

“I’m not afraid of rumors! As long as I can be with you, Cier, I fear nothing.”

She laughed coldly. “Cousin, it’s not a matter of whether you’re afraid or not. I simply don’t want to be entangled in trouble right now. Besides, I am not the Cier you’re looking for.”

Her tone was laced with irritation.