Chapter Twenty-Four: A Perfect Match

Yue Qianling was actually quite beautiful—a delicate, slender oval face, pale as the cream in a bakery, with a crystalline clarity shining through her complexion. Her nose was refined and high, as though meticulously carved. Her temperament was charming as well; she spoke gently and elegantly, like a ripe grape—so fragile that the slightest touch would break her.

These were Xiao Lianshan’s impressions of Yue Qianling. It had been over a month since the incident in the bathroom, and to avoid any further awkwardness, I had moved myself into the maid’s room. The quarters were far inferior to my original room—the ventilation and lighting were poor—but I slept soundly within, no longer concerned about Yue Qianling’s relentless torment.

Regarding Xiao Lianshan’s assessment, I mostly agreed. Yue Qianling, for the greater part of the time, gave off a fresh and lovely aura—but only when I wasn’t present.

It was only after a month that I truly understood what Yue Leiteng meant by his last words: “Of all people to provoke, you had to choose Yue Qianling.”

Qin Yanhui takes out the trash.

Qin Yanhui walks King Kong.

Qin Yanhui weeds the garden.

Qin Yanhui strips all the bedsheets for washing.

Every day, the moment I opened my eyes, Yue Qianling was upstairs, directing my packed schedule with a commanding tone.

“Lianshan, shouldn’t we talk to Brother Ting and ask to move out?” I grumbled, twisting a garbage bag at the door, where Xiao Lianshan was eating cake.

Xiao Lianshan shook his head, his mouth smeared with cream, his expression simple and earnest. “Brother, you promised Brother Ting you’d help him for three years. A man must keep his word. If you just leave like this, it’s not right.”

I gazed at Xiao Lianshan in confusion. He was holding a cake Yue Qianling had made; apparently, brotherhood could not compete with a piece of her cake.

“By the way, brother, Qianling said she’ll research the Divine Strategy of Luo Xuan and the Golden Dragon Turtle first. She told you not to bother with them anymore.”

I drew in a deep breath, staring at the ceiling. My brother, for whom I would risk life and death, now ate the enemy’s cake, left and right, all for Qianling. So much for loyalty—it was not worth a slice of cake.

Yue Leiteng hadn’t returned for nearly half a month. It was as if he anticipated trouble and wisely stayed away; he understood better than anyone the principle of self-preservation.

“What?” I walked to the door in a daze, finally realizing. “Yue Qianling took the Divine Strategy of Luo Xuan and the Golden Dragon Turtle?”

Xiao Lianshan nodded, savoring another bite of cake.

I snapped out of it, dropped the garbage, and rushed upstairs, flinging open Yue Qianling’s door.

Her graceful figure was as perfect as ever, but unlike last time, her pale blue dress had just slipped to her waist, exposing her smooth, fair back to me—a sight any man would lose himself in.

I heard my own strong heartbeat.

I had forgotten to knock.

Yue Qianling was changing clothes.

Then came the familiar scream. This time, I didn’t hesitate—I dashed from the room and slammed the door behind me, her voice full of curses trailing after me.

“Qin Yanhui, you’re a pervert!”

“Brother, what’s…what’s going on?” Xiao Lianshan heard the shout and hurried upstairs.

In that moment, I knew I was doomed. For the next three years here, I would be entangled with Yue Qianling. If the bathroom incident had been a mistake, today’s event, no matter how I explained it, would surely make even Xiao Lianshan suspect me of intent.

“Qin Yanhui, my father trusted you, believed you to be honest and sincere. Ha! You can fool him, but I know you’re no good,” Yue Qianling said, her face flushed with anger as she opened the door.

“Qianling, what’s wrong? My brother’s a good man, really,” Xiao Lianshan said, bewildered.

“Lianshan, stop hanging out with people like him. Or someday you’ll be sold and won’t even realize it,” Yue Qianling sneered. “You call him a good man?”

“Miss Yue, the misunderstandings between us are too deep. No matter what I say, you won’t believe me,” I murmured, head bowed. “But the Divine Strategy of Luo Xuan and the Golden Dragon Turtle are crucial. Please don’t tamper with them. They are key to finding the Fourteenth Ming Tomb.”

“I don’t know what my father sees in you, always pretending to be mysterious,” Yue Qianling scoffed. “I studied archaeology, and even I don’t understand it. Do you? The Fourteenth Ming Tomb? You barely know anything and go about deceiving people. Everyone’s heard of the Thirteen Ming Tombs, but in your mouth, there’s suddenly a Fourteenth. Ha! The Fourteenth Ming Tomb—you actually thought of that.”

I didn’t argue, but stepped around her and opened the door to retrieve the Divine Strategy of Luo Xuan and the Golden Dragon Turtle.

Yue Qianling wouldn’t let it go. She snatched the Golden Dragon Turtle from my hands, justifying herself.

“My father said you’ve studied this thing for over two months and found nothing. Ha! I looked at it for just a morning and already unraveled its secret. Are you really not a fraud?”

“Qianling, I don’t understand these things, but please don’t meddle. If my brother can’t figure it out, no one can. Besides, An Qi said that finding the Fourteenth Ming Tomb depends entirely on these two items,” Xiao Lianshan said, watching Yue Qianling nervously.

Yue Qianling looked at me with a haughty air.

“This Golden Dragon Turtle is very light, which means it’s hollow. I examined the dragon head—it’s connected to the turtle body and is movable. Such a simple mechanism, and you spent two months on it. Is it your intelligence, or do you deliberately want to stay here freeloading?”

She finished speaking and began manipulating the dragon head. Sure enough, a mechanism inside the turtle sounded.

Suddenly, I remembered what Gu Anqi had said: the Red Fire Water Beast was a device developed by the Ming Dynasty’s Eastern Depot, used mainly for transmitting messages. The Eastern Depot was a secret agency—ruthless and cunning. Devices designed for secret communication would inevitably have defensive mechanisms.

Seeing Yue Qianling fiddle with the dragon head, I panicked. I lunged forward, snatching the Golden Dragon Turtle from her hands and pulling her into my arms. The dragon head was aimed directly at her back, so without thinking, I thrust my left hand behind her head.

Yue Qianling, startled by my sudden embrace, blushed furiously and shoved me to the ground.

Xiao Lianshan, sensing the gravity of the situation, dropped his cake and caught me before I hit the floor, then looked at Yue Qianling with rare seriousness.

In a single day, I had seen Yue Qianling changing clothes and then forcefully embraced her. She was fuming, ready to explode, when she noticed blood trickling from my left hand and dripping onto the floor.

The next moment was witnessed by the returning Yue Leiteng, who had seen everything. He rushed up the stairs to help me off the ground, glaring at Yue Qianling and raising his hand to strike her, but I stopped him.

“Brother Ting, Miss Yue didn’t know how dangerous that thing was. It’s not her fault.”

“You’re becoming more unreasonable. I let you stay home with Yanhui alone so you could see what kind of person he is—time reveals character. I wanted you to see if Yanhui is really the person you imagine. Instead, you’re ignorant. If it weren’t for Yanhui today, you wouldn’t even be alive!” Yue Leiteng barked at Yue Qianling.

Given her temperament, I guessed Yue Qianling had never been scolded so harshly by her father. She bit her lip in grievance, about to retort, but Yue Leiteng grabbed my left hand. The palm was pierced by two slender iron needles—shot from the dragon head. At such close range, if I hadn’t shielded her, those needles would have lodged in Yue Qianling’s brain.

Perhaps only now did she understand my actions. She glanced at me with guilt and gratitude as blood continued to ooze from my hand.

After I finished bandaging my wound, Yue Leiteng was waiting on the balcony.

“These days have truly been hard on you. I originally wanted Qianling to spend some time alone with you, but I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.”

“Brother Ting, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. Miss Yue was only trying to help,” I said, smiling as I sat down.

“Yanhui, I won’t hide it from you. You’ve told me I’ll only have sixty years of good fortune. I know living by the crooked path brings retribution sooner or later, so I fight desperately—not out of greed.” Yue Leiteng sighed heavily, thoughtful. “I owe her from my past life. She’s my only treasure. I’m afraid she’ll melt if I hold her in my mouth, afraid she’ll fly away if I cradle her in my hands. Everything I do is for Qianling.”

“Brother Ting, I understand. Miss Yue is actually…quite perceptive. She’ll understand everything you’ve done for her,” I lied through my teeth.

“I know retribution is inevitable, so I’ve done everything to keep her away from the underworld. Who would’ve thought—I sent her to study fashion design, and as soon as I left, she switched majors. I dig graves; now she’s in archaeology. What a curse! Fate can’t be avoided. In the end, she became a licensed grave digger. The only difference is, I work at night, she can dig in broad daylight.”

Hearing this, I nearly burst out laughing.

“You saw Qianling bathing last time, and I was thinking, she’s grown up…”

“Brother Ting, I… I really didn’t see Miss Yue bathing!” I protested.

“Ah, we’re all men here. I’ve been through it. A woman stands naked in the room, and you say you didn’t look—who would believe that?” Yue Leiteng chuckled dryly.

I was about to explain, but Yue Leiteng waved his hand to cut me off.

“I’m a traditional man. In the old days, men and women kept their distance. If a man saw a woman’s hand, the whole arm had to be chopped off to prove her purity. You’ve seen my daughter from head to toe… Now nobody will want her. Either Qianling commits suicide, or… or I match you two together. You’ve already profited, haven’t you?”

I stared at Yue Leiteng, utterly speechless. So this was his plan for staying away all this time. I shook my head quickly.

“Brother Ting, please don’t joke. I… I’m not suitable for Miss Yue.”

“What’s unsuitable? You’re kind and capable. My daughter is no less—beautiful and educated. You’re a perfect match, talented and lovely. I think it’s very suitable.”

I stood to protest, but Yue Leiteng patted my shoulder and said earnestly,

“There’s no need to rush. Think it over. There’s plenty of time. You can get to know Qianling slowly.”