56: Twisted Mind

Twisted Mind

Qin Xiruo's confidence wasn't baseless. As far as everyone was concerned, she was thought of as kind, gentle and empathetic. The widely accepted version of events was that Ling Chunxi had caused Qin Xiruo's arm injury and impaired her cultivation progress, yet the forgiving Qin Xiruo always protected her. Given her topnotch acting, who would suspect that Qin Xiruo had such a well-concealed malicious spirit? Even if Ling Chunxi were to speak out against this false narrative, who would believe otherwise at this point?2

"Sadly, you're right Qin Xiruo. No one would believe me if I told the truth. Everyone thinks you're this kind, gentle and caring person. No one knows how wicked you really are. I pity all the men who like you. How blind of them." Ling Chunxi shook her head in disbelief and let out a bitter sigh.

Qin Xiruo couldn't help but laugh. "You despicable brat. Are you trying to show off, Ling Chunxi? I heard everything said between you and Ling Xiaoting just now. Men are all the same. Even your elder brother!" The expression on Qin Xiruo's fair face kept getting scarier as her anger and malice contorted her features even more with each vicious word she spat out.

"My elder brother? What does he have to do with any of this?" asked Ling Chunxi, genuinely confused. She didn't have many memories of Ling Wushang. Hadn't Qin Xiruo always said she was looking after Ling Chunxi on behalf of Ling Wushang because she liked him very much? Now that Ling Chunxi thought about it, it wasn't as though Qin Xiruo or Ling Wushang were very advanced in age. So, how young were they when they were in courtship?!

"Yes. Your elder brother. He said I was good, he said that he liked me. But whenever it came down to making a choice, he always prioritized you. No matter what happened, he'd put you first. Even at meal times, he'd serve you first. If we were ever in any danger, would he save you first or me? Qin Xiruo's eyes turned red as they welled up with emotion. She sneered, "I don't even need to doubt it, he'd definitely save you first! You've always been so ugly and useless. Why are you even alive? He always wanted you to live a good life, but I want you to live wishing you were dead! Qin Yumei is another fool. It always only took one sentence to provoke her, and she'd fall for it every time. She was even willing start fires and attempt murder for Ling Xiaoting. What an idiot. It'd be such a shame to not use her, wouldn't it?" As Qin Xiruo became more delirious on her own arrogance, her laughter became more disdainful and contemptuous. 

 This revelation completely stumped Ling Chunxi. Never did she think Qin Xiruo hated her to such an extent as to constantly and purposely look for ways to cause her pain. How twisted did one have to be to be able to do such things to another human being. Ling Wushang had spoken those words of care and protection about Ling Chunxi years ago when she was merely two or three-years-old. She was but a child who wouldn't have any memory of her brother's perceived slight against Qin Xiruo, yet Qin Xiruo held a grudge against her. Furthermore, was it so wrong of Ling Wushang to be caring and protective towards his baby sister? Qin Xiruo's twisted perspective of this situation was alarming.

A glint as frosty as a ten-thousand-year-old glacier flashed across Little White's observant eyes as it kept still in Ling Chunxi's arms.

"Well, it's too bad things didn't go as you planned. I'm doing great now and will continue to do so. But you'll be bound to this small town for the rest of your life and forced into marrying some man you don't even like. Do you actually think you have a shot at marrying my brother? Ha! Dream on!" Ling Chunxi smiled and placed Little White on her shoulders. Then, she stretched lazily to physically demonstrate her disregard for Qin Xiruo.

"You wretched brat! Don't be so arrogant, Ling Chunxi. I'll make your face ugly again today!" Stung by Ling Chunxi's retorts, Qin Xiruo lunged towards her with her hands angling for Ling Chunxi's face. Since Qin Xiruo was usually seen as gentle and docile, it was shocking to see that the hands she usually kept tucked within her sleeves in fact had such long and sharp nails attached to them. If those nails managed to forcefully scratch Ling Chunxi's face, the resulting wounds would cause scarring and disfigurement for sure.

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