Chapter 9: Deep Emotions, Down in One Gulp

"Come on, Jing Ya, better a short pain than a long one. We have deep feelings for each other, just drink it all at once."

Su Ge personally held the medicine bowl, one hand pressing on Bai Jingya's head, the other forcefully pouring the medicine into her mouth.

No matter how reluctant Bai Jingya was, she couldn't overcome Su Ge's ox-like strength.

In the end, she guzzled down the entire bowl of black, thick medicine with gulps.

As soon as Su Ge let go of her, Bai Jingya immediately started coughing violently, clutching her throat.

Looking quite satisfied, Su Ge handed the medicine bowl to the stupefied Chu Family servant and said, "Jing Ya, how do you feel, better now? As the saying goes, good medicine tastes bitter but cures the disease. I'm doing this for your own good. You don't blame me, do you?"

Bai Jingya was coughing so hard that tears were welling up in her eyes, but the look she gave Su Ge was incredibly sharp.

Su Ge blinked innocently at her.

Bai Jingya felt as if she was suffocating, the breath caught in her chest, unable to go up or down.

She rarely had the chance to visit the Chu Family, and now, not having spoken a word to Chu Yihan was one thing, but why must she only encounter such unlucky events?

Did she forget to check the almanac before leaving home today?

"Jing Ya... Do you know? In order to make that demon Chu Yihan agree to let you come and go as you please at the Chu Family, I almost... almost died."

Su Ge suddenly became sentimental, gently wiping the corners of her eyes.

Bai Jingya knew about Su Ge jumping into the Lotus Pond to pressure Chu Yihan; Su Ge had always been weak since childhood and had fainted for three days, indeed, she nearly didn't wake up.

Bai Jingya's fierce gaze immediately softened. She tenderly took Su Ge's hand and said, "Xiao Ge, what are you talking about? How could I possibly blame you? We are the best of friends. You, me, and Lixuan, we grew up together since we were little; can ordinary people compare with the bond we share?"

"Lixuan..."

Knowing that Bai Jingya deliberately brought up Wen Lixuan, Su Ge paused for a moment, as if she remembered something even more saddening and wiped her eyes again.

"Ah." Bai Jingya immediately sighed, "It's clear you and Lixuan were meant to be together. If Chu Yihan hadn't appeared out of nowhere, Lixuan was even ready to marry you..."

"What did you say? Lixuan was going to marry me?"

Su Ge pretended to be surprised.

Once, she had always liked Wen Lixuan, but he never showed any interest in her. However, ever since she got together with Chu Yihan, Wen Lixuan started to seem very fond of her.

Just like Bai Jingya said, if not for Chu Yihan interfering, Wen Lixuan would have been ready to marry her.

Thus, she hated Chu Yihan even more.

It was as if Chu Yihan was a demon who had ruined her happiness, deserving to die a thousand times.

In reality, it was all their trap.

From the very first time Bai Jingya entered the Chu Family, they had been designing her plight.

Maybe even earlier—

Bai Jingya nodded emphatically, "Yes, Lixuan told me himself, he planned to marry you right after your college graduation. Unfortunately... after Chu Yihan took you away, Lixuan has been heartbroken."

Su Ge fell silent, her whole being seeming to sink into grief and anger.

This was exactly the effect Bai Jingya wanted. She lowered her voice and whispered into Su Ge's ear, "Xiao Ge, do you want to see Lixuan?"

"See Lixuan... How?"

Su Ge looked surprised, but her eyes remained disturbingly calm.

Ever since she was brought to the Chu Family by Chu Yihan, she had tried to run away at least twenty times.

Each time, Chu Yihan would turn Rong City upside down until he found her.

The last time, fearing that Chu Yihan would find her, she hid directly in the mountains, but then she got lost and couldn't find her way out. By the time Chu Yihan found her, she was already at death's door from dehydration.