Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “When dealing with others, one should always show sincerity. However, I suffered from Qi deviation during my early years of martial arts practice, leaving my appearance disfigured. As such, I prefer not to let others see my face. I beg Miss Ren to forgive me.”

Ren Yingying sighed softly. “Senior, with your extraordinary bearing, how could your appearance be ugly? If you choose not to reveal your true face, you must have your reasons. Yingying dares not press the matter. But while I can accept not knowing what my benefactor looks like, not even knowing your name truly leaves me ill at ease.”

“This…” Song Qingshu hesitated for a moment. “You may call me Xu Ruowu.” (G: Nothingness.)

“Xu Ruowu…” Ren Yingying murmured the name to herself, feeling that something about it seemed off, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

“Miss Ren, your return must not be merely to express gratitude, right?” Song Qingshu worried she might dwell on his name and realize it was fabricated, so he quickly changed the subject.

Upon hearing his question, Ren Yingying’s demeanor turned shy. “Senior Xu, Yingying has come with an unworthy request. I hope Senior can assist me.”

Song Qingshu sipped his tea noncommittally. “Let’s hear it first.”

Gritting her teeth, Ren Yingying said, “I would like you to impersonate someone.”

“Impersonate someone?” Song Qingshu began to understand her intent but chose not to reveal it. “Who would you like me to impersonate?”

“Linghu Chong!” Unable to discern Song Qingshu’s reaction, Ren Yingying mustered her courage to reply.

“The person you mentioned before as your love interest?” Song Qingshu looked at her with a half-smile, neither agreeing nor outright refusing.

Ren Yingying had no choice but to continue. “My fiancé is aware of my feelings for Brother Chong. If I were to introduce a completely fabricated individual, he would undoubtedly notice the deception. So…”

“Your fiancé?” Song Qingshu’s expression remained neutral. “Who might that be?”

“Song… Song Qingshu.” Ren Yingying’s face fell, and she sighed softly. “Senior must surely look down on me. Despite being engaged, I still think of my past love.”

Song Qingshu shook his head slightly. “Miss Ren, everyone has their destined path. Forcing it does no good. Since you are engaged to another man, it signifies that your fate with Young Master Linghu has run its course. Although you may currently hold Young Master Linghu dear, in time, you may find yourself thinking more of your fiancé.”

“Impossible!” Ren Yingying interrupted firmly. “How could I ever care for that scoundrel!”

Startled by her outburst, Song Qingshu stared at her blankly. Realizing her inappropriate reaction, Ren Yingying blushed deeply and quickly explained, “Senior, I am not usually like this. But for some reason, whenever it concerns that person, I find it hard to remain composed.”

“It’s fine,” Song Qingshu said, amused by her flustered explanation. “Have you ever heard the saying ‘opposites attract’?”

“Me and that scoundrel?” Ren Yingying sneered, but inexplicably, her heart skipped a beat. Memories of her interactions with Song Qingshu flooded her mind, leaving her momentarily dazed. (G: progress.)

“As the saying goes, helping someone means seeing it through to the end. Miss Ren, I can assist you once more, but the outcome may not be as you hope. If that happens, don’t hold it against me.” (G: it will be a sight to see.)

“Senior’s willingness to help is already more than enough. How could I possibly blame you?” Ren Yingying quickly replied.

Song Qingshu shook his head but did not elaborate. “Who can predict what the future holds? Remember what you said today.”

“I will.” Although she didn’t fully understand his words, Ren Yingying nodded earnestly.

After some idle conversation, Ren Yingying suggested, “Senior, let me tell you a bit about Brother Chong. That way, you won’t slip up when the time comes.”

Song Qingshu frowned slightly. “But it’s already late. Wouldn’t it be inconvenient?”

What a joke—there were two young ladies waiting for him in bed. If she kept occupying his time, what would happen to them?

“I know I’m disturbing your rest, Senior, but I rarely get such an opportunity to speak with you, especially with Esteemed Zhang accompanying us on the journey…” Ren Yingying looked at him pitifully, her pleading expression making it difficult for Song Qingshu to refuse.

As Ren Yingying detailed every aspect of her plan, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but marvel at her brilliance. Only then did he truly grasp that behind Ren Yingying’s stunning beauty lay the cunning mind of the Saintess of the demon cult.

In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Linghu Chong was madly in love with his junior martial sister. Yet Ren Yingying’s subtle methods eventually shifted his heart toward her, culminating in their union. Her depth of wisdom and strategy was far beyond the reach of ordinary women.

Compared to her, Zhou Zhiruo in Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre fell far short. Despite her advantages, Zhao Min turned the tables. At the Haozhou wedding banquet, if Zhou Zhiruo had chosen a softer approach, marrying Zhang Wuji first to secure her position, Zhao Min would have had no grounds to interfere. Unfortunately, Zhou Zhiruo couldn’t swallow her pride.

As one commentator aptly put it, if Zhou Zhiruo had acted differently, she wouldn’t have been Zhou Zhiruo—she’d have been Ren Yingying. That single line encapsulated Ren Yingying’s profound and unfathomable nature.

Of course, this wasn’t meant as a criticism. From start to finish, Ren Yingying never acted against Linghu Chong’s interests.

But this wasn’t The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. Song Qingshu wasn’t Linghu Chong, and Ren Yingying’s schemes wouldn’t target Linghu Chong but Song Qingshu instead.

The reason Song Qingshu hadn’t noticed this side of Ren Yingying earlier was largely due to their initial encounter, which had shaken her composure. Every subsequent meeting left her flustered.

This time, unaware of Song Qingshu’s true identity, Ren Yingying was unaffected and revealed a side he had never seen before. In a flash, she used Zhang Sanfeng and him to craft an intricate plan to dissolve her engagement.

Song Qingshu couldn’t help but feel lucky. Had he not learned about this in advance, her scheme might very well have succeeded.

“Miss Ren, your meticulousness and brilliance are truly admirable,” Song Qingshu remarked with a half-smile as he gazed at the young beauty before him.

Ren Yingying blushed. “Senior jests. Yingying wouldn’t resort to such measures if it weren’t absolutely necessary.”

At that moment, Zhang Sanfeng’s voice came from outside. “Young friend, have you rested yet?”

Ren Yingying’s expression changed instantly. Just as Song Qingshu was about to respond, she gestured frantically for him to stop. Seeing his confusion, she leaned close and whispered softly, “I told Esteemed Zhang earlier that I was returning to my room to rest. If he finds me here in the middle of the night, he’ll surely think there’s something improper between us. After all, I’m technically his granddaughter-in-law. If he disapproves, he might not help me anymore.”

Her soft breath brushed against his ear, leaving Song Qingshu momentarily dazed. “What do you plan to do, then?”

“I’ll hide for now.” Ren Yingying glanced around the room, her eyes lighting up when she noticed the bed curtains. Without hesitation, she darted toward them.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay