Chapter 448: 448, she is Jun Huang.

The room was somewhat quiet.

Ling Que wore a thin, blue dress that clung tightly to her body due to the rain, and the hem dripped water onto the floor.

Her appearance.

Was somewhat disheveled.

The sudden words of the young girl caught Ling Que off guard.

She was dressed in red that seemed like blood, her eyebrows and eyes smiling, her face seemingly friendly but with hidden barbs. Though the red was vivid, she wore it in a way that conveyed a sense of detachment from the world, as if the color was made for her alone.

The young girl’s bright and cold beauty contrasted sharply with Ling Que’s disheveled state.

One lived in the dust of the world, the other above the clouds.

Who was this person?

Both saw confusion in the other’s eyes.

Ling Que hastily returned from her thoughts and, with a smile that was just right, said to the girl in front of her, "Hello, I’m Ling Que, a long-time friend of Xuanyuan." Meanwhile, Ling Que regained her best state, and her clothes dried instantly.

Though Ling Que’s features were ordinary, they were the enduring kind, and her demeanor was not inferior, even when compared to the young girl.

The young girl smiled faintly, her dimples shallow, her tone light, "Hello, Sister Ling Que, I’m Chu Jin, with ’Chu’ from Chu Xiu Tian Cheng, and ’Jin’ from Qing Qing Zi Jin."

Chu Jin/Chu Jin.

These two names placed together could spark endless reverie.

Ling Que subconsciously raised her gaze to Xuanyuan Shangchen.

Under the light, the man had a somewhat slender figure, a black hat pressed onto his head, obscuring the face kissed by God, leaving only the lines of a delicately chiseled jaw and the slight protrusion of his Adam’s apple. Although his features were not visible, his presence was still heart-stopping.

Chu Jin.

Ling Que didn’t know what Xuanyuan Shangchen was thinking. What on earth did he want to do?

Did he create a Chu Jin to vex Jun Huang?

This Chu Jin was nothing more than an overly surgery-modified fake, but in just a month, how had she transformed, as if reborn? She seemed flawless from head to toe, her eyes and brows revealing no cracks, almost as if she truly were Jun Huang.

The empress known for turning the world upside down with a flick of her hand.

"Sister Ling Que, come in and sit down. I’ve been so bored at home alone these days." Chu Jin affectionately linked arms with Ling Que and led her inside the house.

Chu Jin’s words were technically loaded.

Home.

A place referred to as ’home’ by a woman could hardly be ordinary.

Xuanyuan Shangchen cast a thoughtful glance at the two women and then stepped inside the house.

Ling Que and Chu Jin followed behind.

Chu Jin’s eyes smiled, while Ling Que’s body was somewhat stiff.

Three people in one room, three different mindsets.

Ling Que was a bit panicked; she didn’t know what Xuanyuan Shangchen’s intentions were for keeping Chu Jin close, and moreover, when Chu Jin spoke those words, Xuanyuan Shangchen didn’t even refute.

"Sister Ling Que, have a seat, I’ll go make tea for you. Which do you prefer, Floating Cloud or Purple Mountain Mist?" Once they reached the parlor, Chu Jin offered proactively.

Ling Que was taken aback, then responded, "Either is fine, thank you." She was clearly smiling, but her heart was cold.

"It’s no trouble. Guests should be treated well; it’s all part of my duty." With a smile brimming in her eyes, Chu Jin spoke and then turned to the inner room.

Only Xuanyuan Shangchen and Ling Que were left in the parlor.

Xuanyuan Shangchen sat on the sofa, a cold, sculpted figure.

"Xuanyuan, what’s this all about?" Ling Que asked, her tone steady. By voice alone, one couldn’t detect the shifts in her body and mind.

From Chu Jin’s attitude, she clearly saw herself as the mistress of the house.

And Xuanyuan Shangchen did nothing to stop her.

A fake person, hidden from the light, what right did she have to possess all this with such peace of mind?

After working so hard for so long, she was still not a match for a fake.

The irony was profound.

"Hmm?" The tone at the end of his sentence lilting slightly upward, Xuanyuan Shangchen raised his eyes to look at Ling Que. The cold light of the lantern cast on his delicate jawline made one’s heart skip a beat.

"I said, Chu Jin," Ling Que straightened her expression, "what’s the matter with her?"

Her intuition told her that Xuanyuan Shangchen’s keeping Chu Jin by his side wasn’t just for utilisation. This Chu Jin was completely a copy-paste version of Jun Huang.

Could it be that he intends to...

At that thought, Ling Que’s brow twitched.

After a few seconds of silence, Xuanyuan Shangchen suddenly spoke, "She is Chu Jin, and she is also Jun Huang."

Ling Que’s face paled a little as she retorted, "She is not Jun Huang!"

"She is!" Xuanyuan Shangchen’s tone was indisputable, "If I say she is, then she is."

His voice, slightly husky, was filled with a sense of age, and for a moment, it was as if he was the Grim Reaper who had walked out of the depths of hell, capable of taking away the souls of all beings at any moment, creating a sense of oppression that made it hard to breathe.

Such was Xuanyuan Shangchen, making it impossible for one to look directly at him.

"Ling Que," Xuanyuan Shangchen’s tone was deeply cold, frost lining his words, "remember this, from today on, Chu Jin is Jun Huang, and Jun Huang is Chu Jin."

Ling Que frowned slightly, "You’re deceiving yourself! Xuanyuan, even if you can deceive me, can you deceive the Heavenly Dao?"

"I have my ways for that," Xuanyuan Shangchen continued, "you just need to cooperate with me well."

Ling Que sighed softly, about to say something more when faint footsteps sounded in the air, and a light fragrance of tea wafted over. The finest Purple Mountain Mist, a cup of tea whose aroma could linger for seven long days without fading.

A beauty in red, holding a teacup in her hand, approached gracefully, each step radiating charm.

She and the figure in the depths of Ling Que’s memory gradually overlapped, and Ling Que almost blurted out, "Jun Huang!" Upon realizing her gaffe, the brightness in her eyes dimmed.

She was not Jun Huang.

She was just a puppet. How could she be compared to Jun Huang, who rode across the battlefield with elegance?

Xuanyuan Shangchen looked at the figure before him, the corners of his mouth lifting in a near imperceptible curve. Hidden beneath the brim of his hat, his eyes were gleaming faintly with an entangling, obsessed light.

"Sister Ling Que, this is the Purple Mountain Mist I brewed myself. Try it and let me know what you think," Chu Jin said, lifting a cup of tea from the tray and placing it in front of Ling Que, her demeanor calm and eyes brimming with confidence.

"Thank you," Ling Que thanked her with an unaffected tone.

"Brother Xuanyuan," Chu Jin then picked up another cup from the tray and set it down in front of Xuanyuan Shangchen, "this is the ’Floating Cloud’ you’ve always been fond of."

Her tone was natural, and the interaction between the two was as if they were old friends who had known each other for many years.

"Come sit beside me," Xuanyuan Shangchen grabbed Chu Jin’s wrist, pulling her forcefully, and she soon found herself sitting next to Xuanyuan Shangchen, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

Ling Que lowered her gaze to sip the clear tea, the cup concealing the expression in her eyes.

"Sister Ling Que, how does it taste?" Chu Jin looked towards Ling Que with anticipation, while Xuanyuan Shangchen took a light sip of his tea.

Ling Que set down her tea cup, her lips curving into a slight smile, "It’s excellent."

"Thank you, Sister Ling Que," Chu Jin smiled politely.

Xuanyuan Shangchen’s lips curved slightly, his voice steady, "Ling Que and I are old friends of many years. From now on, you don’t need to call her ’sister’; just follow me and call her Ling Que."

Inside, Ling Que’s heart was in turmoil, but outwardly she remained as calm as the surface of a serene lake.

Her conviction about the idea in her heart grew stronger.

"Ah?" Chu Jin paused, looking at Xuanyuan Shangchen with some surprise, "Brother Xuanyuan, would that be appropriate? Sister Ling Que, she..." As she spoke, she turned her gaze to Ling Que, her expression somewhat lost.

"It’s fine," Ling Que said with a polite smile, half-joking, "since Xuanyuan has said so, just call me by my name. Besides, I am not that much older than you. Calling me ’sister’ all the time makes me feel old."

It wasn’t Ling Que’s first visit to this villa, but none was as vexing as this time.

Despite her heart being filled with resentment, she still had to pretend as if she didn’t care.

Chu Jin’s eyes and eyebrows revealed the shadow of Jun Huang everywhere, which made Ling Que restless.

"Ling Que, are you feeling unwell?" Observing her discomfort, Chu Jin asked with concern.

Ling Que pressed at her brow, "No, just a bit dizzy,"

"Shall I help you upstairs to rest a while?" Chu Jin stood up.

"Alright," Ling Que’s face was somewhat pale, going along with her suggestion, "that would be a bother to you."

"Brother Xuanyuan, I will help Ling Que upstairs to rest," Chu Jin cast a glance at Xuanyuan Shangchen before half-supporting Ling Que up the stairs.

Xuanyuan Shangchen watched their retreating figures, emanating a powerful aura all around him.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read