I Was Supposed to Simp for the Female Lead for Three Years to Earn an Armory, but She Took It Seriously - Chapter 6:
Chapter 6: Going Out
“What… what? Am I seeing things? Why is Young Master Zhou here with Grand Tutor Cheng’s daughter?” A noblewoman in a red dress looked completely stunned as she turned to ask.
“Wasn’t he always chasing after Sister Yun?”
“And just for that one line from Miss Lin—‘men should have self-respect’—he even replaced his personal maid with a male servant.”
“Now he’s openly clinging to Miss Cheng in broad daylight. Isn’t he afraid Sister Yun will ignore him forever? Or is this just his tactic to provoke her?”
“…”
The noble ladies were in an uproar.
Everyone in the capital knew the absurd stories of how Zhou Cheng pursued Lin Jiaoyun.
Which one of them hadn’t once envied Lin Jiaoyun?
Which one hadn’t secretly ridiculed Cheng Xianyi, saying that despite her looks and talent, she couldn’t hold a man’s heart and deserved to remain unmarried?
For the past three years, Cheng Xianyi had endured endless mockery, rarely stepping out, never once attending any seasonal banquets.
A noblewoman in a blue silk dress furrowed her brows, unable to sit still. She immediately stood up and excused herself from the gathering, “Sisters, I have something to attend to. I’ll take my leave.”
She had to hurry to the Lin residence and ask Lin Jiaoyun what was going on.
Zhou Cheng had gone too far!
He was just a humble dog from a side branch of the family. He was supposed to please and yield to Sister Yun in every way. How dare he hold another woman’s hand behind her back?
The woman in blue stormed into the Lin residence, full of righteous indignation. Over the years, Zhou Cheng’s submissiveness had made everyone in the capital forget—he was a young master from the General’s residence!
And Lin Jiaoyun?
In terms of family background and status, she was only fit to be a concubine!
“Bang—”
“What did you say?” Lin Jiaoyun’s features twisted in rage as she glared at the woman in blue. “Zhou Cheng held that bitch Cheng Xianyi’s hand and went to Flower Street?”
The woman in blue was startled by Lin Jiaoyun’s outburst but still nodded and said, “It’s true. We saw it with our own eyes!”
“Sister Yun, what’s going on? Everyone in the official circles knows how deeply Young Master Zhou loves you. He treats you like a fragile treasure. How could he do something so outrageous?”
“Especially with Cheng Xianyi… He knows you hate her the most in this entire capital. He always used to avoid her.”
Rage surged in Lin Jiaoyun’s chest.
What else could it be?
He was trying to force her to give in and agree to the engagement!
Originally! Lin Jiaoyun just wanted to keep up her pride, not let Zhou Cheng succeed too easily. She planned to make him propose seven or eight times before reluctantly agreeing.
And now?
Heh…
“Good. Very good. Very, very good.” Lin Jiaoyun trembled with fury, her lips quivering. “Zhou Cheng! I declare—from this day on, you’ve completely lost me!”
The woman in blue was about to speak but was cut off by Lin Jiaoyun’s raised hand. She coldly said, “The Zhou family came to propose a few days ago, and I refused. Zhou Cheng probably felt resentful and used this method to provoke me.”
“But he’s crossed the line!”
“Using this kind of trick to threaten me? He dares? He was the one clinging to me like a mangy dog, not the other way around! Who gave him the nerve to act like this?”
“Lanlan, go deliver a message to Zhou Cheng for me.”
“No… there’s no need.”
“The more I rush over to question him, the more it shows I care. I’ll pretend nothing happened. Let him panic, let him go mad, let him lose his mind.”
“And then… hmph! He can cry at my doorstep and beg for forgiveness!”
Seeing how confident and firm Lin Jiaoyun was, the woman in blue swallowed her words.
She originally wanted to say—when she saw Zhou Cheng earlier, he looked genuinely happy and sincere. It didn’t feel like he was using Cheng Xianyi to make Lin Jiaoyun jealous. It felt like… he’d truly let go?
But… since Sister Yun was so certain, then maybe Zhou Cheng was just a really good actor?
Yes.
That must be it!
The woman in blue breathed a sigh of relief. Over the years, she had gotten a lot of jewelry and trinkets from being close to Lin Jiaoyun—gifts that Zhou Cheng had sent through her in hopes she’d speak well of him. She didn’t want to give up this golden goose.
“Sister Yun, you’re absolutely right. Zhou Cheng is definitely just waiting for you to confront him. He’s probably so nervous and anxious right now.”
“Before three… no, even one day passes, he won’t be able to hold it in. He likes you too much. He’ll probably come crying and begging for forgiveness tomorrow, hahaha…”
Their confident laughter echoed through the main courtyard.
Lin Jiaoyun, the woman in blue, and even the entire noble circle of the capital firmly believed that Zhou Cheng was simply using jealousy as a ploy and would soon come crawling back to admit fault.
But in reality?
[Ding!]
[Points increased to 6,312!]
[Points increased to 6,313!]
[…]
Hahahaha!
Zhou Cheng was in an incredibly good mood. He held Cheng Xianyi’s soft little hand without letting go for even a second.
Her delicate fair jade-like hand had already turned slightly red from his grip.
Several times, Cheng Xianyi noticed people around whispering behind their fans, saying things like, “So shameless now. I wonder how pitiful he’ll look when he runs back to beg Lin Jiaoyun’s forgiveness.”
She thought so too.
So she felt uneasy, wanting to put a bit of distance between them.
But deep down, Cheng Xianyi couldn’t bear to. She didn’t want to. Because she liked the feeling of him holding her hand at all times.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look so worried?” Zhou Cheng stopped walking and turned to ask.
Cheng Xianyi looked at him with clear, gentle eyes, completely different from the cold arrogance she had in the Cheng residence before. “I’m a little scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“Scared that you’ll go back to Miss Lin and be wronged…” That would make my heart ache.
Zhou Cheng paused.
Only now did he realize how deeply the impression of the past three years had sunk into them.
As if everything he’d ever done was solely to pursue Lin Jiaoyun.
Zhou Cheng sighed and said, “So that’s what you think?”
“Cheng Xianyi, I’m telling you seriously—I have no feelings for Lin Jiaoyun. I held your hand just because I wanted to. I walk with you because I want to be with you!”
“It’s not to make anyone jealous. It’s simply because I like being near you.”
Cheng Xianyi’s chest seemed to get pricked by a needle—tingly, almost numb.
Thump-thump-thump…
Her heart suddenly pounded wildly.
Before she could respond—
A snorting laugh came from nearby. “Hahaha! Zhou Cheng, you really are shameless now. Is this your pathetic attempt to save your pride?”
“Who doesn’t know how obsessed you were with Lin Jiaoyun? You humiliated the Cheng family countless times just to please her. Did you forget all that?”
“And now you say this? Ask Miss Cheng—does she even believe you?”
The voice came from behind.
They turned to see—the fourth prince, born of the imperial consort.
He wore high-grade silk with golden python embroidery at the sleeves. Though short and thin, his entire expression was full of disdain and mockery as he looked Zhou Cheng up and down.
“I believe him,” Cheng Xianyi’s gentle demeanor vanished. Her eyes turned cold.
“I advise the Fourth Prince to watch his words. The Zhou family is one of loyal martyrs and heroes of the Empire. Zhou Cheng is the last of their bloodline. Who are outsiders to pass judgment on him?”
The Fourth Prince’s expression stiffened for a few seconds.
He never expected Cheng Xianyi to defend Zhou Cheng.
All these years of caring for the Cheng family, respecting her father Father Cheng—had this woman seen none of it? Why was she always so cold and proud toward him?
And Zhou Cheng!
What was so special about that idiot that made her defend him like this?!
The more the Fourth Prince thought about it, the more bitter he felt, and he blurted out what he shouldn’t have said, “Hmph, loyal martyrs indeed. Give it a few more days, and the whole Zhou clan might reunite with their ancestors permanently.”
“What do you mean?” Cheng Xianyi’s gaze turned icy.
The Fourth Prince cast a contemptuous and pitying glance at Zhou Cheng and sneered, “What do I mean? It’s simple. I see death written all over Young Master Zhou’s face. He’ll probably be executed soon.”
“Tsk tsk, a brain only good for chasing women. And he still has time for sweet nothings? Better order your coffin early!”
He gave Zhou Cheng a meaningful look, then waved his fan and walked off with his guards.
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