Xue'er, Will You Be My Fiancée?

The fingers Qian Renxue used to grip her teacup tightened slightly, her gaze suddenly turning unfocused.

Every word Qin Yao spoke struck deep into her heart.

Is she tired?

How could she possibly not be.

Since the age of nine, she had discarded the identity of "Qian Renxue" and lived beneath the skin of "Xue Qinghe." She learned the mannerisms of a man, mimicked the mindset of a man, and walked on thin ice within the massive quagmire that was the Heaven Dou Empire.

Everything she did was to prove herself to that woman.

To prove that she, Qian Renxue, was a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times more outstanding than Hu Liena, the disciple Bibi Dong valued so highly!

Qian Renxue had always wondered, why?

Why did her own mother never like her, and why was all the love that should have been hers bestowed upon that woman, Hu Liena?

Bibi Dong poured all her patience and affection into Hu Liena—a mother's love that should have belonged to her. Yet, all she had ever received was coldness and disgust.

That was why she had initiated this undercover mission; she wanted to personally deliver the entire Heaven Dou Empire to Martial Soul Hall, and she wanted that woman to see who the true, most brilliant successor of Martial Soul Hall was!

This was the deepest obsession in her heart, and the scar she had never spoken of to anyone.

Just as she was lost in her thoughts, Qin Yao's voice sounded once more.

"Sister Xue'er, actually, I know the reason why you insist on being an undercover agent here."

Qian Renxue snapped back to reality, lifting her head with golden pupils filled with disbelief.

He... how could he know?

Even her grandfather only believed she was doing this for the great cause of Martial Soul Hall!

Qin Yao did not give her time to continue thinking.

He stood up and walked slowly toward her.

Under the moonlight, Qin Yao's tall, upright figure cast a shadow that completely enveloped Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue instinctively wanted to retreat, only to find she had nowhere left to go.

Qin Yao reached out and, without the slightest hesitation, grabbed her wrist.

The warm sensation radiating from her wrist made Qian Renxue tremble all over.

The next second, an irresistible force pulled her, and she was drawn directly into Qin Yao's embrace.

"Thud."

Her forehead collided with his solid chest, emitting a soft sound.

The familiar yet strange, scorching body heat, mixed with the faint scent of purple flames, instantly wrapped around her.

Qian Renxue's mind went completely blank.

She... she was being forcibly held in the arms of a younger brother ten years her junior?

"You... let go!"

Qian Renxue's cheeks turned bright red instantly. She pressed her hands against Qin Yao's chest and struggled with all her might.

This shame and annoyance made her temporarily forget the vast disparity in strength between them.

But Qin Yao simply held Qian Renxue tight.

Qin Yao lowered his head slightly, watching her quietly with those purple eyes.

Under his gaze, Qian Renxue's struggling movements slowly came to a halt.

In those eyes, she saw no frivolity or desire, only a sense of "heartache" that she found difficult to comprehend.

Why would there be heartache?

All the disguises, all the strength, and all the grievances of these past years were shattered in this moment by this single, simple look.

Qian Renxue's body suddenly went limp. The pride and obsession that had sustained her for over a decade were drained away in an instant.

She stopped struggling and leaned powerlessly against Qin Yao's chest.

Feeling Qian Renxue go completely still in his arms, Qin Yao spoke slowly.

"Sister Xue'er, I know that you initiated this undercover plan because you wanted to achieve something to show the Pope."

"You want to prove that you are better than Hu Liena, and you want to take back what should have been yours."

"You want to make her regret it, and you want her to finally look at you properly."

Every word was like a key, unlocking the dusty shackles within Qian Renxue's heart.

Her body stiffened, and she even forgot how to breathe.

He knew everything.

He actually knew everything.

Could it be... has he always liked me?

Qin Yao tightened his arms, pulling Qian Renxue even closer against him.

He lowered his head until his lips were almost touching the shell of Qian Renxue's ear, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Sister Xue'er, you have worked so hard all these years."

In that instant, Qian Renxue's mind went completely blank. The string that had been pulled taut for over a decade finally snapped.

A single, scalding tear slipped uncontrollably from the corner of her eye, quickly vanishing into the fabric of his black robes.

Unable to hold back any longer, Qian Renxue gripped the front of Qin Yao's clothes with both hands and buried her face in his chest, the grievances she had suppressed for over ten years surging forth like a burst levee.

There was no wailing, only silent tears.

Qin Yao did not speak again; he simply held her quietly, letting her tears soak through his clothes.

He raised a hand, patting her back gently and soothingly.

After a long while, Qian Renxue's sobbing finally began to subside.

She lifted her head from his chest, her golden phoenix eyes red and swollen from crying, carrying a hint of pitiable vulnerability.

Qin Yao raised his hand, using his thumb to gently wipe away the remaining tear tracks on her cheeks.

"It feels better now that you've let it out."

Qian Renxue looked at him, her voice thick with nasal congestion and slightly hoarse as she asked:

"How... how did you know all of this?"

Qin Yao looked into her red-rimmed, beautiful eyes and said softly:

"Because I have always been watching you, Sister Xue'er. Because I have always liked you."

Qian Renxue was completely stunned.

Liked?

Her mind flashed back to that little boy from years ago who followed behind the Fourth Worship—the one with purple hair and an expressionless face, who would always sneak glances at her.

How old was he back then?

Looking at the young man before her now, who stood a head taller than her with a tall, lean frame and sharp, defined features, Qian Renxue suddenly felt as if it were all unreal.

Her tightly wound emotions had completely unraveled in this moment, the grievances of a decade finding an outlet, while the Qin Yao before her declared his feelings in the most straightforward way possible.

Qian Renxue couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, her smile blooming even as tears still clung to her lashes.

"How old were you back then? You were such a precocious little brat."

She raised a hand to wipe her cheeks, her tone carrying a hint of intimacy and teasing that she hadn't even realized was there.

Qin Yao, however, was not pleased.

He raised an eyebrow slightly and took a step forward, the distance between them shrinking to the absolute minimum.

"I am not little!"

Qian Renxue's smile froze on her face. How could she not understand the double meaning in those words?

A wave of heat rushed from her neck to her cheeks, dyeing her snow-white skin a captivating shade of pink.

Seeing Qian Renxue caught between shame and anger, yet unable to retort, the smile on Qin Yao's face grew even more pronounced.

He gave her no chance to react, striking while the iron was hot, and asked with an incredibly earnest tone, enunciating every word:

"Sister Xue'er, will you be my fiancée?"