Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 133: You Want to Seduce and Abandon Me?

Chapter 133: Chapter 133: You Want to Seduce and Abandon Me?

「Ministry of Justice, Supervision Department.」

Song Lianhe followed Jing Ye to the location. She saw a row of simple, tidy buildings, each with a guard standing watch across from it.

"Prince Qing is inside."

Jing Ye led the way and pushed open one of the doors.

Song Lianhe felt a strange sense of nervousness.

The door opened, revealing a small room that could be taken in at a single glance.

Song Lianhe saw Zhou Cangyan.

He was dressed only in a simple, slate-blue, belted tunic, reclining comfortably on a long bench with his eyes half-closed. His unbound hair fanned out around him like spilled ink, his long legs casually propped on a footstool.

He was so tall that just by lying there, he seemed to fill the entire room.

Song Lianhe’s steps came to a sudden halt.

’A wave of bitterness surprisingly washed over her heart.’

’Every other time she had seen Zhou Cangyan, he had been impeccably and exquisitely groomed from head to toe, his aura powerful. When had he ever looked so... "down on his luck"?’

’Especially seeing him lying here, listless and sickly, as if he didn’t have a shred of energy left. Could it be... they tortured him?!’

She immediately spun her head around to question Jing Ye. "The facts haven’t even been investigated yet, and you’re already mistreating the Prince?"

Jing Ye was taken aback by her question. He blushed and stammered, rushing to explain, "N-No, we haven’t..."

As if hearing her voice, the man lying on the bench slowly opened his eyes. He frowned. "Who told you to come here? Didn’t I tell you to stay at the Prince Mansion?"

Song Lianhe quickly turned back, took a few small steps forward, and immediately knelt, tilting her head up slightly to look at him. "I’m sorry I’m late."

’I’ve let you suffer.’

Her pitiful and heartbroken expression took the man by surprise for a brief moment.

It was as if... *he* was the one who had been terribly wronged.

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

Zhou Cangyan was already handsome to begin with. With just a slight upturn of his lips, his whole face was like a painting that had suddenly come to life—serene and elegant.

Song Lianhe stared at him, completely lost in a daze.

Zhou Cangyan sat up straight and looked down at her bandaged hand. "Does your hand still hurt?"

She snapped back to her senses and quickly shook her head. "It doesn’t hurt anymore. Young Master Huai’s wound medicine is really effective. When I have time, I must ask him for his secret..."

Realizing she had gotten sidetracked, she quickly said, "Tell me, have the people here given you a hard time?"

Jing Ye: "..."

’I’m still here, you know.’

Zhou Cangyan didn’t speak. Gazing at the fair, glowing, beautiful face before him, he raised a hand and gently tapped her on the forehead. "This is no place for you. I’ll have someone escort you back to the mansion later."

Song Lianhe frowned, rubbing her forehead. She stood up and said, "I’m not leaving! I have to clear your name!"

She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Zhou Cangyan stood up as well, his tall frame making him nearly a full head taller than her. Her gaze fell directly on his chest. Standing so close, she could clearly sense the firm, strong body and the well-defined muscles beneath his thin outer robe...

She swallowed. A wicked thought popped into her head. ’If I were to strip that tunic off him... it would surely be a magnificent sight, wouldn’t it?’

Perhaps her gaze was too direct, too naked, her thoughts written plainly on her face. Zhou Cangyan narrowed his light-colored eyes, bent down slightly, and leaned in close to her ear. "Are you trying to... defile my innocence?"

Song Lianhe was jolted back to reality. She stumbled a step back in a panic. Before she could say a word, she had already thrown up her hand in a "stop" gesture.

’You’re talking nonsense, Your Highness!’

’I didn’t!’

’I wasn’t thinking that!’

’I wouldn’t dare!’

Jing Ye stood at the door, staring down at the tips of his shoes. He was already reciting the nineteenth article of the third volume of the Da Cheng legal code in his head.

Zhou Cangyan pressed his lips into a smirk. The irritation he’d felt from being stuck here vanished completely.

"You didn’t? But the way you were looking at me just now was hardly innocent."

"Y-Your Highness, this is hardly the time for jokes, is it? I came here on serious business!"

Song Lianhe quickly composed herself. She absolutely could not let him lead her astray.

"Xin Haiyun hanged herself and left a note. The Liu Family is publicly demanding an explanation from the Song Family, but it’s possible the two families planned this together in private to push all the blame onto you!"

Seeing her speak with such righteous indignation, Zhou Cangyan nodded in appreciation. "You see things clearly this time."

"What do you plan to do, Your Highness?"

She asked seriously, and behind her, the man who had been mentally reciting the Da Cheng legal code also came to a sudden halt.

Before Zhou Cangyan could speak, she added, "Don’t worry, Your Highness. I will testify for you. Given what Xin Haiyun did to my mother and me, her dying a hundred times over wouldn’t be enough to atone!" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Zhou Cangyan remained as languid as ever. "Testify about what? Get back to the Prince Mansion and rest!"

"Your Highness!"

Song Lianhe didn’t understand. All she had to do was testify in court to clear his name, so why wouldn’t he allow it?

"I... I’m your future Princess Consort, am I not? What’s wrong with me wanting to help you?"

’One good turn deserves another.’

Zhou Cangyan had saved her several times, and now his predicament was also because of her. Song Lianhe was not a heartless person.

Zhou Cangyan paused for a moment, then said in a teasing tone, "Now that you mention it, I’d almost forgotten. You are my Princess Consort."

The way his voice lilted at the end... no matter how you heard it, it sounded like he was... showing off?

The man standing at the door, for the first time ever, lost the rhythm of his silent recitation.

’Did something major happen to Prince Qing? Why is he acting so... strange?’

Song Lianhe: "..."

’Listening to his tone, it’s as if I’m the one with unrequited feelings!’

’He should know I never asked to be his Princess Consort!’

Song Lianhe pouted and muttered, "You’re not the only one who forgets, Your Highness. I’m still completely puzzled myself! How did I go from the frying pan right into the fire..."

"Heh heh."

A low chuckle sounded beside her.

"You’re not willing to be my Princess Consort?"

He asked casually, and he even seemed somewhat gentle, but Song Lianhe wasn’t naive enough to think he’d had a complete change of heart.

She immediately straightened her expression and played along smoothly. "What are you talking about, Your Highness? It is my good fortune to be your Princess Consort. It’s just... I’m a little confused. Why, Your Highness... why me?"

In short, it was all very sudden and didn’t seem to follow any logic.

Meeting her probing gaze, Zhou Cangyan sat down, propping his head up with one hand. His light eyes narrowed lazily. "Are you trying to love me and leave me?"

"!"

Startled, Song Lianhe quickly sat down across from him. "When did I leave... Er, no, that’s not it. There was no ’loving’ in the first place!"

’The only time... was on that stormy night.’

’On the mountainside, in that broken-down wooden hut...’

’Ah! The past is too painful to look back on. Best not to even mention it!’

Song Lianhe was an expert at self-hypnosis. She’d just toss out unpleasant memories and pretend they never existed. There was no need to torture herself with them.

But for Zhou Cangyan to say something like that right now—that was nothing short of a shameless accusation!

Seeing the ’don’t-you-dare-touch-me’ look on her face, Zhou Cangyan was so exasperated he had to laugh.

’Looks like she really has forgotten all about me.’

From the doorway came a trembling, soft cough. It was as cautious as could be, meant to remind the two people inside that there was still another living soul in the room, yet fearful of being too loud and disturbing them.

Song Lianhe turned her head. Seeing that she had finally noticed him, Jing Ye immediately took a few steps forward before stopping, not daring to get too close.