Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 383: In the End, It’s All for Him

Song Lianhe looked back, and a dark figure suddenly ducked into the shadows.

Yin Huan said, "That person must have been following you. I wonder who sent them."

Song Lianhe suddenly took a few steps forward. "Go ask your master to come see me. Just say I have something important to discuss."

There was no response.

Yin Huan suddenly said, "He’s gone."

Song Lianhe smiled. "Then we’ll just wait here."

She looked up at the sky. "Nephew, are you hungry?"

E Jintang scratched his head, embarrassed. "We left in such a hurry, I haven’t eaten yet."

Yin Huan let out a laugh. "He eats eight or nine times a day. Who knows which meal he’s even talking about."

Song Lianhe spotted a noodle stall not far away. "Perfect. Let’s get something to eat first."

So, the group of four sat down and ordered over ten bowls of noodles, making the stall owner grin from ear to ear.

Just as Song Lianhe finished a bowl of noodles, the person she was waiting for finally arrived.

Zhou Junlin lifted the hem of his robes and sat on the long bench.

"Want a bowl?"

she asked casually, wiping her mouth.

Zhou Junlin looked up at her, his jet-black eyes holding an emotion different from before.

Seeing he didn’t speak, Song Lianhe made the decision for him.

"Boss, another bowl of noodles, with an extra egg and beef."

"You got it!"

The stall owner’s smile widened again.

Zhou Junlin chuckled but didn’t refuse.

A short while later, the noodles were served. "Enjoy your meal, sir."

Zhou Junlin didn’t stand on ceremony. He set down his fan and began to eat.

Yin Huan, E Jintang, and Ah Jun were at the next table, staring at him like tigers watching their prey.

"Where’s Gu Ha? Have him sit down and eat something."

"Mm."

Zhou Junlin gestured casually with his hand while chewing on his noodles.

Gu Ha emerged from the shadows, glanced in their direction, and without a word, sat down at Yin Huan’s table.

This time, the owner didn’t even need to be told. He quickly brought out another bowl of noodles with extra egg and meat, topped with vibrant green scallions. The milky-white broth, glistening with faint specks of oil, looked absolutely appetizing.

Gu Ha was truly hungry, too. Without even a word to his tablemates, he started slurping down the noodles.

E Jintang watched for a moment. "Maybe... I should eat a little more with him."

At their table, Song Lianhe rested her cheek on her hand, gazing at the man who ate with such elegance. "You’re... a little different today," she said suddenly.

"Oh?" He didn’t look up, as if the noodles were truly to his liking. "How so? Do tell."

"I don’t know. It’s just a feeling."

He chuckled softly, giving her a brief, yet profoundly meaningful, glance with his dark, deep eyes.

"Imperial Uncle has left. Are you here at the city gate trying to chase after him?"

"Yes and no."

"Oh?"

Song Lianhe smiled. "Didn’t he want to entrust me to you?"

His movements paused. He looked at her with some surprise, then smiled again. "You knew?"

"I know the way to the Ling Prince Mansion very well."

’There was nothing to be done. Certain memories of the original owner were too deeply ingrained. A mere glimpse of the roadside scenery from the carriage was enough for her to know they were heading to the Ling Prince Mansion.’

Hearing her words, Zhou Junlin’s noodle-eating slowed. "Back then, you couldn’t wait to run to my Prince Mansion every single day."

Song Lianhe looked embarrassed.

"Let’s not talk about the past."

Zhou Junlin finished eating and dabbed his thin lips with a handkerchief. "Not talk about it? Is it that you don’t want to? Or is it because this prince broke your heart?"

Song Lianhe didn’t continue the topic. She hadn’t sought him out to talk about such things.

"For King Qing to send me to your mansion as he was leaving, he must have a clear understanding of the current situation."

Zhou Junlin looked at her with a half-smile. "Oh?"

Song Lianhe continued, "The first time he was sent out with troops, it might have been your doing. But this time, it certainly wasn’t."

"Why is that?"

"Because of Prince Hang."

Song Lianhe said with certainty, "Although King Qing has surrendered his military authority, he is still the Young Master of Sui Bei. A single command from him could turn Sui Bei upside down. That’s what the Holy Emperor fears most about him, isn’t it?"

Zhou Junlin opened his folding fan, lowered his gaze, his smile faint and light.

Song Lianhe leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Zhou Junlin, let’s not beat around the bush. The Holy Emperor sent him to Yu State because he’s afraid one of you—either you or Prince Hang—will ally with him. With his help, you could easily force the other out of the game. If King Qing were to have ambitions of his own then, it would be hard to say who would end up on the throne."

Zhou Junlin chuckled lightly. "So, he had to go."

"Yes. And not just go—it would be best if he died on the battlefield and never came back!"

Zhou Junlin nodded. "If I were the Holy Emperor, I would think the same."

"Heh." Song Lianhe gave a cold smile. ’As expected, an emperor’s heart is the most ruthless of all.’

She said seriously, "I want to form an alliance with you."

Zhou Junlin didn’t speak, just stared at her with a burning gaze that made Song Lianhe’s skin crawl.

She slowly raised a hand and waved it in front of his face. "Are you going to cooperate or not? Just give me a straight answer."

Zhou Junlin gave her a deep look before slowly pulling back his gaze. "If we are to cooperate, what benefits can you bring this prince?"

She smiled. "To help you ascend the throne, of course."

Yin Huan, who was still drinking water, went "PFFT!" spraying a mouthful all over Gu Ha’s face.

Gu Ha glared at her, furious.

Yin Huan pretended not to notice, averting her gaze guiltily.

Come to think of it, the two of them once had a superior-subordinate relationship, both having worked for Prince Ling.

’But now, she didn’t have to worry about that status at all. With King Qing backing her, she was a free woman!’

Yin Huan sighed to herself. ’She’s mad. Truly mad.’

’Help Zhou Junlin become the Emperor? Why doesn’t she just try to fly to the heavens while she’s at it?’

’It’s one thing to pull some little tricks in the shadows, but when it comes to a struggle for the throne within the Royal Family, you’re supposed to stay as far away as possible to protect yourself.’

"Heh heh." Zhou Junlin shook his head and chuckled, his smiling eyes gazing at her as if bathed in a spring breeze.

’That look... is definitely not innocent.’

Song Lianhe’s brow furrowed in alarm. ’This man is definitely strange today. Back in the bamboo forest, he was like a smiling tiger. How has not even a full day passed, and he’s suddenly radiating a benevolent glow?’

’She glanced above his head. The main character’s halo hasn’t appeared!’

"You want to cooperate with this prince, to help this prince ascend the throne," he repeated, murmuring the words.

At this, Song Lianhe also felt that discussing such a thing on a public street was indeed outrageously treasonous.

Meanwhile, the noodle stall owner had been wiping his cutting board so much he’d nearly rubbed the wood bare.

’This is going to be the death of me!’

’How did I end up hearing all this?’

’This is the kind of talk that gets your head chopped off and your entire clan executed! For something like this, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to dig a hole, bury your head in it, and then talk!’

Zhou Junlin suddenly leaned closer, his gaze level with hers, his eyes holding that same ambiguous, indecipherable look.

"So, did Princess Qing take a fancy to this prince’s strength, or... did you already know that this prince is the Chosen One?"

Song Lianhe was taken aback. ’When did he become so narcissistic?’

Zhou Junlin stared at her intently, speaking word by word, "You chose this prince because you want to secure a sliver of hope for *him*, didn’t you? When all is said and done, it’s still all for him."