Chapter 3: Fate's Tribulations

  Looking at the face that was made up to be as beautiful as ever with superb makeup skills, Qing Jin slowly pulled out her favorite bright red dress from the bottom of the closet and put it on. After finally finishing dressing, she looked in the mirror at the fiery and charming woman who was like a fully bloomed peony, and smiled gently.

  Qing Jin walked to the door with a healthy and energetic gait, opened it, and beckoned to the two little maidservants in the distance. The two little maidservants who had been chased away by Qing Jin earlier hurried over, saw that she was wearing a bright red dress, and were taken aback for a moment before opening their mouths to warn her about something. But when they looked up at Qing Jin's exceptionally beautiful smiling face, they felt an involuntary shiver run down their spines, and immediately bowed their heads respectfully to await her instructions.

  Qing Jin saw the behavior of the two maids, nodded in satisfaction, and spoke to one of them, "You go tell the kitchen that I want to invite Wang Ye over for dinner, let the kitchen prepare a few good dishes."

  The maid heard Qingjin's words, took a look at Qingjin's well-dressed face, and the surprised color in her eyes flashed. She replied to Qingjin, "Okay." Then she turned around and walked towards the kitchen.

  As she watched the maid leave, Qingjin turned to the other maid who was still standing there and said, "Go tell Master Wang that I'd like him to come over for dinner. Tell him he must come no matter what."

  "Yes." The maid replied with equal respect.

  "Wait, take this—" Qingjin pulled out a seemingly ordinary yet exquisite hairpin from her head and handed it to the maid. The maid didn't think it was anything valuable, so she took it without hesitation. Qingjin said, "You can go now!"

  The maid hurriedly walked out.

  The dishes on the table were already laid out, Qingjin sat at the edge of the table staring blankly in the direction of the door. As the door creaked open with a soft "squeak", the person she was waiting for walked in, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became chilly. Qingjin glanced at the man with a cold expression, ignoring his indifference, and smiled sweetly at him, "You're here!" with a hint of playfulness in her tone.

  The man's face was still as cold and hard as an ice sculpture, only to see him frowning and saying, "You shouldn't wear this dress!"

  "What's wrong? You think I don't look good in this color? I think it's quite nice!"

  "Madam Jin is a concubine. This bright red color can only be worn by the princess." One of the man's personal guards spoke to her.

  "Oh, I see!" Qing Jin responded with her mouth, but her eyes were fixed on that man.

  "This king still has important matters to attend to." The cold and indifferent man spoke expressionlessly as he gazed at the strange Qing Jin.

  "Then I won't keep you any longer, Qingjin knows that there's a beauty waiting for you in the study!"

  "Nonsense!" Hearing Qing Jin's words, Long Han Yuan furrowed his brow and threw out these four words before turning to leave.

  "Isn't it unreasonable to make a fuss, don't you know in your heart? Don't you remember the name I called out last night?" Hearing Long Han's words and seeing his footsteps preparing to leave, Qing Jin smiled lightly and fearlessly threw out this sentence. At this point, what else did she have to be cautious about or afraid of?

  "You..." Long Han's footsteps suddenly stopped, he turned around and grabbed her neck, his icy eyes coldly staring at Qing Jin.

  Feeling suffocated, Qing Jin didn't beg for mercy, but instead gave a faint, enchanting smile. The smile was seductive and conveyed unspoken sorrow, as well as the dazzling beauty of flowers blooming to excess.

  Long Han saw her smile and unconsciously released his grip on her, the sudden influx of fresh air into her lungs made Qing Jin cough twice.

  Long Han shifted his gaze, "This is what you asked for, it's better not to speak words that shouldn't be said. This king remembers, you also have a maid named Yuanyang." His tone carried absolute threat.

  "Hahaha......" Hearing his words, Qing Jin couldn't help but burst out laughing uncontrollably, even tears of laughter streaming down her face.

  Long Han looked at Qing Jin with a cold and indifferent face, then turned around and left without any further attachment.

  Qing Jin saw him leave and immediately stopped laughing and chased after him, "Long Han Yuan..."

  Long Han-Yuan's footsteps didn't falter upon hearing Qing Jin's words, "Long Han-Yuan, if you don't stop right now, I'll loudly say what you were shouting when you got into bed with me last night..."

  Long Han Yu stopped in his tracks and turned around, expressionless and unflappable as he stared at Qing Jin, looking just like the way Qing Jin had first met him on the streets all those years ago.

  At this moment, Qing Jin thought: If she was a floating cloud, then he must be a pool of still water. The floating cloud fluttered and danced, wanting to leave its own shadow in the still water. The still water had no ripples, letting you dance and flutter, I am calm like a wave.

  She has been married to him for so many years, and in the end, she wants him to listen to her words, but can only do so by borrowing another woman's name. Isn't that pitiful?

  Gu Qingjin looked at his face and asked in a hoarse voice, "Long Han Yuan... can I ask you one last question?"

  He looked at her silently.

  "You won't answer, so I'll take it as your silence, Long Han Yuan... have you ever loved me?"

  Gu Qingjin paused for a moment, gazing at Long HanYuan from the doorway. Long HanYuan turned around with extremely elegant movements, "What is love?"

  Those four words ruthlessly sent Gu Qingjin plummeting into the depths of hell.

  "But..."

  In the darkness, the beautiful woman's voice trembled slightly, filled with self-mockery, deep emotion, and despair.

  "Long Han Yuan, I love you..."

  For a man she had loved for over a decade but didn't understand love, especially since this man was an ancient king, Long Han didn't even pause for a second because of Gu Qingyu's words.

  He hastily walked in the direction where the study was located.

  Suddenly, Gu Qingjin pounced on him from behind and wrapped her arms around Long Han's waist! Long Han's icy gaze showed a hint of change, while Long Jingyun and Long Jingfeng hesitated because Gu Qingjin was Long Han's woman.

  "Gu Qingjin, what are you doing? Don't be crazy!"

  With all her might, she hugged Long HanYuan tightly, and the feeling was truly strange. Gu QingJin had a ridiculous idea in her mind, thinking about it made her do it, and she bit down hard on Long HanYuan's back, feeling a salty taste in her mouth, and realized that Long HanYuan was just an ordinary man with flesh and blood.

  The dragons beside her, Long Jingfeng and Long Jingyun, saw Gu Qingjin's actions and couldn't hold back any longer, simultaneously making their move. Qingjin's figure fell like a leaf in the wind, a butterfly with broken wings, landing beside the dinner table. Fresh blood flowed from the corner of her mouth as she spoke to the retreating figures, "Long Han yuan, I actually don't love you anymore..."

  At that moment,

  Falling in love with you

  Fate and predestined calamity

  No way out

  No way out.

  With a wave of his hand, the candle on the table was knocked over, and the flame came into contact with the strong liquor that had been sprinkled on the ground beforehand, spreading rapidly...