Those who knew You Qi’s true identity: Indeed, the Great Demon King will always remain the terrifying Great Demon King. This is exactly the familiar Great Demon King I know!
Thinking this, the person cast a glance at Chi Huai, their eyes inexplicably tinged with a subtle hint of pity.
Those who knew You Qi’s true identity: How pitiful, to have caught the attention of the Great Demon King You. Rest in peace, I’ll sincerely pray for you!
Though currently standing at a distance from his friend, You Qi—who was well aware of the goofball beneath his friend’s composed exterior—somehow knew exactly what his friend was thinking at that moment. Suddenly, he felt… utterly embarrassed. Silently averting his gaze, he stopped looking at him and continued chatting with his adorable little one.
You Qi: Hmm… Indeed, my little cutie is just that—an adorable little cutie~
However, just as You Qi and Chi Huai were happily chatting, another commotion erupted nearby, once again involving Qiu Muxue and Qiu Liuyue.
Though reluctant, You Qi had come here for Qiu Liuyue. Despite the pain in his heart, he couldn’t neglect his duty. Gritting his teeth and steeling his resolve (while half-embracing Chi Huai), he turned his attention to the chaos.
At first, Chi Huai had felt a pang of sadness and jealousy when You Qi stopped focusing entirely on him. But now, nestled in You Qi’s arms, though it slightly bruised his pride as a grown man, Chi Huai didn’t mind. In fact, he was quite pleased.
Chi Huai: They’re hugging now ( ω )~
Taking a light sniff of the scent from the person beside him, Chi Huai’s earlier unhappiness instantly vanished. Together with You Qi, he turned to watch the spectacle.
The farce had begun with the young ladies’ talent performances.
Unlike ordinary, uncultured women, these noble young ladies were all accomplished in both talent and beauty. Thus, their competition naturally included displays of skill and artistry.
As for Qiu Muxue, though she had initially suffered a major embarrassment, she was, after all, the daughter meticulously raised by the renowned talented wife of the Duke. She was also the younger sister of the imperial consort whose dance had once stunned the emperor’s court and whose songs had moved hearts. In terms of talent, Qiu Muxue was indeed exceptional, with few able to rival her.
Though her start had been rocky, Qiu Muxue quickly regained her composure and showcased her abilities brilliantly. Even among the other talented and beautiful noble ladies, she still managed to shine the brightest.
Thus, despite the earlier incident with Qiu Liuyue, Qiu Muxue remained the most dazzling presence at the event. After all, in the world of aristocratic intrigue, schemes were commonplace—who among the attendees hadn’t witnessed or experienced them before?
At most, Qiu Muxue’s defeat at the hands of her half-sister made her seem somewhat incompetent, but it wasn’t a major issue.
Qiu Liuyue, however, was far from satisfied. By nature, she was not a magnanimous person—old habits died hard, and no matter how well she masked her true self, her pettiness remained unchanged. Seeing Qiu Muxue, who had framed her, basking in glory, how could Qiu Liuyue possibly remain calm?
When Qiu Liuyue had first transmigrated into this world, she was a low-key, taciturn illegitimate daughter living in poverty, her standard of living even worse than that of favored servants. Compared to the radiant Qiu Muxue, the disparity was staggering.
Gazing at Qiu Muxue’s splendor and then at her own miserable existence, Qiu Liuyue’s heart festered with deep jealousy. This was why she later devoted all her efforts to opposing Qiu Muxue, scheming against her at every turn.
Qiu Muxue had stood proudly for too long, her arrogance making her careless. With Qiu Liuyue operating in the shadows, Qiu Muxue found herself repeatedly outmaneuvered.
These successive victories, along with the immense benefits Qiu Liuyue gained from her transmigrator knowledge and modern innovations, gradually blinded her, pushing her toward madness—though she hadn’t yet reached that point.
But seeing Qiu Muxue at the center of attention, radiant as ever, Qiu Liuyue clenched her fists silently, her heart consumed by ugly, dark envy.
Originally, Qiu Liuyue hadn’t planned to perform. As a transmigrator, she lacked any real artistic skills. In her previous life, she had been an ordinary girl from an average family—a recent graduate with no job, a NEET living off her parents. Naturally, she had no talents to speak of.
Of course, as an only child, her parents had repeatedly tried to enroll her in hobby classes to cultivate her skills, but Qiu Liuyue had always dismissed the idea. Lazy by nature, she refused to put in the effort to learn, leaving her with nothing to show for herself.
Now, when she wanted to display some talent, she had nothing to offer.
But Qiu Liuyue had her own solution. While she lacked artistic skills, as someone who had gone through the gauntlet of standardized testing, she remembered plenty of poetry and classic literature. Though university had eroded much of her knowledge, she still retained some famous verses.
Not to mention modern pop songs—she could at least hum a few lines.
She didn’t need exceptional singing skills. Just performing them would be enough. Qiu Liuyue was confident she could stun the crowd and steal Qiu Muxue’s spotlight.
For the haughty Qiu Muxue, having her glory snatched away would surely make her furious. Imagining the scene, Qiu Liuyue grew eager.
In the end, Qiu Liuyue performed a pop song, interspersed with a well-known poem that fit the historical setting. Admittedly, the mix of modern and classical styles felt bizarre and incongruous—fine at a glance, but jarring upon closer inspection.
The song itself was a novel genre, a catchy but shallow tune. Qiu Liuyue’s singing was mediocre, unable to withstand scrutiny, but its uniqueness and catchiness still allowed her to steal the show.
Despite its flaws, as an overlooked, poorly educated illegitimate daughter, Qiu Liuyue’s performance was seen as evidence of her hidden diligence and innate talent.
The noble young men in attendance, all scholars at heart, were deeply impressed by her “brilliant” poetry, and their favor toward her soared. The son of the Minister of Revenue, who had grown familiar with Qiu Liuyue during the lantern festival, had already been intrigued by her “wit” and “cleverness.” Now, he was even more smitten.
Thus, the flower-viewing banquet meticulously arranged by the Duchess for Qiu Muxue ended with Qiu Liuyue stealing the spotlight, infuriating both the Duke and Qiu Muxue.
In the end, the banquet concluded without further incident. After seeing off the guests, Qiu Muxue returned to her room, weeping in frustration and envy. The Duchess, equally aggrieved, subtly made life difficult for Qiu Liuyue, venting her anger on behalf of herself and her daughter.
Outside, two women began stirring up a storm in the capital.
The first, needless to say, was Qiu Liuyue. Her song aside, the poem she recited spread far and wide, earning praise from countless scholars and skyrocketing her reputation.
The second was You Qi.
Due to various reasons, You Qi couldn’t appear under his real identity, so he adopted a false one—the niece of the Marshal’s wife, a distant relative.
The family had met misfortune, leaving only this girl behind. Out of gratitude for their past kindness, the Marshal’s wife took her in, treating her as a beloved daughter.
If she and the Marshal’s son took a liking to each other, she could become their daughter-in-law. If not, and she fell for another nobleman, the Marshal’s family would act as her relatives, ensuring a grand wedding. This would repay the kindness of her late family.
The Duchess’s flower-viewing banquet was meant to introduce You Qi to high society. Yet, by chance, he ended up catching Chi Huai’s eye.
News spread, and countless noblewomen in the capital burned with envy, declaring You Qi impossibly lucky.
Orphaned, taken in by the Marshal’s wife as a beloved daughter, and now engaged to the dreamy Chi Huai after a single meeting—it was almost too much to bear. Rumors even circulated that the Chi family was preparing betrothal gifts for their wedding.
Thus, You Qi and Chi Huai’s relationship was all but set in stone.
Back at the Marshal’s residence, the Marshal’s family sat with You Qi—now back in male attire—discussing Chi Huai over tea.
Marshal: “Nephew You… are you truly decided? Even if you marry Chi Huai as a woman, can this deception last forever? What if you’re discovered? What if he… what will you do then?” The Marshal’s wife and son also looked at You Qi with concern.
Knowing their concern was genuine, You Qi wasn’t ungrateful. He first thanked them for their kindness. As for Chi Huai…
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