A Bitter Blessing

“Oh, for heaven’s sake…” Li Chunsheng couldn’t help but sigh, rubbing his forehead. The sight of these two women confronting each other over him, for any ordinary man, would be a coveted “romantic entanglement,” a stroke of luck to boast about for half a lifetime. But only Li Chunsheng knew that the reasons behind it were far from as simple as they appeared. One girl was his Senior Sister, whom he regarded as a sibling, a man in the past, and the ex-boyfriend of the other girl present. ‘Was she jealous for him now? Absolutely not! At most, it was because she saw her ex-girlfriend being so intimate with him, which made her feel a little sour.’ ‘Alas… a man as sentimental as his Senior Sister truly couldn’t move on so quickly from a failed relationship.’ The other pink-haired girl, on the other hand, was a high-status young lady from an illustrious family. Li Chunsheng was well aware that with his own circumstances, he would never catch her eye. As such, Mu Shengling’s seemingly intimate actions had always kept him on guard. This inexplicable friendliness surely concealed some ulterior motive. ‘Was there something on him that she desperately wanted? And was he merely being treated differently because of it?’ Therefore, this chaotic scene before him, though seemingly caused by him, actually had him as the least important part. Li Chunsheng instinctively glanced at Liuxia beside him, noting the complex expression on her face—a mix of sorrow and indignation. A strange bitterness welled up in him, and… a touch of anger. It had to be said, Li Chunsheng’s intuition was, to some extent, remarkably accurate. At that moment, Liuxia’s heart was indeed “sour” because Mu Shengling was overly intimate with her junior. She harbored resentment towards Mu Shengling. Yet, that so-called hatred stemmed precisely from a love that had once been profound and unforgettable. ‘Mu Shengling, you wretch, it hasn’t been long since we broke up, and already you’re fawning over another man? So, all those years we spent together, in your eyes, were just something so easily cast aside and forgotten?’ ‘“Shengling”? How much effort, how much sincerity had she poured in just to be allowed to address her so intimately with that name…’ As she pondered, Liuxia felt a surge of grievance, her lips pressing tightly together with effort until they turned a faint white. Seeing the country girl’s expression, Mu Shengling’s lips curved upward. The next moment, she reacted in a way that utterly surprised both brothers present. “Heheheh—” The pink-haired young lady suddenly burst into laughter, shaking with mirth and clutching her stomach, leaving the other two utterly bewildered. After a while, Mu Shengling wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, straightened up, and said with a chuckle, “Haha… your relationship truly is wonderful~” “I was just… testing you two, that’s all… I didn’t expect your reaction, Little Sister Liuxia, to be so strong.” The young lady, with an air of familiar ease, used a very intimate address for Liuxia. “Ah?” “Eh?” Li Chunsheng and Liuxia simultaneously gasped in surprise. “Hmph hmph~ I saw you from afar. Even though you seemed to have a good relationship, you always kept a certain distance from each other—so I was quite curious, are you two really a couple, as Chunsheng said before?” Li Chunsheng’s heart jolted. ‘He hadn’t considered that such a flaw would be exposed.’ But there was nothing for it. The so-called “boyfriend and girlfriend” relationship was merely a temporary lie concocted to conceal his Senior Sister’s identity. Although he had suggested that his Senior Sister treat him as a “girlfriend,” in reality, subconsciously, he still habitually interacted with her using the distance typically maintained between men. After all, no male friend or relative would constantly cling together like girls do. Moreover, his Senior Sister’s current appearance was that of such a cute girl; getting too close always felt… a little too stimulating. Liuxia, too, felt uneasy, secretly blaming herself for being too careless. She had already promised Chunsheng to treat him as a girlfriend, yet due to her oversight, she had almost ruined Chunsheng’s plan to protect her. With that thought, the girl subtly moved a little closer to her junior. ‘Hmm… this distance isn’t too far, but not too close either. Chunsheng shouldn’t dislike it, right?’ Liuxia secretly observed Li Chunsheng’s reaction, only to find that he seemed to share her thoughts, unconsciously moving closer to her side as well. Both wanted to draw a little closer, yet both also wished to maintain some distance to avoid making the other uncomfortable. The result was that the already minimal space between them vanished instantly under their “mutual approach.” Consequently, their bodies pressed tightly together. “Ah!” Both gasped simultaneously, their faces flushing in unison, like a pair of shy, innocent lovers embarrassed by their touch. ‘Hmph, a pair of dogs!’ Mu Shengling snorted inwardly, watching them cling together. ‘They’ve clearly done some shameful things, yet they’re so naive when it comes to feelings? Is this the “first intimacy, then love” trope so common in novels?’ ‘However, as a homewrecker, I must proceed slowly with this endeavor, not rushing things.’ ‘I need to gradually, bit by bit, close the distance with Li Chunsheng without provoking a strong backlash from that woman.’ ‘And this current move is called—retreat for advance!’ Mu Shengling immediately put on an an “auntie smile,” deeply moved by the sight of pure love. She chuckled, “I truly envy you two; your relationship is so wonderful.” “This is good too. I was originally thinking of acting as a wingman, accompanying your Chunsheng to the scene to help him get close to that woman.” “But since you, Little Sister Liuxia, are here now, I won’t be needed. I’m sure you, Little Sister Liuxia, can help Chunsheng very well, can’t you?” These words were perfectly crafted, immediately making Liuxia feel as though she might have misjudged Mu Shengling. Though she had been so heartless when they broke up, perhaps… she wasn’t a fickle, bad woman after all. Thus, the girl enthusiastically declared, “Alright, on Chunsheng’s behalf, I thank Miss Shengling for your help!” “But what should I do to help Chunsheng?” Upon hearing she could assist her junior, Liuxia became even more eager than Li Chunsheng himself. “No rush, no rush…” Mu Shengling said with a beaming smile. Then, she changed the subject, bringing up another matter. “Speaking of which, I’ve helped you and your little boyfriend quite a few times now…” “So, I suppose I can consider myself your friend, right?” “Th-that’s natural!” Liuxia nodded. Truth be told, Mu Shengling had indeed helped them quite a bit. “Then… since we’re friends, I hope you won’t call me ‘Miss’ anymore, alright?” Mu Shengling finally revealed her true objective. “Just call me ‘Shengling’.” “Eh?” Liuxia’s expression shifted. ‘How had the conversation veered back here again?’ She inexplicably felt as though she had fallen into a trap. “It’s quite normal for friends to call each other by their names, isn’t it~” Mu Shengling gazed pitifully at Liuxia, looking as if she were about to burst into tears. “Could it be, Little Sister Liuxia… that you actually don’t want to be friends with me?” “Uh… uh-uh… no!” Liuxia hastily denied it, then, with a hint of bitterness, softly uttered, “Shengling…” ‘Finally, she was calling her that again? But now, she was no longer addressing her by that name in her former capacity…’ ‘Even saying it aloud only brought back unpleasant memories…’ “What about Chunsheng?” Mu Shengling turned her gaze to Li Chunsheng, smiling faintly. “Your girlfriend is even willing to be Shengling’s friend~” Li Chunsheng watched Liuxia’s distressed expression, and an inexplicable surge of irritation welled up within him. He almost immediately blurted out, “Alright, then, on Liuxia’s behalf, I thank ‘Shengling’ for your kind favor.” He deliberately emphasized the name “Shengling,” all the while intently watching Liuxia’s reaction. Sure enough, he saw his Senior Sister’s face grow even more bitter at his address, and the fire in his heart burned brighter. ‘Yay! Objective achieved!’ Mu Shengling cheered inwardly, casting a triumphant glance at the displeased Liuxia. She then selectively shared information about Ah Qiang’s online girlfriend and her subsequent plan to approach her. “Ah Qiang’s online girlfriend is named Liao Xinyi… just an insignificant minor character,” Mu Shengling stated dismissively. To her, the daughter of a mere investigator was indeed an insignificant minor character. However, the truth spoken by this cunning woman here carried a hidden intention to mislead. She was certain that if Li Chunsheng fully understood Liao Xinyi’s identity, he would absolutely not agree to let Liuxia approach that woman. In that case, her carefully devised plan would not be able to proceed smoothly. “In two days, this Liao Xinyi will be hosting a birthday party at a high-end club in the city. She’ll invite some friends to attend, and those invited can each bring some relatives or friends.” “As for me, I can help you get in touch with a trustworthy person who can take you, Little Sister Liuxia, inside then.” “Chunsheng, you can also enter as Little Sister Liuxia’s male companion. This way, you and that Liao Xinyi will have an opportunity to interact.” “As for what to do next, that’s up to your abilities, Chunsheng~” “Oh, right… I have some work to do next, so I’ll be leaving first. Goodbye, everyone.” Having outlined her plan, Mu Shengling immediately found an excuse to prevent further questions, then turned and gracefully departed. The scene immediately fell silent, leaving only Liuxia, her face bitter and her head bowed in silence, and Li Chunsheng, who watched his Senior Sister with a dark, unreadable gaze. “…Chunsheng, I… I’ll be going now.” It took Liuxia a while to compose herself enough to say goodbye. However, a pair of strong hands suddenly seized her wrist. The girl looked up in surprise, only to see a pair of eyes burning with aggressive fire. “Senior Sister…” Li Chunsheng slowly leaned close to Liuxia’s ear, his voice a hoarse whisper laced with irritation. Just now, his Senior Sister’s fluctuating emotions—joy and sorrow—because of Mu Shengling, made him feel… unusually, very, extremely displeased. So, somehow, he now… “Didn’t you… want a blessing?” ‘He wanted to do one thing, very, very much…’ “I’ve changed my mind…” ‘He wanted to make his Senior Sister’s face, a face filled with mingled joy and sorrow for a woman who didn’t love her, now bear his own mark…’ ‘Even if… it had to be by force…’ “Right here…” Under Liuxia’s slightly trembling gaze of shock, Li Chunsheng, like a furious beast, devoured her soft, cool lips. ‘…I’ll give it to you!’