The Queen’s Surprise Visit and a Fatal Slip of the Tongue

Near the back gate of Starsea Fifth Middle School lay a small, secluded grove.

This area served as a secret garden for all the school’s couples. In the early mornings or late evenings, one could invariably find a few “heretics,” as the FFF group might call them, meeting there for clandestine dates or more intimate encounters.

I recalled a period when Chen Shen, often referred to as ‘Fatty Chen’, would constantly sneak into this grove, camera in hand.

He claimed he was “securing benefits for all the single dogs,” but after returning to class one day with a bruised and swollen face, I never saw him venture there again.

“Hey, Chen Shen,” I’d asked, “what about those benefits you promised? Did you really give up so easily?”

Let me be clear: my pure, innocent mind had no idea what he was truly doing in that grove.

Now, Ji Qianluo had led me away from the classroom and into this very grove.

With my hands tucked into my pockets, I slowly followed behind Ji Qianluo, still puzzled as to why she had managed to find me before I found her.

‘Could she be bringing me here to do the same thing Chen Shen did? Just so you know, I didn’t bring a camera!’

Setting aside these wild conjectures, I remained intensely curious about why Ji Qianluo had sought me out.

Ji Qianluo led me directly to the deepest part of the grove before finally stopping and turning to face me.

By this time, all the students had gone to eat, leaving the small grove utterly deserted.

I surveyed my surroundings, muttering internally, ‘This is definitely not a good place to be.’

‘Suspicious rubber products were scattered everywhere, and a strange odor permeated the air. Good grief, this is practically a miniature outdoor mating ground, exclusively for lovers of “wild fun,” isn’t it? If I set up a sign and charged admission here, I might just strike it rich by next year!’

‘Alright, these traces are somewhat understandable, given that it’s young people. But why are the tree trunks covered in names? “One-Night Stand Was Here”? What confounds me even more is, who the hell brings a knife when they’re getting intimate? You people are truly terrifying!’

Ji Qianluo didn’t seem to have anticipated the squalor of the place, though she didn’t appear particularly bothered by it.

She simply smiled at me. “Well then, Li Qingchen, let’s talk here,” she said.

I furrowed my brow, looking at Ji Qianluo. “That’s fine,” I replied, “but I’m genuinely surprised you sought me out first.”

“Because there are some things I wanted to confirm with you quickly, Li Qingchen,” Ji Qianluo said, tilting her head.

“Is that so?”

I removed my hands from my pockets and turned to face Ji Qianluo fully.

“Coincidentally, I also have some questions to ask, which saves me another trip.”

Ji Qianluo blinked. “In that case, I’ll go first. Li Qingchen, have you thought about ‘that matter’?”

“‘That matter’?”

I paused, then understood. “You mean the labyrinth? Did Queen Lan tell you about this?”

“Queen Lan?”

To my surprise, it was Ji Qianluo’s turn to look stunned. “What?” I asked, puzzled. “Didn’t Queen Lan tell you?”

Ji Qianluo quickly recovered, smiling. “Ah, oh, yes, that’s right. Queen Lan told me.”

‘Hmm? What’s going on? Something feels off. Is it just my imagination?’

“So, Li Qingchen, what have you decided? Surely you’ll agree, won’t you?”

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “Honestly, I really don’t want to agree to that shrew.”

“A shrew? A… shrew?”

Ji Qianluo’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.

“Ah, my apologies, it just slipped out,” I said, shrugging at Ji Qianluo. “But don’t you think Queen Lan is truly an unreasonable shrew?”

The thought of that dreadful woman tricking me into signing that ridiculous contract without my knowledge made me never want to see her again in this lifetime.

“Unreasonable…”

Ji Qianluo, however, seemed to be suppressing something with great effort, her expression momentarily stiffening.

“Li Qingchen, what kind of person do you think Queen Lan is?”

“Hmm, what kind of person, you ask?”

I stroked my chin, gazing skyward as I pondered carefully. “Arrogant and arbitrary, cunning and deceitful. She tricked me badly the very first time we met. She’s truly a difficult person to get along with.”

As I spoke, I shook my head, an expression on my face that clearly conveyed, ‘No one would want a woman like that in the end, right?’

“In short, if she keeps up this personality, she’ll definitely end up as an unwanted old maid… Oh, right, that’s just my personal opinion. If you don’t agree, please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t tell Queen Lan.”

I turned my head towards Ji Qianluo, cautioning her. If Queen Lan heard those words, she’d likely slap me on the spot and then kick me to the ground.

However, Queen Lan was currently in another world. As long as Ji Qianluo remained silent, there was no way she could possibly hear this, right?

Yet, what I saw was Ji Qianluo, head bowed, her hands clenched tightly.

“Uh, what’s wrong?”

I blinked, just about to step forward and check on her.

Suddenly, Ji Qianluo snapped her head up.

Her hand lashed out in a swift, brutal slap across my face.

Before I could even react, she delivered a powerful kick to my stomach, sending me sprawling to the ground.

“I’m so sorry, I’m an unwanted old maid, Li Qingchen!”

“Uh, you’re…”

I lay sprawled on the ground, eyes wide, with only one thought echoing in my mind.

‘My damn jinx of a mouth…’

“Ow, ow, ow.”

Slowly, I picked myself up from the ground, looking helplessly at Ji Qianluo—no, at Queen Lan. Clutching my head and holding my waist, I said, “Why didn’t you say something when you arrived? You made me think you were the real Ji Qianluo.”

Queen Lan scoffed at me disdainfully. “Hmph, if I had spoken up earlier, I wouldn’t have learned just how much you disliked me, Li Qingchen.”

“Hey, hey, that wasn’t dislike,” I quickly retorted. “It was advice.”

Knowing I was in a difficult spot, I could only offer a feeble defense.

“Well then, Li Qingchen, do you need me to give you some advice?” Queen Lan asked ominously.

“No, no thank you,” I quickly waved my hands. “Let’s just talk about why you’re here again, shall we?”

‘I truly feared this woman.’

“Oh, there’s no rush for that,” Queen Lan said, gazing up at the sky.

“Li Qingchen, let’s skip class!”

“Huh?”

I stared blankly. “Eh?”