Chapter 145: Sudden

"You also know that yesterday wasn't my first time. I've had plenty of men. If a relationship could be defined merely by a single act of forced intimacy, then I would have countless relationships."

She had not expected Yuan Qianlv to be so narrow-minded about this, or perhaps she herself was simply too liberated.

"You are utterly shameless." Never had he expected to hear such words from her lips. Yuan Qianlv found it completely impossible to accept.

"Shameless? Who are you talking about? Look in the mirror. You call me shameless? Then what was your behavior yesterday? It was a crime. Compared to being shameless, the nature of your crime is entirely different."

"A crime? Did you not cooperate with me yesterday? I figured you weren't a virgin, but I never imagined you were such a dissolute woman."

"I never begged you to touch me. So what if I am such a dissolute woman? Stop trying to define me with your outdated morality. I am living my life well; who did I ever harm or provoke? You have to judge me like this. How you choose to live is your business, so stay out of mine."

Hearing his words, Si Xueyi felt a wave of irritation. Had she really been reduced to a dissolute woman in his eyes? Deeply disgusted, she decided to treat the whole ordeal as nothing more than being bitten by a stray dog. After all, the differing worldviews of their two distinct eras naturally bred conflicting perspectives. Neither could understand the other's stance, nor was there any way to persuade the other to accept it.

People like Si Nuosang and Xuanyuan Juesi had taken a very long time to reach a point of mutual acceptance. How long had it been for her and Yuan Qianlv? Furthermore, the issues between them were far more tangled than those between Xuanyuan Juesi and Si Nuosang.

The root of the matter was that Si Xueyi simply did not like Yuan Qianlv. She regarded him as nothing more than a passing fling, and a forced one at that.

"You truly make me feel sick." Yuan Qianlv could not fathom why she allowed herself to sink to such depravation.

"The feeling is mutual. You make me feel just as sick. You are hardly as noble as you pretend to be."

The two locked horns in a fierce battle of words, neither showing any sign of cooling down.

Actually, Si Xueyi was not overly concerned about Yuan Qianlv himself, just as she had stated earlier.

Would Wen Shuan make a move?

That was the question that truly worried her. She had been here for nearly a month, and Wen Shuan could not possibly sit still for much longer. She wanted to avoid making things overly complicated.

Looking at Yuan Qianlv, she said, "Yuan Qianlv, I genuinely want to see my sister."

"I'm sorry, I don't have the authority to take you to her." Yuan Qianlv flatly refused.

"This is no ordinary matter. It concerns many people. Yuan Qianlv, if you truly care about Xuanyuan Juesi's well-being, you should take me to her before things reach a point of no return."

She knew they could not comprehend what she was saying; even if she tried to explain, she would only be dismissed as a madwoman.

"You'd better worry about your own affairs first. The Prince will handle the Princess's matters himself."

No matter what Si Xueyi said, Yuan Qianlv remained immovable. The Prince's decision would not change, and therefore, he would only uphold the Prince's will.

"You people have no idea what you will be facing in the future. I am merely a forerunner. If I cannot explain it, others will come to resolve it. And when that day arrives, you will undoubtedly be the losers," Si Xueyi said with profound earnestness. Yet Yuan Qianlv simply refused to listen.

"Enough, stop changing the subject. I am going to marry you."

"What?"

Si Xueyi was so startled she nearly fell off her chair.

"What are you talking about, Yuan Qianlv? Did you just say you want to marry me? Do you mean it in the way I think you do?"

Wasn't this man looking at her with utter disdain just moments ago? Now he wanted to marry her? What an absolute madman.

"Are you out of your mind? Don't try to scare me like this. I don't like you, and I certainly don't love you. I detest you to the core, understand? We are impossible. Don't think you can trap me with this trick." Si Xueyi spelled it out clearly.

"I have to take responsibility for you." Yuan Qianlv had not expected Si Xueyi to reject him so flatly. Given her background, did she think anyone else would dare to marry her?

"We are both adults; I don't need you to take responsibility for me. Let's not be so childish, shall we? Besides, I can't run away right now anyway."

At that moment, Si Xueyi felt utterly exhausted and no longer wished to speak with him. Seeing Yuan Qianlv's expression grow increasingly grim, she braced herself for things to take a turn for the worse.

However, Yuan Qianlv merely turned around and walked out. He soon returned with a meal, set it down, and left again, heading goodness knows where. Left alone, Si Xueyi felt a sense of relief. She sat down to eat—the food, presumably prepared by Yuan Qianlv, consisted mostly of vegetarian dishes. The taste was decent enough, easily edible.

Days passed like this, one after another.

About half a month later, while Si Xueyi and Yuan Qianlv were resting, a squad of armed men burst in.

Si Xueyi recognized the situation instantly.

They were Wen Shuan's men.

"Lawyer Si, finding you has been quite a chore." One of them pointed a weapon straight at her.

"You installed a tracker on me, so why would it be a chore?"

"There are no cars here, Lawyer Si. We had to ride horses all the way. How could it not be a chore?"

"Who are you people?" Yuan Qianlv stared at them, his expression dead serious. The weapons in their hands looked exceedingly strange.

At that moment, the man holding the firearm fired a shot right in front of Yuan Qianlv's feet. The loud report startled him, causing him to stagger back a few steps.

"Don't hurt him! I still need him to find my sister."

"As you say, Lawyer Si. But the boss gave the word—if you can't handle this, he'll step in personally. Only, the outcome might not be pretty."

These men were loyal followers bound to Wen Shuan, a death squad of sorts. Of course, Wen Shuan had paid them handsomely; otherwise, they would never have risked their lives for him.

"I know. Shut your mouth. Understand? I don't need you telling me how to do my job." Si Xueyi glared at them, and the men instantly fell silent. Everyone had heard of Lawyer Si's formidable reputation. While her physical combat skills were mediocre, her methods were astonishingly brilliant.

Cross her, and you wouldn't even know how you ended up in a prison cell.

Yuan Qianlv remained by Si Xueyi's side, completely isolated. He had already dismissed his guards, never imagining these intruders would track him down here, let alone wield such lethal weaponry.

"Yuan Qianlv, tell me: how do we get to the capital?" Turning her gaze back to him, Yuan Qianlv smiled and shook his head.

"Kill me, and I still won't tell you."

Yuan Qianlv was not afraid. Although he was curious about their strange weapons, he did not fear death.

"Don't be like that. We can cooperate."

"I will not cooperate with you, so give up on that thought. Aren't you people very capable? Then find your own way to the capital."

Yuan Qianlv knew these outsiders were completely clueless about the terrain, which was why they needed to rely on him to guide them to the capital.