Green Tea? She's Clearly a Hidden Gem!

Zhao Qiulu followed Jiang Linyuan into the amusement park. They passed the carousel, the pirate ship, the haunted house, and more, but didn’t stop at any of them.

Jiang Linyuan only swept a glance over each, then continued forward.

“When you visited the amusement park with Su Muzhi, was it the same? Not experiencing any rides, just looking at them?”

Zhao Qiulu walked behind him, holding back for a long time before finally asking.

“I’ve forgotten.”

Jiang Linyuan replied without turning his head.

“Forgotten?”

Zhao Qiulu’s voice rose, unusual for her.

“Yeah. The Su Muzhi from before is starting to blur in my mind now.”

Jiang Linyuan stopped in front of the Ferris wheel, looked up, and said:

“The only thing I remember is the memory of her and me on that Ferris wheel.”

Zhao Qiulu halted, silent for a moment, then said:

“Do you want to go up with me?”

“If not, why would I buy two tickets?”

Jiang Linyuan said.

*Sigh. Miss Zhao, I’ve gone this far. Why aren’t you taking the hint?*

Dusk fell, and lights flickered to life.

“I want to hear you say it out loud.”

The multicolored, dazzling lights fell on Zhao Qiulu’s face as she stared at Jiang Linyuan and said this.

“You’re forcing a good person to become a bad one.”

Jiang Linyuan didn’t continue.

They boarded the Ferris wheel, and Zhao Qiulu followed.

*Click.*

The machinery began to operate, and the Ferris wheel slowly turned.

Jiang Linyuan sat on the bench, letting out a sentimental sigh:

“Back when Su Muzhi and I were head over heels, sitting on the Ferris wheel, she joked that one day she’d rent out the whole amusement park. When the Ferris wheel reached the very top, she wanted me to pull out a ring and propose to her.”

Zhao Qiulu looked into his eyes, which were filled with nostalgia and longing:

“You remember that pretty clearly.”

“Because it’s one of the few beautiful memories we had.”

Jiang Linyuan turned his head:

“After that, our relationship gradually turned strange. No more feelings or love, just a sick need for control, possessiveness, and the desire to conquer.”

“That’s because Su Muzhi hid it well. Everything she did before was just to deceive you.”

Zhao Qiulu said.

“But in the end, she didn’t humiliate me or abandon me.”

Jiang Linyuan said lightly.

Zhao Qiulu was left speechless.

She had once deceived a boy just like that, then dumped him and humiliated him.

“I’ve been working hard to atone for it.”

She said.

“So, you see me as his substitute? Craving forgiveness from me, hoping to see me be free?”

Jiang Linyuan hit the nail on the head.

“Taking me to race cars—that was something you used to do to comfort that boy, wasn’t it?”

Zhao Qiulu couldn’t quite meet his eyes, only saying:

“It’s not entirely that. I actually…”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. You treat me as a substitute, and isn’t that what I’m doing too?”

Jiang Linyuan’s words made Zhao Qiulu slowly lift her head.

“Let’s just make up for the last regret Su Muzhi and I had.”

Jiang Linyuan smiled and leaned against the glass.

*The last regret?*

Zhao Qiulu froze.

“There’s about seven or eight minutes until the Ferris wheel reaches the very top. Before that, if there’s anything you want to say to that boy, go ahead and say it.”

Jiang Linyuan said casually.

“I don’t…”

“There are only two of us here. No need to pretend. The feeling of deceiving yourself isn’t pleasant.”

The boy’s carefree voice reached her ears. It was clearly meant to comfort her, but it felt just like that other guy.

When she sought him out again, he was just as indifferent:

“What do you want? I don’t want to say a single extra word to you.”

Zhao Qiulu was silent for a while, then looked at Jiang Linyuan:

“There’s nothing I want to say. You…”

“Don’t force yourself.”

Jiang Linyuan looked into Zhao Qiulu’s eyes, his voice very soft:

“Right now, you’re on the Ferris wheel. At this moment, you’re above the world. You can be a little bolder, briefly forget the past.”

“So, you can forgive yourself. You don’t have to keep this up anymore.”

Zhao Qiulu’s gaze drifted out the window, and she retorted:

“Then will you forget Su Muzhi?”

Jiang Linyuan chuckled:

“What I’m doing right now *is* forgetting her. I’m using you to wash away the remaining memories she and I had.”

As the Ferris wheel was about to reach the summit, he took a small box from his pants pocket.

“Even though this is something we never did in our memories.”

The neon lights outside the glass, in all colors, fell on Jiang Linyuan’s face. He smiled, ready to slowly open the box:

“I like you. Will you stay with me forever?”

Zhao Qiulu looked at Jiang Linyuan, momentarily dazed.

If it were Su Muzhi, in the throes of their passionate love, standing here, how would she have answered? She would have surely said something overwhelmingly domineering. But back then, he must have been really happy.

Yet now, he was handing this unsaid confession—words that were uniquely meant for Su Muzhi—to *me*.

After a moment of silence in the air, Zhao Qiulu said decisively:

“No. I don’t agree.”

*I will not be Su Muzhi’s replacement. I want to save you, in a way Su Muzhi never could.*

*Not treating you as a substitute, not out of disgust for Su Muzhi, but simply wanting to rescue you.*

*Wanting to see you in love.*

Zhao Qiulu closed the box, staring into his eyes:

“Next time, I don’t want you to treat me as a stand-in. I’ll make you take it seriously…”

“No…”

Jiang Linyuan suddenly interrupted her, his tone very cold.

“After today, we have nothing to do with each other.”

[Host has been toyed with by a Bad Woman. Target: Zhao Qiulu. Bad Woman Quality: B. B-tier reward pool exchange card has been issued.]

*You… you’re no longer needed.*

Zhao Qiulu was stunned:

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing to do with each other. I betrayed the Su Muzhi of the past, but I won’t betray the one of the present.”

“Then what were you just doing?!”

Seeing how resolute he was, Zhao Qiulu suddenly stood up, opened the box again, and pointed inside, shouting:

“You brought a ring like this…?”

She stopped mid-sentence, frozen.

Inside the box wasn’t a sparkling, shining ring, but a pair of knuckle dusters with a texture somewhere between metal and glass.

*Knuckle dusters?!*

Jiang Linyuan slipped the knuckle dusters onto his hand, flashing a grin:

“Rings are too expensive, so I bought knuckle dusters instead. Four-finger design, great value for money.”

*Miss Zhao, don’t look back. What I’m holding is a ring.*

Zhao Qiulu felt her brain struggling to keep up.

*What do you mean, rings are too expensive so you bought knuckle dusters? If you can’t afford a condom, are you going to go find a girl who hasn’t even ovulated yet?!*

The shift in tone was way too sudden!

“Even if you can’t afford a ring, you don’t have to go with knuckle dusters!”

She shouted, unable to accept it.

*I didn’t give you a condom, so you should be grateful, and here you are being picky!*

And what’s wrong with knuckle dusters? They support multiplayer co-op games—just a bit crowded.

*Either way, it’s going on *my* hand! Not letting you get an inch of advantage!*

Jiang Linyuan stared at her, snorted coldly:

“Zhao Qiulu, enough talk! Don’t push me to get physical. Stop pestering me!”

Zhao Qiulu thought for a long time, then put on a sorrowful expression:

“So… you’re already this sick?”

*What the hell is this woman talking about?!*

As the two faced off, the Ferris wheel had already stopped. Jiang Linyuan ran out.

The moment he stepped out, two menacing figures appeared right in front of him.

The woman on the left had short hair and a wicked smile, known as the Peace Princess of the Su Family.

The woman on the right had long, straight hair and a cold demeanor, nicknamed the Cold-Faced Raksha King.

*Whoa! Both good sisters have arrived, meow!*

Jiang Linyuan was overjoyed. He strode with a dragon’s gait and stood between them.

*Three kings in formation, the world turns upside down!*

*You ask what king I am? I am the King of Guanzhong, the King of the Land Passage!*

*Overseas? The one overseas is in the port corner.*

Jiang Linyuan turned to face Zhao Qiulu and shouted:

“Miss Zhao, retreat quickly!”

“Hehe, what’s gotten into you? How did you go from talking in the milk tea shop to running off to the amusement park?”

Su Muzhi, still smiling, stepped on Jiang Linyuan’s foot.

*Peace Princess! I think you’re looking for a rebellion! You don’t want peace anymore, do you!*

*I called you to save me, and this is how you show up?*

“Su Muzhi, don’t just step on people!”

“What did you call me?”

Su Muzhi froze for a second, raising an eyebrow.

*Oh no. Got too used to acting with Miss Zhao and didn’t switch back.*

Jiang Linyuan’s eyes darted around, then he put on a look of defiant martyrdom:

“Xiao Su, I’m not going to call you mom!”

As soon as he said this, Shen Wanyu and Zhao Qiulu, standing nearby, both shot Su Muzhi strange looks.

Shen Wanyu glanced at Su Muzhi’s chest and nodded:

“I understand.”

*What do you understand, dammit!*

Su Muzhi glared at Shen Wanyu, then shot another glare at Jiang Linyuan:

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

“You actually want him to call you mom?”

Before Jiang Linyuan could speak, Zhao Qiulu stepped forward to defend him, her face full of fury:

“He sees you as his lover, and you want to be his mom!”

“Hehe. Just you wait. I’m going to chop you into mincemeat.”

Su Muzhi patted Jiang Linyuan’s shoulder, muttering through gritted teeth, then turned to Zhao Qiulu:

“Get lost. You’re no longer needed here.”

“Yeah, yeah. Miss Zhao, you’re no longer needed here.”

Jiang Linyuan chimed in with a grin.

*Anyway, the secret’s out. This is me turning your own tactics against you.*

Zhao Qiulu froze, looking at Jiang Linyuan.

*Even after all this, he still doesn’t want me to get dragged into this?*

*No, now’s not the time for that. How did Su Muzhi show up here?*

She thought about it, then looked at Shen Wanyu.

“He’s got some kind of tracker on him. She wanted to chase him down, and I had no reason to stop her.”

Shen Wanyu said.

*What a great Department Head! Lying without even batting an eye!*

*It was me who voluntarily sent you the location!*

But thinking about it, the Department Head was actually looking out for me too, piling all the blame onto Xiao Su.

*Hehe.*

“No, I lied just now. It was actually this man who took the initiative to send the location.”

Shen Wanyu pointed at Jiang Linyuan and said.

*I think the Department Head wants a Black Mamba elbow strike!*

Jiang Linyuan tried to kill Shen Wanyu with his eyes.

Seeing Shen Wanyu suddenly change her story, Zhao Qiulu had a moment of realization and murmured:

“You’re deliberately sabotaging his image… trying to persuade me not to go on…”

Shen Wanyu opened her mouth, but in the end, didn’t know what to say, so she simply kept quiet.

“Hehe. This is just too funny. Hahaha.”

Su Muzhi looked at Zhao Qiulu and couldn’t help laughing out loud.

Seeing Su Muzhi and Jiang Linyuan beside her, Zhao Qiulu trembled with rage.

*He clearly asked me for help. He clearly put his hope in me.*

*He already gave me his final resolve.*

*But I… I can’t do a single thing.*

“Su Muzhi! If you really love him, then stop torturing him! Let him go!”

“Someone like you will get what’s coming to you sooner or later!”

Zhao Qiulu could only hurl these powerless accusations.

After she said this, Shen Wanyu and Su Muzhi both looked at Jiang Linyuan.

*?*

*Why are you looking at me?*

*I’m a saint. I do one good deed a day and accumulate great virtue. I cultivate virtue every day, amassing huge merit!*

*To gather great virtue, I release billions of living beings every day, okay!*

“Seeing as you’re pretty funny, I’ll let it slide today. But you’d better not stick around here.”

Su Muzhi looked at Zhao Qiulu, covering her mouth with a smile.

“Yeah, yeah. Miss Zhao, you’d better go now.”

Jiang Linyuan added.

*As expected, I still have no power.*

Zhao Qiulu looked at Jiang Linyuan, her gaze firm:

“I will help you. Wait for me.”

With those words, she turned and left.

“Haha. Should we get going too?”

Jiang Linyuan looked at Shen Wanyu and Su Muzhi, asking.

“What do you think?”

Su Muzhi showed an ambiguous smile.

Shen Wanyu, meanwhile, sat on a nearby bench, looking like she was watching a show.

“Wha… what’s all this? I came to the amusement park to have fun. What are you two up to?!”

Before Jiang Linyuan could finish his sentence, Su Muzhi pounced on him, grabbed his hand, and asked:

“What’s with these knuckle dusters?”

“Self-defense.”

“Against who?”

“Against Miss Zhao, of course.”

“Then why are you still wearing them now?”

*Because I’m afraid if I take them off, you’ll grab them and hit me.*

Jiang Linyuan naturally couldn’t say that. Xiao Su, though she had a strong possessive streak and a need for control…

She still couldn’t bear to hurt him. At least, for now.

“Well, I’ll take them off and give them to the Department Head as a gift.”

As he spoke, Jiang Linyuan stuffed the knuckle dusters back into the small box and handed it to Shen Wanyu.

Shen Wanyu glanced at it, then remained unmoved.

Su Muzhi, however, wasn’t letting it go:

“How did you end up at the amusement park with Zhao Qiulu?”

“It’s one of the three holy sites for dates: amusement parks, aquariums, and movie theaters.”

Jiang Linyuan said.

“The three holy sites for dates? Hehe…”

Su Muzhi laughed, then pinched Jiang Linyuan’s chin and leaned in close:

“Dating *her*, huh.”

“Fake, my little Su baby.”

“Setting aside how you’re addressing me, take me up one more time.”

Su Muzhi pointed at the Ferris wheel.

“No need. The two of us are fake too.”

“Are you going or not?”

Su Muzhi reached toward the bench, opened the box, grabbed the knuckle dusters, and pressed them against Jiang Linyuan’s chin.

“I’m going, I’m going.”

Jiang Linyuan nodded.

*Xiao Su has gotten smart. She knows the principle that power comes from the barrel of a gun.*

*But too bad for her. I’ve got a real gun!*

*I’ll make you cry real tears later!*

“Department Head, Department Head. You should come along too.”

Jiang Linyuan looked at Shen Wanyu and asked again.

“…”

The Department Head didn’t respond. She must have crashed. I’ll go give her a kiss to reboot her.

“What are you doing?”

Su Muzhi grabbed Jiang Linyuan as he walked toward Shen Wanyu, asking.

“The Department Head might not have heard me clearly. I wanted to get closer.”

“No. She heard you. She just doesn’t want to talk to you. Don’t you know that?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re here, Xiao Su. The Department Head is shy.”

“Hehe. Are you implying I’m the third wheel?”

The knuckle dusters pressed up again.

“How could that be?”

*Xiao Su is way too cocky. Does she really think I’m afraid of her?*

*Forget it, forget it. I’ll be nice to her.*

*Let’s try pulling a card first!*

[B-tier reward being drawn…]

[Acquired special skill: Heart Slave.]

[Heart Slave: Focus for 1 hour to read others’ minds. Cooldown: 24 hours.]