Chapter Ninety-Six: Caught in a Web of Schemes

This world is far from simple. If the human world is already so complex, how much more so the lives of those ancient immortals who have lived for hundreds or even thousands of years?

Humans live for about a century, and the experience they accumulate in that time is already formidable—imagine what millennia of existence would yield.

I don’t believe my life is some foolish romance, a domineering CEO falling for me, culminating in a grand and glorious wedding.

Everyone has their own purpose, driven by their interests—without benefit, there is no incentive or motivation.

The first thing I need to understand clearly is what Yuluo wants.

Next, what does Wangchuan want?

Xiaoyun once told me that Wangchuan doesn’t keep all the little cats; many attempts fail, like that resentful ghost.

Yet, the first time Wangchuan saw me, he smiled inexplicably and immediately agreed, meaning there was definitely some strange psychological activity within him at that moment!

Of course, I know Wangchuan likes me, though perhaps even that old creature hasn’t fully figured out what exactly he likes.

But it’s better not to understand love and affection; this time’s outcome has already proven that for me, he could control the temper of the fierce beast. That is enough.

From now on, he can only get better, not worse.

All I can do now is pray that this old fellow doesn’t die from a little turmoil like this—that he stays well.

Finally, Rebecca—of course she wants Wangchuan. Even if they aren’t together, she wants to be the only one by Wangchuan’s side.

The more I think about it, the more interesting it becomes. Rebecca isn’t one to leave a backdoor for her enemies, but she’s also not the type to strangle her own path.

Come to think of it, Wangchuan and I did have a past relationship.

If Wangchuan truly cared about me, when he awakens, wouldn’t he ask about me?

What if he finds out I’m in the forest—not to say a hundred percent, but even if by some chance I were killed? If Wangchuan suddenly loses his mind and tries to release me, where would Rebecca find someone else?

So the best outcome isn’t that I suffer eternal torment in the forest, nor that I’m killed to end it all.

It’s that I leave with Yuluo.

I become the glorious Third Princess Consort, and everything involving Wangchuan just vanishes like smoke, as if I never cared at all.

Or perhaps I only approached Wangchuan deliberately to help my “fiancé,” even sacrificing my body to get close to him, all for the benefit my “fiancé” desired.

But now, things haven’t succeeded yet, and I’ve just been driven away by Wangchuan. To some extent, I’ve lost my usefulness.

So I’m brought back. That’s what everyone thinks—the me who bears the title of Third Princess Consort and left with Yuluo.

Rebecca is indeed meticulous.

Thinking it through, it becomes amusing. This ties back to what happened earlier.

At the beginning, Yuluo appeared, right? That green hue—besides him, it couldn’t have been Rebecca or Claudia!

Claudia appeared first, to scare me, to show me how terrifying it is to stay in the forest.

Rebecca appeared to create the impression that I must be killed.

Finally, Yuluo appeared and pretended to tell them not to interfere, yet without any battle or anything, I was knocked unconscious and taken away.

If I’m right, Rebecca should be unharmed by now.

The two of them must have planned everything early on—on the day Wangchuan’s soul was molded, they drugged me and pinned all the blame on me.

That day, Rebecca suddenly jumped in, took the blame at my place, and then played the same saving-Wangchuan martyrdom again.

Just like before, or as many say, it’s all to remind others of her past kindness; she creates difficulties even when none exist, just to be noticed.

If Wangchuan is moved by Rebecca’s act, he will never look at me again. She will forever stand by Wangchuan’s side, still that imperious Persian cat.

But I can’t understand why Rebecca also targets Yubao? And Xiaomi?

Yubao is a spirit beast—is she afraid that if Yubao teams up with me, I will grow stronger?

So Rebecca wants to completely eliminate all friends connected to Bai Qianqian?

Even Xiaomi, who is pregnant, she heartlessly throws into the river?

No, she knows Wangchuan’s cat won’t die. Xiaomi thrown into the river will at most suffer some hardship.

Then—what is the purpose?

I sat on the bed thinking for a while, then suddenly recalled Rebecca’s last words: Claudia is waiting for me.

Waiting for me means it was prearranged—they must have met before, and knew I would go to the forest, hence the scare tactics.

This fits perfectly with the previous plan: scare me so I fear the place and never return.

Being the Third Princess Consort of the Three Underworld Kings—how wonderful that would be!

Rebecca wants Wangchuan, so as long as she can ruin my reputation against all odds, so Wangchuan dislikes me and never looks my way, that’s enough for her.

As for Xiaomi being thrown into the river, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Yubao is a spirit beast. Rebecca probably fears Yubao rescuing me and messing up their plans.

Thus, Xiaomi and her baby became hostages to delay Yubao after he broke free from captivity.

Yubao will definitely hear Xiaomi’s loud cries for help. Of course, he won’t know if we are together or not. Once he reaches her and rescues Xiaomi, I might already be inside the forest.

Thinking all this, I rubbed my temples.

My imagination is running wild. I’m exhausted.

After being dosed with a sedative and thrown into the forest, then knocked unconscious again, I’ve lost track of how many days have passed.

How many days have I slept?

There’s no clock or calendar here. Since I died, time seems to have stopped.

Sighing, I let out a soft chuckle and lay back under the covers.

I—started to miss Wangchuan.

My feelings for him are hard to explain—from the beginning’s fear, intense fear, hatred, to later loyalty and dependence.

That pace—neither too fast nor too slow.

I once asked Wangchuan if our relationship was progressing too quickly. He said, “If the food tastes good, it’s not fast.”

Sometimes I watch the animal world. Those slightly smarter male animals seek females they like, then try to mate, and once offspring are born, they never leave.

So I sometimes wonder if Wangchuan gave me a baby out of fear I might leave?

Thinking of this, I bitterly smiled.

Now that things have come to this, if I return covered in the scent of evil spirits, that guy Wangchuan—regardless of who is right or wrong—will definitely give me another beating.

However… that sweet spanking and bedroom punishment is still better than being schemed against by so many people at once.

Finally, after countless sighs, the door clicked open.

The room was quaint and antique, with traditional double doors like in old costume dramas. Yuluo walked in, holding some milk.

“Hah, still a brand-name product. Bought from the human world, right?”

“No hot milk available, only slightly warmed.”

Yuluo handed me the milk. If I hadn’t just been lost in so many thoughts, I might have truly believed he was being kind to me!

The moment I saw the milk, my stomach grumbled loudly.

I opened the bottle and took a few gulping sips, then hurriedly asked, “How many days have I slept?”

“More than two days,” Yuluo answered quickly, apparently not lying.

“Oh.” After hearing this, I resumed drinking the milk.

Yuluo reached out, seemingly wanting to touch my face, but I slapped his hand away.

“What are you doing!”

“Hehe—like a child, you might spill while drinking.” He reached again.

I slapped away once more.

“I like it. My master feeds me; I often spill, and I’m happy about it.” I waved my sleeve to wipe my mouth.

Hearing this, Yuluo suddenly looked a little displeased.

It’s understandable—even though he has no real feelings for me, my rebellion must irritate him as a man.

If he’s unhappy, that’s his problem, not mine.

So I continued drinking my milk, eventually driving Yuluo out. I only saw him when I ate.

Cake, milk—I refused to eat processed hot food.

Until one day, while gnawing on fish cake, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my ear!

The ear with the earring on it!