Chapter 8: A Pleasant Cooperation

“Why would I remind you?”

Shen Xiangwan murmured his question, sitting on the edge of the bed with both hands propped behind her, her legs swinging back and forth. “Perhaps because you are good-looking?”

“...”

Was he being teased?

Wei Chengyi’s expression remained calm, but inwardly he felt a sense of helplessness. He had no intention of probing her secrets; it was merely a moment of curiosity sparked by the flow of conversation.

“If you are willing, I can arrange for your departure immediately. There is still time.”

After a brief silence, Wei Chengyi spoke in a heavy voice. The reason he hadn't mentioned it earlier was that he wasn't sure if she could take care of herself once she left the Prince's manor. Now, it seemed his worries were unnecessary; her capabilities were likely even greater than what they had seen.

“If I were to suddenly disappear, do you think that dog emperor would let you off easily?”

Turning her head to look at him, Shen Xiangwan curled her lip in a mocking sneer. As Wei's mother had said earlier, regardless of how she had married into the family, she was already the Princess Consort of Wei Yang. How could the dog emperor overlook such an important figure? Even if she and Wei Chengyi had no feelings for each other.

“Stop talking about unrealistic things. Time is tight, let's talk about something serious.”

Before he could speak, Shen Xiangwan spoke again, sweeping away her previous leisureliness. She was clearly becoming more serious now.

“Oh?”

What serious business did she want to discuss?

Raising an eyebrow, Wei Chengyi raised his hand in a gesture for her to continue.

“You hold great prestige in the army, so you must have some contingencies in place. Help me look after someone. You don't need to give him special treatment; just ensure he isn't bullied in the army due to his background or other reasons, and ensure his safety. In exchange, when it is inconvenient for you, I will protect your mother and the others.”

The so-called "inconvenience" referred to the period during which he had to maintain his disguise of being unconscious. The dog emperor was no fool; even with a physician's diagnosis, he would certainly send people to watch them, at least within the imperial city. Therefore, even if he were exiled, Wei Chengyi would not be able to wake up immediately.

“Hmm... what is his name?”

After gazing deeply at her for a long while, Wei Chengyi asked in a low voice. Could she be talking about...

“Chu Liang, from Chu Family Village, Qinghe County, Tongyang City.”

Shen Xiangwan did not dodge his gaze, stating Chu Liang's name and place of origin directly. He was the second son of the farming family that the original host had been swapped with at birth. He had almost no status in his family, which was why he was pushed into military service a year ago. Being a soldier in this era was vastly different from being a soldier in the future; after a little training, new recruits were thrown onto the battlefield, usually at the very front, with a near-certainty of death. The Chu family had essentially pushed him out to die.

As for the original host, being a girl, her status in the Chu family wouldn't have been high either. The siblings both lived at the very bottom of society. Perhaps because they shared the same plight, their bond was very strong; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they relied on each other for survival.

In the original novel, through his own hard work, Chu Liang became a majestic Great General in just a few short years. When he learned that the original host had plotted to take Shen Xiangyue's place in the marriage and had died on the road to exile, he didn't believe it. Having relied on each other for so many years, how could he not understand his sister?

Whether it was because Shen Xiangyue was too careless or because Chu Liang was lucky, he actually discovered the truth behind the substitute marriage. Consequently, he went head-to-head with Shen Xiangyue, her husband (the Third Prince who had become the Crown Prince), and the Prime Minister's manor, becoming the greatest villain of the original story and nearly killing the couple.

Unfortunately, they were the protagonists with "protagonist halos," while he was alone and outnumbered. Coupled with the dog emperor's secret interference, he ultimately died at the hands of Shen Xiangyue and the others.

Chu Liang occupied a significant portion of the original host's life. Combined with the original plot, Shen Xiangwan decided to repay the original host in some way, treating it as compensation for occupying this body.

It really was him!

So, like her, did Shen Xiangwan also come back from the past?

A flash of realization swept through the depths of Wei Chengyi's eyes, so fast it was gone in an instant, giving her no chance to notice. He quickly nodded with feigned casualness: "Fine, I promise you."

“A pleasure doing business with you!”

Shen Xiangwan smiled, a carefree and heartless smile that seemed to brighten her slightly thin face.

[End of Chapter]