Chapter 753: Will Never Be Mistaken

Sang Zhi’s lips curled slightly into a smile that could charm the world.

But Ye Qianning wasn’t falling for his act. Frowning, she shot him a look. "Come upstairs with me."

With that, she turned and headed up the stairs.

Sang Zhi’s smile turned roguish, but it was clear he was happy. He strode forward on his long legs, obediently following her.

The two of them went upstairs.

The Shopkeeper instructed his staff to clean up the area and waived the bill for the patrons who had been dining.

Du Yi didn’t look away until the two had vanished up the stairs. He finally retracted his gaze. ’The Eldest Miss is back. Maybe now the Eighth Prince will return to normal.’

Qin Fuwei’s gaze also remained fixed on Ye Qianning, flames of jealousy flickering in her eyes.

"Cousin."

As Ye Qianning’s figure vanished from sight, Qin Fuwei looked back to see Du Yi and called out his name again, her tone heavy.

"Don’t call me cousin," Du Yi said with a frown.

"Cousin, I’m your only family! How can you side with an outsider? You’re that young master’s personal guard. If you’ll just help me, I know I can win his affection. If I marry him, it will bring you honor, too! You won’t be just a guard anymore..." Qin Fuwei made no attempt to hide her sense of grievance and ambition.

Du Yi was stunned by the sheer audacity of the person before him.

’She dares to covet the Eighth Prince?’

’She doesn’t have enough lives to throw away.’

"Cousin, please help me." Seeing his silence, Qin Fuwei began to cry.

"Wishful thinking," Du Yi’s voice was ice-cold.

"What wishful thinking? If he can fall for someone as ugly as Ye Qianning, why not me? I’m much more beautiful than she is! As long as you help me, Cousin... COUGH COUGH COUGH... Cou—"

Before Qin Fuwei could finish her delusional rant, a hand clamped around her neck.

Du Yi was choking her with both hands, his expression grim. "You? You dare compare yourself to the Eldest Miss? Let me tell you, no one in this world can compare to her."

"Cou... COUGH COUGH..." Qin Fuwei’s face turned crimson.

Still choking her, Du Yi lifted her clean off the ground. He turned and dragged her out of the Immortal Sea Building, then leaped onto the rooftops and disappeared into the distance.

’He wouldn’t allow such a thing to remain an eyesore in front of the Eldest Miss.’

Ye Qianning led Sang Zhi to a private room on the fourth floor.

Sang Zhi sat obediently at the table, propping his chin up with his slender fingers. His captivating eyes were exceptionally bright, crinkling at the corners in delight.

"How did you recognize me?" Ye Qianning asked, sitting down across from him.

’Her figure had changed, and she was wearing a human-skin mask. Could he really have identified her just from a name?’

’Back then, she had stood right in front of her own father and told him plainly who she was, yet he hadn’t recognized her at all.’

"Your eyes. Your presence," Sang Zhi said.

Ye Qianning touched her brow bone. ’A human-skin mask can’t change one’s eyes, that’s true. But my presence... it seems different now.’ After years of medicinal baths, she felt like she’d been steeped in them.

’She could usually smell the faint scent of medicine on herself.’

Sang Zhi reached out, his slender fingers caressing her face. "I could never mistake you."

’For all these years, he had seen her in his dreams night after night—her cold and resolute expression, her smile as lovely as a blooming flower, the killing intent that surrounded her, and her chilling aura.’

’Everything they went through on Four-direction Mountain, every single one of her expressions, was seared into his mind.’

’Her presence was carved into his very marrow, fused with his own essence and blood. He could not be mistaken.’

’He would never be mistaken.’

Ye Qianning noticed that his fingers were cold, their tips trembling slightly.

His red eyes held a softness, yet they also seemed to carry an endless, world-weary sorrow.