CHAPTER 176: CHAPTER 176: HAVE YOU REALLY FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HIM?

"The Blood Jade is useless in my hands, but if I hand it over to you, my old man will surely skin me alive."

Lin Ruixian stirred the coffee in his cup, his voice deep and melodious.

Gu Ningyue certainly understood the significance of this Blood Jade, otherwise, Mr. Chen wouldn’t be so eager to reclaim it.

"But what does this have to do with Ling Tianyou? He wasn’t involved in this matter."

Lin Ruixian chuckled and looked up at Gu Ningyue, saying, "Then let me ask you, if I give you the Blood Jade, what will you do with it?"

Gu Ningyue fell silent.

Lin Ruixian continued, "You better tell the truth, I don’t want to use my abilities on you right now."

Their identities had already been unveiled; in his eyes, Gu Ningyue was no longer Gu Ningyue.

So, he couldn’t bring himself to harm his former partner.

Gu Ningyue thought for a moment, knowing he was speaking the truth: "The person who promised to remove my curse wants this Blood Jade; it’s the price I have to pay. Can I not say who that person is?"

"Tsk." Lin Ruixian let out a light laugh: "Even if you don’t say it, I know, it’s Mr. Chen, right?"

When my grandfather was alive, he had just this one enemy.

Gu Ningyue remained silent, which was as good as an admission.

Lin Ruixian said, "So! Taking the Blood Jade from me is easy, but the aftermath won’t be so simple. I need a reason to retreat unscathed, don’t I? Otherwise, while you live, I might end up terribly dead."

Gu Ningyue sighed, seemingly already aware of what he intended to do: "I have only one requirement, do not harm Ling Tianyou, and do not drag him into this."

In this matter, Ling Tianyou was innocent, and that was her bottom line.

"I didn’t realize you cared so much about him." Lin Ruixian suddenly seemed a bit unhappy: "You’ve only known him for a few months. Once you take the Blood Jade to lift the curse and leave, with your abilities, not even Ling Tianyou could find you!"

Gu Ningyue was taken aback and slowly shook her head: "No!"

This matter, she had never considered.

Lin Ruixian looked at her with interest and asked, "Why not? Have you really fallen for him?"

A once cold-blooded and ruthless assassin, falling for the president of the Ling Family?

Now that was interesting.

Gu Ningyue said, "It’s not about love; since I survived in place of Gu Ningyue, I must avenge her shame, right? Her name has not been cleared, and those who hurt her are still living well. How could I just walk away?"

Admitting her feelings for Ling Tianyou at this time would be tantamount to dragging him into the pit of fire.

Rather than that, it was better to bear it alone.

Fortunately, Lin Ruixian didn’t intend to harm her, so it should be fine.

Lin Ruixian scrutinized her, "Really not in love?"

Gu Ningyue feigned calmness and shook her head, though her hands were clenched tightly under the table.

Lin Ruixian smiled, suddenly stood up, and moved his chair next to Gu Ningyue to sit down.

Gu Ningyue was startled, "What are you doing?"

Lin Ruixian looked at her and suddenly moved closer to her cheek.

Gu Ningyue reflexively leaned back, but Lin Rui instead pulled her into his arms: "Don’t move, I have something to tell you."

Gu Ningyue: "..."

Five minutes later, Gu Ningyue and Lin Ruixian left the café.

Half an hour later, Gu Ningyue stood in front of Mr. Chen’s villa, holding the Blood Jade in her hand.

The Blood Jade came into her possession easier than she had thought, so easy that she felt like she was dreaming.

She had planned to play the long game, fishing for a big catch, but Lin Ruixian handed the Blood Jade over directly.

Though the cost left her somewhat caught off guard.

By comparison, the contract she signed with Lin Ruixian seemed to turn into just a scrap of paper, totally irrelevant.

"Miss Gu is here?" The butler looked at Gu Ningyue at the door and asked a servant to lead her inside: "Mr. Chen is resting, please wait a moment, and I’ll notify him."

Gu Ningyue nodded, "Okay."

After a while, the butler returned to Gu Ningyue: "Miss Gu, Mr. Chen invites you in."

Gu Ningyue followed the butler to the inner room.

It was still the same house, even the jade-carved deer was in its original place.

The blood-red eyes accidentally met her gaze.

Gu Ningyue suddenly recalled Lin Ruixian’s eyes again and quickly averted her eyes.

Shadows, absolute psychological shadows.

A few more times, and she feared she would lose the ability to make eye contact with people.

"Sit down! Why are you daydreaming?" Mr. Chen sat leisurely by the square table, pouring tea.

Gu Ningyue sat down opposite Mr. Chen, and the butler ushered the others out.

Before leaving, he thoughtfully closed the door.

In the room, only Gu Ningyue and Mr. Chen remained, with the faint aroma of tea wafting in the air.

Gu Ningyue took the Blood Jade out of her bag and pushed it towards Mr. Chen: "Here’s the Blood Jade you wanted. Please check if there’s any problem with it."

"So soon?" A smile appeared on Mr. Chen’s aged face: "I thought you’d bring it to me at the brink of madness."

Gu Ningyue: "...In that case, I’m afraid today I might disappoint you."

Mr. Chen caressed the Blood Jade, examining it in the sunlight for a long time before looking at Gu Ningyue: "It’s genuine, the one I’ve been wanting to retrieve."

Gu Ningyue said, "Then Mr. Chen, can you now lift the curse for me?"

Mr. Chen chuckled lightly, "Of course, this was our agreement after all."

Gu Ningyue breathed a sigh of relief, she had feared Mr. Chen would go back on his word.

Mr. Chen stored the Blood Jade away and reached under the table to retrieve a square wooden box.

Opening the lid, Gu Ningyue saw the vermilion powder and several silver needles of varying thicknesses inside.

Her finger was pricked, and her blood mixed with the vermilion powder, startlingly redder than the vermilion powder itself.

The scarlet drop fell into the teacup, and Mr. Chen chanted incantations, unintelligible phrases echoing in her ears.

The previously restless and stifling emotions seemed to vanish amidst these sounds, disappearing without a trace.

Something appeared to be moving and dissolving beneath her skin, gradually disappearing.

After an unknown amount of time, Mr. Chen’s voice ceased, and the red drop in the cup had turned a deep black.

Gu Ningyue was somewhat surprised; this was too mystical!

Mr. Chen held up a mirror, directing it at Gu Ningyue’s face: "Take a look!"

Gu Ningyue looked into the mirror; the mole beneath her eye that had grown more prominent had vanished.

"Thank you," Gu Ningyue uttered a soft thanks, "I’ll return that Diamond Sutra tomorrow."

Mr. Chen shook his head and suddenly spoke meaningfully, "No need, you keep it. You never know... it might be useful later."

Gu Ningyue shivered: "I hope I’ll never have to use it again."