Chapter 437: Undercurrents

“Awake, Baby?”

A jade-like hand brushed his face. Gao Sijin opened his eyes to find Yu Qingxue gazing at him with a teasing glint in her bewitching eyes.

Her tender gesture was just like that of a girlfriend in the throes of passionate love. That deeply affectionate gaze held no pretense whatsoever, roaming over Gao Sijin’s body like a scorching flame.

The sun was already setting in the west. If this place were not Tsukiyuki Rio’s mansion, free of surveillance cameras, Gao Sijin had no doubt Yu Qingxue would have pounced on him and pinned him down already.

“Hungry?” Yu Qingxue withdrew her hand from Gao Sijin’s face and slid it toward his waist. “Want me to make you some noodles or something?”

“What the hell?”

Yu Qingxue’s figure was slender and graceful, her appearance peerlessly beautiful.

A flirtatious glint swirled within her pitch-black eyes.

“Say that again?”

“I meant, I’ll go make you some spaghetti. Were you thinking something dirty just now?” A wicked smile instantly spread across Yu Qingxue’s face. “You’re so impure, little brat.”

“Give me a break. Compared to an old hand like you, I honestly don’t know how much purer I am.”

“Yes, yes, I’m an old hand. At least I’m not the one getting locked in a room every day getting clapped for love. My experience is mostly just theoretical. If we’re talking actual practical experience, I humbly admit defeat.”

The maid’s lace-trimmed skirt swayed as her high heels clicked against the floor. Her powdered face glowed with springtime allure, vermilion lips parting over pearly teeth. Teasing Gao Sijin had long since become Yu Qingxue’s greatest joy—one could even call it her very reason to keep living.

But this was still far from enough.

Unless she could keep the things she loved forever by her side, branded with her own mark, she would never be able to sleep soundly.

Beneath that soft, peach-blossom countenance lurked resolution and ruthless coldness.

Gao Sijin understood the meaning hidden within Yu Qingxue’s gaze.

The seemingly uneventful daily life had long been roiling with undercurrents.

“Little Cat, what in the world am I supposed to do…”

“Meow~”

The little cat gently licked Gao Sijin’s hand with its tongue.

Uzuki might be soft-hearted, but that didn’t mean the little cat was. Anyone who competed with Uzuki for Sijin would become the little cat’s enemy…

However, the highest-priority enemy was, without a doubt, Tsukiyuki Rio.

For now, it absolutely could not act rashly. Temporarily separated from Uzuki, the little cat couldn’t exert its full strength. Once all obstacles were erased, it would create a perfect paradise where Gao Sijin and Uzuki could make little kittens together.

The little cat’s head gently nuzzled against Gao Sijin’s hand, its golden feline pupils gleaming with a supernatural hue.

“Hey, Qingxue! Haven’t I told you before? Why do you still spend so much time with Lord Sijin? If this keeps up, you really will die!”

Seeing Yu Qingxue emerge from the room, Morgana immediately strode up to her.

Her face made no effort to hide her irritation. Yet she also knew full well that even if she truly lost her temper at Yu Qingxue, it would be utterly pointless. Still, she couldn’t help but voice her warning.

“Don’t you realize? Lately, the Young Miss has been intentionally taking me along to all sorts of events. Your position as Head Maid now exists in name only. You’ve long since lost the Young Miss’s trust.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Yu Qingxue paused, her profound gaze settling on Morgana. “For you, hasn’t the Head Maid position always been utterly enticing?”

“How many times have I told you that I don’t want you doing stupid things? Do you just not understand?”

“I understand perfectly. I also know that even though you love giving me trouble, you’re a good girl at heart.” Yu Qingxue walked alongside Morgana. “Besides, who told you the Young Miss no longer trusts me?”

“Did the Young Miss assign you some other mission?”

“Yes. She wants me to personally kill Tsukiyuki Kyoichi and Tsukiyuki Uzuki.” A bitter, involuntary smile touched the corners of Yu Qingxue’s lips. “See? Entrusting such an arduous mission to me—that fully demonstrates her trust.”

“She’s sending you to your death!”

“Morgana, you really aren’t Asian, are you? You can’t pick up on sarcasm.”

Yu Qingxue tilted her head back.

That night, after the Old Butler fired at Gao Sijin, her reason had instantly evaporated. In a blind rage, right before the eyes of the assembled Tsukiyuki Family, she had hacked that old man’s body into unrecognizable pieces. The scene had been unspeakably gruesome…

Yu Qingxue also had her own reasons for wanting revenge against the Tsukiyuki Family.

Firstly, Tsukiyuki Rio absolutely could not dirty her own hands. She still needed to rule the Tsukiyuki Family in the future, so personally carrying out the deed had been vetoed from the very beginning. In that case, the assassin’s role had to fall to a madwoman.

Clearly, Yu Qingxue was the perfect madwoman for the job.

A madwoman driven insane by love.

“When exactly did the Young Miss say this? Why wasn’t it mentioned during the earlier meetings? We have far better methods, you know—like hiring assassins, or having someone close to them secretly administer poison…”

“And what if those people get caught?” Yu Qingxue asked bluntly.

“We could control their families beforehand, forcing them to remain loyal to the Young Miss.”

“When a person is pushed to the final extremity, they may not necessarily sacrifice themselves for family.” Yu Qingxue stated flatly. “In the end, the assassin must be someone absolutely loyal to Young Lady Tsukiyuki. So you see, the Young Miss truly has doubly reinforced trust in me. I should feel deeply honored.”

“But you’re still a maid under the Young Miss’s command!” Morgana shook her head incessantly. “How exactly do you clear your suspicion?”

“Hah. The Young Miss has long since steeled her resolve.”

On the night of the assassination, Tsukiyuki Rio herself would also become a target of the assassin. She would enter a near-death state that very night—though she would never truly die. Future medical technology would be more than sufficient to revive Tsukiyuki Rio from that feigned death, restoring her completely.

Becoming a victim alongside the others was the safest method.

If Yu Qingxue went undiscovered, that would naturally be the best outcome.

But if Yu Qingxue were caught red-handed by the Tsukiyuki Family, then Tsukiyuki Rio would have a pretext to clear herself of suspicion.

For the sake of ultimate love, this woman was truly going all out.

“Still, why are you telling me about this?”

“Because I consider you a friend, you silly treasure.”

“If you succeed, what exactly do you get?”

“A front-row seat to the greatest public display of affection this year.” Yu Qingxue sighed softly.

And there was one more thing besides that.

The matter concerning Gao Sijin’s memories.

Killing Uzuki would mean that once Gao Sijin learned of it, he would never be able to forgive Tsukiyuki Rio. Therefore, before the assassination plan officially began, they also had to erase Gao Sijin’s memories, making Uzuki disappear completely from Gao Sijin’s mind—just like what had happened with Gu Xiarui back then.

If the plan truly succeeded, then a world where only Tsukiyuki Rio emerged victorious would be perfectly complete.

Loyalty?

Loyalty, my fucking ass!

Sell this old lady out, then expect this old lady to count the money for you?

Keep dreaming that delusional pipe dream!

Yu Qingxue strode into the kitchen, seized a cleaver, and began furiously hacking at the meat, venting the peak of the dissatisfaction seething within her heart.