Actually, things hadn’t always been like this between Li Xu and Li Tian’ai.
They weren’t blood siblings, but they’d been close all the same—a sister who doted, a brother who respected. Back in the day, Li Xu had called her “Sis” with a sweetness that could melt anyone. But as the years passed, things happened between them that neither would ever want to remember…
“Let’s not dwell on the past.”
Li Xu rubbed his nose, letting the tangled thoughts drain out of his head along with a long, gloomy sigh.
“Right now, the priority is figuring out how to call off this marriage to Xia Lengbai.”
“If I botch this, I really will die at Tang San’s hands. Even if the old geezer has all the Heavenly Treasures and Earthly Delights in the world to keep me breathing, I won’t last long.”
To be fair, Li Xu’s body really was frail. Just being locked in the Wing Room and getting worked up for a moment had left his chest tight and his breath short, his head swimming. He hurriedly downed two big gulps of Millennium Ginseng Soup, and only then did he start to feel better.
“I refuse to believe Li Chunfeng can keep me locked up all the way to the wedding night.”
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he heard the servants outside the courtyard hanging lanterns and streamers, setting up the wedding venue.
“…”
“Crap. Li Chunfeng really can keep me locked up to the wedding night!”
As it turned out, Li Xu’s worry was well-founded. From the moment he was locked in the Wing Room, Li Chunfeng had no intention of ever seeing this disgrace of a son again—and he’d ordered the Chancellor’s Estate servants to have no contact with him either.
Li Xu stayed cooped up inside until the following evening. The maids brought nourishing medicinal meals on schedule, but no matter how Li Xu tried to coax them, they wouldn’t say a single word—they’d shove the food through the window and vanish in a flash.
…
…
The sun sank in the west.
The evening glow spilled like blood across the courtyard outside the Wing Room, washing the whole world in a dark red hue.
“Bang!”
“The auspicious hour has arrived—bow to Heaven and Earth!”
From somewhere in the distance came the clang of gongs and drums, followed by a high, piercing shout.
Li Xu sat inside, utterly dumbfounded.
What’s going on out there? They’re already starting the ceremony??
Your groom is still locked in a dark room!
“First bow—to Heaven and Earth!”
“…”
“Second bow—to the parents!”
“…”
Li Xu: “…”
“Alright, alright, Li Chunfeng. You really are something else!”
Li Xu was so furious he nearly laughed. He pictured the main hall outside, where Xia Lengbai—dressed in her red bridal gown and veil—was surely bowing to a rooster in front of all the guests.
What could he do? His father knew his temperament far too well. If there was something Li Xu didn’t want to do, nothing could force him to change his mind.
If the old man dared let him out to bow with Xia Lengbai, it would’ve guaranteed a scandalous farce.
“Ridiculous.”
“A rooster can stand in for me at the bows. But what about the wedding night? You going to use a rooster for that too?”
Li Xu’s rebellious streak flared with contempt. He was determined to make sure Li Chunfeng’s scheme fell apart.
The next second, a wicked heat surged up from below his belly without warning, sending a wave of feverish heat through his whole body.
At first Li Xu didn’t notice. Only when his breathing grew heavy and ragged, sweat beading on his skin from the suffocating heat, did he finally realize something was wrong.
“The dinner the maid brought me—it was drugged!”
The moment he deduced the cause, Li Xu was stunned.
He’d never dreamed Li Chunfeng would pull something like this.
“Underhanded” didn’t even begin to cover it—this was just dirty.
Who in the world drugs his own son on his wedding night?
So the plan is to force the rice to cook into a meal first—get me to produce a grandson, then we’ll talk, huh!
“This drug’s hitting hard. I don’t think I can control myself…”
Li Xu muttered, his mouth and throat unbearably dry, and kept pouring Millennium Ginseng Soup down his throat.
But he forgot—this jar of Millennium Ginseng Soup also replenished Blood Vitality and boosted virility. A few gulps later, instead of quenching the heat, it was like pouring oil on a fire. The flames burned so hot his mind was nearly slipping into a daze.
“My lady, the young master is waiting for you inside.”
A maid’s soft voice came from outside the door.
Li Xu turned toward the sound and saw the door that had imprisoned him all day finally swing open. Four maids supported a graceful figure wearing a red veil over the threshold.
The moment the figure entered, the four maids tactfully shut the door and left.
For a moment, only Li Xu’s ragged breathing echoed through the Wing Room. The figure stood by the door for a long while. When no one came to guide her, she lifted the veil herself.
A face beautiful enough to make fish sink and geese fall was revealed to Li Xu.
She had an exquisitely delicate oval face, cheeks like peach blossoms, skin like congealed cream. With her rouge and makeup, every feature radiated a heart-fluttering allure.
Beyond her beauty, the next most striking thing was the number hovering above her head: [19].
Expressionless, she glanced at Li Xu, who sat on the edge of the bed panting hoarsely. A flicker of something strange and unreadable crossed Xia Lengbai’s eyes.
She was no stranger to this notorious wastrel of the Imperial Capital City—the one who’d abducted her to the Chancellor’s Estate a year ago and ruined her once. And tonight, again…
Biting her lower lip with her silver teeth, Xia Lengbai didn’t speak to him. She climbed onto the bed herself, her lush, curvaceous figure stretching into a graceful arc beneath the bridal gown, and slipped under the covers.
Li Xu couldn’t help drawing a deep breath. The girl’s faint, clean fragrance seemed to coil around the tip of his nose and linger.
“Holy crap, I really don’t think I can hold back the drug…”
A fierce battle raged in Li Xu’s mind, beads of sweat on his forehead growing larger by the second.
“If only Xia Lengbai were a little uglier—ugly enough to scare me off—but no, she has to be this stunning. Who could possibly resist…”
“Are you getting in bed or not?”
From under the covers behind him came the beauty’s disdainful little huff.
“After all this, what are you pretending for?”
Li Xu was burning alive in the throes of his internal battle when Xia Lengbai’s words—what are you pretending for—hit him. In that instant, he knew he was destined to become Tang San’s enemy.
An enemy bound by a blood feud over a stolen wife. Until one of them died.
…Fuck!
Who cares if you’re the protagonist, Tang San? I already know how the story unfolds—you think I’m going to let you kill me off like in the original?!
With that thought, Li Xu’s Blood Vitality surged. A wave of heroic resolve swelled in his chest. He flipped over and scrambled under the covers too.
It was, after all, his wedding night—he couldn’t just say nothing.
Li Xu forced himself to use a familiar, friendly tone, trying to ease the atmosphere: “Xia Lengbai, it’s been a while since we last met.”
Xia Lengbai furrowed her graceful brows in disgust and said coldly:
“Who’d ever want to see you—ngh!”
[Shared Destined Heroine Xia Lengbai’s Karmic Fortune.]
[Fortune Enhancement in progress.]
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