Flower Stealing Master

Looking at Ren Yingying’s furious expression, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but sigh. “Miss Ren, it seems you still don’t understand the situation. Whether you agree to this marriage or not doesn’t matter in the slightest. Do you really think I’m marrying you for you? I’m marrying into the power of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, while your father gains the support of a strong ally like the Golden Serpent Camp. So, regardless of what you think, this marriage is inevitable.”

Ren Yingying knew the rationale behind this all too well. However, she couldn’t accept the sudden and drastic changes in her life, nor could she come to terms with her father’s cold-heartedness.

Noticing her distraught expression, Song Qingshu cleared his throat. “It’s getting late. Why don’t you escort me to my room to rest?” Though he said this, he knew she would never take him to her private chambers willingly. Without hesitation, he scooped her up and headed towards her courtyard. After all, he had been there more than once before.

“What are you doing? Put me down!” Ren Yingying panicked, flailing her arms and legs in an attempt to break free. Unfortunately, the gap in their strength was too vast. Her punches on his chest were as feeble as tickles.

“What am I doing? Don’t you know?” Song Qingshu’s qinggong was exceptional, and in mere moments, he carried Ren Yingying into her bedroom.

“You shameless scoundrel!” Ren Yingying’s face turned crimson.

“I’m just escorting the young lady back to her room. What are you imagining?” Song Qingshu gently placed her on the bed and stepped back a few paces, keeping a respectable distance, with a look of exaggerated innocence.

“You!” Ren Yingying knew he was teasing her, but there was nothing she could do.

“Alright, alright. Don’t look like the world is collapsing,” Song Qingshu said, clearing his throat. “The alliance between the Golden Serpent Camp and the Sun Moon Holy Cult is already a done deal, so you should abandon any thoughts of refusing this marriage…”

Seeing her frown deepen, he quickly changed his tone. “That said, your father and I only need the title of husband and wife. Whether we live as such is far less important.”

Ren Yingying’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Spreading his hands with a faint smile, Song Qingshu replied, “Perhaps in your eyes, I’m an unscrupulous scoundrel. But deep down, I’m actually a hopeless romantic. Breaking you and Linghu Chong apart is indeed cruel, so to make up for my actions, I’m willing to compromise. As long as you act as my wife in public, I won’t interfere with what you do in private or who you associate with—so long as it doesn’t disgrace me or become public knowledge. How about that?” (G: Just in case someone misunderstands, things wont happen like that. Our MC is just too charming, and diabolical.)

A glimmer of hope shone in Ren Yingying’s eyes. In the midst of this dark predicament, his words felt like a ray of light piercing through the gloom. She immediately sat up. “Do you mean it?”

“A gentleman’s word is as good as gold,” Song Qingshu replied with a smile.

“Wouldn’t that put you at a disadvantage?” Ren Yingying asked, biting her lip and looking at him with a hint of guilt. No man could accept such a marriage, and his suggestion stirred a strange emotion within her.

With a wry smile, Song Qingshu said, “What can I say? I’m just a hopeless romantic. So, can you agree to this marriage now?”

Ren Yingying’s face flickered with indecision as her thoughts waged war within her. Finally, after a long pause, she nodded. “Fine, I agree. But if you go back on your word, I would rather die than let the alliance between the Sun Moon Holy Cult and the Golden Serpent Camp survive.”

She had no other choice. Despite her reluctance to even fake a marriage with Song Qingshu, she understood the Sun Moon Holy Cult’s dire straits. External enemies loomed large, and the Ming Cult’s internal infiltration had caused her father much grief. This alliance was their best chance for survival, and she couldn’t destroy that for personal reasons.

“You can rest assured. If I have one virtue, it’s keeping my promises, Yingying.” Song Qingshu declared confidently.

“Don’t call me that!” Ren Yingying snapped angrily. Aside from her father, only Linghu Chong had ever addressed her so intimately.

Song Qingshu frowned. “Yingying, that’s unreasonable. We have to act like a married couple in public. I can’t keep calling you Miss Ren.”

She reluctantly acknowledged his point and begrudgingly nodded. “Fine, but only in front of others. In private, you’re not allowed to call me that.”

“How is that going to work?” Song Qingshu’s eyes widened. “If we draw such distinctions, what if I slip up and call you the wrong thing at the wrong time? Your father might see through us, and to protect our alliance, he might even send someone after Linghu Chong.” 𝖗

“Fine, call me whatever you like,” Ren Yingying muttered, thinking she could always have Linghu Chong use a different nickname for her in the future.

Song Qingshu smirked. “Yingying, aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Forgetting what?” Ren Yingying asked, puzzled.

“You forgot to address me properly,” Song Qingshu replied with a mischievous grin.

Blushing furiously, she stammered, “Song… Big Brother Song.”

“That won’t do,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s too distant. That’s not how a wife should address her husband.”

“Then what should I call you?” Ren Yingying asked, her heart pounding with unease.

“Dear, darling… But I doubt you’d say those,” Song Qingshu said, shaking his head dramatically. “How about ‘Song Lang’? It’s endearing yet appropriate.” (G: As I explained before, Lang “郎” character has multiple meanings in contexts. It usually refers to a male, and can in different contexts be used to denote groom, a gentleman, a son of a family, and as a term of endearment romantically)

“You’re dreaming!” Ren Yingying shot back, her anger flaring.

Song Qingshu’s expression darkened. “Miss Ren, I’ve already made great concessions to accommodate your romantic ideals. Yet, you can’t even change the way you address me? If you keep this up, I might as well rescind everything I said earlier, and we’ll be a real couple. I wouldn’t mind keeping you as my caged canary.”

“No!” Ren Yingying paled. She realized she had no leverage in this situation. His earlier proposal was already a blessing amidst misfortune. She couldn’t risk losing even those conditions. Gritting her teeth, she conceded. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

“I’m listening,” Song Qingshu said, his face devoid of expression.

“Song… Song Lang,” she muttered hesitantly.

“I can’t hear you. Say it again,” Song Qingshu said sternly.

Though anger surged within her, she suppressed it and raised her voice slightly. “Song Lang.”

“It still lacks emotion. We’re supposed to be in love,” he complained.

Nearly fainting from rage, Ren Yingying realized she had no choice but to play along. Taking a deep breath, she sweetened her tone and called out coyly, “Song Lang~” Inwardly, she cursed him a thousand times over.

“Now that’s better,” Song Qingshu said with a hint of surprise. Her coquettish tone sent a tingle through him. “It seems the prettier the woman, the better the actress.”

Blushing deeply, Ren Yingying turned her back to him. “Are you satisfied now? I’m tired and going to sleep. Find somewhere else to settle.”

She tossed a quilt at him and lay down, wrapping herself tightly in her blanket.

Looking at the quilt in his arms, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but chuckle. Clearly, she meant for him to sleep on the floor. But he wasn’t one to take things lying down. Tossing the quilt aside, he removed his outer robe and climbed into her bed.

“What are you doing?!” Ren Yingying bolted upright, both alarmed and angry.

“Sleep, of course,” Song Qingshu replied with an innocent expression.

“Who gave you permission to sleep with me?” Ren Yingying asked angrily.

“Your father,” Song Qingshu said with a cheeky smile. “We’re already husband and wife, aren’t we?”

Ren Yingying’s face darkened. “You just agreed earlier that we’re only pretending to be a married couple. Are you going back on your word so soon?”

“I did say we’re pretending to be husband and wife, but I never said we couldn’t share the same bed,” Song Qingshu answered confidently.

“You!” Ren Yingying was startled, her thoughts racing. 

‘What does he mean by this? Could he be implying that while I can secretly keep in touch with Chong-ge, I must still fulfill my duties as his wife? But how could I face Brother Chong if that were the case?’

Seeing Ren Yingying’s face turn pale and then flush with anger, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you thinking? I’m just sleeping next to you, nothing else.”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Ren Yingying bit her lower lip, her cheeks turning crimson. 

‘A man and a woman sharing the same bed—him not trying anything would be impossible.’

Song Qingshu’s expression turned serious. “Miss Ren, think carefully. With my martial arts, if I wanted your b0dy, it would only take a flick of my finger. Why would I go through all this trouble to deceive you?”

Ren Yingying froze, realizing he wasn’t lying. However, even if he didn’t do anything, she still couldn’t accept sharing a bed with him. “If you want the bed so badly, you can have it. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Just as Ren Yingying was about to get off the bed, Song Qingshu grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Before she could get angry, she heard him say seriously, “The reason I want to share the bed with you is for a legitimate purpose.” 

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