Chapter 84: If Line 1

Chapter 84: Alternate Timeline 1

◎She decided to set him free.◎

When Qiao Wan regained consciousness, she felt a strange yet familiar burning ache deep in her chest, making every breath heavy.

She couldn’t help but furrow her brow. Ever since the residual toxins from the drug trials in her body had been purged, she had never experienced such a sensation again.

"Princess, Princess?" A soft voice whispered near her ear. "How did you fall asleep sitting at the table?"

Qiao Wan opened her eyes to Yicui’s worried expression. Yicui was wearing a pine-green dress, her hair styled in twin buns typical of maids, and she seemed younger than before.

"Yicui, why are you dressed like this?" Qiao Wan asked. Ever since leaving Lingjing, Yicui had stopped being her maid and no longer wore such hairstyles.

But the next moment, she paused upon hearing her own voice—it sounded different too, younger and more delicate.

"Princess, what are you talking about?" Yicui asked, puzzled. "I’ve always dressed like this."

Qiao Wan frowned, about to ask more, when Yicui continued, "Princess, you shouldn’t have spent twenty thousand taels to buy that Master Mu Chi earlier. If the Emperor finds out, he’ll surely reprimand you again..."

Qiao Wan stared at Yicui in shock.

Spent twenty thousand taels to buy Mu Chi?

She quickly sat up and looked around. The scent of albizia flowers filled the air from the incense burner, and red gauze curtains swayed gently—everything felt eerily familiar.

"Where is this?" Qiao Wan asked urgently.

"Princess, what’s wrong?" Yicui hurriedly supported her. "This is a private room in the Pine Bamboo Pavilion."

But the Pine Bamboo Pavilion was clearly in the Li Kingdom's capital, Lingjing, and it had been set ablaze by Mu Chi many years ago!

Qiao Wan stood up, intending to walk toward the door, but her head spun from the albizia incense. She quickly steadied herself against the table, then froze upon seeing the skin on the back of her right hand.

It was pale and unblemished, without the scar left from when she fled Lingjing.

Qiao Wan hurried to the bronze mirror, the short walk leaving her breathless from the heavy, dull pain in her chest.

The mirror reflected her face.

But it was different—younger, paler, and more delicate.

It was her, yet not her.

At the very least, not the her she remembered.

Qiao Wan took a few steps back in astonishment. Just last night, she and Mu Chi had traveled with a trade caravan from the Great Qi Kingdom to the Jin Kingdom. Exhausted from the journey, they had slept deeply.

How could she wake up in the Pine Bamboo Pavilion? And the Pine Bamboo Pavilion from years ago?

What about Mu Chi? Had he returned too?

Just as Qiao Wan was about to ask, the madam’s fawning voice sounded from outside the door: "Princess Changle, Master Mu Chi is here."

Qiao Wan widened her eyes, her heart tightening slightly. "Let him in."

The door was pushed open gently, and a slim, elegant figure in white walked in slowly.

Mu Chi stood there with downcast eyes, dressed in white with ink-black hair, snow-white skin, and unparalleled elegance—for a moment, he seemed like a celestial being. But though he smiled, his demeanor was chilly and solitary.

Qiao Wan stared at him blankly, her anxious heart sinking slightly.

The Mu Chi before her showed none of the affection and warmth he had when he looked at her.

Qiao Wan parted her lips, about to say something, but upon seeing the madam and Yicui nearby, she pursed her lips and said, "Yicui, both of you, leave first."

Once only the two of them remained in the room, Qiao Wan weighed how to explain the current situation and involuntarily stepped closer to him. "You..."

She stopped after uttering just that one word.

Mu Chi’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly at her approach, his aura growing even colder.

No matter how harmless and gentle his smile appeared, having known him for nearly a decade and been married to him for five years, she was deeply attuned to his moods.

Qiao Wan stared intently into Mu Chi’s eyes. No matter how well he concealed it, she could see the indifference and aversion beneath his smile.

Mu Chi had not returned.

She alone had regressed to the loneliest time of her life in Lingjing.

After a long silence, Qiao Wan suddenly said, "Zhi'er sent a letter asking you to return and tutor her in zither."

Mu Chi walked up to her with a gentle smile and asked curiously, "Is Zhi'er a friend of Princess Changle?" As he spoke, he stepped forward to help her remove her fox fur cloak.

Qiao Wan did not stop him, only watched his movements, growing increasingly certain that she had alone regressed back to the time of their first meeting.

Should she go through it all again?

Pretend to know nothing, find the Snow Bodhi for him, watch as he pushed her toward someone else, wait for him to stage a royal rebellion...

But the moment she lifted her eyes and met Mu Chi’s gaze, Qiao Wan’s heart tightened abruptly.

She couldn’t do it.

Having experienced the real, gentle Mu Chi, she could no longer endure the sight of this disguised version—outwardly gentle but inwardly indifferent and resentful.

"What do you want?" Qiao Wan muttered without thinking.

Mu Chi’s hands, which had been helping her remove the fox fur cloak, paused. He glanced at her but said nothing.

That glance made Qiao Wan freeze.

The mocking look in his eyes unmistakably conveyed that what Mu Chi truly wanted was to break free from her and go to Qiao Qingni’s side.

After all, he was not the Mu Chi who had spent years with her. And now, with memories of the future, she could no longer remain completely unguarded against this Mu Chi’s manipulations.

If things continued this way, would they still find a happy ending?

Even upon careful reflection, their relationship had ultimately begun with her coercion.

"Are you willing to leave with me?" Qiao Wan asked, gazing into his eyes.

The smile on Mu Chi’s lips was flawless, feigning confusion as he looked at Qiao Wan, but he paused slightly upon meeting her gaze.

She was serious—so serious that he felt she would believe him even if he lied.

Yet, under such a gaze, he found himself unable to speak.

With just one look, Qiao Wan understood his thoughts.

At this very moment, Qiao Wan decided to yield to Mu Chi before her. This time, she did not want to force things anymore—let them both find a different way to live. As for what would happen in the future, no one could say for sure.

Perhaps all of this was just a dream?

When she woke up, she would still be in the bedchamber of the Great Qi palace, lying in the arms of the Mu Chi whose heart held only her.

“Actually, I’m not very skilled at playing the qin,” Qiao Wan said to Mu Chi.

Mu Chi lowered his gaze. “Your Highness is too modest. If you couldn’t play, why would you spend twenty thousand taels to buy this servant?”

Qiao Wan looked at Mu Chi’s downcast eyes, feeling a sense of novelty at his self-reference as “this servant” again, yet she knew all too well that he was most likely scoffing at her inwardly.

Thinking of his possible scoffing, Qiao Wan frowned, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “The one truly skilled at playing the qin is my Third Royal Sister.”

She looked at him seriously, and when she saw his slightly frozen gaze, the last trace of hesitation in her heart vanished.

Qiao Wan smiled. “You and my Third Royal Sister are equally matched in qin skills. I’m sure you’ll have much to talk about.”

Mu Chi looked at her “uneasily.” “What does Princess Changle mean by this?”

Qiao Wan gazed at the face that had held her just last night, pleading anxiously for her to say “I love you” one more time, but ultimately averted her eyes. “The gentleman who bid eight thousand taels earlier can take you to see my Third Royal Sister.”

“Come with me. I’ll take you to her.”

With these words, she turned and walked ahead.

Mu Chi watched the slender figure in front of him, her fiery red dress vibrant and full of life, puzzled by what this notoriously spoiled and willful little princess was truly plotting.

But then he scoffed coldly. He didn’t believe this spoiled and debauched little princess could be so well-intentioned.

Yet the next moment, Qiao Wan indeed led him to a room on the second floor and handed him over to Qiao Qingni.

Qiao Qingni, dressed in men’s clothing as she had been in the past, looked at Qiao Wan with slight surprise.

Knowing her imperial sister well, Qiao Qingni understood that once Qiao Wan bought something or someone, she never gave it away. Moreover, just moments ago, in front of everyone, Qiao Wan had gazed at Mu Chi with admiration and fascination—how could she bear to part with him?

Qiao Wan knew what Qiao Qingni was thinking and simply waved her hand. “Only those who understand each other have things to talk about. This princess can’t stand your refined and pretentious ways.”

Having said that, she turned and walked away quickly.

But as she descended the stairs, she couldn’t help but stop.

She thought all of this was just a dream, but what if it wasn’t? What if, from this moment on, everything would change?

“Your Highness?” Yicui called softly.

Qiao Wan came back to her senses, smiled at Yicui, and continued forward. Only as she stepped out of the Songzhu Pavilion did she involuntarily glance back.

At the railing on the second floor, Qiao Qingni, disguised as a man, was speaking with a smile, poised and graceful. But Mu Chi wasn’t looking at her; instead, he was frowning deeply, his gaze fixed in Qiao Wan’s direction, filled with doubt and inquiry.

Qiao Wan paused, then forced a smile and walked away.

Yet thoughts of the Mu Chi from before yesterday left her somewhat dazed. Just as she stepped off the Songzhu Pavilion’s stairs, the sound of galloping hooves came from nearby.

People around her scrambled out of the way. It wasn’t until Yicui cried out, “Your Highness, be careful!” that Qiao Wan belatedly snapped back to reality. The horse was already right before her, its hooves raised high.

Gasps echoed around her. Qiao Wan was terrified. She thought she had just been reborn only to die under a horse’s hooves, wondering if she would wake up and find that her rebirth was indeed just a dream. The next moment, she felt a tight grip around her waist.

The rider on horseback swung his whip, wrapping it around her waist and lifting her forcefully.

A flash of red swept by as a young man in vermilion robes grabbed her and flew to the side of the street. His playful voice was all too familiar: “Who’s the blind one trying to cheat me?”

Her heart still pounding, Qiao Wan looked toward the voice and widened her eyes in shock.

Jing Lan had also come to the Songzhu Pavilion? Why hadn’t she encountered him in her previous life?

“Well, if it isn’t Princess Changle,” Jing Lan said, once he saw who it was. He released his whip and snorted, his high ponytail swaying behind him. He glanced at the Songzhu Pavilion and added sarcastically, “Princess Changle has quite the refined taste!”

Qiao Wan looked at Jing Lan, still every bit the playboy, and frowned slightly.

As she pondered what had gone wrong and why things were so different from her previous life, a carriage slowly passed by.

Inside the carriage, Mu Chi sat pale and frowning.

When he heard the title “Princess Changle” outside, he inexplicably lifted the curtain and looked out.

The little princess who had spent twenty thousand taels to buy him was standing extremely close to a man in red.

Mu Chi stared at the two, his mind suddenly conjuring an image of a bloodied hand—a woman in fiery red robes gripping his hand, intently carving a character into the web between his thumb and index finger.

Then came an exceedingly arrogant voice: “From now on, you belong to this princess.”

Author's Note:

The final setting for this alternate timeline is Wan Wan directly reborn to the time of their first meeting, while the dog (Mu Chi) gradually regains his memories~

Dear readers who don’t prefer this, feel free to stop at the main story’s conclusion! This alternate timeline is fictional!

The alternate timeline won’t be very long (probably just a few chapters) and won’t be too angsty~

Comments within 24 hours of this chapter will receive a small red envelope~