Chapter 71 I Must Divorce First

Chapter 71: I Must First Get a Divorce

Once they got into the theater without a hitch, Xi Qianyue realized it really was a private show—just for them!

The whole place had just the two of them seated.

The table before them was laden with all sorts of fruits and snacks.

Xi Qianyue suggested, "Sixth Young Master Qi, since there are no outsiders, let me do my maids a solid and let them sit in the back row to watch as well. And get them their own plates of fruit and snacks too."

The maidservants were flattered and quickly declined, not daring to enjoy the same treatment as their mistress.

Sixth Young Master Qi chuckled, "I've never seen such a generous mistress as you. Your maids are lucky to have you. Then my guards get to enjoy the same perk too."

The servants never thought they'd get to sit and watch the opera like their masters, and even eat snacks!

Xi Qianyue's mind started to wander—these were all characters from a novel, not real people!

"Friendly reminder: stop thinking of this as a fictional story, or you're in danger."

Xi Qianyue snapped out of it. She was getting a little carried away.

Looking at the people in front of her, they were clearly flesh and blood. Especially Qi Chengyun, who gazed at her with a gentle smile.

Ugh, if she kept overthinking like this, was she going to give herself a split personality?

Better to just focus on the mission...

"So Bai Zhining's already in your household—what's her status? Is she your concubine?"

Xi Qianyue suddenly brought up Bai Zhining, and Qi Chengyun frowned.

"You seem really hung up on her. Do you want me to make her my concubine?"

Qi Chengyun didn't even realize his tone had turned cold.

"Uh, I'm being too nosy. Just curious, that's all."

When it was time to pick the opera, Qi Chengyun let her choose first. Xi Qianyue didn't hold back and picked "The Drunken Beauty."

Qi Chengyun was somewhat surprised.

Xi Qianyue obviously knew the story of Yang Guifei, but she couldn't understand the opera's singing at all.

When she watched operas, she mostly just looked at the costumes and makeup—enjoying the spectacle, the pretty faces...

Qi Chengyun suddenly laughed, "I didn't expect you to choose this one. After all, the Imperial Consort married two men, and a lot of women hate this opera—they see her as a femme fatale."

Xi Qianyue frowned, "It's obviously the man's fault, so why blame her? I think the Imperial Consort was an artist—too bad she married the emperor."

"Artist? Master?" Qi Chengyun tried to understand her meaning.

"You should judge a person from all angles, not just pile all the blame on her. Sure, she was extravagant and self-indulgent, but calling her a 'femme fatale' is way too harsh. It was clearly the emperor in his later years..."

"Careful," Qi Chengyun cut her off. "Don't say things like that."

Xi Qianyue realized her slip—talking recklessly about politics could bring disaster.

She almost broke out in a cold sweat. If she got herself killed here, she'd really be dead!

"Forget that. That performer really is gorgeous. 'One smile that bewitches hundreds, leaving all the palace beauties pale in comparison.'"

Qi Chengyun glanced over and saw Xi Qianyue slouched lazily against the chair, looking totally at ease.

Xi Qianyue laughed again, "No wonder the emperor called the Imperial Consort 'a begonia still asleep.' She really is stunning."

Qi Chengyun gave the actress playing the Imperial Consort a generous reward.

When it was Xi Qianyue's turn to pick another opera, she yawned, bored out of her mind. She really couldn't stand the wailing singing style!

"How about something fun, like 'Havoc in Heaven'?" Xi Qianyue suddenly remembered this one—surely she could follow that.

Qi Chengyun thought to himself, this Miss Xi is such a kid at heart.

He naturally indulged her little request.

Xi Qianyue watched intently, laughing with delight, and the maids were just as hooked.

After two operas, they headed back to the restaurant to try some new dishes.

Xi Qianyue suddenly realized why her maids were so worried about her "straying"—hanging out with him really felt like a date.

Chatting, watching an opera, then grabbing a meal together...

"Um, Sixth Young Master Qi, this might be a bit forward—but you're not married, so do you have a fiancée?"

Qi Chengyun raised an eyebrow. "You're only asking me this now? Why?"

"It just hit me—if you already have a fiancée, eating out and watching operas with me might look bad."

Qi Chengyun paused for a moment before speaking, his voice a bit rough, "So you think that since you're already married, eating and watching operas with me like this is inappropriate?"

He expected Xi Qianyue to say they should keep their distance, but instead she smiled casually, "Yeah, it's a bit inappropriate, since I'm married and all. But men and women don't just have romantic feelings—there's also friendship. Of course, in this day and age, it could easily cause misunderstandings. I need to get a divorce first."

She had no idea Qi Chengyun's heart was swinging with her words—dropping at "friendship," then soaring at "divorce."

She was going to divorce!

"You really want to divorce? Why?" He tried to keep his voice steady.

Xi Qianyue said casually, "I never had feelings for that Yang guy anyway. I've got plenty of money—why would I stay with him? What does he even bring to the table? There's a saying, 'blooming solo,' and I think it fits me perfectly."

The two chatted as they ate.

In the room, besides the two of them, only Qing Bi and Yuan Lin were there.

The looks on those two were hard to read—they even glanced at each other, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.

Qing Bi was a bit prepared, since she'd heard about the "divorce" once before.

Yuan Lin, on the other hand, was genuinely shocked. Did Miss Xi mean she planned to be with his master after divorcing? Was she testing the waters?

Qi Chengyun actually wanted to kick those two out, but he knew that without them there, Xi Qianyue would probably feel awkward.

Wouldn't that leave just the two of them alone together?

It made it hard for him to talk openly.

He still hesitated before finally asking, "What you said earlier—'what can he offer me'—is that really what matters to you?"

"Of course it matters. For me, the most important thing is a good mood, and also, when two people are together, they need common ground. Would you agree?"

Qi Chengyun felt like he'd just had a revelation. Why did he care so much about Xi Qianyue?

Wasn't it just that seeing Xi Qianyue put him in a better mood?

Wasn't it because, whenever he was with her, he always felt like talking?

He'd even thrown the rule of "no talking during meals" out the window.

He smiled sincerely: "I agree. When two people are together, the most important thing is a good mood and common ground. If two people are together and can't even hold a conversation..."

"Then it's truly lonely and helpless. Don't you think? Blind arranged marriages are just a trap. Without even knowing each other's character, to get hitched so recklessly—it's really making a joke of one's lifelong commitment."

Xi Qianyue unsparingly criticized this unreasonable "blind arranged marriage," little knowing that Qi Chengyun was secretly over the moon.