I am the villain in the book

“Young Master, that’s how it is.”

After Chu Xianping finished these last words, the side hall once again fell into silence.

Wei Changtian silently gazed at him, a hint of regret in his eyes.

Indeed, what Chu Xianping had just said could explain ninety-nine percent of the things he hadn’t understood before.

But there was one thing Wei Changtian still hadn’t found the answer to.

That was why Chu Xianping had concealed it from him.

Of course, if he asked, Chu Xianping would definitely give an explanation, something along the lines of “to make the play more realistic” or “to deceive Lü Hongji.”

However, Wei Changtian felt that this wasn’t the real reason why Chu Xianping had even deceived him.

He had to know that even if it was a fake betrayal, such a shocking deception would definitely cause him to never trust him again in the future.

Chu Xianping couldn’t possibly not understand this principle.

Therefore, he must have other plans.

“Alas.”

Wei Changtian sighed with a wry smile, he actually already had a faint guess.

Or rather, he had already guessed as much before.

Therefore, after a moment of silence, he didn’t ask any further about the details of this “grand play,” but softly asked, with Chu Xianping’s gaze suddenly becoming complicated:

“Brother Chu, when do you plan to leave?”

“...”

When to leave.

Such a question undoubtedly had many meanings, and it also stunned Chu Xianping.

Perhaps he hadn’t expected Wei Changtian to be able to guess this, or perhaps he was surprised by the latter’s attitude of such “leniency” towards him.

In short, after Wei Changtian asked this question, Chu Xianping lowered his head for the first time.

The candlelight flickered, reflecting the shadows of the two people.

It was unknown how long had passed before Chu Xianping slowly raised his head.

He first took out the Black Terrace Elder’s Kui Dragon Token from his chest and placed it on the tea table, then knelt slowly in front of Wei Changtian without hesitation.

“Young Master, I will never forget your kindness in recognizing my talent.”

“...”

Looking at Chu Xianping’s extremely solemn expression, Wei Changtian’s expression remained calm, seemingly not surprised by his current actions.

“So, you really want to scheme for this world?”

“Yes.”

Chu Xianping finally stopped hiding it, bowing his head heavily to the ground: “I don’t know if I can succeed, but I want to try, and I hope Young Master will help me.”

“What if I don’t help you?”

“Then I will stay.”

“What if I want to kill you?”

“I have nothing to say.”

“...”

Three consecutive questions, Chu Xianping’s answers were without the slightest hesitation.

And Wei Changtian also paused at this moment, sighing softly in his heart.

Sure enough, Chu Xianping still had that “lofty ambition” that was different from his own.

He was probably already planning this, and helping him win this national war and killing Lü Hongji were probably the last two things he did to repay his kindness in recognizing his talent...

“Brother Chu, I don’t have your ambition, I don’t have your wisdom, and I don’t have any plans to contend for the world right now.”

Turning his head to look at the night outside the window, Wei Changtian’s tone was somewhat sentimental.

“But who can say for sure what the future holds?”

“If one day, you and I become enemies, what will you do?”

“Whatever Young Master desires, no matter what, I will definitely offer it with both hands!”

Faced with this last question that seemed distant, but was actually very likely to happen, Chu Xianping still did not hesitate, answering extremely decisively.

However, Wei Changtian shook his head after hearing this.

“Brother Chu, I don’t need you to yield.”

“If there really is such a day, I only hope that you and I can both strive with all our might, and there will be no resentment in victory or defeat.”

“...”

Strive with all our might, and there will be no resentment in victory or defeat.

“Strive with all our might, and there will be no resentment in victory or defeat!”

“...”

Joy and sorrow, parting and reunion, in a cup of wine; north, south, east, and west, ten thousand miles.

From the first meeting at the Suspended Mirror Division’s Shuzhou branch office, to now deciding to go their separate ways in the Fengyuan Imperial Palace, Chu Xianping, as Wei Changtian’s most trusted strategist, had helped him for nearly three years.

Objectively speaking, if it hadn’t been for Chu Xianping during these three years, Wei Changtian would never have reached this point, and it was not impossible that he would have died long ago.

Therefore, in Wei Changtian’s view, Chu Xianping was not “defecting” now, but merely “going their separate ways” with him.

It was precisely because of this that, at a certain moment, he suddenly smiled.

“Hahaha, Brother Chu, then I’ll see you in the Jianghu again.”

“...”

“Young Master!”

For the last time, he bowed deeply to Wei Changtian, and unlike the former’s relief, Chu Xianping’s voice trembled for the first time.

After a moment, he raised his head and replied with incomparable determination:

“Yes!”

“See you in the Jianghu again!”

Outside Jinhua Hall, under the moonlight.

While Wei Changtian and Chu Xianping in the hall were “breaking up peacefully” and agreeing to “see you in the Jianghu again,” Li Zimu also expressed all her guilt towards Tang Chen.

The gentle night breeze brushed past her hair, sometimes rising and falling, obscuring the tears in her eyes.

It could be seen that even though Li Zimu had finally stopped deceiving herself, her feelings for Tang Chen were no longer the simple use she had initially intended.

Biting her lip tightly, her head buried very low.

Li Zimu didn’t dare to face the latter’s gaze, so she didn’t dare to raise her head.

But when that familiar voice sounded, she was stunned.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to feel guilty about anything.”

“My master once told me that the most difficult thing in this world is mutual love.”

“Since you have no feelings for me, then you should go find your lover.”

“As for me, at least you let me understand what kind of woman I like.”

“Miss Li, thank you.”

“...”

A few calm words, a sentence of “thank you.”

When Tang Chen unexpectedly said all this in the most frank tone, Li Zimu finally looked up at him in a daze, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.

Looking at Tang Chen smiling at her, she didn’t know what to say.

The former then slowly took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and gently unfolded it.

【No fate in this life, Zimu promises a lifetime in the next】

A line of small characters embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief blurred in the moonlight, with two or three scattered spots of dark red blood on the surface.

It was because of this handkerchief and this line of words that Tang Chen decided to stay.

And after experiencing so much, at this moment, this line of words seemed to be no longer just a lie.

“Miss Li.”

Handing the handkerchief to Li Zimu, who was full of tears, Tang Chen said softly:

“Let’s return this handkerchief to you.”

“...”

Her body trembled violently, Li Zimu clenched the handkerchief tightly, opened her mouth wanting to say something, but couldn’t say anything.

So, she just stood there, watching Tang Chen smile at her while sobbing, turning around, and walking step by step into the depths of the night.

Under the bright moonlight, that figure became farther and farther away, more and more blurred.

Then at a certain moment, Li Zimu suddenly chased after him regardless of everything, but suddenly stopped when Tang Chen was about to turn his head.

“Tang, Young Master Tang, don’t turn around.”

“Wuwuwu, I, my body has been seen by bandits, I, I even lied to you.”

“I know I’m very dirty, wuwuwu, I, I’m not worthy...”

“I once told you that I like to see snow, because, because snow is the cleanest thing to me.”

“To, today I give it to you.”

“If, if there really is a next life, I will definitely be your wife.”

“De, definitely...”

“...”

Under the moon like water, Li Zimu stood behind Tang Chen, crying uncontrollably.

And Tang Chen turned his back to her, closed his eyes tightly, and never turned his head.

Our fate has always been shallow, but our love is deep.

From now on, our voices will be quiet, the green mountains like dai, the grass like smoke.