I'm Competing With The Male Lead For A Woman - Chapter 5

After an ultimate ordeal, Xiao Jin finally managed to establish an alliance with Chu Shao.

To ensure her safety, she suggested that they sleep in separate rooms, and Chu Shao readily agreed.

However, the process of returning to her room was not so simple.

Although the female lead’s thought process was different from ordinary people, Xiao Jin’s legs were visibly inconvenient. So, Chu Shao, being extremely understanding, pushed Xiao Jin back to her room.

When she was finally alone in the room, Xiao Jin spread out the plain handkerchief that Chu Shao had given her.

The edges of the handkerchief were stained with blood, looking like Chu Shao’s fair and slender fingers, yet covered in crimson.

Xiao Jin instantly felt that this handkerchief had also become terrifying.

A shiver ran down her spine. Just as Xiao Jin was about to put the handkerchief away, she suddenly discovered that a pattern seemed to be embroidered on the back of the handkerchief.

After flipping the handkerchief over, the pattern on the other side became clearly visible.

It was the ice lotus flower from Chu Shao’s shoes.

System: “Congratulations, Host, you have collected a key item, [Ice Lotus Flower Handkerchief] x1.”

The sudden mechanical voice startled Xiao Jin.

After calming down, Xiao Jin asked with an expressionless face, “What’s the use of a key item?”

“Key items can be used to unlock hidden side plots. The host can only return to the original world after completing the main and side missions and meeting the conditions for leaving.”

Xiao Jin: “The main missions are already so difficult. Do I have to do side missions too?”

“Whether it’s a main or side mission, if you complete it, you can get a generous reward of extended life. The system will also give you different rewards based on your completion rate.”

With rewards, it was barely acceptable.

Xiao Jin: “How much of a life extension will I get this time?”

“The system has detected that the host has completed Mission 1: ‘Snatch the Bride.’ Given the low completion rate, the system will only award you a 24-hour life extension. Please try harder, Host!”

Listening to the system’s friendly voice, Xiao Jin felt she might need to redefine the meaning of the word “generous.”

After finally getting away from the yandere female lead and returning to the original character’s room, Xiao Jin should have had a good night’s sleep.

But in the dead of the night, she was struck by a terrifying thought: how did Chu Shao know she lived in this room?

As a result, she was tormented by nightmares all night.

When she woke up the next day, Xiao Jin remembered the patch of ice lotus flowers splattered with blood in her dream and was silent for a long time.

Resignedly, she coughed for a while and asked the system, “Can’t we fast-forward? I feel like I can’t go on with this life.”

“No, Host.”

After Xiao Jin got out of bed, the system issued her a second main mission.

“Please be prepared, Player. The imperial palace is about to issue a decree summoning you and the female lead.”

“Mission location: The Imperial Study. Mission difficulty: Medium.”

“A friendly reminder, Host, you currently have the key item ‘Ice Lotus Handkerchief,’ which meets the conditions for Side Mission 1. You can look for clues for the side mission while completing the main mission.”

Xiao Jin’s head started to ache. “What are the clues for the side mission?”

“Converse with Princess Zhaoyang more than three times. There is a 60% chance of obtaining the clues.”

The Imperial Study was definitely where the emperor handled state affairs.

As for Princess Zhaoyang, Xiao Shuang, this person was apparently the Qi Emperor’s older sister in the original novel.

Xiao Jin had only one question now: “What does Chu Shao’s handkerchief have to do with the princess?”

“Host, we cannot disclose that at the moment. Please continue to do your best.”

Faced with the useless morale-boosting machine that was the system, Xiao Jin now regretted how she had been so careless as to open this dog-blood novel in the first place.

An imperial decree soon arrived from the palace.

Everyone in the royal residence knelt down to listen, except for Xiao Jin, who, using her leg disability as an excuse, calmly sat in her wheelchair, not needing to kneel to the Son of Heaven.

This was probably the only benefit of transmigrating into the original character.

Today, Chu Shao had changed out of her wedding dress and wore a white robe with wide sleeves. A silver-blue flower-shaped ornament was lightly stuck on her forehead. The shape was probably that of an ice lotus flower.

With the faint smile on her lips, if Xiao Jin hadn’t known that the female lead was seriously ill, she would have probably thought she was a goddess who had descended from heaven.

But after learning the female lead’s true nature, even if Chu Shao was as beautiful as a celestial being, in Xiao Jin’s eyes, she was only terrifying.

The original character’s legs were completely crippled, so putting on clothes was already difficult.

Therefore, Xiao Jin only had time to wrap her chest with a white cloth, put on an undergarment, and then don her cape before hurrying out to receive the decree.

After receiving the decree, she had to return to her room to change into her formal attire before she could properly enter the palace to meet with the emperor.

Xiao Jin was already uncomfortable with a maid helping her put on her shoes and tie her belt. Who knew that Chu Shao would suddenly appear out of nowhere?

Xiao Jin looked at the female lead standing in front of her, then at the maid who immediately put down her wooden comb and retreated to the side.

The little girl didn’t even bother to comb Xiao Jin’s hair, but instead bent her knees and performed a deep bow to Chu Shao, saying, “This servant greets Your Highness the Princess Consort.”

In that moment, Xiao Jin felt that the entire dog-blood world had become extremely unreal.

In the original novel, the female lead was humiliated and oppressed by everyone in the early stages. Even a cannon fodder without a name could step on her.

Now, Xiao Jin felt that she had probably transmigrated into a powerful female lead novel.

Xiao Jin didn’t know that because of yesterday’s bride-snatching incident and her classic “domineering CEO” confession, the entire capital was now spreading the rumor that “the Prince of Yan was furious for his beauty.”

There were even some shocking speculations, saying that the Prince of Yan cursing the Fourth Prince was for her sake, and that conquering the Yao Kingdom was also for her sake.

A generation’s war god had finally fallen for a beauty and bent his back for her.

The level of absurdity was second only to Chu Shao’s theory of treason.

And this kind of wild rumor had naturally spread to the Prince of Yan’s residence.

Therefore, even though Chu Shao was someone Xiao Jin had snatched and had not been officially titled, everyone in the Prince of Yan’s residence dared not offend Chu Shao and could only respectfully call her “Her Highness the Princess Consort.”

Xiao Jin was still unable to accept this bizarre turn of events.

But Chu Shao got into character incredibly fast. She was only slightly surprised before she said gently to the maid, “Rise.”

Her brows and eyes were filled with gentleness, acting as if it were real.

Indeed, Xiao Jin felt Chu Shao’s dedication to her performance, but she had not expected her to be so invested as to walk right up to her.

Holding the wooden comb, she said with a smile, “Your Highness, allow me to style your hair.”

“…”

Letting Chu Shao style her hair felt a little dangerous to Xiao Jin. But the most dangerous thing was to refuse a yandere’s request.

Chu Shao held the wooden comb and, seeing that Xiao Jin remained silent for a long time, said softly, “It seems Your Highness is not very willing to let me style your hair.”

Xiao Jin stared at Chu Shao and thought, No way, you can tell that?

Before she could say anything, she heard Chu Shao say, “As expected, it was presumptuous of me.”

In reality, she didn’t really want to style Xiao Jin’s hair. She just wanted to have some fun.

Anyway, after Xiao Jin lost the bet, every part of her body would belong to her, and she could then take her time styling Xiao Jin’s hair.

Thinking of this, Chu Shao suddenly found a logical loophole and couldn’t help but frown.

If Xiao Jin became a corpse, her body would no longer have that faint scent of mint, and her knuckles would become stiff, without the soft feel of living skin.

Then this bet would be meaningless.

Chu Shao’s eyes widened slightly, realizing that she had been tricked by Xiao Jin.

But she had already drunk the shared wedding wine with Xiao Jin. They were now accomplices with linked destinies.

Chu Shao sighed softly.

Next time, she would think everything through before agreeing to another person’s alliance.

Xiao Jin saw the changes in Chu Shao’s expression. She didn’t know that the other woman’s thoughts had already turned a thousand times, and she had even had the idea of betraying their alliance.

But she had a hunch that Chu Shao was definitely not thinking about anything good.

Although Xiao Jin was usually very arrogant and didn’t care about anything, Chu Shao’s mood was related to her plan to go home. So she had to make a concession.

Looking at the comb in Chu Shao’s hand, she said in a faint voice, “It’s not that I am unwilling to let the Princess Consort style my hair. I am just afraid of tiring her out. Since the Princess Consort has this intention, then I will trouble you.”

Upon hearing these words, the smile returned to Chu Shao’s face. “Okay.”

Chu Shao picked up the wooden comb and gently styled Xiao Jin’s hair, her mood becoming extremely pleasant.

She completely forgot that she had just been fantasizing about Xiao Jin’s corpse.

Chu Shao reached out a finger, stroking Xiao Jin’s smooth black hair, and then picked up a strand, combing and brushing it little by little with the fine teeth of the comb.

As she combed, the morning mist in the courtyard dispersed.

Sunlight shone through the rosewood window frames, lightly and gently leaking in.

Chu Shao watched as the sunlight entered the room. Xiao Jin’s hair was also gilded with a layer of warm gold, like gold foil scattered everywhere.

She was a little curious and touched the silky hair with her fingertips. It was an extremely soft feeling.

Chu Shao suddenly realized that Xiao Jin’s hair was gently wrapping around her fingers, so she carefully savored this strange sensation.

It was slightly itchy, a very peculiar feeling.

In any case, it wasn’t unpleasant.

Soon, Chu Shao had styled Xiao Jin’s hair with a jade crown.

Xiao Jin still felt a bit strange. The female lead was so quiet while she was styling her hair, with gentle brows and no signs of her illness acting up.

After she finished, Chu Shao placed the jade crown on Xiao Jin’s head, the corners of her lips turning up in a satisfied smile, as if it were a masterpiece created by her own hands.

Xiao Jin didn’t feel much about it. After all, she wasn’t an ancient person and couldn’t tell the difference.

She was about to go to the palace to meet with the emperor. Unexpectedly, Chu Shao stood where she was, smiling faintly at her, seemingly with no intention of leaving.

Xiao Jin reasonably guessed that Chu Shao had forgotten that she was crippled and needed someone to push her wheelchair to move.

But it didn’t matter. The Prince of Yan’s residence had a hundred or so people. If she called for one, there would be someone who could push her wheelchair.

Even after the person to push the wheelchair arrived, Chu Shao was still standing by the window, smiling at Xiao Jin, not putting down the wooden comb in her hand.

After a moment, her smile faded a little, and she asked in confusion, “Your Highness, does it not look good?”

Xiao Jin didn’t know what Chu Shao was asking about.

But looking at Chu Shao standing by the sunlit window, her clothes fluttering like snow in the clouds, she felt that she indeed looked very good.

So she nodded and sincerely praised, “It looks good.”

Upon receiving a positive answer, Chu Shao finally put down the comb and smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

Snow began to fall in the capital.

Fine snow fluttered down, landing on the yellow tiles of the palace roofs. Before long, it melted into water, leaving a scar-like dark mark.

The wheelchair rolled over the thin snow, and the wheel tracks spread along the ground.

Another pair of shallow footprints followed closely behind.

Winter was indeed a freezing season. For warmth, Xiao Jin had already wrapped herself in the original character’s standard black fur cloak.

But she didn’t expect that even with the fur collar pulled tight, the biting wind would still make her cough from time to time.

Since the Qi Emperor had specifically requested to see her and the female lead, Xiao Jin couldn’t bring anyone else besides Chu Shao.

Therefore, it was Chu Shao who was pushing her wheelchair and holding the umbrella to block the snow.

Xiao Jin sat in the wheelchair, letting Chu Shao push her forward. She felt that for this year, she probably wouldn’t have to walk on her own.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, almost turning the umbrella pure white.

Chu Shao pushed the wheelchair with one hand and held the umbrella with the other, thoroughly enjoying this new and novel experience she had never had before.

The eunuchs and palace maids all knelt on the ground, waiting for the two to go far away.

When they were no longer visible, they dared to get up and quietly discuss the two figures who had disappeared between the white snow and red palace walls.

“I never understood why His Highness, the Prince of Yan, personally destroyed the Yao Kingdom. Now I understand.”

“If I were His Highness, the Prince of Yan, and I knew there was such a beautiful woman in the Yao Kingdom, I would also lead an army for thousands of miles just to catch a glimpse of her beauty.”

••••

Xiao Jin had no idea that the original character’s reputation had gone from one extreme to another.

At this moment, she was waiting expressionlessly outside the Imperial Study, listening to the sounds of a pipa and laughter from inside, as if she were listening to the music of a fallen kingdom.

Looking at Chu Shao, the smile was still on her lips.

But she was probably also thinking about why the country that fell was the Great Yao, and not the Qi Kingdom.

Xiao Jin could also understand the Qi Emperor’s foolishness. After all, in the original novel, if the emperor had been a wise and diligent ruler, the male lead, the Crown Prince, would have had no chance.

But this did not mean that Xiao Jin could tolerate being left to wait by such an emperor.

Either don’t summon her, or be quick about it.

Xiao Jin decided to remind the Qi Emperor that his filial son was still waiting outside.

So she cleared her throat, and with all her might, she shouted loudly, “Your son, Xiao Jin, greets the Imperial Father!”