The interaction between Jiang Yichun and Bai Ruozhu stung Wu Wanqing’s eyes. She couldn’t understand why Yichun didn’t go looking for the wife he’d repeatedly said he’d married, even though his Love-Forget Charm had already been lifted.
Wanqing was the one who put the Love-Forget Charm on him. Could she not know exactly when it would be lifted, or what would happen?
Xu Huilin, on the side, laughed like a fox. "It seems like good times are nearly upon you. Make sure to invite me to the wedding banquet."
Jiang Yichun simply smiled at him, "Of course."
Wu Wanqing stopped speaking as if she had suffered a significant blow. But from Bai Ruozhu’s perspective, she could tell Wanqing was spinning some new malicious scheme — she didn’t believe that someone like Wanqing could be overcome by just a few words.
If Wu Wanqing could genuinely let go so easily, she should have given up when Yichun clearly and directly rejected her.
This woman was too stubborn, refusing to allow anything to go against her will. Alternatively, she had always had everything her way since she was young, with all her three senior brothers revolving around her, so perhaps she rarely experienced setbacks in love.
In the private room, a waiter set a bowl and chopsticks for Xu Huilin, and he and Bai Ruozhu started eating. Bai Ruozhu, who was quite considerate, asked Huilin what he wanted to eat without asking Wu Wanqing. After a while, she laughed and asked: "Why did you bring Miss Wu here, Sir? You knew she didn’t like this restaurant’s food."
Xu Huilin rubbed his nose, thinking if he joined Ruozhu and her husband in ridiculing Wanqing, it would seem a bit too much.
So he just laughed, "I must have overlooked that."
Wu Wanqing remained silent, demonstrating her incredible forbearance.
Bai Ruozhu sent a signal to Jiang Yichun; it was time for them to leave.
"Dengdeng needs to go home and sleep. I’ll send Ruozhu and the others back first. You guys continue eating. Order more if it’s not enough, Ruozhu is treating." Jiang Yichun said with a smile.
The sight of Jiang Yichun’s smile stung Wu Wanqing’s eyes. She never knew that his facial lines could be so gentle. Wasn’t he always stern and rarely smiled before? So all those sweet looks, all those smiles were made for someone else.
Jiang Yichun got up and picked up Dengdeng, walking outside. Bai Ruozhu also stood up, gave a small bow to Xu Huilin and Wu Wanqing, and followed him.
Wu Wanqing clenched her teeth; she couldn’t accept this kind of thing. She must make Bai Ruozhu wish she was dead!
Thinking of this, she moved her fingers, and a ghostly shadow flew out.
"Be careful!" Xu Huilin noticed what Wu Wanqing was doing, but it was too late to stop her.
Bai Ruozhu felt a cold breeze behind her, but she couldn’t see what it was. She felt something crawling into her clothes.
Jiang Yichun recovered his senses and looked angrily at Wu Wanqing, "What did you do?"
"Nothing, just giving her a small present." Wu Wanqing suddenly started laughing, the laughter wild and grotesque, as if harming Bai Ruozhu could somehow set her free.
"Did you put the Love-Forget Charm on her?" Yichun’s voice was low, but the anger within it was clearly audible.
Wu Wanqing continued to laugh, her laughter growing louder. "Didn’t you already know? I want to see how you can lift the Love-Forget charm again. Oh right, the Love-Forget Charm isn’t so easily lifted. It takes at least a year and a half to lift it, otherwise, it’ll damage her fundamentally. You wouldn’t dare, would you?"
Jiang Yichun squinted his eyes, a murderous look in them. "If not for our Master, I would have killed you long ago!" He took two steps forward, pulling Bai Ruozhu into his arms. "Even if she forgets me, I can still pursue her, make her fall in love with me again."
"Stop dreaming, those tainted by the Love-Forget Charm will never fall in love with their original lover. You’re heartless towards me, don’t blame me for being cruel." Wanqing said and began laughing again.
Xu Huilin looked at Bai Ruozhu in surprise. If the Love-Forget Charm really worked like that, why would Jiang Yichun fall in love with Bai Ruozhu twice? Could there have been a mistake?
At that moment, Bai Ruozhu felt a little scared. But she wasn’t as terrified of poisonous insects as she used to be otherwise she would’ve been shaking with fear.
But her fear was quickly replaced by anger. Seizing the opportunity, she rushed over and slapped Wu Wanqing hard.
The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the private room, making Xu Huilin drop his chopsticks in surprise.
Considering Wu Wanqing’s mediocre martial arts skills but pretty decent light footwork, how could she be slapped by Bai Ruozhu? Was she intentionally not dodging? Huilin looked at Wu Wanqing, only to find her face flushed red. He couldn’t tell whether it was from anger or from the slap.
Only after she had slapped her did Bai Ruozhu feel that there was no unusual reaction in her body. She felt strange when suddenly a small, pink Furball crawled out from her clothes, followed by two small pieces of black things that fell from Bai Ruozhu’s body. It seemed to be the remains of a poisonous insect.
"You...you also raise poisonous insects?" Wanqing’s laughter abruptly stopped, and she spat out a mouthful of blood in pain. Again, she spat out even more blood before anyone could react.
Jiang Yichun moved towards Bai Ruozhu, whispering, "She was counterattacked because her spell was broken; the insect died, which caused her quite a bit of backlash."
Bai Ruozhu was thrilled, and she started to laugh. "What do you call this? A thief suffering a loss? You can’t blame anyone else. Who told you to have malicious intentions? Two words for you: Served you right!"
Wu Wanqing glared at Bai Ruozhu, but before she could utter a single word, she spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Okay, let’s call it a night. I have to take her home, or it’ll be difficult to explain to Master." Xu Huilin picked up Wu Wanqing and quickly left.
Bai Ruozhu was incredibly pleased then, and even the small pink Furball looked more pleasing to her.
"Did Senior give it to you?" Jiang Yichun asked.
Bai Ruozhu nodded and relayed the encounter with Elder Shougu at Hot Spring Mansion. Yichun looked pleased. "You need to keep it safe. Anything from Senior can serve as a protective talisman for you."
"Indeed, or I would have been enchanted by the Love-Forget Charm," Bai Ruozhu sighed, recalling the close call.
Jiang Yichun looked remorseful, "It’s my fault for getting you involved."
Bai Ruozhu gave him a stern look, "Like it’s the first time?"
He awkwardly laughed and looped his arm around her shoulder, leading her outside. "Then, how about I spend my lifetime making it up to you?"
Bai Ruozhu smiled without saying a word, implicitly agreeing. She was in a good mood now. Wanqing had just revealed the secret of the Love-Forget charm - that someone affected by it would never fall in love with their past lover. That meant Yichun had genuinely liked her as a person, not because she reminded him of her past self.