The Beautiful Pariah Thought He Could Be Loved - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Xu Qiyao’s tall figure loomed over the youth…

“I heard He Lvqing ran away?” “How did he manage that?” “Who else but that soft-hearted one… good for nothing but failing at everything.” “Well, at least he has a face worth looking at…”

A slender youth in purple walked past the entrance of the teahouse. A wide, deep-purple hood covered his head, revealing only his pale skin, a straight nose, and pale pink lips. The tassel earrings at his cheeks swayed slightly with every step.

Beneath the brim of the hood, his red eyes stared stubbornly at the ground. In just three days, the news of He Lvqing’s departure had spread throughout the entire Demon Abyss. Almost every gathering place was buzzing with the scandal, and countless eyes were once again focused on Xin Qishu.

Xin Qishu ignored it numbly. He only wanted to accomplish one thing now. He stepped into a shop.

The “Xiangshu Pavilion” had two floors. The bookstore was clean and orderly, with stacks of books neatly arranged on shelves alongside elegant porcelain pieces. It smelled of sun-dried paper—even the air here felt different from the world outside.

Xin Qishu closed his eyes and took a trembling, deep breath. He had never thought bookstores were special before, but now, as he tried to open his mind and learn to read, he felt it deeply.

The shopkeeper was behind the counter, head down over his accounts, and didn’t notice the visitor. Xin Qishu lowered his hood and tapped on the counter. “Are you the manager here?”

The youth’s features were exquisite, his skin glowing in the sunlight. The gold earrings reflected a shimmering light into his tearful eyes, making his red pupils shine like multi-faceted gemstones. He looked fragile, pale—as if he could be crushed by a single hand.

A beauty that moves one to pity.

The shopkeeper, Manager Zheng, couldn’t help but lick his lips, staring unblinkingly. “Beautiful…” he whispered, then said aloud with a sleazy tone, “Yes, wait a moment.”

Xin Qishu stood there lifelessly, his slender neck held straight, his crimson eyes fixed on the bookshelves. Everything around him felt blurred and distant. He had no energy left to deal with slights. As long as they weren’t aggressive, he could endure.

Manager Zheng watched him with a greasy gaze, sighing inwardly as he handed over a dark green scroll tube. Xin Qishu looked back with a fragile expression, bestowing a cold glance upon him. His voice was soft and hoarse: “What is this?”

“This is your painting, of course.” Manager Zheng squinted and smiled, the skin on his face wrinkling into deep furrows.

Xin Qishu felt a wave of discomfort. Sensing something was wrong, he reached for the scroll. But Manager Zheng gripped it tightly, refusing to let go.

“Isn’t it my painting?” Xin Qishu stared at him.

Manager Zheng continued to smile oilily, his hand moving suggestively over the scroll tube to touch Xin Qishu’s hand. He sighed, “I must have made a mistake. It has nothing to do with you. Let go, or else…”

Xin Qishu understood. The manager was toys with him. The disgusting sensation of the man’s touch made his stomach churn. His gaze suddenly turned sharp. The wooden doors behind him slammed shut. In a flash of movement, his left hand drew a blade. In the dim room, the moon-white blade slapped toward Manager Zheng.

The manager gasped, barely dodging. He fell clumsily to the floor. “I thought you had no cultivation?!”

“I’ll take your head today, then you tell me if I have cultivation!”

As Xin Qishu swung again, the manager desperately threw the scroll tube at the blade to shield himself.

CRACK—

The tube split open. The scroll fell to the floor and unrolled slowly.

The person in the painting was reclining in a chair, clothes disarrayed, face flushed, looking up at the painter with a sultry gaze… Near the knee on the thigh, the artist had added a tiny red mole.

“Don’t—”

Xin Qishu’s eyes turned blood-red. He slashed down. The portrait of the alluring Xin Qishu was ripped apart by a massive gash.

…

The Arrival of the “Friend”

The bookstore door was kicked open.

“Why close the door in broad daylight? Do you want business or not?”

“Didn’t you tell me to come pick up my painting today?” Xu Xu stepped over the threshold and immediately felt something wrong underfoot. He looked down; the painting he had waited days for now bore a muddy footprint. Xu Xu’s eyes widened. Seeing the centerpiece of the painting torn, he shrieked, “Who ruined my painting?!”

Demonic energy flickered on Xin Qishu’s face. “I did.”

Manager Zheng scrambled to Xu Xu’s side, fawning. “I kept the painting safe, but this person broke in, searched it out, and then…”

Xu Xu shoved him aside with an elbow. “Fine, get lost. Since the real person is right here, why would I need the painting?”

“You had someone paint this?” Xin Qishu’s voice was low and heavy. Xu Xu was a member of a side branch of the Di Ting clan.

“So what if I did? Though, compared to a painting, I’d rather see the real thing.” Xu Xu’s gaze scanned Xin Qishu suggestively.

Xin Qishu clenched his fists.

“With a face like that, it’s a pity you’re such a waste,” Xu Xu sneered. “You don’t even know how to use your beauty to serve a man. He Lvqing was served to you on a platter, and you still let him go. Did you not… ‘satisfy’ him well enough?”

“If you’re lonely, come find me. I’m not as ‘well-traveled’ as He Lvqing. I’m very easy to please.”

A purple light flashed from the gemstone on his hairpin. Xin Qishu kicked the painting aside and lunged at Xu Xu.

Xu Xu looked at him with disdain, parrying with a single hand. “Don’t overestimate yourself. I’ve already reached the Gold—ARGH!”

The back of Xin Qishu’s blade slammed into his face. Xu Xu spat out a tooth. He looked at Xin Qishu in disbelief, momentarily forgetting to fight back. Xin Qishu was ruthless; his strikes were heavy, and within a few moves, Xu Xu was covered in bruises.

Xu Xu was just an empty shell whose cultivation was built on pills. He couldn’t find an opening to counter-attack. He began to scramble away, shielding his head. “Zheng! Help me! He’s going to kill me!”

The manager had long since abandoned the shop and fled.

In a last-ditch effort, Xu Xu shrieked, “Xin Qishu, you dare hit me? Does the Blood-Melting Palace intend to go to war with the Di Ting clan?!”

Xin Qishu kicked him to the ground. “Today is between you and me. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”

“Young Master, save me!” Xu Xu suddenly screamed.

Xin Qishu held his blade, his purple sleeve riding up to reveal a snow-white forearm. He looked coldly at Xu Xu. “You think you can trick me with his name again?”

A deep, magnetic male voice rang out. “Why the fighting?”

The hand holding Xin Qishu’s blade shook imperceptibly. He turned around. A young man stood outside the bookstore, raising an eyebrow at them. The man had a red mole between his brows, handsome features, and gentle brown eyes. His long hair was held in place by a formal headpiece.

But Xin Qishu knew his true face. Xu Qiyao was someone who was irrationally protective of his own. Xin Qishu bit his lip; he hadn’t expected Xu Qiyao to be on this street today.

Xu Qiyao stepped inside, looking between the two. His pupils glowed faintly. He said softly, “Does the Di Ting clan intend to go to war with the Blood-Melting Palace?”

He was repeating Xu Xu’s words back at him. Xin Qishu bit his lip. In the past, he was the one Xu Qiyao protected… He felt he had wronged Xu Qiyao. Even though things were complicated, with Xu Qiyao here, he couldn’t do anything more to Xu Xu.

Xu Xu scrambled behind Xu Qiyao’s back. “That’s right! Is the Blood-Melting Palace declaring war? Hurry up and apologize to me!”

Clearly, Xu Xu was the one in the wrong, yet he demanded an apology.

“How come I didn’t know about this?” Xu Qiyao said abruptly.

Xin Qishu’s eyes widened slightly. Xu Qiyao looked down at Xu Xu and said meaningfully, “Your information is even more up-to-date than mine.”

Xu Xu realized things were going south. His legs shook so much he nearly knelt. “No… no. I just spoke out of turn…” Under Xu Qiyao’s stare, he quickly changed his tune. “No, I was fantasizing… slandering the Young Palace Master! But I had no intention of inciting a conflict between our sects!”

“I judge by actions, not intent. Go stay at Nightmare Cliff for a month.”

Nightmare Cliff was filled with starving wraiths. If a living being went down there, their soul would be torn and gnawed while they remained fully conscious. Even if the body survived, the mind would be gone.

“Young Master—I was wrong! Young Palace Master, I was wrong!” Xu Xu knelt, weeping, trying to grab Xin Qishu’s leg. Xin Qishu dodged him. He hadn’t expected Xu Qiyao to still stand by him.

“Thank you,” Xin Qishu whispered.

Xu Qiyao smiled. “Why be so formal with me?”

“I suddenly broke off our engagement when the wedding was so close,” Xin Qishu said dejectedly. “I’m sorry.”

Xu Qiyao placed a hand on Xin Qishu’s shoulder. From across the street, He Lvqing saw his fingers gently twirling a strand of Xin Qishu’s soft hair.

“I stopped caring about that long ago. Regardless of the engagement, we are still friends. I was actually hurt that you looked so surprised to see me.” Xu Qiyao remained calm and steady. “No matter the situation, I am always on your side. Did you come here for a book?”

“No…” Xin Qishu hesitated, then decided to trust him. “I want to find someone to teach me to read. Do you know a teacher?”

“Oh, of course.” Xu Qiyao led him out of the bookstore. “You should have come to me from the start.”

…

The Silent Observers

As Xin Qishu walked with him, he suddenly felt a gaze. He looked back. He Lvqing and Ye Yi were sitting leisurely on the second floor of the teahouse across the street, looking down at him.

The sunlight was piercing. Xin Qishu stared at those two familiar faces, his body trembling. Had they been watching the whole time? Watching others insult me?

His face went pale, and tears welled up. He pretended not to see them and turned back to follow Xu Qiyao, though his legs felt like jelly.

Xu Qiyao was still talking. “But there’s no rush to learn to read. Someone just sent me some spiritual fruits; they are very sweet and crisp. Why don’t we go to my place first…”

In the private room across the street, He Lvqing withdrew his hand, and the bamboo shade fell shut.

“Beyond saving,” He Lvqing’s voice was like jade clashing—crisp and pleasant.

“He actually had an engagement with the Di Ting clan before?” Ye Yi sat opposite him, eating fruit. They had seen and heard everything in the bookstore. “I thought you were his first love.”

He Lvqing lowered his eyes and sipped his tea in silence. He hadn’t known Xin Qishu had such a past either. He had always thought Xin Qishu was a spoiled child who never had to weigh pros and cons.

He wants the fish and the bear’s paw too. (He wants everything).

He had assumed Xin Qishu’s “love” was the same—something with no cost, a sudden whim. But now, He Lvqing revised his thought. Xin Qishu had paid a price. His feelings for He Lvqing might have been deeper and more sincere than he imagined.

But whether that “innocent” love could last was another story. Seeing him so close with the man from the Di Ting clan… it seemed Xin Qishu wasn’t exactly the type to remain devoted to one person after just three months.

Regardless, it didn’t matter to He Lvqing. He had no obligation to return those feelings.

…

The Letter

A wall away, Xin Qishu’s hand, which had been raised to knock on the teahouse door, fell. The white envelope slipped from his fingers and fluttered to the ground. He lowered his head, and tears finally burst forth.

After the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense, he turned away, lost.

Xu Qiyao was waiting a few steps away at the stairwell. His eyes shimmered, and his lips were pursed as if he felt Xin Qishu’s pain was undeserved. Xin Qishu couldn’t bear the weight of that gaze; he awkwardly turned his head and grabbed Xu Qiyao’s arm to leave.

The Di Ting residence was adjacent to the Blood-Melting Palace. Xin Qishu used to visit often; the servants bowed respectfully—even more so than at his own home.

Xu Qiyao brought him to the study. Xin Qishu sat in a chair, wiping his tears.

“If you keep crying, people will think I’m the one bullying you.” Xu Qiyao poured a cup of hot tea and set it on the small table by Xin Qishu’s side.

“Why did you want to become Daoist companions with He Lvqing?” Xu Qiyao had never understood this. “I never heard you mention him.”

He had heard Xin Qishu talk about bustling markets, foolish but kind mortals, Ye Yi bullying him, and the homework he couldn’t finish at Fayuting—but never the name “He Lvqing.”

Xu Qiyao had always viewed He Lvqing as a lifelong rival. He had been waiting for the right moment to strike him down. Xin Qishu’s sudden broken engagement had ruined his plans.

He had lied; he cared very much. The person who should have been his was sleeping in his enemy’s arms. He gnashed his teeth in secret. Every time he heard Xin Qishu had been mistreated, he wanted to kill He Lvqing. But he had to act gentle.

“He taught a class I attended at Fayuting once,” Xin Qishu said in a low voice.

Xu Qiyao remained silent, looking at the fine fuzz on the youth’s face. He Lvqing had become famous at three hundred years old and world-renowned at five hundred. Since then, he had cultivated in seclusion at Fayuting. It wasn’t necessarily a lie that Xin Qishu had seen him there.

Xin Qishu sobbed quietly. Xu Qiyao stood up and stood beside him, his tall shadow enveloping the boy. He gently squeezed Xin Qishu’s hand. “I’ve called for Ding Qing. We’ll go horse-riding in a bit. You won’t be so sad once you’ve had a good run.”