The Male Lead Always Thinks My Script is Wrong - Chapter 14

That shadow flickered past his eyes so quickly that by the time Ji Shinian reacted, he had already instinctively stepped onto the windowsill and leaped onto the roof ridge.

Under the moonlight, which poured down like cold spring water, the sparse shadows looked like ghosts. Ji Shinian trailed a step behind, silently following the other party.

[Eh? Why is the male lead here?] Tiansuan “pondered” inside Ji Shinian’s mind, [This is completely outside the main storyline.]

[Isn’t it obvious?] Ji Shinian held his breath, concentrating as he found a moment to reply, [The Red Oriole Illusion has strayed so far from “Slaying the Heavens” already, can’t the male lead create his own side quest?]

[Tiansuan is clearly assisting the Host in uncovering the truths that already exist in this world, but the male lead’s behavior… it wasn’t in the book at all!]

Ji Shinian tapped its screen: [Then you’re really smart.]

Those words weren’t a compliment.

When the illusion ended, Ji Shinian had wanted to ask: Where did that aunt go, the one who lured Xiao Shu into the secret realm?

How was it that aside from him thinking about it, this character seemed to have completely evaporated, possessing zero presence from start to finish?

Although Xiao Shu looked like a decent young man, the Red Oriole Illusion in the original novel was also depicted as a “decent” illusion—it didn’t kill or burn, it simply lingered at intersections to make people lose their way before letting them out.

Furthermore, considering the world-building of “Slaying the Heavens,” a “realm” capable of constructing its own small world wasn’t something you’d find at a roadside stall. You couldn’t just barge in whenever you liked. These places were filled with intricate layouts, and most cultivators wouldn’t easily set foot in a basic inner-outer illusion like the Red Oriole without first scouting it out.

“Slaying the Heavens,” as a book that was once wildly popular before its messy ending, owed its success to one particular reason:

The male lead was portrayed as the most realistic protagonist, rather than some brainless, face-slapping poser.

Therefore, if his aunt hadn’t gone missing for several days without a word, the male lead in the book wouldn’t have risked entering the secret realm alone.

Yet, in reality, from the moment the male lead appeared to the moment he left, his behavior didn’t give off the vibe of someone whose relative was missing. When the illusion vanished, Ji Shinian hadn’t seen so much as a strand of the aunt’s hair, yet the male lead hadn’t reacted at all.

However, Tiansuan clearly hadn’t caught this loophole. It happily displayed a pixelated smiley face, [Hehe, thank you for the praise, Host! But why follow the male lead? This isn’t the main quest, and there’s a risk of being OOC (Out of Character) if you’re caught!]

[Don’t worry about it.] Ji Shinian followed at a moderate distance, [Curiosity is a virtue.]

As for discovering his master’s living puppet? Ji Shinian thought, Xiao Shu would need to live a few hundred more years before he could manage that.

Xiao Shu leaped down along the wall ridge, weaving through rocks and trees. He didn’t even pause at corners or forks in the road, moving through the area as familiarly as if he were strolling in his own backyard.

After following the other’s lead through the night for a while, Ji Shinian saw Xiao Shu stop abruptly at an intersection. He silently leaped onto the courtyard wall by the road and drifted inside light as a feather.

Only then did Ji Shinian realize they had arrived at the main Ji family residence.

Under the frost-like moonlight, the shadows of cinnamon and phoenix trees intertwined. Ji Shinian stood quietly among the plants, not rushing to follow.

The wind rustled through the woods, brushing against his unobstructed face a face carved with a single person’s craftsmanship. The white mark on his forehead was like three bright blades, slicing through the thick, inseparable night, acting like a vow kissed onto Ji Shinian’s body.

Not yet, Ji Shinian thought idly, soaked in the darkness. He was confident in his ability to remain undetected, but throughout their journey in the illusion, the male lead had shown just as many suspicious points as he had. If he went inside now and got caught, wouldn’t that be an instant, embarrassing slap to the face?

In the old clichés, when a protagonist and someone else both infiltrate a mansion, the intruder usually “slips up” and makes a noise. That scene…

Ji Shinian shook the strange images out of his head just as Xiao Shu flipped back out from the wall.

The other didn’t return the way he came. Instead, Xiao Shu sped along the wall ridge under the moonlight. Within a few leaps, he vanished from Ji Shinian’s sight.

Did it feel like he glanced over here? Ji Shinian watched Xiao Shu’s receding back and rubbed his non-existent goosebumps, thinking he might have just been dazzled by that blue hair ribbon.

Ji Shinian turned to return the way he came, his curiosity half-satisfied:

Since he knew the male lead had come here, he now had plenty of legitimate reasons to enter and exit this place in his role as the Young Lady of the Ji family.

The current priority was to draw a “Sable Ink Messenger” to send a letter.

Sable Ink Messengers were messengers exclusive to the Northern Borders. They were born from ink, tiny in size, human-like in appearance, and rode carriages made of inkstones. They only required a piece of paper with ink from the recipient’s home, and they could travel through the night to deliver it without fail.

Ji Shinian happened to have a scrap of letter paper sent to him by the Mountain Master. He returned to the side courtyard, pricked his finger to dot some ink, and before long, a small figure in a round hat appeared on the desk.

“You’re alive?” The little figure sat on the carriage and turned its head away upon seeing Ji Shinian, “You’re not going to catch me to send a letter to a stranger again, are you!”

“I never died, okay? This time it’s for the Song family. And what do you mean ‘again’? You make it sound like I make you send letters to strangers every day.” Ji Shinian tucked the scrap of paper into the little figure’s hands, feeling a bit amused.

The little figure looked annoyed, but his mouth was honest as he “ate” the letter paper. He smacked his lips, “That man from before, that woman, and that white ice cube who wears way too much… I haven’t had a single good day since I started following you.”

“Hey, how long ago was that?” Ji Shinian poked the little figure’s head, “And watch your tone.”

“I haven’t seen them show you much respect either… Why are you looking at me like that? We Sable Ink Messengers would never do such a thing. Give me the paper, it’ll be delivered exactly three days from now.”

“Safe travels.”

Ji Shinian didn’t argue over the rights and wrongs of “such a thing.” He pushed open the window, and the Sable Ink Messenger slowly turned into an ink stain, dissolving into the ground and racing toward the distance.

After a night of tossing and turning, by the time Ji Shinian woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Dust motes danced in the light inside the small building, mixed with a bitter-sweet fragrance permeating the room.

Ji Shinian stared blankly at the primrose-yellow brocade curtains, slowly recalling the events of the previous night.

He couldn’t stay in bed any longer.

Thanks to his master, Ji Shinian was already quite proficient at styling simple female hairstyles. He performed a quick wash and finally went downstairs.

As soon as he pushed the door open, intending to head straight for the main residence, his path was “blocked” by Li Moyan at the entrance.

This Golden Core cultivator had been standing there for who knows how long. He froze for a moment upon seeing Ji Shinian’s face before lowering his head and saying respectfully, “Good morning, Eldest Miss. Breakfast is ready in the kitchen. The Eldest Young Master asked me to invite you for the meal.”

Can this even be called breakfast anymore?

Ji Shinian looked at the sun, which was almost at its zenith, and once again acknowledged the servant’s talent for lying through his teeth. He gestured for the man to lead the way, “Fine.”

By the time Ji Shinian reached the flower hall, Ji Shuangyuan was already seated in the guest of honor’s spot. This was a four-sided hall with no paintings. Stepping inside, one could see the garden rocks outside. The sunlight was brilliant, and incense barriers to ward off mosquitoes hung on the partitioned doors.

Ji Shuangyuan said, “Sit.”

Having not seen him for half a day, Ji Shinian sat down beside the “cheap” brother as told, only to notice faint dark circles under his eyes, looking as if he had been overworking.

Food hadn’t been served yet. The attendants beside Ji Shuangyuan waited for Ji Shinian to sit before calling for the dishes to be brought out, without needing an explicit order.

“Sister, did you pass through an illusion earlier and meet Miss Zhou… no, Miss Red Oriole?”

Before Ji Shinian could think of a reason to ask what had happened, Ji Shuangyuan rubbed his brow and spoke first.

“Yeah, but I didn’t just pass through, I was dragged in by her,” Ji Shinian pouted, emphasizing, “The carriage even self-destructed. That Zhou Hong”

Ji Shuangyuan interrupted him, “She says she is Red Oriole.”

“What do you mean? She’s clearly Zhou”

“Enough. Brother knows you’ve been wronged, but since the Sword Alliance has acknowledged it, then she is Red Oriole. Do you understand?” Ji Shuangyuan interrupted again, his tone turning heavy.

“I don’t understand,” Ji Shinian huffed, “If she’s Red Oriole, then she’s Red Oriole. What does that have to do with me?”

He actually understood the stakes involved.

Zhou Hongluan was, after all, a Zhou. Although the Zhou clan was currently in decline, they were still the lords of a city and the protectors of Phoenix City. Although their relationship with the Song family had completely soured since the year of the wedding, if word got out that their daughter had fallen into the path of deviltry and was a monster bride for twenty years, it would look terrible.

Since Zhou Hongluan herself admitted it, the Sword Alliance was playing “dumb,” giving the local clans some face.

However, Ji Shinian had originally thought the Xiao family relatives were making a fuss yesterday. Why bring up this “Red Oriole” now, and what did it have to do with him, the “victim”?

Ji Shuangyuan conveniently answered his confusion, “She said she wants to see you.”

See who?

Shouldn’t she want to see Xiao Shu, the one who took Song Changrong deep into the illusion and was incredibly powerful?

What was the point of seeing a brainless, weak idiot like him?

However, no one present could answer the silent scream in Ji Shinian’s mind. Thus, after Ji Shuangyuan spoke, the flower hall fell into an eerie silence.

After a long while, servants began bringing out dishes one after another. Looking at the dazed Ji Shinian, Ji Shuangyuan finally broke the silence, “This is her condition for handing over the details of her deviltry techniques. The Sword Alliance interrogated her strictly yesterday, but aside from her name and wanting to see you, she remained silent about everything else.”

Feeling the concerned gaze on him, Ji Shinian felt a rare sense of being framed, “But why?”

To be honest, Ji Shinian knew he was suspicious right now, but as the suspect himself, even he didn’t know why.

“She didn’t say,” Ji Shuangyuan shook his head, “But don’t worry, Sister, Brother has already refused for you. Uncle Li told me everything that happened. It’s hard to say if it isn’t her deviltry-clouded mind trying to frame you. Come, eat first.” He smiled and placed a piece of food into Ji Shinian’s bowl.

“I knew it, she was targeting me even back in the illusion! Brother is the smart one. Is the Sword Alliance a bunch of idiots? They actually believed that?” Ji Shinian pretended to be convinced, cursing angrily before shutting up to eat.

Today’s meal was clearly several times more elaborate than yesterday’s. The spiritual rice and plants had been diluted of most of their spiritual energy for him, a “mortal.” The dishes were numerous and overwhelming.

What a waste. Ji Shinian ate without tasting, mourning the missed delicacies on one hand, while knowing full well that Ji Shuangyuan’s refusal was only temporary. If Zhou Hongluan stubbornly refused to speak, even if he were the leader of an immortal sect, the Sword Alliance could still pressure him to let them meet.

After all, the current Path of Deviltry could not afford the birth of another Demon Venerable.

Ji Shinian sighed inwardly and was about to stop eating and leave when he saw Ji Shuangyuan add another piece of food to his bowl.

Fine. Ji Shinian paused before picking up the food and putting it in his mouth.

Watching him eat, Ji Shuangyuan suddenly spoke, “By the way, the Xiao family sent over an invitation yesterday. They’re hosting an Autumn Appreciation Feast. Hearing that you’ve returned home, they specially sent one for you as well.”

“Since the invitation is for you, I’ll let you take a look.” Ji Shuangyuan took an invitation from the guard beside him and pushed it in front of Ji Shinian, “What do you think, Sister?”

Ji Shinian nearly choked on his rice. Simultaneously, Tiansuan’s voice rang in his head:

[Triggered Side Quest: Attend the Xiao family’s Autumn Appreciation Feast to increase the female lead’s screen time. Reward: 50 points.]

So he really was just a “screen-time filler.”

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