Girl, There's Something Wrong With You - Chapter 32

Here we go again.

Cheng Jinyang sighed helplessly.

He could almost recite the next lines by heart now.

“Why can’t I be here?” Cui Jinqi countered.

“Women of the Five Great Families should stay within their own territory,” Xing Yuanzhi replied coldly.

“Where the Women of the Five Great Families prefer to stay is their own business,” Cui Jinqi swiftly retaliated. “It’s inappropriate for the Repudiated Women to return to their ex-fiancé’s territory and act so arrogantly.”

“We haven’t repudiated,” Xing Yuanzhi emphasized seriously.

“Then why don’t you marry him?” Cui Jinqi shrugged.

Xing Yuanzhi had no response.

Her engagement with Cheng Jinyang was still suspended, not yet reinstated by the Xing family patriarch. After all, the Xing family could only confirm the involvement of the Steel Giant in Cheng family’s lineage, but they were unclear on the specifics.

Marriage among noble families was not simply about “matchmaking based on ability levels,” but a comprehensive assessment involving family status, reputation, resources, and other factors.

In other words, if the Steel Giant wasn’t Cheng Jinyang’s own ability but some mysterious war weapon from the “Sima Treasury,” changing its driver wouldn’t matter. It couldn’t be considered Cheng Jinyang’s own strength, nor could it be used as leverage to secure a match with the Shendu Cheng family.

Therefore, the future of their relationship depended entirely on Xing Yuanzhi’s side “investigating” and providing an explanation to the family once they had clarity.

This aspect was even more complex, involving secrets Cheng Jinyang and everyone else had to protect.

Of course, the truth couldn’t be revealed verbatim to the family; it had to be carefully disclosed at the right time to ensure the family allowed her to stay here and continue advancing, buying more time.

Further calculations showed that with a daily gain of 600 Ma, it would take about half a year to advance to the sixth grade.

Once she reached the sixth grade, she could truly secure a core position within the Hejian Xing family, rather than the current status of a quasi-core member with perks but no real power.

Metaphorically speaking, if the latter was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, then the former was like the Regent Crown Prince. The titles might be the same, but the difference in power was vast.

Once she became a core member, she could then marry… well, no, she should say that if Cheng Jinyang proposed to fulfill the engagement, she would decide whether to marry him, rather than being in a situation where she had to obey the clan leader’s opinion.

Explaining this was complicated, but breaking it down made it simple to understand. Cui Jinqi knew this well, so she deliberately used it to taunt her—aren’t you his fiancée? Then why don’t you marry him!

“What does it matter to you whether I marry him or not?” Xing Yuanzhi looked at her strangely. “By what authority are you questioning us?”

“I…” Cui Jinqi faltered at her words.

In the past, she could have easily lied without batting an eye, saying “because I want to pursue him,” thereby provoking Xing Yuanzhi as a brazen romantic rival.

However, this time, she was awkward and stumbled over her words, unable to come up with a response.

To be honest, when Cheng Jinyang entered her dreams and she woke up furious, she did leave the family impulsively and went to the Shendu Cheng family territory to confront him.

As for not wanting to leave him behind in danger afterward, part of it was due to a residual affection for Sister Heng in the past; another part might have involved some special emotions.

Cui Xiaoniang admitted that she was indeed the type easily swayed by impulse, usually hiding behind a thick shell of lies, not easily moved by others, but occasionally completely won over and defenseless.

For example, being saved by a peerless hero driving a Steel Giant for her sake, willing to stand alone against an entire army… things like that.

“I’m not interested in him,” Cui Xiaoniang said awkwardly. “I just feel… yes, he shouldn’t be bound by an engagement. Maybe you both will meet more suitable people in the future, right?”

She looked to Cheng Jinyang for help, who responded with a thoroughly bewildered expression.

“What are you talking about?” Xing Yuanzhi frowned slightly.

“In short, I oppose your marriage,” Cui Jinqi persisted.

“Nonsense.” Xing Yuanzhi couldn’t be bothered to argue with this person, placing the fruit in front of Cheng Jinyang. “Here are your grapes.”

“Thank you,” Cheng Jinyang thanked politely.

“Let me peel them for you,” Cui Jinqi immediately came over, eager to help, and started peeling the grapes.

Cheng Jinyang: ?

Xing Yuanzhi: ??

“Wait.” Seeing Ah Zhi was about to get angry, Cheng Jinyang immediately wore a thoughtful look and said, “Cui Jinqi.”

“Huh?”

“Did you… do something to wrong me, so you’re trying so hard to please me?”

“Uh, no! It’s not like that!” Cui Jinqi denied firmly. “It’s just to thank you for saving my life that day.”

“Is that so?” Cheng Jinyang’s expression softened slightly. Yeah, it made sense; after all, she had recklessly entered the war zone that day, and I risked my life to save her. It’s normal for her to feel indebted.

Xing Yuanzhi didn’t believe a word of her excuse. During that day in the consciousness space of the Steel Giant, the emotions and even some thoughts of everyone were shared—she didn’t notice any ‘gratitude’ from Cui Jinqi towards Cheng Jinyang.

Rather, there was more ‘admiration’ and ‘awe’.

Of course, from the perspective of a newcomer, originally thinking he was just an ordinary eighth-grade supernatural, but suddenly discovering he wielded such powerful abilities (which was indeed quite impressive), it was reasonable for admiration to develop.

But to shift from admiration to affection, even attempting to seduce her fiancé—that was too much!

“Thanking him for saving your life?” she scoffed, questioning again.

“Yes. A life-saving favor should be repaid,” this time Cui Xiaoniang defended smoothly, her expression more resolute and sincere, further confirming to Xing Yuanzhi that she was lying.

“Very well.” Xing Yuanzhi then revealed a chilly smile. “I heard the Shendu Cheng family loaned some money from your Cui family, but only a part of it has been disbursed so far, right?”

“If you truly wish to repay a life-saving favor, why not release the remaining funds? Compared to the life of a Five Great Family woman, this loan is surely not excessive, right?”

Cui Jinqi: !!!

Impressive, Xing family’s Qingfeng. She actually pinpointed my biggest vulnerability!

You see, from the very beginning, Cheng Jinyang allowed her to stay here because she held a loan from the Shendu Cheng family. This included her subsequent series of plans to ‘get closer,’ all relying on this loan to ensure Cheng Jinyang would ‘welcome her with open arms’ and fulfill her every request.

If she really disbursed the funds, wouldn’t she be politely escorted out of the Shendu Cheng family’s territory the next moment?

Xing Yuanzhi had a deep relationship with Cheng Jinyang, and Cui Jinqi didn’t have the confidence to ensure Cheng Jinyang treated her equally!