Chapter Four: Obstacles

Qin Family Villa.

“Master Qin, we’ve found out.” Qin Cheng’s subordinate approached him and reported, “The family head does indeed have a man by her side. That man is the head of the Cheng family—Cheng Yunting.”

At these words, Qin Cheng’s wineglass immediately cracked, blood beginning to drip from his hand, growing ever more abundant.

“Alright, I understand. You may go now.” Qin Cheng closed his eyes and nodded calmly.

“Yes, sir.”

…

Once his subordinate had left, Qin Cheng opened his eyes, bloodshot and pale-faced, gazing out the window.

“Cheng... Yun... Ting... So Xiaozheng still remembers him... Back then... she was taken with him at first sight...” Qin Cheng picked up another wineglass, ignoring the shards of glass embedded in his hand, and poured himself a drink. “Why? Why is it that I was there before him, yet Xiaozheng has always loved him? Why?”

“Why...” Qin Cheng drank glass after glass, longing to get drunk, yet he never succeeded... Sometimes, he thought that drunkenness was a fine choice, at least it could let him forget some of his pain, if only for a while...

Tonight, some people drifted into sleep with joy, while others wept themselves into slumber, burdened by regret...

Perhaps all Qin Cheng knew was that Leng Zheng loved Cheng Yunting, yet he was unaware that the two of them had been entangled for three lifetimes, and each of those lifetimes ended in heartbreak...

…

The next morning.

Qin Cheng woke in a haze, rubbing his temples. He looked at the sunlight streaming in, feeling strangely unaccustomed to such brightness—it had been a long time since he’d seen sunshine so radiant.

The girl who once brought light into his heart was no longer by his side...

…

There was nothing out of the ordinary for Leng Zheng. Her biological mother and stepfather had no objection to her boarding at school; in fact, they thought it was better for her to live on campus, at least they wouldn’t have to see her every day.

She packed her luggage and smoothly moved into Cheng Yunting’s Tianluo Villa.

Early in the morning, she received a call from Qin Cheng. She had assumed he was contacting her about business matters, but...

“Hello, brother? What’s up?” Leng Zheng stretched lazily, glancing at company documents.

Qin Cheng hesitated for a moment before asking, “I heard you’ve moved into Cheng Yunting’s villa?”

Leng Zheng’s cheerful expression instantly cooled, a hint of murderous intent flashing across her face.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Did you send someone to follow me?” She smiled, tilting her head.

“Xiaozheng, don’t forget, whether a businessman or an assassin, neither is allowed to have a weakness. If you do, it becomes the enemy’s leverage against you.” Qin Cheng frowned, but his voice was still tinged with indulgence.

Leng Zheng smiled faintly and replied, “Qin Cheng, perhaps you’ve forgotten who I am? That’s something others must worry about, but even if my enemies know my weakness, they still dare not use it against me.

Have you grown so gentle that you’ve forgotten who I truly am? There are things others cannot guarantee, but I can. That’s my confidence.

Please remember who I am. There’s never been any possibility between us. And please remove your people from around me—if you don’t, I’ll do it myself.”

“Alright, I’ll have them withdrawn.” Qin Cheng lowered his head in disappointment, but forced himself to sound calm.

“Okay, I’m hanging up,” Leng Zheng said, her good mood for the morning gone.

Yet... Qin Cheng’s words seemed to make sense... How could a demon from hell ever be compared to the light of heaven? It was nothing more than a fleeting fantasy.

Leng Zheng dreamed strange dreams, with herself and Cheng Yunting as the protagonists.

She vaguely remembered that in the first lifetime, she was a celestial maiden, Cheng Yunting a mortal. A goddess and a human... destined never to be together... In the end, the goddess took her own life, dying in the mortal’s arms.

In the second lifetime, Leng Zheng was a valiant general on the battlefield, Cheng Yunting a prince in the palace. The prince fell for the female general; she loved him in return... But fate was cruel... News of the general’s love reached the enemy nation, and the enemy captured the prince, threatening the general to surrender...

The general, defying all opposition, fought her way into the enemy camp, but still the enemy general threatened her with Cheng Yunting’s life, and she was forced to compromise...

In the third lifetime, Leng Zheng was a carefree noblewoman, a princess of the Ming dynasty, while Cheng Yunting was a general. The princess could never escape the fate of a political marriage, yet by then she had fallen for the general, and he for her.

Among the princesses, she was the only one of suitable age for marriage, the most appropriate choice... The general refused to accept it, waging a war against the enemy nation for her, but ultimately he was defeated.

The princess, unwilling to marry, finally hanged herself...

Three lifetimes, all ending in unresolved longing... And this lifetime... who knew whether it would bring fortune or disaster...

Yet, in her heart, Leng Zheng had already chosen one person—Cheng Yunting.

That first encounter at the banquet had quietly sparked her feelings for him, and he had fallen for her as well...

Who would be the one to pierce this thin veil of secrecy?