Chapter 261: Chapter 261

Qu Fulan had a moment of bewilderment, thinking she was dreaming; otherwise, why were things becoming increasingly bizarre?

Wasn’t it supposed to be the arranged marriage with Xiao Shiqing? How did it turn into Heir Pei discussing marriage-related matters here?

Did she mishear, or did something go wrong at some point?

Qu Fulan wanted to rise, but she felt weak all over, especially in her right arm, which felt sore and powerless. She wanted to speak but felt as if her throat was dry like fire, so she could only try hard to make a sound.

Pei Ji’an initially thought he misheard. He glanced at her, saw her lips moving, and was stunned for a moment, then promptly exclaimed.

"Water, water, she wants to drink water!"

After another bout of frantic scrambling, water was brought to Qu Fulan’s lips.

A moment later, Qu Fulan felt as if she was alive again, and her first words were, "Do you have anything to eat?"

She was hungry again, with a bit of a stomachache from hunger.

Of course, they had food. Pei Ji’an hurriedly had hot porridge brought over and fed her spoon by spoon.

During this time, Qu Fulan’s strength gradually returned, and her mind became clearer.

Looking at the considerate Heir Pei feeding her, there were some thoughts in her heart that she couldn’t hold back.

"What’s the deal with my arranged marriage?"

Rather than asking someone else, she might as well ask him, as he definitely knew everything.

Pei Ji’an’s movements paused for a moment, then he said, "Eat first, we’ll talk after you finish eating."

Otherwise, if he explained it all, she definitely wouldn’t be able to eat.

Qu Fulan turned her head, avoiding the spoon he handed over. Pei Ji’an wasn’t careful and the spoon touched her cheek, smearing porridge on her face. Pei Ji’an quickly put down the bowl and picked up a handkerchief to wipe it off.

Qu Fulan took the handkerchief and wiped it herself, speaking as she wiped, "Heir, I’m already full. I want to know what exactly happened."

Seeing her serious expression, Pei Ji’an’s eyes dimmed, and he averted his gaze. He stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to her so she wouldn’t see his emotions. Facing the window, he spoke slowly and deliberately.

This time he told her everything that had happened, word for word.

She had the right to know.

He didn’t know how long he spoke, but his voice turned dry, "... That’s how everything happened. Although there were reasons for this, I did indeed marry you when you were unconscious. It’s my fault, and you can blame me."

He turned around and looked at her. Seeing her wide eyes fixed on him, a twinge of sorrow and distress passed through his heart, yet he still emphasized, "But if I had to do it all over again, I would still do the same."

He couldn’t just watch her die.

Qu Fulan stared at him, the turn of events leaving her momentarily unsure of how to respond.

She knew the jade had shattered, leading her to nearly lose her soul during the exorcism, things he had told her, and he also told her it was his jade that allowed her soul to return.

But she didn’t know there was such a process, that the master-recognizing jade would not protect a second master unless she became his.

To become his person meant to become his wife, so the jade wouldn’t regard her as an outsider.

So, the ’Young Lady’ mentioned by the young monk, is the wife of Heir Pei, not Prince Xiao?

Qu Fulan’s heart felt like a rollercoaster, filled with indescribable emotions.

But one thing was clear, after listening to his explanation, she felt a significant relief in her heart.

Even though she didn’t wish to marry anyone and had no plans in that regard, if faced with the peril of losing her soul, having to choose someone to marry to survive, she would unhesitatingly choose Pei Ji’an over Xiao Shiqing.

Who would choose death over life?

But if Xiao Shiqing were the only choice, Qu Fulan thought she might as well die.

Her dislike for Xiao Shiqing was bolstered by the original storyline, and further intensified by an instinctive aversion after real-life interactions.

Indeed, she was disgusted by Xiao Shiqing. He was too arrogant, never listened to others, did whatever he pleased without considering anyone else’s wishes, caused the original soul’s death, and nearly hers.

With the original’s experiences and outcomes before her, and her brush with death, Qu Fulan could never willingly step into the Xiao Family’s fire pit.

That was why she was so furious when she mistakenly thought she was engaged to Xiao Shiqing.

The thought of marrying someone she loathed made her furious beyond measure; anyone would be.

A few slaps wouldn’t suffice to vent her anger; if murder weren’t illegal, she would have dismembered Xiao Shiqing already.

Although the plot had reversed, and she wasn’t engaged to someone she despised, things hadn’t seemingly improved much.

It’s undeniable that Xiao Shiqing was truly a scourge; were these events not orchestrated by him, leading to today’s outcome, Qu Fulan might suspect a masterful puppet master pulling strings behind the scenes.

Successfully making all three parties miserable.

Xiao Shiqing wanted her to revert to ’original’ under his control, yet the end result was pushing her into someone else’s arms.

Pei Ji’an liked her but was forced by circumstances to marry her, handling all matters while she was unconscious, and he gained nothing good from it.

And as for her, an independent spirit, she was betrothed while unconscious; could she be happy about that?

Truly, there was no true beneficiary.

Laughable, lamentable, and pitiful all at once.

However, Qu Fulan wasn’t someone who liked to dwell in pessimism. As long as the situation wasn’t the worst, there was room for planning.

Pei Ji’an didn’t know what was on Qu Fulan’s mind, only saw her expression change unpredictably, making him feel uneasy alongside it.

"Rest assured, marriage is just a formality. How you lived before, you will continue to live henceforth. I won’t restrict or interfere with your freedom, nor will anyone else. I can guarantee you that."

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Qu Fulan looked at Pei Ji’an, finally understanding the meaning behind his earlier evasive glances.

He feared her resentment, perhaps.

Because on the surface, he seemed to benefit the most from the whole situation, making his explanations feel weak and powerless.

This feeling was not unfamiliar to Qu Fulan; she knew the taste of it wasn’t pleasant.

She wanted to comfort him, but she was also a victim and hadn’t fully sorted out her own emotions, leaving her unsure of what to say for the moment, so she could only say, "Since it’s come to this, let’s plan well so things don’t go to the worst outcome."

Yes, since it’s come to this, discussing anything else would be pointless. The focus was on properly handling the marriage matter.

Pei Ji’an, hearing her say this, was momentarily unsure whether to feel relieved or otherwise. She could have vented, as he knew she was having a hard time with it all.

Even if she hit him like she did Xiao Shiqing, he wouldn’t say a word.

But her quick return to calm made him feel secretly proud, for she was indeed the girl he liked, unlike anyone else.

"Alright, how do you want to plan?" As long as she stated her desires, he would make it happen, even going against family pressure if she didn’t want a wedding ceremony.

"I don’t see a major issue on my end; the concern is whether the Grand Madam, Mrs. Xiao, and the Marquis can accept a daughter-in-law of my status?" Qu Fulan didn’t mince words and directly questioned the most critical issue.

If they couldn’t accept it, it would cause complications; after all, they’ve already been wed before Buddha, making the situation final.

Heir Pei could divorce her, but without his jade’s protection, a simple curse might take her life. Therefore, Qu Fulan wasn’t hoping for matters to develop that way.