Chapter 80: Each with Their Own Schemes
Xie Qingling smiled and nodded repeatedly at Xu Ruming. Her face betrayed nothing, but inwardly, she was full of contempt.
But that didn’t stop her from feigning civility with Xu Ruming.
"Of course. We should get together more often then. I’m new to the Alliance and still don’t know my way around. I could really use someone to show me the ropes."
"Besides, I’d like to know how Jingyu has been doing here, and what’s been happening with him."
Seeing that Xu Ruming was beating around the bush, Xie Qingling decided to give her an opening.
Sure enough, as soon as Xie Qingling mentioned Lu Jingyu, Xu Ruming’s eyes lit up.
She immediately put on a troubled expression, looking at Xie Qingling as if she were about to speak, only to stop herself.
"Guide Xie, I recently found out about your relationship with Captain Lu. I know I shouldn’t be gossiping, but I feel a real connection with you, and there are some things I think you ought to know."
Xu Ruming’s stammering, hesitant act was genuinely convincing. Even though Xie Qingling had been prepared for this, she felt her own emotions being drawn in.
"Rumeng, if you have something to say, just say it. There’s no need to hesitate between us."
Xu Ruming looked at Xie Qingling, still hesitating, then paused for another moment before speaking as if she had finally made up her mind. "In that case, I won’t hide it from you any longer."
"Guide Xie, you’re Captain Lu’s childhood sweetheart. I imagine you joined the Alliance to reunite with him. Because of your status, others are probably afraid to tell you certain things, but I don’t want to keep you in the dark."
Xu Ruming looked directly into Xie Qingling’s eyes, her own filled with determination.
’The fish is starting to climb the pole,’ Xie Qingling thought, putting on a nervous expression. "What is it you have to tell me?"
"To be frank, Guide Xie, before you came to the Alliance, Captain Lu always kept to himself and stayed away from women. He was the ideal man in the eyes of many female members."
"But not long ago, some rumors started spreading around the Alliance. Back then, no one knew you existed, so it didn’t seem like a big deal. Now that you’re here, however, the nature of these rumors has completely changed."
A panicked look crossed Xie Qingling’s face. She grabbed Xu Ruming’s hand and asked nervously, "What rumors? Is it about Jingyu...?"
Xie Qingling’s eyes flickered, and she trailed off, not daring to voice the suspicion in her heart.
Xu Ruming squeezed her hand. She gazed at Xie Qingling and nodded slowly, then quickly shook her head. "Guide Xie, you don’t need to worry too much. I believe in Captain Lu. He must have been deceived in this whole affair."
After speaking, Xu Ruming took another deep breath, as if steeling herself for what came next. "One shouldn’t air their family’s dirty laundry in public, but for the sake of your happiness, I can’t worry about that now."
"The person who’s been rumored to be close to Captain Lu recently is actually the girl my parents mistakenly raised as their own daughter. Perhaps it’s just her nature, but she’s always resorting to shady, underhanded tactics to get what she wants."
As she spoke, Xu Ruming sighed again and again, as if she were genuinely ashamed of Xu Qingsui.
"When my parents found me and brought me home, they didn’t send her away. They kept her and continued to raise her. But instead of being grateful, she repeatedly tried to frame me, trying to make my parents become disappointed in me."
"Even Brother Ling’an, her childhood sweetheart, saw her true colors and started to distance himself from her. And just because Brother Ling’an and I became close later on, she started slandering me, claiming I stole her fiancé."
"Because of all this, my parents couldn’t stand it anymore and finally kicked her out of the house. I have no idea how she managed to join the Heiyu Alliance, but now she’s even spreading all sorts of slander about me and Brother Ling’an."
Xie Qingling listened intently, making appropriate sounds of shock and sympathy to humor Xu Ruming.
Inwardly, she felt even more contempt, though she couldn’t help but admire Xu Ruming’s ability to twist the truth.
She had already investigated these matters thoroughly. She had her own judgment about who was right and who was wrong.
For Xu Ruming to distort the facts so convincingly was truly a rare sight.
But she wasn’t going to expose the lies. In fact, she intended to let this little show continue.
"And that’s not all—she’s even gotten herself entangled with Captain Lu. I know what kind of person she is. She must have used some despicable method to deceive Captain Lu, which is the only reason he would have made such a mistake."
"Guide Xie, I feel a kinship with you, which is why I don’t want to deceive you. You can’t let Captain Lu continue to be fooled like this!"
"Besides, you and Captain Lu are a match made in heaven. You can’t let someone like her get in the way of your relationship."
Her primary goal right now was to use Xie Qingling to get rid of Xu Qingsui.
That was why Xu Ruming was putting on an act of ’I’m only doing this for your own good.’
She didn’t even hide her own history with Shen Ling’an, lest Xie Qingling think she also had designs on Lu Jingyu.
After listening to Xu Ruming, Xie Qingling’s eyes reddened.
"Thank you for telling me all this. No wonder Jingyu didn’t want me to join the Heiyu Alliance... He hasn’t even come to see me all this time."
Xu Ruming patted Xie Qingling’s hand. "Guide Xie, I know Xu Qingsui all too well. This is all her doing. Don’t blame Captain Lu. Once he sees things clearly, he’ll definitely come back to your side."
Xu Ruming watched Xie Qingling, thinking that now she had said all that needed to be said, it was time to see how Xie Qingling would deal with Xu Qingsui.
Xie Qingling wiped a tear from her cheek. "Rumeng, thank you for telling me this. Otherwise, I would have been completely in the dark."
"Actually, I came here once a while ago. That day, I detected a huge fluctuation of spiritual power, and I saw Jingyu standing guard for the person inside. Looking back, that person must have been the Xu Qingsui you mentioned."
"I didn’t know what was happening back then, or why Jingyu cared so much about the person inside. Now, it all makes sense."
After all, Xu Ruming had seen Xie Qingling before, so she’d assumed she must know something.
But seeing her reaction now, it was as if she knew nothing at all, which had left Xu Ruming a little puzzled.
Now that Xie Qingling had brought up that day’s events of her own accord, Xu Ruming completely let go of her suspicions.
Little did she know, she hadn’t actually gone unnoticed that day.
Xie Qingling, hidden in the shadows, had long since spotted her snooping around.
It was just that at the time, she hadn’t yet learned the details about Xu Qingsui, so she didn’t know who Xu Ruming was.
Now that they were meeting face-to-face, she naturally wouldn’t leave any loose ends that might mess up her plans down the line.
That was why she had proactively brought up that day, using the opportunity to once again cast herself as the victim.
"Rumeng, I’m new here, and you’re the only one who hasn’t hidden anything from me. I feel like you’re the only person who is truly sincere with me."
"So please, help me. Will you help me win Jingyu back?"