MCSCPM -Chapter 178 Jealousy Surges

In the alley:

Chu Jingcheng directly pulled Yin Qingyue onto the carriage. He wanted to question this woman: why she had left without a word, why she had spoken nonsense, and why she angered him.

“You, woman, are utterly hopeless!” Chu Jingcheng said, a cold smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

“Prince Jing, you say I’m hopeless, yet it seems you are the unreasonable one,” Yin Qingyue replied calmly. “I heard that Prince Jing is supposed to be Miss Qingqing’s ‘honored guest’!”

“Half a year without seeing her… have you gone mad with longing for Miss Qingqing?” Yin Qingyue continued teasing, eager to see his reaction.

“Miss Yin, so clever, and yet you believe such nonsense?”

“Rumors never appear without cause. Prince Jing dares to act boldly—surely you don’t need me to remind you?” Yin Qingyue said, a faint, mocking smile on her lips.

Suddenly, strong hands gripped her tightly, roaming over her body.

A warm pair of lips pressed against hers. Prince Jing’s hands held her shoulders firmly, leaving her unable to break free. He wanted Yin Qingyue to understand: her “honored guest” belonged to no one but him.

“Steal my first kiss and still come?” Yin Qingyue gasped, shocked. Was Chu Jingcheng mad… or a pervert? To her, this behavior was blatant audacity.

Hissing, she bit down hard, determined to teach the prince that perverts got no happy endings.

Chu Jingcheng suppressed the sensation of her bite, continuing to explore her mouth. He wanted to claim all of Yin Qingyue for himself.

“Yin Qingyue, repeat what you just said for me!” he demanded, blood at his lips mingling with a wicked smile. Only he could be her honored guest.

“Prince Jing, in Beihao, is it lawless to assault a woman like this?” Yin Qingyue’s eyes narrowed coldly.

The first time, she could have chosen to forget—but the second, she would make him pay.

Yin Qingyue bit him sharply at the corner of his mouth.

“If you dare leave without a word next time, I’ll make you regret it!” Chu Jingcheng said, half-lidded, thoughtful.

Yin Qingyue was neither a Xize woman nor a typical Beihao woman. That stubborn streak in her bones—where did it come from?

“Are you worried?” she asked. Wasn’t he trying to kill her? Had his mind-reading gone wrong?

“So what if I am?” he replied.

Yin Qingyue didn’t know how anxious Prince Jing had been when he couldn’t find her, fearing she might leave.

“Prince Jing, your Miss Qingqing is beautiful, yet you take time to worry about a common girl? Isn’t that ridiculous?” she teased him further.

She tried to leave the carriage, but Chu Jingcheng held her tightly.

“Trying to escape from me? Impossible.”

“Does Prince Jing feel the same for Miss Qingqing?”

“Miss Yin, is the Miss Qingqing you speak of yourself?” Chu Jingcheng’s smirk was chilling.

“Game’s over. Prince Jing is smart. If I screamed inside the carriage, the reputation of Your Highness in the capital would be affected.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Jingcheng released her hand—not because of any threat from her, but because seeing her safe eased his worry.

“Few people in the capital know my appearance. You could scream all you want, no one would know it’s me. Besides, this is a dead-end alley—no one will come.”

Still, seeing her like this stoked his temper. Finally, he issued an order, voice commanding: “Go! Stay inside the residence and don’t go anywhere.”

“Thank you for your concern, Prince Jing,” Yin Qingyue replied with a smile.

Watching her figure slowly fade into the distance, a warm feeling surged through Chu Jingcheng’s heart. For the first time, he realized how much he truly cared for Yin Qingyue.

Little did he know, his feelings had long since grown uncontrollably—and he would never give them to anyone else.

“Miss, you’re finally back! Earlier, Miss Qingqing had already left,” Mei’er whispered, looking toward the brothel.

“You little girl, who said you liked her? Now look, so disappointed—who are you showing off to? Was Miss Qingqing too beautiful, and you got mesmerized?” Yin Qingyue pretended to scold.

“Miss, heaven as my witness, you’re a hundred times prettier than Miss Qingqing!” Mei’er swore earnestly.

“All right, take the herbs and let’s go back.”

Since leaving Jiangnan, Yin Qingyue had felt weaker than before, likely from overexerting herself while caring for plague victims.

During these days away from the palace’s intrigues, she wanted to restore her health, ready for any enemy. Life beside Prince Jing would never remain peaceful for long.

“Mei’er, go back and prepare these herbs. I still need one more ingredient, so I’ll go to the pharmacy,” Yin Qingyue said.

“Miss, Mei’er can come with you.”

“No, you stay and brew the herbs. I have business to attend to.”

“Then please come back soon,” Mei’er said anxiously.

After Mei’er left, Yin Qingyue snorted. “Following me all this way, come out!”

A young woman emerged timidly from a corner, looking frightened.

“I didn’t mean to follow you. Miss Qingqing asked me to deliver this letter to you.” She slowly pulled a letter from her sleeve.

“Whether you go or not is your choice. You needn’t take orders from me!” Yin Qingyue said coldly.

She hadn’t sent the girl earlier if not for worrying about Mei’er.

“Only a few days in Beihao, and trouble is already here,” Yin Qingyue thought. And the real trouble was just beginning.

Inside the brothel:

“Miss Qingqing, I delivered the letter. I don’t understand why the lady would favor that ugly girl,” the messenger girl complained.

“An old friend, just a meeting,” Miss Qingqing murmured, her sorrow barely concealed.

“That ugly girl speaks so rudely! I personally gave her the letter, yet she’s so arrogant!”

“All right, I’m tired. You may go,” Miss Qingqing said wearily.

Once the maid left, Miss Qingqing removed her veil.

A delicate, exquisite face appeared in the bronze mirror, with sparkling eyes and a small, charming mouth.

“Why is she better than me? Why does Prince Jing favor her?” Miss Qingqing murmured, touching her face. No matter how beautiful, it was useless if it couldn’t earn his attention.

If it could gain Chu Jingcheng’s notice, she would even accept an unattractive face.

“I need to see… what is it about her that he likes?” A fleeting loneliness passed over her face in the mirror.

The cruelest thing in the world is love—it drives obsession and madness.

Outside the capital:

In the huge residence, only Yin Qingyue and Mei’er were present.

“Miss, aren’t there other maids here?”

“I sent them home. I’m not used to being surrounded by so many people,” Yin Qingyue said calmly.

Her mind kept replaying Chu Jingcheng forcefully kissing her. She even doubted her earlier judgment—was her mind-reading faulty?

If he truly intended to kill her and bring her to Beihao, it would have been a major problem.

And how to explain the forced kiss?

“Miss, Prince Jing saved your life. Now, he’s concerned, so he sent—” Mei’er started, but seeing her mistress’s expression, she didn’t continue.

Clearly, Prince Jing treated her kindly—but why did her mistress act this way…

“Don’t worry. Prince Jing will definitely send someone tomorrow,” Yin Qingyue replied calmly.

She remembered clearly what happened in the alley. Even when he spoke coldly, even harshly, it was concern, not hatred.

“Mei’er, tomorrow at noon, I’ll gather herbs. Prince Jing’s men should arrive in the morning. Wait for me here,” Yin Qingyue said, observing Mei’er’s reaction carefully.

“Miss, why don’t you bring me along? Do you dislike Mei’er?”

“If I encounter poisons, you wouldn’t handle them. It’s easier if I go alone.”

“Last time…” Mei’er looked worried.

Yin Qingyue smiled faintly. She truly worried that if she weren’t by Mei’er’s side, how this kind-hearted girl would survive. Only by becoming strong could she protect those around her.

Night deepened.

Yin Qingyue slowly stepped outside, a bright flame illuminating her.

“You are someone close to Prince Jing. I have business with him, and I invited you here, Miss Qingqing.” The elegant handwriting vanished in the firelight.

She didn’t want Mei’er to worry—since the day they crossed into this world, Mei’er had done too much for her.