Chapter 31 Cousin Will Serve You for a Lifetime
“Official Qiu’s painting skills are very good.” Yue Guanyi’s face was expressionless, like an insincere compliment machine.
“I also think it’s quite good.” Qin Qing couldn’t let go of his love, looking left and right, wishing he could frame this small portrait and hang it at the head of his bed to look at day and night.
Yue Guanyi couldn’t stand Qin Qing’s old tree blooming in spring, and felt even more sorry for Qiu Shuzhi being entangled by this old widower for an afternoon, saying, “Father Empress Dowager, this son came to discuss something.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Qiu Shuzhi, indicating that she should quickly leave the clutches of Qin Qing, this old man.
Qiu Shuzhi understood and said, “Empress Dowager, since there’s nothing for this official here, I’ll take my leave first.”
“Wait.” Qin Qing’s voice stopped her, his large hand tightly gripping her wrist through the sleeve, not letting go. Yue Guanyi’s eyes almost shot out nails, wishing to pierce Qin Qing’s hand.
“Official Qiu is now my confidant, there’s nothing she can’t hear.” Qin Qing’s palm temperature transmitted through the sleeve to her wrist, his fingertips gently rubbing the back of her hand.
A flash of surprise appeared on Qiu Shuzhi’s face. She hadn’t expected Qin Qing to call her his confidant in front of Yue Guanyi.
She was very clear about her own abilities. Apart from her merits in managing the mine theft in Yanshun County, she didn’t have much political achievement.
People like Gu Zheng, who had been deeply entrenched in officialdom for many years with extensive connections and power, should be his confidants. How could she rank among them?
Moreover, he said it in front of Yue Guanyi without any reservations. Could it be that he was setting her up for a fall?
Historically, there have been such people, suddenly rising to power after being favored by the upper echelons, similar to the emperor’s favored eunuchs.
It seemed like a meteoric rise, but in reality, they were being used as pawns to do those unspeakable or hateful things. Once they lost their urgent value, they would be quickly disassociated.
The fate of such people often ended up being labeled as corrupt officials, with their entire families executed.
Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes were indescribably deep. The young emperor’s foundation was still shallow, the Empress Dowager’s thoughts were unpredictable, and Yue Guanyi was even more…
Ah, she sighed inwardly, the road ahead must be trodden even more carefully, every step calculated.
“This son came this time to report on the matter of selecting consorts,” Yue Guanyi quickly glanced at Qiu Shuzhi, seeing her brows furrowed with a faint trace of worry. His heart ached, unable to imagine what Qin Qing had done to her during the time he wasn’t there.
His eyes turned fierce, it seemed it was time to plant some Jinyiwei spies in Qingning Palace.
Qin Qing sat down again, pulling Qiu Shuzhi to stand beside him.
“How is the selection going? Have the families made any moves?” Qin Qing’s tone was light, his long fingers as white as new snow, personally fitting the apricot blossom fan face Qiu Shuzhi had just painted onto the fan ribs.
“The selection is proceeding as usual. None of the officials above the third rank have sent their sons for selection, but the King of Dian has sent one.”
“The King of Dian?” Qin Qing’s fingertips paused, snorting coldly, “That old thing wants to meddle too?”
“I heard it’s a very beautiful young man, and with the King of Dian’s influence, it’s inevitable that Her Majesty might choose him.”
Qin Qing continued fiddling with the fan face, his tone as cold as ice, “What if he’s as beautiful as a celestial being? Once in the palace, whether he lives or dies depends entirely on my word.”
Qiu Shuzhi listened silently, her mind already picturing the breathtaking scenes from palace intrigue dramas.
“What do you think, Official Qiu?”
As soon as the fan was ready, Qin Qing waved it casually in his hand. The ink jade fan handle paired with the apricot blossom and misty rain fan face should have been extremely incompatible, but in Qin Qing’s hands, it looked particularly harmonious.
“Very good, it suits the Empress Dowager very well,” she said.
A flash of viciousness passed through Yue Guanyi’s eyes, staring at the fan as if wishing to turn it into hellfire and burn it to ashes.
Qin Qing smiled warmly, his delicate eyebrows slightly curved: “It’s not that the fan suits me, it’s that your painting and I are well-matched.”
Qiu Shuzhi was slightly stunned, not knowing how to respond to this. To say more would make her appear overly fawning.
Qin Qing preciously inserted the folding fan into the jade belt at his waist. He had missed Qiu Shuzhi for so long, and didn’t know when they would meet again. Fortunately, he had kept two paintings as keepsakes. When he missed her, he could take them out to look at, to alleviate the pain of longing.
Leaving Qingning Palace, it was nearly dusk. On the way, they occasionally encountered a few officials who saw them coming together from the direction of Qingning Palace. Although their expressions were slightly surprised, there was nothing unusual. However, if Qiu Shuzhi had come out alone, it would have been another juicy piece of gossip.
Yue Guanyi had no mind to care about the gazes of those officials. His mind was full of thoughts on how to warn her to stay away from Qin Qing, but no matter how he organized his words, he felt that saying it out loud would be an insult to her.
As long as it involved matters concerning Qiu Shuzhi, he became particularly cautious and meticulous.
The path quickly came to an end, with the palace gates close at hand. The twilight glow draped over Qiu Shuzhi like a light gauze: “Thank you, Your Highness, for escorting this official out. The palace gates are not far, so this official will take her leave first.”
“Wait.” Qiu Shuzhi was like a fleeting beam of light about to disappear before his eyes. At this moment, he could no longer keep himself calm and composed: “The Empress Dowager is not a good person, don’t trust him.”
Qiu Shuzhi was slightly startled, then calmly nodded: “Thank you for Your Highness’s reminder.”
Seeing her calm expression, Yue Guanyi thought she didn’t believe him and hurriedly said, “Miss Qiu, believe me, the Empress Dowager doesn’t have good intentions towards you, he just wants to…” His chest heaved violently, but he ultimately couldn’t speak of Qin Qing’s filthy thoughts.
Qin Qing might disregard Qiu Shuzhi’s reputation, summoning her into the palace to be alone in a room in broad daylight, letting palace rumors run wild.
But he would never do anything that would damage her reputation. She was the person he held dear in his heart, the one he had missed for ten years. Even if he had to tear apart his relationship with Qin Qing, he would never allow her to be tainted in the slightest.
“I know,” Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly. “I believe you.”
Qin Qing’s behavior today was indeed not the proper distance between a ruler and an official. In this afternoon, she finally experienced the feeling of being a male favorite in ancient times, constantly on edge, having to carefully consider every word. She felt utterly exhausted.
Moreover, Qin Qing’s words about her being his “confidant” still rang in her ears, making her feel as if she were treading on thin ice at all times. She never had the slightest romantic thought, only feeling that this official path was becoming increasingly difficult to tread.
It was Yue Guanyi’s reaction that she found somewhat strange. He was clearly on the same side as Qin Qing, so why would he warn her?
Wasn’t he afraid of falling out with Qin Qing?
“It’s good that you understand.” Yue Guanyi, blushing and tugging at his clothes, boldly asked, “I heard that Her Majesty has granted you an official residence, and that you will be hosting a banquet to invite guests. Is my name on the list?”
Qiu Shuzhi was amused by his blushing appearance. She deliberately smiled and said, “Does Your Highness want to come?”
Yue Guanyi lowered his head, his eyelashes trembling. Though he was as shy and bashful as a boy, he forcefully put aside his dignified status as the eldest prince.
“I want…” he nodded quickly, stammering, the pearls hanging from his official hat swaying slightly with his movements.
“It would be my honor if Your Highness could come,” Qiu Shuzhi said, a gentle smile spreading to her bones.
Yue Guanyi’s deep phoenix eyes instantly brightened like jewels, flashing with clear light.
“Then, then I’ll wait for your invitation.” He bit his lip, holding back the excitement continuously surging in his heart, but that joy still leaked out from the corners of his mouth.
Qiu Shuzhi’s heart softened. It was just an ordinary banquet invitation, yet Yue Guanyi’s reaction was as if he had received some great blessing.
She nodded with a smile.
“Cousin, I’m back.” Walking back home, Qiu Qiushuang had already prepared the meal. Smelling the familiar aroma of home cooking, Qiu Shuzhi’s nerves, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed at this moment.
No one or anything in the palace could make her let her guard down. Only her childhood sweetheart, cousin Qiu Qiushuang, was someone she could trust without any reservations.
Hearing her voice, Qiu Qiushuang quickly ran out from the kitchen. Disregarding all etiquette, he suddenly hugged her tightly, his arms fiercely wrapping around her waist, so tight that it made her a bit breathless.
“Cousin-” She gently patted his back, knowing that leaving him alone at home during this time had really been unfair to him.
Qiu Qiushuang buried his entire face in the crook of her neck, a drop of warm tear falling from the corner of his eye, soaking her official robe.
“I missed you so much.” Qiu Qiushuang gestured with his hands.
Qiu Shuzhi gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, coaxing him tenderly, “Be good, don’t cry. I’m back now, aren’t I?”
Qiu Qiushuang was still not satisfied and continued to gesture, asking, “Will you leave again in the future?”
Qiu Shuzhi held his hand: “I won’t leave anymore. We’ll stay in the capital from now on, we won’t go anywhere.”
Only then did Qiu Qiushuang set his mind at ease.
In fact, even Qiu Shuzhi herself wasn’t sure if she could always stay in the capital, but she could only comfort Qiu Qiushuang like this for now.
He was her last relative in this matriarchal country, and the person who had accompanied her the longest. He was just an ordinary man in this female-dominated country, with no ambitions surpassing women, gentle and dedicating his entire being to the family. The more he was like this, the more Qiu Shuzhi wanted to take good care of him, find him a suitable good family, and let him be happy forever.
Qiu Qiushuang pulled her to the dining table, which was full of dishes, arousing her appetite: “It smells so good. When I was in Yanshun County, I missed the food you cooked for me every day. I can eat two big bowls today.”
Qiu Qiushuang chuckled, his fingers quickly gesturing: “These are all your favorite dishes, eat more.”
Qiu Shuzhi picked up a piece of tender fish meat and put it in her mouth, finally satisfying the hungry bug in her stomach: “Cousin is always the one who understands me best. If you get married in the future, I’ll really miss you.”
Qiu Qiushuang’s expression froze slightly, a twinge of pain rising in his heart. Then he bitterly gestured: “Then I won’t get married. Cousin will serve you for a lifetime, okay?”
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If you’re like me…
Too tired of reading stories where the female lead is often foolish, weak, feeble both physically and mentally, usually in a subservient and oppressed role in society such as a maid, secretary, concubine… or to put it bluntly, typically the one who has to serve and please the male lead, always needing protection and rescue from male leads, while the male lead is often described as talented, strikingly handsome, powerful,…
Then please continue reading.
Hi there, girls!
I’m Yuushi L.
Every day, movies and comics continuously reinforce the notion that women are weak, that they can only handle trivial matters in the background, that women are petty-minded and constantly jealous, mocking, and laughing at other women, while men are strong, wealthy, and solely focused on conquering the world, with countless mindless women ready to fall into their arms.
Believe me, once you read Female-dominant (FEDO) novels, your mindset will change significantly.
I am deeply inspired by strong, independent, and rational women who have the power to take control of their lives, and I am fascinated by the way society’s gender roles are reversed in this genre compared to real life.
So I have created this web with the noble purpose of promoting the “Female-dominant (FEDO)” genre of novels.
In my country, there was a rare renowned female poet in ancient times who wrote the following about the fate of women in that era:
“Damn this life of sharing a husband,
One wrapped in warmth, the other left cold.
I’d rather have stayed single from the start,
Than to endure a life so torn apart.”
Perhaps my penchant for reading female-dominant stories is partly a way of rebelling against the realities of life.
On my site, there will be stories that are not only female-dominant novels, as long as they align with my taste, featuring strong female protagonists and fresh, captivating storylines. Usually, they will be modern or fantasy novels.
I rarely read ancient novels that aren’t female-dominant because they often contain details that easily trigger me. These include the portrayal of men having multiple wives and concubines, which was considered utterly normal in ancient society, and the frequent disdain towards women.
I cannot change the world, as the societal structure that discriminates against women and elevates men has existed for thousands of years. Changing it to truly give women an equal role in society is not something that can happen overnight. If you want gender equality now, it’s laughable. It will never happen when over 90% of national and business leaders are men.
But I can start by changing the mindset of women, sisters, and young girls. Don’t just read dull slogans urging women to be strong and independent; it’s hard to imagine. Read Female-dominant (FEDO) novels to see clearly what true female empowerment looks like.
I believe there will be more and more independent and strong women who prioritize their careers and personal stability over seeking a man to rely on.
In the future, there will be more successful female entrepreneurs, politicians, and thought leaders.
As for me, I will start by making this website grow stronger day by day.
I especially like the concept of “the male lead falls in love first, the female lead is the cold-hearted and rational one, and the male lead suffers because the female lead doesn’t reciprocate his feelings.”
Therefore, you’ll see that most of the novels on my website will belong to this trope. Of course, there will be exceptions.
In the future, I also plan to write my own novels following this concept, where the female lead in my stories will never be the weaker party. I hope I can do it soon.
The novels I highly recommend will be listed under the category:
There will be exceptionally brilliant stories, but there will also be mediocre ones. As the Female-dominant (FEDO) genre has fewer authors and readers, the number of high-quality novels is limited.
Therefore, I want to promote this genre to reach a wider audience, which will encourage more talented authors to choose to write in this style, leading to the birth of more outstanding Female-dominant (FEDO) novels.
The Chinese versions of the novels I use for translation are all sourced from various websites on the internet. You know, I don’t have much budget to purchase so many novels.
Therefore, if your financial situation allows, please support the authors by purchasing the original works. You can find the original works using the Chinese titles of the novels.
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WARNING:
In some novels, there are certain unhealthy ideologies and illegal actions held by the main characters (for example, treating human lives as worthless, or casually deciding to kill someone, forcing others to do things they don’t want to do, arbitrarily imprisoning others, plotting to harm others, using violence to retaliate against violence,…).
This may be because the authors are still young and inexperienced, unaware that what they’re writing goes beyond moral standards and can negatively influence young readers.
It’s important that readers under 18 years old need to recognize these are illegal actions, not permitted to be carried out in real life, always keep a clear head while reading, treat these works only as entertainment, and don’t let yourself be influenced by those plot points.
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If you want to join me, support me, recommend novels, or simply want to connect with me privately, please contact me via email: yuushi.l.me@gmail.com
Or join my Discord to connect with others who share the same taste for novels:
With love and appreciation,
YUUSHI L
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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*Spotlight on Finished Novel Translations*
The Male Lead’s Obsessive (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Synopsis:
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Summary:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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