71: Reason? How can you ask me to...

Without another word, Zhou Jingqi directly attacked Chen Xuan.

However, she was still rational, only wanting to teach him a lesson and not intending to kill him.

Chen Xuan quickly dodged, but was still a step too slow and was struck into the water by Zhou Jingqi's palm.

Seeing this, Zhou Jingyi hurriedly stepped between them: "Sister, Sister, stop!"

"Jingyi, move aside!" Zhou Jingqi glared at Chen Xuan, "Let me properly teach this scoundrel a lesson!"

Chen Xuan climbed out of the water, wiped the water droplets from his face, and said helplessly: "Miss Zhou, I think there's been a misunderstanding, could you please listen to my explanation first?"

"Explanation?" Zhou Jingqi sneered, "What's there to explain? Are you going to say you were hiding here to protect us sisters?"

"..."

"What? Nothing to say, huh? Take this kick!" She extended her leg, intending to deliver a roundhouse kick.

Chen Xuan sighed, knowing that no explanation would work, and could only say with a wry smile: "Since that's the case, then I apologize for the offense!"

With that, he took a stance, ready to face Zhou Jingqi and her leg.

Seeing this, Zhou Jingyi quickly stepped between them: "Both of you, stop right now!"

Looking at Zhou Jingyi blocking the way, both of them tacitly chose to stop.

Zhou Jingqi frowned slightly: "Jingyi, move aside, this has nothing to do with you!"

"No, this has everything to do with me!" Zhou Jingyi's attitude was firm, "If you insist on fighting, then you'll have to go through me first!"

"????!!"

Zhou Jingqi was stunned; she hadn't expected her younger sister to protect Chen Xuan so fiercely. Could it be that she had undergone a Possession?

"Jingyi, move aside!" Zhou Jingqi emphasized her tone, "I don't want to hurt you!"

Zhou Jingyi didn't back down at all: "I won't move. Sister, if you really want to fight, then hit me too!"

Chen Xuan watched from the side, feeling a bit touched. Although Zhou Jingyi was usually lively and mischievous, at crucial moments, she protected him so fiercely.

A young girl's love is always fervent.

Zhou Jingqi hesitated. She looked at Zhou Jingyi's firm gaze and understood that if she continued to insist, she would only make her sister difficult.

However, seeing her sister, who had grown up with her since childhood, protecting someone who had wronged her, her own anger had reached its peak!

She suppressed her towering rage: "I can spare him, but now you two must tell me exactly what happened!"

Zhou Jingyi breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhou Jingqi gratefully.

"The, the thing is..."

Seeing that the matter was exposed, Zhou Jingyi told Zhou Jingqi about their encounter, acquaintance... and love. Of course, during this, she naturally embellished her own actions.

However, after listening, Zhou Jingqi became even angrier.

"Chen Xuan!!!! You, you scoundrel! My sister, she only went out for the first time, the very first time! And you dared to take advantage of her lack of experience..."

Flames practically shot from Zhou Jingqi's eyes. She clenched her fists tightly, wishing she could tear Chen Xuan into a thousand pieces.

Chen Xuan also knew he was in the wrong and could only accept Zhou Jingqi's wrath with a wry smile, though he certainly wouldn't let Zhou Jingyi down.

"Sister, be rational..." Zhou Jingyi pulled Zhou Jingqi's arm, trying to calm her down.

"Rational? How can you tell me to be rational?!"

Zhou Jingqi violently shook off Zhou Jingyi's hand and glared at Chen Xuan, "My sister is so innocent and pure, how could you bear to deceive her?!"

Chen Xuan lowered his head, saying nothing. Anything he said now would only provoke greater anger from Zhou Jingqi, so silence was better.

"I know, I shouldn't have hidden it from you, but I was afraid you'd be angry, that's why I didn't dare tell you..." Zhou Jingyi pulled at Zhou Jingqi's sleeve, pleading in a low voice.

Seeing her sister like this, although Zhou Jingqi was still very angry, she couldn't bear to blame her anymore. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her emotions.

"Fine, it's done. Pursuing it further won't change anything."

Zhou Jingyi, seeing that her sister finally stopped pursuing the matter, breathed a sigh of relief and happily linked arms with Zhou Jingqi: "I knew it, Sister is the best!"

Zhou Jingqi rolled her eyes at her: "Don't try that. If you think I'm good, then break up with this stinky man right now!"

"Well, then, let's not," Zhou Jingyi shrank her head.

"Princess Jingqi, I think you've misunderstood!" Seeing Zhou Jingqi calm down, Chen Xuan explained: "My feelings for Jingyi are genuine; I truly want to be with her."

"You're genuine?" Zhou Jingqi sneered, "I think you're just coveting our family's Cultivation resources!"

"The outside world is spreading rumors that you've lost your Cultivation, but now it seems you can directly infiltrate my Royal Secret Realm. You must be hiding something!"

"Alright, the more I explain, the worse it gets. You'd better listen to my explanation!" Chen Xuan scratched his head.

"I don't need an explanation; I know exactly what kind of person you are!" Looking at Chen Xuan in front of her, she couldn't help but recall the scene of him intimately with Zhao Lingwu when he married into the Zhao family.

But Zhou Jingyi had unwavering faith in Chen Xuan. She held Zhou Jingqi's hand and said softly: "Sister, Chen Xuan truly loves me. He, he really isn't what you think!"

"Jingyi, you're still young and don't understand what true feelings are. This is just a momentary impulse; when you're older..."

"Don't say it, Sister! I, I just like Chen Xuan, I just want to marry him!"

Zhou Jingqi took a deep breath, glaring at Chen Xuan hatefully.

That hateful scoundrel, not only did he wrong her, but he also wanted to take away her most beloved sister! Simply, simply not a human being! Bah, not a human!

But then she saw her sister so... infatuated. If she said anything more, she would become that kind of wicked villain from storybooks!

"Hmph, I can't control you anymore. You can tell Father Emperor and Mother Empress yourself later! He's still the Zhao family's son-in-law!"

"Mhm, mhm, thank you, Sister!" Zhou Jingyi said happily, then released her hand and ran over to hug Chen Xuan's arm.

She knew Zhou Jingqi disliked Chen Xuan, and now that she had personally agreed not to interfere, future matters would be even easier.

Zhou Jingqi, however, was even more speechless.

You're thanking me, so why are you hugging him?! Have I now become that kind of villain from storybooks?

Furthermore, she always felt that this Chen Xuan didn't truly love her sister, but had ulterior motives.

After all, in Zhou Jingqi's eyes, a man like Chen Xuan was destined not to belong to just one woman. She didn't want her sister to fall deeper and deeper and ultimately get hurt.

"Now, explain to me how you appeared in my Royal Secret Realm!"

"..."