After letting the original body fall asleep, Lin Qi also begin to start his work.
He sorted out the information in his mind first —— This is a dynasty in another parallel world. Over there, everyone drank wines, loves wines, brew wines…
Fan Cheng is the second largest city in this dynasty because two imperial merchants family reside here —— The Lin family and the Li family, whose specializing in serving the Imperial Wine to the Imperial Palace.
Originally, the two families has a long time friendships, and their status has always been equal. Only five years ago, there was an unexpected problem with the Li family wines that served at the royal banquet; and at the same time, the Lin family made an unprecedented new wine —— Hundred Li Fragrances2. The aroma of the wine stretches for a hundred miles and those who smelt it in three foot3 area will be drooling…
From then on, the Li family position dropped a thousand zhang in one fall4, and Lin family Hundred Li Fragrances then became the Emperor foremost royal wine.
And Lin Qi and Li Liheng could also be said to be raised together since their childhood, but five years ago, Li family patriarch fell ill and died in less than a year. From then on, the two families gradually fell in touch with each other, leaving the two children to not seeing each other for five years.
But, five years later, did not know from where, Li Liheng knew the secret recipe of the Hundred Li Fragrances that was developed by the Lin family. He even suspected that the problem with the Li family wine at the royal banquet was the Lin family's evil plots.
That's why, in order to revive the Li family and take hold of the secret recipe, he plotted a series of problems, and one of the most important chess pieces is the Lin family most treasured son5 —— Lin Qi.
Li Liheng made use of any means for this purpose, and no one will easily believe that he is simply using Lin Qi.
In order to get the secret recipe, he approached Lin Qi and even go as far to made Lin Qi fall in love with him. Lin Qi then broke off his relationship with his family to leave and following him after. Without the Lin family behind him, Lin Qi is no different than Li Liheng.
Afterwards, the disciple6 of the Wine God —— Mei Xiao, appeared. Li Liheng was entangled with him, and the two person unknowingly have made an agreement7, and they even framed the Lin family together —— at the Emperor Birthday Banquet. Lin family new wine, 'The Fulfilled Dreams', has made the Empress Dowager old illness flare up again and causing her death. The Lin family door were cut entirely8, and naturally, Lin Qi were also unable to escape.
Even so, he only want to 'save the Lin family and helping those two peoples to get together', right?
But, Lin Qi is used to do anything as he pleased, and to say that he can't completed his remaining assignment, you'll make a fool of yourself9… Because of that, the firm received many letters complaining about him.
After Lin Qi more or less know the situation, he closes his eyes and waited for Little Egg to send him to the other world.
Speaking of this Little Egg, actually, he meet it after he was selected in the filtering to receive the System Lord test. After passing the test, one can choose to destroy it, but unexpectedly, Lin Qi has been accustomed to have this guy around on his side.
When Lin Qi awakened, he haven't even opened his eyes yet when he immediately felt a large amount of water flowed into his nose and mouth —— it turns out that, he was drowning.
Lin Qi reflexively want to swam right away, but the voice in his head prompted him to stop —— "Xiao Qi, the original host is at his thirteen years of age presently."
He recalled the information he received before. It was at this time when Li Liheng's plan started —— to save Lin Qi from drowning.
Lin Qi acted like he can't swim, and flopping around for a while. Finally, after swallowing two mouthful of water, there was a splash and a figure jumped in, then he came to Lin Qi side and grabbed his hand, "It's alright, I'm here." Although the gentle voice sounds rather green, its giving a particularly soothing feeling at the moment.
Lin Qi cheeks were pretty red after he choked on the water. His pair of eyes were misty when he gazed at the person beside him. Apparently, he couldn't swim, so he fearfully clinging to the lapel of the shirt of the man beside him. The person on his side was stunned, and then he quickly holding Lin Qi waist tightly and swam to the shore laboriously.
When he got ashore, Lin Qi were choked and coughing out the water he swallowed, and the man came to him and patted him on the back softly, and Lin Qi spat out two mouthful of water. That's some good ability.
"Are you alright?" Lin Qi gaze followed the source of the gentle voice and he saw the worried looks of the other party. He looks like he's fifteen or sixteen years old, and he was born with a very beautiful face. His pair of eyes were bended up slightly10, and even when he's not smiling, he still give peoples some kind of comfortable feelings, and now, within those pair of eyes is fulls of worry. Even though his appearances still looks young and inexperienced, he still shows his steadiness.
Lin Qi cheeks is still flushed faintly because of his coughing, and at this moment, a layer of mist was covering his eyes. The boy that was on his teens is born with red lips and white teeth, and now the addition of the threads of water that moisten it making him a lot more alluring. But inside those pair of eyes —— is full of vigilance and alienation.
The other person unknowingly were staring blankly for two second, and then asked laughingly : "A Qi, I'm A Heng ah11, do you not remember?" His slightly bended eyes and arched eyebrows looks gentle and comforting12, making peoples growing a favourable impressions.
The affectionate tone and gentle smile can make anybody feels his adoring fondness to them. The original host fall in love with him just like that because of his gentle care.
However, when Lin Qi saw him for the first time, he knew that beneath that layer of gentle face, is a very fierce heart. The slightly bended eyes obstructed the relentless and bitingly cold abyss within —— and to achieving his goals, there's nothing he will not do.
Originally, Lin Qi was prepared to trying the Holy Mother style, but now, after seeing Li Liheng in person, Lin Qi gave up on that idea —— being too good of a person will only make him have more value to be exploited; and being too gentle also make him seems untrustworthy13.
Lin Qi looked straight at him, and his two shiny black pupils look like the shade of the bottom of a clear lake. There were traces of doubts flashes in it, and immediately afterwards some recognition come to the mind… He looked at him with some hesitation.
Li Liheng still looking at him with a smile, and now that he see a little less vigilance in his eyes, he asked : "How did you fall into the lake? …Forget about that. Let's go, I'll take you home…" Seeing that Lin Qi just staring at him, he can't help but change his speech.
Lin Qi took a glance at him, and he didn't even talk to him nor wait for him before turning around and walk away…
Because Lin Qi is very treasured, all the other children of the Lin family are deeply resentful of him, and this time, it is Li Liheng that plotted and make those dastardly brother's to do it14. The original host is actually very lonely, because he have no one on his age to play with. His heart is as simple as a sheet of blank paper, therefore, under Li Liheng gentle and considerate care, he's bound to fall into his hand.
Now, it's nearing the beginning. So, Li Liheng, lets see who will become the prey.
"Xiao Qi, we can leave the Lin family alone, because the firm only responsible for emotional disputes matter.”
"The value of the resentment is too low, and the mission is too easy. So wouldn't it be a lot more fun to raise the stake more?"
Little Egg wiped its sweats. Should it agree just because it's fun?15
Raw words count : 2.136
On last chapter update, I made a poll regarding the language of the characters or MC aliases.
10 peoples voted and 4 choose the Chinese only name and 6 peoples choose to let this translator decide~ (the poor English only name got zero votes, lol)
I mainly will use the Chinese name, but when dealing with some names that sounded better in English or more meng in the translation, I'll be using the English name, rather than the Chinese one; just like Xiao Jidan that become Little Egg. :3
Anyway, I'll see you guys in the next update~♡
竹馬 (zhu ma. Simplified 竹马) literally mean a bamboo stick that used for a stick horse toy, but if it became 竹马之交 it means a childhood friend and if it became 青梅竹马 it means childhood sweetheart.
…but what does 竹馬竹馬 mean? Horse stick + horse stick = slang for gay. :B
So, what is a horse stick? You guess it. XD
In between childhood friend and gay, which one is the most suitable? ;3 ↩ the raw is 百里香, which could simply he be translated as thyme (thymus vulgaris), but it doesn't really make sense to use thyme as a wine name? So I opted for the literal characters translation. And Li (里) is an ancient China measurement word for length with approximately 500 m. ↩ 尺 (chǐ) is a measurement word for Chinese foot. It's around one-third of a meter. ↩ Idiom : 一落千丈 basically mean (business or popularity, etc) suffer a sudden or devastating decline. Meanwhile, 丈 (zhang) is measure of length of ten Chinese feet (3.3 m) ↩ Son of the first/official wife. ↩ These characters, 传人, have two meaning. One is heir/descendant, and the other is disciple. Mostly disciple, but I don't know much of the story yet, so I don't know which one is she. ↩ I'm unsure who's the author mean. Raw : 李立恒与他纠缠不清，两人不知达成了何种协议 ↩ Idiom : 满门抄斩 basically their whole property got confiscated and their whole family is executed unto the third generations. ↩ scratching head I'm not sure… raw : 说不得完成任务之余，会捣鼓成什么样子…… ↩ I searched up the internet for this words 眼睛微微弯起, and I only have the example of peach blossom and Phoenix eyes, which is probably the closest (I guess?). If you have a better name for that kind slightly bended eyes, please do tell me with the comment below. ↩ this ah (a) is usually added in the ending of a sentence. Usually for showing affirmation, approval, or consent. ↩ most likely… raw : 他微微笑弯起来的眉眼一片温柔亲切 ↩ I'm pretty sure my translation is close to the right one, but here's the raw if its doesn't looks right : 太善良的事物对他来说只有利用的价值；而太温柔的事物，他并不觉得可信。 ↩ its not specified, but most likely it's his s*it bro that tried to drown him. ↩ I have my doubts. Raws : 乃就是好玩才答应的么？ ↩