4 Chapter 2

"I see, what if I could get rid of the poor conditions of your family?"

"Huh?"

Yu Yingyi couldn't believe the words that just came out of Song Liya's mouth. Didn't she just explain her family's conditions? Surely Song Liya didn't ignore everything she just said to ask that question right?

"You heard me correct and don't worry, I heard everything that you told me," said Song Liya.

"Then what did you mean by helping my family conditions out?" asked Yu Yingyi.

Whatever it was, Yingyi knew it wasn't going to be good since there was always a price to pay, especially if it was something from the vicious female lead.

"I'll send your house taxes and pay for anything you need to pay, I already know about your background while we were coming here," said Song Liya.

Yu Yingyi was surprised once again, even in the novel, Song Liya's ability to find one's background wasn't at this level yet. Moreover, when did Liya even have time to find her background? Whatever it was, she didn't question it since it wouldn't do her any good.

"So what's your side of the bargain? What do I have to do?" asked Yu Yingyi, somehow, she had a bad feeling about this.

"Become my wife."

Yingyi nearly coughed out blood, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAH?!"

"You heard that right, all these princes aren't right for me since they're too scared of me but you, however, is different. You weren't scared of me even though you knew of me, you'd be a perfect fit to be my wife. Someone who isn't scared to deny me but still does what I say." Song Liya explained.

Yu Yingyi still wasn't sure if she was hearing things right, her brain wasn't processing everything Song Liya was saying, she already lost Liya when she said the wife.

"So do you agree?" Song Liya asked.

Yingyi looked at Liya as if she was crazy, "Of course not! Who do you take me for? I don't need money or you to help my life out, I could take care of everything by myself."

Song Liya chuckled, "There wasn't a point of me asking, I wanted to see how'd you react and you reacted just as I expected."

"You'll have to agree, either way, just know I know everything about you, including your mother's background. Remember, I'm the princess of the empire, if I tell my father that you were selling jades illegally, you'll instantly be taken to jail or executed without questioning. Who knows what'll happen to your mother too, your father hasn't been supporting your family at all." said Song Liya.

"Aren't you threatening me?! I knew you were fierce and vicious but I didn't expect you to be this cunning and scheming!" Yu Yingyi exclaimed.

In truth, she knew Song Liya was cunning and manipulative, just not to this level, it wasn't even like this in the novel. That was when Yu Yingyi realized the novel's plot was going to be different since she wasn't there.

Even the smallest things can cause the biggest butterfly effects. Moreover, when was the female lead a lesbian? In the novel, it was said that Song Liya married the first prince and ruled the empire together later in the story.

Did she change the novel's plot that much? Yu Yingyi decided to focus back on the topic since she felt like she was going to get distracted if she thought about it more.

"Me? Cunning and scheming? HAHA! You haven't seen half of the empire's heirs and heiresses, some of them are much more cunning than me, manipulative even. You should be lucky I'm the one who found you and made this deal with you, otherwise, you would've been sold long ago." said Song Liya.

From what Song Liya just said about the other heirs and heiresses being more cunning than her, Yu Yingyi knew there was much more to the world that she didn't know about. The novel she read was only a small piece of it.

"*Sigh* Do I even have a choice?" asked Yingyi.

"Of course, not. After all, I get what I want even if I'm using dirty tricks," said Song Liya.

"I'll accept your deal, however, don't expect me to be all lovey-dovey with you, I don't want anything like that with you," said Yu Yingyi.

"Fufufu, do you think you can do that? Just know my father won't accept this relationship if it doesn't look like one, meaning we'll have to be like that whether you like it or not," said Song Liya.

Yu Yingyi gritted her teeth, "You never said anything like that in the deal we made so I don't have to do that."

"You have to unless you want to get in trouble," said Song Liya.

"Tsk, fine. I have a few conditions I want you to fulfill though."

"What is it?

"You must keep the other end of your deal, we can only act like we're in a relationship when we're around the emperor, and I can at least have my own free will when it comes to personal things."

"Hmm, that sounds fair enough...but I don't know about the second one." Song Liya said the last sentence quietly.

"What was that? Song Liya didn't catch what Liya just said.

Song Liya smiled at her, "Nothing."

"Before anything starts, will your father even accept the fact that your partner is a girl?" asked Yu Yingyi.

"Of course, that's the perks of being the favorite child. Well enough of that, you should go back home and pack your stuff," said Song Liya.

Yu Yingyi was confused, "What do you mean pack my stuff?"

"Hmm? Since we're now in a relationship, naturally we're going to be living together," said Song Liya.

"HUH?! No, no, no, there's no way I'm going to be living with you in the imperial estate. I have to take care of my mother too, I can't go live with you just like that." said Yu Yingyi.

"Don't worry, I'll have guards come over and check on your mother every day to make sure she's doing well. Plus, I'll be sending her money too so she'll be fine, I'll bet your mother will be more than happy that you were able to catch the attention of the empire's princess," said Song Liya.

Yu Yingyi couldn't argue with that, her mother would definitely be happy if she was able to catch the attention of the princess, her mother would think it'd be a good thing when it was a bad thing for Yu Yingyi.

When Yu Yingyi looked out the window of the carriage, it was already dark. She didn't realize time passed that quickly.

"Fine, I'll accept your deal and your condition. Just don't interfere with my business," said Yu Yingyi.

Song Liya smiled, she got everything she wanted, now it was time to make her officially hers since this was only a contractual relationship.

"Since it's dark outside, do you want me to walk you home? I can protect you if anything happens to you since I'm much stronger than the guards themselves," said Song Liya.

Yu Yingyi didn't reply, she was already too tired to deal with anything else. Exiting the carriage, she started making her way back home.

Yu Yingyi relaxed, she knew Song Liya was following her and that made her feel a bit safe since she knew of her abilities. But Yu Yingyi was still mad and incredibly stressed.

"Just what in the world did I get myself into..."