Reborn Into A New Life, Everyone Loves Me Now (GL) - Chapter 20
Gu Congran had seen it. The last sliver of hope Su Qishi held onto was completely shattered. The darkness she had hidden was now fully exposed. Su Qishi let out an indifferent smile.
“Why ask so many questions? It was just… a stopgap measure.”
Gu Congran’s voice was filled with fury. “If you want to fight for power, I can give it my all to help you. But why did you have to drag an innocent person into this?!”
“If you hadn’t rescued Qi Wanxuan in time after she fell into the water today, her reputation would have been ruined! Su Qishi, how did you become so… insidious!”
Su Qishi stood up, her voice absentminded as she repeated, “I’m insidious?” Then, word by word, her tone filled with sorrow, “This path was always going to require sacrifice. If I’m not ruthless, I’ll be the one to die.”
Gu Congran’s gaze was heavy with sadness. He couldn’t understand how his once-close friend had become someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
“But you weren’t like this before. What happened to you? Is power really so irresistible? We made a vow in our youth—to see the world’s splendor together. Isn’t that enough? Why did you abandon your original intentions…”
A bitter smile formed in Su Qishi’s heart. She had once naively believed that as long as she didn’t fight, she could live freely and unrestrained. But what was the result?
Abandoned by her lover, unable to protect any of her dearest friends, powerless to hold onto those she wished to stay by her side. She didn’t want to endure such helplessness again, nor face it.
She gave no direct answer. After all, only she remembered the wasted years of her previous life. Fortunately… only she remembered.
Su Qishi spoke with a heavy voice, “That was because I was young and ignorant. I never thought of the future when I said those words. The human heart is the most unpredictable. Only by firmly grasping power in your own hands can you feel truly at ease, truly safe. Power can crush a person to death with ease. I don’t want to die—and I don’t want you to die either…”
Her words struck Gu Congran like countless shards of stone.
He suddenly realized that somewhere along the way, his closest friend had begun to change. She had become the very kind of person they had once despised, the kind they swore never to become.
The pure land in their hearts had been washed away by the surging rain.
This was the first time Gu Congran truly felt that the two of them were going in opposite directions.
He didn’t know how to offer comfort. All he could do was mutter stiffly, “We won’t die—and you won’t die either. A’Shi, you’ve become so unfamiliar… I can barely recognize you.”
Tears welled in Gu Congran’s eyes, yet none fell. He couldn’t accept the current Su Qishi. What pained him even more was the realization that Su Qishi had made such a momentous decision—and he had been kept in the dark all along. If he hadn’t come here today, she would have never told him.
The feeling of not being trusted consumed his mind, a bitter taste spreading relentlessly.
Finally, after a long silence, Gu Congran voiced the question in his heart.
“Su Qishi… do you even consider me a friend?”
Su Qishi was puzzled. “Why would you ask that?” Then, seeing the seriousness in Gu Congran’s eyes, she replied with certainty, “Of course—you are my best friend.”
But Gu Congran looked deeply saddened. “I don’t think so. If I were your best friend, why didn’t you pull me into your camp? Don’t you trust me?”
Su Qishi frowned at his words. “It’s not that I don’t trust you. I’m just afraid… afraid that if I fail, you’ll be implicated.”
Gu Congran shot back, “But regardless, to outsiders, you and I have long been seen as one. If you fall, even if I did nothing, can you be certain they’ll spare me?”
Su Qishi held her forehead, her thoughts in disarray. “The General’s Mansion will protect you…”
Gu Congran’s eyes reddened. He snapped, “Lies! Su Qishi, I treated you as my closest friend. We’ve known each other for eighteen years… and now I feel there’s no need to continue.”
Su Qishi was stunned. She understood every word Gu Congran said, yet she couldn’t comprehend them strung together.
“You want to cut ties with me?”
Gu Congran was silent for a moment before she finally said, “Yes. There’s no trust left between us, so—” She paused, then looked at Su Qishi. Seeing no sign that Su Qishi would stop her, she finished, “Let’s cut the robe and sever the bond.”
Su Qishi’s eyes were bloodshot. “Fine. I agree.”
Without hesitation, Gu Congran took up the dagger Su Qishi had gifted her for her eighteenth birthday and, with a swift motion, cut off the hem of her skirt. Both of them watched the orange fabric fall slowly to the ground.
Even though regret already stirred in their hearts, neither was willing to bow.
Gu Congran left.
Su Qishi closed her eyes, and two streams of hot tears slid down her cheeks. She forced herself to suppress all emotion.
The next morning, Su Qishi arrived at the Dongcheng residence.
“Mr. Shen, don’t be nervous. You’re bound to achieve top honors.”
Shen Wang cupped his hands respectfully. “Then I shall rely on Miss Shi.”
Su Qishi glanced at Nian Qi, motioning for her to take the bundle.
“I’ll have Nian Qi escort you, just in case something goes wrong on the way.”
Shen Wang knew this was a critical moment and did not refuse. “Many thanks, Miss Shi.”
Su Qishi waved a hand and smiled, “It’s nothing. Hurry and get on the carriage—don’t be late.”
Once the carriage departed, Su Qishi made her way to the training grounds in the western part of the city.
Dressed in fitted martial attire, her jet-black hair tied high with a single red ribbon, Su Qishi held a bow in one hand. With practiced ease, she drew a long arrow and nocked it, pulling back the string with full force. Her movements were swift and decisive.
The arrow flew like the wind, whistling toward the target.
Yet this time, the arrow narrowly missed the bullseye, grazing the edge of the target a hundred meters away.
Seeing this, Yang Heng stepped forward. “Your Highness seems troubled today.”
Su Qishi cast him a sidelong glance and replied coolly, “Yes, you saw right through me.”
Yang Heng bowed his head slightly and spoke in a gentle tone, “Your Highness never misses the mark. What could be weighing so heavily on your mind?”
Su Qishi set down the bow and picked up a handkerchief to wipe her hands, her voice calm.
“It’s nothing serious. I just have a friend—she had a falling out with someone close to her, and she doesn’t know how to mend it. She doesn’t want to lose that friend.”
Yang Heng understood but didn’t point it out. Instead, he offered his opinion,
“May I ask, what exactly happened between your friend and her friend?”
Su Qishi looked around briefly, then waved him closer. She leaned in and whispered,
“Well, it’s like this—my friend tends to overthink things. The conflict started because her friend felt that she didn’t trust her, and so she got angry.”
Yang Heng glanced at her with suspicion but maintained a composed expression as he quietly awaited her response. “In my opinion, no matter how great the conflict, they must talk it out. Misunderstandings, if left unaddressed, only grow. Often, it’s the misunderstanding itself that’s the most fatal.”
Su Qishi’s face grew clouded with sorrow. If only everything could be said plainly, there would be no conflict. But what could she possibly tell Gu Congran? That she had been reborn? That in her previous life, her fiancée ran off with another, her own mother wanted her dead, and even her elder brother and sister sought her demise? That she came back to change her miserable fate? She’d only become a joke to Gu Congran.
Su Qishi patted Yang Heng on the shoulder, her tone heavy. “Vice Commander Yang, you’re quite the wise one.”
Just then, a soldier hurried over, saluted, and reported, “Your Highness Prince Yue, Miss Liu requests an audience.”
Su Qishi sighed. “Take her to the command tent.”
“By your command.”
Su Qishi turned to Yang Heng with a smirk, “Not only are you good at commanding troops, but your insights are equally sharp. I’m impressed.”
Yang Heng’s expression turned stiff. He knew the prince was teasing him again.
“Your Highness, I truly cannot bear such praise.”
Su Qishi laughed. “Alright, I’m heading off now. Carry on, Vice Commander.”
Yang Heng cupped his hands. “Safe travels, Your Highness.” Then, under his breath, he muttered, Childish temperament…
At the entrance to the tent, Su Qishi took a deep breath before lifting the flap and stepping inside.
The first thing she saw was A’Li’s cold and resolute expression. As Su Qishi entered, A’Li’s beautiful eyes lit up with joy, but the brightness faded in an instant. She turned her head away, refusing to look at Su Qishi, her whole demeanor shouting: Come coax me.
Su Qishi’s voice softened. “A’Li, are you still thinking about that day?”
A’Li let out a faint huff—the answer was obvious. Of course, it was about that day.
The memory of that day surged back at Su Qishi’s words, and A’Li’s face burned with shame.