My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion
Chapter 162 - 142 You Like Me!

Chapter 162: Chapter 142 You Like Me!

A cold wind swept through, signaling that winter was near, and faint snowflakes seemed to dance on the edge of the sky.

Scattered blossoms of snow, as though about to descend unannounced.

The snow came overnight, perfectly echoing the verse: "Suddenly, like a spring breeze in the night, thousands upon thousands of pear blossoms bloom."

"He won’t marry you!"

Min Ning’s mind flickered back to her sister’s heartfelt words.

She gazed at the man slowly turning to face her, his expression tinged with amusement.

Marry... What a foreign concept that was.

Since long, long ago, Min Ning had never considered the idea of marriage, even though she had reached the appropriate age. It was something so distant to her.

Not because there wasn’t anyone she admired, but because she never thought about marriage—perhaps it was that she never considered marriage and thus never found someone deserving of her admiration.

With her status, who could possibly marry her? And whom could she ever marry?

She had never viewed herself as a woman waiting impatiently in a bridal chamber. It was precisely due to this understanding that, in those earlier days, she had chosen resolutely to approach him—for her sister’s sake.

"...Don’t ruin yourself."

That was Min Ming’s warning to her, ever etched into her heart. But keeping it in her heart was never the same as living by it.

Her sister saw her sinking deeper and deeper, which left her desperate to pull Min Ning out of this whirlpool.

She was ruining herself...

He wouldn’t marry her, perhaps wouldn’t even give her a name—a bond that tied her to him could break at his whim, discarded like worn-out shoes.

Min Ming had been sorrowful then. Her younger sister, meant to be a great hero, was to be treated so cruelly—it was ruining her.

"Your words are rather amusing."

Chen Yi chuckled, amused.

"Young Hero Min wishes to bear the humiliation in place of her sister, is that it?"

His voice pulled Min Ning’s thoughts back. She clenched her fists and forced an air of nonchalance:

"Isn’t this exactly your kind of thing? Fine, fine, I’ll oblige you."

Chen Yi toyed with the strands of her hair with intrigue.

"Brother Yue Chi does have the spirit of a hero, but I wonder... does he also harbor a heart tender enough?"

Min Ning felt a chill spreading through her body, her face growing paler.

"Heh... Cut the useless talk. Stop acting so indecisive like a woman," she replied.

Chen Yi leaned closer, watching the sweat on the tip of her nose tremble.

"Do you truly plan to sacrifice yourself?" he asked.

"What else? Invite you for some tragic drama rehearsal?"

Min Ning raised her chin as she spoke.

"Just don’t pull it out later—and realize yours isn’t bigger than mine."

Chen Yi doubled over in laughter.

Under the night sky, Min Ning’s countenance was shrouded in unreadable shades, while Chen Yi appeared unaware of the calculations going on in her mind—whether to only remove her upper garments or open a small hole in her trousers.

Something fell onto the tip of his nose. Chen Yi reached up to touch it and found it was merely a snowflake.

"Do it cleanly and swiftly," Min Ning commanded coldly.

Chen Yi let go of her strands of hair, sneering.

"I told you, this has nothing to do with you," he spat.

Min Ning’s eyes widened, locking onto him.

"There’s a rightful debtor for every grudge—if it’s between Min Ming and me, I’ll settle it directly. You should go. We can still be like before."

Chen Yi adjusted the cuffs of his robe, brushing away minuscule traces of snowflakes.

"You... you mean to harm my sister, yet want me to treat you as before?"

"She harmed me first."

Chen Yi cast a sidelong glance at her.

"Min Yuechi, whoever harms me, I’ll harm them in return. Even the esteemed Princess Jing dared try to kill me, and I shattered the Longevity Bridge, severing nearly all hopes she had of ascension—and now a mere Oiran from the brothels is supposed to be nobler than Princess Jing?"

Min Ning’s complexion grew paler, while Chen Yi had already begun to walk away.

"Wait a moment..."

"What is it?"

She grabbed onto him once more, causing Chen Yi to turn and glance back.

"Aren’t you bent on destroying dreams? My sister’s dream is me."

Min Ning spoke with difficulty—over many years, they had relied on one another for survival, though they rarely said it aloud, both were aware.

"She may be an artist courtesan, but she’s still a brothel woman. Her dream isn’t about chastity, her body, or anything else—it’s me..."

"And so?"

Chen Yi’s tone remained flat.

Under the moonlit night, an air of silence hung heavy. Her back was soaked with cold sweat, her official robes weighed down.

Min Ning bit her lip, hesitated for a long time, and finally uttered:

"Chen Zunming, destroy me... Ruin Min Yuechi."

"Oh?"

Chen Yi chuckled even more amusedly this time, running his fingers along Min Ning’s cheek.

Feeling the man’s fingers grazing her skin, Min Ning shuddered, goosebumps rising all over.

She lifted her gaze, steadfastly meeting his, until unexpectedly, she broke into laughter:

"I’ve wanted to kill you too, haven’t I? I’ve wanted you dead so many times. It seems only fair if you want revenge against me... That being the case, let’s keep it simple—you ruin me, and we’re even."

Chen Yi’s gaze sharpened.

Min Ning watched him quietly amidst his complex expression. The trace of pity in her eyes flashed away fleetingly, as she said softly:

"You can avenge my sister, and take revenge on me—why not?"

Her voice was calm yet steeped in an inexpressible desolation. She had never felt this defeated even when faced with waves of bandits within the Jianghu. In those moments, when her hands held no blade, her heart still grasped one, cutting through the wind and rain.

"What’s this now—you don’t want to kill me now that I’m targeting your sister?"

Min Ning smiled faintly before sighing deeply:

"Honestly, I don’t understand it either. I used to not think about these things—didn’t want to kill you, couldn’t kill you—but I can’t bear to see you harm my sister either. You’ve... walked alongside me in heroism for quite a while now."

As she slew demons and defended the innocent, Chen Yi was always there, even if he never thought of himself as a righteous man, nor did she ever fully believe in his goodness.

She had nearly come to accept him. Though it wasn’t a soul-stirring realization, it occurred quietly—he had occupied too many spaces in her life. He wouldn’t marry her, yet she had nearly come to accept him. Despite this, she still wished to stand beside him as before, championing justice.

"But do you realize, once someone’s sanctity is destroyed, they’re no longer a hero?"

Chen Yi’s mocking tone said it all—being a hero was her greatest dream.

"Then you’re the one destroying me!"

Min Ning burst out suddenly, her eyes reddened.

Chen Yi froze for a single moment.

Her breathing quickened, her head dropped, and as though she couldn’t hold herself together anymore, she whimpered:

"You’re the one... You’re the one destroying me..."

Chen Yi remained silent.

Watching Min Ning in this state, he suddenly understood why she could comprehend how to cut through wind and rain.

Something inexplicable lodged itself in his chest—a suffocating sensation.

"You don’t want me to target your sister, but you don’t really want to sacrifice yourself either.

You don’t want me to be ruthless, but I was never inherently righteous to begin with."

The suffocating feeling remained, as Chen Yi stared at Min Ning, his fingers brushing her trembling yet defiant face, with a hint of malice:

"So, are you going to beg me to ruin you?"

"Beg... beg you?"

Snow fluttered down as Min Ning raised her fiery eyes.

"You shameless creature—you still expect me to beg you?!"

"Heh. If you think about it, this situation actually benefits you," Chen Yi replied with a dry chuckle.

"I benefit? How exactly am I benefiting?"

Min Ning was trembling, her face flushed red with anger and humiliation, her chest heaving uncontrollably.

"Clearly, you’re the one taking advantage of me—how can you twist this so disgracefully?!"

"Aren’t I a Martial Arts master, and you just a seventh- or eighth-rank nobody asking me to shame you? Pray tell—what am I gaining here? On what grounds?"

For reasons unknown, the suffocating sensation inside Chen Yi twisted into rage as he pressed her for answers.

The young hero stood motionless, trembling as though struck speechless.

"Why are you silent now? Hmm?"

For a long time, she remained still. Chen Yi seemed to think her anger might drive her to leave on the spot, so he laughed derisively:

"Say something. Tell me—on what grounds?"

Suddenly, she grabbed his collar, rose onto her toes, pressed against his face, and declared word by word:

"Because you love me!

Goddamn it, Chen Zunming—because you love me!"