Forced Reconciliation

When Lin Qingyan said this, her face remained as lifeless as ever, showing no concern for anything.

But Gu Chengyin could tell that she was holding a grudge.

A grudge over Gu Xiaoli's sudden attack on her earlier.

Gu Chengyin let out a sigh, though he wasn't too surprised.

After all, the Heart Demon Lin Qingyan only lacked desire and love; everything else about her was the same.

So it was perfectly normal for her to hold a grudge. Someone who couldn't even let go of pain and hatred.

How could she possibly forgive Gu Xiaoli for the sudden attack, especially when there was already bad blood between them?

If Lin Qingyan had shown complete indifference, or even acted like it didn't matter,

that would have made Gu Chengyin question whether she really was the Heart Demon.

But no matter which version of Lin Qingyan it was—the original or the current one—she always seemed to forget one thing.

That the upper hand was in Gu Chengyin's hands.

The deal he had with Lin Qingyan involved nothing beyond that.

If he gave in now, there would be no telling how much trouble it would cause later.

After a moment of silence, Gu Chengyin suddenly moved.

He stepped forward and grabbed Lin Qingyan by the wrist.

This action caught Lin Qingyan off guard.

Gu Chengyin's hand was long and strong, his knuckles distinct, carrying a faint warmth as he firmly wrapped it around her wrist.

What was he doing?

Lin Qingyan instinctively wanted to pull away, yet she couldn't bring herself to.

She wanted to ask him what he was doing, but didn't know how to put it into words.

Especially now, when she was still playing the role of the Heart Demon.

She had no idea how a Heart Demon consumed by pain and hatred would respond to such an intrusion from Gu Chengyin.

Would she coldly shake off his hand?

Would she ask him expressionlessly what he intended?

Her mind was a complete mess, and she had no idea what to do.

In the end, she could only keep a stiff face, letting Gu Chengyin pull her out of the room and toward the room next door.

Since things had already come to this, Lin Qingyan stopped trying to break free.

Her face still wore that lifeless indifference, as if nothing mattered.

But deep down, she was secretly delighted.

Lin Qingyan cast a furtive glance at the hand holding hers.

That hand, with its distinct knuckles, pale and slender, now firmly gripping her wrist.

The warmth, the touch, the pressure…

Ever since she started playing the Heart Demon, she hadn't gotten to be close to Gu Chengyin like this.

Even though this was just hand-holding, it still made her heart leap with joy.

And that made her even less likely to try to pull away.

The two walked through the corridor and arrived at the room next door.

Gu Chengyin pushed open the door and led Lin Qingyan inside.

In the room, Shangguan Yunying was still petting the cat.

Gu Xiaoli lay curled up in her arms, her eyes squinting in comfort.

Shangguan Yunying held her with one hand while gently rubbing her cat ears, her face full of contentment.

But the moment Gu Chengyin and Lin Qingyan stepped into the room.

Gu Xiaoli's cat ears shot up.

Her squinting eyes snapped open, her vertical pupils contracting sharply as she glared warily at the doorway.

It was that bitch Lin Qingyan!

Gu Xiaoli's fur was about to bristle.

She opened her mouth, ready to hiss and bare her sharp little fangs.

"Xiaoli."

A calm voice rang out.

Gu Xiaoli looked up.

Gu Chengyin was staring at her with his calm eyes.

His gaze wasn't harsh or fierce—it was practically gentle.

But when Gu Xiaoli met his eyes, she trembled all over.

Even though she was at a higher cultivation level.

Even though she was a half-Step Nascent Soul cat demon, and Gu Chengyin was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

At that moment, she inexplicably felt a surge of fear.

That fear was vague and hard to describe. It wasn't fear etched into her instincts.

Rather, it was more like the involuntary submission one feels toward a master.

Gu Xiaoli slowly closed her mouth, and her perked-up cat ears drooped down.

She didn't dare to hiss anymore.

Gu Chengyin pulled Lin Qingyan over to the table, standing above as he stared down at Gu Xiaoli.

His heart was steady, calm as still water.

Gu Xiaoli might be a half-Step Nascent Soul cat demon to others.

But to him, she was just a soft little cat girl.

Because of those two binding vows, Gu Xiaoli could never harm him.

That meant Gu Chengyin had no need to sweet-talk her into compliance.

All he had to do was discipline her harshly when she did something wrong.

It was that simple.

Gu Xiaoli curled up in Shangguan Yunying's arms, looking at Gu Chengyin with unease.

She didn't know what she had done wrong, but the look on Gu Chengyin's face clearly showed he was angry.

Was it because she had attacked Lin Qingyan?

But hadn't he already forgiven her earlier?

Gu Xiaoli bit her lip, feeling wronged but too afraid to speak.

Just as she was stewing in her anxiety, Gu Chengyin's free hand suddenly reached out and grabbed hers.

Gu Xiaoli froze for a moment, but didn't dare resist, letting him hold her hand.

Then she watched as he pressed her hand together with Lin Qingyan's.

Two hands—one large, one small; one cold, one warm—were forced together.

Gu Xiaoli stared blankly at their hands.

She was now holding Lin Qingyan's hand.

That hand was cool and slender, nothing like her own small one.

Lin Qingyan was equally stunned.

She never expected Gu Chengyin to resort to this method.

Forcing her and Gu Xiaoli's hands together, making them reconcile by force?

This…

This was too…

Lin Qingyan's feelings were a tangled mess.

Sure, she liked Gu Chengyin, but that didn't mean she wanted anything to do with that stupid cat…

"I don't care what history or grievances you two have."

Just as Lin Qingyan was wrestling with her thoughts, Gu Chengyin's voice rang out:

"But starting now, you have to make up!"

His tone carried an authority that couldn't be ignored.

Lin Qingyan's heart jolted.

Gu Xiaoli trembled again.

Both of them stood there stunned, unsure how to react.

Gu Chengyin's gaze first fell on Gu Xiaoli, stern and unyielding.

"Xiaoli."

Gu Xiaoli instinctively looked up at him.

"If you still bear the surname Gu, then apologize to your aunt."

Gu Xiaoli's eyes widened.

The surname Gu…

With that sentence, Gu Chengyin was telling her.

If she didn't listen to him, she could forget about being a Gu.

Gu Xiaoli pursed her lips, glancing back and forth between Gu Chengyin and Lin Qingyan.

Lin Qingyan still wore that expressionless mask—empty, disinterested, as if none of this mattered to her.

But her eyes were secretly watching Gu Xiaoli's every move.

Gu Xiaoli hesitated for a moment.

Just earlier, she had been stubborn, refusing to apologize.

But now Gu Chengyin had spoken again.

With that tone, that look, that uncompromising certainty.

Gu Xiaoli lowered her head.

Her cat ears drooped, and her tail hung limp, no longer bristling with defiance.

Finally, she whispered: "Sorry, Sister Qingyan. Xiaoli shouldn't have attacked you."

Her voice was small, soft, tinged with a note of grievance and reluctance.

But in the end, the words had been spoken.