IMGH Chapter 74

How Could You Like Him

Qiu Rui waved his hand, cutting off Han Yuancheng’s words. “Chengcheng, forget about what I asked you to look into last time.”

Previously, Qiu Rui had instructed Han Yuancheng to conduct a thorough investigation into Jiang Yi and Chen Yuhe, as he had vaguely felt that Jiang Yi had something to do with the soul-trapping evil formation he had been caught in. Now, even though he still felt that Jiang Yi was surrounded by suspicious circumstances, Qiu Rui found that he no longer wanted to know the results of the investigation.

It doesn’t matter who Jiang Yi is. I like him, so of course I’ll trust him unconditionally.

Han Yuancheng stared at Qiu Rui in surprise, unable to understand why he had suddenly changed his mind. Yet there were certain things he had to tell Qiu Rui regardless. Ignoring Qiu Rui’s attempts to stop him, Han Yuancheng reported everything. “The Secret Division has already gotten to the bottom of it! Chen Yuhe is indeed a disciple of Xuanqing Palace, skilled in the art of Qimen Dunjia! As for Jiang Yi — his records are strange. From five years ago onward, there is nothing but a complete blank. The Secret Division tried every method available and still couldn’t find any information from before that point!” Han Yuancheng’s gaze drifted toward the carefree man in the distance, and he had an unsettling feeling that the man was not as simple and wholesome as he appeared on the surface.

That man gave him a sense of something strange and dangerous — every time he saw him, a vague unease stirred somewhere in his heart.

“He has no reason to harm me! I trust him!” The certainty in Qiu Rui’s voice made Han Yuancheng’s brow furrow.

The Qiu Rui he knew was a sharp, meticulous thinker — someone who would never let his guard down so easily. And on top of that, Jiang Yi’s identity was genuinely suspicious.

“Qiu Rui, this isn’t like you! Jiang Yi is highly suspicious — the way he carried himself today was nothing like the simple profile in the records!”

Han Yuancheng’s voice was urgent, and the change in Qiu Rui unsettled him deeply.

“Is that so? Chengcheng, I haven’t changed. I’m still the same Qiu Rui I’ve always been!” Qiu Rui’s gaze remained fixed on the man in the distance. He simply trusted Jiang Yi — the kind of trust that would remain unconditional even knowing he was a terrible, wicked person. A stubborn, bone-deep faith.

Han Yuancheng followed Qiu Rui’s gaze. In the distance, the man had his hands laced behind his head, leaning lazily against a tree trunk with his legs crossed, a long slender blade of green grass dangling from the corner of his mouth.

The very picture of a deadbeat. Han Yuancheng couldn’t understand it — what did a man like that have to deserve Qiu Rui’s trust?

“Qiu Rui, don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. A man like Jiang Yi is simply not worth trusting!” Han Yuancheng’s tone carried undisguised contempt.

“Enough!” Qiu Rui’s voice cut through like a cold blade, sharply silencing Han Yuancheng. “Chengcheng, I hope this is the last time I hear you say that!”

Han Yuancheng stared at Qiu Rui in disbelief. In that moment, Qiu Rui felt like a stranger to him.

Then, in a sudden flash, Han Yuancheng recalled the way Jiang Yi had treated Qiu Rui the last time they had met.

Even back then he had harbored suspicions, sensing dimly that Jiang Yi regarded Qiu Rui in no ordinary way.

Thinking back on it now, Qiu Rui’s answers when questioned at the time had been far from convincing.

Could it be… that Qiu Rui liked Jiang Yi?

The thought burst into his mind like a clap of thunder, and Han Yuancheng’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

His gaze swept back and forth between Qiu Rui and Jiang Yi, searching desperately for some reasonable argument to refute the utterly absurd idea taking shape in his mind.

But what he found instead was this: Qiu Rui — who in his day-to-day life was cold and indifferent to everything — had warmth rising in his eyes. And that warmth was directed precisely at where Jiang Yi stood.

Han Yuancheng’s heart plummeted into a bottomless abyss, shattering apart completely. How could this be?!

Han Yuancheng refused to believe it. How could Qiu Rui possibly like someone as utterly ordinary and unremarkable as Jiang Yi?

He didn’t believe it. He absolutely refused to believe it.

“Qiu Rui — do you like Jiang Yi?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Han Yuancheng regretted them. He suddenly wanted to flee, and found he didn’t even dare listen to Qiu Rui’s answer. He was afraid that what Qiu Rui said would be something he simply could not accept.

But Qiu Rui gave him no chance to escape. As though he had long anticipated the question, Qiu Rui answered without the slightest hesitation, direct and unhesitating.

“Yes. I like Jiang Yi.”

The same calm, even tone as always — yet the words made Han Yuancheng’s head spin.

“Qiu Rui, you… how could you like him?” Han Yuancheng stared at Qiu Rui in stunned disbelief, his eyes filled with incomprehension — and something else. An overwhelming, searing heartache.