The Eldest Daughter is Delicate and Pretty, How Can She Be a Malicious Supporting Character - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: A Knot in the Heart

Xue Yiran was already itching to get started, her eyes shining with excitement.
This caught Shen Xun’s attention, and he gazed at her with a lazy expression. “What’s with all the excitement? Are you sure you’ll win?”

“Hmph, of course, I’m sure. Don’t worry, since we’re allies, I won’t let you come here for nothing. Just watch my performance.”
Xue Yiran clenched her fists secretly, determined to use her knowledge of the plot to her advantage and show these arrogant ladies her strength.

She wanted the name Xue Yiran to be known throughout the entire capital city.

Watching the girl’s confidence, Shen Xun was intrigued, wondering what tricks she had up her sleeve.
A hint of danger flashed in his narrow eyes, but when he looked up again, he had returned to his harmless appearance.

Pei Lingyi stood not far away, observing everything. She held a vibrant autumn begonia in her fingers, its delicate petals still dewy from the morning.
As if unintentionally, the begonia fell, landing in the dark soil and getting crushed, releasing its red juice.

The girl’s eyes didn’t have their usual gentle expression.

Standing in the shadows, her long eyelashes hid her emotions. For a moment, she was a malevolent ghost from the underworld, disguised as a fairy but rotten inside.
When she turned around again, she had returned to her usual self, with a gentle smile on her lips.

She comforted her nervous sister. “Tangtang, don’t be afraid. Just show your true talent.”
Pei Sitang’s palms were sweaty with tension. Despite her sister’s reassurance, she couldn’t calm down.
If she could become a talented lady like her sister, she wouldn’t be afraid of anything.
“Yes, I’ll do my best and not disappoint you, elder sister.”

After comforting her sister, Pei Lingyi began searching for Xiao Yan.
She didn’t know where he had gone, and she hadn’t seen him all morning. Maybe he had overslept after drinking too much last night?

This thought flashed in Pei Lingyi’s mind, but she quickly dismissed it. If he could really be that careless, he wouldn’t have reached his current position as the commander of the Imperial Guard.
She had chosen the guqin and painting as her two skills.

Actually, she was proficient in all the eight feminine arts, which was expected of a noble lady from the capital city.

However, since the Gentlemen Gathering only allowed two choices, she wanted to make a deep impression, so she had to choose the two skills that could touch people’s hearts the most.

The sound of the guqin was most able to touch people’s hearts, making them unforgettable. As for painting, Pei Lingyi smiled slightly. Today, Mister Xu was present, and as the Minister of Education, his influence among scholars was like an insurmountable chasm.

If she could gain his favor, it would save her a lot of effort in the future.
Thinking this way, she still couldn’t see Xiao Yan’s figure. Since her turn was later, she hadn’t reached the stage for the competition yet.

From a distance, she saw a commotion coming from the archery hall and wondered what was happening.

That was the competition venue for men. Maybe she could see him there.
When Pei Lingyi arrived, the archery hall was already surrounded by many people, both men and women. The men were mostly hot-blooded, cheering and shouting beside her, while the women were shy and hesitant, wanting to look but not daring to.

Xiao Yan stood on a high platform in the archery hall, wearing a black narrow-sleeved python robe with a red cloud-patterned belt around his waist, accentuating his tall figure. A piece of excellent ink jade hung from his belt.
His eyes were covered with a black silk band, tied at the back of his head, fluttering gently in the wind.

He held a long bow made of oak wood, its curves smooth and emitting a faint cold light. The target stood quietly in the distance.
The next second, the man gently drew the bowstring, and then his arm extended, releasing an arrow that shot across the sky like a meteor.

“Whoosh—”

The arrow carried a piercing momentum and a sharp whistling sound, hitting the center of the target!
The thunderous cheers from the crowd instantly engulfed the entire archery hall.
There was no denying that Xiao Yan’s ability was exceptional.

However, what came next would be the real test. Pei Lingyi’s eyes darkened as she realized he had chosen to dodge blindly. If he couldn’t dodge the arrow, he would really lose his life.
In that instant, two thoughts flashed through Pei Lingyi’s mind.

One: Xiao Yan failed to dodge and was pierced through the heart by the arrow.
Two: Xiao Yan dodged successfully, and his path to becoming the champion would be half-won.

To be honest, Pei Lingyi privately hoped that he would end his life like this, so no one would know her handle anymore.
But for the sake of her interests, he couldn’t die now.
Xiao Yan’s bow and arrow had been taken away, and the target that he had just hit the bullseye on had been moved behind him.

At the same time, a person in armor on the opposite side held a bow and arrow, preparing to aim at the target behind Xiao Yan.

The so-called blind dodge meant that the person stood in front of the target, waiting for the arrow to come, and the challenger had to cover their eyes and dodge the arrow based on the sound.

The archer was a well-known expert in the military, and naturally wouldn’t miss the shot. Therefore, the blind dodge tested the challenger’s hearing and reaction speed.

Since the Gentlemen Gathering began, no one had ever challenged the blind dodge. While shooting with eyes covered was possible for some, blind dodging required not only exceptional skill but also great courage.
No one had dared to challenge it personally since the Gentlemen Gathering started, and Xiao Yan was truly breaking new ground.

While Pei Lingyi was thinking, the archer on the opposite side was ready to shoot. The crowd that had been cheering just moments before was now holding their breath, afraid to make any noise that might disturb the challenger’s judgment.
“Whoosh——”

The arrow flashed with a cold light, piercing through the air. Everyone’s heart was in their throat, and even Pei Lingyi couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Just as the arrow was about to hit the man in black, he slightly tilted his head, and the arrow passed by his shoulder, cutting a strand of hair but not harming him.

The silver arrow hit the red target behind him perfectly.
“Great——”

The crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. Xiao Yan pulled off the black silk band covering his eyes, revealing a pair of frost-like cold eyes. Even the breeze seemed to favor him.
His high ponytail, tied with a black ribbon, fluttered in the wind. The man stood on the high platform like a god.

When Pei Lingyi met his deep gaze, her heart skipped a beat. Memories flooded back to four years ago, when his eyes seemed to see through her, filled with arrogance.
But now, the once-youthful boy had grown up, and she couldn’t read him anymore.

After a single glance, Pei Lingyi hastily looked away and turned to leave.

She quickly escaped the crowded archery hall, surrounded by the cacophony that didn’t suit her.
Only when she returned to a quiet place did Pei Lingyi’s racing heart slowly calm down.

After witnessing the scene, Pei Lingyi realized that she had been stuck in her own limitations, afraid of her lies being exposed, afraid of Xiao Yan, and even trying to escape his gaze to get him to let her go.
But this wasn’t something she could escape.
Recalling the man’s confident and dashing appearance just moments before…

She clearly saw something in his eyes that was similar to her own – ambition.
Pei Lingyi leaned against the tree trunk, her fingertips lightly touching the branches behind her. She thought about the scene in her dream and slightly lowered her head.

When she woke up, her calculations almost unintentionally excluded Xiao Yan. In the end, it was still because she couldn’t untangle the knot in her heart.

If the Pei family could continue to prosper, she wouldn’t mind holding onto her own handle. But now, the future was uncertain, and one wrong step could lead to disaster.
She had to firmly grasp all the variables in her hands!

And Xiao Yan was a piece she had to play. With his noble identity and exceptional martial arts skills, it was almost impossible to kill him.
She touched her face, thinking that beauty was something a person could use to easily gain others’ favor from birth.

Since Xiao Yan’s dislike of her was like a substance, she had to think carefully about how to make him fall…

When she reappeared in front of people, Pei Lingyi had already composed her emotions.
A woman in a maid’s uniform walked slowly towards her.
“Miss Pei, it’s your turn to paint on stage.”

“Yes, I know. Thank you,” Pei Lingyi said gently, which surprised the young maid.
The maid quickly bowed and retreated. Looking at Pei Lingyi’s green figure from behind, the maid couldn’t help but sigh.
Compared to other noble ladies, Miss Pei was not only beautiful but also had a gentle tone.

She thought of the miss from National Duke Li’s family she had just notified. Although that miss was also beautiful, her temper was unbearable. Compared to Miss Pei, the miss from National Duke Li’s Family was far inferior in terms of elegance.