Otherworldly Companions: Every Handsome Man is Extraordinary

"What's wrong with you? Why are you even worse than when we last met?" When they were alone, Jiang Yu pulled her friend aside and asked helplessly.

"What? What happened?" Chen Xin's eyes darted around, trying to dodge the question and brush it off, but she failed.

"Xiang Lan just said he was going home, and you didn't say a word. You don't mean to let him go back on his own, do you?" Jiang Yu didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"There's no rule saying I have to go back with him. Is there such a thing as a 'return visit' here?" Chen Xin was a little confused.

Xiang Lan had told her beforehand that he would be going home to visit his hometown in the Ocean Empire for a few days, but he hadn't asked her to come with him. Besides, he had just arrived today and was already saying he wanted to go back, so it was obvious she wouldn't go with him; she wanted to play with Xiao Yu.

Jiang Yu really didn't know what to say to Chen Xin. What on earth was going on in this child's head? Besides Zhong Qin, could she even hear the sound of water when she was shaken?

“If you hadn’t come to the Ocean Empire with me, it would have been fine for Xiang Lan to come back alone on business and go home by herself. But you came too, and it’s only the first year of our marriage. Do you think it’s reasonable for her to go home by herself?”

Jiang Yu couldn't help but sigh, "Poor Xiang Lan. His family probably thinks he must be very unloved by his wife, which must put so much pressure on him!"

"Ah, I didn't think that much about it... Now that I hear it, I seem to have gone quite a bit too far. Sigh, Xiang Lan didn't tell me anything. I thought he wanted to go back by himself," Chen Xin said in surprise, suddenly feeling a little guilty.

"I'm not trying to criticize you, but you haven't read a single bit of world history in all this time. You have so many husbands, and you don't care at all. You should at least think about them. I only have Qingyin and Yi, and I already feel unbalanced and always feel sorry for them. You're just busy flirting with Zhong Qin. This can't go on!"

Jiang Yu spoke bluntly, and she knew that what she said was harsh, but given their long-standing relationship, they were each other's support in this different world. She believed that Chen Xin wouldn't take these unpleasant words to heart, but would instead keep them in mind.

"But I really love Zhong Qin. I feel like I'm betraying our relationship if I'm nice to or pay attention to other people," Chen Xin said, hugging Jiang Yu with some distress.

“They all look down on him, thinking he has nothing but his face. He only has me. If I don’t treat him better, what will he do? They simply can’t tolerate him.”

“Even the divine envoy Fan Qingyin and General Lin Yi don’t even look at Zhong Qin properly. I’m so sad. If he’s sad, I’ll be even sadder. I feel so sorry for him. But he never says anything because of me.”

Jiang Yu was even more helpless. She was about to say something when Chen Xin interrupted her again. Chen Xin was a little angry, pinching Jiang Yu's face with both hands and rubbing it repeatedly, pretending to be angry as she said:

"And you, I know you feel I'm neglecting Xiang Lan and want to stand up for him a little. I know you're actually doing this for me. But isn't Zhong Qin pitiful? You all ignored him, and he was the last one to even acknowledge him!"

Jiang Yu let her abuse her face, but still said disapprovingly.

“You feel sorry for him, but he’s already standing by your side and has received almost all of your love. Meanwhile, Xiang Lan, your real husband, is like an outsider.”

“We are biased because you are confused. I can understand your views because you have accepted the worldview of the 21st century, and I am also tormented by it all the time, but they are not. They are native people here.”

“Gibert, Xiang Lan, and Dovica are. Fan Qingyin and Lin Yi are. Zhong Qin is also!”

"They accept the class and hierarchy of the empire. Family background is a source of support, and people are divided into classes. It is common sense that servants cannot be on equal footing with nobles."

“If Zhong Qin didn’t have this face and hadn’t won your love, you probably wouldn’t be troubled by this law of the world. After all, you have so many servants and you don’t feel that the world is unfair to them.”

Chen Xin's eyes widened, and she unconsciously loosened her grip. She clutched her chest in disbelief and said, "My God, Xiao Yu, how did you become like this? Do you know how cold, rational, and terrifying you are? You're practically a native of this world! Or one of those arrogant and rational nobles."

"Don't give me that." Jiang Yu remained unmoved, and seeing her friend casually sit down on the sofa, she poured a glass of fruit wine and handed it to him.

"Don't you understand? The real reason Zhong Qin is ostracized and resistant is your attitude. If you're confused, people can still be tolerant of you, but Zhong Qin is clearly pretending to be confused even though he knows the truth, and just goes along with you. Why should everyone indulge him?"

"You think he's neither humble nor arrogant, but others will only think he's always inappropriately showing off his presence."

"If I were him, I would be grateful after receiving your love, and try to keep a low profile. I would also advise you to regain some rationality and at least treat your husbands fairly."

Chen Xin seemed to have absorbed quite a bit of what she was saying, looking thoughtful. Then she took a big gulp of juice from her glass, her attitude of admitting her mistake was quite good.

"Okay, I will definitely reflect on myself. I will accompany Xiang Lan when he goes home this time."

"But Xiaoyu, I can't ask anyone else, but at least for my sake, treat Zhong Qin a little better, okay?"

She pouted and playfully shook Jiang Yu's sleeve, looking at him with an innocent expression. Jiang Yu smiled and flicked Chen Xin's head, thus letting the matter drop.

Jiang Yu was still secretly worried about her friend.

Zhong Qin didn't seem like a parasitic plant relying on Chen Xin; on the contrary, it felt like Chen Xin depended on him more.

This is precisely because of the unequal emotional investment.

Zhong Qin loved her, but not nearly as recklessly as she loved him.

Chen Xin had basically never been in a relationship in the other world. She had always been a tomboy with a fiery personality, and the guys she got along with treated her like one of the guys. Plus, she seemed to be exceptionally oblivious when it came to romance.

Jiang Yu recalls having two brief but ultimately unsuccessful relationships during her student days, and probably even less clearly than the parties involved. She remembers that it was because Chen Xin acted like one of the boys, putting her arm around him, which eventually made the boy who had been eyeing her give up.

Asking her to balance the feelings between so many men, to find the right balance, and to maintain appropriate distances is indeed a bit of a challenge for her.

Take it slow. Chen Xin is kind-hearted by nature, she should be fine.

Just as I was thinking, I was suddenly interrupted by Chen Xin's exaggerated voice.

"Xiao Yu, did you eat Lin Yi?"