The General’s Manor.

Li Xingruo heard some things from Uncle Tian that she couldn’t even imagine. She pulled the two children over and asked them in detail about the process of their acquaintance with Liu Zhenqing.

One detail after another, she listened.

Li Xingruo laughed wildly for a long time before bursting into tears. Finally, she ran out to count how many pills Huo Fenglie had taken along to control his illness.

Uncle Tian couldn’t figure out what Li Xingruo was thinking, and could only ask worriedly: “Did he not bring enough pills?”

Once Li Xingruo finished counting, she estimated, “It was originally enough, but with him, it might not necessarily be enough.”

Uncle Tian’s face was full of questions, and he continued to ask: “Will Second Master go for proper treatment this time? Didn’t you say that he shirked it every time in the past?”

Li Xingruo scoffed and said: “Don’t worry. This time, he’s reluctant to die.”

After Li Xingruo finished speaking, she went to the small Buddhist chamber.

The small Buddhist chamber was deserted. There was a Buddha statue on the table and an incense holder. In the light of the setting sun, one could still clearly read the memorial tablet on the altar. It belonged to Huo Feihan.

But next to Huo Feihan’s, there was another tablet covered with a white silk cloth, so that the writing on it could not be seen. The cloth was poisoned. Even if someone broke in, no one would dare to touch it. Only Li Xingruo could.

She stepped forward and suddenly opened the white cloth. On it was the name “Liu Zhenqing.”

Li Xingruo grew angry upon seeing it. She pointed at Liu Zhenqing’s tablet and cursed: “What a liar! You didn’t even greet me when you came back.”

“Han-ge, do you think it would be better for me to beat him one time or two times?”

“Hmph, I’ll beat him three times.”

“This old lady is angry to death! Now that I can’t hit anyone, I’ll curse you! I curse you…..to be outshined by Er-gou sooner rather than later!”

“No, wouldn’t that make you cheap? Han-ge, your little brother also needs to be taught a lesson. He even hid it from me? What, does he want to hide him away now and not let anyone know? This kid!”

“I say, there’s no need to prepare a memorial tablet. Haha.”

. . . . . . . .

“Shimei, help me prepare a memorial tablet too. It should be made of the same material as the boss’s. This way, me and the boss can stay together and play.”

“Are you crazy? Do you want me to beat you?”

“You know the state of my body the best. Maybe it will come in handy soon.”

“Rubbish. Retire early and take good care of yourself. You’ve done enough for Yuan Jue and Great Zhou. How could something happen to you with Master and I joining forces?”

“En, that’s right. Then I’ll endeavor to live past thirty.”

“Live a long life for this old lady!

. . . . . . . . 

“Achoo!” Liu Zhenqing sneezed loudly. He rubbed his nose, then continued to dig into the soil with the shovel.

After digging happily for a while, he felt more and more that something was wrong. He obviously hadn’t dug very deep back then, so where was it?

Liu Zhenqing paused, turned slightly, and continued digging in disbelief.

Huo Fenglie watched for a while before stepping forward to take Liu Zhenqing’s shovel. Without knowing what he was digging for, he said: “I’ll do it.”

Liu Zhenqing was already tired, and was too lazy to be polite. He sat down to rest and said with a puzzled expression: “When I was kidnapped by the bandits, I was carrying a lot of money and treasures on me. In order to make it easier to escape, I buried them here.”

Huo Fenglie suddenly stopped digging.

“Strange, I remember that it was here, ah. Could it be that I lost too much blood at that time and my head wasn’t clear, so I remembered the wrong place? After all, this is a barren mountain, and it was burned. It’s unlikely that someone would have come here. How could it have disappeared?”

Huo Fenglie continued digging, but his tone was a little stiff when he said, “You could have remembered wrong.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a clang, as if he had hit something hard.

Liu Zhenqing was right next to him, so Huo Fenglie certainly couldn’t hide it, and Liu Zhenqing saw the strange stone buried in the pit at a glance.

Liu Zhenqing took a sharp breath. This was obviously not natural, but a deliberate placement.

Once he could react, Liu Zhenqing let out a wretched cry like the roar of a tyrannosaurus. “Fuck! Who did it!”

The dignified general was shaken by his roar, and sweat began to form on his forehead.

Liu Zhenqing pushed Huo Fenglie away and fished out the stone, but there were no other clues left behind.

His wife money had vanished just like this!

Wife! Money! Ah!

That was the starting capital for him to start a new life and escape!

Before he could even run away, one of his legs was broken!

Huo Fenglie gazed at the agitated Liu Zhenqing and seemed to see tears of despair glimmering in his eyes.

Huo Fenglie had a guilty conscience. “I have money here.”

Liu Zhenqing looked aggrievedly at Huo Fenglie!

Huo Fenglie still felt guilty: “It’s enough.”

Liu Zhenqing: That’s useless, ah!

Running away from Huo Fenglie and leaving the Liu family in a mess was already wicked enough. How could he escape and take away his money?!

There was nothing he could do now, so he cursed the guy who had cheated him of his wife money.

Curse him for not being able to marry a wife in this lifetime!

Liu Zhenqing, who had been in high spirits along the way, was completely silent as he returned to the carriage. His entire person seemed to have lost the glow of vitality as he leaned listlessly against the wall of the carriage. Even Huo Fenglie got into the carriage and looked at him. This person didn’t even have the energy to talk anymore. It was obvious that he had taken a hard blow.

Originally, in order to make up for the mistake made by his subordinates, Huo Fenglie had planned to hand over his wallet to Liu Zhenqing. But seeing Liu Zhenqing so downcast, he seemed to understand something and didn’t mention it again.

When they arrived in a new town that night, they checked into an inn. It wasn’t until Liu Zhenqing followed Huo Fenglie to a room that he seemed to return to his senses. 

“General Huo, you’re sleeping in the same room as me?”

Huo Fenglie nodded.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help the widening of his eyes. As he looked around, he found that although it was only one room, there was a table in the middle with screen-off beds on the left and right sides. It could be considered a double room, a reasonable arrangement.

Liu Zhenqing randomly picked a bed, set down his bags, and thought to himself: What is he thinking? Sleeping in the same room as someone who had pursued him? If it was the original person, after this night, I fear Er-gou would have lost his innocence. This child is truly not enlightened in this area, ba. Just like when he was a child, he was emotionally unresponsive.

Just after putting his things away, Liu Zhenqing turned and found Huo Fenglie standing behind him like a silent shadow. Liu Zhenqing was so frightened that he tilted back, and would have fallen on the bed if Huo Fenglie hadn’t grabbed him.

“What are you doing?” Liu Zhenqing asked in shock.

Huo Fenglie held Liu Zhenqing steady before letting go, and said in a low voice, “I’m calling you to eat.”

Liu Zhenqing was speechless for a moment. He could just call out, he wasn’t deaf. “You don’t make any noise when you walk. It’s rather scary.”

Huo Fenglie said that he would pay attention next time. Scanning around, he made sure that there was only the one window in the room, then walked around outside the screen to wait.

When they came to the first floor of the inn to eat, Huo Fenglie asked him to order, and Liu Zhenqing felt a little better when he saw that the dishes were good.

The waiter saw that they were well-dressed, and naturally gave them warm recommendations. “Guests, would you like some wine? Our wine is the best in the city.”

Liu Zhenqing’s interest was piqued when he heard this, but then he glanced at Huo Fenglie across from him and remembered the night before. He waved his hand with lingering fear. “No need, no need, let’s just have tea. Right…..Brother Huo?”

Huo Fenglie looked at Liu Zhenqing and nodded.

Once the waiter had left regretfully, Liu Zhenqing asked: “Is it okay if I call you Brother Huo?” Going out to investigate while incognito, he couldn’t call him ‘general.’ It would be too easy to be exposed.

Huo Fenglie nodded.

Liu Zhenqing smiled dryly and sounded him out: “By the way, I didn’t do anything while drunk last night, right?”

Huo Fenglie lowered his head and drank his tea. “I don’t know.”

When he said this, Liu Zhenqing was relieved. As expected, Er-gou’s drinking capacity was still average. He must have gotten drunk too.

Now that he had a garbage constitution, he had better not drink alcohol before leaving, just in case he exposed himself.

That’s right, Liu Zhenqing still had to run away. Although he didn’t have a few taels of silver on him, how could a living person be so foolish as to die from holding in his pee?^[1]

However, in order to prevent his escape from becoming more difficult, it was better to eat and stay with Huo Fenglie all the way. When they got to Jiangnan, it wouldn’t be too late to run away then.

Thinking this way, Liu Zhenqing regained his energy and ate contentedly, only to find that there was another empty plate on the table with pieces of boneless fish meat gradually being laid on it.

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows, and was about to pick his own fish when he saw Huo Fenglie opposite him push the plate toward him.

Liu Zhenqing looked up in surprise, and Huo Fenglie said: “You eat it.”

“Ah?”

“I don’t eat much. You eat it so that it doesn’t go to waste.” Huo Fenglie spoke in a calm tone, as if this was a normal thing.

The corners of Liu Zhenqing’s mouth twitched. He didn’t feel that the fish meat picked by Huo Fenglie was something that mortals couldn’t touch, but only felt that Er-gou was pitiful. Was this bad habit truly unbreakable?

“Then thank you. But if you don’t want to eat it, you can try not to choose it. Habits can be changed,” Liu Zhenqing advised as he picked up a few slices and ate them shamelessly.

Huo Fenglie glanced at him and said, “There’s no need to change. I like picking fish bones.”

Liu Zhenqing pitied Huo Fenglie even more.

After finishing the meal, he wanted to call for hot water and take a bath in the room, and the waiter recommended the inn’s own hot spring pool. After a day of traveling and riding in the carriage, his back was sore. As soon as he heard about the hot spring, Liu Zhenqing was immediately interested. Returning to the room, he happily picked up a change of clothes and prepared to rush to the hot spring pool. He saw Huo Fenglie standing there and invited: “Does Brother Huo want to come too?”

Huo Fenglie’s expression seemed a little abnormal, and there was some hesitation on his face.

Liu Zhenqing instantly understood. It was fine to sleep in the same room, but not to bathe together. This boy really did care.

Liu Zhenqing was amused. “Brother Huo, could it be that you’re afraid I’ll…..”

“Brother Liu is worrying too much.” Huo Fenglie’s expression was serious as he turned around and picked up his clothes, intending to go with him.

There were quite a few people when they came to the changing room, all of whom were old men taking off their clothes. Some removed their clothes completely, and some wore towels. The hot spring could be reached through the bamboo door to the side.

Liu Zhenqing stripped naked and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Turning his head to the side, he saw that Huo Fenglie next to him had only taken off his top layer. He didn’t know if was already feeling the heat of the hot spring from here, but Huo Fenglie’s ears were already a little red from the steam. 

Liu Zhenqing was not in a hurry to go soak in the hot spring, and had enough time to examine Er-gou’s grown up body.

His body was strong and muscular, a perfect inverted triangle shape, and of course he had abs. Every line was just right, without a trace of excess fat. Like a graceful leopard, every inch was full of hidden strength and masculine charm. 

As soon as he took off his shirt, many men around made sounds of admiration.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t care much about Er-gou’s figure. After all, he was sick of looking at Huo Feihan in the past. There was no telling how many times he had touched it, and he was already immune to this kind of figure. However, Liu Zhenqing was dazzled by how many scars there were on his body.

Even Huo Feihan did not have so many when he was alive.

This child had suffered many injuries throughout the years, many of which were near the heart. He could imagine how dire those injuries had been. 

Likely because Liu Zhenqing’s gaze was so obvious, Huo Fenglie’s hands paused while undressing on the belt of his last layer.

Sensing Huo Fenglie’s embarrassment, Liu Zhenqing innocently raised his head and looked at him. Huo Fenglie felt uncomfortable for a rare moment, and then glanced at him as if in warning.

Liu Zhenqing: ……

Okay, ba. If I keep looking, I won’t be able to use amnesia as an excuse.

“Brother Huo, I’ll go first.” Liu Zhenqing laughed dryly, then turned and walked toward the bamboo door.

And the moment Liu Zhenqing turned around, Huo Fenglie hastily took off his clothes.

Liu Zhenqing suddenly stopped, and the corners of his mouth curled into a smirk. How could he be so honest? In fact, he was rather curious about Er-gou’s situation. He was so big. And he was still a man who was like an older brother, so it was natural to be competitive.

So as he approached the bamboo gate, Liu Zhenqing turned back secretly but failed to match Huo Fenglie’s speed.

At that time, Huo Fenglie was already wearing a towel and had his back turned to him.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t see anything, but he glimpsed several uncles standing opposite Huo Fenglie. They had been talking and laughing normally, but now they were staring open-mouthed in Huo Fenglie’s direction. Swallowing, they picked up the towels next to them and silently covered themselves, as if they had been given a shock.

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows curiously and watched as Huo Fenglie turned around. Naturally, he was caught peeking.

Huo Fenglie regarded Liu Zhenqing with a stiff expression.

Liu Zhenqing smiled awkwardly, turned around, and rushed to the hot spring to take a dip.

When Huo Fenglie came in, he said nothing, and sat an arm’s length away from him with a straight face.

Liu Zhenqing felt that he had to clear his name, so he turned to say that he had no evil intentions toward him. He sensed Huo Fenglie tense up for a moment and turn slightly in the other direction.

Liu Zhenqing: Pfft.

What to do? With such an interesting Er-gou, he suddenly wanted to play with him.

Suppressing a laugh, Liu Zhenqing deliberately took a step to the side. Although he didn’t see Huo Fenglie move, he could clearly feel that the distance between them had widened once more.

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows and took a big step closer. He could instantly see Huo Fenglie’s jaw tense.

He moved again, and again.

Finally, without realizing it, Huo Fenglie was sitting in the corner of the hot spring pool. It would be too obvious if he moved again. 

Liu Zhenqing moved his buttocks at once and sat down directly next to Huo Fenglie. Their arms brushed, and he naturally felt the tense muscles of Er-gou’s arm.

“Ai, Brother Huo, why do you keep running to the side, ah? I want to talk to you.” Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help but smile like crazy. Seeing Huo Fenglie’s originally cold and unapproachable expression gradually crack, Liu Zhenqing became even more unscrupulous and leaned to the side at an angle, saying directly into this person’s ear: “Brother Huo, what are you doing? Are you…..afraid of me? But I’m a weak young master without the strength to truss a chicken, ah. You could topple me with just a finger, so I should be the one afraid of you, ah.”

Probably because his breath irritated Huo Fenglie’s already red earlobes, he turned to look at Liu Zhenqing. The sudden closeness almost caused the two of them to hit noses. Liu Zhenqing didn’t react, but Huo Fenglie had already tilted his head back to maintain a safe distance.

Looking at his expression, he was clearly angry, with an expression like he was being bullied but couldn’t resist. Liu Zhenqing was so happy that he almost laughed out loud. Where was the cold and dignified General Huo from before? Why did he feel so helpless with his clothes off?

But he knew that he had to stop and not go too far, lest he have to explain himself.

Liu Zhenqing cleared his throat and sat up straight, saying seriously: “Brother Huo, I’m just joking with you. I know you must still have some concerns, but believe me, I don’t like men in the first place. You can verify this. The reason I became obsessed with you later was probably because of your life-saving grace at the beginning. Now that I’ve lost my memory and returned to my senses, I really have no such thoughts about you anymore.”

Huo Fenglie’s expression changed, as if he didn’t know how to react.

Liu Zhenqing continued to explain: “And I didn’t have that kind of intention when I looked at you just now. It was because I saw something on you…..”

As Liu Zhenqing spoke, he looked at his chest, which was half-submerged beneath the hot spring water, and wanted to talk about the scars.

But in the next second, Liu Zhenqing’s gaze suddenly paused. With a look of confusion on his face, he reached out a finger and said, “What is this…..”

There was a sudden splash, and water was flung into Liu Zhenqing’s face and eyes. When he opened his eyes again, there was a flash of white, and Liu Zhenqing was shocked to see that Huo Fenglie was not only wearing a towel underneath, but also covering his entire upper body.

This girdle was as tight as a woman’s, and in the entire hot spring pool, he was probably the only one in such a strange situation. 

Liu Zhenqing was dumbfounded. He had actually prepared two towels and brought them in deliberately.

Was he really worried about him peeking at his body?

Wait, he couldn’t have thought just now that he wanted not only to look, but to touch.

This fucking made sense, and he couldn’t even explain himself clearly.

Liu Zhenqing cast Huo Fenglie a depressed look. “Brother Huo, I’m really not a cut-sleeve.”

He thought he wouldn’t get a response, but heard Huo Fenglie answer in a low voice, “I know.”

Such simple straightforwardness was not comforting at all. Too fucking fake.

Liu Zhenqing no longer continued the conversation, and blamed himself for being too nosy.

He took the initiative to sit farther away and slowly scrubbed himself. Huo Fenglie didn’t take off the towel during the entire process. When he was ready to go out, Liu Zhenqing left first, and Huo Fenglie waited a long time before following. Liu Zhenqing had learned his lesson, and avoided looking at him this time.

Just as he was getting into bed, that scene flashed through Liu Zhenqing’s mind.

Had he been disoriented by the steam in the hot spring?

Why did he seem to have seen some kind of brown-green tattoo slowly appearing on Huo Fenglie’s body?

This was obviously not normal. The area he saw at the time seemed to be quite broad, but it was not fully displayed, so he didn’t know what it was. 

Liu Zhenqing was curious about this matter, but was too embarrassed to ask. He also didn’t have the nerve, and it would be even more ambiguous if he questioned him again. Fortunately, Huo Fenglie returned with a normal attitude afterward, and the two of them got along naturally and harmoniously.

The weather was nice, so the two of them traveled for five consecutive days, only temporarily stopping at night. Finally, they approach an important hub for the Liu Family River Transport. One of the tasks given to Huo Fenglie by Yuan Jue was also to find where the disaster relief went wrong in Yanqiu prefecture.

And Liu Zhenqing was also very familiar with this place. The counties in Great Zhou that were most prone to flood disasters were under this jurisdiction, and counties eleven and sixty five were in need of disaster relief almost every year.

When Liu Zhenqing was in office, he often had headaches over this place and couldn’t sleep at night.

It was likely the same this time, with someone embezzling disaster relief funds.

As soon as the carriage passed the tea stall in front of the first village, a kind-hearted boss asked them if they intended to keep going. 

Liu Zhenqing enthusiastically inquired about the news.

“I advise the two of you to find another route.”

“Why?”

“The official road ahead passes through Feilong Mountain, and bandits are rampant now. I see that the two of you only have a carriage and a horse, but no guards. It is really unsafe. If you’re stopped by bandits, it would be a small matter to lose your money, but a big matter to lose your lives.”

“Don’t the local officials suppress the bandits?” Liu Zhenqing asked curiously.

“Suppress the bandits?” The boss seemed to have heard something amusing. “There are disasters in our area every year, so there is no time to suppress bandits. Moreover, the mountain is easy to get lost in, easy to defend but difficult to attack. The officials have tried and failed several times to deal with them. In the end, they could only turn a blind eye. Not to mention…..”

The boss immediately stopped talking when he said this, as if afraid of something taboo. “In any case, the two of you should take a detour. Just avoid the first two cities.”

After speaking, the boss turned and continued to work. However, the boss’s son next to him stood and stared at them blankly. It was probably rare to see guests as decent as them, and he asked with bright eyes if they were dignitaries.

Liu Zhenqing used fruits to amuse the child, and noticed that he was holding a frame made of wooden sticks in his hand. The shape was very strange, so he took a few more glances. 

After the boss took the child away, Liu Zhenqing asked Huo Fenglie: “Brother Huo, what should we do next? There are bandits.”

Huo Fenglie seemed to frown in thought, then looked up at Liu Zhenqing. “What do you think?”

Liu Zhenqing didn’t bother to think. “How should I know, ah? I’ll listen to you. I don’t even know martial arts, so if we encounter any, Brother Huo will have to work hard to protect me.”

“You can rest assured of this,” Huo Fenglie said.

Speaking this way was equivalent to going forward. After all, they were going to the city ahead, and there was no way around it. 

He had just gotten into the carriage when Huo Fenglie handed Liu Zhenqing a suit of soft armor from the baggage.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t like wearing these things. They were heavy, but considering the possibility of a mishap, he still had to make do with it.

The carriage continued to move forward, and after marching for half a day, no one was seen blocking the road. Just when Liu Zhenqing was rather disappointed, he heard the startling sound of horse hooves and familiar rhetoric.

“Block the road! This is a robbery!”

Liu Zhenqing covertly opened the curtain and took a look, his eyes filled with helplessness.

There were five or six men, none of whom could be considered strong in stature, and their sword-wielding posture was not standard. Like this…..Huo Fenglie could take ten of them in one go.

Turning around, he saw Huo Fenglie sitting on his horse with an expressionless face. He glanced at Liu Zhenqing calmly, and then at the people hiding in the grass on both sides.

An ambush?

“How many people?” Liu Zhenqing asked.

“Eight in total.”

Liu Zhenqing shook his head regretfully, and Huo Fenglie rode forward on his black horse, which was also calm and completely undisturbed.

Liu Zhenqing got out of the carriage and motioned for the frightened coachman to hide inside.

Huo Fenglie didn’t put a stop to Liu Zhenqing’s movements, because the opponents clearly didn’t have long-range weapons.

However, the bandit leader didn’t realize the seriousness of the problem. When he saw that there were only two people in total, and that they were well-dressed, he suddenly burst into laughter.

He drew in a deep breath and began to shout the rest of his lines: “This mountain is mine…..”

But just as he got started, he saw a handsome young man stand on the carriage and call out: “This road is mine, and now I’m seeing this scene. For this sudden eyesore, you must pay a fine. If you dare to refuse, I will beat you until you cry.”

Huo Fenglie: ……

The bandits were stunned. Why did his words sound so similar to theirs?

Who the hell was robbing whom, ah!

---

[1] (活人讓尿憋死) means to be unable to solve a problem due to inflexible thinking. I’m keeping the wording of this idiom as-is. It’s hilarious. ⮐

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Chapter Thirty-Four << Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirty-Six

When the next number stood in front of him, the director’s half-open fish eyes lit up with a swish.

Mainly because the white shirts in front of him made him aesthetically exhausted. The sudden appearance of a bright lemon yellow was indeed refreshing, and the boy was handsome, with a clean face and delicate features, and his hair was not styled messily, hanging softly between his eyebrows.

“Ahem……” The director flipped over the script. “You are not suitable for playing the role of the male lead. Try playing the second male lead. Just start at the scene where you catch the scumbag cheating on you. Let’s see who can act alongside you…..”

However, No. 12 obviously wasn’t listening carefully. He turned around and looked at Mr. Lin sitting in the back and his innocent round eyes curved up, revealing a gentle and well-behaved smile.

The director was a little dissatisfied. These young eighteenth-tier actors were not here to audition today at all! But he dared not speak out in anger, nor did he dare to offend surnamed Lin, who was an investor.

Lin Yuan had been chatting with his friend, and had no interest in the string of little white flowers swaying in front of him.

He suddenly felt his interest flag. After being gone for half a month, he now missed the soft, clean person at home. Even now, he hadn’t eaten that person, but just by holding Lu Qin in his arms, he would feel something warm and soft filling his chest little by little.

This feeling caused a strange heat to rise in his heart, slowly wrapping around it like wisps of vine, where a small, swaying flower was about to bloom.

The friend sitting next to him needed to go to the toilet. Lin Yuan scooted his chair back while holding his coffee and inadvertently lifted his gaze, meeting No. 12’s clear eyes.

He blinked like a little deer.

Lin Yuan: ……

After a few seconds, he realized that this was not a hallucination caused by excessive longing, and his expression suddenly changed.

He jumped up like a dog whose tail was stepped on. The coffee in his hand was unsteady, and splashed all over the childhood friend, who had just stood up. The height of the splash was unfortunate, and happened to land on the person’s crotch.

“Ow—!!”

The roguish friend was abused miserably and knocked over the small table while backing away. “Lin Yuan! Damn it! What grudge do you have against me!”

He was still looking for paper towels when someone walked over quickly, stretched out a slender hand, and handed him a pack of tissues. 

He followed it and saw the young man holding the tissues. Although he couldn’t see his face clearly against the light, his features were handsome and gentle, and his lowered eyelashes had a natural upward curve.

God, he was scalded into hallucinating. An angel had come.

He tried his best to be personable, and gave a distorted smile. When he took the tissues, he didn’t forget to take a breath of cool air and ask Lu Qi: “Hey~ What’s your name?”

Lu Qi: ……

Even though he was like this, he still didn’t forget to hit on someone. He was truly Lin Yuan’s good friend, one as bad as the other. He didn’t know whether to praise him for being strong-willed despite his disability.

Lu Qi smiled politely and said: “I am the subject of Lin Yuan’s mistress-nurturing and targeted poverty alleviation.”

He looked at Lin Yuan, who was standing stiffly on the spot, and continued: “En. Also, I’m more like Lin Yuan’s white moonlight’s……substitute?”

Lin Yuan ignored his friend, who had practically turned into a “boiled chicken,” and asked his assistant to send him to the hospital. Then he reached out to grab Lu Qi’s wrist.

But the always docile young man turned sideways and dodged it with an expressionless face.

For the first time, Lin Yuan saw a look of disgust in Lu Qi’s black and white eyes, as if he couldn’t stand even being touched by his hand. He had always been highly sought after, and had never been treated with such cold eyes. There were so many melon-eating people watching, and the anger that went to his head even momentarily covered up the trace of panic in his heart.

He took a deep breath and raised his hand to signal that he would not touch Lu Qi, whispering: “Go to the conference room next door, and I will explain it to you slowly.”

Lu Qi raised his eyelashes and seriously sized up Lin Yuan.

He had agreed to date Lin Yuan firstly because of Lin Yuan’s sincerity. He was hospitalized some time ago, and Lin Yuan cooked every day and sent it to his hospital halfway across the city. The second reason was that Lin Yuan was pretty good-looking, and had a good figure due to working out all year-round. Although he was not Lu Qi’s type, he was not hard on the eyes when they spent time together.

Now, Lu Qi finally had a deep understanding of what it meant to be a beast in human clothing.

He didn’t want a bunch of people to watch his private affairs, so he followed Lin Yuan out of the audition site.

. . . . . . .

When the door closed, Lin Yuan looked at Lu Qi.

The moment he entered the door, Lu Qi stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and kept his distance from him.

The light outside the window shone onto him. The figure reflected in the window was tall and slender, with slightly longer hair that was very soft. A strand of hair fell cutely behind his cool white ear, revealing a snow-like fragility in the contrast between black and white.

Lu Qi’s features still showed some signs of illness, but they were gentle and exquisite. He didn’t look sick and haggard, but good-looking with no sense of aggression. His eyes reflected the sunlight and turned a clear amber color as he lowered his eyelashes silently, like an elegant and well-behaved cat.

Lin Yuan’s heart softened, and he whispered: “Xiao Qi, I missed you very much.”

Lu Qi raised his head and looked over, astonishment in his eyes.

“How could you do this…..”

He was not very good at cursing, and in the end, he fiercely spoke an adjective that he thought was very harmful: “Shameless…..”

This word would be lethal to him, but it naturally had no effect on Lin Yuan.

When they changed rooms, he had already thought of how to quibble. Loosening his tie, he pulled out a chair and sat down.

“It’s just work, where did you hear such gossip from?” Lin Yuan said: “And you, what are you doing here and not painting at home? Are you interested in the entertainment industry? I can…..”

Li Qi raised his hand and threw the stack of white moonlight materials over. The papers were too thin, and the paperclip let go mid-air. Several papers swirled down, and one of them happened to hit Lin Yuan in the face.

The piece of paper was stuck to his face like this for more than ten seconds before Lin Yuan returned to his senses. He grabbed the paper and stared at Lu Qi with wide eyes, as stunned as if just seen a rabbit kick an eagle.

“Are you fucking crazy?” He, Young Master Lin, had never been slapped in the face. He suddenly became angry and stood up with a swish, looking down at the piece of paper on the table. On it were two teenagers walking side by side.

“I wanted to say that you don’t need to explain. It has nothing to do with me.” Lu Qi exhaled softly, and the fingers holding the thermos turned slightly white. “Lin Yuan, let’s break up.”

The conference room fell silent.

Lin Yuan seemed not to have heard clearly, and asked again: “Lu Qi, what did you say?”

“Break. Up.” Lu Qi spoke very softly, but enunciated every word. “Mr. Lin, I originally thought you were sincere, but I heard you talking from outside the door just now. I didn’t expect that you wouldn’t be able to control your lower body. So filthy.”

Crash—!!!

There was no telling which word stimulated Lin Yuan. He suddenly kicked the long, heavy table, causing the porcelain cups on it to rattle.

“This isn’t ancient times, you won’t let me touch you, and you expect me to hold it in?! I’m an adult man with normal physiological functions, and I still have to keep my body like jade for you?!” Lin Yuan pointed at the tip of his nose and showed it to Lu Qi. “When it comes to relationships, you think you’re so noble and virtuous! I’ve got a pimple on my nose!^[1] Are you blaming me for this now?!”

Lin Yuan’s explosion was so sudden that Lu Qi was startled, and the tuft of hair on his head shook. For a moment, he couldn’t pay attention to Mr. Lin’s unique value system. He grabbed the thermos and watched Lin Yuan, who had suddenly kicked the table, on guard in case he jumped over the table to bite him.

Phew~ Fortunately, it was too early for Dog Lin to reveal his true colors, and he stopped his losses in time.

He gave Lin Yuan a sympathetic look and asked cautiously: “Are you sick?”

Lin Yuan almost leaped up. “Are you saying I have AIDS?!”

“Ah, I didn’t mean that kind of disease…..” Lu Qi explained, “I mean mania? Uh…..do you want to go to the hospital for a checkup? En, you can also check to see if you have that other disease…..”

Lin Yuan: ……

He discovered that Lu Qi had a special ability, which was that he could always say sincere things that made people angry.

“It’s just a breakup…..don’t react too much…..” Lu Qi moved toward the door in small steps. “There are a bunch of white moonlight subjects outside…..”

“Stop!” Lin Yuan pinched his brow and said, “Let’s make things clear. Go out and ask around. Who else have I ever coaxed in such a way? You won’t let me touch you, but haven’t I refrained from forcing you? Am I not good enough for you?”

Lu Qi: ? ? ?

“Wow. You’re awesome.” Lu Qi held the thermos cup and clapped like a seal. “But would you force passers-by on the road? Would you force the director outside or your good friend? So isn’t this the most basic respect?”

Lin Yuan opened his mouth and was unable to refute for a moment.

Lu Qi’s cell phone vibrated continuously, and he took it out to look. Reply messages kept popping up from the previous forum post. The most recent was:

[If what the poster says is fake, then I hope it becomes true. If what the poster said is true, then why are you hesitating? Break up immediately and kick him in the waist!]

Lu Qi had already proposed breaking up. As for kicking someone, he thought it would be troublesome. When he was angry, he wanted to hit Lin Yuan with the thermos cup, but he didn’t want to go to the police station because of his impulses.

However, he had already taken the thermos cup, and it would be a pity not to use it.

So when Lin Yuan came over with a dark expression, Lu Qi immediately loosened the bottle cap. When Dog Lin was about to reach out and grab him, he stood on tiptoe, raised the thermos with both hands, and poured it over Lin Yuan’s head.

The tea was warm and had the sweet aroma of fruit. A small chrysanthemum hung on Lin Yuan’s temple, and a soaked lemon slice happened to stick to his left eye socket.

Lin Yuan was topped with a chrysanthemum and wearing a lemon eye mask, with an expression that looked as if he was about to explode.

Lu Qi took a step back and said, “I’ve been very restrained. Don’t do anything more. Let’s part without hard feelings.”

He felt that he had finished what he needed to say, so he turned around to walk out the door. Unexpectedly, Lin Yuan rushed over from behind and pushed shut the door he had opened a crack.

There was a slam, and it almost caught Lu Qi’s outstretched fingers. He was almost scared to death, fearing that Lin Yuan would bite him.

“I don’t agree to break up.” Lin Yuan spoke behind his ear. “I admit that you are very similar to Mu Nanqiao, but you…..”

The airflow from his words brushed the hair on the back of Lu Qi’s neck, making him particularly uncomfortable.

Lu Qi’s entire back was tense. He held his little paws with lingering fear, suppressed his discomfort, and warned Lin Yuan in a low voice: “Can you please maintain a social distance with me?”

He really couldn’t control himself.

Lin Yuan paused, but instead of backing away, he raised his hands and placed them on Lu Qi’s shoulders.

In his anger, he squeezed Lu Qi’s shoulders like he was a little clay figurine. Lu Qi couldn’t endure it anymore and turned around, shoving Lin Yuan.

His height and physical fitness were not as good as Lin Yuan’s, but after all, he was still an adult in his twenties. This shove sent Lin Yuan several steps back, and he almost hit the conference table.

“You…..you’re sick!” Lu Qi rubbed his shoulders and jumped like a little rabbit. He lost his temper this rare moment, and his cold white face turned crimson. “I don’t want to hear you looking for differences between me and that Mu…..Mu Nanqiao! What you’re doing with this rubbish is an insult to both me and him! If he’s a normal person, he would be disgusted by you lusting after him like this!”

He clearly saw the sudden surge of rage in Lin Yuan’s eyes, as if some inviolable secret area had been touched.

It seemed that Lin Yuan truly cared about what his white moonlight thought of him, and couldn’t bear the casual statement that he would be disgusted.

“What do you know…..” Lin Yuan’s expression was cold as he stood up straight and approached Lu Qi step by step. “He would never think that. He relies on me and trusts me. You can never compare to him.”

“Lu Qi, you have never taken me seriously since you and me got together.”

Lu Qi’s eyelashes trembled.

He was a little sad.

He was relieved.

The day he met the “talent scout,” he was out getting Lin Yuan’s birthday gift.

He knew that his feelings for Lin Yuan were mostly gratitude, but since he had agreed to date, he must take it seriously. So he worked hard to be good to Lin Yuan, and liked Lin Yuan more and more every day…..

Fortunately, they had just started out, and it hadn’t gone too far.

Lu Qi raised his head. Due to the height difference, he had to look up at Lin Yuan, but his eyes were clear and firm, and Lin Yuan’s brainwashing was obviously of no use.

“Do you think I should cry hysterically once something like this has happened to put your mind at ease?” Lu Qi shook his head calmly. “No way, it’s too disgraceful.”

Lin Yuan: ……

Lu Qi took a deep breath, and his slightly thin chest rose and fell. Then he walked quickly toward Lin Yuan.

“But today is your birthday, and after thinking about it, I should fulfill your wish.”

He stood in front of Lin Yuan, smiled, and suddenly kicked him in the waist.

The incident happened so suddenly that Lin Yuan was unguarded against the gentle Lu Qi. Even though he subconsciously dodged, the kick was still very strong, and he knocked over several chairs with a clatter.

He fell on the hotel’s carpet, which was not very clean. The pain came after, and he curled up with a groan. He managed to raise his head to look at Lu Qi who was standing beside the table, his eyes full of disbelief.

Lu Qi had never been in a fight, so kicking him in the waist was really hard for him, a lazy little guy. The force of the shock caused him to lean back and almost lose his balance, so he had to hold onto the table to keep from falling.

He arranged the small bag hanging on his chest, looked down at Lin Yuan, and asked innocently: “Didn’t you want to see me lose my temper? Why are you so shocked now?”

“Happy birthday. In this new year, act like a human being.”

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[1] Some people believe that not having sex will lead to acne. Who knew. ⮐

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Chapter One << Table of Contents >> Chapter Three

T/N: I’m ending one modern-day novel and starting another. This one is short, only fifty-seven chapters, but it’s the cutest frickin’ thing you’ll ever read. The plot is the healing journey of the two characters, so if you want a whole lot of sweetness mixed with a little angst and humor, this is the story for you. Also, the MC is a cinnamon roll with a spine of steel.

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At the end of June, summer officially began in Shanghai. Even standing under a tree made a person feel hot and dry, not to mention that there was someone chattering in her ear…..

A girl waiting for the bus frowned and looked for the third time toward the other end of the bus stop, where a slender boy stood. The weather was hot, but his appearance was refreshing. His hair was a bit long and fell against the back of his neck, making his skin look cool and white, like milky ice cream that could melt at any time. 

Of course, such a handsome young brother wasn’t the one making people feel it was too noisy. It was the short, fat, middle-aged man who was following him. He talked loudly and endlessly, causing everyone else to reveal their impatience, but the little brother continued to listen politely with his long, dark eyelashes drooping. Even though the other person looked like a fraud, he didn’t show the slightest impatience.

En…..

This little brother looked a bit easy to deceive.

The man had no idea that he was being targeted by several enthusiastic aunts who were ready to rescue the handsome boy and crack down on MLM crimes, and spoke confidently with his belly puffed out.

“Our company, ah, its full name is Xingtu Culture and Art Development Co. Ltd. It is a professional cultural institution that integrates artist training, artist management, personal art training, and corporate image and culture planning…..” He wiped the sweat from his head and handed the business card in his hand to the young man in front of him. “Look at you, your appearance is so good, don’t you want to give yourself a chance? You can rest assured that our company has a mature operating model. As long as you join our company, we will make you a tailor-made…..”

“But…..” Lu Qi said in a low voice, “Your company has only produced one online drama, and in May, it was removed from the shelves. This month, another artist was arrested for soliciting prostitution…..”

The man received this slap to the face and choked. He paused and said, “Listen to my explanation, those are all…..”

“I just searched the company name and found out.” Lu Qi blinked his clear eyes, saying earnestly, “Brother, I won’t jump into such a fire pit.”

The man: …….

While they were talking, the bus had arrived.

After being nagged at for so long, the boy was still good tempered and waved his hand to the deceitful elder brother. He was holding a flat rectangular box in his arms, wrapped in waterproof paper. It was unclear if it was a decorative painting or a photo. To prevent people on the bus from squeezing it in his arms, he stood at the back of the line and waited.

The man sighed in disappointment and sat on the bus stop bench to make a call.

“I met a boy today, and he definitely meets the standards you mentioned. He’s clean, tall, and seems to be well-behaved…..but he’s not stupid, so he refused to come.”

“Lao Li, do you think this is possible? Our small company still wants to find someone Lin Yuan will like? Mr. Xiao Lin has never seen anyone like this. If you ask me, it’s impossible to find five or six of them, they’re all like little ducks.^[1] The kid I met today is quite handsome, but at first glance he looks like a serious kid…..”

As he frowned slightly, the sunlight in front of him suddenly dimmed. He looked up and saw that the boy who left had returned again. He was holding the thing in his arms cutely with both hands, but the look on his face was strange. 

“Excuse me, did you just say…..Lin Yuan?”

. . . . . . .

Two days later, an outrageous post appeared on an anonymous forum:

[What should I do if I accidentally walked onto the scene of my boyfriend’s concubine selection?]

Lu Qi held his chin and waited for somebody to answer.

[L1: What? The Legend of Zhen Huan?^[2] Are you concubine Nian Shilan? Is he that big fat orange Yongzheng?]

It was likely that well-informed netizens had never had such an experience. They all lived in the 21st century, rather than a feudal society, and everyone would think he was joking. 

Lu Qi also felt that it was absurd. He held his chin and looked around, not knowing how he ended up sitting at this audition.

He hadn’t expected to meet a “talent scout” at the bus stop, nor had he expected that when he asked casually, the Lin Yuan in question was really his boyfriend of two months.

But after today, he may want to get freshly acquainted with his ex-boyfriend.

Looking around, there were five or six young people in their twenties sitting in the hotel conference room. Other than Lu Qi, everyone was wearing white shirts, jeans, and white canvas shoes, as neatly dressed as a cheerleading team.

Lu Qi felt that he should be under the car, not in the car, seeing with his own eyes how many good little brothers Lin Yuan had.

He sat among them wearing a lemon yellow short-sleeved shirt, like a bee that had strayed into a little white flower bush.

However, the little white flowers were all listening carefully to Xingtu’s Mr. Li, and nobody noticed him.

Mr. Li was the current person in charge of Xingtu Media. This company was so powerful that it even had to rent out a hotel conference room for a meeting, but this did not stop Mr. Li from drawing a pretty picture of the future.

In other words, he was a pimp.

“I might as well tell you some things directly. We are all adults and can understand.” Mr. Li indicated the man on the powerpoint. “Lin Yuan, the president of Hengjin Group, a young talent worth hundreds of millions. If you catch his eye, you will have inexhaustible resources in the future, so be clever during the auditions. The role isn’t important, what matters is that you look like the person he likes.”

Lu Qi lowered his head and looked at the information in his hands.

It was a very blurry silhouette. The boy was sitting on a bench, his long legs crossed, reading the book on his knees with his head lowered. Even though the photo quality was poor, one could vaguely see the clear outline of the young man’s face.

Just sitting there, it was enough to conjure up the best times of youth in one’s imagination.

Mr. Li was introducing this young man.

“In order for someone from our company to be selected, I have spent a lot of effort to find this information for you. This is the boy that Mr. Lin liked when he was in school. In the past few years, he has kept this type of boy by his side…..” He received a call and picked it up, walking out. “Take a good look at the information and think about it, ah…..aiyo, I told you that we were saved. As long as we get on Lin Yuan’s boat…..Oh, right, hurry up and buy me a white shirt on the way, that kid didn’t dress as required…..”

After Mr. Li opened the door and walked out, the small conference room became quiet.

Lu Qi flipped through the information. There were only a few pages, and the boy’s name wasn’t even there.

“Just providing a photo, how can this be done…..” the boy next to him muttered. He glanced casually at the people sitting around the table and finally tilted his head to look at Lu Qi. “Brother, you look good. Which school did you graduate from? Shenying or Shenxing? Are you gay?”

Lu Qi had been a little angry these past two days. Like a wilted bee, he ignored the little white flower that came to his door. His voice was a little hoarse when he said, “Shenmei.”

Having said this, he picked up the thermos he had brought with him and took a sip. The brewed fruit tea swirled in the cup.

Things had come to this point, and he wanted to laugh. Looking at the various white shirts in the room, he suddenly understood why Lin Yuan always suggested that he wear white.

How nauseating.

“No wonder. You look cultured, and you have the demeanor of someone who has read a lot.” The boy said with a laugh, “I’m a bad student. I didn’t go to a serious university, so I can’t compare to you.”

He looked left and right, and changed the subject. “Why did an intellectual like you come to find this kind of job? But that’s right, if you were making money, you wouldn’t mix with the poor.”

Lu Qi could hear the mocking satisfaction in his tone. He did not refute, lowering his eyes to flip through the information again.

The few thin sheets of paper were soon turned to the end. There was very little text, and all the photos were blurry. Occasionally, there were photos of two teenagers together. Even the high blur quality could not conceal the corner of Lin Yuan’s mouth with sunlight on his lips.

Ha. Look at how low-value he was.

The phone vibrated. Lu Qi lowered his head as a message popped up on the screen.

[Lin Yuan: Xiao Qi, I’ve returned to Shanghai. I have work to do in the afternoon, and I’ll go back in the evening. I’m looking forward to your birthday gift.]

An emoji was posted afterward, which showed a cartoon character sitting on the bed and patting the mattress next to him, full of implications.

Lu Qi thought for a while and then typed a reply:

[Ok, looking forward to seeing you~ (Drinking tea.jpg)]

Probably because he rarely replied in such a coquettish tone, Lin Yuan sent several messages one after another without noticing the strange emoji.

The boy next to him added: “But it’s useless to have a degree. You’re just a substitute. The important thing is the ability to lower yourself…..whatever Mr. Lin wants, I can do it. As for you…..”

He said jokingly: “You didn’t even want to prepare a white shirt. You have too much individuality. He may not like you like this.”

Lu Qi nodded obediently, gave the little white flower an earnest look, and made a suggestion: “You can let your hair down in the front a little bit, and mess it up a little so that you’ll look more energetic? But you also look good right now.”

The other party was stifled for a long moment. His face slowly turned red, and he let out an unnatural cough. “T-thank you.”

The staff entered and informed them to go out to get their numbers and prepare for the audition. Lu Qi, a little bee, followed the line of little white flowers. His number was at the front, and his waiting position was also at the front.

The door of the audition conference room was open. Someone had accidentally dropped a piece of mousse cake, and an attendant was cleaning the carpet.

Because the door was open, the voices of the two people sitting there talking could be faintly heard.

Everyone was holding resumes in their hands. Lu Qi’s resume was thin, and he rolled it up absent-mindedly. The person in front of him went in, and he moved forward again.

The voices he heard this time were much clearer. The conversation between the two was sandwiched between the overacted lines of the audition performer. Lu Qi was very familiar with one of them.

It was his boyfriend, Lin Yuan.

An unfamiliar male voice said: “Lin-ge, that clean and well-behaved child you keep by your side recently, isn’t it true that you haven’t gotten to eat him yet? Brother, what are you thinking? Are you nurturing a mistress or providing targeted poverty alleviation? If it doesn’t work, then use some medicine…..”

“You don’t understand. His earnestness is very similar to Qiaoqiao’s, and it’s quite enjoyable. Not to mention…..” Lin Yuan paused, and smiled meaningfully. “I’m not wronging myself either. I don’t touch him, but there are still others.”

The transparent packaging of the resume made a slight sound when Lu Qi’s slender fingers clenched it.

The conversation inside continued.

“Tsk, you know how to play.” Lin Yuan’s friend clapped his hands and said, “Did you notice? Those in front are here to audition. The further back I look, the more something seems wrong. They’re all wearing white shirts…..”

He hit Lin Yuan with his elbow: “You have someone on your mind, Lin-ge, ah. But I did see two good-looking ones. They look more like Mu Nanqiao than the one you have now. What do you think?”

Lin Yuan: “Let’s see, then we’ll talk.”

Their conversation was not too private. The boys in front of and behind Lu Qi lowered their heads as if they hadn’t heard anything. 

Also, as the young master of the Lin family who dominated the domestic entertainment industry, he was not afraid of any scandal. After all, if this got out, it would quickly disappear.

Lu Qi pursed his lips, took out the alcohol wipes from the little bag hanging in front of his chest, and began to wipe his hands over and over again. 

Xingtu’s Mr. Li squeezed in from behind and howled when he saw Lu Qi: “Ancestor, why are you still carrying a thermos cup, ah? Come on, give me the cup and go put on this shirt.”

“No. 12, please come in and prepare—”

Mr. Li: “Aiyo, Xiao Lu, switch with No. 13 first…..”

“No need.” Lu Qi waved his hand and returned the shirt to Mr. Li, and said politely before going inside, “Thank you, you keep it for yourself.”

Mr. Li patted his belly regretfully, feeling that he really couldn’t use it.

Seeing that Lu Qi was still holding the transparent thermos, he quickly reminded, “Xiao Lu, give me the cup.”

“I’ll just take it in.” Lu Qi tilted the cup and said thoughtfully, “It should be very easy to swing. Had I known, I wouldn’t have drank those two sips of water, and it would be heavier.”

Mr. Li: ? ? ?

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[1] In this context, little ducks (小鸭子) are male prostitutes. This is going to come up……a lot. ⮐

[2] The Legend of Zhen Huan is a popular Chinese TV show adapted from a novel about a woman in an Imperial harem. All of these are characters from it. ⮐

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Table of Contents >> Chapter Two

Author: Yan ShengSheng (言笙笙)

Synopsis:

Lu Qi had a naturally soft temperament. He only lost his temper once in more than twenty years, and that was when he sent his ex-boyfriend to the hospital.

Because his ex-boyfriend had a white moonlight, and when he couldn’t get what he wanted, he used him as a substitute.

It was said that the white moonlight was gentle and kind, and even his name was as soft as a little white flower, a Mary Sue. Lu Qi was 80% similar to him. 30% similar in looks, and 50% similar in temperament.

Then, Lu Qi really saw the legendary white moonlight.

The man was sitting at the intersection of light and shadow. He had a handsome profile and a tall, straight figure. His long legs were crossed, his black shirt had two buttons open at the collar, and the hair falling over his forehead covered his eyebrows. When he looked up, his eyes were narrow like those of a fox, with the dazzling lights and shadows of the bar gleaming in them.

Lu Qi hesitated for a long time, and while the scumbag was going to the bathroom, he cautiously walked over and warned him that there might be something wrong with the drink he just drank.

The white moonlight held his chin and chuckled, looking Lu Qi up and down with his charming eyes. “Is that so? He did something to the wine?”

Lu Qi blinked, feeling that they looked nothing alike. The scumbag might have a problem with his eyes.

The white moonlight walked straight toward the scumbag, and Lu Qi found that the white moonlight was even half a head taller than him. Then the white moonlight, who was said to be weak and defenseless, raised his long leg and kicked the scumbag in the waist and sent him flying.

Well, Lu Qi thought, they still had some similarities. For example, they both kicked the scumbag in the same spot.

. . . . . .

When he was a boy, Mu Nanqiao disguised himself as a little white rabbit in order to protect himself.

He pretended to be gentle, kind, and soft.

He watched with cold eyes as some idiot used despicable means to approach him in disguise. That idiot still thought he had deep feelings for him.

How could there be a pure soul in this world?

In the end, the idiot actually found one.

And he sent that person to Mu Nanqiao.

He was not a rabbit, but a deer. His eyes were crystal clear, and when he lost his temper, he would use his antlers to hit people.

So cute. Mu Nanqiao ran his tongue across his canine teeth and wanted to take the deer back to the fox’s den.

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Chapter 1	Chapter 20	Chapter 39
Chapter 2	Chapter 21	Chapter 40
Chapter 3	Chapter 22	Chapter 41
Chapter 4	Chapter 23	Chapter 42
Chapter 5	Chapter 24	Chapter 43
Chapter 6	Chapter 25	Chapter 44
Chapter 7	Chapter 26	Chapter 45
Chapter 8	Chapter 27	Chapter 46
Chapter 9	Chapter 28	Chapter 47
Chapter 10	Chapter 29	Chapter 48
Chapter 11	Chapter 30	Chapter 49
Chapter 12	Chapter 31	Chapter 50
Chapter 13	Chapter 32	Chapter 51
Chapter 14	Chapter 33	Chapter 52
Chapter 15	Chapter 34	Chapter 53
Chapter 16	Chapter 35	Chapter 54
Chapter 17	Chapter 36	Chapter 55
Chapter 18	Chapter 37	Chapter 56
Chapter 19	Chapter 38	Extra

Although the Bo family was regarded as one of the top wealthy families in the capital, Bo Yueming and Pei Yi did not spend extravagantly on their wedding arrangements. Instead, they tried to keep the decorations as simple as possible.

The reason for this was very simple. They two of them were used to keeping a low profile—

Marriage was a ceremony for themselves, not a “publicity stunt,” and they didn’t want other guests to regard their wedding as an occasion to flatter them.

The most important thing was that after discussing it with Old Mrs. Bo, they planned to donate all the money saved from the wedding and red envelope gifts to orphanage charities.

Old Mrs. Bo was getting on in years, and her heart had softened. As soon as she heard that the two juniors had such kind intentions, she naturally acquiesced to them.

The wedding was arranged on the open lawn of Bo Manor, and pure white and natural green became the main colors of the occasion.

When Li Yuan arrived at the wedding venue with his person, he took a quick look at Pei Yi, the star of the wedding.

Their eyes met.

Pei Yi immediately came up to him. “Pear Garden, you’re here. Where’s Yan Cen?”

Li Yuan motioned with his eyes, “He took a work call when I got out of the car. I couldn’t wait for him, so I came in first.”

Having said that, he took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray to celebrate. “Congratulations, ah. Happy wedding.”

Pei Yi smiled and accepted his blessing. “Thank you.”

Their wine glasses clinked.

Pei Yi had only taken half a sip when he caught sight of a familiar figure in his peripheral vision, and notified his friend who had his back turned.

“Pear Garden, look who’s coming.”

When Li Yuan heard this, he turned around to see—

Four or five meters away from them, Gu Jianshen, who they hadn’t seen in a long time, was signing in outside the venue under the guidance of an attendant.

The two exchanged glances and walked up together in tacit agreement.

Pei Yi was the first to speak out. “Brother Gu, welcome. I didn’t think you were coming.”

When Gu Jianshen saw his friend, he smiled and said, “You invited me to your wedding, how could I not come? Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Pei Yi raised his glass and asked unambiguously, “Now that you’ve come to the capital this time, do you intend to stay or leave?”

Gu Jianshen got his meaning and joked, “On an occasion like today, you still can’t forget to offer an olive branch and poach someone?”

Pei Yi smiled back. “Brother Gu, who made it so difficult to poach you?”

Hadn’t it been more than four months, and the other party still had no intention of resigning from Weiyi?

Gu Jianshen made eye contact with Li Yuan beside him, and discussed the agreed upon plan, “Actually, Mr. Li and I talked about it, and in another two months, I will hand over the project to Weiyi before New Year’s Day.”

“After this year’s Spring Festival, I’ll come to the studio at the beginning of next spring. Am I welcome?”

“Of course you’re welcome!”

Pei Yi looked at Li Yuan in surprise. “When did you two reach an agreement? Why didn’t I know about it?”

Li Yuan explained, “As for what happened last week, weren’t you busy with pre-wedding preparations? It’s just as well that I waited until today to tell you.”

Gu Jianshen also took a glass of wine and joked, “When you were in Haishi  before, it was like dropping a bomb on my career. Mr. Li is different—”

“In the past two or three months, he has been loosening the soil for me with a ‘small shovel’ at every turn.”

After this back and forth, Gu Jianshen was completely uprooted.

People flowed to higher places.

Weiyi was a very good platform for a game company, but Pei Yi had been right from the beginning. People who truly loved games looked forward to working in an environment where they could work side by side.

Pei Yi toasted again. “Then let’s celebrate in advance Brother Gu joining us at YWY. When you come to the capital next year, we’ll welcome you with a toast.”

“En.”

The three of them chatted for a while.

Pei Yi still kept in mind his identity as a star of the wedding. “Pear Garden, why don’t you take Brother Gu to sit inside? Sister Yang and the others are here. Do you want to get to know each other first?”

Li Yuan nodded. “Okay. Yan Cen will come later, you can show him the way.”

Pei Yi smiled at him. “Understood.”

Not long after the two left, the smile on Pei Yi’s face rapidly broadened and he walked over quickly with a look of dependence. “Er-ge, are you busy? Is Grandma okay?”

Old Mrs. Bo was a little dizzy after getting up early, and was resting in the main house.

When Bo Yueming saw his lover, the remaining seriousness on his face completely vanished. “The doctor checked and didn’t find anything serious, but her blood pressure is a little low.”

“With the two of us holding a wedding today, she was so excited last night that she couldn’t sleep well. We’ll finish up early and let her rest earlier.”

Pei Yi breathed a sigh of relief and joked, “I was just curious if she was fine, this little old lady scared me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a particularly deliberate cough sounded from the side.

Pei Yi and Bo Yueming heard the sound and looked around, only to find that Qin Yishun had entered the venue at some point, followed by the smiling mother and daughter, Shu Wan and Pei Yuan.

“Mom, Sister, Big Brother!”

Pei Yi called them one by one. “We didn’t you tell us in advance so we could go out and pick you up?”

Bo Yueming nodded. “Yes, ah.”

Shu Wan looked at the two of them with a smiling face, looking moved. “We were afraid you would be too busy greeting guests, so we came ourselves. Anyway, Yishun took us in, and there were no problems.”

Pei Yi fully understood his mother’s meaning. “We’re a family, so there’s no need to be polite. You two just have a good time today.”

Pei Yi took the initiative to give Shu Wan a warm hug, and promised in a low voice, “Mom, don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

“Ah.”

Shu Wan patted his back twice. “Good boy.”

Ever since Pei Yi’s “foolishness” healed, she felt as if she was alive again.

Her daughter was independent and self-reliant, and was making progress in her work, and her son was happy and had a successful career. Her life had been relaxed and comfortable for the past six months.

Bo Yueming glanced at his watch and changed the subject, “Mom, why don’t you go in and sit down first.”

When Pei Yi heard his lover call her this, he almost couldn’t control his smile. He added in approval, “Yes, ah, eat something to cushion your stomachs. The wedding ceremony won’t start for half an hour.”

Qin Yishun saw his brother’s unrestrained smile and felt helpless and doting.

These two had already reached the point of getting married. Of course he wouldn’t make any inappropriate sarcastic remarks again, but as Pei Yi’s elder brother, he still had to say something.

Bo Yueming seemed to be aware of this, and his eyes unconsciously turned toward Qin Yishun.

The two looked at each other, and Qin Yishun said, “Bo Yueming, take good care of Xiao Yi. If one day you…..”

“I won’t!”

Bo Yueming stopped him, preventing Qin Yishun from speaking an unwarranted assumption.

He looked around and made a solemn vow to the family members that Pei Yi cared most about, “There won’t be such a day. I will always be good to Pei Yi in this life, and that will not change until I grow old and die.”

His tone was very firm and earnest.

Shu Wan and Pei Yuan looked moved when they heard this, and Qin Yishun finally showed a hint of approval. “En.”

Pei Yi watched his family enter the main venue, and finally laid eyes on Yan Cen, who came in late.

Bo Yueming looked at his friend and asked, “Why are you alone?”

“Pear Garden went in a few minutes ago,” Pei Yi replied in his stead, and couldn’t help but tease, “I say, Mr. Yan, why are you still so busy with work? You still have to hide and make phone calls?”

Yan Cen pushed up his glasses slightly, and confirmed that his lover wasn’t around before whispering, “It wasn’t for work, it was for a major life event.”

Bo Yueming came to a realization first. “You’re proposing?”

Yan Cen admitted in a low profile manner, “En, tonight. I will borrow some of your blessings. If I succeed, I’ll treat you to dinner another day.”

Pei Yi was thrilled. “Pear Garden will definitely agree.”

Yan Cen said without revealing a trace of nervousness, “Thank you for your auspicious words.”

Having said that, he rushed off to find Li Yuan.

Pei Yi remained standing there, enveloped in an unprecedented sense of happiness. It wasn’t only for himself, but also for his friends and family.

Everything before him was a life that he had never before dared to imagine.

Pei Yi looked at Bo Yueming next to him and held his hand. “Er-ge, thank you.”

Bo Yueming immediately clasped their fingers together, helpless and doting. “What are you saying ‘thank you’ for?”

Pei Yi murmured after some consideration, “A lot. Thank you for liking me, for staying with me, for healing me, and even more for loving me.”

Bo Yueming understood his lover’s feelings concentrated in these few words, and kissed his temporarily empty ring finger. “Me too.”

. . . . . . . .

Half an hour later, the wedding started on time.

Bo Yueming and Pei Yi walked hand in hand to the main stage under the observation of many family members, friends, and guests.

At the wedding officiant’s indication, they stood face to face and spoke their long-prepared vows:

— I have been abandoned, discredited, and hurt, until I met you, who was also scarred. We saw through each other’s illusions and gained each other’s truth.

— We have watched the starry sky in winter and the fireworks in summer. We went from the first day of dating, to the first month of companionship. From the first year of falling in love, to the rest of our lives.

— Thank you for appearing and healing my incomplete soul.

— Thank you for your persistence and completing my realization of happiness. 

— Whether in sickness or in health, whether rich or poor, whether young or old, you will be my only love for the rest of my life!

They put on their wedding rings again amidst applause and blessings, and ran toward the future that belonged to them.

The wedding lasted until five o’clock in the afternoon before it officially ended.

When Bo Yueming took off his formal clothing and walked back to the first floor, he discovered Pei Yi standing outside the courtyard gate. There was also a staff member wearing an international express uniform next to his lover.

The moment the package was handed over, Pei Yi noticed Bo Yueming’s fixed gaze. “Er-ge.”

Bo Yueming approached. “What are you sending?”

“Wedding candy and a photo of our wedding,” Pei Yi confessed under Bo Yueming’s acquiescing look, “She’ll like it, right?”

There was no relying on others to get things done.

As Bo Yueming’s spouse, Pei Yi personally sent their happiness.

Moved, Bo Yueming kissed his lover’s forehead. “En, let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Nowhere, I just want to sit with you and watch the sunset.”

Pei Yi looked up and found that the sunset was burning brightly today, as if it was also celebrating with them.

Around them was the same courtyard where they had first met, and even their current positions were almost the same as before.

Pei Yi suddenly remembered something. He kissed the corner of Bo Yueming’s mouth childishly and spoke familiar words—

“I like you, let’s get married, husband~”

The two looked at each other and smiled.

No one had expected that the joke when they first met would confirm their future.

Bo Yueming wasn’t surprised this time, but kissed him and agreed, “En, it’s up to you.”

The evening breeze blew through their hearts, spreading their love everywhere.

They had survived all the loneliness and hurt, and fell in love at the best, most suitable age.

— The End —

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Chapter One Hundred Five <<Table of Contents >> Extra 1

T/N: We’re down to the last two chapters, guys, so I’m posting them both at once. It’s been quite the journey, and I hope you’ve all enjoyed it! The extras have been translated, and I’ll post them as soon as I get them edited.

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Lifelong partner?

When Pei Yi heard this speech that was different from a conventional proposal, ripples appeared in his heart and then spread all over his body at lightning speed.

The stinging in his eyes condensed into a thin layer of mist.

Pei Yi lowered his head to hide in embarrassment, but when he saw Bo Yueming still kneeling in front of him on one knee, he gave his answer practically without hesitation—

“If you’re not qualified, then no one in this world is qualified.”

“Bo Yueming.” Pei Yi solemnly called out his lover’s name and reached out his hand. “I love you.”

The heartstrings that had been tense all day finally relaxed the moment the ring was put on. Bo Yueming lowered his head and kissed the wedding ring, responding with solemn, focused affection.

“Me too. I love you too.”

Pei Yi couldn’t bear to let his lover continue to kneel, and quickly pulled him up. “Where’s your ring? I’ll put it on for you too.”

Bo Yueming took another ring out of his pocket and handed it over.

Pei Yi reached out and took it, and said in the same style, “Mr. Bo Yueming, are you willing to be my lifelong partner?”

Bo Yueming had guessed that his lover would ask this question, and said without hesitation, “Of course I’m willing.”

Pei Yi put the perfectly sized ring on his lover’s ring finger, then ran into his arms and hugged him. “When did you start preparing? I didn’t know anything about it.”

He felt that he was usually quite clever, but around Bo Yueming, he became a child who was confused about everything.

“If I said that I wanted to do this as early as when we first started dating, would you believe it?”

“Ah?”

Pei Yi was stunned for a second or two, and teased, “You wanted to tie me up so early?”

Bo Yueming bit his lipi lightly. “Didn’t I tell you earlier ‘one day, to one month, to one year, and then to a lifetime?’”

Whether it was Bo Lihong and Cynthia or Cheng Yangshan and Old Mrs. Bo, Bo Yueming was used to seeing betrayal in relationships, so he had decided early on—

In the future, he would either not easily start a relationship, or he would be sure of one person to the end.

Fortunately he got to know Pei Yi, who could always see through his true emotions and soothe his inner uneasiness.

Bo Yueming knew that Pei Yi’s fear of sentiment was even worse than his own, so he never forced the other party to keep up with him, and instead slowed his own pace to cooperate with his lover.

Luckily, in the past few months, the relationship between the two had become better and better.

Last time at Old Mrs. Bo’s banquet, Bo Yueming witnessed the prejudice and inconvenience caused by his and Pei Yi’s “business marriage” status, and his impulse to propose became increasingly strong.

And then that night, Pei Yi had nestled in his arms and told him about his past and his secrets little by little.

Bo Yueming was convinced that the person in his arms was also the person he wanted to grow old with.

Thus, he secretly planned this proposal without telling his lover.

There was not a great number of people, nor was it expensive. There was only his love and determination to do everything himself.

It was fortunate that nothing went wrong, and his kitten decisively agreed to his proposal.

Pei Yi was enveloped by happiness, and didn’t forget to murmur, “Er-ge, I actually intended to propose to you, but I didn’t expect that you would be so fast.”

Bo Yueming smiled and asked, “Is that so?”

“Definitely.”

Pei Yi picked up the red wine on the table and took another sip, admitting, “I didn’t believe in love before. I always felt that no matter how happy lovers were, they would eventually fall apart.”

“But you told me with your words and actions: That is not the case.”

“Er-ge, I believe in you, and I believe that we will be together for a lifetime.”

As Pei Yi spoke, he casually handed the remaining half glass of red wine to Bo Yueming. “A toast? To warmly celebrate your successful proposal!”

Only Pei Yi could think of such an odd reason to drink.

Bo Yueming laughed and took the drink without any avoidance at all. “It’s windy. Shall we go inside?”

Pei Yi glanced to the side and saw the brightly lit villa. “Okay, ah.”

The fireworks had launched so suddenly, and his beloved pet had left them behind to run inside. Now it was huddled behind the glass door, watching their every move.

. . . . . . . .

An hour later.

After washing up, Pei Yi reclined in bed and stared intently at the ring on his finger. Bo Yueming’s aesthetic taste was as excellent as ever—

The seemingly ordinary round ring actually adopted the design of a mobius strip. The gap at the twist on the front was inlaid with three white and black circles.

Understated, yet with a hint of refinement and luxury.

The more Pei Yi looked at it, the more he liked it and felt that it was a pity not to share it.

Although he was not usually a person who enjoyed showing off to others, he still couldn’t help but “attack” his friend after some consideration.

Pei Yi picked up the little straw butterfly in the vase and didn’t “deliberately” include his ring in the photo at all.

He quickly found Li Yuan in his contacts, clicked on the picture, and sent it.

“Does it look good? It’s a little straw butterfly.”

In less than half a minute, Li Yuan sent a reply.

“……”

The string of ellipses was straightforward and speechless.

As if he felt that this was not enough to relieve his anger, Li Yuan replied again, “Do you think I’m blind?”

Pei Yi was happy, and put on his performance more enthusiastically, “Tsk, tsk, look at me, I accidentally captured the ring.”

Li Yuan on the other end couldn’t bear it anymore and complained teasingly, “Little Boss Yi, why are you performing a tea ceremony at night? Who proposed to whom?”

The last sentence said normally.

Pei Yi leaned back on his pillow and replied in his usual tone, “He was one step ahead of me.”

“Congratulations. I hope you grow old together.”

Pei Yi accepted his friend’s blessing and gave him back the same, “Pear Garden, you will be very happy if you’ve met the right person. I hope you and Yan Cen will work hard too.”

Li Yuan on the other side was silent for a few seconds, then replied, “Treat us to dinner when you come back, and when we get married in the future, I will definitely give you a big red envelope.”

“Mr. Li is so generous.”

Pei Yi smiled as he typed, and went on to ask teasingly, “Does it look good? Are you envious?”

Li Yuan replied, “Stop showing off, be careful when you’re sleeping tonight.”

In the bathroom behind the curtain, the sound of water cut off.

Pei Yi knew that Bo Yueming had almost finished washing up, so he quickly ended the short and ostentatious conversation with Li Yuan and waited eagerly for his lover to come out of the bathroom.

As soon as Bo Yueming walked back to the master bedroom, he met Pei Yi’s shining eyes.

“Er-ge.”

“En?”

The moment Bo Yueming got close, Pei Yi took the initiative to jump on him.

The two exchanged a brief kiss, and the tips of their noses brushed against each other, ambiguous and tender.

“Are you happy?”

“En, happy.”

Bo Yueming pushed his lover back on the bed, took his hands, and kissed him. “As long as you’re happy. Let’s go to bed early.”

“…….”

Pei Yi was stunned for several seconds, and there was a hint of confused disappointment in his tone. “T-that’s it?”

Didn’t he just propose marriage?

Why not let out a little flame of nighttime love, ah!

Bo Yueming deliberately failed to understand, and pretended to be in earnest, “What can we do if not sleep? Wasn’t it you who said last night that it wouldn’t be allowed tonight either?”

“I don’t dare to disobey my kitten’s orders.”

Pei Yi felt hot and embarrassed when he heard Bo Yueming’s deliberate teasing.

He took a deep breath, and suddenly used his skills to press Bo Yueming onto the bed. He immediately lowered his head and actively raised his lover’s breathing and heart rate.

“Then I take back what I said last night, okay?”

Bo Yueming seemed to be guiding him, but also seemed to be letting him run wild. “Then what do you want to do?”

Pei Yi kissed his thin lips, and his hands began to fumble restlessly. “Er-ge, I……”

The kiss made him hot, confusing his senses. 

Unknowingly, the momentary coldness was quickly replaced by the other’s warmth.

“Mmm.”

Pei Yi moaned. He was like a soft, ripe peach, tempting a person to taste it.

Bo Yueming kissed the lips of the person on top of him and urged him bewitchingly, “Be good and move.”

. . . . . . .

Half a month later, Pei Yi, who loved to sleep in, actually got up early.

He stared at the three large words, “Marriage Registration Center,” and felt a little complicated. He couldn’t help but look at Bo Yueming beside him. “Er-ge, are you nervous?”

Bo Yueming met his eyes and answered truthfully, “A little.”

But there was more excitement than nervousness.

He held his lover’s hand, and the ring on his ring finger felt a bit cool. “Are you nervous? Don’t have any regrets.”

Pei Yi chuckled. “I won’t regret it. It’s useless to regret it.”

There was no one who wouldn’t envy him having such a rich and handsome marriage partner.

Nowadays, same-sex marriage was very common. There were couples queuing up to register in the lobby, and everyone’s faces were filled with yearning for a happy new life.

Bo Yueming and Pei Yi sat in the unobtrusive last row and waited silently until the staff finally called them.

“Number sixteen, the next couple can come in.”

When Bo Yueming heard this number, he inadvertently crumpled the number in his hand and said, “It’s our turn.”

Pei Yi nodded. “En.”

The two of them walked quickly away from the last row. Probably because of their outstanding appearances, they attracted the attention of everyone in the hall in just a few steps.

Even the employee who was used to seeing everything widened her eyes. “You’re number sixteen?”

“Yes.”

Bo Yueming handed over the slightly crumpled number.

When the employee noticed this small detail, the corners of her eyes filled with a smile. It seemed like this couple was in true love, and had become nervous without realizing it.

She asked, “Did you bring your marriage registration photo?”

Pei Yi shook his head, answering confidently and casually, “No, just take it here.”

The employee took in their good looks and responded affirmatively, “Okay, come on in.”

As far as appearances were concerned, they really didn’t need to rely on retouching photos.

The photo booth in the marriage registration office was very simple, with a piece of red cloth in the background and two swivel chairs that could be adjusted in height.

When the photographer saw Bo Yueming and Pei Yi’s appearances, he was as excited as if he had met a couple of models. “Congratulations, gentlemen. Just go up and take a seat.”

“Wait a minute.”

Bo Yueming pulled the excited Pei Yi back and coughed.

For the first time in his life, he felt uncertain about his appearance, so he approached his lover and asked softly, “Kitten, do I look okay? Are my clothes messed up?”

Pei Yi smiled and said, “Er-ge, you look really good. In my eyes, you are the most handsome person.”

The two spoke in low tones, but it was enough to feed the nearby staff dog food.

The employee couldn’t help but say, “Sir, don’t worry. If your good looks don’t make a good picture, then whose could?”

Pei Yi smiled back. “That’s right. Little sister, we’ll treat you to wedding candy later.”

After that, he said to the photographer, “Brother, we’ll give you some too.”

The photographer was appropriately happy. “Okay!”

Bo Yueming saw his lover’s familiar cute appearance and suppressed his underlying nervousness.

The two quickly adjusted their postures for the shot. During the gap when the photographer was preparing, Pei Yi gently shook Bo Yueming’s hand and quietly confessed—

“Er-ge, I love you.”

Bo Yueming heard this, and an irresistible smile finally emerged on his face.

“Okay, you two, look over here. Get ready—”

“Three, two, one!”

Kacha.

With a press of the shutter, the happiness of the two people was captured!

. . . . . . .

It was approaching noon.

Bo Yueming and Pei Yi finally walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau with two bright red wedding books in their hands.

Pei Yi touched the certificate with satisfaction, and then simply handed the copy in his hand to Bo Yueming. “Er-ge, here. I’ll leave it to you for safekeeping.”

“Hm?”

“Although there’s no chance of divorce between us in the future, you still have to hide it away.”

Bo Yueming accepted it with a rare lack of decorum. “Okay.”

He turned around and looked at the doors of the Civil Affairs Bureau behind him. The waiting and registration that morning were more stressful than any acquisition case that he had ever handled before.

It wasn’t until the moment he walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau that he finally breathed out slowly.

Pei Yi clearly saw the change in Bo Yueming’s mood, and said happily, “Why were you so nervous today?”

Bo Yueming locked hands with him, and said everything in a few words. “Because it’s you.”

Because Pei Yi was the person he cared about most. Because they would walk hand in hand for a lifetime.

Pei Yi tacitly accepted his affection, and took the opportunity to raise his head and kiss Bo Yueming’s lips with a smile full of love.

“Husband, please take care of me in the future.”

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Chapter One Hundred Four<<Table of Contents >> Chapter One Hundred Six

Liu Nanyuan already had a very high reputation amongst the Southwest Garrison, and in addition, was said to be the most beautiful person in Dayan. Everyone wanted to see her. Gao Lin followed Liang Shu all the way back to the rear barracks, and met several groups of soldiers along the way. They all had loud voices and straight backs when they saluted, practically shouting to the sky — it could be seen that as long as they were male, no matter their status, spreading their tail like a peacock was a basic requirement.

Gao Lin clicked his tongue and shook his head. No vision, no future prospects.

Hearing the news, Cheng Suyue ran over curiously to take a look. When she came in, Liu Nanyuan had just finished washing up and changing into beautiful clothes. Because she expected to meet guests later, she dressed up carefully. Her blue dress and white skirt were elegant, and she had a few small silver butterfly hair pins on her head. When the wings moved, her features became more vivid and her smile more beautiful. She asked playfully: “Is this sister Cheng-guniang?”

“Come.” Liu Xian’an brought his sister to the door and introduced them. Cheng Suyue smiled and said: “Third Young Lady Liu, I have long admired you.”

The two of them still had to abide by etiquette and address each other formally, but by the time Liang Shu and Gao Lin came in, they were already each other’s Sister Cheng and A-Yuan. They also held hands, and seemed to feel like old friends at first sight. Gao Lin was very pleased to see this, because he had dreamed for his sister to have some close girl friends of the same age with whom to talk about girly things. Don’t just follow the prince into the desert to hunt wolves, it’s too savage.

“Your Highness.” Cheng Suyue stood up. “Ge.”

Liu Nanyuan also lowered her head and saluted. This was her first time meeting Liang Shu. The first two times in Baihe City, she wished she had eight legs to escape this marriage and run as far as she could. But things were different now. Now that the person the prince intended to marry was her Er-ge, of course she must take a good look at her sister-in-law…..Sister-in-law was very tall. Standing at the door, he blocked all the light from the sky. At first glance, she thought her brother had found himself a god.

“Third Young Lady Liu, there is no need to be polite,” Liang Shu said. “Since you were coming to the southwest, why didn’t you send word in advance so that I could send someone to pick you up earlier?”

“I brought my own escort and did not reveal my identity. Besides, there were a lot of troops stationed along the way, so it was quite safe.” Liu Nanyuan said, “I came to the southwest because I missed my Er-ge.”

Of course, the reality was a little more complicated. A few months ago, everyone in Baihe Mountain Village was stunned by the second young master’s sensational letter home. Master Liu was so anxious that he stroked his beard every day, and Madam Liu had to rely on soothing soup to sleep. And as for all the uncles, aunts, and cousins, their hearts ached very much.

“How did Xiao An fall in love with His Royal Highness Xiao Wang?” The one asking the question was truly puzzled. Who was His Royal Highness Xiao Wang? He had a violent temper and was extremely diligent. He never slept while fighting, and it was said that he loved to search for money everywhere. This was completely different from their family’s lazy fellow who had a mellow temper and loved to sleep. He also regarded money as dirt and wouldn’t pick it up if it fell to the ground!

Everyone gathered together to analyze. At the beginning, they even thought that this might be a strategy of His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s to defeat the enemy, and that Baihe Mountain Village would need to cooperate.

“But how can we cooperate based on such a letter with no beginning or end?”

“I don’t know, ah.”

The whole family was completely at a loss, and they all looked at Master Liu. His heart felt uncomfortable, and before speaking, he sent someone to find two quick-acting heart-healing pills to take.

Later, people sent by the emperor entered the city and also brought many precious medicinal materials as gifts. The whole family gathered around the eunuch to ask questions for half a day, and finally determined that this was not a conspiracy, but the real thing.

His Royal Highness Xiao Wang really wants to marry our family’s lazy fellow!

Master Liu’s beard could no longer be saved. Liu Nanyuan was also extremely curious. This thing sounded too bizarre, so she found an excuse to sneak out of the house and came all the way to the southwest to see what had happened with her own eyes.

Liang Shu asked: “Now that you’ve seen, do you believe it?”

Liu Nanyuan stared at the two of them tightly holding hands and nodded, the beautiful little butterflies flapping around her head. 

It was real. It couldn’t be more real.

Liang Shu said with a smile: “Only one letter reached home? Where is the letter from this lord?”

Liu Xian’an was puzzled when he heard this. What letter? When did you write it?

“The prince’s letter was delayed for a few days on the road, so it arrived a little late,” Liu Nanyuan said. “Then…..then…..”

Then no one believed it at all! Because in the letter written by His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, the main content was all about how Second Young Master Liu treated illnesses and saved people along the way. He also described him as a great miracle doctor the likes of which had never been seen before or since! Master Liu looked stunned at first, but later on, even his furrowed brow became numb.

If this letter had arrived before the other one, the entire Baihe Mountain Village may have been shocked, doubtful about the letter, and discussed it carefully, but the letter home had arrived first. Everyone was forced to appreciate their lazy fellow’s affectionate compliments to His Royal Highness Xiao Wang. Knowing the courting methods of this young couple, didn’t His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s letter seem to have no credibility at all?

After all, no one in the entire family could understand the second young master.

He could lie down but never sit, and it was best if someone else brought the food to his mouth.

Even Liu Nanyuan still didn’t believe it until now. She adored her Er-ge, but was not blinded by that adoration, and even wanted to teach His Royal Highness Xiao Wang a lesson. I think it’s fine for my brother to lie down and be lazy. There’s no need to force him into a glamorous false shell of saving the world.

Liu Xian’an didn’t mind this, and didn’t want to explain because it would be a lot of work to explain. Looking at his sister now, he was very happy and took the initiative to propose: “How about I take you to climb a mountain tomorrow.”

Liu Nanyuan was rather shocked: “Climb a mountain?” She thought for a moment. “Is it the kind of mountain you climb with your legs?”

“Right, it’s the kind of mountain you climb with your legs. Standing on top of the mountain, you can see other mountains far away.”

Liu Nanyuan was actually not interested in looking at mountains far away, but she was very interested in her Er-ge wanting to walk the mountain road himself—someone who was not from Baihe Mountain Village would not be able to understand this kind of excitement.

There was still some time before dinner. Liu Nanyuan had originally wanted to say a few words to her Er-ge, but Da-ge gave an order: “It’s almost shenshi. You go to the western barracks and see the patients first.”

Liu Nanyuan still thought he was talking to her, and after agreeing, she went to get the medicine box in the carriage. But A-Ning had already strapped a box on diagonally and ran out of the room, saying: “Third Young Lady, please rest. I will accompany the Second Young Master.”

“……” Liu Nanyuan asked tentatively, “What are the ailments?”

Were they very mild? Even her Er-ge could treat them.

“Most of the root causes are ailments that occurred on the battlefield. The humidity in the southwest is heavy, so they require more trouble to treat,” Liu Xian’an said. “You continue to eat snacks, I’ll take a look and come back.”

When he said this, his demeanor and tone were just like another Da-ge. Liu Nanyuan was shocked, but looked around and saw that everyone other than herself seemed to be used to it, so she became even more curious. What snacks were there to eat? She didn’t want to eat, but wanted to go with them to watch.

It was even more remarkable at first glance.

She stood at the door of the clinic and watched her brother busy with his hands and feet, performing dressing changes and acupuncture in one go. His questioning method was also very professional. This scene was so abnormal that Liu Nanyuan pinched her arm. It hurt, so she asked the person next to her in a rare tone of voice: “D-Da-ge?”

“It isn’t a long story.” Liu Xianche said, “To put it simply, he’s always been good at it. He’s just lazy.”

“Lazy. Is it possible to be so lazy?”

“It is possible. If not for him meeting the prince, he would have been lazy all his life.”

“Hide his medical skills all his life?”

“He didn’t mean to hide them.” Liu Xianche explained again, “He’s just lazy.”

Liu Nanyuan knew that her Er-ge was lazy, but she hadn’t known that laziness could reach this extent. However, there was one thing that she still couldn’t figure out: “But Er-ge hasn’t had even a few classes with us, how could he have ‘always been good at it?’ Clearly, since he was a child…..could it be that there was some outside master who secretly taught him medical skills in the waterside pavilion?”

“There was no outside master, just library books and self-study.”

Liu Nanyuan sucked in a breath of cold air. He could teach himself?

“You and I are not as qualified as Xiao An, so we can only rely on hard work to make up for our shortcomings,” Liu Xianche said. “He is the true genius of the Liu family.”

He had never said this in front of Liu Xian’an, but now did not hesitate to express it in front of his sister. And the corners of his mouth were still raised with apparent pride. Liu Nanyuan raised her hands and rubbed her temples a few times, but her head was still buzzing. The lazy Er-ge had suddenly turned into a medical genius and Da-ge, who didn’t show any emotion on his face, now looked as if he had found a treasure. She felt like she needed to calm down a bit.

Liang Shu stood far away at the entrance of the courtyard with a half-smile on his face, clearly in a good mood. Gao Lin put his hands on his hips and reminded, enough is enough, those who don’t know would think the prince saw a beautiful girl and stood there staring like a man looking at his wife. If the rumor spreads, it will damage the reputation of Xiao Wang Palace.

“What do you know?” Liang Shu said, “What he looks like now should be seen by everyone in Baihe Mountain Village.”

“But Second Young Master Liu doesn’t care,” Gao Lin said. “It’s all just nominal titles and fleeting clouds.”

“I care.”

“…….”

Gao Lin was disobedient and continued the conversation in his heart. How else can I put it? Vulgar.

Liang Shu raised his foot and kicked him.

Gao Lin didn’t manage to dodge. I didn’t say anything yet.

“You don’t have to say anything, it’s all written on your face.” Liang Shu lowered his gaze back to Liu Xian’an and said as a matter of course, “I pulled this person down from the clouds with my own hands, so naturally I must prepare everything he needs in order to live in this world. Whether it is reputation or a house made of gold, he doesn’t care, so can I really just let it go?”

Gao Lin’s focus was a bit off. Why build a house made of gold? The emperor will not allow it, and the old men in court will probably cry and bang their heads against the pillars. Can we just save the trouble and build an ordinary luxurious manor? I don’t think Second Young Master Liu is picky in this regard.

Liang Shu said: “No.”

Gao Lin asked: “Why not?”

“Because in another world, he built me a golden manor that could accommodate 30,000 people sitting on cranes and drinking wine at the same time. It is filled with all kinds of rare treasures.” Liang Shu said, “This is called reciprocity.”

Gao Lin: “……”

Imagining that a big manor would be able to lock up our own family’s prince, wouldn’t that make him too gullible? I really think we can use our own discretion to make it appropriately costly.

---

Chapter One Hundred Seven << Table of Contents >> Chapter One Hundred Nine

After Huo Fenglie finished his explanation, he went to the military camp to make corresponding arrangements for the Huo family army and his guards.

Liu Zhenqing thought they would be traveling with a small team, but heard that only the two of them would go together. 

These words immediately caused Liu Zhenqing’s hair to stand on end.

Liu Zhenqing moaned and groaned in the Snow Catkin Courtyard. The two little ones seemed to have heard about his departure and hurried to find him.

“Are you really going to leave, ah? Aren’t the Liu family affairs still not resolved? Wouldn’t it be better to just stay in the General’s Manor?” Huo Yunci pouted, saying in dissatisfaction, “You don’t know martial arts, why are you going south with Second Uncle to investigate some kind of Imperial Examination, ah?”

Liu Zhenqing said helplessly: “How about you advise your Second Uncle?”

Huo Yunci went silent for a moment, and Huo Yunqian said: “Second Uncle must have reasons for this arrangement. Uncle Liu, we’ve prepared some things for you. Hopefully they’ll be of some help.”

As he spoke, Huo Yunqian put the bag he was carrying on the table. As soon as he opened it, an array of things came out. There were weapons, medicine, armor, maps, and books, all of which the two children had collected themselves.

Liu Zhenqing looked at all these things, and his gaze became gentle as he noticed the shining eyes of the two children.

How could he have the nerve to reject these pure-hearted little ones?

And since he was their godfather, it was reasonable for them to show their filial piety.

Liu Zhenqing said that there was no need for so much, and picked through them. It was impossible to use it all, so he would choose something useful.

In the end, he selected a dagger and a bottle of antidote.

The two children immediately looked satisfied.

“You’re quite discerning. I spent a lot of effort to get this dagger. It is as thin as a cicada’s wing but can cut through iron as if it’s mud, perfect for a person like you who doesn’t have the strength to truss a chicken,” Huo Yunci said proudly.

What words were these? Liu Zhenqing pulled it out and waved it. The silver-white blade reflected his appearance. It was indeed a good blade.

“Uncle Liu, this bottle of detoxifying pills was made by our mother’s master. It can detoxify hundreds of poisons and is very powerful. One pill is worth a hundred taels on the market, and there are five pills here. If you are poisoned, just swallow one directly,” Huo Yunqian explained.

Liu Zhenqing opened the bottle and sniffed. They were indeed made by the master, but the price had increased. They were not so expensive before.

Huo Yunci said with a smile: “What do you think? They’re both good things.”

Liu Zhenqing: “En, en, they are both valuable things. If I don’t have any money later, I can sell them.”

The two children immediately looked at him with wide eyes.

Seeing him laughing so hard, they knew that they were being teased again, but still felt like this was something he could do.

Such laughter and fussing also relieved the sadness of parting.

Liu Zhenqing knew that this time, he would not see the two children again. He could only look at them and exhort: “Grow up in peace.”

The two of them were taken aback for a moment. Ill at ease, Huo Yunci said: “Why are you making it sound like you won’t come back? You can’t actually plan to go back to your hometown when this is over. Everyone has gotten to know you.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled and said nothing.

Huo Yunci was a little anxious. It was rare to find an elder who liked them so well. They still wanted…..still wanted to go to him if they had any questions.

Huo Yunqian was also a little sad, but he still said: “The Huo family also has relatives in the south, and we still go to see them occasionally. We’ll visit you then.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled lightly and said with a nod: “Okay.”

Just as they were talking, Uncle Tian suddenly ran over elatedly.

“Young Lady, Young Master, the Madam has returned.”

“What! Mother is back?” The two children jumped up happily from their chairs upon hearing this.

But Liu Zhenqing’s expression froze.

Uncle Tian looked over and said: “Young Master Liu, what a coincidence. The Madam has returned before your departure, so she can take a good look at your body.”

What a coincidence! Such a coincidence that it could cost him his life!

When Huo Fenglie got back, Uncle Tian happily informed him that his sister-in-law was returning.

Huo Fenglie paused for a moment. “Then my sister-in-law should be here now…..”

“She has already entered the city, but as usual, she went to the cemetery first and then went to Li Manor to visit her relatives. According to the time, she should be able to come back tomorrow evening. Second Master, when will you set off? You should at least wait until the Madam comes back before you go,” Uncle Tian said. “And Young Master Liu can also let her examine his amnesia.”

Huo Fenglie: “Have you told him?”

Uncle Tian nodded and said: “I told him, but…..Young Master Liu seems to be a little cautious. He seems to be rather afraid of causing us trouble. When I mentioned it to him just now, he said there was no need.”

Huo Fenglie’s eyes flashed, and he said: “I understand. Let’s talk later.”

Having said this, Huo Fenglie walked toward the courtyard. Halfway there, he met Liu Zhenqing, who was pacing back and forth waiting for him in the courtyard.

When Liu Zhenqing saw him coming back, he hurried up and said, “General Huo, have you settled everything? When should we set off?”

Huo Fenglie’s expression remained unchanged. “It’s settled. When do you want to leave?”

Liu Zhenqing said at once: “There’s no time like the present. This is related to the matter of when my relatives will be released from prison, so naturally sooner is better.”

Huo Fenglie lowered his head and gazed at Liu Zhenqing. Although his eyes were not sharp, they gave Liu Zhenqing the feeling that he had nowhere to hide.

Then Huo Fenglie glanced at the horizon, where the sun was already setting. If they left the city now, they would have to sleep in the wilderness that night.

Liu Zhenqing smiled dryly and said: “It seems a bit of a rush to set off at this time. How about we hurry out of the city as the first group early tomorrow morning, so that we can make good time during the day and reach the next town at night.”

Looking at the anxious Liu Zhenqing, Huo Fenglie’s eyes darkened. “Sister-in-law is coming back. Won’t you meet her?”

Although Liu Zhenqing knew that he couldn’t escape this question, his heart still twitched when he heard it.

“I’m an outsider, so it would be really unsuitable to disturb Madam Huo. And I’m…..I’m from the Liu family, ah, so I don’t dare,” Liu Zhenqing said with an awkward grimace.

Huo Fenglie’s expression changed instantly. The corners of his mouth flattened, as if he didn’t want to respond to this sentence at all.

Liu Zhenqing said with a smile, “But it seems like it also wouldn’t be good to disturb your goodbyes. How about you send me out of the city first and I’ll wait for you outside?” In fact, he had already made up his mind. If it could be done, he would just run away.

“That won’t work.”

Liu Zhenqing’s mouth twitched. Sure enough!

Seeing that Liu Zhenqing’s expression was beginning to turn ugly, Huo Fenglie said at last, “Let’s set off tomorrow morning.”

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes immediately lit up, and he couldn’t help but look at Huo Fenglie with a smile. “Good, good, good.”

“I’ll ask Uncle Tian to make preparations. Is there anything extra you want to bring?” Huo Fenglie asked.

Liu Zhenqing shook his head.

“Then do you need arrangements to be made for you to visit the Liu family?” Huo Fenglie asked.

Liu Zhenqing shook his head again. There was no need to say farewell.

Huo Fenglie’s eyes were locked on Liu Zhenqing’s face: “Really? If there is anything else you want to do before leaving, just say it.”

Liu Zhenqing was just about to continue shaking his head when he heard Huo Fenglie vow: “No matter what it is.”

Probably because Huo Fenglie’s tone was so earnest, Liu Zhenqing really thought about whether there was anything he wanted to do before leaving the capital.

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes suddenly went blank, and he couldn’t help but glance toward Huo Feihan’s courtyard.

He wanted…..to pay homage to the boss.

He was not qualified to go to the Huo family cemetery, but he recalled that there was a small Bhuddist chamber in the courtyard, and Huo Feihan’s tablet was placed inside it.

In those last few years, every time he came here for treatment when he was injured, he would pay his respects before leaving.

Facing Huo Fenglie’s inquisitive look, Liu Zhenqing shook his head once more and said there was nothing.

But the next moment, Huo Fenglie said in a deep voice: “Then you go back and prepare. I will go and offer a stick of incense to my brother.”

Liu Zhenqing’s heart trembled for a moment, and the instant he raised his eyes, he seemed to be firmly drawn to the other person’s gaze.

“Do you want to go?”

Liu Zhenqing’s mind was in turmoil, but he quickly calmed down and said: “General Huo must be joking. Who am I to disturb former General Huo’s rest? I won’t delay you.” With that said, Liu Zhenqing returned to the Snow Catkin Courtyard.

Huo Fenglie quietly watched him leave, then turned and went to the small Buddhist chamber.

After going back, Liu Zhenqing felt uneasy about Huo Fenglie’s abnormality. Whether out of sentiment or reason, he should not have been invited to pay homage to Huo Feihan.

Why?

Lui Zhenqing naturally wondered again whether Huo Fenglie had suspicions about his identity, but how many people in ancient times would believe in resurrection, time travel, and rebirth? Taking a step back, even if there was any proof, what conclusion could be drawn? It was probable that even Huo Fenglie would not believe it easily, and would more likely suspect that he was insane.

Unless Huo Fenglie knew that he had traveled through time, but how could that be possible? This secret would rot in his stomach, and he would have to lose his mind before telling others.

His vigilant acting in order to eliminate suspicion could be considered over-preparation. In fact, thinking about it carefully, there was no need to worry at all.

But now Huo Fenglie’s actions made him worry.

But it wasn’t right, ah. If he really doubted his identity, why did he have such an attitude? Huo Fenglie was the one who had dug up his grave.

Liu Zhenqing thought so hard that he couldn’t sleep that night. He couldn’t help but get up and go out, wanting to take one last look at the night view of the capital to clear his head.

He intended to go to the pavilion in the courtyard, which was on higher ground, but caught sight of someone as soon as he went out.

Under the willow tree beside the stream, Huo Fenglie was sitting silently with several jars of wine beside him. The night wind blew by, causing his black hair to waft up slightly. His eyes were lowered, his features handsome and resolute. With his head bowed to drink wine like this, he looked desolate and sad. From a distance, he looked like a lonely soul under the half-moon, as if he could fade away into the night sky.

Liu Zhenqing was stunned for a moment. This was the first time he had seen such an Er-gou.

But…..drinking?

Liu Zhenqing skewed his gaze, a beautiful idea coming to mind. He recalled that Er-gou had a very light drinking capacity. Not to mention three cups, he would get drunk after a few sips. Moreover, after getting drunk, he would become very well-behaved and clingy, and would even act coquettishly and beg for a hug. This kind of Er-gou was very easy to handle. This was a rare opportunity to test whether Er-gou was suspicious, which would not be conducive to his escape plans.

Liu Zhenqing strode forward eagerly. “General, why are you drinking alone here at night?”

In fact, Huo Fenglie was already aware of Liu Zhenqing appearing in the courtyard, but it wasn’t until he approached that Huo Fenglie looked up.

“Young Master Liu isn’t sleeping?”

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows. He still seemed to be a little sober, so it was likely that he had just started. He lowered his head and counted. Good boy, ten jars of wine. What was he playing at? Although eight years had passed, and the amount of alcohol he could handle would have increased, people’s physiques were different. Er-gou had a body that was prone to drunkenness, and no amount of training would help with that.

Just like he himself didn’t get drunk easily. Huo Feihan couldn’t out-drink him back then, and it would take him at least a hundred drinks to get drunk.

“I probably can’t sleep because we’re leaving tomorrow, so I came out for a walk. General Huo, do you intend to drink alone?” Liu Zhenqing asked with an excited smile.

Since arriving at the General’s Manor, Liu Zhenqing had been trying to spend as little time with Huo Fenglie as possible. Such an initiative to talk to him made Huo Fenglie suspicious. He patted the place next to him, and when Liu Zhenqing sat down with a smile, he handed him a jar of wine.

“Then I’ll have a drink with the general tonight. General, please.”

Liu Zhenqing’s warm salutation was very lively, his eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth slightly raised. He was clearly planning something.

Huo Fenglie didn’t intend to worry too much, and clinked glasses with him before drinking. The wine this night was finally no longer bitter.

One jar, two jars, and then there was a thud. The wine jar slipped, and a figure suddenly fell into Huo Fenglie’s arms. He froze, his heart full of doubt.

Was he drunk?

Just as Huo Fenglie was somewhat confused, the person in his arms used his shoulders to pull himself up, then looked at him in a daze.

Huo Fenglie also looked at him blankly.

Liu Zhenqing suddenly grinned.

“Er-gou?”

Huo Fenglie was stunned, and looked at Liu Zhenqing in disbelief.

“Er-gou, you’ve grown up. This face is really good-looking. More handsome than your brother’s, but still not as good-looking as mine.” Liu Zhenqing was all smiles, but his eyes were a little unfocused. He reached out and touched Huo Fenglie’s frozen face. As though he wanted to carefully explore every inch, he rubbed the angular jawline, played with the tight, warm lips, and finally pinched the other person’s straight nose. After teasing him for a while, his fingers landed on Huo Fenglie’s rolling Adam’s apple. “You’ve even grown up here.”

Huo Fenglie’s Adam’s apple rolled faster. He swallowed, looking a little embarrassed.

Liu Zhenqing casually propped himself up with his palms on Huo Fenglie’s chest. He tried to use his strength to stand up, but his foot slipped in the end and he fell into Huo Fenglie’s arms again.

Huo Fenglie’s body became even stiffer. He sighed silently, but still raised his hands to support Liu Zhenqing. “You’re drunk.”

“I’m not drunk! What a joke, I won’t get drunk after a thousand cups.” Liu Zhenqing was about to reach for the wine jar on the side as he spoke, but Huo Fenglie grabbed his wrist.

“En, you’re not drunk, I’m drunk. Can we stop drinking? Qing-ge.” Huo Fenglie coaxed softly. His voice sounded a little hoarse, as if his throat was not used to making such soft sounds.

“You’re drunk again? Er-gou, that won’t work. As a man, if you can’t drink enough, you must practice.” Liu Zhenqing patted Huo Fenglie’s head, deceiving the child as usual. He teased: “If you’re drunk when you get married in the future, you’ll have to be carried to the bridal chamber. Wouldn’t that be funny? Hahaha. Your brother was hopeless almost from the outset.”

Huo Fenglie gazed down at Liu Zhenqing, who was looking pleased with himself, and his eyes darkened uncontrollably. “I won’t. Let’s stand up, Qing-ge.”

Saying this, Huo Fenglie stood while supporting this person who was moving around on top of him.

But Liu Zhenqing could no longer stand firmly, and could only lean on Huo Fenglie’s shoulder as if he was boneless.

Huo Fenglie was about to take him back, but Liu Zhenqing suddenly got into his arms and hugged him tightly.

The force of this blow was so great that Huo Fenglie was knocked into the trunk of the willow tree.

The swaying willow branches, intertwined shadows, and gurgling stream disturbed the mind.

Huo Fenglie felt that his breathing was disordered. He raised his hands to hug this person tightly, but suddenly heard footsteps.

He stopped moving, and saw Uncle Tian walking over with a lantern. When he saw this scene, he was so frightened that he pulled his beard.

Before Uncle Tian could say anything, Huo Fenglie had already raised his arms and picked this person up, walking toward the Snow Catkin Courtyard.

Uncle Tian followed instinctively, but was rejected at the gate when Huo Fenglie closed the door directly with his foot upon entering.

The bang brought Uncle Tian to his senses. His eyes widened, and he held his heart and gasped on the spot.

What was going on? This scene looked wrong no matter how you looked at it, ah.

Would the Second Master come out? He was just bringing him back, right? Young Master Liu must be drunk.

And at this time, Huo Fenglie had already put the person on the bed, took off his coat and shoes, and pulled out the pillow, helping him to lie down properly. When he was about to put the pillow into Liu Zhenqing’s arms to hold while he slept, Liu Zhenqing suddenly turned over and pulled Huo Fenglie’s arm.

Huo Fenglie didn’t resist Liu Zhenqing’s strength, and was dragged onto the bed.

The 1.9-meter-tall figure was held in someone’s arms like a pillow, with hands and feet used together like a tightly entangled octopus.

Wafts of alcohol-scented breath hit his face, putting him in a trance. In the past, this uncomfortable, strangling sleeping posture could only be felt in his midnight dreams.

Huo Fenglie turned his head to look at Liu Zhenqing. Seeing that he was dazed, he didn’t struggle, and just let him hold him.

When he felt Liu Zhenqing turn his head to nuzzle against his neck as if trying to bury himself, Huo Fenglie couldn’t help but curl his lips.

But the next second, when he heard what Liu Zhenqing was mumbling, the corners of his mouth dropped and he looked deeply at him.

He opened his mouth and said: “You don’t want to see Sister-in-law, you don’t want to go pay respects, and you don’t even want to look at the Liu family. Is it really because you want to leave?”

After a while, he heard Liu Zhenqing answer, “En.”

Huo Fenglie’s pupils quivered slightly. “Just…..there’s nothing worthy of nostalgia for you anymore? You don’t even want to see that person?”

“I want to leave…..I really want to leave and never come back.” The murmured tone contained a hint of pleading.

Huo Fenglie seemed to suddenly freeze, his expression covered with frost.

He seemed to remember back when he was fifteen years old, and carried Liu Zhenqing back with him from the Peach Blossom Banquet.

Drunk, Liu Zhening hugged him and said that he was afraid. He was afraid that he would not be able to support the country, afraid that he would not be capable of being the prime minister, afraid of not being able to live up to the crown prince’s trust.

That night, Huo Fenglie decided to go to the battlefield.

And now, Liu Zhenqing said that he wanted to leave.

Huo Fenglie slowly closed his eyes. He raised his hands and carefully embraced the person in front of him with minimal force.

The moon set and the stars sank. Uncle Tian stayed outside all night, not daring to sleep. He had gone over every possible situation in his mind. When the sky lit up, Uncle Tian looked at the still closed door and his whole person felt unwell.

The Second Master never spent the night with others. In the past, even if a beautiful woman climbed into bed, she would be thrown out. There were even people who used strange drugs, but the Second Master was not moved at all.

And now, this was their Second Master’s first night, ah!

In the distance, there were suddenly the sounds of playing. Uncle Tian took a sharp breath and saw the twins walking over.

The two of them saw Uncle Tian at once.

“Uncle Tian?” Huo Yunqian asked doubtfully.

Huo Yunci jumped toward Uncle Tian, took his arm, and said: “Uncle Tian, are you here to wake Uncle Liu up? Hehe, that person likes to sleep in, and his sleeping posture……”

Uncle Tian was already sweating profusely. He just wanted to coax the two little ancestors away quickly, so that they wouldn’t see anything they shouldn’t see later. What should he say to the two children, ah.

But at this moment, the door creaked.

The two children stopped talking and looked up to see their Second Uncle walking out.

The two were shocked.

And they saw that Huo Fenglie had not slept all night. His clothes were obviously wrinkled, his hair was slightly messy, and most importantly, there were faint red marks on his neck! Uncle Tian’s heart nearly stopped.

Huo Fenglie’s cold voice sounded. “What are you doing?”

While Huo Yunci was stunned, Huo Yunqian reacted quickly and said: “We heard you were leaving early in the morning, and wanted to see Uncle Liu off.”

“He’s still sleeping. You can go in after half an hour,” Huo Fenglie said.

Huo Yunci suddenly clapped her hands and said: “It turns out that Second Uncle came with Uncle Tian to see him. Why don’t you just wake him up? Aren’t you leaving early?”

Uncle Tian, who had nearly been frightened to death, finally made a comeback. Before Huo Fenglie could speak, he said hastily: “Young Master Liu is weak and needs more rest. The carriage must be prepared anyway, so let him sleep a little longer.” After saying this, he urged the two children to go see to the matter of breakfast.

Once the children had left, Uncle Tian dared to say seriously: “Second Master, did you sleep here last night?”

“En.” Huo Fenglie lowered his head in thought while walking toward his residence.

Uncle Tian: ! !

Didn’t you say that person doesn’t like you? That person has amnesia, isn’t this a bit coercive, ah? And right before traveling. Will Young Master Liu be able to get out of bed today?

“Second Master! How about you leave two days later and allow Young Master Liu to rest more. The timing is just right for the Madam to come back.”

Uncle Tian was truly worried. Although it was good that the Second Master had finally come to his senses, it was wrong no matter how he thought about it, ah. Such irresponsible things could not be done.

Huo Fenglie glanced at Uncle Tian in confusion: “No, we’ll set off in an hour. Get the carriage ready.”

Uncle Tian: He hasn’t slept all night and still won’t have mercy on Young Master Liu. Is it because the Second Master is too inexperienced, and doesn’t know how much trouble this will cause him?

Uncle Tian was full of questions, but before he could ask them, Huo Fenglie finished speaking and left.

And Uncle Tian was very confused as he watched Huo Fenglie walk away. In the end, he could only instruct the servants to put more cushions in the carriage, then carry the medicine box to the Snow Catkin Courtyard. He remembered that this courtyard did not have such things prepared.

What a sin, ah! The Second Master was inexperienced and caused an old man such as him to do such a thing. He had nowhere to put his face.

In line with the professionalism of a steward, Uncle Tian knocked on the door. Receiving no response from inside, he pushed the door open and entered. He saw Liu Zhenqing in his underclothes, sitting in a daze on the bed and looking as if he had lost his soul.

This, this, this…..it looked like he really wasn’t willing.

Uncle Tian’s mind turned over and over again, and was already galloping toward the most unfavorable situation.

Liu Zhenqing: When did I get drunk? My physique isn’t….wait, it’s not my physique! Fuck! I forgot that I changed bodies! Did I test him? I didn’t drunkenly expose my secrets, right? No way, Er-gou gets drunk really easily, so perhaps we were both drunk. But why am I here, ah? How did I get back?

Liu Zhenqing suddenly raised a hand and smacked his head, upset that he couldn’t remember anything.

Uncle Tian: ! ! Self-harm?!

“Young Master Liu?” Uncle Tian quickly called out.

Liu Zhenqing was startled by Uncle Tian’s voice. He had just woken up, and was so absorbed in thinking about his problems that he didn’t realize until then that someone had come in.

“Uncle Tian?”

Uncle Tian saw that Liu Zhenqing wasn’t going to hurt himself, and quickly said with concern: “Young Master Liu, are you feeling unwell? What happened last night is all my fault, please don’t…..”

It was estimated that the possibility of impulsiveness was at its greatest after drinking.

Liu Zhenqing looked at Uncle Tian, thinking that they were both drunk last night and were brought back one by one by him, and at this moment, Uncle Tian was apologizing for Huo Fenglie drinking too much with him last night.

“Don’t blame him, I just hope I didn’t do anything rude.” Liu Zhenqing frowned, desperately trying to remember. 

Uncle Tian took a sharp breath. What did this mean? That he would suffer in silence? Just so that the Second Master would help the Liu family? It was true that the lives of the Liu family were now in the Second Master’s hands, but he couldn’t use this kind of coercion. It would be easier if Young Master Liu hadn’t lost his memory and still liked the Second Master, but things were like this now.

Uncle Tian didn’t know what to say. As he was hesitating, he suddenly saw Liu Zhenqing jump up, leap nimbly out of bed, and rush to the window.

Uncle Tian: Ai?

“Okay, okay, I thought I overslept. Uncle Tian, aren’t we about to set off? I’ll pack up now.”

Let’s not talk about other things now, it’s time to run away first!

Seeing Liu Zhenqing rushing easily around the room, Uncle Tian smiled drily and said there was no need to rush, then silently hid the medicine box behind him and stepped away.

It wasn’t until he went out that he breathed a sigh of relief. Look at how confused he was, how could their Second Master do such a thing?

But as soon as he took a step forward, he felt that something wasn’t right. Then why had he stayed overnight, and what about the evidence he had seen? They were cuddling under the willow tree before!

Uncle Tian was a little confused until Liu Zhenqing was getting into the carriage and asked why there were so many cushions. Let it pass, this person was still leaving, and it was useless to think so much about it.

“The road is bumpy. It will be more comfortable this way.”

“Many thanks, Uncle Tian.” Liu Zhenqing smiled, then reached out and touched the heads of the two children who were looking at him with reluctance, opened the curtain, and got into the carriage.

Huo Fenglie had his own horse rather than a carriage. When he led the horse out, he looked at Liu Zhenqing, who had his head poked out the window.

Huo Fenglie seemed normal. Liu Zhenqing set aside his vigilance for the time being, and was about to set off when the jingling of a carriage bell was heard.

Before Liu Zhenqing could look over, he heard the two children shout happily: “Mother!”

Liu Zhenqing stiffened and hurriedly let down the curtain. When he fell into the enclosed space of the carriage, he couldn’t help feeling frustrated. Why was he hiding? Since this had happened, he must get out of the carriage and give his greetings. He needed to stay calm and not panic. As long as he talked less and didn’t look at her, he would be able to escape.

At this time, Li Xingruo had already jumped off the carriage. She hugged the two children who rushed over, touching their heads and checking their pulses. “En, pretty good.”

Time seemed to have left no traces on her face. She was still beautiful but aloof, full of presence, and everyone around her saluted.

“Madam, why are you back so early?” Uncle Tian stepped forward happily.

“I don’t know, I just woke up suddenly last night and felt a little bad, so I came back early. I didn’t expect that something had happened. Zhanyuan, where are you going?” Li Xingruo looked in confusion at this person who was about to leave.

Huo Fenglie stepped forward and said: “Everything is safe and sound, Sister-in-law. I received the Emperor’s orders to go south and handle the matter of the Imperial Examination.”

His sister-in-law didn’t seem too pleased. “He usually makes you go to the border to guard the battlefield, but why do you also need to handle the affairs of civil servants? Does he not have any subordinates left? Treating you like a beast of burden, is he not afraid of exhausting you to death?”

Everyone around pretended not to hear, lowering their heads. Only Huo Fenglie’s expression was unchanging as he said: “It is this servant’s duty to share his worries.”

Li Xingruo was unhappy, and was about to say something with a frown when her gaze suddenly paused: “Is that…..the Liu family’s son? The one who is pursuing you?”

Huo Fenglie turned around and saw Liu Zhenqing get out of the carriage, bow his head, and raise his hands in a salute.

“Liu Xiaozhu greets Madam Huo.”

Li Xingruo glanced at Huo Fenglie with confusion on her face.

“Have Uncle Tian tell you about the specific situation later. We’re in a hurry, so we’ll leave first,” Huo Fenglie said with cupped hands.

“Ah?” Li Xingruo was about to say something, when Huo Fenglie turned his head and told Liu Zhenqing to get into the carriage.

Liu Zhenqing was also a little unable to react for a moment. He had done so much mental preparation before daring to take the risk, and now it was over?

It was really a stroke of luck. Liu Zhenqing quickly saluted and boarded the carriage.

Uncle Tian couldn’t help but remind his two masters about the medical treatment. 

“Amnesia? There is such an interesting thing?” Li Xingruo said in surprise.

“There’s no need, he’s fine,” Huo Fenglie said with a frown.

Seeing that Huo Fenglie really seemed to be in a hurry to leave, Li Xingruo did not delay him despite her heart full of doubts. She just asked, “Have you brought enough medicine?”

Huo Fenglie nodded.

Without saying a word, Li Xingruo directly grabbed Huo Fenglie’s wrist. He didn’t struggle.

Li Xingruo’s striking features became serious. “You’ve had quite a few attacks recently. Are you looking for death?”

“They were accidents,” Huo Fenglie said.

“Bah, since you’re going south, see my master on the way. Master has already sent me a letter, saying that he has developed a new method.” Li Xingruo stared straight at him and said: “If you don’t go this time, I will personally escort you later. Understand?”

Huo Fenglie raised his head to look at Li Xingruo, and suddenly said: “I will go.”

Li Xingruo was slightly stunned. Although he had been perfunctory many times, the answer he gave this time was slightly different.

Li Xingruo waved her hand in annoyance: “Go and come back quickly.”

Huo Fenglie then said farewell and mounted his horse.

The carriage slowly passed by the crowd. Li Xingruo was watching Huo Fenglie off when she felt a line of sight and followed it, only to see movement as the carriage curtain fell.

Li Xingruo frowned, touched her chin, and then grabbed Uncle Tian and walked back. “Tell me, what’s going on? Why is Er-gou traveling with the Liu family child?”

Uncle Tian explained along the way, following Li Xingruo’s footsteps to Huo Fenglie’s courtyard. This was also Li Xingruo’s habit. When she returned, she would gaze at the willow tree in the courtyard.

But this time, as Li Xingruo was listening to Uncle Tian, she looked around and let out a shout.

“The tree! Who did it!”

Soon, the carriage passed through the capital city gates.

At that time, Liu Zhenqing finally let out a long sigh of relief and reached out to lift the curtain, while Huo Fenglie rode his horse beside him.

Seeing the curtain open, Huo Fenglie turned and looked over. He saw Liu Zhenqing smile as he said: “General, can we take a detour? I have something to pick up.”

Just kidding, how could he go with Huo Fenglie to investigate? Since the Liu family was innocent, there was no need to worry about their lives being in danger. As for whether there would be other punishments, that depended on fate. He would not wade into this muddy water. Spending time with Er-gou day and night, if his identity was accidentally exposed, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t have the same ending as in his previous life.

Anyway, there was only Er-gou and the coachman. When they weren’t watching, he would leave a letter when the time came. Er-gou still had important things to do, so it was naturally impossible for him to spend time making things difficult for him.

Although he felt a little sorry for Er-gou and the Liu family, but he really didn’t want to maintain this stalemate. He still had not forgotten his original intention after rebirth. In this life, he intended to lie flat until death.

The two most important steps in an escape plan were a new identity and money.

He carried his new proof of identity with him, but his money had long been lost in the Liu family’s carriage. Since he was penniless, his first step in escaping was to retrieve his wife money.

Liu Zhenqing had to admire his foresight. Sure enough, a man must always leave a way out for himself.

---

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Chapter Thirty-Three << Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirty-Five

The next morning, Liu Hengchang went to the pharmacy to prepare medicine for Feng Xiaojin as usual. He hadn’t slept all night, and his heart was still in his throat. The herbs were gurgling in the pot, and a sour and bitter heat filled the whole room, making his thoughts more and more confused. This medicine was non-toxic, but it had no positive effect on Feng Xiaojin’s old injuries. To put it bluntly, it was not much different from drinking a bowl of water.

He began to carefully recall the entire story of his entry into the Baifu Sect, and the more he recalled, the more he felt that everything had gone too smoothly. During this period of time, as far as the thing he wanted to do, the places he wanted to go, and the information he wanted to find out, he could achieve all of these goals safely and securely. And behind each secure achievement, there seemed to be an inadvertent push from Feng Xiaojin.

Could it be that…..Liu Hengchang was caught in a conflict, and the other party was secretly assisting him?

“Hey!” The witch doctor’s scolding suddenly sounded in his ears. “Pay attention to your medicine!”

Liu Henchang returned to his senses at once and hastily put out the fire. The witch doctors had always looked down on him, so he didn’t get involved with them much. Liu Hengchang poured the concoction into a bowl, settled himself down again, and then took it to the small southwest courtyard.

Everything was as usual inside the room. Feng Xiaojin sat at the table, polishing his weapon. There was a pot of tea on the table. Liu Henchang took out the medicine bowl and warned, “Young Master Feng, the medicine cannot be drunk with tea.”

“It’s only a few leaves. Yunle sent them to me.” Feng Xiaojin didn’t raise his head, and simply said, “Today’s medicine smells particularly bitter.”

“The ingredients haven’t changed. Perhaps the decoction is a little more potent.” Liu Hengchang stood to the side as he talked, secretly paying attention to the other person’s expression. To have the courage to work as an undercover agent in the Baifu Sect, Liu Hengchang’s psychological quality was much better than that of ordinary people. He was flustered, but not at a loss. 

“If the fire was too strong, the efficacy of the medicine will be weakened and all previous efforts will be wasted. The bitterness will be in vain.” Feng Xiaojin sheathed the sword and ordered, “Take it and pour it out.”

“Yes, then I’ll make another bowl.” Liu Hengchang’s heartbeat accelerated slightly again. He had been wondering that morning that if Feng Xiaojin knew there was a problem with him, whether or not he had taken his previous medicines. Now he suddenly heard the other person say this with his own ears, and had an answer in mind, just like opponents in a chess game, deliberately tearing a rift between black and white.

Events gradually became clearer.

Feng Xiaojin’s expression remained as usual, but Liu Henchang felt that there was a fateful implication, as if everything had reached a certain point and at this specific time, something was destined to happen.

Two more days passed quickly.

On the third day, on which Mu Zhe himself said he planned to cut off Ku You’s arms, it was calm and uneventful. And after this day, the number of witch doctors responsible for guarding him gradually decreased until they were completely absent.

Only Liu Hengchang and Ku You were left in the room.

In this way, Liu Hengchang felt more and more that his guess was correct. When Mu Zhe mentioned at the riverside that Ku You would be punished by torture, that should have been an instigation. If he had gone down the mountain rashly that night, he likely would have fallen into a trap. Then now…..a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back. In the end, not fearing death did not mean welcoming it. Everyone wanted to live. After walking outside the gates of hell, one would learn their lesson.

Don’t be reckless, don’t be careless, don’t take things for granted. Be calm, sober, and tranquil in adversity. Liu Hengchang thought this silently in his heart, maintaining the airtight seal on his words. He held it in for two days without speaking. Finally, Ku You took the initiative to ask him: “What happened?”

“What?”

“They suddenly relaxed their surveillance on you and me. Something must have happened.” Ku You repeated his question, “Do you know why this is?”

Liu Hengchang didn’t answer immediately, looking around a couple of times. Although Ku You was blindfolded, he seemed to be aware of his actions and said: “There is no one watching. Speak.”

Only then did Liu Hengchang tell him what had happened in the past few days.

Ku You asked: “What kind of person is Feng Xiaojin?”

“An…..extremely cold person.”

Liu Hengchang wracked his brains to describe him as closely as possible. “He seems to have no interest in anything, and never interferes in the administration of the Baifu Sect. He is like a tourist who only lives there with his two young siblings.” Although Wumeng Yunyou and Wumeng Yunle both called him Uncle, perhaps because his face was stuck at the age of seventeen, the three of them looked more like siblings of the same age.

Ku You said: “I want to see him alone.”

“Okay.” Liu Hengchang nodded. “Don’t worry, Commander Ku. I will do my best to make arrangements.”

He glanced at the sun outside the window again and asked doubtfully: “It’s already past noon. Why hasn’t Miss Yunle come today?”

“Perhaps her goal has been achieved,” Ku You said. “Feng Xiaojin cares about her very much?”

“Yes, and there is also Young Master Yunyou. This brother and sister pair seem to be his only tie to the mortal world.” Liu Hengchang packed up the medicine box. “I can’t stay here long, I must leave first. Commander Ku’s eyes—”

“Don’t worry about me,” Ku You interrupted. “Make arrangements as soon as possible.”

Liu Hengchang acquiesced, then turned around and left the small courtyard in a hurry. On the way back, he saw a large group of Wumeng Yunle’s maids walking in the other direction. 

“From today on,” Mu Zhe said, “You don’t need to see him anymore.”

“Why not?” Wumeng Yunle stood up anxiously. “Master promised me that I can persuade him to join the Baifu Sect.”

“I did promise, but you don’t seem to be able to do so,” Mu Zhe said. “He has no interest in you.”

“That’s because those incompetent doctors haven’t examined his eyes well yet!”

“Then wait until his eyes recover. Until they recover, don’t go to that courtyard again.”

“But I like seeing him.” Wumeng Yunle took two steps forward and reached to grasp Mu Zhe sleeve, but only grasped air.

Mu Zhe walked out with a flick of his sleeves, and the maids immediately filed in. The Leader said deferentially, “Holy Maiden, it is the Leader’s command that if there is nothing important in the future, you need not go out again.”

“……” Wumeng Yunle was extremely unhappy and tried to break through the door, but was no match for the maids. In the end, she could only walk back full of displeasure. On the way, she happened to meet Yuan Yu again. She felt even more disgusted and quickened her pace, like a cloud drifting away from him.

Yuan Yu did not stop her. Another man beside him jested with a sneer: “Brother Yuan, forgive me for being blunt, but she doesn’t seem to have any interest in you.”

“She doesn’t need to be interested in me. I’m only interested in her face.”

“A superficial, ignorant, and beautiful woman is indeed fit to be dressed up and enshrined on an altar. Although both are beautiful, I still prefer the medical girl from the Liu family. Her vitality is so strong, like a vine full of flowers, and she can make everyone around her feel that vitality.”

“But at least I can obtain that superficial woman. Your flowers can only bloom in the distance forever.” Yuan Yu cast his gaze to the other side of the path. “Sometimes, it’s not a bad thing for a man if a woman is a little stupid.”

The wind blew away the conversation between the two, and also caused the southwest flowers to sway.

“Yah!” Amidst the fragrance of flowers, a white horse galloped. Behind that white horse, servants shouted: “Third Young Lady! Slow down!”

They were out of breath from chasing her, especially the chubby chestnut pony among them. Forced to be surrounded by a group of powerful and long-legged war horses, it couldn’t stop, and its soul was about to fly away. 

Just like that, they ran all the way to the Valley of Ten Faces.

“First Young Master! Second Young Master!” It was rare for a disciple of Baihe Mountain Village to run and shout in such a way when they were not administering emergency treatment. It was truly unbecoming, and there was clearly no emergency at the moment. The two young masters of the Liu family stepped across the threshold together. Before they could say anything, the disciple was already saying happily: “First Young Master, Second Young Master, guess who’s here?”

A layer of skirt rose up at the threshold, and a half-smiling face appeared: “No need to guess now!”

“A-Yuan?” Liu Xian’an was extremely surprised, and stepped forward to greet her at once. Liu Nanyuan was travel-worn, and there was a silly rag draped over her head. Liu Xianche said with a smile: “Good, good, a young girl is dressed like a sixty-year-old mother-in-law.”

“It’s so that my hair doesn’t blow around. I’ve been riding a horse all the way. Liu Nanyuan removed the handkerchief, and her black hair was like a waterfall, shining with the luster of brocade. A soldier of Xiao Wang Palace was originally there to deliver food boxes to Liu Xian’an, but when he came in, he saw a beautiful girl standing in the courtyard. He immediately blushed and didn’t know where to put his eyes, and after a salute, he hastily ran away. 

He almost ran into Lieutenant General Gao’s arms while running.

“Slow down!” Gao Lin grabbed his arm. “Did you run into a ghost?”

“No, Third Young Lady Liu is here.” The soldier was still blushing. He couldn’t help it. After all, she was the most beautiful woman in Dayan. Even though he only got a brief glance at her, his hands still trembled with nerves.

“I just heard the announcement. It turns out that there are people from Baihe Mountain Village here?” Now, the three Liu family brothers and sister were gathered together. Gao Lin feared that there was not enough chaos in the world, so he went all the way to find his family’s prince and said: “Your Highness, your sister-in-law is here.”

Liang Shu was lamenting over a military report that was incomprehensible nonsense, but when he looked up and saw Gao Lin’s expression, he knew that the other party was here to cause trouble again and said simply and concisely, scram.

“I have conveyed the words, but the prince himself does not want to listen. If Second Young Master Liu is blamed in the future, I will not be responsible.”

“Get back here!”

“Ai!” Gao Lin had rich experience in scramming and coming back again, and his life could be said to be very well-rounded. 

Liang Shu commanded: “Speak.”

“Ahem!” Gao Lin cleared his throat, and repeated again that his sister-in-law was here.

He spoke very eloquently, but Liang Shu was still very unfamiliar with this field and simply didn’t react. “Whose sister-in-law?”

“Your own, Your Highness.” Gao Lin was happy. “Third Young Lady Liu, Liu Nanyuan, is currently at Second Young Master Liu’s residence.”

Liang Shu slammed the writing brush in his hand onto the table with a smack, and asked in surprise: “Why is she here?”

“Who knows, maybe she is passing by. After all, her two brothers are here,” Gao Lin said. “Xiao Song just glanced at this girl and got so excited that his face blushed and his neck went red. He was like a savage, running around howling and not watching his path, but didn’t seriously injure himself. It can be said that his potential is astonishing.”

Liang Shu: “…….”

What did this mean?

In order to save face for Xiao Wang Palace, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang could only behave as luxuriously and decently as possible. The stone table in the back courtyard was already filled with seven or eight dishes of Jiangnan snacks. Liu Nanyuan didn’t bother to eat, asking first: “Are the rumors true? Is Er-ge really planning to marry His Royal Highness Xiao Wang?”

Liu Xianche’s chest felt tight. Why did she bring this up first thing? He didn’t want to hear about it anymore.

Liu Xian’an was very happy. Yes, we will get married in the future.

Liu Nanyuan asked again: “So everything written in the family letter is true?”

“It’s true.” Liu Xian’an nodded. “Did Mother and Father say anything?”

“After receiving the news, Father anxiously pulled out many strands of his beard and became completely bald. As for Mother, she also stayed in bed for a few days at first, mainly because, as you know, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s reputation is not very good in our region.” Liu Nanyuan said, “But then the emperor sent people to boast about the prince for a long time, and said that the matter needed to be discussed further, so the elders didn’t need to be so nervous. This basically stabilized the mood of our parents.”

Liu Xian’an felt guilty upon hearing this, because he recalled that his father quite liked that mustache. When he had nothing to do, he would take out small golden scissors from his sleeve and trim it carefully, but now it was torn out because of him. It could be seen that he had a problem with anxiety, and the symptoms were obvious. Just like the big parrot that hung under the covered bridge, and would frantically pull out the feathers on its rear end when it got upset. 

Liu Nanyuan urged, “Why did you only ask about our parents, but not ask about my reaction?”

“Then what was your reaction?”

“I was extremely moved at the time.” Liu Nanyuan grabbed her Er-ge’s sleeve and said, “I thought you were sacrificing yourself to prevent me from marrying His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.”

Liu Xian’an: “……You were thinking too much.”

“Yes, ah, I understood later.” Liu Nanyuan said, “When I went out, the closer I got to the southwest, the more people I heard talking about His Royal Highness Xiao Wang and Er-ge. I also met an unfortunate restaurant owner who said that the Jiangnan pastry chef he had finally hired was poached by the prince for a lot of money after he had only been working for a few days, saying that he would make sugar cakes for Er-ge.”

Liu Xian’an made an honest evaluation: “En, the taste is really decent.”

“But how are you together with His Royal Highness Xiao Wang?” Liu Nanyuan was puzzled. “You’re basically people from two different worlds.”

“People from different worlds can also enter each other’s worlds and seek common ground while setting aside differences.” Liu Xian’an didn’t want to bother explaining, and his mouth felt a little dry, so he told his sister, “When you grow up a little bit and meet the man you love, en, the kind of person who looks gentle, has a smile on his lips, has a slender figure, is full of literary thoughts, has little strength, is prone to stomach aches, and coughs when the wind blows, you will understand.”

“Don’t say that, ah!” Liu Nanyuan covered her mouth, embarrassed. There were some things that she was only willing to say to her Er-ge. Da-ge was too serious and strict, so it was not easy to talk to him.

As expected, Liu Xianche criticized: “A stomach ache and a cough, doesn’t this mean he is sick?”

Liu Nanyuan was very insistent. What is wrong with a sick sapling? In any case, I like weak people.

Liu Xianche: “…….”

How incomprehensible was this? What was wrong with this younger sibling?

---

Chapter One Hundred Six << Table of Contents >> Chapter One Hundred Eight

—Bang.

The bathroom door swung open.

Pei Yi was held in front of Bo Yueming, motionless with his head lowered.

Bo Yueming tilted his head and kissed his hot neck. He asked knowingly, “Are you really asleep?”

“…….”

Pei Yi used his remaining sanity to pretend to be dead asleep.

Bo Yueming placed his lover on the bed, and his fingertips deliberately brushed over the other’s ticklish skin—

Pei Yi was defeated at once, and mumbled, “I won’t, won’t deceive you next time.”

Bo Yueming’s hand lowered, and he comforted him gently, “Baby, your drinking capacity seems to have improved a lot?”

After drinking nearly a bottle of whiskey, he was still begging for mercy in a clear-headed manner.

Pei Yi was already so sleepy that his eyes drooped. When he heard this erroneous compliment, he moved slightly. “Er-ge, I’m sleepy, no more.”

Where was his drinking capacity?

It was clear that Bo Yueming was using an alternative method to ‘compel’ him to get hot and sweat. He fell into a drowsy state several times, and the feeling of drunkenness disappeared as he tossed.

“Not yet,” Bo Yueming said in a low voice, and kissed his lips again.

Pei Yi’s unfinished whimper suddenly turned into a gasp.

He subconsciously tightened his arms around Bo Yueming, tossing wantonly under the other party’s stimulation.

. . . . . . . .

This “punishment” lasted until three or four in the morning, and finally came to an end after Bo Yueming’s heart softened.

The drowsy Pei Yi missed breakfast and lunch, and slept until the evening before barely breaking free of his sleepiness.

He took a few bites of food to fill his stomach, then got back into bed and remained motionless.

Bo Yueming saw this lazy kitten and chuckled as he came closer. “Are you really tired? You haven’t recovered after sleeping for so long?”

Pei Yi glared at him halfheartedly.

The kitten expressed that he didn’t want to speak and presented him with the round back of his head.

Bo Yueming reached out and gently rubbed the back of his neck, sliding all the way down to help massage and relax him. “Lie down, I’ll give you a massage.”

Pei Yi followed his instructions and squinted his eyes in enjoyment.

While helping him relieve his fatigue and soreness, Bo Yueming asked casually, “Do you have Saturday off tomorrow?”

Pei Yi responded hoarsely, “En, I’m off.”

Operations for The Last Fog were on track, and the studio had returned to its normal weekend breaks. Only one or two technical staff needed to be arranged to take turns working overtime every week.

Of course, overtime meant double the pay, which was unavoidable.

Bo Yueming extended an invitation, “Then do you want to go to the beach with me tomorrow?”

Pei Yi was finally willing to turn his head back around. “Huh? The beach?”

“En.”

Bo Yueming kept moving his hands, and said in an enticing tone, “Last winter, we went to Yanshan Mountain to watch the stars and the sunrise. Now that it’s summer, let’s go to the beach to watch the stars and the sunset?”

Pei Yi became interested at once, and hastily agreed, “Okay, ah. I’ve wanted to go for a long time.”

Ever since he learned that Cynthia had spent Bo Yueming’s last birthday on the beach with him, Pei Yi had always wanted to go there with his lover.

He wanted to accompany the other party to make fresh memories other than his unhappy childhood ones.

Bo Yueming received the answer he wanted and revealed his pre-prepared plan, “Then we’ll leave around ten o’clock tomorrow. It will take us four and a half hours to drive to the beach resort.”

When Pei Yi heard his lover’s schedule, he knew that the other party had made early preparations.

Enduring the soreness, he sat up and smiled softly, kissing Bo Yueming. “Er-ge, I’ll go along with your arrangements.”

Bo Yueming took the opportunity to tighten his grip, and said, “All right.”

As soon as his ticklish waist was touched, Pei Yi added urgently, “Wait!”

“What?”

“N-no more tonight, otherwise I won’t be able to get up tomorrow.”

Bo Yueming laughed, teasing, “Then we’ll wait until tomorrow night.”

Pei Yi knew he was being teased, but still said stubbornly, “Not even tomorrow night.”

. . . . . . . .

Early the next morning.

When Pei Yi awoke from his dreams, Bo Yueming had already arranged everything for their departure in advance.

Bo Yueming was busy putting a leash on Inspector. When he heard movement on the bed, he stood up and immediately came forward. “You’re awake? Did you get enough sleep?”

Pei Yi yawned. “What time is it?”

Bo Yueming wiped his hands with the wet wipes beside the bed. “It’s just after nine o’clock. When you finish washing up, we can set off.”

“En.”

Pei Yi nodded, and suddenly noticed something with his keen eyes. “Er-ge, what’s wrong with your hands?”

As he spoke, he grabbed his lover’s hands to inspect them.

There were several small scratches on his long, good-looking fingers. Although they weren’t serious, they were still a bit red.

“These weren’t there last night.” Pei Yi gave it careful thought and raised his eyes worriedly. “How did it happen?”

“It’s nothing.”

Bo Yueming didn’t care about this minor injury, and explained casually, “After you fell asleep last night, I did some work and accidentally scratched myself with the paper. It just broke the surface a little, it’s not a big deal.”

“Be more careful next time.”

“En.”

Neither of them were dramatic people, and this little injury was nothing to get worked up over.

Once Pei Yi had figured out the situation, his attention shifted. He looked at the leash on his pet and was taken aback. “We’re taking Inspector along this time?”

Bo Yueming replied with a smile, “En, as long as the weather isn’t cold later, we can take it with us when we go out for short distances.”

Inspector seemed to understand its master’s intentions, and gave an “ao-meow” in agreement.

Pei Yi rubbed its head and felt that he was in a particularly good mood today. He didn’t waste any more time. “Then I’ll go wash up first.”

Bo Yueming placed a good morning kiss on his forehead. “Okay, go on.”

. . . . . . . .

Bo Yueming had a reservation at an exclusive seaside resort that was privately managed. Every guest could enjoy “one house with one beach,” and butler-style services.

—Swish.

As soon as the door of the independent villa opened, their dedicated hotel butler began his introduction. “Mr. Bo, Mr. Pei, hello. There is a swimming pool in the front yard with twenty four hour heating.”

“The villa is private, and the luggage has been delivered in advance, and in the rear of the villa is a private beach.”

“If you need anything, you can communicate with me directly through the intercom in the villa.”

The butler walked the two of them to the main room and stopped. “I wish you a pleasant stay.”

“En, thank you.”

Pei Yi carried his pet and stepped into the villa at once.

The living room had oversized floor-to-ceiling windows, and not far away was the endless blue sea. There was a small courtyard outside, where one could go out and enjoy the sea view at any time.

Inspector jumped out of Pei Yi’s arms and curiously explored the new environment.

Pei Yi wasn’t afraid of it getting lost. He walked from the living room to the master bedroom, and the second he entered the door, his gaze froze in surprise—

There was a small vase placed on the pure white bedside table. In it were not regular flowers, but small straw animals – butterflies, grasshoppers, dragonflies, and birds.

Although the arrangement was not perfect, it was quite lively.

Pei Yi immediately drew closer and couldn’t help but take one out, holding it in his hand and playing with it. “Er-ge! Look!”

He was just about to share this unexpected discovery with his lover when he turned around and saw Bo Yueming leaning against the door, gazing at him lovingly. “En, I see it.”

Pei Yi thought of the thin wounds on Bo Yueming’s fingers and suddenly reacted.

He brought the fluttering little straw animal to his lover’s side. “You…..did all of this?”

“Is it the same?”

Bo Yueming flicked the little grasshopper’s wings with his fingertip and said dotingly, “Kitten, does this look like the little straw grasshopper in your memories?”

Bo Yueming had been thinking about it ever since he heard Pei Yi tell him about his childhood experience in the orphanage.

He specially asked someone to buy the raw materials used for straw weaving.

Then he studied the videos in detail for two nights in a row, and finally came up with a few decent ones for his lover.

“…….”

Pei Yi’s eyes suddenly reddened, and as if fearing being embarrassed, he quickly wrapped his arms around Bo Yueming. “What gave you this idea? I, I’m not a child anymore.”

Hearing Pei Yi’s tearful voice, Bo Yueming gently hugged him and comforted, “But I want to treat you to some childhood pampering. Whatever you lacked in childhood and can be made up for, I will make it up to you.”

“Last time on the way back from Yanshan Mountain, didn’t I promise to make it up to you?”

Pei Yi’s voice was muffled in his clothing. “I was kidding you back then.”

Bo Yueming didn’t expect him to be moved to tears by such a small thing, so he changed the subject and coaxed, “Little Sir, would you like to comment on my handicraft skills?”

Pei Yi finally broke into a smile and withdrew from his lover’s arms to look at them carefully. “En, they’re pretty good.”

Bo Yueming raised his eyebrows. “Just pretty good?”

Pei Yi smiled and said, “Er-ge, they’re very good. Thank you.”

Such small toys from his childhood memories were made with care, and moved his heart more than flowers would have.

Pei Yi shook the small toy in his hand. “When did you make them? And when did you put them here?”

Bo Yueming took him into the living room and said, “I completed them early this morning and put them in the trunk.”

However, Bo Yueming had communicated with the hotel butler beforehand. When they were checking in just now, the other party asked the staff to secretly bring them and put them here in advance.

Pei Yi put it back into the vase and looked at Inspector, who was still exploring the living room outside. “I can’t let Inspector mess with them this time. I want to preserve them well.”

Bo Yueming let him handle it. “Are you hungry? It’s not quite three in the afternoon yet.”

Pei Yi shook his head. “I just ate something in the car and I’m still full.”

Bo Yueming wasn’t hungry either. “Then let’s sleep for a while first? After we get some energy back, we can watch the sunrise on the beach before eating. There should be stars out tonight.”

Pei Yi was very satisfied with this schedule. Remembering that Bo Yueming had worked hard to drive all the way here, he immediately agreed. “Okay.”

. . . . . . . .

Waves washed softly onto the beach. The sea breeze was blowing gently, and the sun in the sky was slowly setting toward the intersection of sky and sea.

The sky was not filled with fiery red clouds, but dyed into a magnificent pink-blue tone that reflected on the sparkling sea.

Everything was perfectly gentle and soft.

“Meow-wu~”

Inspector was not as timid as other cats. This was obviously the first time it had seen the sea and walked on the beach, but it was bold enough to run rampant, so excited that it dashed blindly back and forth.

Pei Yi watched his beloved pet’s rare foolishness and couldn’t help but hold Bo Yueming’s hand tightly. “Er-ge.”

“En?”

“I wish time would stop at this moment.”

Bo Yueming kissed the back of his hand. “Even if time doesn’t stop, we will have countless times like this in the future.”

Pei Yi thought about it. “Yes.”

The two held hands like this until the sunset completely fell below the sea level, and then they took the tired Inspector back to the villa’s backyard.

While they were walking on the beach, the hotel butler had already arranged a candlelight dinner at the beach for them according to Bo Yueming’s instructions.

This smooth arrangement caused Pei Yi’s good mood to rise even more.

“Er-ge.”

“En?”

“Wait until the next time we go out to have fun, I’ll make the arrangements.”

At Bo Yueming’s gesture, Pei Yi took his seat and said, “Otherwise I’ll be outclassed by you.”

Bo Yueming very much enjoyed all aspects of serving his lover, and poured him some red wine. “What’s the point of comparing? It’s good as long as you like it.”

Pei Yi nodded happily. “Of course I like it, ah, I don’t have to worry about anything. Who wouldn’t like it?”

Bo Yueming sat opposite him and said, “Eat, ba.”

Pei Yi raised his glass. “A toast?”

“Okay.”

The food at this resort was also of high quality and taste.

Pei Yi and Bo Yueming ate and talked, watching the sky over the beach grow darker.

At the end of the meal, the hotel butler promptly served iced milk pudding as dessert. “Mr. Pei, please take your time.”

The sole dessert was placed in front of Pei Yi.

Pei Yi kept Bo Yueming in mind as always. “Only one portion?”

The hotel butler didn’t understand for a moment, and glanced at Bo Yueming. “Yes, Mr. Bo personally prepared it for you.”

“…….”

Pei Yi was startled, and his gaze fell on Bo Yueming once more. “Er-ge, when did you do this?”

How didn’t he know about it?

Bo Yueming motioned with his eyes for the butler to step back, and sat next to Pei Yi. “I made it while you were sleeping in the afternoon. Time was tight, so I had to pick something simple. Will you try it?”

Pei Yi took a few bites in a dignified manner and affirmed encouragingly, “En, it’s delicious.”

Bo Yueming vowed, “I will learn more from Uncle Kai in the future, and make more for you when I get the chance.”

Pei Yi took another spoonful with a faint smile. “Er-ge, how many things did you do while I was sleeping? As expected, all ‘villains’ are masters of time management.”

As soon as the sound of his teasing fell, there was a whoosh behind him as something shot into the sky.

Pei Yi turned his head subconsciously. One second, two seconds, three seconds—

A gorgeous firework suddenly bloomed in the dark blue night, followed by many more, and instantly became the most dazzling scenery on the entire coastline!

Bo Yueming encircled his stunned lover from behind and whispered in his ear, “Kitten, let me borrow your original trick to surprise you.”

Pei Yi knew that this was Bo Yueming’s handiwork again, and his initial shock turned to enjoyment. He murmured, “Although it’s not an exclusive idea, I still have to charge a fee.”

Fireworks enfolded the night in harmony with the bright moon, and all the loneliness and desolation ignited into a tenderness that belonged to the two of them alone.

The last bouquet of fireworks came to an end, and Pei Yi’s world became completely quiet.

His eyes slowly lowered from the night sky, and he realized that he had unknowingly stepped out of Bo Yueming’s arms while he was absorbed in what he was watching.

“Pei Yi.”

In the next second, that familiar voice met his ears again.

It was clearly just his name, but it brought with it a slight tremor of nervousness that had never been heard before.

An idea instantly popped into Pei Yi’s mind, and he turned around to look.

Bo Yueming was still sitting behind him, but suddenly there was a small black velvet box in his hand.

A simple yet well-designed ring was placed inside, quietly appearing before his eyes.

“……”

Pei Yi sucked in a breath, his eyes hot from the smoke of the fireworks. “Er-ge, you…..”

Words came to his lips, then stopped again.

He hadn’t expected that the proposal he was still planning would be preempted by his lover so blatantly.

Bo Yueming squeezed the ring box in his hand slightly and attempted to say in a calm tone, “I will replenish the little straw toys that have been trampled on, and I will make you the desserts that others can no longer make.”

“As long as you like it or want it, I will do my best to give it to you.”

He would make up for the regrets of his lover’s childhood, and also erase the bitterness.

“We can watch the sunrises and sunsets together, look at the stars and fireworks together, and unlock more things together in our future lives.”

Bo Yueming knelt down on one knee and looked up at the person in front of him.

The bright moonlight appeared in those eyes that were as dark blue as the deep sea. This was his Pei Yi.

“Little Sir, am I qualified to be your lifelong partner?”

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Chapter One Hundred Three <<Table of Contents >> Chapter One Hundred Five