Liu Zhenqing awoke suddenly. His dreams were full of Huo Fenglie’s blood-red eyes, and the scene of him vomiting blood and falling unconscious.

Full of fear and uneasiness, he quickly got out of bed. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a boy standing guard. Without waiting for him to say anything, Liu Zhenqing hurriedly said: “Where is the person who came with me?”

“In the next room.”

Liu Zhenqing followed the boy’s directions at once and rushed to the next room.

Only, he saw two other people in the room, an old man and Yue Xuqian.

Yue Xuqian watched Liu Zhenqing barge in, and was a little surprised by this man’s gaffe.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Liu Zhenqing pass him and jump directly toward the bed.

Liu Zhenqing breathed a sigh of relief at last when he saw Huo Fenglie lying down well.

He instinctively reached out to feel Huo Fenglie’s pulse. The situation seemed to be improving, but it was still very complicated.

“Young Master?” Yue Xuqian asked.

Liu Zhenqing then turned around to look at the two of them.

Having seen Liu Zhenqing’s expression toward Huo Fenglie just now, Yue Xuqian raised his eyebrows slightly and said: “I invited this well-known doctor to treat Fenglie. How about we listen together?”

Liu Zhenqing quickly said to the old doctor: “Sorry to trouble you, thank you so much.”

Curiosity flashed across Yue Xuqian’s face. Logically speaking, it was reasonable for him to save Huo Fenglie. Why was it this young master’s responsibility to thank the doctor profusely on Huo Fenglie’s behalf? This made it seem as if they were closer.

“There is no need to thank me, because I can’t cure it at all,” the old doctor said directly. “This person seems to have lost control of his internal force a few years ago. It stands to reason that with such a serious illness, to put it bluntly, he should have died a long time ago. He has been able to survive until now only because people with great medical skills have tried to find ways to prolong his life and suppress his illness. He should not have too many mood swings or compete with his internal force in battle. Internal injuries and the like can trigger the old illness and cause it to break out, and an accident could happen if he’s not careful. I see that in addition to the old injury, he has a few new injuries. It seems he was in a life or death fight, is that right?”

Yue Xuqian looked at Liu Zhenqing and saw that his face was pale and expressionless, his thoughts unknown. Yue Xuqian hadn’t expected Huo Fenglie’s situation to be so dire, but he remembered that the Huo family sister-in-law was the disciple of a miracle doctor. Although the old doctor in front of him was also famous, he was not as good as Madam Huo.  So after hearing this, he was not too impatient for the time being.

“Then now…..”

“The internal injuries are easy to recover from, and he will wake up soon, but the old injury has worsened, and the effects of this bottle of medicine are also decreasing. This old doctor can’t do anything. You must find a more capable doctor. There are only two or three people in the world who can save him. It’s best if you take him for treatment as soon as possible, otherwise, if he has a few more outbreaks, he won’t be able to survive.”

When the old doctor finished explaining, he gave Huo Fenglie acupuncture and then prepared a medicinal bath.

Yue Xuqian paid a lot of money and asked the old doctor to stay and take care of Huo Fenglie until he recovered.

Then he took the silent Liu Zhenqing out.

“I haven’t asked yet, who is this young master? What is your relationship with Fenglie?” Yue Xuqian took the initiative to ask.

Liu Zhenqing returned to his senses and said: “I’m Liu Xiaozhu, of the Imperial merchant Liu family in the capital. I came south to investigate a case with Brother Huo.”

Yue Xuqian was instantly surprised, and asked, “Liu?”

“Yes, it’s the one you’re thinking of.” Liu Zhenqing knew that Yue Xuqian didn’t hate him, so he admitted it openly.

But how could Yue Xuqian not know of him, this descendant of the Liu family who had been pursuing his good brother for a long time and caused a stir in the capital. He was happily eating melons at that time.

He didn’t expect that in the blink of an eye, his good brother would be on the road with someone who loved him madly. It was too incredible.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t see Yue Xuqian’s changing expression. He just said: “It was during this process that we were hunted down and Brother Huo was injured.”

Yue Xuqian was still amazed over Liu Zhenqing’s identity. Upon hearing this, he said: “By the way, your other two companions have arrived and are recuperating in the courtyard next door. You can relax.”

“Thank you very much. They are Brother Huo’s good brothers.” Liu Zhenqing briefly introduced them.

Although Yue Xuqian had never met them, Huo Fenglie did mention them in his letters. Seeing Liu Zhenqing’s solemn expression after he spoke, he knew he was concerned about Huo Fenglie’s condition and said: “Young Master Liu, don’t worry. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll quickly send him to the capital where Sister-in-law Huo is.”

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t relax his furrowed brow. If Li Xingruo could treat him, why would she only use medicine to relieve the symptoms? He must still go to his master. His master was in the south. Before Huo Fenglie went south this time, Li Xingruo seemed to have told him something. Maybe it was for Huo Fenglie to see the doctor, so Huo Fenglie should know where his master was. Even if he didn’t know, he could just write a letter to Li Xingruo once Huo Fenglie woke up.

Thinking of this, Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help but feel a little angry. They had known each other for so long, but Huo Fenglie never even mentioned such an important matter.

Liu Zhenqing had previously felt that Huo Fenglie’s pulse was strange, but he never expected that it would be this serious. Hearing that he could have died long ago, Liu Zhenqing felt as if his heart was about to burst.

This was the first time Liu Zhenqing blamed himself for not being good at studying, and failing to understand Huo Fenglie’s condition. Now he could only plead to others. This feeling was extremely uncomfortable.

“By the way, how is your injury?” Yue Xuqian asked.

Liu Zhenqing was taken aback and touched his injured shoulder, which still hurt a little. “I’m fine. I’ll go check on the other two first and then come back to take care of Brother Huo.”

Yue Xuqian advised: “It’s okay to go and see them, but you had better rest more afterward. I will certainly arrange for someone to look after Fenglie.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled helplessly and said: “No, I have to stay by him. He’ll be anxious if he doesn’t see me when he wakes up.”

After saying this, Liu Zhenqing left Yue Xuqian scratching his head. Why had he said that so confidently? Wasn’t Liu Zhenqing pursuing Huo Fenglie? It sounded like Huo Fenglie couldn’t live without Liu Zhenqing. Were they already in love?

Yue Xuqian lamented the delay in news, turning around to enter the room. Seeing that the medicine boy had prepared a medicinal bath, he helped Huo Fenglie sit in the bathtub.

Because he was only wearing his inner robes and the collar was a little loose, he could clearly see the tattoo inside spreading due to the heat of his body.

Yue Xuqian was very astute, and understood something at a glance. He shook his head helplessly and chuckled. Suddenly, the person sitting in the bathtub frowned.

Yue Xuqian was about to step forward to take a look when he heard a low voice call, “Qing-ge.”

Pausing in his steps, Yue Xuqian raised his eyebrows helplessly. This…..fortunately Young Master Liu didn’t hear it, otherwise what would he think?

At this time, Liu Zhenqing had arrived at the courtyard next door. As soon as he entered, he saw He Lan sitting alone on the steps, holding his chin in his hand and looking at a loss.

“Brother He?”

It wasn’t until Liu Zhenqing approached that He Lan returned to his senses.

“Oh, you’re awake. You’re okay.”

“I’m fine, Brother Huo is still unconscious. But you guys, how are you?”

Liu Zhenqing’s simple inquiry caused the sensitive He Lan to say nervously: “What could we have done? Nothing, ah!”

There was a question mark on Liu Zhenqing’s face. He asked: “Really? I heard Young Master Yue say that you’re injured too.”

He Lan was distracted for a moment before reacting, and said: “I was slightly injured in the beginning, but Lao Qin was hurt worse and is still unconscious now.”

Liu Zhenqing nodded and said: “Fortunately the poison woman’s drug only had that effect, and there were antidote pills. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have just been slightly injured.”

He Lan instantly looked embarrassed.

When Liu Zhenqing finished speaking, he asked for the remaining antidote pills.

He Lan could only grit his teeth and say: “I accidentally threw them into the river.”

Liu Zhenqing didn’t think too much of it, and just assumed that He Lan had an accident after taking the medicine. Then he spoke of the fact that the assassins had all been killed by Huo Fenglie. Since there were no survivors, there was no way to track down their origins. They could only admit that they were unlucky and take care in the future.

While the two were talking, there was sudden movement in the room. He Lan ducked in instantly, and Liu Zhenqing, who was also concerned about Qin Yu’s situation, followed him in.

As soon as he entered, he saw that Qin Yu seemed to have woken up and tried to get out of bed, but suddenly fell to the ground as if his limbs had no strength.

He Lan quickly stepped forward and seemed to try to pick him up, but Qin Yu evaded him.

Qin Yu regarded He Lan with an unkind gaze and said coldly: “I can do it myself.”

He Lan could only stand aside awkwardly, as if he didn’t know where to put his hands or feet.

Liu Zhenqing naturally knew that the two of them got along at normal times, but it was very strange at this moment.

He watched for a moment, and saw the ambiguous marks on Qin Yu’s neck. He suddenly remembered that when they were separated, Qin Yu had no problem moving even though he had internal injuries. Why had he become semi-disabled now?

Looking at the embarrassment on He Lan’s face, Liu Zhenqing suddenly had an odd suspicion.

It couldn’t be that he didn’t take the medicine and just…..lost it.

And therefore He Lan’s antidote became a person?

Liu Zhenqing was shocked on the spot by this supposition.

His eyes continued to linger on the two until the moment Qin Yu sat down. His expression looked as ugly as if he had been stabbed, and Liu Zhenqing didn’t dare to look any longer.

After briefly explaining the situation, Liu Zhenqing quickly left this awkward and suffocating environment.

Watching Liu Zhenqing flee, He Lan really wanted to say, take me away too! He really didn’t dare to face the awake Qin Yu, ah!

The room fell into an eerie silence, and Qin Yu said abruptly: “You…..”

But before Qin Yu could finish speaking, He Lan’s heart collapsed and he said directly, “I’ll get you some food.” After saying this, he vanished in an instant.

Qin Yu frowned slightly, but quickly regained his composure and began to meditate.

When there was subsequent movement in the room, Qin Yu knew who was coming without opening his eyes.

Qin Yu kept his eyes closed and continued to meditate, but said bluntly, “You don’t need to have any hang-ups. It was just the situation.”

He Lan, who had just adjusted his mental state, felt uncomfortable hearing this familiar tone and expected words. How could he not mind? But the other party was so magnanimous, so what else could he say? After all, he had still taken advantage. After scratching his head and ears for a while, he took a step forward and said, “This matter is all my fault. You are my savior. If your anger isn’t enough, you can kill me or cut me to pieces.”

Qin Yu sneered and opened his eyes, which held a coldness that seemed to have never changed: “Are you stupid? If you were killed or cut to pieces, how would I save you? We are brothers, so there is no need to be so pretentious.”

Qin Yu had never admitted that they were brothers, and only acquiesced in his heart. But now that he suddenly heard Qin Yu say this, He Lan felt that the sound of  “brother” was extremely harsh.

Was it okay if they were brothers? He Lan couldn’t help but think of the scene at that time, and held a question in his heart: why didn’t Qin Yu resist? Although he was severely bullied later on and indeed resisted, in the beginning, he really sacrificed himself. Even if it was to save him, how could he accept it so easily?

What if it hadn’t been him? What if it was Zhanyuan or Brother Liu, what if…..He Lan truly couldn’t imagine that Qin Zichuan, whom only he had seen like that, would save his other brothers in such a manner.

He Lan felt that something wasn’t right, and couldn’t help but ask: “Lao Qin, you have such a big heart. Would you be willing to save our other brothers like that?”

After asking, He Lan regretted it. He didn’t know where this resentment had come from. He was obviously the one who was rescued, but everything was awkward.

Qin Yu looked at He Lan’s tangled appearance. After he saved him, this person even made derisive remarks, making him laugh in anger: “Are you out of your mind? Big-hearted? What does it mean to be big-hearted? Are you seeking death, wanting me to take responsibility? What do you think I am?”

Although he was used to Qin Yu’s sarcastic words, He Lan felt panicked in this moment, as if he was the one who was thrown away after being eaten.

“If you want me to take responsibility, I’ll take responsibility, ah!” He Lan couldn’t help but retort.

Qin Yu was instantly enraged. He raised his hand and threw something at He Lan. “Get out. Don’t make me regret saving you.”

He Lan easily caught it, and the awkward mood seemed to vanish after such a tit-for-tat confrontation. When he looked up, Qin Yu’s angry appearance became very vivid in He Lan’s eyes. The beauty seemed to have glared at him angrily like this back at that time.

He Lan felt inexplicably happy. “I’m not going out. The doctor told me to apply medicine for you every day.”

When Qin Yu heard the words ‘apply medicine,’ he couldn’t react at first. When he did, murderous intent accumulated in his eyes. 

Naturally, he had no regrets about saving this person, and had no intention of making a fuss or pursuing revenge afterwards. He just treated it as a normal detoxification process, and when it was over, it was over.

In the end, he didn’t know why He Lan had lost his mind. He was usually very eloquent. Forget about resolving the embarrassment, now he was being irritating again and saying such things. Was this something that could be said considering the awkward relationship between the two of them?

Qin Yu was full of pent up anger, and now it had been completely ignited by He Lan. It must be said that He Lan had a unique talent for angering Qin Yu.

Regardless of his internal injuries, Qin Yu promptly jumped up and attacked He Lan.

In the past, He Lan would tuck his tail between his legs and run away if he angered Qin Yu, but this time, He Lan didn’t run away, and instead faced him head-on. He barely gave Qin Yu a chance to take action. Grabbing his wrist, he said: “Don’t use your internal force, you still have internal injuries!”

“Get away!” Qin Yu couldn’t stand He Lan’s touch now. It reminded him of those scenes.

However, He Lan did not go away. He said with an innocent expression: “I will naturally take care of the injuries I caused. Why are you reacting so much? Who just said he has no grudges? Good brother, don’t be pretentious.” After saying this, he even slapped Qin Yu on the back.

Qin Yu looked at He Lan in disbelief. He Lan drew closer and said: “The wound there is serious. Stop moving, I’ll give you some medicine.”

Qin Yu’s face gradually turned from green to black. There was a bam, boom, slam, and He Lan was kicked out of the room.

He Lan rubbed his aching waist and sat down on the steps by the door again, proceeding to sigh incessantly.

Although he absolutely didn’t want to admit it, it seemed that after Qin Yu woke up, his own situation had not improved, but instead became more serious. The more icily arrogant Qin Yu looked now, the more he remembered the way he looked with tears in his eyes, which really made him…..excited.

He had a moment of silence for his body’s unscrupulous reaction. It was really too dreadful.

On the other side, Liu Zhenqing originally wanted to stand guard for Huo Fenglie, but Yue Xuqian felt that it was unsuitable for Liu Zhenqing to see Huo Fenglie’s tattoo, so he made excuses to delay time. It wasn’t until Huo Fenglie was returned to bed that Yue Xuqian left.

Liu Zhenqing remained by the bedside and helped dry his wet hair little by little. While wiping, he thought about the situation with He Lan and Qin Yu that he had just accidentally learned about. The more he thought about it, the more outrageous it felt. And seeing Qin Yu’s appearance, he must be in a great deal of pain. Liu Zhenqing’s thoughts were a mess, and he really couldn’t help but want to complain to Huo Fenglie. But when he glanced over, he saw that Huo Fenglie’s lips were particularly red due to his soak.

He suddenly recalled that time when he gave him medicine.

Liu Zhenqing pursed his lips in embarrassment. The more he remembered it, the redder his face became. Unknowingly, he reached out and touched those two lips.

In the next second, he heard a deep voice. “Qing-ge?”

Liu Zhenqing was instantly startled. He raised his eyes to look over and saw that Huo Fenglie had woken up at some point. A pair of dark eyes reflected his crime like clear obsidian. He didn’t know whether his rosy cheeks were caused by illness or embarrassment. Because Liu Zhenqing’s index finger was still between Huo Fenglie’s lips, when Huo Fenglie opened his mouth, it poked inside.

His finger was warm, and Liu Zhenqing was so frightened that he quickly retracted it, looking at Huo Fenglie at a loss. There was an embarrassment much like being caught red-handed doing something bad.

Huo Fenglie just stared at him blankly for a moment, then suddenly got up and grabbed Liu Zhenqing, saying: “Qing-ge, how are you? Are you hurt?”

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Chapter Sixty << Table of Contents >> Chapter Sixty-Two

The fruits in the basket were washed and cut into pieces by Mu Nanqiao, put into boxes, packed together with many other exquisite snacks made by the Mu family chef, and taken out for a picnic.

It was just a picnic, and only to the small lake behind the house. When Lu Qi proposed this idea, he was worried that Mu Chuanbai would refuse, but Mu Chuanbai was very pleased. He also told Mu Nanqiao to bring a charcoal grill and marinated meat, and they simply had dinner by the lake, mainly for the sake of the rustic appeal.

So in the end, Mu Nanqiao had to drive. The auntie at home asked if they wanted to bring the chef, and Mu Chuanbai waved his hand. “No need, Nanqiao’s barbeque is very good. You can have a few people skewer the meat. What else does Xiao Lu like to eat? Go and see what is missing, and tell Auntie Sun to go purchase it.”

Lu Qi was a little embarrassed by his enthusiasm to mobilize the troops. Mu Nanqiao took him to the kitchen to look at the ingredients, and asked the chef waiting inside: “When was the meat marinated?”

The chubby chef said with a smile: “Someone gave Chairman Mu a piece of venison last night, and he marinated it when it was delivered to him. It is still fresh.”

Mu Nanqiao frowned. “Is there any other meat?”

“There is also wagyu and lamb…..”

Lu Qi grabbed his arm and used him as a crutch to keep his weak foot from touching the ground hard. He whispered: “Why not eat venison? I haven’t eaten venison before.”

Mu Nanqiao raised his eyebrows and smiled meaningfully: “You really want to eat venison?”

He really looked good when he smiled like this, and the small red mole at the tip of his eye was very attractive. But it just revealed a cunning wickedness, like a beautiful and clever fox.

Lu Qi’s crisis radar beeped, and he said: “Then never mind…..”

“It’s quite delicious,” Mu Nanqiao said. “It’s more tender than beef. The ones my dad ordered from the deer farm were all young deer and didn’t have much gaminess. We’ll bring some to try.”

“Okay, ah.” Lu Qi smiled. “Do you have any lemons? I’ll make a drink to take with us.”

“We do.” Auntie smiled and said to Lu Qi, “Come with me.”

After he made the drink, Auntie found him crutches. Lu Qi blushed and said that it wasn’t that serious anymore. His feet stepped with no problems. In the end, Auntie stuffed them under his arms, and he used the crutches to find Mu Nanqiao, who was putting things in the truck. He lay softly against Mu Nanqiao’s back and hugged his narrow waist with both hands. Both crutches fell to the side with a clank.

Mu Nanqiao stopped what he was doing and turned his head slightly, looking at the crutches. “What? Did you find that I’m more useful as a human crutch?”

“En.” Lu Qi nodded, rubbing his cheek against Mu Nanqiao’s back with a sigh. “I feel like everyone is very enthusiastic toward me, and I’m a little flattered…..”

“I thought you were used to it.” Mu Nanqiao also put his dad’s fishing rod in and then turned around and embraced Lu Qi, swinging him. “After all, my boyfriend is handsome and has a good personality. He has many friends wherever he goes…..”

“Not really…..” Lu Qi’s face went hot as he spoke. Thinking of something, he felt a little sad. “I don’t know when my family will accept my sexuality. I really want my mom to see how good my boyfriend is, but she can’t figure it out. I can’t take you back there. I don’t want you to be wronged.”

Mu Nanqiao felt that it didn’t matter if he got a few supercilious looks. Lu Qi’s parents had raised him so well. He was only grateful to them.

“You suddenly came over and asked for a hug. It turns out you’re homesick.” Mu Nanqiao lowered his head and kissed his forehead. “It’s okay. I won’t be busy for a while. I’ll accompany you to Yuncheng, and if Auntie gets angry when she sees me, I’ll just wait for you in a hotel.”

Lu Qi looked around and saw that the vehicle was blocking the two of them, so he stood on tiptoe and kissed Mu Nanqiao on the lips.

“I will work hard.” He said with a smile and curved eyes, “I’ll work hard to give you a status!”

Mu Nanqiao lowered his eyelashes, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. He raised a hand to clasp the back of Lu Qi’s neck, and deepened the kiss with no intention of finishing it.

. . . . . . .

It was said that Mu Nanqiao would cook alone, but in fact, two people came over to help.

When they arrived at the open space by the lake, several people set up tables and took out the barbeque ingredients. Mu Nanqiao rolled up his sleeves and took the meat skewers from the box. Lu Qi rolled up his sleeves and was preparing to help when Mu Chuanbai stuffed a fishing rod into his hands and pulled him farther away to the lake for fishing.

Mu Chuanbai’s fishing gear was all professional equipment. Lu Qi had never fished before, so he was inevitably anxious. This influential figure in the business world was unexpectedly patient. After Lu Qi finally got into position, he praised him with a smile: “What a smart kid.”

Lu Qi, who was treated as a child, coughed in embarrassment. He wiped his hands with a wet wipe, took out the fruit, inserted a small fork, and pushed it toward Mu Chuanbai. “Uncle Mu, please eat some fruit.”

Mu Chuanbai forked a piece of peach.

A gentle breeze blew over the lake, bringing with it moist water vapor. Lu Qi feared that Mu Chuanbai would be cold, so he took a blanket out of the bag beside him and covered Mu Chuanbai’s legs.

Mu Chuanbai smiled and thanked him. He gazed at the lake and chatted with Lu Qi at a leisurely pace, and the topic naturally revolved around Mu Nanqiao.

“Does it feel difficult to be with Nanqiao?” Mu Chuanbai asked gently: “He has a past that he can’t escape. Will you feel tired pulling him along all the time?”

Lu Qi shook his head, holding his chin as he asked: “Why do you think so? I’ll just pull him gently, and he will try to walk forward on his own. When he’s tired of walking, I will pull him again…..”

Mu Chuanbai smiled, and his eyes, which were similar to Mu Nanqiao’s, flashed with relief. His child’s relationship was going well, which gave him the happiness of an ordinary father.

“Besides, why would it feel so difficult…..” Lu Qi’s face felt hot, and he said with embarrassment, “He makes delicious food every day. Since I started dating him, the cat and I have gained weight…..”

“His cooking is very delicious.” As long as he was not in front of his son, he did not hesitate to praise him. “He should have told you that after that night in the warehouse, he left the Mu family to rent an apartment. It was at that time that he developed his cooking skills.”

Lu Qi nodded, but felt that something wasn’t right. After thinking about it, he didn’t know what “that night in the warehouse” was referring to. He always had an infinite curiosity about Mu Nanqiao, so he asked cautiously: “That night in the warehouse?”

Mu Chuanbai seemed a little surprised, and raised his brows, asking: “He hasn’t told you?”

“No, ah, does it have something to do with me?” Lu Qi blinked his eyes in confusion, then suddenly thought of something. 

Warehouse…..that night…..he was…..

Looking back farther, Mu Nanqiao had once tentatively asked about his high school days, and if he had ever been to Shanghai. And that competition…..

He stood abruptly and gave Mu Chuanbai an apologetic look. “Uncle Mu, I have something to tell Mu Nanqiao. I will go over for a while and come back to fish with you later.”

When he finished speaking, he ran away in a hurry. The fish that was about to bite the hook flicked its tail in shock and slipped back into the water.

. . . . . . .

Mu Nanqiao was about to ask someone to call that person over when he looked up and saw Lu Qi trotting toward him. Because his foot was still swollen, his movements were rather comical. Mu Nanqiao frowned and stepped forward to catch him with open hands. 

“Why are you running?” He lightly patted Lu Qi’s butt, intending to scold him, but his tone was uncontrollably soft as he spoke. “Your foot doesn’t hurt anymore? If you’re in a hurry, you can use my dad’s wheelchair and just let him sit on the ground.”

Lu Qi: ……

A kind father and a filial son. Your dad should really hit you with his wheelchair.

Half-supported and half-carried, he was pushed into a chair and his sock and shoe were removed. Mu Nanqiao grasped his calf, placed his foot on his knee, and carefully applied medicinal spray to his ankle.

The medicine was cool and smelled slightly bitter. Lu Qi also felt bitter in his heart.

“I remember that old warehouse.” Looking at Mu Nanqiao, he spoke slowly and clearly. “You asked me if the competition had gone well at that time. In fact, it didn’t. I made several mistakes because I couldn’t help thinking of that boy who was locked up in that old warehouse.”

Mu Nanqiao’s spraying hand paused.

When that boy was carried out by the ambulance, Lu Qi was still at the scene. The other party’s face was bruised and deformed from his beating, and his actual appearance could not be seen at all. He looked as embarrassed as a little stray dog that had lost its protection.

“I remember.” Lu Qi’s eyelashes lowered, and he reached out to touch Mu Nanqiao’s hair. It was not that soft, but was very smooth, nothing like the blood-stuck strands at that time. “But I didn’t know it was you, ah. No one wants to be seen in such disarray by another person, so when you asked me, I subconsciously concealed it for the sake of ‘that boy.’”

When he finished explaining, he blinked uncertainly. “Did you always remember me?”

“Yes, ah.” Mu Nanqiao grasped his hand with a smile and lowered his head, kissing his fingertips. “That is to say, I have liked you for a long time. It was love at first sight.”

Lu Qi felt lost again.

If liking someone had a weight, then his seemed to be lighter than Mu Nanqiao’s.

He said with a guilty conscience: “At that time…..I really couldn’t fall in love with you at first sight…..”

Mu Nanqiao laughed in spite of himself. “Baby, you don’t have to be so sincere…..”

“But every day from now on, when I open my eyes, I will fall in love with you at first sight.” Lu Qi said very earnestly: “I will try my best to catch up with your progress!”

Mu Nanqiao: ……

Sincerity was simply the most beautiful quality in the world.

If no one else was around, he would really want to hold Lu Qi in his arms and kiss him to tears, the tip of his tongue brushing against his back molars. His fox-like eyes gave Lu Qi a deep look and he unconsciously rubbed Lu Qi’s cool white wrist with his thumb.

This aggressive gaze was intense, and Lu Qi’s face felt hot as he was looked at. He whispered, “I’m going to try the roasted venison,” then put on his shoes and ran away.

Mu Chuanbai was also pushed over by the bodyguard.

It was obviously not appropriate to continue the topic from just now. Mu Nanqiao gathered his emotions and walked toward the barbeque grill, picked out two skewers of venison on the side, and handed them to Lu Qi.

Lu Qi ate gracefully, finishing the two skewers in small bites. After eating, he licked the corners of his lips with satisfaction and then remembered to ask Mu Nanqiao: “Aren’t you going to eat?”

His pale lips were stained a light crimson after eating something hot. The red tip of his tongue flicked between his lips, and his eyes were as clear as a reflection of the sky. When he looked at a person with such eager eyes, he was much like a bewitching spirit in a forest, who didn’t know much about the world.

Mu Nanqiao took a deep breath. Indeed, he wanted to eat a little deer.

After handing him two roasted beef skewers, Mu Naniqao said: “Go sit over there and eat. Don’t tease me.”

Lu Qi: ? ? ? 

He didn’t do anything…..

Lu Qi found a small stool and sat down, taking a bite of the beef skewers. The top-grade wagyu beef was rich in fat, the meat fresh and tender, but he felt that the venison skewers were still tastier.

En, he would eat two more skewers later. Mu-shifu’s craftsmanship was really good!

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Chapter Thirty-Three << Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirty-Five

Liu Zhenqing rode Shen Jiangyue with Huo Fenglie along the water, but the river soon branched off, and Liu Zhenqing could only give up looking for the others. Since the assassins were dead, he believed that nothing would happen to He Lan with Qin Yu there.

In the distance, Liu Zhenqing saw a city, but he couldn’t tell which one it was. After all, they had drifted along the river very far.

It wasn’t until he came to the city gate that Liu Zhenqing clearly saw that something good had finally happened. It turned out to be the Yangkun Prefecture they had been looking for.

Liu Zhenqing dismounted and left Huo Fenglie on the horse. He dealt with the city guards, then walked through the city holding the reins. At this moment, Liu Zhenqing felt that he had reached a safe place, and his body couldn’t hold on any longer. The water in early spring was freezing when he fell in, and his wound was only treated simply out in the wild, so he needed to rest as soon as possible.

First, he found a nearby inn and sent an attendant with some silver to find the best doctor in the city.

When the attendant saw Liu Zhenqing carrying the unconscious Huo Fenglie on his back, both of them with blood on them, he was somewhat afraid to accept such customers.

“Guest, it won’t be convenient here. Why don’t you take him directly to the medical clinic?”

Liu Zhenqing was already very tired, and was about to become angry when he suddenly heard the sound of tables and chairs being smashed nearby. It seemed that a guest was making a ruckus.

“Fuck, pretty boy, say that again if you have the guts! Everyone is listening, see if the officials don’t come and arrest you!”

The attendant immediately had no time to talk to Liu Zhenqing and hurriedly went to break up the fight.

Liu Zhenqing frowned and looked over to see a young man in white playing with a teacup. He was dressed as an elegant young master, handsome and vibrant. He looked like a scholar, but was filled with an understated luxurious nobility, and his clothing and accessories were not ordinary. He seemed like someone from a family with deep roots.

His features looked gentle, but they revealed a bit of cool contempt. Although there were only two servants following behind him, they seemed to be capable of martial arts, so the young man looked calm when facing the threat of three strong men holding swords.

This person gave a faint smile and said, “I just heard your fantastical words and thought we could discuss it. Why can you say such a thing but others can’t? It’s just a matter of words. Being angry is harmful to your health.”

Although there was nothing wrong with these words, the tone seemed somewhat anger-inducing.

Liu Zhenqing naturally had no patience to listen to their quarrel. In fact, he didn’t have to stay at this place, but he physically couldn’t hold on any longer. The wound on his body was probably infected, and his body also felt hot. He was already a little dizzy, and would probably faint if he took a few more steps. Right now, he just wanted to take Er-gou and quickly lie down and wait for the doctor to save him. Since the attendant wasn’t paying attention to him, he would just call the innkeeper and throw money at him.

But when he looked around, he didn’t see an innkeeper present, and he heard the argument behind him getting more and more intense.

“Everyone knows that Liu Zhenqing is a great traitor and sinner who brought harm to our Great Zhou Dynasty. It is wrong of you to speak up for him! I think you have a rebellious heart!”

Liu Zhenqing’s body stiffened, and he was speechless. He had been dead for so many years. How could he meet people fighting about him in such a place?

However, there were very few people who would speak up for him.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help but glance at the young master again, and there suddenly seemed to be some familiarity in his features.

What was interesting was that whenever there were some dissenters, they would inevitably shrink back when faced with the accusation of speaking up for the treacherous minister. However, the young master in white didn’t feel guilty at all, and refuted casually instead.

“Sure enough, people in the world are this stupid, ah. Was Liu Zhenqing treacherous and evil, or a person with unrecognized wisdom? Whether he had ulterior motives, whether he caused trouble, whether he was a disaster to the world, or whether it was a matter of life and death, how can those of us in the world judge? After all, everything he did is viewed with our personal interests in mind. If you want to know whether a person was useful or harmful to the current world and current dynasty, you’ll have to see the evaluation of future generations a hundred years later, right?”

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help being stunned when he heard these remarks. This young master’s argument was unique and very rare.

The troublemaker said angrily: “What nonsense are you speaking?”

“It’s not nonsense. You would know if you read more books. The most obvious and recent example is the period in the history of our Great Zhou Dynasty called the Eternal Kingdom of the Gods, because the emperor of that generation was the wisest and mightiest emperor in the Zhou Dynasty. However, historical records show that the common people at the time were very critical of the emperor who only married a male empress and left no biological heirs. Various unfavorable rumors remained among the people at that time, and they said that the Great Zhou Dynasty would be destroyed because of him.”

As he spoke, the man gave a refined smile: “But a hundred years later, how do you and I, several generations later, evaluate him? The emperor and empress ruled together, and times were prosperous. From then on, there would never be another emperor in the Yuan family of Great Zhou whose achievements could be compared with that one. Not to mention the capable male empress who continued the Yuan family. Nowadays, thinking about the strident comments made by the common people at that time, don’t they seem stupid? Isn’t it easier to see things in hindsight? So, ah, what do the common people know, and what qualifications do they have to speak nonsense about a person of his generation?”

After the young man in white said what he said, everyone around him was dumbfounded. They felt that there was truth to his words, but also felt a reluctance to agree.

At this moment, the innkeeper came out of the back kitchen, carrying what seemed to be a food box.

The young master in white stood up and raised his eyebrows, saying: “It is very disrespectful behavior to show off how capable and decent you are by scorning a person you don’t know or understand at all. In the future, be less unethical.”

When he came to the counter, he left silver behind and took the food box, passing Liu Zhenqing as he went to leave. Probably because Liu Zhenqing was looking at him with such shock, and because the young master in white thought the two of them were in a rather embarrassed state, he merely gave them a curious glance, but stopped in an instant.

He stared closely at the sword hanging on Liu Zhenqing’s waist, then raised his eyes as if to take a closer look at the person on Liu Zhenqing’s back. He didn’t recognize Liu Zhenqing, but the face of the person lying lifeless on his back couldn’t be seen clearly.

“This…..brother, your sword looks familiar.”

Liu Zhenqing’s expression changed slightly, and just as he was about to be vigilant, he heard the innkeeper call out: “Yue-daren, if the food is to your liking, send someone over and we will deliver it to your door.”

Yue Xuqian gave a vague reply, and just as he was about to say something, the unkempt man in front of him suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

Because he was so close and moved so fast, Yue Xuqian couldn’t dodge, and the two servants behind him were instantly ready to take action.

However, Yue Xuqian immediately raised his hand to stop them. Due to the action of grabbing him just now, the person on Liu Zhenqing’s back shifted and half of his face was exposed, which instantly made Yue Xuqian’s eyes quiver.

“Fenglie?!”

Liu Zhenqing breathed a sigh of relief at once, and as soon as he did so, he gradually couldn’t hold on any longer. With difficulty, he took out Huo Fenglie’s bottle of life-saving medicine.

“Save him…..we still have two companions…..”

After giving these instructions, Liu Zhenqing collapsed with Huo Fenglie and was hurriedly held up by Yue Xuqian.

The Lanling Yue family, once one of the major clans, also began to die out during the era when the emperor and empress ruled together. The Lanling Yue family had the best outcome, because their generation produced the most powerful prime minister in history, who was loyal to the emperor and empress, so they asked to split up and disband the clan. The Yue family and the Huo family had been family friends since long ago, and it was also in that generation that the marriage between the prime minister and a general made the relationship between the two families even closer.

It was only that they gradually moved away from the center of power in the capital to their hometown of Lanling, and either became local officials or engaged in business. This could be regarded as not seeking power, but only seeking peace. However, they still had a good relationship with the Huo family. After all, there were many marriages in subsequent generations, and the relatives of the two families were somewhat mixed. Whenever the Huo family went back to their hometown to visit relatives, they always passed by Lanling to visit.

Because Liu Zhenqing once went to visit relatives with the Huo family, he met Yue Xuqian when he was a child.

He was the same age as Huo Fenglie. When he was a child, he looked gentle, quiet, and reserved, and when he played together with Huo Fenglie, one would practice martial arts while the other read, occasionally exchanging a few words. Their relationship was very harmonious, and they were reluctant to part. He was one of the few people who could play well with Huo Fenglie, who had a somewhat introverted personality when he was a child.

The few days Liu Zhenqing and Yue Xuqian spent together were also very pleasant. After all, only Liu Zhenqing among them was good at scholarly pursuits. When he accompanied them, Yue Xuqian practically worshiped him and wanted him to become his teacher.

Because the time they spent together was limited, and occurred when he was five or six years old, it was no wonder Liu Zhenqing couldn’t recognize him now.

Fortunately, Liu Zhenqing thought of him as soon as the word “Yue” came out. Now that they were being chased by assassins and both of them were sick and injured, there was naturally no one more trustworthy than the Yue family.

Meeting Yue Xuqian here was a blessing from the gods.

. . . . . . .

One the second day, just as it was growing dark, a shout sounded in the dense forest.

“Brother Yundu, Brother Zichuan…..”

He Lan awoke faintly, feeling warmth under his body. Instantly, countless images popped into his mind, and He Lan was so frightened that he practically leaped up like a carp.

When his eyes focused and he saw the person next to him, it was like he had been hit by a thunderbolt, and he was shocked on the spot.

This time, he clearly saw the snake-shaped tattoo he had always wanted to see, but his attention was no longer on the tattoo.

Almost no part of the cold white skin that had not been exposed to light in many years was intact.

Was he a beast? Gnawing and biting?

The marks in some places looked to have blood oozing out.

Even the tattooed snake seemed to have been bullied. Not only was it covered in marks, but there was also some white…..as if he had specifically tried to pollute the cold, proud snake.

Not to mention the coagulated blood on those straight legs, which was terrible to see.

He Lan couldn’t believe that he was responsible for such a miserable scene of abuse.

He Lan was short of breath, and felt that he was not far from death. He looked again at Qin Yu, who was almost lifeless. It could be said that He Lan had never seen him so weak before. Clearly, this was the person who was constantly vigilant and was the first to wake up amongst them. But at this moment, even though someone was searching for them not far away, there was no movement at all. He simply lay motionless.

Right! Somebody was coming!

When He Lan heard the noise, he panicked for a moment and tried to find some clothes to cover himself. But he couldn’t find a complete piece of cloth at all, and most of it had even floated away with the current.

There was already sweat on He Lan’s forehead. If the others saw the two of them like this…..He Lan didn’t even dare think about it.

Just as the footsteps approached, He Lan picked up Qin Yu, whose body was piping hot, and jumped into the river beside him. Lying on the shore with the person in his arms, he looked up and saw a mess on the stone where the two had just been lying.

He Lan covered his face. Day and night, he hadn’t stopped. How many times, ah! He quickly poured water on it to destroy the evidence.

Soon, He Lan caught sight of figures. From the moment those people called them by their first names instead of their courtesy names, He Lan felt that something was fishy. It didn’t seem like something the assassins chasing them would do, and the assassins would only know their courtesy names at most, not even the characters. Especially Qin Zichuan. He seldom used that name in the Dongchang, so not many people knew about it.

“Who are you?” He Lan was the first to speak.

The four people heard this and rushed over immediately. When they saw the two people at the water’s edge, they anxiously went to save them.

“Don’t move!” He Lan warned.

“Young master, don’t worry, we are servants of the Yue family. We encountered two guests in distress before, and one of them said that as long as we call these two names to find you, and then tell you that the Yue family is looking for you, you’ll believe us.”

When they mentioned the Yue family, Huo Fenglie naturally came to mind. He Lan immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said: “All right. Our clothes were torn by the rocks underwater, and we’re undressed. Please keep your distance for now. Do you have any clothing?”

“Yes, I’ll set it down for you two.” The Yue family really thought this out comprehensively. Naturally, they would need to change into clean clothes after falling into the water.

The servants left the clothing and lit a campfire nearby, waiting for the two of them to come and keep warm. It wasn’t until this moment that He Lan was relieved.

But when he realized that he was hugging Qin Yu naked in the water, his entire body froze. Because he was hiding in the water, He Lan had Qin Yu pressed against the shore with one arm around his waist as he held onto the shore with the other.

This posture and soft touch immediately reminded He Lan of some wild scenes under the moon.

His mind felt as if it had received an electric shock. In the next moment, He Lan’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he tried to move his hips away.

It must be fake. The effects of the drug must not have worn off yet, yes, how could he treat his brother, Qin Zichuan…..

He Lan immediately gritted his teeth and helped wipe Qin Yu’s body with a guilty conscience. He blushed even more the farther he cleaned, and when he actually touched the torn wound, it was absolutely miserable. He Lan saw the person in his arms frown, perhaps because of the pain.

It felt like if Qin Yu woke up at this moment, He Lan would probably die on the shore.

But even though his face had turned pale from the pain, Qin Yu still didn’t respond. The abnormal heat of his body proved that his condition was very bad.

He Lan felt simultaneously guilty, hot, and worried. It seemed he had been tortured too much by him while he had an internal injury, which was why he was so weak and allowed himself to be slaughtered like this.

He Lan cleaned up numbly, and couldn’t help but focus on Qin Yu’s face.

Some of the blurry images in his mind from being under the influence of the drug gradually became clearer. He remembered being poisoned, and when Qin Yu took him ashore with difficulty, he knocked over the medicine bottle. Unable to control himself at that time, he had jumped on the other person.

The wound on his lip seemed to have been bitten by Qin Yu in anger when he was struggling, and the redness at the ends of his eyes seemed to have been caused by him causing the other person to cry.

Right, Qin Yu actually cried. He Lan was dumbfounded. He couldn’t even believe that the image in his memory was real. That such a cold-blooded, cold-hearted fellow could actually be made to cry by him. A person who would never shed a tear even under pain of death could actually cry.

He Lan inexplicably thought about it more and more, and his heart swelled further. A very subtle feeling caused his body to get a little out of control.

“Wu.” Qin Yu finally let out a cry of pain, and the frightened He Lan stopped his hand at once. He had obviously cleaned him up, but what was he doing just now?

He Lan’s face darkened. He quickly carried Qin Yu ashore, dried and dressed him, then checked his injuries and went back with the Yue family.

When they arrived at the Yue family home, they were quickly met by Yue Xuqian. After getting to know each others’ identities, Yue Xuqian shook his head helplessly: “It seems that the doctors we invited are not enough. You, go and invite a few more.”

He Lan had to send Qin Yu to a room first, and then he asked about the situation of the other two people.

“The young master accompanying Fenglie had a simple external injury that was easy to treat, but what happened to Fenglie? Other doctors came and said that his condition was too complicated to treat, and some simply said there was no hope. I could only send someone to Lanling to ask the most capable local doctor to come over. He should arrive soon.”

He Lan understood after hearing this that it was Huo Fenglie’s old problem, which most doctors couldn’t treat.

“He should have medicine with him. Taking that will relieve his situation.”

“He did take it, but he’s still unconscious. You look like you’re seriously injured. Go and get treated first, don’t worry about the rest. As Fenglie’s friend, I will naturally take care of it,” Yue Xuqian said.

He Lan was exhausted physically and mentally, and wanted to rest, but when he saw that the doctor was going to treat Qin Yu, he followed him in. After all, it was more appropriate for him to handle the injury in a certain place.

The doctor took his pulse, used acupuncture, and wrote a prescription to treat internal injuries. When He Lan said that there was an external injury, the old doctor was about to look at the wound when He Lan stopped him. After a hint of description, the old doctor regarded He Lan with narrowed eyes.

“Young people don’t know how to exercise restraint.” After writing down the treatment methods and ointments, the old doctor warned: “Apply it every day, and no sexual intercourse is allowed for three months!”

He Lan was astonished. “Three months!”

It was that severe? Getting injured in that place was so difficult to heal?

The old doctor blew his beard and glared: “You’re not stingy. Your lover has been tormented like this by you, why not have some compassion instead of only caring about the bed? Even though you are young and full of energy, you can’t handle it for three months?!”

He Lan instantly blushed. H-h-he didn’t mean it like that. This was an accident. How could he be with Qin Yu again…..he was only worried about the wound.

He was given a severe lesson by the old doctor, and then the medicine boy gave him the ointment. Because the two of them were a couple by default, they left the ointment and went away.

Naturally, He Lan couldn’t let others give Qin Yu the medicine, yet he felt that it was not appropriate to apply the medicine himself, ah. But now that Qin Yu was unconscious, he couldn’t ignore the wound.

He Lan had no choice but to grit his teeth and do it. Now that he was wearing clothes and covered by a quilt, He Lan really didn’t have the guts to peel it off and look. He could only apply the ointment on it by sneaking it under the quilt and clothing, feeling his way forward bit by bit. In order to facilitate this movement, he had to lie face to face with Qin Yu.

He Lan recited the Great Compassion Mantra silently in his mind and gingerly applied the medicine.

But the wound was still too serious.

He heard a muffled groan, and Qin Yu frowned. His eyelashes trembled, and he was about to open his eyes.

He Lan’s movements froze. His heart beat like a drum, and his mind went blank as he faced the violent storm of Qin Yu waking up.

As a result, he saw that those eyes that had been so cold in the past were moist due to fever, and his penetrating gaze was replaced by a blank look, as if he wasn’t aware of his current state at all. He just felt the condition of his body, painful, exhausted, and drained.

Qin Yu only saw He Lan, who was close at hand. He frowned slightly, and then with a face of numb compromise, he tried to say coldly with his hoarse voice: “Are you done?”

But Qin Yu like this made He Lan lose his mind for a moment. The knot of his throat rolled, and he breathed out a “no.”

Qin Yu’s eyes were filled with ire, as if he was trying to glare. But in the next second, he saw that familiar face approaching again. Just like many times in the past, Qin Yu instinctively put away his fangs and numbly accepted the kiss like a tamed venomous snake.

As the kiss grew heavier, Qin Yu fainted again.

And He Lan suddenly raised his head as if waking up with a start, looking at the wet mark on his lips in disbelief, the evidence of his crime.

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Chapter Fifty-Nine << Table of Contents >> Chapter Sixty-One

Lu Qi, who had seen through the scheme, pursed his lips and smiled, deliberately misinterpreting Mu Nanqiao’s meaning. “Why move to your place? Do you think that I can’t afford a house, or that my apartment is small?”

Mu Nanqiao laughed, and the low, melodious laughter came from the phone as if his lips were touching Lu Qi’s ears. Lu Qi’s cheeks felt a bit hot. He wanted to move the phone farther away, but couldn’t bear to. 

“Детка…..” He sighed. “There are three main reasons to move. The first is to give Xiao Sanhua and I more living space and reduce unnecessary conflicts.”

“Second, the location of Prosperous Cloud is close to my company and your school. If I am unable to pick you up from school in the future, it will be very convenient for you to come back by yourself.” 

These two things sounded reasonable. Lu Qi said “huh” and asked again, “What is the third reason?”

This time, Mu Nanqiao was silent for a moment.

When he spoke again, his voice was a little hoarse. “Also, I’m in a very good mood when I see you sleeping unguarded next to me every morning.”

Lu Qi: ? ? ? 

“In a good mood?” Lu Qi blinked in confusion. “Then isn’t that great?”

Mu Nanqiao took a deep breath and said directly: “Baby, the physical reaction is hard and uncomfortable.”

This sentence revealed a bit of despair and frustration, falling into Lu Qi’s ears crudely and directly. But his voice sounded so nice, with a savage tension. Lu Qi’s face turned red, and he suddenly realized why Mu Nanqiao lingered in bed for a while every morning.

Not knowing how to respond, he could only hold his mobile phone and whisper: “Don’t say such things in front of Xiao Hei. It will hurt the cat too much…..”

Mu Nanqiao laughed when the chief culprit said this, but he was sensible enough not to cause trouble and continued to coax: “That apartment is a loft, with two guest bedrooms and two master bedrooms. If you move over, you can have a room to yourself.”

It sounded very tempting.

But Lu Qi felt that it didn’t seem like Mu Nanqiao would let him sleep by himself…..

Wu, maybe he was overthinking it.

“Then let me think about it…..” Lu Qi paused for a moment, then suddenly said in a low voice that was like a hum: “En…..after all, there is a physiological reaction. Cough, I have it too, ah…..”

Mu Nanqiao was momentarily stunned. By the time he could react, Lu Qi had already quickly hung up the phone.

He held the mobile phone and continuously made calls. The glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows reflected his tall, straight profile, and just leaning against a table, he looked like he was doing a photo shoot for a fashion magazine. Anyone who took a look from outside the door would think that Boss Mu was talking business with someone. They would never guess that his ear was red under the phone, the heat still spreading.

Lu Qi’s shy and awkward words were actually very easy to understand.

He also desired Mu Nanqiao, just like Mu Nanqiao desired him.

Like a spark falling into a haystack, it burst into flames with a loud boom, burning Mu Nanqiao’s heart and making his throat dry.

His little deer was so warm and straightforward. If he liked someone, he would respond clearly. Like a small meteor trailing flames, rushing straight toward him, so that in the magnificent light, he could only hear his own heart beating up and down due to that blazing love.

Mu Nanqiao felt that he couldn’t wait until he clocked out of work. He wanted to leave early and go back to the den as soon as possible to embrace Lu Qi and kiss him until his lips were swollen.

He walked out of the lounge covered in cat hair, walking so fast that he almost bumped into a woman at the corner, and reached out to steady her.

The other person was none other than his dad’s secretary. She had been his father’s right-hand person all these years, and Mu Nanqiao respected her very much. He lowered his head and called her “Aunt Yuan.”

But in the company, Aunt Yuan was very formal. She observed propriety, and had no intention of playing up her old age just because she had the boss’s respect. As an elder, she was very curious as to why Mu Nanqiao, who had always been steady, was suddenly so reckless. But as a subordinate, she just shook her head to indicate that she was fine, and then explained her purpose for coming to him. 

He expression was filled with unconcealable excitement as she grabbed Mu Nanqiao’s arm and said: “Boss Mu, I wanted to tell you that Chairman Mu just stood up!”

. . . . . . .

Mu Nanqiao walked quickly and listened all the way, getting a rough understanding of the situation just now.

Today was the day for the doctor’s examination, and Secretary Yuan said that when the doctor was examining Mu Chuanbai, it was said that Lin Yuan’s second trial still upheld the original verdict.

Mu Chuanbai laughed.

Secretary Yuan couldn’t understand his laugh, and only thought that it was complicated. At that moment, Mu Chuanbai seemed to have put something down and picked something up again. 

He held the edge of the table and suddenly exerted force with his arms. Even though his two long legs were in a comical posture, shaking and tottering, and although he only lasted less than five seconds, he did indeed stand up.

Then he fell heavily back into the wheelchair, smiling with reddened eyes.

When Mu Nanqiao arrived, Mu Chuanbai had already completed his examination. His doctor’s face was full of excitement, and he was discussing with Mu Chuanbai about going to the hospital for a checkup.

Naturally, Mu Nanqiao had to accompany him. He walked over quickly and half-crouched in front of Mu Chuanbai. He helped pick up the fallen blanket and then looked at his dad.

“Dad, you stood up?” His voice was still steady, and one could only hear him choking up if they listened carefully.

“Yes, ah.” Mu Chuanbai rubbed his hair, just like when his son would lie on his lap and listen to stories when he was a child. He laughed with tears in his eyes. “It’s a pity you didn’t see it.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Mu Chuanbai pushed him out. “There will be many opportunities to see it in the future.”

The examination results were predictably good. There were no major problems with Mu Chuanbai’s legs. It was just that several years of inactivity had caused muscle atrophy, and full recovery would require a period of rehabilitation.

After a series of examinations were completed, Secretary Yuan found an empty ward for the father and son and closed the door to give them some space.

Mu Nanqiao had known for a long while that the reason Mu Chuanbai couldn’t stand up and walk again was not because of the serious injury to his legs, but because of a mental disorder.

Subconsciously, he had been punishing himself.

But today, when Lin Yuan’s matter became a foregone conclusion, and those who had hurt his child had either died in accidents or were imprisoned, he finally decided to let himself off.

Neither father nor son smoked, but this time they each asked for one from the bodyguards. This was the Mu private hospital. If they occasionally took the prerogative, no one would stop them.

The two of them lit the flame in an unfamiliar manner, and after taking a drag, they both coughed together.

Mu Chuanbai coughed and laughed at the same time. “Cough, cough, if your mother knew what were are doing, she would definitely hit us with her fists…..coughcoughcough…..she hates the smell of cigarettes the most…..”

“Cough…..” Mu Nanqiao said, “Lu Qi, cough, doesn’t like it either…..”

Neither of them touched the cigarettes again until they burned out and the ward was filled with the pungent smell of nicotine.

Mu Nanqiao’s body felt numb from sitting. He crushed the cigarette butt and stood up first, looking at his dad.

Their similar faces silently told of the connection between them. He was the blood of Mu Chuanbai and Talia, the person destined to be loved by them since birth.

Because of this love, he felt guilty, and it hurt so much that he had to punish himself in the most severe way.

He leaned over and hugged Mu Chuanbai, whispering: “Dad, thank you for everything you have done for me.”

It turned out that there really were gods in this world.

. . . . . . .

After receiving the news from Mu Nanqiao, Lu Qi was so excited that he couldn’t sit still. But the current state of his sprained ankle forced him to sit still, so he looked at his phone for a while, feeling unbearably itchy, and waited for more news from Mu Nanqiao.

Uncle Mu had stood up…..

What good news this was! He always remembered that when he first met Mu Chuanbai, he was impressed by the elder’s demeanor. He had also thought many times about how great it would be if Uncle Mu could stand up.

Now that the miracle had happened, he didn’t know how happy Mu Nanqiao must be.

So when he heard the door unlock, he immediately hopped over like a one-legged rabbit and asked expectantly, “Uncle, he…..”

Before he could finish his question, he was hugged by Mu Nanqiao.

“What’s wrong?” He patted Mu Nanqiao on the shoulder.

“Nothing.” Mu Nanqiao’s nose gently nuzzled the side of his neck, drawing indescribable comfort from his warm scent. “I’m happy for my dad and for myself.”

Even though those wounds objectively still existed, he was always loved. And because he was loved, he knew how to love.

Lu Qi heard something in his tone.

Mu Nanqiao told him that Mu Chuanbai’s legs were not caused by a physical reason, but a psychological obstacle. There was only one reason that he could stand up again, and that was because the psychological obstacle had disappeared.

Lu Qi didn’t know much about Mu Chuanbai, but he was undoubtedly a mentally strong person, and the reason for a psychological disorder in such a person was obvious. Perhaps it was only his lover and his child.

But he felt that Mu Chuanbai didn’t want this matter to become a psychological burden on Mu Nanqiao. The two of them were indeed a father and son connected by blood. They both cared about each other and loved to dwell on their problems.

“Then do you want to go home for the next couple of days, ah?” Lu Qi suggested earnestly: “I know you didn’t go home often because there were some things you didn’t want Uncle and Auntie to know, but now that you and Uncle have taken a big step forward, maybe you can change the way you spend time together? En…..how about you go home and visit more often?”

Mu Naqiao gave him a hesitant look, his ears slowly turning red.

He was at a rare loss, and his fox-like eyes looked a little helpless because of this feeling. “Sometimes I don’t know what to say to my dad. It seems that we talk more about business when we’re together…..”

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He looked at Lu Qi and said: “There is still you.”

Lu Qi: “Ah?”

The next day when he and Mu Nanchiao returned home, he was still a little confused and didn’t know what he was doing.

When they arrived, Mu Chuanbai was recuperating. He stood up with assistive equipment, stood for a while, and then sat down to rest. Mu Chuanbai looked surprised when he saw Mu Nanqiao coming in with a fruit basket.

“What are you doing here today?” Mu Chuanbai looked at the fruit basket with some disgust. “And you brought such a tacky thing…..”

“Uncle.” Lu Qi poked his head out from behind Mu Nanqiao. “That…..I brought it…..”

“This fruit basket is rich in color and balanced in nutrition. Every fruit is so fresh and perfect.” Mu Chuanbai smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Xiao Lu. I like it very much.”

Lu Qi: …..

Mu Nanqiao: …..

Lu Qi seemed to know why he had appeared here.

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

What non-serious illness required such a long diagnosis and treatment process? Liang Shu had been sitting there for half a day. His back hurt, and he became increasingly bored. He wanted to go into the courtyard and play with the bird, but feared that this would lead to the next piece of admonishment, “Be prepared for danger in times of peace, abstain from extravagance and be frugal.” He called to the little maid in front of him and asked: “Is your Old Master actually seriously ill?”

The little maid replied respectfully: “The illness is not serious, but he is old, so the treatment process is a bit more troublesome. The last time Doctor Zhang came to see him, he needed to do acupuncture for three hours.”

Liang Shu knew that Doctor Zhang was well-known for his speed in treating patients. He had fixed his dislocated arm when he was a child, and his technique was nearly comparable to that of a shadowless swordsman. Since even he had to examine him for three hours, wouldn’t it be necessary for his own family’s slow, lazy person to stay for three days?

At this thought, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang immediately had a severe headache. It was fine for that old man to talk a lot when he was a court official, but now that he had resigned, he could still go around causing him trouble. It was simply baffling to death.

But in fact, Old Master Lu was not in an agreeable mood at this time. He believed that he was loyal, benevolent, righteous and upright, and indeed used this as his motto. He had stood upright in the court hall for decades, his soul burning for Dayan, and now that he was old, he was asked by a young man, what have you done in your life for the common people?

He was half stunned and half dumbfounded. Liu Xian’an was not deliberately going against the old man, but besides diagnosing him, he also wanted to explain the truth clearly. A dynasty should naturally have loyal and devoted ministers, but there was no tolerance for any so called “deviant” people to make casual suggestions here and there, which was really troublesome.

Old Master Lu wanted to retort, but at the moment, he didn’t know where to start. In addition, being treated so rudely by a junior, there was even more irritability in his ill heart, so he simply closed his eyes indignantly. He immediately said: “Miracle Doctor Liu, it is getting late. Why don’t I send the doctor back home first?”

Liu Xian’an shook his head. “There is no rush. The acupuncture has not been finished yet.”

Old Master Lu flicked his sleeves and said: “I am in good health these days. There is only a slight pain in my ribs. I will not trouble the miracle doctor.”

A-Ning covertly tugged on his young master’s clothes from behind, indicating that it was best to persuade him. Liu Xian’an said: “Old Master Lu’s lower ribs are swollen and painful, and his diet is reduced, which is caused by long-term depression and anger. Acupuncture can only provide temporary relief, but cannot cure the root case. You still must change your temperament, otherwise, in the long run, you may have poor blood circulation and blocked meridians, and the five internal organs may be affected. By then it would be difficult for the gods to heal you, not to mention a miracle doctor.”

Old Master Liu asked rhetorically: “Could it be that I still fear death?”

These sounded generous and calm to others, but he happened to meet the immortal who was the most indifferent to life and death in this world. Liu Xian’an nodded: “Death is also fine.”

Young Master Lu: “Cough, cough, cough, cough.”

A-Ning patted him on the back sympathetically.

Old Master Lu said coldly: “The miracle doctor seems to dislike this old man very much.”

“The Old Master worries too much.” Liu Xian’an said, “When you are alive, you have dreams but do not understand them. Sometimes you think you have awakened from a dream, not knowing that you have entered another big dream. Life and death in dreams are nothing more than closing your eyes and opening them, so I will never force a patient to live. If the Old Master thinks that death is better, then he can die. This dream will end and another dream will come to life. Isn’t everything in the universe repeated like this?”

Old Master Lu’s lips trembled for a long time, and he spoke a pent-up sentence: “Sophistry!”

“It is the Heavenly Dao,” Liu Xian’an said. “If we insist on talking about the difference between this dream and that dream, it may be that in the next dream, the Old Master might not see his little granddaughter. When I came in just now, I saw her wearing a colorful silk skirt. She was extremely loveable and cute, five years old?”

“Nearly seven years old.” Young Master Liu finally found a chance to interrupt, and stepped forward quickly.

“Seven years old, ah. Then in ten years, she will find someone she likes” Liu Xian’an packed the medicine bag. “If the Old Master wants to drink wedding wine, he must learn to relax his mind and appreciate the beauty in all things. The sunset in the northeast, the vast Eastern Sea, the Baihe River like the mother of the earth, nourishing thousands of acres of fertile plains. There is also the prince, who is brave, resourceful, and has the world in his heart. At a young age, his pacified the northwest and settled the southwest, and is single-handedly responsible for the stable livelihoods of tens of millions of people on the border. The Old Master can take leave to recuperate when he is ill, but when the prince is injured, he can only take a handful of medicine in the trenches. The Old Master turns a blind eye to all his hard work, and only notices his arrogant character, accusing him of being unwilling to be a loyal, obedient, and honest person. How could there be such an absurd truth in the world?”

Young Master Lu looked at his grandfather, scared out of his wits.

Breathing heavily, Old Master Lu said: “His Royal Highness Xiao Wang has outstanding military exploits. Of course I know that, but as a minister, one should…..one should…..cough, cough.”

Liu Xian’an deftly injected a needle to stop his coughing. Old Master Liu wanted to faint, but failed, so he had to continue sitting. Liu Xian’an said: “There should be many rules for being a minister, but the prince was not born to follow rules, so if the country was stable and the common people were prosperous, I would have taken him away long ago to roam freely around the world. And the reason he is currently staying in Wangcheng, the reason he is willing to continue staying in a palace full of rules, what do you think that is?

Young Master Lu answered the question to smooth things over. That is naturally because the prince attaches great importance to the country and its people. Admirable, admirable.

“I like the prince’s temperament very much. If the Old Master doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to see it. Simply find someone to carry the burden of the military for the prince and allow him to be free in the world.” Liu Xian’an stood up and said, “If you cannot do these two things, I am afraid you can only continue to be angry. Because the prince must continue to stand in court, and the Old Master can only suffer from pain in the ribs to the five organs. In the end, you will collapse in a mixture of pus and blood, and it will be difficult for the gods to save you.”

Old Master Lu thought in a daze, look for another person? But where was there such a person in the world?

Liu Xian’an’s heart said, you won’t find one. He didn’t know if he could convince this pedantic white-bearded old man, but at least he tried. Death was death. Everything died and everything was born. There was nothing wrong with that.

He left a prescription and walked out like an immortal.

A-Ning followed behind with the small medicine box and thought with admiration, ah, no wonder the young master had to eat cold fruit to moisten his throat this afternoon!

Seeing that the master and servant had finally left, the guards in the courtyard all breathed sighs of relief. As for the servants of Lu Manor, they were only able to raise their hands to wipe their sweat after the courtyard door closed with a squeak and look at each other, not daring to say anything out loud.

Liang Shu in the front hall had almost fallen asleep waiting. He was sitting in the Eight Immortals chair, holding his forehead with one hand and closing his eyes tightly. The summer breeze blew a few strands of his hair slightly up, his facial features were deep, and his robes were like water. His entire person looked like the beautiful statue of a war god from the western regions. The little maid blushed and her heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself that if she got married in the future, she would definitely marry such a good-looking man, and definitely not marry someone bad-looking.

As she looked, she suddenly saw the corners of His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s mouth rise slightly. The little maid was startled, thinking that she had been caught secretly observing him, and quickly lowered her head.

The next moment, another white shadow passed in front of her eyes. Liang Shu smiled and stretched out his arms, pulling in the person in front of him. “Finished taking a look?”

“Finished.” Liu Xian’an intertwined their fingers. “Let’s go home.”

Seeing that Young Master Lu was still standing outside the door, waiting to see the guests off, Liang Shu didn’t ask any more questions. It wasn’t until they went out and boarded the carriage that he said: “How is the old man?”

“If he does as I said, he will have no problem living for another seven or eight years. If he does not listen, it is hard to say.”

“See, I said that old man is troublesome but looks like he’ll live a long time.”

“En.”

Liu Xian’an had just talked a lot, and was thirsty and tired. When they returned home, he drank two large cups of water in one breath. Liang Shu watched for a long time and then reached out and poked his gurgling stomach, asking in confusion: “The Lu family wouldn’t even give you a cup of water?”

“I didn’t want it, and had no time.” Liu Xian’an breathed out. “I’m going to bathe first.”

When Liang Shu went out, he gestured to the two Imperial guards: “Speak.”

“Answering Your Highness, Second Young Master Liu reprimanded the Old Master.”

Liang Shu seemed to have gone deaf: “What?”

The Imperial guards were all children of noble families and had studied a lot, so their ability to memorize words was much better than that of Lieutenant General Gao. The two said: “Old Master Lu is still up to his old ways, giving the prince’s ears callouses. Second Young Master Liu is not accustomed to it. He first asked the old man what practical things he had done for the common people in his life and also enumerated the prince’s achievements, saying that if he really couldn’t stand the prince, he could…..die? Or find someone to take over the prince’s position.”

Liang Shu: “Pfft!”

“Also, the Second Young Master said that he likes the prince’s arrogant character and wants to elope with him.”

“What elopement, it was just to run away with him.”

“Running away with him is nothing less than elopement.”

“……”

“Ahem.” The Imperial guard continued, “In short, Second Young Master Liu made an impassioned speech, and his words were not outdone. We listened outside the window. The old man didn’t say ten sentences in total, and he even stuttered at the end.”

Liang Shu was in a very good mood, so he tossed them pieces of silver as a reward and went to the bathing room to find a certain person with his hands behind his back, not forgetting to tidy up his clothes before going inside. After all, they were going to elope, so he naturally had to look handsome and charming.

Liu Xian’an was not in the mood to admire him carefully, so sleepy from soaking in the hot water that he didn’t want to talk or even open his eyes. Liang Shu tied his wet hair up and took a cloth to wipe his shoulders, saying with a sigh: “I originally came here to be a frivolous beauty, but now I’ve found hard labor in the bathhouse scrubbing someone’s back.”

Liu Xian’an laughed. He leaned on the edge of the tub and exposed his back to him. A slender waist emerged from the bathwater, and Liang Shu’s hand descended smoothly. His palm slid over two pieces of soft, smooth jade as he drew closer and said: “Shall I come in to accompany you?”

“It can’t fit two people.”

“I’ll hold you.”

Liu Xian’an frowned slightly and felt that bathing in such a way would be too cumbersome. Just when he was about to refuse, the water in the tub was already surging. Liang Shu held his waist and suddenly lifted the person on top of him. Liu Xian’an had nowhere to balance, so he could only place his arms around the other’s shoulders. When he looked down in a daze, his lips were wet and red from the water.

Before Liang Shu could be scolded, he rushed to take a bite of this flash of color.

Although the peaches boiled in sugar water were sweet, they were not sweet enough to enter His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s heart. Now, he was truly marinated in honey and sugar, making his bones soft and tender.

The water in the bathtub rippled all over the floor, and the cold fruit eaten in the afternoon had no effect on soothing his throat. Liu Xian’an buried his head in the other person’s shoulder. He couldn’t take it anymore and begged, but he couldn’t tell the difference between reality and dreams.

Because in his dreams, there was also some slightly hot water and the same mighty person.

In the end, he couldn’t even remember which time and space he fell asleep in.

Liang Shu picked this person up and placed him on the soft wool rug in the bathroom.

He was far from satisfied, and the night was still very long.

. . . . . . .

Dragging his aching body, he moved with difficulty to the table in broad daylight, drank two cups of tea, and lay back in bed. Almost as soon as he closed his eyes, he fell back to sleep. This time, he didn’t even see His Royal Highness Xiao Wang in the Three Thousand Worlds. He found a cabin, locked the door, and had a crane carry the cabin to the end of the sky. Wrapped up in a quilt, he slept in such a big dream that he didn’t know how to return…..and he also didn’t want to return, because he would be tired if he returned.

And lazy eggs hated being tired the most.

But Liang Shu was not tired at all. Even Liang Yu felt that the man looked radiant today as he stood among a bunch of officials that morning, simply outstanding and unparalleled. After asking around the court, he found out that Second Young Master Liu was going to elope with his unfortunate younger brother.

“……”

Liang Yu’s brain ached, and he felt that he might as well not have asked. He was happy just because of this feckless thing?

An Imperial guard hurriedly said: “Although Old Master Lu didn’t say a word last night, when I heard Doctor Wang talk about it this morning, he really seemed to have cheered up a bit. Although he still sighs once or twice from time to time, it is much better than his deeply worried appearance before. Doctor Wang took the opportunity to suggest that he go to Beiyang City to rest for a while, and the Old Master seemed to agree.”

“Really?” Liang Yu thought for a moment. “Bah, since he agreed, let us arrange for him to leave as soon as possible, so that my ears will be clean quicker.”

Three days later, the Lu family’s contingent drove out of the city at dusk. As they left, various rumors began to spread throughout Wangcheng. One of the most widely-circulated stories was that Second Young Master Liu had fought three hundred rounds with him and forced that person to leave.

Many court officials were also shocked. After all, Old Master Lu had been an official for many years, and had always been the one to scold others. How could anyone scold him back? What’s more, they scolded him out of the royal city. Did he have such an eloquent tongue?

Therefore, there were some meddlesome people who went around to find out what exactly Second Young Master Liu said.

“What did Second Young Master Liu say?” The female entertainers also gathered around and asked curiously.

A junior official lowered his voice and said: “It is said that Second Young Master Liu told Old Master Lu that if he dared to scold His Royal Highness Xiao Wang again in the future, he would die immediately!”

The female entertainers said: “…..Sir, listen to yourself, is this human speech?”

The official said: “It was something like that. Anyway, that is what is said outside.”

“We don’t believe it.” The female entertainers sat back in their respective seats and continued to drink tea and eat melon seeds. What kind of person was Second Young Master Liu? He had passed by on horseback yesterday on the main street, wearing an unknown rare material. His whole body sparkled, and his appearance was like that of an immortal. How could an immortal say such words to scold someone?

Moreover, Old Master Lu was known for being a stubborn person. He would bang his head against a pillar to remonstrate with his blood at every turn. How could he have the temperament to run away with his entire family just after being scolded by others to go die? Fake, extremely fake.

Therefore, rumors continued to circulate indiscriminately. Although the common people knew that their credibility was worrisome, they did not hesitate to seize them and discuss them in the streets and alleys for fun. 

Liang Shu sent people to scout the city for several days, but they found no harsh rumors, so he stopped searching and asked: “Where is Xiao An? Still in the ancient book tower?”

“Answering Your Highness, Second Young Master Liu has returned.” The servant said, “He should be in the study now, discussing the renovation drawings with the craftsmen.”

Liang Shu then stood up to seek him out. Before he entered the door, he saw a group of craftsmen gathered together in the courtyard with troubled expressions. It was unknown what they were whispering about, so he asked, “What, can it not be repaired?”

“Your Royal Highness.” Everyone saluted, and then someone said hesitantly, Second Young Master Liu has not expressed his thoughts yet, but just now we took a look at the diagram spread out on the table and it seemed…..it seemed to be a house that could fly.

Heavens, who could create this?

Liang Shu raised his eyebrows slightly, then pushed the door open and entered the study. Liu Xian’an was still lying on the table, drawing a diagram carefully without looking up. Liang Shu stood behind him and looked to the side to see an exquisite pavilion floating above the layers of clouds, the moon and the sun hanging not far away. It really could fly. He said with a smile: “Can it be built?”

“It is not possible now, but perhaps in the future.” Liu Xian’an explained all the detailed parts. It was not too troublesome.

Liang Shu nodded and kept him company for a while, watching. There were tables, chairs, a qin, and snacks in the flying pavilion. It was comfortable and leisurely, pleasing to an immortal. Naturally, it did not lack the most important thing, a bed. Liu Xian’an drew the bed according to the style of his waterside pavilion. Liang Shu was dissatisfied, and pointed out: “This is too small, make it a little bigger.”

Liu Xian’an agreed perfunctorily with an “En, en,” but his drawing did not change. It was still a narrow bed. One person could feel comfortable lying on it, but two people would find it too cramped.

Liang Shu grabbed his hair tie: “Then where should I sleep?”

Liu Xian’an muttered something unclearly.

Liang Shu frowned, thought for a moment, and then realized: “You don’t intend to leave me alone on the floor, do you?”

Liu Xian’an responded unclearly: “Wu.” It is fine for you to stay here for a while. Anyway, I won’t be flying in the sky forever.

Liang Shu was very dissatisfied: “Why!”

Liu Xian’an replied: “No reason.”

Since they were always together in this world and in the Three Thousand Worlds, then by building a pavilion in this world that could only be found in the Three Thousand Worlds, couldn’t he take a vacation? Liu Xian’an felt very tired when he thought about his backache that night. And it was foreseeable that there would be many nights like this, so he refused to make the bed bigger. Without you, I can sleep alone.

Liang Shu asked: “Then if your pavilion is blown away by the wind, where should I go to chase it?”

Liu Xian’an thought for a while and made a concession: “Then let me draw you a rope.”

“Good, you draw it.”

Liu Xian’an really drew a line as thin as a kite string.

“It’s too thin!”

“It won’t break.”

“Who says it won’t break.”

“I say it won’t!”

Liang Shu: “…..Okay, okay, okay. You have the final say.”

Being able to annoy the all-capable Sleeping Immortal to this level was indeed His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s unique ability.

Liu Xian’an traced the length of the line and drew a dashing man on the ground, holding the other end of the line in his hand.

Liang Shu gave a soft light and said in his ear: “Then I must hold on tighter.”

Liu Xian’an warned: “Don’t always pull me down.”

“I won’t pull you.” Liang Shu said, “You can sleep up there, but if I really want to, I can just climb up along the line and look at you. I will only look from a distance and leave when I’ve seen enough, and never bother you, okay?”

Liu Xian’an gave an “En.” Okay.

But I won’t sleep for long. I will take a short nap and then go home.

The two of them simply leaned together and drew a flying pavilion, speaking of things that others would not know or comprehend, until they finally filled up the entire paper. Liu Xian’an dried the ink and carefully placed the drawing into a box. It didn’t matter if it could not be built. In any case, in his mind, the pavilion was already swaying amongst the clouds, floating very freely.

When Liang Shu left the study, the circle of craftsmen outside hurriedly gathered around and asked: “Did the prince revise the drawing with Second Young Master Liu?”

“Yes, the changes have been completed,” Liang Shu said. “But you don’t need to build that pavilion.”

What a joke. Even if they were asked to build it, would they be able to? The craftsmen all laughed together and inquired: “Then…..I wonder which skilled craftsman should be invited to build it?”

Liang Shu said, calm and relaxed: “Me.”

---

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Extra 1 << Table of Contents >> Extra Three

Huo Fenglie was also very fast, and when he saw the incoming palm, he directly raised his palm to meet it. 

At the moment their internal forces collided, Huo Fenglie’s face paled and blood overflowed from the corners of his mouth.

Huo Fenglie was in disbelief. How could the dwarf before him have such abnormal internal force? In terms of martial arts, Huo Fenglie was definitely among the top. He could handle any number of powerful masters, but the one in front of him was simply superior to all of them, just like a legendary hermit master.

Huo Fenglie knew that his internal force couldn’t last long, but upon careful inspection, he found that this person was also very strange. His body twitched, and blood began to ooze from under the mask, but there was no sound of being hurt, only a steady stream of internal force.

At this moment, Qin Yu abruptly leaped out of the water and struck the dwarf with a palm. He Lan also jumped over at nearly the same time.

Three against one, they still couldn’t shake the dwarf at all. With a burst of internal force, Qin Yu and He Lan were struck away again. Huo Fenglie’s eyes gradually turned red, indicating that his internal force was beginning to go out of control, and increasing at the same time.

The man and woman began to besiege He Lan and Qin Yu, causing them to be unable to assist Huo Fenglie.

Such an unfavorable situation made Liu Zhenqing anxious. At this moment, he noticed something flash past the dwarf’s messy head.

He suddenly recalled that there was a twisted method of controlling people recorded in some medical tome. It used silver needles to stimulate the brain and the body’s potential, but after using them once, that person would be useless.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t dare to make a random guess, but there was no other way at the moment.

“There’s something wrong with the top of his head,” Liu Zhenqing called out at once.

This time, except for the unreacting dwarf, everyone else was startled.

Especially the remaining three villains, whose expressions changed drastically.

The old man stopped secretly releasing his hidden weapons and attacked Liu Zhenqing directly.

When Huo Fenglie witnessed this scene, he immediately lost control and raised his other hand to slap the dwarf on the head. Even though the dwarf dodged, the silver needle on his head was still knocked off.

In an instant, the dwarf twitched even more violently and fell to the ground. He soon became stiff, dying just like that.

Although it was a great victory, no one cared. Huo Fenglie flew wildly toward Liu Zhenqing, while He Lan and Qin Yu continued to deal with the other two Evils.

Liu Zhenqing saw the old man close by and looked at the hidden weapon hidden in his hand with a deep understanding. If he couldn’t dodge in the next moment, he would certainly die, but he didn’t know martial arts and couldn’t evade at any speed.

At the critical moment, the sound of rushing water gave Liu Zhenqing inspiration. He happened to be standing on the edge of the stone bridge, and jumped backwards. The old man’s hands froze before they could take action.

He seemed to have avoided the flying hidden weapons, but during the fall, he heard Huo Fenglie’s roar. Liu Zhenqing anxiously wanted to call out, but could only grunt as he entered the water.

Liu Zhenqing was good in the water, and even though the current was strong, he was able to suddenly poke his head out and call, “I’m okay!”

But when he looked up, he saw a red-eyed Huo Fenglie break the old man’s neck with one hand and then fly toward him.

Huo Fenglie’s hard strike and fierce demeanor was so unfamiliar that it startled Liu Zhenqing as he drifted in the water. But soon after, he was embraced by Huo Fenglie. He thought that Huo Fenglie would use qinggong to fly them out, but all he did was hug him. Huo Fenglie fainted on the spot, and Liu Zhenqing had to keep him afloat.

Liu Zhenqing awkwardly assisted him, and looked to the side to seek help. The moment he glimpsed the stone bridge, he saw He Lan confronting the two in order to save Qin Yu, who had suffered internal injuries.

The man’s palm was blocked by He Lan, but then the woman threw a handful of white powder, and He Lan’s eyes were instantly blinded. Both sides were at the end of their fight. Qin Yu regained his breath and grabbed He Lan, jumping into the river to escape in the current.

This was good, all four people had entered the water.

Because Qin Yu accelerated them through the water, he quickly caught up with Liu Zhenqing and Huo Fenglie. They were currently far away from the stone bridge. If the two villains wanted to catch up, they would have to dive into the water, but this was also disadvantageous for them. They could only stand on the bridge and watch them fade away.

Everyone was knocked around by the current that swiftly carried them away. Soon, a horizontal branch appeared and saved the lives of the four of them.

Qin Yu and He Lan lay on one end, while Liu Zhenqing and Huo Fenglie lay on the other.

“How are you?” Qin Yu quickly asked Liu Zhenqing.

“I’m fine, but he…..” Liu Zhenqing gestured to Huo Fenglie, whose face gradually became pained. He checked his pulse, and it was so chaotic that he couldn’t tell whether his internal force was out of control or not.

“It’s probably his old illness. He has the medicine on him, see if he’ll take it,” Qin Yu quickly explained.

Liu Zhenqing tried to feel around for the medicine, but the flow of the water was too fast, making it difficult. Even if he got it, it may fall into the water and be swept away if he wasn’t careful.

Just when Liu Zhenqing raised his head to look for a way to get ashore, he heard Qin Yu say in a rare panic: “Yundu!”

Qin Yu rarely called out He Lan’s name, and almost never called his first name. Something must have happened for him to call out like this.

At this time, Liu Zhenqing saw that He Lan had fallen unconscious at some point, his expression gradually becoming abnormal.

Recalling the lady’s poison powder at the end, Liu Zhenqing hurriedly raised a hand and reached over just enough to grab He Lan’s wrist.

Qin Yu was calling out to He Lan, and couldn’t help being confused when he saw Liu Zhenqing’s brows go from frowning to twitching. He cursed inwardly, she deserved to be called lecherous.

“Hurry up and get ashore. I have antidote pills here.”

“He’s poisoned? What kind of poison?”

Liu Zhenqing didn’t talk nonsense at this time. “The woman used poison to force him to submit. Just give him the medicine later.”

Rage flashed across Qin Yu’s face. “I won’t have mercy on them.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Zhenqing spotted a vine hanging down in the water from the corner of his eye. Qin Yu also saw it, and the two of them quickly grabbed hold.

Qin Yu said: “Take Zhanyuan up first.”

“You fly up first and pull us, it’ll be faster,” Liu Zhenqing said.

“I can’t, I’m injured and can’t use my internal force at the moment,” Qin Yu explained.

Liu Zhenqing gritted his teeth, and could only quickly drag Huo Fenglie with one hand and grab the vine with the other. Finally, he touched ashore and pulled Huo Fenglie up. He turned around to grab He Lan, but as soon as he took his hand, there was a snap as the vine broke. Liu Zhenqing tried to hold onto He Lan, but his hand slipped due to the force of the water.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Yu was once again holding He Lan as they drifted away.

Liu Zhenqing was greatly alarmed. He chased a few steps but found that it was impossible. Then he thought of something and quickly took out the bottle of detoxification pills, throwing it toward the two people in the distance. Fortunately, Qin Yu caught it accurately.

Liu Zhenqing could only shout out the important part: “Detoxify him within an hour, or else he’ll die!” In an instant, the two of them vanished from sight.

He had no choice but to take care of Huo Fenglie first.

According to Qin Yu’s words, he patted Huo Fenglie down for a long moment before finding a special medicine bottle. The mark on it belonged to his senior sister.

He opened it and took a sniff. It should be good for the body. Liu Zhenqing poured out a pill unthinkingly and tried to feed it to Huo Fenglie.

But Huo Fenglie seemed to be in great pain, and clenched his teeth tightly. No matter how hard Liu Zhenqing tried, he couldn’t pry them open.

Liu Zhenqing suddenly recalled a modern TV plot. At this time, the heroine would be feeding the hero medicine with her mouth, but Liu Zhenqing thought that was laughable. She couldn’t open his mouth with her hands, but she could open it with her tongue?

With this in mind, Liu Zhenqing leaned directly toward Huo Fenglie’s ear and threatened: “Er-gou, open your mouth and take the medicine, otherwise Qing-ge won’t like you. If you take the medicine obediently, Qing-ge will kiss you.”

It was originally said as a joke, but it seemed that the unconscious person could really hear him. As soon as Liu Zhenqing finished speaking, although Huo Fenglie’s expression was still very pained and his whole body was tense, his mouth opened tremblingly.

Liu Zhenqing was dumbfounded, and then he hurriedly administered the medicine. After achieving success, he felt a little inexplicably proud.

He didn’t expect that Er-gou liked him enough to be obedient even while unconscious.

Liu Zhenqing looked at Huo Fenglie’s lips, which were still wet with water. They seemed very soft, as if they were waiting for something, and Liu Zhenqing’s face felt hot for no reason.

Thinking of the joke he had made, he darted his eyes around guiltily and finally coughed. “Anyway, this isn’t the first time I’ve deceived you. No begging allowed!”

After saying this, he quickly stood up and carried the unconscious Huo Fenglie on his back, heading in the direction of the water flow to look for traces of Qin Yu and He Lan.

But Huo Fenglie was too heavy, and Liu Zhenqing couldn’t bear it. When his legs became weak, he fell heavily to the ground with Huo Fenglie.

Liu Zhenqing grimaced in pain, but still got up quickly. After checking on Huo Fenglie behind him and making sure he was okay, he had just breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a chill come over him.

Liu Zhenqing instinctively hugged Huo Fenglie and dodged aside. When he got up in disarray, he saw a throwing knife where he had just been sitting, and two people descended in front of him.

His expression instantly became extremely ugly, and he took out a dagger, holding it in front of him.

Even though he took a posture of resistance, the two villains knew he had no martial arts skills and didn’t show any vigilance, saying scornfully: “Why only two?”

“One is unconscious and the other is useless. Let’s just kill them and then go after the other two.”

As he spoke, the man among them tried to rush over, but was hindered by the dagger Liu Zhenqing wielded.

Liu Zhenqing knew he had no choice but to use the water to escape again, but the timing…..

Just as the other party was about to rush up, Liu Zhenqing raised his hand and pushed Huo Fenglie into the river. He tried to jump in, but it was too late. 

There was pain in his shoulder as a sharp object penetrated it, and Liu Zhenqing screamed.

“Little mouse, where are you running?”

The man stabbed him with a knife in one hand and tried to pierce Liu Zhenqing’s heart with the other, but there was a sudden splash and something appeared above his field of vision.

The speed was so fast that the man only had time to raise his eyes, and his pupils instantly shrank. He only saw the black sword blade passing above Liu Zhenqing, and because the man stood a head taller than Liu Zhenqing, the black sword passed directly through his field of vision, pierced between his eyebrows, and passed through his head.

A pair of red eyes that were practically dripping blood and a face as primeval and murderous as a demon’s was the last horrific image the man saw.

The man fell down, and so did Liu Zhenqing, but this time there was no embrace. Even though Huo Fenglie was standing beside him, he didn’t pay attention to him at all.

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyes and looked over. “Er-gou?”

Before Liu Zhenqing called out, he only saw Huo Fenglie’s cold back as he walked step by step in front of him. It seemed that he was shielding Liu Zhenqing behind him.

But Liu Zhenqing felt inexplicably uneasy.

The only remaining Evil was the furious woman. She didn’t think she was unable to handle Huo Fenglie on her own, and felt that the man had made a mistake just now. After all, Huo Fenglie had previously fought against the dwarf, and under normal circumstances, he should have died from internal injuries. This was probably his last surge of strength before death. But when she looked at Huo Fenglie’s posture, she felt that he seemed to have no rational thought, only instinct. Like an animal, trapping its prey in its own territory and warning outsiders.

The woman had already rushed over. She intended to repeat her old trick and poison him, but he didn’t wait for her to raise her hand.

There was a flash of black shadow and a scream. The woman’s hand was cut off at the wrist.

The woman continued to fight back, but she was at the end of her strength. She could deal with Liu Zhenqing, but against Huo Fenglie, who had gone crazy and lost control, it was a real game of cat and mouse.

After a few moves, it was too late for the woman to escape. Her internal organs were shattered by a palm, and she completely stopped breathing.

This was simply one-sided murder.

Liu Zhenqing should have breathed a sigh of relief once all the enemies were dead, but now he watched as Huo Fenglie turned around and walked steadily toward him. 

Liu Zhenqing’s breath lodged in his throat.

Huo Fenglie approached step by step with a murderous aura all over his body. His hands were covered in the blood of the two people, and there was even some on his face. His eyes were still a dangerous red, and it was as if nothing could be reflected in them.

A low groan came from his throat, like pain and an unconscious warning.

It was overall very abnormal.

Liu Zhenqing called out uneasily twice, but Huo Fenglie didn’t react at all. He quickly approached Liu Zhenqing and lowered his head, looking at him as if he was prey.

The moment Liu Zhenqing met his gaze, he realized that Huo Fenglie currently had no rational thought. It was probably caused by his internal force going out of control, but he had just taken the medicine made by his junior sister, which should have helped. Was…..the medicine not effective enough?

Liu Zhenqing covertly took out the bottle and took an instinctive step back, but this action seemed to anger Huo Fenglie.

Like a lion, Huo Fenglie pounced on Liu Zhenqing and pushed him down on the grass. His hands were so strong that Liu Zhenqing felt as if his bones were going to be crushed.

Enduring the pain, Liu Zhenqing struggled. While calling out to Er-gou, he turned over and crawled on the ground, but was grabbed by Huo Fenglie and instantly flipped back over.

Huo Fenglie seemed unable to bear not seeing Liu Zhenqing’s face, and insisted on the other party facing him.

After turning this person over, he lowered his head suddenly to bite his prey. His teeth bit down on Liu Zhenqing’s shoulder, which had been penetrated by a sharp blade just now, and Liu Zhenqing screamed in pain.

It seemed as if his cry brought back some of Huo Fenglie’s sanity. His sharp teeth loosened, his mouth filled with Liu Zhenqing’s blood.

Huo Fenglie licked it in a daze. He seemed to find it delicious, but he was a little confused, and his heart felt tight and uncomfortable.

He suddenly felt as if someone was attacking him, and he started to take action, but then he felt a warmth approach and the original sweet smell of blood was replaced by a sweeter scent.

Looking at the face that was so close to him, Huo Fenglie opened his mouth and allowed the other party to invade.

That feeling wasn’t danger, but a feeling of absolute comfort.

Something melted in his mouth, and Huo Fenglie frowned. He didn’t seem to like the medicinal taste, but he liked the other flavor, so he couldn’t help but embrace the person who had approached him, fearing that the delicious food would disappear. He clumsily mirrored the other person’s movements, and even outdid his opponent within a short period of time. It seemed that he could win something if he took more initiative.

Liu Zhenqing had laughed at this method of feeding medicine just now, but he was currently being slapped in the face. This was infuriating, ah.

He groaned and opened his eyes to look at Huo Fenglie, whose eyes were still blood red but narrowed slightly in enjoyment. Feeling the other party’s thoughtless actions, Liu Zhenqing was somewhat angry and aggrieved. This was his first kiss!

But ultimately, in order for Er-gou to take the medicine smoothly, he could only fight against the other party’s fervor.

When the pill completely melted, Liu Zhenqing tried to push this person away in shame and anger.

However, this person had thoroughly enjoyed sweet pleasure, and directly pressed him to the ground again. It seemed that this way, the other party couldn’t run away, and he could continue to taste him.

But Liu Zhenqing groaned in pain again when his wound was pressed.

This time, Huo Fenglie froze. He let go of Liu Zhenqing slightly and lowered his head in thought for a moment. Suddenly, a clear light flashed in his eyes.

“Qing…..”

Before he could utter the question, he suddenly fell down.

Liu Zhenqing wanted to cry but had no tears. His body was hot and painful, and he had to flip this person over to check his pulse. But he hadn’t learned well, and only felt that his pulse was chaotic, like that of a person who was about to die. However, there were also signs of improvement.

“This won’t work, we need to find a doctor.” Liu Zhenqing once again carried Huo Fenglie on his back in a state of disarray and walked forward.

Liu Zhenqing walked until he was almost numb, feeling exhausted and hopeless. Huo Fenglie was unconscious again.

Suddenly, his sleeve seemed to be caught by something.

Liu Zhenqing thought it was a branch and turned around helplessly. Then something sprayed against his face with the sound of a neigh. Liu Zhenqing felt like he was about to burst into tears.

“Shen Jiangyue!”

At the same time, on the river bank, Qin Yu’s wrists were suddenly grabbed and pinned to the ground. The medicine in his hand was also knocked away and sank into the water.

Qin Yu’s face instantly paled, and just as he was about to curse, a hot, wild kiss suddenly blocked all sounds.

His pupils shrank in shock. Just as he was about to struggle, Liu Zhenqing’s last instructions came to mind.

It had been almost an hour…..

Soon after, there was only the sound of clothes tearing.

---

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Chapter Fifty-Eight << Table of Contents >> Chapter Sixty

“Mr. Mu has arrived.”

In a warmly decorated reception room, a woman wearing rimless glasses smiled and said to Mu Nanqiao: “Your changes are gratifying.”

Mu Nanqiao stood and shook her hand. He was a bit amused to hear her say this. “What you said makes me feel as if I was very uncooperative before.”

The woman was Mu Nanqiao’s psychiatrist, and had treated him two years ago. They were still abroad at that time, and Mu Nanqiao was studying for graduate school.

This person, who was somewhere between a boy and a young man, looked personable and was polite and courteous. He was perfect and dazzling, explained his problems clearly, and seemed to be very cooperative.

But such patients were often the most difficult type.

On this day two years later, they were in a different country. She was pleasantly surprised by the changes in Mu Nanqiao, and asked as if chatting with a friend: “Are there any changes in your life? Are you in love?”

It was originally just a joke. In the past two years of contact, she had found that it was difficult for Mu Nanqiao to accept intimate relationships, including those with his beloved parents. Even though Mu Nanqiao had never resented his parents, in his unknowing subconsciousness, the young man had hoped that his father would wake up soon, but had been disappointed time and time again, and kept himself closed-off.

Unexpectedly, Mu Nanqiao nodded and smiled. A joyful light shone from his eyes, causing his young and handsome face to come to life.

“Yes, ah, I am in love.” When he mentioned that person, his stern features softened. “He is a very good boy.”

The doctor was sincerely happy for him. Mu Nanqiao’s illness was not due to physical causes. To put it in easy and simple to understand terms, it was a mental illness. Now that the knot in his heart had loosened, the dawn of hope shined in.

After this visit, Mu Nanqiao chose a bouquet of flowers at the flower shop downstairs. The hydrangeas were blooming just right at this time in clusters of pink and blue. He simply wrapped them up, put them in the passenger seat, and drove home.

The Garden Community was a small, old area, so parking spots were difficult to find. Mu Nanqiao drove a short distance in the direction of Hengjin Secondary School, found a parking space, and parked the car. Two sneaky shadows appeared in the rearview mirror.

One of them was slender and was wearing a white-lapeled sweatshirt and a peaked cap on his head to conceal his face. His clothing looked familiar, and his figure even moreso. Mu Nanqiao laughed, and was about to get out of the car and greet his little deer when he saw Lu Qi’s awkward posture.

He was limping, and was helped by another person to sit on the edge of a flower bed by the roadside.

Mu Nanqiao’s smile froze and turned into a frown.

His car had been sent for maintenance, and he drove his dad’s car when he got off work today. Lu Qi clearly didn’t recognize him. He had his back turned to the car and was murmuring to another person. 

Another person who was connected to Mu Naiqiao was Xiu Hengxing, the person who was in charge of the rescue center. 

He lowered the car window and heard the conversation between the two people.

Xu Hengxing said: “You’ve been hanging around for half an hour. Are you going home or not?”

“I’m going home, ah.” Lu Qi said this subconsciously, then hesitated and whispered: “But how do I tell Mu Nanqiao about this foot…..”

“Right now, you look like a child who got into trouble and is afraid of going home and being beaten.” Xu Hengxing said admiringly, “Just tell the truth. You were trying to save a stray puppy, not climbing over someone’s wall. What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m afraid he’ll be worried, and I feel like he’ll be angry, ah…..” Lu Qi kicked a small rock with his other foot, lowering his head to say, “But I also have to return home, he’s been very clingy the past two days…..”

Xu Hengxing: ……

He hated couples who had no sense of propriety and dished out dog food at every turn.

Sitting in the car, Mu Nanqiao sighed helplessly and opened the door to get out.

Lu Qi saw Xu Hengxing’s eyes suddenly light up. He was almost excited to the point of incoherency, and ultimately called out “Daddy” with great emotion.

With that expression, Lu Qi unhesitatingly thought that the other’s biological father was there, since Xu Henxing’s home happened to be nearby. So he turned around and said: “Hello, Uncle…..”

When he turned his head, he faced a pair of beautiful fox-like eyes. The person they were speaking of just now was standing before him, holding a bunch of blooming hydrangeas in his hand with a helpless smile on his handsome face. He walked over, reached out his hand, and gently tapped his forehead. “Hello, little friend.”

Xu Henxing: Blegh! This stinky couple! His eyes!

Mu Nanqiao turned to regard Xu Hengxing and nodded. The minion Xu Hengxing laughed again. There was no other way. He had to accept reality. The rescue center was short of money, so whoever fed him was his mother, and whoever gave him money was his father. There was no shame in this at all.

“Thank you for sending him back.” Mu Nanqiao said: “If there is nothing else, I will take him home.”

Xu Hengxing: “It’s fine, it’s fine, do as you please.”

After speaking, he quickly left.

Two people were left, one standing and one sitting. Mu Nanqiao reached out and turned the peaked cap in the other direction, revealing an anxious face. Lu Qi began to twist his fingers again, trying to hide his injured foot behind the other one.

Mu Nanqiao squatted down. Grasping his foot, he carefully took off his sneaker, pushed up his trouser leg, and pulled off his sock.

Lu Qi curled up his toes in embarrassment and said in a low voice: “I had an X-ray. The bones weren’t injured…..and it doesn’t hurt…..”

Mu Nanqiao grasped his calf and looked around. The ankle was swollen and faintly bruised. He sighed and patted Lu Qi’s calf with a pap.

It didn’t hurt at all, but that crisp sound was particularly embarrassing. There was a sense of shame similar to when a child made a mistake and was beaten by his parents. Lu Qi’s face went red. He withdrew his foot and whispered: “It hurts……”

“How about you go home early to rest since your foot is hurt.” Mu Nanqiao rubbed the area he had just patted, then bent down with his back to Lu Qi. “Let’s go home.”

Lu Qi laughed mischievously and hooked his arms around Mu Nanqiao’s neck, using his strength to hang onto his back. 

Mu Nanqiao handed him the hydrangeas, picked up his sneaker and clasped it on the crook of his leg before walking back slowly.

Likely because the tail-tip of summer was passing by leisurely, the weather was very good today. The temperature was very high, and his bare foot didn’t feel cold. Instead, a bit of a cool breeze blew over his sole, making him feel itchy. Lu Qi looked at the ardently blooming hydrangeas in his hand, and his downcast mood due to the injury blew away with the wind.

He leaned close to Mu Nanqiao’s ear and asked in a low voice: “Are you angry?”

Mu Nanqiao said: “I was just wondering whether to use this matter to make a request that you stop participating in rescue activities.”

Lu Qi felt that this was not possible, and was about to reason with him when Mu Nanqiao spoke again: “But if this is something you feel is meaningful, let’s donate another batch of protective gear.”

He made a tiny mwah against that cold earlobe. Lu Qi said: “Boyfriend, you are so kind.”

Mu Nanqiao really couldn’t bear being teased, so he hefted this person up. His ear that had been kissed felt a little hot.

But Lu Qi wasn’t finished speaking, and said earnestly: “Since you were worried when I was injured, you must practice with boxing gloves next time, ah. I was also very worried when I opened the bandages and saw your hand last time.”

He also took the opportunity to teach someone a lesson. Mu Nanqiao grasped his legs and gave an amused hum. 

. . . . . . .

Lu Qi’s foot was injured. Although no bones were hurt, the doctor still advised him to stay in bed as much as possible. He shouldn’t ignore a small problem until it became a big problem, otherwise it would be troublesome if he habitually sprained his foot in the future.

Afraid that the two little cats would cause trouble, Mu Nanqiao brought the two piglets to the company the next day.

In order not to disturb others, Mu Nanqiao placed Xiao Sanhua and the little black pig in the lounge next to the office. Because this lounge was next to the general manager’s office, employees rarely came there for a break. After all, no one would fish for personal gain right under the boss’s nose.

The little assistant went to buy cat supplies, then took a short video and sent it to the group the boss wasn’t in, announcing that this was the princess of the Mu family and her consort.

Therefore, there were always people outside the blinds. Mu Nanqiao asked the assistant curiously: “Don’t they usually not dare to come up here?”

The little assistant said: “Cats embolden the timid. Workaholics don’t have time to take care of kittens, so this opportunity to pet cats for free is truly rare.”

Mu Nanqiao frowned.

The little assistant quivered, fearing that the boss was unhappy, and added: “After finishing the work at hand, of course.”

“Tell them to be careful.” Mu Nanqiao continued to look at the computer. “Xiao Sanhua was a stray before and is very fierce. Take caution not to get scratched. Also, it is strictly forbidden to feed her. She’s been losing weight recently.”

“Okay, Boss.”

Ever since the boss fell in love, he had become more humane!

. . . . . . .

During lunch break, Mu Nanqiao went to see the little pigs and make a video for Lu Qi. When he pushed the door open and walked in, Xiao Sanhua was lying in a young woman’s lap. There was a lot of cat hair visible to the naked eye on the woman’s pink skirt. While striking poses and taking photos with Xiao Sanhua, she saw Mu Nanqiao come in and swiftly greeted him before slipping away. 

Mu Nanqiao thought for a moment and sent a message to his assistant, asking him to remember to buy a lint roller and put it at the door.

Xiao Sanhua stepped on the table and looked at Mu Nanqiao with dissatisfaction.

On the other hand, Xiao Hei huddled in the corner and meowed twice.

Mu Nanqiao reached out and touched Xiao Sanhua. He was not beaten violently by a meow meow fist, so he patted the little cat’s round body with confidence and hesitantly pinched her flesh. “What kind of mixed bloodline do you have? You’re so big…..”

Commenting on a lady like this made Xiao Sanhua particularly unhappy, so she gave him a meow meow punch. For the sake of the small human with big eyes, she just barely stretched out her melon seeds, and after the photo was taken, she ran away with a meow.

Mu Nanqiao raised his eyebrows and took a photo of Xiao Sanhua and the eunuch Xiao Hei playing with a ball. He also took a photo of the red back of his hand and sent it to Lu Qi.

[(Image) (Image) ]

[Baby, I was bullied by a cat (little dog crying.jpg)]

After a moment, Lu Qi replied to him:

[Don’t provoke her]

Mu Nanqiao raised his eyebrows. Relying on the little cat’s inability to type, he unscrupulously distorted the facts:

[I didn’t provoke her, she hit me for no reason (little dog crying.jpg)]

Lu Qi was sitting on the small sofa, eating the fruit that Mu Nanqiao had cut for him before he left. His leg was propped up on a chair with thick cushions on one side as he imagined how Mu Nanqiao was typing, perhaps acting coquettishly with no expression on his face. His lips could only curl up.

[Then what are you going to do, ah? (Little cat is confused.jpg)]

After waiting for a long time, Lu Qi had almost come to the conclusion that Mu Nanqiao was busy when his phone vibrated. 

He had called directly. Lu Qi picked up the phone and asked faintly as he chewed some fruit: “What’s the matter, Boss Mu?”

“I just suddenly figured out why Xiao Sanhua doesn’t like me.” Mu Nanqiao sighed despondently. “Lu baby, it’s true that I stepped on her tail this morning, but the kitchen is only so big and it’s such a mess. It’s hard for me not to step on her…..”

“Meow~”

“Cough.” There was a rustling sound as Mu Nanqiao seemed to stand up. “Look, in the end, there are too many overlapping territories.”

“En…..” Lu Qi thought it made sense. Ending the cat-dog war was a problem. “Then what do you think…..”

“Let’s change our place of residence.” Mu Nanqiao was persuasive, his low, lazy voice carrying a sort of addictive magic. “I have a penthouse at Prosperous Cloud. I can give Xiao Sanhua a whole room.”

Lu Qi: ……

The hidden intentions were finally exposed, ah. That didn’t take very long.

---

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Chapter Thirty-One << Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirty-Three

Xiao Wang Palace had been restored to its former grandeur, but it had been deserted for many years.  The restoration took a lot of effort, and Gao Lin was responsible for it—on the one hand, this person had poor aesthetics, and on the other hand, he was very stingy. In the northwest camp, he tried to save money anywhere he could, and even when he arrived in the royal city, this problem could not be corrected. When he heard that the carpenters actually planned to carve flowers onto the windows for the prince, he immediately refused and said not to carve flowers, but simply paint the window frames.

The craftsmen politely pointed out that they had never seen such a palace.

Lieutenant General Gao insisted, that is because you have never been to Yueya City.

What did the Xiao Wang Palace in Yueya City look like? Several tall pillars held up green and black tiles, which made a gloomy and imposing sound in the northwest wind for many years. If there were a few crows above, the common people would likely not even dare to pass through the door. With such a haunted house, wouldn’t a big family be unable to live well?

The craftsmen couldn’t persuade him, and were forced to comply. The whole project was said to be a renovation, but in fact, it only involved removing weeds, polishing the wood, replacing the tattered furniture, and repaving the loose masonry on the ground. The total number of servants in the palace was less than ten. Five of them were elderly and suffered from deafness and rheumatism, so that the first day A-Ning moved into the palace, he diagnosed their diseases before he even had a chance to take a sip of hot water.

The string of jade wind chimes hanging in front of the bedroom window was probably the most valuable thing in the entire place. Although Liu Xian’an was not picky, the style of this poor and simple house was obviously far from the “celestial bliss nest” promised by His Royal Highness Xiao Wang. When there was a thunderstorm at the end of summer, the courtyard was covered in yellow mud, making it difficult to walk. There was no place where the Sleeping Immortal could “lie down as he pleased.”

“Rebuild it. We’ll rebuild it again,” Liang Shu vowed. “We’ll build the most luxurious palace in the entirety of Wangcheng.”

Liu Xian’an didn’t want to rebuild, mainly because he felt that the palace was too big, and he walked for two days without finishing. If it were all rebuilt, that would be another big project, very tiring. In any case, for him, as long as the bed was comfortable and the house was weatherproof, it was fine.

“It isn’t necessary to rebuild everything,” Liang Shu said. “Only the courtyard where we live. Everything will be done according to your wishes.”

He was rather obsessed with raising the Sleeping Immortal. Liu Xian’an lay on a squeak-squeaking soft chair, listening to the other person say that flowers should be planted here and trees should be planted there, and gradually fell asleep. In his dreams, the palace really turned into a cotton nest full of flowers, and the wind carried the scent of lotus flowers and the fluttering shadows of butterflies. He heard someone ask in his ear: “Do you think this is pretty good?”

Liu Xian’an replied in a daze: “It’s good.”

Just like that, the matter of renovating the residence was settled. 

Liang Shu was very satisfied: “Then I will recruit craftsmen to meet you tomorrow morning.”

Liu Xian’an shook his head: “I am going to the palace to read tomorrow morning. Tell the craftsmen to come back in the afternoon.”

“You have to read every day, ah? Take a break for a couple of days.”

“Won’t take a break. Reading is not tiring.”

Liang Shu pulled him in for a kiss, complaining vaguely, reading is not tiring? There are few things in the world that are more tiring than reading.

He had pretended at first to read with him a couple of times, but on the third day, he couldn’t stand it anymore and began to have back pain, dizziness, and overwhelming fatigue. Liu Xian’an leaned into his arms, picked up a book, and read it with a flip, flip, flip. After reading for the whole morning, he reached out and shook this person awake. “Let’s go and eat.”

Liang Shu yawned. Looking at the piles of books around him in puzzlement, he asked: “Why didn’t you put them back after reading them?”

“These books were very messy. I want to sort them all again,” Liu Xian’an explained. “I will make another directory to make it easier for people to search in the future.”

“Who else but you would come here to read?”

“The dynasty is promoting the Imperial Examinations, and among the tens of thousands of young talents selected, there will always be those who like and want these books.” 

Liu Xian’an tugged his sleeve and walked slowly toward the sun. “Besides, this matter is not troublesome for me. I will do it casually.”

This was easy to say, but in the past, re-sorting all the thousands of old books would have required at least dozens of palace staff working in unison, not to mention that the content of the books was extremely obscure. Thus, when the news reached Liang Yu, he was very surprised and asked: “Is he really so capable?”

“Answering the emperor, when I went to deliver tea this morning, I saw that the books in the tower had been sorted and stacked in different piles. Second Young Master Liu was making a directory. The papers written on the ground were densely packed, with fourteen or fifteen pieces scattered around.”

“If Second Young Master Liu was making a directory, where was the other one?”

The eunuch replied: “His Royal Highness was sleeping, sleeping soundly.”

Liang Shu shook his head, cursing as he laughed, and asked again: “Did they not stay in the palace for lunch at noon?”

“No, the two of them went back hand in hand after reading books. It is said that Second Young Master Liu will discuss the renovation of the palace with craftsmen at noon, and in the evening he will go to Old Master Lu’s house to examine him.”

Liang Yu frowned: “How can that person rush about busily like this? Can he handle it?”

The eunuch was not sure, but he felt that when he saw Second Young Master Liu these past two days, he was unhurried, with a pleasant countenance, and didn’t seem too busy.

In the palace, Liu Xian’an was standing watch over the pot, fanning it slowly with a small fan. He had just told the craftsmen he was thirsty and came to make himself a bowl of sugar water. Liang Shu searched around for a long time before finding this person in the kitchen, and was amused by how attentive he was. He knelt down to help look after the fire and asked: “Whatever you want to eat, just let Aunt Li do it. Why did you come here yourself?”

“I read a recipe in an ancient book yesterday and I want to try cooking it.” Liu Xian’an used a silver spoon to scoop out a piece of peach meat that had been boiled to softness, saying: “It is almost ready. Your Highness, try it first.”

The pulp was accompanied by the scent of tea. Liang Shu accepted it happily, and was speechless for a long moment. In fact, he was quite capable of eating sweets. After all, when he was stuck in the desert while marching and fighting, he would rely on sugar cakes to replenish his energy. But the sugar cakes truly paled in comparison to the spoonful of sugar-soaked peaches in front of him.

Liu Xian’an asked eagerly: “How is it, ah?”

Perhaps he was sleepy after cooking for a long time, because there was a soft, watery tone to his voice that made His Royal Highness Xiao Wang feel comfortable all over, and his opinion completely vanished. Delicious, I have never eaten such delicious peaches in my life, one spoonful is enough.

Liu Xian’an looked suspicious, because the words “one spoonful is enough” did not sound like a serious evaluation. 

Liang Shu smiled and said: “It is a bit sweet, but should be good to soak in water. There is still some ice stored in the winter cellar. I will tell someone to take some out later, just enough to go with your pot of peach jam.”

“It turns out that this ancient recipe was written in vain. This person was not gourmet.” Liu Xian’an lost interest and tossed the spoon in. “I spent a long time reading him describe them as soft white breasts.”

Liang Shu glanced into the pot and saw that all the peaches were boiled to a lovely pinkish white color, and concurred: “They are quite similar.”

Liu Xian’an raised his foot and kicked him.

Taking advantage of the situation, Liang Shu pulled him into his arms: “What, can I not tell the truth?”

There was no etiquette in his mouth as he talked and asked for kisses at the same time, comparable to a playboy. “I’m going to Old Master Lu’s house later.”

“Don’t worry, I think that old man looks like he will live a long time.” Liang Shu didn’t take this matter to heart. “I heard that yesterday, he scolded his son bloody while lying in bed. He was so angry that it took him half an hour.”

Moreover, when he thought about going to Lu Manor and actually having to stay outside the door, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang complained more, looking for trouble. Sometimes he had a headache, and sometimes his stomach was upset. In any case, his illness was definitely more serious than that of a white-bearded old man, and he needed a doctor to begin his diagnosis and treatment immediately.

Liu Xian’an sighed deeply. So troublesome, ah! But troublesome was troublesome, and he still cooperated to massage the other’s belly for a while. Liang Shu finally calmed down after the massage, and said magnanimously, I will personally take you to Lu Manor later.

A-Ning had already packed the medicine box. He had followed his family’s young master to see several Imperial physicians a few days ago and asked about Old Master Lu’s condition. Judging from the symptoms, it was true that he did not have any serious illness, but was just old. He commonly had a bad temper, so his stagnant qi transformed into fire, his blood pressure rose, and he suffered from problems of old age.

A-Ning had a lot of experience in dealing with this kind of patient. He was an old child, just coax him according to his temper. He originally wanted to leave at noon, but Liu Xian’an waved his hand and said: “There is no rush. The prince said he would take us to have a snack first.”

A-Ning was bewildered: “Ah?”

The dim sum shop was newly opened. It was said that the master chef had been popular in Jin for twenty years. The lard pastries were baked until they were crispy and crumbly, and the filling was sweet and soft, attracting a long queue of people from the royal city. How could His Royal Highness Xiao Wang not join in this prosperous and beautiful bustling? Liu Xian’an walked side by side with him along the long street, and saw that the food shops on both sides were decorated with colorful silks and colorful, festive flowers. There were many types of cold fruits, so he sent A-Ning to buy a pack of pickled melon plums and ginger strips and put them in his mouth to chew slowly.

A-Ning also ate one. It was salty, sour, and sweet, and his tongue went numb from the stimulation. He said with a bitter expression: “They are far worse than the honey-green plums from our Baihe City. Why do you suddenly like to eat this thing?”

“I also don’t like to eat it,” Liu Xian’an said. “It moistens the throat.”

When Liang Shu heard the words “moistens the throat,” his thoughts flew to some unspeakable place and the corners of his mouth rose slightly. With a lazy and frivolous expression, he simply grasped the beauty’s chin in the street to admire him. A-Ning caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye, and his body trembled at once. He moved forward silently to block his young master’s side.

You’re in public, you must be proper and decent!

He was very faithful and dedicated.

The three of them wandered around the streets for a long while, until Liu Xian’an began to feel lazy. Then Liang Shu called the carriage and they drove all the way to Lu Manor.

And there was no one in Lu Manor who didn’t know about the years of enmity between their master and His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, so when they heard that Liang Shu was currently escorting the miracle doctor in person, they were deeply worried and sick at heart. This…..what if the master got angry again and became even more ill? But it was difficult to violate an Imperial command, so they had to put on warm smiles and go out to greet them, hoping that the prince would show benevolence and be magnanimous.

Liang Shu looked at the people in the courtyard who were smiling but not smiling, and his teeth hurt. Heaven knows I really didn’t want to come to this wretched place, you don’t need to be so vigilant. The three of them were accompanied by several Imperial guards, which showed that the emperor did not completely trust his unfortunate brother. He sent more people to keep an eye on him, lest he speak nonsense again and anger the old man to the point of death.

“I will just drink tea in the front hall.” Liang Shu patted Liu Xian’an on the shoulder, his lips curved. “Don’t do too much, there is no need to look at him too well.”

Liu Xian’an smiled and pushed him. He and A-Ning followed the Lu family’s young master to the back courtyard. When they entered the door, they smelled the bitter scent of medicine. A-Ning sniffed and asked: “Has Old Master Lu had a bad appetite recently?”

“Yes…..yes, ah.” Young Master Lu was extremely surprised. This could be smelled? He had known there were miracle doctors in Baihe Mountain Village, but there were no serious illnesses in the family before, so he didn’t think much about how good a miracle doctor could be. Now that he had gained experience, his attitude became respectful.

Old Master Lu had been lying in bed for nearly a year, isolated from the world, and his mind was a little confused. At this time, he only knew that a miracle doctor from Baihe Mountain Village was coming to treat him, but he didn’t know which one it was, let alone the relationship between the miracle doctor and His Royal Highness Xiao Wang — His family members were all distinctly aware of his temper, and if they could hide it, they would. It was better to do less than to do more.

Presently, he had changed his clothes and was reclining on the bedside to wait. When he heard a sound, he looked up to see two young people coming in. One was handsome and refined, and the other was capable and neat, not like doctors, but like immortals in a painting. He was inwardly amazed. Liu Xian’an saluted and said: “Old Master Lu.”

“Doctor Liu, there is no need to be polite.” Old Master Lu propped himself up. “It is me who should thank the miracle doctor.”

A-Ning thought to himself, he doesn’t seem too difficult to talk to, ah. He opened the medicine box nimbly, and Liu Xian’an used silver needles to probe several of Old Master Lu’s acupuncture points as he said: “There is nothing serious at the moment. Just taking a decoction to soothe the liver and relieve depression is enough, but if the Old Master does not change his irritable temper, he will not just be pale, weak, and lacking in energy in the future.”

Young Master Lu quickly asked: “What will happen?”

Liu Xian’an replied: “He will die early.”

Young Master Lu was so alarmed by his frankness that his ears rang, and he spoke words that he had suppressed for a long time: “…..Grandpa, did you hear that? You must be calm in the future. Let the young people take care of those important national affairs.”

“Young people. Where are the reliable young people in the court? Fang Ming, Zhao Chong, or Wang Yuanshan, who can’t even speak a sentence?”

“I…..I think these men are all good, ah.” Young Master Lu smiled awkwardly and said: “Grandpa, the miracle doctor just said to calm down. You had best lie down quickly.” Why was it that whenever this topic was mentioned, he blew his beard and glared?

Old Master Lu was still sighing again and again, looking like a loyal old minister who was worried about his country and family.

Liu Xian’an put down the needle in his hand: “Isn’t there still His Royal Highness Xiao Wang?”

Young Master Lu sucked in a cold breath of air!

Liu Xian’an was unfamiliar with him, and continued: “I don’t know those three men, Fang, Zhao, and Wang, but I know His Royal Highness Xiao Wang. He guards the border and defends the country. He appeased the refugees, exterminated the evil cult, and will leave for the Baihe River in a while. He is so young and capable, why can’t Old Master Lu just remember that there is such a person in the court?”

Old Master Lu almost couldn’t catch his breath after being asked this, and said after a long moment: “Although His Royal Highness Xiao Wang has outstanding military exploits, he has a violent temper, is arrogant and vain, and never listens to unfavorable advice. He also behaves in a rude and disrespectful manner in the court. It is truly difficult to call him a capable minister.”

Liu Xian’an raised his eyes and said in a clear, cold voice: “Why don’t you tell me, Old Master Lu, who in this dynasty can be called a capable minister?”

Young Master Lu was so frightened that he couldn’t speak. He just hoped that his grandpa would faint and forget about it. It must be known that His Royal Highness Xiao Wang was at their house right at that moment! A-Ning thought about the appearance and tone of his young master’s words just now, and inexplicably felt that he looked like the prince.

Old Master Lu may have also recalled a familiar feeling at that exact moment. He was slightly surprised at first, and then said with a frown: “A capable minister lives up to the expectations of His Majesty, does not flatter the powerful, does not create cliques, is upright, loyal and benevolent, and upholds integrity to the death!”

“Is that all?”  Liu Xian’an said, “That sounds like Old Master Lu fits the bill very well.”

If these words were spoken by someone else, they may sound a bit mocking, but Liu Xian’an had the advantage of his immortal appearance, and his tone of voice was neither slow nor fast, which actually made the listener feel calm. Old Master Lu said: “The Lu’s have assisted the emperors of two dynasties and devoted themselves to Dayan. We indeed have a clear conscience.”

Young Master Lu held his forehead and went to step forward and find an excuse to send the miracle doctor out, but Liu Xian’an had already asked again: “Then what practical things has Lu-daren done for the people during his many years in office?”

Old Master Lu stared blankly.

Liu Xian’an added further: “The territory of Dayan stretches for thousands of li, and although its natural resources are abundant, it is not always prosperous and peaceful. From what I know, in the past fifty years alone, there have been successive provocations by pirates from the Eastern Sea and the wolf tribe in the northwest. Even the various countries in Nanyang are not calming down, and there is more internal trouble, such as locust plagues, floods, disease, refugees, rebels, and evil cults. Other than in the vicinity of the dream capital, the rest of the territory is full of worries. Since Old Master Lu is so dedicated, has he ever been to the Eastern Sea and the northwest, or controlled plagues and exterminated locusts?”

Young Master Lu had trouble breathing, and said shakily: “Liu….Miracle Doctor Liu…..let’s go out.”

Old Master Lu was rendered speechless by these questions, and his face turned slightly red.

The Imperial guards and the Lu family servants outside the courtyard listened to this sonorous and powerful interrogation…..not interrogation, questioning, questioning, with their hearts in their throats. Suddenly, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang whom they were on guard against had become the most laid-back person in the entire house.

He finished a pot of someone else’s good tea, tossed a piece of candy into his mouth, and walked around the courtyard with his hands behind his back. As he went, he also played with a colorful parrot hanging under the eaves, grasping a handful of millet and cajoling: “Say ‘may you be happy and prosperous.’”

The colorful parrot flapped its wings twice, moved itself to the middle of the frame, and stood upright to say very articulately: “Resentment does not lie in size, but a crowd should be feared. Water can carry a boat or overturn it, so caution is necessary. Using rotten reins, can you ignore…..gah!” The last sound was the result of someone pinching its mouth. A layer of sweat formed on His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s back, and he had a further understanding of how annoying this white-bearded old man was. Spending all day long idle at home, he even taught the bird bad things. He flicked his fingers slightly and caused the colorful bird to become dizzy. It could no longer speak words of admonishment, and walked slowly to the corner to squat down.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Liang Shu turned around and returned to the hall. He summoned a little maid and asked: “How is it going? Is he ill?”

“Answering Your Royal Highness, no, he is not.” The little maid was young and courageous. When faced with His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, who was avoided by everyone in the house, she could still answer eloquently. “Miracle Doctor Liu is still treating my master. Please wait a little longer.”

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T/N: Finally posting the extras! I don’t have a backlog to rely on anymore, so I’m posting them as I translate them. There are seven in total, and I should be able to post at least two per week.

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Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven << Table of Contents >> Extra Two

The height beneath the bed was limited, so when Huo Fenglie came over, it was impossible to keep an appropriate distance from Liu Zhenqing, and he nearly touched the tip of his nose.

Those dark eyes flashed with strong emotions, an unknown beast unleashed within the shallow dark red. The masculine aura that seemed to be able to completely suppress a person was like alcohol floating in the air, making him drunk without knowing it.

Hot breath blew against his face, rapid and heavy, causing Lu Zhenqing to endure a torture like being set aflame. Liu Zhenqing looked back at him and unexpectedly grew afraid. 

Only a low “I’m sorry” was heard.

Liu Zhenqing panicked. Was he really going to…..

He closed his eyes fearfully.

But soon after, he felt a slight pain in his neck and his vision went dark.

Why…..why did he want to knock him out?!

Could it be that he couldn’t bear it anymore, so he planned to use this trick and deceive him?

Do whatever he wanted after knocking him out, and pretend nothing happened when he woke up?

I didn’t expect you to be like this, Er-gou!

As long as he thought he was unconscious, Huo Fenglie might do all those kinds of things in the book to him. Liu Zhenqing had a very strong sense of survival while passed out, and tried to wake up.

When he awoke, he was already lying in bed at an inn.

Liu Zhenqing stared at the scene before him and was confused for a moment. When he raised his hand, he found that he was only wearing his under robes.

Liu Zhenqing’s entire person felt bad. With a pale face, he cautiously moved his body.

It….it didn’t seem to hurt.

He checked a couple of places silently, and there didn’t seem to be anything unusual.

Was it just kissing, hugging, and rubbing?

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help but touch the corner of his mouth, his face coloring.

Suddenly, there were footsteps beside the bed. Liu Zhenqing tensed up. Looking over, he saw Huo Fenglie lifting the bed curtain.

“Qing-ge?”

“You!” Anger suddenly arose in Liu Zhenqing’s heart, but he hesitantly wondered whether he should ask him if he had taken advantage of the opportunity to do something.

Huo Fenglie hurriedly said: “I’m sorry, Qing-ge. I was afraid you would be affected after inhaling the drug, so I could only knock you out first.”

Liu Zhenqing squinted at him: “What about my clothes?”

“There was dust under the bed, so…..”

Bah, he couldn’t believe it. The person he yearned for was right next to him, his body was responding, and he still didn’t take action.

Do you dare or not dare? Bad dog!

“That incense does not make a big impact on the body, and will dissipate soon.” Due to having hit him, Huo Fenglie lowered his head with a guilty conscience.

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyebrows. “Oh. What about you, were you affected?”

Huo Fenglie shook his head. “I have internal strength, so…..”

What a liar, I saw it all!

Liu Zhenqing was unbearably angry and was about to teach him a lesson. Suddenly, his nose twitched and he smelled the scent of blood. He immediately frowned and said seriously: “What happened afterwards? How did we get back? Was there a fight?”

Huo Fenglie explained: “Everything went well. I got the key. Qin Yu and He Lan went to the treasury, and they’ll send the key back after they find the register.”

Liu Zhenqing became confused for a moment: “No fight? Why is there the smell of blood? Are you injured?”

Huo Fenglie was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Liu Zhenqing’s nose to be so sharp. Facing him, Huo Fenglie was really not used to lying, so he instinctively hid his hand behind him.

With sharp eyes, Liu Zhenqing instantly grabbed his wrist and pulled it over. He saw a deep bite mark on the inside of his wrist, the kind that would bleed directly.

Liu Zhenqing was shocked. Such a wound could not be caused easily.

“This is…..” Liu Zhenqing was confused. He had been unconscious, and couldn’t struggle to bite Er-gou. Was his straight male desire to survive so strong? But…..

How did he get his mouth off him? This bite must hurt so much, ah.

“It’s fine, I bit myself.” Huo Fenglie closed his hand in embarrassment.

Liu Zhenqing paused for a moment, then raised his head to look at Huo Fenglie in confusion.

Huo Fenglie could only say frankly: “I was actually a little affected by the incense. In order to stay calm, I had to…..”

Liu Zhenqing was dumbfounded, and stared at the wound in a daze. Then he lowered his eyes and murmured: “If you can’t hold on, then don’t hold on.”

“Ah?” Huo Fenglie made a puzzled sound, as if he didn’t understand.

Pulling his hand, Liu Zhenqing got out of bed angrily to look for a medicine box in order to bandage him.

“I say, you forgot about the antidote made by your sister-in-law. Why not just find it and take it? I could take it with you.”

Huo Fenglie was forced to sit down, and could only let Liu Zhenqing deal with the wound. “There are very few pills. Our journey may not be easy, so there was no need to waste them in a place like this.”

As a result, as soon as he finished speaking, Liu Zhenqing hit him on the head.

Huo Fenglie looked at Liu Zhenqing innocently.

Liu Zhenqing pointed at his hand and scolded: “You’re injured. No matter how precious the pill is, it is useless if not used. Are you stupid? Doesn’t this hurt? You dared to bite yourself. How big a deal is it? You also said that kind of incense won’t have much of an effect. At worst, you can just relieve yourself, don’t tell me you don’t know this.”

Huo Fenglie was immediately embarrassed by Liu Zhenqing’s words.

What did he mean by ‘relieve?’ At that time, he was under the bed and next to Qing-ge. How could he…..”

But facing Liu Zhenqing, who was looking at him angrily, Huo Fenglie could only keep silent.

Liu Zhenqing suddenly said: “I don’t want to see any more scars on your body.”

He had seen the current state of Huo Fenglie’s body. There were countless scars on it.

Huo Fenglie looked up at Liu Zhenqing as he treated the wound. He recalled that when they were under the bed before, after knocking Liu Zhenqing unconscious and looking at the person beneath him, he nearly lost control of himself.

That bite was a warning to himself, don’t mess around!

But he didn’t want Liu Zhenqing to worry.

His emotions were like water in a cup. They were in a state of fullness, seemingly calm and unruffled, with an occasional layer of ice. But as long as there was a slight gust from the person in front of him, it would directly make him overflow.

Huo Fenglie couldn’t help but lean forward and rest his forehead gently on the back of Liu Zhenqing’s hand, like a small animal suddenly showing weakness.

Cautious and solemn, but unable to hold on.

Liu Zhenqing’s hands froze. He looked down at Huo Fenglie, but could only see his lonely, dazed profile.

His heart was inexplicably hit, which caused him to become tangled up again. He couldn’t help but raise his hand to touch the other’s head like a puppy.

Er-gou really liked him, ah. He didn’t want this child to be sad.

Although he was a man…..he was still Er-gou in the end. Maybe he could try it and see if it worked?

Should he think it over carefully before Er-gou broke the window paper?

Cough, cough, cough, you couldn’t force your feelings. He would just place Er-gou among those who could be considered. At worst, he would simply not treat him as just a little brother in the future.

Moreover, a man and a man…..he needed to do some good mental preparation.

Even when sitting down, Er-gou looked tall and mighty.

Sure enough, no matter how he thought about it, there was a top and a bottom in the book. But…..it was extremely exhausting work.

Aiya, so vexing!

Qin Yu and He Lan soon returned. They completed everything smoothly and brought back the relevant records of the convoy passing through Tongmao Prefecture.

The scope covered the first two months, with a total of ten teams passing through.

Based on the recorded number of people and vehicles, they were eliminated until only three remained.

Liu Zhenqing pointed at one of them and said: “It should be this one.”

The three of them looked at Liu Zhenqing with questions in their eyes.

Liu Zhenqing said: “Based on the time it takes to get from Tongmao Prefecture to Kangchuan City, the fastest is five days. This one took five days, and the other two took eight days and ten days respectively. This proves that the two teams must have stayed in other towns. Only genuine caravans will stop in town wherever they go. If they were rushing to send money…..”

And there was one thing he didn’t say. This team was heading toward Yangkun Prefecture, where there was a large port for the Liu family’s river transport. Since their river transport was involved, there must inevitably be more stages in the process. Therefore, this was the most suspicious.

“And this is the closest. If we make a mistake, we won’t lose much by turning back,” Liu Zhenqing said.

All three of them felt that Liu Zhenqing’s analysis was reasonable, so early the next morning, they set off on the road again.

This journey lasted only two days, and just one was on the road. The carriage had just arrived on a stone bridge over a mountain stream.

Three of the people in the carriage suddenly became alert. Before Liu Zhenqing could react, He Lan got out of the carriage and kicked the driver out. “Run!”

Qin Yu climbed out of the window and onto the roof of the carriage.

And Huo Fenglie pulled Liu Zhenqing over and embraced him. Suddenly, the horses outside seemed to be stimulated by something and began to run and neigh like crazy, causing the carriage to become bumpy.

Just when the carriage was about to tip over the stone bridge, Qin Yu shouted, and Huo Fenglie flew out of the carriage with Liu Zhenqing in an instant.

When the four people landed on the stone bridge, more than ten people instantly appeared and surrounded them.

In addition to the four different-looking leaders, the others were all dressed in black.

“Looks like they aren’t ordinary bandits, ah.” He Lan chuckled and slowly took out the blade in his hand. “So we chose the right place?”

Qin Yu glanced around and quickly recognized the identities of these people. “The Four Evils of Jiangnan.”

“Four Evils of Jiangnan?” Huo Fenglie frowned.

He usually remained in the military camp and didn’t know anyone from the Jianghu community. Among the four people in front of him, he saw an old man with a stooped back, one with a mouth that stuck out and a chin like an ape, a woman wearing only two pieces of cloth, and a dwarf who looked like a child wearing a monkey mask.

“These are well-known assassins who work for money. It seems someone bribed them to kill us.” He Lan smiled and said: “Hey, do you know who we are? You dare to take this kind of job?”

“We don’t care who you are. As long as we can kill you, you can become our targets. Today, the four of us were asked to go out together and kill you all. You’ll die worthy deaths,” the man said with a wicked smile.

Qin Yu: “The master who hired them must know about us, so the matter we intend to investigate may not be as trivial as it appears.”

“We don’t know what you’re talking about.” The man sneered. “You just need to know that today is the day that you die.”

Qin Yu and He Lan exchanged glances. Although they looked relaxed on the surface, they knew in their hearts that the Four Evils of Jiangnan had long been famous, and were not easy to deal with. And those men in black were not just cannon fodder. They were all masters. The two of them gave Huo Fenglie a look.

Huo Fenglie’s expression remained unchanged. He only whispered: “Qing-ge?”

Liu Zhenqing suddenly warned three of them: “The old man is slow, but good at long-range concealed weapons. The man’s strength is low, but he is fast and proficient in assassination. The woman’s internal strength is weak, but she is good with poisons, so don’t get close. The dwarf…..I don’t know.”

He Lan and Qin Yu immediately looke at Liu Zhenqing in surprise. Regarding the Four Evils of Jiangnan, as members of the Imperial court, they had almost no contact with them and only knew some superficial information. They didn’t expect Liu Zhenqing to be able to break through their weaknesses one by one.

Huo Fenglie knew that Liu Zhenqing and the others used to travel south to study and often met martial arts figures. Liu Zhenqing had met the assassin in the woods before, so he very clearly knew information about him. Could it be that he had met the four people in front of them before as well?

Huo Fenglie was not wrong. He had indeed met them during his study tour. In fact, they had only been the Three Evils of Jiangnan back then, and at that time, there were other masters around to deal with them.

But now that there was one more person, Liu Zhenqing still warned everyone to be cautious.

Liu Zhenqing looked at the doubtful faces of the three people and said: “I’m part of an Imperial merchant family with traveling caravans, so I naturally know some information. You three should be careful. You are better than them when fighting one on one, but they have cooperated for many years and are experienced. They also have shadow soldiers to help them, so take care.”

Qin Yu and He Lan nodded.

Huo Fenglie’s expression was tense.

“Don’t worry, I’m the best at hiding.” As soon as Liu Zhenqing finished speaking, they heard a voice sound from among the crowd of villains.

The old man pointed at Liu Zhenqing in Huo Fenglie’s arms and said: “I want the little doll in the middle. He has thin skin and tender meat. It will be delicious when cooked.”

Liu Zhenqing was instantly nauseated. This old guy was still so disgusting. He hadn’t changed for so many years, why wasn’t he dead yet?

Huo Fenglie’s eyes became fierce at once, and he hugged Liu Zhenqing tightly, as if he wanted to hide him.

“Hoo, what a ferocious look in his eyes. He has killed before,” the man said, looking at Huo Fenglie with a smile.

“Aiyaya, they are all such good-looking little brothers. This slave feels itchy just looking at them. I’m reluctant to part with them, must they really be killed?” The woman charmingly bit down on a strand of hair and said, “Such handsome brothers should be loved and cherished.”

Liu Zhenqing’s head was covered in black lines. He suddenly had a bad feeling. This woman had fallen in love with Huo Feihan back then. Could it be that this time…..

“Bitch, are you being lecherous again?”

“This slave has said that on any operation, whatever this slave likes must be given to me.”

“Then I can’t give you all four. You can only pick one,” the man said.

The old man immediately said: “Don’t steal my food.”

The woman pointed at He Lan, who was standing in front, and said: “Not too hard, not too soft. I just want this one.” Having said this, she touched the dwarf next to her with one hand and said: “Good child, that one must live, the rest don’t matter. You understand.”

The dwarf made a chirping sound. He seemed unable to speak the human language, but this could be considered a response.

Liu Zhenqing inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t fancy Er-gou.

Ai, wait, why did she choose Huo Feihan before but not Huo Fenglie this time, ah? Was Huo Fenglie worse than He Lan?

Liu Zhenqing was suddenly a little dissatisfied.

He Lan was stunned, and began to laugh. “Should I be happy to be fancied by a beauty?”

Qin Yu was a spoilsport. “Happy? According to the records, she is at least fifty years old. She could be your mother.” 

He Lan suddenly felt goosebumps.

When the woman heard this, she gave Qin Yu a fierce look and said: “Loudmouth, I’ll kill you first.”

Qin Yu smiled coldly. With a snap, he pulled out an iron whip and wrapped it around his hand dangerously like it was a venomous snake. “Oh, give it a try.”

The enemy made a “go” sound.

The group of shadow soldiers were the first to rush over. They probably wanted to use these to consume the three people’s physical strength first, but the three of them weren’t stupid. At first, Huo Fenglie didn’t participate in the battle at all, and just watched the four people warily. When the four people took action, Huo Fenglie joined the fight.

Swords met on the stone bridge, blood and severed limbs flying, and soon corpses fell continuously into the rushing river below.

Liu Zhenqing watched silently from the sidelines as the masters exchanged blows. Not to mention how his eyes couldn’t catch up, even if he was able to see clearly, he couldn’t just yell out advice and drag the three of them down with him. If someone tried to kill him, the only thing Liu Zhenqing could do was to run to a relatively safe place to prevent the enemy from succeeding, and so that the three of them wouldn’t be distracted by having to save him.

But gradually, Liu Zhenqing realized that something wasn’t right. The dwarf hadn’t moved.

And after killing all the men in black, the three people on their side were exhausted. Except for Huo Fenglie, He Lan and Qin Yu were more or less injured. As for the Four Evils, other than the dwarf who hadn’t moved, the remaining three were somewhat beyond their limits.

It seemed to be a close match.

But at this time, a strange ape-like cry sounded, and before Qin Yu could react, a figure flashed in front of him almost like lightning. Qin Yu only had time to shield his chest with the iron whip. In that instant, a blow filled with strong internal force actually smashed the black iron whip to pieces. If it had hit his chest directly, it would have shattered his entire sternum, causing him to die on the spot.

And even though Qin Yu blocked in time, the remaining force still impacted his chest. Spurting out a mouthful of blood, Qin Yu was knocked directly into the water.

“Lao Qin!” He Lan shouted. He rushed over, but his speed was not faster than the dwarf’s. Almost instantly, he was kicked over by the dwarf, who seemed to have listened to the woman’s words and didn’t use all his strength. Therefore, although He Lan was hit head-on, the injury was not serious.

With just two moves, such masters as He Lan and Qin Yu were defeated. Seeing the dwarf rush toward Huo Fenglie, Liu Zhenqing’s heart was in his throat.

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Chapter Fifty-Seven << Table of Contents >> Chapter Fifty-Nine

“Boss Mu hasn’t come to work in the past two days, nor has he returned to his residence in Chongxin District…..” The assistant stood in the chairman’s office and reported respectfully, “He has been staying in the Garden Community.”

“Oh.” Mu Chuanbai stopped flipping through documents and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Then is he staying in 501 or 502?”

The assistant hesitated for a moment, and then said: “In 501.”

Because when he called to explain the progress of his work, there were cats meowing coquettishly.

“It’s fine. This is somewhat promising, but likely won’t yield much profit.” Mu Chuanbai saw that the young man looked a bit uneasy, and comforted him with kind words, “He must know that you report his movements to me, and doesn’t mind.”

The assistant breathed a sigh of relief. “How do you know?”

“If he minded, you would have been fired long ago. How could you still remain here?” Mu Chuanbai said with a smile, “So don’t worry.”

The assistant: ……

Mu Chuanbai asked: “What was the result of Lin Yuan’s first trial?”

“Life imprisonment, but he will definitely appeal.” The assistant thought for a moment and added another piece of news that the big boss would definitely like to hear. “Lin Zhang and Lin Yuan were attacking each other at the court hearing. The lawyer was originally presenting evidence, but then they began cursing each other, which was…..rather lively.”

“En.” Mu Chuanbai nodded. “It sounds lively. Unfortunately, I had more important things to do yesterday than watch dogs bite each other.”

Mu Chuanbai had flown to Russia to watch Mrs. Talia’s performance.

These were the two things that Mu Chuanbai was most interested in. The little assistant still felt like a eunuch next to a prince, always reporting the prince’s movements to the emperor. Now that the emperor had heard, he waved to indicate that he could leave.

The assistant: ……

Right, this slave requests to leave.

When he left, Mu Chuanbai’s secretary came back in and turned around, closing the door. This slightly overweight middle-aged woman had a gentle smile on her face that was rare in the workplace, and her pace was quick. Standing in front of Mu Chuanbai, she lowered her voice to say: “Boss Mu, the person who investigated those things two days ago was Little Boss Mu.”

“En?” Mu Chuanbai raised his eyebrows. “Why was he investigating them? To prove his innocence?”

The secretary didn’t know the twists and turns of young love, and just said lightly: “It is the same no matter who investigates them. These things were accidents in the first place.” 

“Yes, ah…..” Mu Chuanbai smiled decorously. “Accidents or man-made disasters, ah, who can say for sure.”

. . . . . . . .

The window was open a small slit, and the cool morning breeze filtered in, fluttering the off-white curtains slightly.

The bedroom door was opened a small crack by a paw, and two cat heads peeked through. The sneaky cats looked around with four round eyes.

Xiao Sanhua had been very dissatisfied recently.

Ever since the big canine had come into the house, the big-eyed human hadn’t paid much attention to her.

The specific behavior was that instead of touching the cat’s head, he touched the canine’s head. She also no longer slept with him in the large cat nest, because he slept with the canine and drove her to the cat nest that was only four cats big.

Xiao Sanhua had originally thought that her rival was her eunuch ex-husband, and was about to let that black pig know who the boss of the family was, but something unexpected happened halfway.

It was truly hateful.

“Meow~” The little black pig who opened the door spoke in a flattering voice. 

Xiao Sanhua hissed to shut him up. With her tail high, she walked into the bedroom with light and silent footsteps, jumped onto the small stool, and gathered her strength to jump onto the tall cabinet beside the bed.

She looked condescendingly at the two unaware humans below.

Get ready for this cat’s thunderous wrath! Damn thing!

. . . . . . .

Although Mu Nanqiao was not in a good mental state on the night of the confession, in the next few days, he was actually very stable. It was completely possible for him to go home and live independently, but every day when he opened his eyes, he could see his little sun. This felt so good that when he was given an inch, he wanted a foot. After staying for one day, he still wanted to stay for another.

Just like now. The sleepiness had not faded away, his eyelids were not yet open, and there was a roll of quilt wrapped fully in his arms. He lowered his head with closed eyes to rub it skillfully. The tip of his nose nuzzled the short hair on the back of Lu Qi’s neck, and he laughed contentedly at being tickled. 

There was no better morning than this.

Before he could sigh with feeling, a high-pitched “meow” sounded. At that moment, Mu Nanqiao even wondered if Lu Qi had brought a tiger cub home, and then…..

Bam—

If base jumping was a thing in the cat world, then Xiao Sanhua would definitely be the champion. 

She landed precisely on the side of Mu Nanqiao’s uncovered waist, and the muscles felt really good on her feet. She popped off again with a meow and landed lightly next to Lu Qi, rubbing her big-eyed human flatteringly.

Lu Qi drowsily picked the cat up and kissed her. Then a muffled grunt was heard, and the big warm one beside him seemed to wake up, sitting up as he gasped for air.

Mu Nanqiao had been staying here for the past two days, and it had become normal for them to rub their ears and temples together when they woke up. It was uncharacteristic of Lu Qi to wake up so quickly this morning, and he was a little unaccustomed to it. He turned around with half-open eyes, stretched out his hands in a daze, and called out softly: “Mu Nanqiao…..”

At this moment, even if he was stepped on by a tiger, Mu Nanqiao would still get up and hug his boyfriend.

Holding his stomach, he rested his elbow on Lu Qi’s side, leaning over to kiss his forehead. He glanced at Xiao Sanhua crouching beside the pillow, and couldn’t help but complain: “Your daughter stepped on me.”

Having just woken up, his voice was low and hoarse, like the thrum of a cello. Lu Qi’s ears went numb when he heard it. He subconsciously raised his hand to rub his ears, and spoke up for Xiao Sanhua: “She didn’t mean it, she’s just a little kitty…..”

The seventeen-pound kitty raised her head proudly.

Mu Nanqiao complained maliciously in his heart, this was obviously a painted pig. But on the outside, he raised his eyebrows and said slowly with a smile in his tone: “Yes, ah, Xiao Sanhua is so good. I must have done something to make her unhappy, so she lost her temper. It’s all my fault.”

Lu Qi: ……

“What are you doing, ah…..” He reached out and stroked Mu Nanqiao’s ear. “Are you giving me some green tea to drink early in the morning to refresh me?”

The tea drinker also woke up. Lu Qi rubbed his eyes and saw that Mu Nanqiao was still massaging his waist. For a moment, he felt as guilty as a naughty child who had gotten into trouble, so he stretched out his hand and rubbed it twice. “Does it hurt?”

“It hurts.” Mu Nanqiao did not miss any opportunity for Lu Qi’s care. He lifted up his dark blue pajamas and showed Lu Qi.

Lu Qi sat up and took a look. He saw it all at a glance, and couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m sorry…..” He covered his mouth, trying to hide his laughter, but his curved eyes revealed a bright smile. “But……hahahahaha…….”

Mu Nanqiao frowned and looked down to see a pair of plum blossom marks neatly stamped onto his side by the little pig.

Mu Nanqiao: ……

This little pig Sanhua was really solid.

He left his belly out to air for a long time. Receiving no comfort, he was laughed at by this little sun for quite a while until he finally couldn’t help but grasp Lu Qi’s hand and press it on his waist to rub it.

Lu Qi pulled his hand back, and he grasped it and held on, neither too forceful nor too light. The two of them fussed about for a while, then Lu Qi finally gave in and massaged him a couple of times. 

En, it really felt pretty good.

Very soon, Mu Nanqiao’s expression changed again. He stretched his long legs under the quilt, grasped Lu Qi’s hand, and brought it to his mouth for a kiss. “Okay, no more massaging.”

Lu Qi: ? ? ? 

What a fickle man.

“I’m going out today,” Mu Nanqiao said. “I still can’t bear to have my old father, who is nearing retirement, clock in to work all day while I take three days off at home.”

Lu Qi stared at that handsome face again and again, and he didn’t seem unable to bear it, but he still agreed with Mu Nanqiao’s decision to go out.

Thus, he nodded agreeably, but then thought of something else and grabbed Mu Nanqiao’s hand to look at it uneasily.

The wounds on the joints of those slender, beautiful hands were scabbed over, and became even more shocking when offset by his cold white complexion.

But this was much better than the previous two nights. On the night he returned from 502, Lu Qi had taken him to 501 and discovered that there was a trace of blood seeping out from the bandages wrapped around his hands. After unwrapping them, he saw that the abrasions on his knuckles were very serious. He remembered the bodyguard who said that Mu Nanqiao practiced boxing, and then thought about having seen these abrasions on the back of the other person’s hands several times. His heart seized.

“Are you going to box today?” Lu Qi glanced at his hands, feeling sad that such beautiful hands should suffer such a crime. “It is better to wait for a few days for the scabs to fall off before doing it. By then, the boxing gloves I bought you should have arrived. You have to wear them this time, ah.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to my boyfriend.” Mu Nanqiao came over again and kissed him on the lips. Then he got out of bed and took off his blue pajamas, opening the cabinet to reach inside for his house clothes. 

With his back to Lu Qi, his strong, smooth back muscles were clearly visible, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist, the sharp lines tucked into the waistband of his trousers. Lu Qi pursed his lips and looked at him silently, but felt that something wasn’t right. This was his boyfriend, and he should look at him openly.

En, that…..

His butt was quite perky.

Mu Nanqiao put on his clothes and turned around, rubbing this person’s head. “I made an appointment with a psychologist tonight and might come back late. Do you want to eat cake? I’ll pass by that store you like and bring it back to you.”

He spoke these plans so calmly that Lu Qi couldn’t help being in high spirits, and nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: “I want it. You can bring it back and we’ll eat it together.”

If he was in a bad mood at night, it would be better for him to eat something sweet.

His thoughts were written on his face. Seeing Mu Nanqiao being so soft-hearted, he couldn’t help but tilt forward again and lift his chin to kiss him. When one kiss wasn’t enough, he kissed him again.

“I’ve eaten a lot of sweets in the past two days. If I eat more, I’ll get tooth decay.” His mouth pressed against Lu Qi’s lips and lingered there. “If you don’t want to eat it, I won’t buy it. I’ll buy something else.”

“Then don’t buy it,” Lu Qi whispered with red ears. “I’ve eaten a lot of sweets recently…..”

Mu Nanqiao’s gaze was heavy, and when he was about to kiss him again, Lu Qi slipped into the quilt as smoothly as a small loach. His voice sounded out, “Don’t kiss me, I haven’t brushed my teeth. Go to work quickly……”

Mu Nanqiao responded with a smile and leaned over to hug the quilt, then turned around and went to wash up.

When that person left, Lu Qi quietly opened the hidden memo on his phone under the quilt.

He pursed his lips, and a shallow dimple appeared on the side of his cheek. He typed a line under the dark quilt: I have a steady boyfriend, how great!

Xiao Sanhua sitting beside the quilt flicked her tail anxiously, feeling that she had failed once more. One more day, the big-eyed human loved that canine.

Fucking meow.

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Chapter Thirty << Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirty-Two