[The Orphan's Love Affair with a Beauty's Rivalry] (Volume 1, Chapter 39)

Chapter 39 Zhang Family Garden

Around the same time, Wuyue, Xiaohong, and Lvrong flew

westward Suddenly sensing something, he quickly instructed his eagle servant

to land in a dense forest on a desolate outskirts north of the city.

He said to Sai Xiting, the Cha Lixiang couple, and Elsa, "Uncle Sai, Aunt Lixiang, you

all here and rest. Xiaohong, Lvrong, and I have some business to attend to in the city."

Elsa was worried: "I'll come too, so we can help each other if anything happens!" Her tone was very

firm .

Wuyue shook his head, seeing her beautiful eyebrows furrow and become somewhat ferocious, and could only nod in

agreement .

Elsa's brow relaxed, and she smiled with satisfaction: "That's better! With Sister Beifeng gone, I

'll be in charge of everything you do. You must follow my lead, understand?"

Wuyue frowned and said, "Sister Elsa, don't be so unreasonable. Can't you reason with her? Sister Beifeng isn't like you

..."

Elsa said, "That's why I abandoned you at the hunting grounds last time..." Suddenly remembering that she was

bedridden and her fate unknown, she felt a pang of sadness and quickly stopped talking.

After taking two steps, as if remembering something, she said, "Why don't you call me Sister Elsa anymore? I like you calling me that."

Wuyue said fiercely, "You've been pointing fingers and telling me what to do all this way

. I don't want to call you Sister Elsa, so what?"

Elsa said in a low voice, "Sister Beifeng's obedience to you hasn't yielded any good results. It's better to be

harsher on you!"

Wuyue turned to look at her, opened her mouth, but couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh. She could only bury her head in her shoes and continue on her way, her determination to find

the immortal immortal growing even stronger!

The four used their light-footed skills to swiftly travel south towards Mianchi City. Seeing pedestrians ahead, making it difficult to continue their

light-footed journey , Elsa hired a carriage and drove south to the desolate, dilapidated temple in the north of the city.

Wuyue lingered outside the gate for a moment; this was the place where he and Beifeng shared a unspoken understanding. He then

strode through the gate, past the shrine, and across the small passageway into the rear hall.

In just over twenty days, the place appeared even more desolate and dilapidated, mirroring his current bleak and lonely state of mind.

He strolled into the south wing, where Xiaoyu and her white-haired grandmother had once lived.

He knew perfectly well that Xiaoyu and her grandmother were not true beggars and couldn't possibly still be there, yet he

couldn't help come to see, as if to reminisce about something.

Then, he stepped into the wing in the southeast corner of the courtyard where he had stayed for eighteen days.

Eighteen days? He remembered it so clearly?

In a person's memory, what remains is often not the glorious and triumphant days, but the painful experiences of suffering.

Those who brought warmth during difficult times leave an indelible

mark on their heart,

especially when they realize they may never feel that warmth again!

He thought to himself, "Xiaoyu, her grandmother, and Lady Yunmeng are allies, or perhaps they have some other identity.

In any case, the 'she' who appears before me is not the real 'her.' However, whoever she is, her

care are absolutely heartfelt..." He was absolutely certain of this!

"Xiaoyu, where are you now? If we will never meet again, why have this one encounter in life?"

In his sorrow, though he had been eager to reach Kunlun, he suddenly had a whim to visit the dilapidated temple in Mianchi

, a thought that puzzled even himself: "What is there

to cherish in this small town that brought me so many painful memories?"

Now, he suddenly understood!

It seemed to be a call from the depths of his soul, inexplicable yet undeniably present!

His gaze slowly swept across the corner of the room. The pile of straw where he had once slept was increasingly withered and yellow, its surface

ruffled by the cold wind that occasionally blew in through the window. Yet, a warmth stirred within him: "Those eighteen cold nights of howling north winds and

swirling snow , only this pile of straw gave me warmth and kept me company through sleepless nights..." His eyes

gradually welled up with tears.

Beside the straw lay a small, trampled Kongming lantern. A pang of pain shot through his heart: "Xiaoyu

stayed up all night, painstakingly making it for me. But I didn't appreciate it then, carelessly tossing it

aside , just as I later carelessly abandoned her. If it weren't for her diligent care, allowing me to

communicate with her in sign language, I would have suffocated to death! Now the lantern remains, but where is Xiaoyu? In this vast sea of people, her whereabouts are nowhere to be found!

It seems that's how people are; they don't cherish what they have until they lose it..."

His gaze moved upward, noticing a new line of words on the wall!

Upon closer inspection, he saw the four characters "Overlooking the Clouds and Mist..." written on it. There should have been more below, but it had

been erased and was no longer legible.

A sudden surge of emotion welled up within him, a profound feeling of being moved!

His eyes stung, and his vision blurred…

He wiped his eyes, noticing the delicate handwriting, so familiar. "Isn't this Xiaoyu's handwriting? These four… these

four characters, why do they move me so deeply? And why do they feel so familiar? But I… I've never heard anyone recite them before

! I've never seen such verses in any collection of poems. How strange!"

When he emerged from the dilapidated house, he carried a wad of dirty straw under his arm and a tattered

Kongming lantern in his hand.

Xiaohong, waiting for him by the courtyard, looked somewhat bewildered. Elsa seemed thoughtful, her clear eyes

holding a hint of displeasure, but Green Velvet beside them shed two streams of tears!

Wu Yue had told her about his experiences in Mianchi over the past two weeks, and about Xiao Yu. She didn't know

what kind of girl Xiao Yu was, but she could tell that Wu Yue was deeply grateful for the care and attention Xiao Yu had given him.

How could she not be moved by such a passionate and affectionate young man?

In fact, in daily life, she had taken care of Wu Yue no less than Xiao Yu, but in an environment

where everyone doted Wu Yue didn't appreciate its value at all. Besides, he always felt that Lv Rong was very scheming,

while Xiao Yu's gentleness, kindness, and innocence made him feel the warmth of family.

Lv Rong stepped forward and took the pile of dirty straw and Kongming lantern from his hands. She took out a large piece of cloth from her bundle,

placed the straw and Kongming lantern on it, and was about to wrap it up when Wu Yue reached out and took the Kongming lantern into his bosom.

Green Velvet paused, carefully wrapping the straw and placing it in her bundle. Looking at Wuyue, she said softly,

"I really want to see Xiaoyu, to see what kind of girl she really is..."

Wuyue smiled, a bitter smile. "Her? She's just like the

other , ordinary and unremarkable. If you actually meet her, you'll be very disappointed..."

Green Velvet bit her lower lip and sighed, "I don't know what you're thinking. I'm just thinking, if you

could think of me like this, I..."

Wuyue chuckled, "We're together every day, what's there to think about?

" Rong stared at him intently, her voice wavering as she asked, "What if I'm not by your side one day?"

Wuyue seemed to think about it seriously for a moment, then said, "Of course I'll miss you. Without you, who can brew such

good tea?"

Rong protested, "Don't you think I have anything else to miss besides that?"

Wuyue smiled, "Of course you do! You're so well-behaved and understanding; there are probably many other things to miss about you,

but I'll only know if I try..." He then stared intently at her prominent breasts.

Rong blushed, too lazy to pay him any more attention, and strode out.

Xiaohong looked at him teasingly, "You two are all lovey-dovey, didn't you see there are two living people standing right next to you?"

Wuyue laughed, "More than living people, they're practically two beauties! How about we be lovey-dovey too

, as compensation?" He made a move to hug her.

Xiaohong giggled and ran away, her swaying waist so alluring that it made his heart itch...

Wuyue looked at Elsa and asked curiously, "Hey, why didn't you run away?"

Elsa pursed her pale red lips, "

I'm not like those two lovestruck girls who are completely infatuated with you. I'm immune to you now. Besides, I have a big responsibility, so I have to keep a close eye on you!"

Wuyue stepped forward and gently embraced the beauty's soft waist.

Smelling his familiar scent and looking into his eyes, which shone brighter than the stars in the sky, she realized

she had exaggerated a bit. The dilapidated temple, which she had seen as decadent and desolate and felt dirty even after a while, had become

paradise ...

**********

After this delay, it was already late at night when the four of them returned to the desolate mountains north of the city. Wuyue was anxious about

Beifeng's injury and, disregarding the sudden drop in temperature, heavy snow, and howling north wind, decided to travel by eagle through the night.

By dawn the next day, Wuyue and her group flew over Fengxiang Prefecture in Guanzhong atop a giant eagle, stopping again midway before

landing once more in the dense forests of the mountainous outskirts.

Elsa, who had led her troops in ambush and crushed the Yunmeng battle team in Mianchi City, slaughtering nearly two thousand people, was one of the planners and executioners of

the Terror South Street. Wuyue insisted on not allowing her to accompany them to Zhang's Garden, lest

it provoke the people of Tianmen.

Elsa had no choice but to agree, but still sent people to secretly follow them, just in case.

Wuyue, Xiaohong, and Lvrong used their lightness skills to descend the mountain, hired a carriage, and the driver, familiar with the route,

delivered the three directly to the gate of Zhang's Garden in the northern suburbs in less than half an hour.

It was still early; the eastern sky, not yet sunrise, glowed with a bluish-gray light, and a thin mist shrouded the earth, obscuring visibility

. Two figures could be vaguely seen beneath the small, exquisite gate.

Accompanied by the clatter of hooves, the carriage drew closer, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman standing

gracefully outside the garden gate, eagerly awaiting her arrival. The howling wind whipped at her robes, making her appear ethereal and otherworldly

, exuding an aura of otherworldly grace. Not a trace of earthly dust clung to her, inspiring immediate reverence in all who beheld

her; one felt that even a glance further would be a desecration of this captivating beauty!

Beside her stood a middle-aged woman of exquisite beauty and captivating charm.

A young girl and a middle-aged beauty stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Wuyue and greeting him, "Greetings, Young Master Xiao!"

Wuyue faced the girl, catching a whiff of her delicate fragrance. She was unadorned, elegant and dignified, her fair cheeks

flushed slightly from the cold, like snow reflecting the morning sun. Her forehead was smooth and straight, her eyebrows delicate as willow leaves, her large almond eyes

like flowing autumn water, her nose exquisite, her lips cherry-like, her teeth like pearls. About a third of her long, flowing hair was styled in a high bun

, the rest cascading down her back, with two fine strands falling in front of her chest. She wore two long pearl earrings,

and two tufts of soft down at her temples, set against her smooth, radiant skin, made her appear even more delicate. Combined with her exquisitely beautiful

oval face, no words could better describe her beauty than "pure and immaculate."

Wuyue was utterly astonished! The four ultimate phrases used to describe an unparalleled beauty— "fish sinking and geese falling from the sky," "moon hiding and flowers blushing," "a beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms," and "a beauty that could rival the

heavens "—flash through his mind. But even these superlatives combined couldn't adequately capture the girl's beauty 　　! He exclaimed inwardly, "I never imagined such an elegant, ethereal woman existed in this world! What's even stranger is that she seems so familiar. Where have I seen her before? Impossible—she appeared masked the last time we met..." "..." 　　Not daring to look directly at her, or even linger for a moment, lest he offend the beauty, he quickly bowed deeply and said, " It's freezing cold, and I'm truly sorry to have troubled you and your wife to wait so long! Please forgive my impertinence, are you Miss ?" 　　The young woman looked at him, her eyes flashing with a complex mix of emotions. She hesitated, then nodded slightly. She immediately felt the intense gaze directed at her, a rare occurrence that displeased her. Her limpid eyes, like knives and swords, swept towards Wuyue's side, where they locked eyes with Xiaohong's. They stared at each other silently, and a fiery tension gradually filled the air. The smell of medicine wafted through the air, as if sparks were flying... 　　In this somewhat oppressive atmosphere, Wu Yue was ignored. Being easygoing, he didn't mind. He turned to the middle-aged beauty, bowed deeply, and said, "I haven't yet had the pleasure of greeting you..." 　　The middle-aged beauty nodded in return, smiling sweetly, "Young Master Xiao, your charm is always so captivating! How have been lately? This humble servant is Zhu Ruowen." Her demeanor was noble and elegant, her bearing graceful and poised. However, the flush on her jade-like cheeks hadn't faded, and her radiant complexion, along with a hint of weariness in her eyes and brows, suggested she had just woken from a dream. She looked quite alluring! 　　This was understandable; she had been suffering from stomach pain since yesterday afternoon, and hadn't had a good night's sleep, only falling into a deep sleep . Early this morning, she was woken by Ling Ti's maid, Bing'er, and brought to the courtyard gate to keep her company in the northwest wind, naturally appearing sleepy-eyed.

Wu Yue smiled and said, "Madam Zhu, you flatter me. I'm fine, thank you for your concern!" But inwardly she was somewhat puzzled:

"Judging from her tone, we seem to have met before, but I have no recollection of her at all."

Turning back to look at Lingti, she secretly compared her to Beifeng, thinking to herself, "In terms of appearance and temperament,

Sister Beifeng seems to be far inferior. As for gentleness and elegance, she is even less comparable. Xiaohong is superior to Sister Beifeng. In the sixteenth beauty list released

two years ago , Yang Lingti ranked second after Beifeng, which is really a bit unfair to her.

It's understandable, she was only thirteen years old two years ago, just a beauty in the making. How could her figure

compare to Sister Beifeng's? It's already quite an achievement to rank second. However, if Lingti were to reveal

her true appearance to Jianghu Kongkong'er now, she would definitely switch their rankings immediately!"

Lingti and Xiaohong's eyes were locked in a fierce and piercing battle, like swords and lightning, locked in a fierce struggle in the air. The two women had similar personalities,

both were intelligent, outwardly calm and reserved, but inwardly rich in emotions. Neither was willing to give in, and for a moment,

it was difficult to determine a winner!

Seeing the awkward and somber atmosphere, Zhu Ruowen gently nudged Lingti, signaling that as the hostess, she should not be

impolite .

Lingti then withdrew her gaze and bowed to the three of them, saying, "You three have had a long journey, please come in!"

She led the way, following the winding flower path, and led the three of them to the luxurious guest room in Zhang's Garden.

Wuyue's heart was filled with turmoil. Although he hadn't seen Lingti's stunning beauty much,

too many : "Her appearance, especially her figure, seems to have appeared in my dreams before? Like

a childhood friend? And, looking at her figure and facial features, how come she looks somewhat similar to

Xiaoyu, ?"

Looking up at her graceful back, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself: "Hey~ what are you thinking?

Lingti is as cold as ice, and although Xiaoyu is prone to sulking, she is a warm-hearted person.

There is absolutely nothing similar between the two! Besides, Xiaoyu has dark skin and is very slovenly. How could she be Lingti? The reason I feel a resemblance

is probably because I miss Xiaoyu, right?"

Looking at the figure beside her, Zhu Ruowen's swaying waist and charming back was quite dazzling.

Lost in thought, and with no one speaking, he was not used to this dull atmosphere, so he tried to make conversation:

"How has Miss Lingti been lately?"

Lingti glanced back at him, nodded silently, but said nothing. Wuyue thought to himself, "She's still the same as when we

last met, not fond of talking." It seems that's just her nature.

Zhu Ruowen turned back and smiled sweetly, "Lingti has always been quiet and reserved, it's not that she intentionally neglected Young Master Xiao,

please forgive her!"

Wuyue smiled at her. Although she was rebuffed, she still persisted, "

How are Your Highness and Miss Ying'er?"

This time, Lingti didn't turn her head, and said indifferently, "You'll have to ask them."

Actually, Lingti's attitude towards him wasn't just because she was cold-hearted. After their parting at Mianchi, she

chased after the carriage without hesitation, not caring that the other party was a group of murderous demons who had just slaughtered nearly two thousand people, and chasing after them would be like walking

into a trap! Only one thought remained in her mind, "I must be with him, never to be separated!" But Wuyue

didn't even turn back to look at her, which made her heartbroken, and she still felt resentful to this day!

She herself couldn't understand what was happening. Although she harbored resentment towards him, her longing for him outweighed everything else.

She waited with bated breath , and finally, the person she yearned for appeared before her. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but

seeing his polite but lacking enthusiasm, she realized he wasn't even very familiar with her true self, and had to suppress the

impulse .

She wanted to be gentle with him, but whether it was due to her habitual indifference, her girlish reserve, or

her existing resentment towards him, compounded by the presence of two beautiful young women beside him, it all manifested outwardly as

a cold, indifferent demeanor.

This

was vastly different , leaving her feeling confused and awkward. She couldn't shake off the unease, wondering to herself

, "Is there really such a big difference between me and Xiaoyu? Even though it's just pretense, he's always so much more friendly

and natural , but so reserved and polite with me, barely daring to look at me. The warm times we spent together in Mianchi seem like

they're gone forever. Should I tell him I'm Xiaoyu?"

Then she thought, "Sigh... I guess I shouldn't! Last time, when that masked woman in white rescued me, he

wouldn't even turn around to look at me." So heartless! It seems he doesn't have much affection for Xiaoyu either; it's

just . No wonder, so many women are devoted to him, why would he care about me? That woman in white

risked her life to save him; she's probably his confidante. These two girls look at him with such affection; they must be his

girlfriends too!

Thinking of this, he felt even more self-pitying, his spirits sinking to the bottom. The joy of their reunion seemed to have

vanished . "No matter what, if I see him again, I must pretend to be Xiaoyu. At least I need

to understand why he's so heartless towards Xiaoyu, forgetting her so completely."

Wuyue had no idea that Lingti was going through a thousand thoughts. He only knew she was always aloof, so he could only

exchange a few casual words with Zhu Ruowen. He desperately wanted to strike up a conversation with Lingti, but she always ignored him, making him

quite frustrated!

Entering the guest room, he thought that after Lingti left, he would have Green Velvet give him a massage. On a freezing

snowy day, riding an eagle and enjoying the snow from the air sounds romantic, but it's actually torture! Not only are their bodies stiff from the cold, but

they're also constantly tense for fear of falling, resulting in aches and pains all over their backs!

However, Lingti and the other two showed no intention of leaving. Instead, they had their maids take Xiaohong and Lürong to the neighboring

inn to rest.

Xiaohong was fine, but Lürong was unhappy and quickly said, "I'm the young master's maid, so there's no need to

arrange separate accommodations!"

Lingti said, "You're a guest too, how can you be troubled?" But inwardly she thought, "Maid? This girl

's attitude towards him, the way she looks at him, where is the behavior of a maid? Could it be that she's arrogant because of her beauty and favor? Or

has he spoiled his maids so much that she's developed such a pampered habit? Sigh... it seems I really don't know him well

enough..."

Lürong raised an eyebrow and said, "Wherever I go, I'm the young master's maid. Serving him is my duty,

it not a matter of hardship."

Hearing the unfriendly tone of Green Velvet's voice, Wu Yue feared that Green Velvet might offend the fairy out of resentment, which would be a real

downer ! He quickly said to her, "You're tired too, just go and rest. I can manage on my own."

Although it was only the second time he had met Ling Ti, he always felt an urge to protect her and couldn't bear to see her get

hurt! Was it because she was as beautiful as a fairy? Or was there some other reason? He didn't know either.

Green Velvet raised her head stubbornly and said, "No!"

Wu Yue's expression changed, and she was furious. She cursed the girl for being so rude in

front . She glared at Green Velvet, as if to say, "No nonsense here!"

Ling Ti said calmly, "I don't see anything about you that makes you seem like a maid."

Green Velvet said defiantly, "Does Miss Yang not believe me? You can ask him!"

She tugged at Wu Yue's arm. "Tell them I'm your maid!" She secretly winked at him,

as if to say, "This is a dangerous place. Don't be fooled by a beauty and fall for her trap!"

Little did she know that Wu Yue was so angry that his face turned green and his hands trembled. He was already being very tolerant by not slapping her twice!

She realized that she had wasted her breath! Wuyue didn't even glance at her. Her thieving eyes kept darting

back and forth between Lingti and her, as if she were absent-minded. Even when she had a spare moment, she was busy talking and laughing with the charming

Zhu Ruowen , basically ignoring her existence. This made Green Velvet so angry that her stomach hurt!

The worldly-wise Zhu Ruowen naturally saw through her little scheme and turned to her with a smile, "Please rest assured,

young lady, we mean no harm."

Xiaohong, seeing Wuyue's expression, was clearly captivated by Lingti, and felt a slight displeasure. "In my

memory he's never been so moved by any woman before. Ah, no wonder. Lingti's ethereal beauty

is unparalleled; even Sister Beifeng pales in comparison. Faced with such a fairy-like woman, no

man could help but feel admiration, right?"

However, she was shrewd and insightful, always understanding the bigger picture and having a long-term perspective, far superior to the cunning and

impulsive Lürong. With her wisdom and discernment, she had already seen that these two meant Wuyue no harm,

and seeing how much he cared for Lingti, if Lürong acted impulsively, she would only suffer the consequences! So

she gently persuaded her from the side, finally managing to pull her along and follow behind the two maids.

Actually, she had truly wronged Wuyue. His behavior towards Lingti was entirely subconscious, like a

natural habit; he himself didn't know why, and it wasn't because he was captivated by Lingti's beauty.

Seeing Lvrong turning back again and again, looking reluctant to leave, Lingti felt even worse. Zhu Ruowen

couldn't help but smile at her, "Just go and rest assured, Lingti won't eat your young master, hehe~"

Wuyue laughed, "If Lingti doesn't eat him, will Madam Zhu eat me?"

Upon hearing this, Lvrong couldn't help but turn back and glare at him fiercely, her gaze clearly cursing him: "You lecherous

wolf , shameless and vulgar!"

Xiaohong didn't turn back, instead pulling Lvrong along faster. She had already clearly seen that

if , he would definitely obey Lingti's every word, no matter how unwilling she was. Now, her biggest concern

was how to maintain a good relationship with Lingti in the future.

Lingti frowned slightly, her anger rising: "Why does he act like this whenever he sees a pretty woman? He's exactly the same as in

my dreams I either dream of him having an affair with a beautiful woman, or I dream of him being tortured on the rack.

It's always unsettling!"

Zhu Ruowen chuckled: "If Young Master Xiao continues to spout nonsense, it seems these little girls will

devour you before I can even eat you!"

After Xiaohong and Lvrong left, Wuyue entered the inner room. Riding an eagle in the dead of winter was incredibly cold.

The air was thick with moisture as they flew through the clouds, and below the clouds, they had to endure the heavy snowfall. His thick brocade

coat was almost soaked through, and the cold wind made it stiff. He didn't feel it outside, but the fire in the inner room was blazing. After

sitting for a while, he felt his frozen clothes begin to melt, clinging to his body, damp and cold, making him extremely

uncomfortable!

Lingti seemed to understand his feelings at that moment. She quickly had the maids fill the large bathtub behind the screen with hot water,

helped him remove his brocade coat, and said with a slight frown, "The people serving you are really careless. You still don't know how to

take care of yourself. It's so cold in the twelfth lunar month, and the wind is so strong outside. You should be wearing a fur coat to travel. Look at your face , it

's all blue from the cold. Quickly get in the hot water and soak. I've prepared a towel and a change of clothes for you on the chair." She then pointed to the soft chair next to

the bathtub .

Wuyue walked behind the screen and saw the steam rising from the bathtub. He wanted to quickly take off his wet clothes and get into

the hot water, but he saw Lingti and Zhu Ruowen standing outside the screen, seemingly not intending to leave. He

hesitated .

Lingti urged, "Hurry up! Hand me the clothes you took off."

Wuyue's face flushed. He hadn't expected her to be so generous. He peeked out from behind the screen to look at Zhu Ruowen.

Zhu Ruowen laughed, "Hurry up and take a hot bath. Look at you, you're practically an ice pop."

Wuyue smiled sheepishly, pulling her head back to think, "Anyway, there's a screen to hide it, what's there to be afraid of?" She quickly took out

a Kongming lantern from her bosom, carefully placed it away, took off her clothes, leaving only her underwear, grabbed the dirty clothes

, and handed them over the screen. Lingti was about to leave with the pile of clothes when Zhu Ruowen sighed, "Let the maid wash them. It's so cold,

don't let her hands get frostbite."

Lingti shook her head, turned around, and went out. Seeing that she didn't intend to leave, she asked curiously, "Isn't the wet nurse coming out?"

Zhu Ruowen pointed to her eyes, "I slept very late last night, and you woke me up before dawn. I

have panda eyes now, and I can barely stand. I need to catch up on some sleep, or I'll age faster! Don't worry,

I've already wiped his body..." She seemed to realize something was amiss and quickly stopped talking.

Lingti seemed to trust her quite a bit, and didn't say anything more. After leaving, she turned around and closed the door. Zhu Ruowen yawned widely

, stretched, and lay down on the chaise lounge opposite the embroidered couch to catch up on a nap. Soon

his breathing became even, and he drifted off to sleep, clearly having slept poorly the previous night.

...

Soaking in the slightly hot water, Wuyue felt all his pores open, smelling a strange medicinal scent

floating , as if mixed with some kind of elixir. A moment later, the chill had

completely dissipated. He wasn't unfamiliar with hot baths, but this was the most comfortable he'd ever felt...

He had also heard the second half of Zhu Ruowen's words and couldn't help but wonder, "Wash my body? I remember when I was paralyzed and unable to move in

Mianchi , Xiaoyu would wash my body every two days. Sometimes when she was busy,

her old lady would wash me too. Who else has done this? No one else. Besides,

this Madam Zhu..."

About half an hour later, feeling the water gradually cooling down, he stood up from the water. Looking down, he saw that his whole body

was red from being soaked. He thought to himself, "I should have reminded Xiaohong and Lvrong to take a hot bath as well,

especially Xiaohong, who is weaker. I don't want her to catch a cold..."

While thinking, he picked up a towel and dried himself off. Looking at the soft chair, he saw that he was

fully . The inner and outer garments fit him perfectly, as if they were tailor-made for him

. He put on a mink coat, fastened the belt, and then stepped out from behind the screen.

Zhu Ruowen was fast asleep, leaning against the chaise lounge, completely out of the loop. Her sleeping posture was quite

alluring; her legs were spread apart, one in front of the other, with her upper left leg resting on the armrest—

a position reminiscent of a woman's side-entry sexual position. Whether she was having a wet dream or something else, she occasionally hummed and mumbled

something, her waist twisting slightly—her sleeping posture was anything but still.

Because of her side-lying position, her full breasts appeared even more prominent and striking! Her

curvaceous , the alluring curves, and the unique mature charm of a noblewoman—like

a begonia in spring slumber—she was simply a captivating beauty!

He quickly averted his gaze, calming himself and daring not to look any longer, lest his restless little brother embarrass him again,

which would be too disrespectful to his mistress. His hair was damp, and a lot of it got into his neck, making him feel uncomfortable. He wanted to find a comb to fix

it , but at home, it was always his godmother, Beifeng, or later, Lvrong who did it for him; he simply didn't know how.

Just as he was worrying about it, he heard three soft knocks on the door.

He felt that his disheveled appearance was impolite to meet someone. Just as he hesitated whether to open the door, there were

three more knocks, this time louder than before. A moment later, there

were three more knocks.

He suddenly had a strange feeling: "The sound, the way, and the rhythm of this knocking...

it's so similar to Xiaoyu's! Back in Mianchi, Xiaoyu always knocked like this whenever she wanted to see me!"

Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat: "Could it be that Xiaoyu knew I was here and came all this way?"

He immediately rushed to the door and slammed it open! His expression of surprise froze on his face...

Standing outside was a tall, graceful figure—it was Lingti. Where did Xiaoyu come from?

Lingti glared at him, seemingly annoyed that he hadn't opened the door, and came in carrying a wooden basin containing his clothes, which he

had just changed out of, washed, and wrung out. She spread the wet clothes out on the warm quilt one by one, saying, "It's

been snowing these days, so clothes can't be left outside to dry. I'll dry them for you so you can take them with you later."

Wuyue stammered, "These...the clothes, you washed them?"

Lingti nodded.

Being served so attentively by such a beauty should have been enjoyable, but he felt a sudden unease, a

strange . He wondered, "Could it be that after Yunmeng Niangniang's attempt to seduce him failed last time, she's planning to use her beauty this time

?"

He couldn't help but say, "I am truly uneasy about being served by Miss Lingti personally. These things

are usually done by the maids."

Lingti didn't speak, but simply had him sit down next to the desk in the corner of the room, picked up a thick hood from the warm quilt,

gathered his long, loose hair, and gently rubbed it inside. The hood, made of some unknown material, was exceptionally

absorbent . When Lingti removed it, he touched his hair; it was only slightly damp. Lingti put the wet

hood back and took another one from the warm quilt, repeating the process until it was mostly dry.

Then, Lingti helped him tie his hair into a bun, placed a towering golden crown on his head, and inserted a green hairpin. Wuyue touched his head

—wow! Much better than Green Velvet's work, not to mention his godmother and Sister Beifeng's rough hands and feet!

After tidying him up, Lingti carefully examined him. He had a face like a peach blossom, rosy cheeks, exquisite

eyebrows , a straight nose, red lips, and white teeth. His demeanor was graceful and elegant, as refined and otherworldly as a jade tree, as

captivating as a celestial prince! The sable fur coat he wore accentuated his exquisite beauty, making him appear like a porcelain doll, utterly handsome. Even if

Pan An were reborn or Song Yu were reincarnated, they would probably feel ashamed of their own appearance!

Her usually calm and serene eyes gradually brightened, and she murmured, seemingly intoxicated, "It's probably impossible for

a boy to grow up like you..." Her voice was barely audible, probably only to herself

. Clearly, she was very satisfied with her masterpiece.

Gazing upon him with such ethereal beauty, her eyes seemingly merging into a thin mist, Wuyue's heartstrings trembled

. He met her gaze, and in that instant, their souls seemed to merge. For some reason, he vaguely sensed a

familiar aura about Lingti, like that of a long-time family member...

A faint mist seemed to swirl around them, and time seemed to freeze. The vast universe shrank

to this small space, and the deepest part of her starry eyes seemed to be

the place where his soul, yearning for her, resided. Separated by mere inches, two lonely souls could not be together, anxiously

calling out to each other in the void.

In a dreamlike, intoxicating state, both were drawn by the calls, drawing closer to each other…

Wuyue seemed to have returned to the moment of their separation in the dream, desperately trying to hold her tight, even if only for a fleeting moment of tenderness. Lingti did

the same, desperately trying to grasp his hand, not wanting him to be taken away, but she couldn't hold on, watching him

fly further and further away, disappearing without a trace. The world before her eyes was plunged into boundless darkness, and she could only helplessly call out,

searching and searching…

In the mist, two hazy, peerless figures drew closer and closer, Wuyue's arms unconsciously opening and

stretching out. The moment of their reunion in their past life was approaching, the life-and-death pact between them was about to be fulfilled, and

no power in the world could stop the endless yearning of two souls intertwined…

Suddenly, footsteps sounded, and a person hurried in. The mist instantly vanished without a trace,

revealing two clear figures.

This was the power of human presence, something even ghosts and gods would avoid! In the void, two souls about to reunite were separated by

a surge of foul, overwhelming human energy. Though they desperately tried to get closer and hold onto each other, they were powerless and could only return to their respective places.

Lingti

awoke with a start from her dream, suddenly realizing she was less than a foot away from his chest.

Her face flushed, and she slowly withdrew her feet, averting her gaze from those

deep, starry eyes that made her heart flutter with every glance.

Wuyue, also waking from her reverie, looked at her outstretched arms and felt incredibly embarrassed. She quickly pulled them back,

feeling awkward and unsure where to put her hands. "What's wrong with me? Am I bewitched? I

almost offended this beauty..."

Lingti turned to look and saw that the person was none other than her wet nurse's youngest son, Ouyang Jun. Her face darkened!

Ouyang Jun was clearly taken aback by the young princess's presence. He paused for a moment, then quickly prostrated himself on the ground, saying respectfully, "This humble one

greets the princess..."

Lingti interrupted him, frowning, "Didn't I tell you not to wander around here unnecessarily?"

Ouyang Jun replied, "I know, but Miss said not to go to the backyard. This isn't the backyard!" He

then realized there was an outsider present and quickly changed his address to "Miss."

Lingti said, "This is where distinguished guests stay; it's no different from the backyard. Also, if you flirt with the maids again,

you'd better watch out! I'll let it slide for the sake of my wet nurse, but my mother isn't so easy to talk to."

Ouyang Jun nodded repeatedly, his expression unusually respectful, even showing signs of fear.

Lingti softened her tone and introduced, "This is Young Master Xiao."

She then turned to Wuyue and said, "This is Zhu Ruowen's son, Ouyang Jun."

Ouyang Jun quickly bowed deeply and respectfully said, "Greetings, Young Master Xiao."

Wuyue also returned the bow, helped him up, and smiled, "So you are Madam Zhu's son, Brother Ouyang! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Ouyang Jun smiled, "Your demeanor is truly unparalleled in my life, inspiring my admiration!

If you have the time, I hope to get to know you better, so I can learn from you!" His words were quite sincere.

Wuyue quickly replied, "Brother Ouyang, you flatter me!" He thought to himself, "Luckily he arrived in time, otherwise, what if he had offended

the lady ?"

Before he could finish his thought, a sudden idea popped into his mind, "This guy broke up their reunion, how

despicable! I must stay away from him!" He was immediately startled! She couldn't help but slap her forehead. "What's wrong with me today? Am I

out of my mind?"

Coincidentally, Lingti also had her brows slightly furrowed, as if deep in thought about something perplexing.

Ouyang Jun turned to Lingti and said respectfully, "Miss, I have urgent business with my mother. I heard she's at the inn,

so..."

As he spoke, Zhu Ruowen woke up, looking much better. Hearing this, she said to him, "Jun'er,

what do you need? I've told you countless times not to wander around here; there are women here."

Ouyang Jun pulled his mother into the courtyard, and the two whispered amongst themselves, Zhu Ruowen occasionally scolding

her son, clearly displeased with his recent behavior.

Lingti shook her head, sat down on the brocade stool beside the warm quilt, and turned over the clothes drying on it one by one,

casually saying, "These clothes were made from memory, based on your measurements. Do they fit?"

Wuyue was utterly shocked, speechless! These clothes, she actually made them? She hurriedly said, "It

fits perfectly , thank you so much!"

A moment of silence fell over the room. Lingti dried the clothes, glancing at Wuyue from time to time, but

the pure expectation in her eyes was no longer the one of her dreams; all sorts of complex emotions returned, especially the lingering

resentment of being discarded like trash in Mianchi! She was a girl not good at expressing her emotions, repeatedly wanting to ask for clarification, but forcibly

holding back. "Xiaoyu isn't anyone to him, he's probably forgotten him completely. Asking him would only be pointless!"

However, seeing him by her side brought her a sense of peace and joy, a touch of

sweetness in her heart; for her, that was already happiness enough!

Wuyue, however, wasn't used to this relatively silent atmosphere. The little incident earlier still made him somewhat embarrassed,

feeling even more oppressed and unbearable! His repeated attempts to strike up a conversation with Lingti yielded no response; he was also a person of pride, so he had no choice but

to remain silent to avoid being disliked!

In this mortal world, love and hate are inevitable entanglements, many of which stem from misunderstandings. This is especially true

between , who, driven by youthful impetuosity and shyness, often overlook the kindness of their partner while harboring resentment for their

faults. The inability to resolve these misunderstandings in time has led countless devoted couples to be separated, ending

up alone for life. It is truly tragic and lamentable!

The somber atmosphere was broken only when Zhu Ruowen returned to the room.

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