Song Lianhe stared at him, her mind filled with the mory of how they had parted on bad terms just last night. To see him now, so gentle and warm, felt surreal, as if a lifeti had passed.
Zhou Cangyan held her hand, his gaze settling on her, his eyes as gentle as water.
Although his eyes were disguised as an ordinary deep brown, the innate coldness within them couldn’t be hidden. As he glanced over, seemingly by chance, Song Lianhe felt rooted to the spot, as if he were slowly drawing her soul into his gaze.
"What happened?" he asked softly, raising his eyes to look into the main hall.
The mont their gazes t, Zhou Junlin seed to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
At that mont, Song Lianhe snapped back to her senses. ’I absolutely cannot let Zhou Junlin figure out Zhou Cangyan’s identity. He’s leading an army to suppress a rebellion under imperial orders! If he deserts his post, it’s considered fleeing in the face of the enemy—a serious cri!’
She imdiately snuggled into Zhou Cangyan’s embrace and whined, "Fu Yuan, what took you so long to co back? They were bullying poor little ~"
Song Lianhe put on a woeful expression, trying her best to look pitiful for him.
A hint of a smile actually crept into Zhou Cangyan’s cold eyes. He went along with her act, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. Completely ignoring the onlookers, he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. "Then you can’t leave my sight, lest you get bullied again."
Song Lianhe froze. ’I’m helping him get into character, so what is *he* doing?’
’Flirting with ?’
"Sir, I believe this is all a misunderstanding," Song Xilan interjected. "We have already apologized to this young lady..."
"So what?" Zhou Cangyan looked up, his expression flat as he stared at the group across from them. "Does an apology an it has to be accepted? There’s no such rule in any law book, not even the emperor’s."
’Yes!’
Song Lianhe cheered silently.
’I just love his sharp tongue. It’s indiscriminately venomous!’
Song Xilan was choked speechless by his retort and instantly beca displeased.
’She was the daughter of the General Mansion and Princess Consort Ling. The fact that she had politely lowered her head and admitted fault to so common woman was already a sign of her magnanimity. How dare they be so relentless!’
’And this man beside Sun Shangxiang—he was plain-looking, a far cry from her Prince. He only had a decent air about him, which made him a perfect match for this Sun Shangxiang.’
"Oh, now, now, it’s all a misunderstanding~" The shopkeeper hurried over and explained the whole situation in a few words. Based on his account, and looking at Man Yue’s increasingly swollen face, it was clear she had already been punished quite severely.
Zhou Junlin said suddenly, "As a token of my apology, I will cover all of the young lady’s upcoming expenses."
Song Lianhe’s eyes lit up. ’Never turn down a free lunch!’
’Our caravan is staying here too. The food and lodging for all these people and horses, plus the constant shopping trips we need to make to keep up the charade... all those expenses add up to a huge sum!’
’If I’m going to scam soone, I might as well go big!’
"There’s no need."
Zhou Cangyan showed no sign of accepting, but Song Lianhe secretly tugged on his sleeve. She then stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, "Don’t refuse it! We need to spend money everywhere right now. Old Man Luo and the others are already tightening their belts. The silver we’d save would be enough to buy two cartloads of grain to ship back!"
She spoke pressed up against him as if no one else was there. After standing on her toes for so long, she beca unsteady, and the man’s large hand subtly supported her lower back. Their posture was truly intimate.
He copied her, leaning close to her ear and whispering, "Then... as you wish."
Zhou Junlin ground his molars, then abruptly turned and left. Gu Ha imdiately followed.
"Have soone watch them."
"Yes."
The shopkeeper imdiately ordered a Xiao Er to lead the guests upstairs to their private rooms to rest.
Song Xilan glanced at the pair before heading upstairs with Man Yue’s support.
Once everyone had dispersed, before Song Lianhe could even let go of him, the man in front of her imdiately stepped back. The look in his eyes returned to one of indifference.
Song Lianhe: "..."
’Even if the show is over, shouldn’t I at least get a bouquet of flowers if not a round of applause?’
’I did it to protect him, and him?’
’Killing the donkey as soon as the grinding is done!’
Furious and indignant, she glared at him, then lifted her skirt and stomped heavily up the stairs.
After a mont’s hesitation, the man behind her followed.
Song Lianhe threw the door open with a BANG, and as soon as she was inside, she tried to slam it shut.
A hand caught it just in ti, pushed it back open, and he followed her in.
"Are you angry?" Zhou Cangyan asked, looking at her strangely.
Song Lianhe sat down and naturally crossed her arms. "Heh, isn’t it obvious?"
He stood opposite her, staring for a long mont before abruptly asking, "Why?"
’Why? Why? Why?’
’That donkey-killer dares to stand there and ask why?!’
"Letting you stay here, able to be with him day and night, isn’t that exactly what you wanted?" he asked coldly, as if he were a detached observer.
Song Lianhe tilted her head, looking at him in confusion. "Have you misunderstood sothing?"
Zhou Cangyan raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything for to misunderstand?" He sneered. "Or did you think that just because we’ve been intimate, I should be head over heels for you? That I’d cast aside my duties and think of you day and night? Song Lianhe, you think far too highly of yourself. I don’t care about what’s between you and Zhou Junlin. Whether you like him or long for him, that’s your business. Just don’t drag into it!"
"..."
’Did I even say anything? What did I do to deserve this lecture, this condescension, this slander, this tirade?!’
Song Lianhe’s face turned pale with anger. She opened her mouth to retort several tis. ’How can he be such a bully?’
She shot to her feet, her body trembling as she pointed at him. "You... you bastard who changes his tune faster than he can pull up his pants!!"
Outside the window, Gu Ha froze.
’What kind of shaless words were those?’
’Is it really appropriate for to hear sothing so risqué the mont I get here?’
At the sa ti, a furry lump at his feet also went rigid.
He looked down and saw a mottled falcon.
It was in the exact sa eavesdropping posture as him: claws dug in for stability, upper body leaning forward, ear cocked to listen.
Its big, round eyes were filled with a kind of indescribable enthusiasm. It then flapped its wings, as if welcoming him as a kindred spirit.
Gu Ha was startled. With the little beast causing such a commotion, he could clearly hear footsteps approaching the window from inside.
He kicked the falcon in annoyance, then imdiately leaped down from the tree to go back and report.
The window opened, and Chun Hua flapped its wings and flew over.
Zhou Cangyan reached out and tapped its little head twice. "Get lost and keep watch from a distance." As he spoke, he flicked his finger. Chun Hua yelped in pain and reluctantly flew away.
The window slid shut again.
He turned back around to see the girl standing in the room, puffed up with anger. Her beautiful eyes were wide and round, her hands were on her hips, and she had perfectly mastered the imposing stance of soone ready for a fight.
Looking at her, Zhou Cangyan rubbed the bridge of his nose in resignation. "I didn’t change my tune..."
"Oh~? So it’s ’I’ now, is it? Done calling yourself ’this Prince’? You seed plenty arrogant a mont ago! Well, I, Song Lianhe, refuse to stand for it today! Co on, bring that princely air of yours back out. I’ll give you a proper diagnosis and see exactly which one of your wires got crossed!"
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