The next day.
As the first light of dawn appeared, the gates of Xuanji City had just opened.
A thin figure staggered into the city.
On the city wall, Fang Henian had been waiting for a long time. He focused his gaze:
Chu Yuan’s face was pale, and his left shoulder was covered in a dark red stain, seemingly the mark left by dried blood.
His steps were unsteady. Every few paces, he had to lean against a wall to rest, drawing curious looks from the people on the road.
“Master Chu!”
Seeing the youth in such a state, Fang Henian hurried forward with a face full of confusion and concern. “You’re… injured?”
Recalling Chu Yuan’s methods of killing a group of evil cultivators in an instant yesterday, he found it hard to believe that the person before him was actually this weak.
A bitter smile played on Chu Yuan’s thin lips. “Heh! Those Demonic Path cultivators are certainly tough. I was only scouting when I was accidentally discovered. I’ve been hiding for one night. Fortunately, I did not fail my mission; I’ve risked my life to scout the location of their base. However, I made quite a commotion, so I’m afraid I’ve already alerted them.”
After speaking, he presented the slip of paper with the location of the Demonic Path Alliance’s base with both hands.
Fang Henian quickly took the paper. He opened his mouth to speak but only managed to squeeze out one sentence. “That was truly… hard on you!”
Chu Yuan’s bitter smile deepened. “It wasn’t hard! To be able to share the City Lord’s burdens is my honor. It’s just that this injury requires a few days of quiet rest. I’m afraid… I won’t be able to fulfill the role of the Crown Princess’s guide.”
This single sentence left Fang Henian’s mind in a daze.
Regarding his injury, the City Lord could easily see that it was an act.
However, according to previous deductions:
The target’s goal should have been to attract the attention of Her Highness the Crown Princess.
Logically, it was impossible for Chu Yuan to give up the opportunity of being a “guide” to get close to the Crown Princess.
Yet, at this very moment, he was using this as an excuse to push the opportunity away? What was this for?
Despite his confusion, Fang Henian still reported the situation via Sound Transmission to Ji Xuanyuan, who was watching from the city tower.
[…Your Highness, what do you think this beast is planning?]
Ji Xuanyuan lowered her eyes and thought to herself, ‘If this child is my Junior Brother, then his actions are simply because he wants to get away from me.’
‘But if he is an evil cultivator, then he is doing this to…’
Ji Xuanyuan immediately guessed the other party’s thoughts. ‘Playing hard to get! This demon is quite calculating. He wants me to visit him so he can better improve our relationship.’
After setting aside her melancholy, her mind was exceptionally clear. She followed by saying, [Since this clown wants to act, then we shall accompany him!]
[I will visit him personally later and expose his true face in his room.]
[I’m very curious to know… what kind of interesting expression he’ll make then.]
Fang Henian understood and immediately smiled. “Since you have such a heavy injury, you should rest well. I will inform the Crown Princess on your behalf.”
Chu Yuan cupped his hands in thanks and turned to leave. His steps were still a bit shaky, but notably faster than before.
Fang Henian stroked his beard in silence as he watched the departing figure.
On the city tower, Ji Xuanyuan took a sip of tea and thought, ‘Put on a show! Keep putting on your show!’
‘You actually want to mess with my Path of Emotion? You’re going to suffer later!’
Thinking of this, Ji Xuanyuan didn’t forget to instruct, [City Lord Fang, find a scout to follow him secretly. We must ensure he doesn’t have any other tricks up his sleeve.]
[Yes!]
Fang Henian sent someone immediately.
Under Ji Xuanyuan’s watchful gaze, Chu Yuan crossed two street alleys and ducked into the shadows.
After changing his clothes and swallowing a healing elixir, his pale face regained its healthy glow.
Soon, Chu Yuan hurried toward the Gu Manor.
***
In front of the Gu Manor.
A beautiful figure had been waiting for a long time.
Today, Gu Qingwan had changed into a bright, elegant dress. Her temperament was clear and graceful.
“A-Yuan!”
The beauty’s eyes lit up when she saw him.
But soon, she noticed the blood on his lip, and her expression changed. “You’re injured?!”
Chu Yuan waved his hand. “It’s nothing! Just a superficial wound. Let’s go. Didn’t you say there was an auction?”
Gu Qingwan pursed her lips and pulled a plain white handkerchief from her sleeve, handing it over. “There’s no rush! Wipe the blood first. How can you go in like that?”
Chu Yuan took the handkerchief and wiped his lip casually, but he only made the smudge worse.
Gu Qingwan couldn’t help but laugh. “So clumsy. Let me do it.”
She took the handkerchief back from his hand.
Standing on her tiptoes, Gu Qingwan carefully wiped away the bloodstain for him.
She was so close that the fresh scent of herbs wafting from her left Chu Yuan in a daze.
That fragrance mingled with the metallic scent of blood on him, just as their gazes met, making the atmosphere turn romantic.
In the distance, inside an elegant private room on the second floor of a tea house…
Chu Yunlan sat by the window and sensed the scene through his token.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip, a smile playing on his lips.
‘Good!’
‘The atmosphere is excellent!’
‘I must take this opportunity to make Fairy Gu conquer this trash in one go today…’
‘Once that’s done, the Crown Princess will be mine for the taking.’
Thinking of this, Chu Yunlan spoke leisurely, [Fairy Gu, this won’t do. Being too proactive will actually put you at a disadvantage.]
His voice reached Gu Qingwan’s ears through the token, causing her hand to pause. She was confused. [Young Master Yunlan, what do you mean? I feel like the atmosphere is perfect.]
Chu Yunlan shook his head. [No, no, no! With men, the more you care, the less they value you. You must learn to be hot and cold, to keep him guessing. Only then will he keep thinking about you.]
Gu Qingwan put away the handkerchief and asked, [Then… what should I do?]
Chu Yunlan chuckled. [It’s simple. On the way to the auction, you’ll pass a jade shop. Say you want to go inside and have a look.]
[If he goes with you, look at several items but don’t buy anything.]
[If he asks what you like, just shake your head and say “it’s nothing.”]
[Under such a hint, if A-Yuan truly has you in his heart, he will definitely buy a piece of jewelry for you.]
[If he does, it means he still cares for you.]
[It will be much easier to repair your relationship after that.]
Hearing Chu Yunlan’s step-by-step guidance, Gu Qingwan subconsciously touched the Bright Moon Earrings on her earlobes, her cheeks flushing. [Alright!]
With that, she tucked the handkerchief away and walked ahead. “Let’s go, A-Yuan!”
“Mhm!”
Chu Yuan followed his childhood friend.
Watching the two walk away, the City Lord’s scout hidden in the shadows found it suspicious.
‘According to Her Highness, this person should be going back to his room to play sick. Why is he out with the young lady of the Gu family?’
‘Something unusual is definitely afoot!’
The scout immediately transmitted, [Your Highness, Master Chu Yuan didn’t go back to his room to rest. Instead, he’s gone to an auction with his childhood friend!]
“What???”
Ji Xuanyuan’s brows furrowed.
‘If this guy is an evil cultivator, shouldn’t his target be me?’
‘Why is he out with the Gu family’s daughter again?’
‘Is it because he thinks spending time with me is a waste of time and went to meet his childhood friend? Or rather — ‘
‘Is he even refusing to let the Gu family’s daughter go? Is he trying to play both sides?’
‘What a scoundrel!’
‘He really is a scoundrel!’
‘No! I absolutely cannot let this beast harm more people!’
Although a small part of Ji Xuanyuan still believed Chu Yuan might be her Junior Brother — at this point, the possibility was very low.
If he was an evil cultivator, then his current actions were undoubtedly harmful to Fairy Gu.
Even if he was her Junior Brother, Ji Xuanyuan wouldn’t allow him to have a secret rendezvous with another woman!
She stood up abruptly. [Speak! Where are they now?]
The scout reported as they headed toward the long street leading to the auction house.
On the street, people were coming and going.
Gu Qingwan walked side by side with Chu Yuan.
As they passed a jade shop, she paused for a moment, her gaze falling on a green jade pendant in the display window.
Seeing this, Chu Yuan was curious. “What’s wrong? Do you want to go in and see?”
Gu Qingwan shook her head. “It’s nothing. I just thought that jade pendant… was quite pretty.”
As she spoke, she intentionally raised her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, revealing her earrings.
Only then did Chu Yuan notice two small Bright Moon Earrings hanging from her earlobes.
The earrings swayed, catching the warm glow of the sunlight.
Chu Yuan swallowed hard but remained calm on the surface. “Let’s go. If you like it, let’s have a look.”
In his view, this childhood friend was one of the few people who had been good to him in his past life.
Now that he was wealthy, Chu Yuan knew he had to compensate her properly.