Chapter 37

Luo Yan drank a cup of tea every night before going to bed, but unfortunately, she never dreamed of Zhu Yun again until the night before her coming-of-age banquet.

Xuebao had already realized that the little villain had left the capital, and the biggest hidden danger had been eliminated. She pulled her aside and said with a dream, "After tomorrow you will be able to jump and play, you won't have headaches, and you won't cough to the point of insomnia. Host, you are about to be reborn."

She was filled with anxiety: "The panel refresh rate seems to have slowed down recently, and it flickers occasionally. Could it be malfunctioning?"

"Uh." Xuebao checked and said honestly, "At least the host's body has been reconstructed and is just waiting for the settlement to be updated with one click."

The reshaping and resurrection are controlled by headquarters and have never gone wrong, but the exact time when the host awakens will be affected by the protagonist's magnetic field.

It privately consulted its senior, who advised it to prioritize the mission. It argued that waking up early or late wouldn't make much difference, so why trouble the host?

So when Luo Yan asked again, "Will it go smoothly?"

Zhu Yun snapped out of her daze and instinctively bent down, gently massaging her with her fingertips.

Crystalline tears wet her long eyelashes, and Luo Yan's vision blurred with tears. She lightly punched Zhu Yun's chest and complained softly, "Are you made of iron? You almost broke my bones."

Zhu Yun's thin lips were pressed tightly together, seemingly silent due to overwhelming guilt. In reality, his heart was pounding, his breath was hot, and his ears were ringing.

Although he hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol, the feeling of intoxication was still rising uncontrollably.

Even so, Zhu Yun still remembered to spare some attention to show concern, and for a moment, her tone was even gentler than usual: "Does it still hurt?"

Luo Yan swallowed hard, glanced at him, and remained silent, her face flushed. After a moment, she slowly rested her forehead against his chest, saying in a tone that was half coquettish and half sincere, "Let me catch my breath."

It wasn't just her nose that was in pain.

Just now, someone intended to put his arm around her waist, so he didn't restrain himself. However, he misjudged the difference in size, and Luo Yan shrank back to avoid it, so by sheer accident, he ended up... lying on that spot.

It still hurts a little, but I can't rub it in public, so I have to grit my teeth and bear it.

Furthermore,

He clearly pinched it at the end, didn't he?

She couldn't verify this with Zhu Yun, but the more she tried to put it out of her mind, the clearer the memory became. She could even feel the warmth of his palm, its undeniable presence seeping through her thin clothes and being distributed to her without leaving a trace.

Luo Yan closed her eyes in frustration and exhaled softly.

Fortunately, Zhu Yun was not calm either; her powerful heartbeat was pounding so hard it seemed to deafen her right ear.

Seeing that she had barely managed to win a round, her competitive spirit gradually overcame her shyness, and she finally withdrew from Zhu Yun's embrace, pretending to be nonchalant as she said, "The juggling is about to begin."

Driven by the atmosphere, she also burst into laughter, and after a quarter of an hour, her cheeks were slightly sore.

She went back inside and poured herself a cup of tea to soothe her throat. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Zhu Yun and saw him with his eyes downcast, his expression indifferent, completely out of place amidst the commotion on the street. Luo Yan's smile faded. She walked over, looked up, and asked, "What's wrong? Is something on your mind?"

Zhu Yun's palm was half-suspended, seemingly in an intimate posture, but in reality, he adhered to etiquette and did not touch her skin.

She suppressed a laugh and leaned a little closer.

Zhu Yun felt suffocated, her chest heaving violently, and couldn't help but retort: ​​"How could I beg for such a thing?"

The focus had already shifted, and it was difficult to get back to the original point. He paused for a moment, then ultimately acquiesced to her actions.

Zhu Yun carefully helped Luo Yan give her some silver coins, then took the opportunity to chat with the stilt-walking woman for a few words before turning into a dark alley.

Away from the hustle and bustle, he stepped back an arm's length away as if to avoid suspicion.

Luo Yan: "..."

It's unnecessary, really unnecessary.

The inn where she was staying could be seen in the distance. She snorted and walked ahead in a huff. On one hand, she complained about someone's lack of romantic understanding, and on the other hand, she marveled at the miraculous effect of this ancient ointment. After just one application, the soreness in her feet had almost completely subsided.

As I passed the teahouse, its white banners fluttered in the wind.

Confident that Zhu Yun could protect her, she mustered her courage and approached to see what was causing the trouble. Before she could even peer in, she heard a series of suggestive "slurping" sounds, accompanied by a man's heavy breathing. Although Yan was young, she lived in the modern world with its advanced internet, and instantly understood, her face flushing crimson.

She reached out to Zhu Yun, who was a few steps behind, intending to grab his sleeve, but unexpectedly ended up grabbing his hand haphazardly.

Without the obstruction of clothing, the heat was transmitted with unmistakable clarity, domineering and direct.

"How--"

The sounds behind the decoy ceased for a moment, and she immediately felt as if she were facing a formidable enemy. She turned around and gestured for Zhu Yun to be quiet, then, taking advantage of the situation, she quickly led him away.

After walking a hundred paces, Luo Yan quickly let go of his hand to prevent him from spouting off his classical Chinese theories again.

Zhu Yun curled his fingers into his sleeve, his dark eyes scanning her before he asked the unfinished question, "What's wrong?"

Her breathing hadn't calmed down yet, her chest heaving. After a moment, she walked backwards, saying vividly, "I didn't expect you two to be so bold. Even though it wasn't broad daylight, it was still a public place. You actually got intimate in the street. Tsk tsk tsk."

"You guys?" Zhu Yun frowned.

You ancient people.

Luo Yan, not wanting to say it outright, casually made up a story, saying, "You men."

He showed little interest in the love, hatred, and grudges of others, only silently watching over Luo Yan's back to prevent her from accidentally tripping and falling.

But then Luo Yan suddenly laughed, put her hands together, and said, "So, the customs of the Great Zhou are more open than I imagined. People who are in love can openly invite each other to go on trips, and engagements are perfectly legitimate. Even if they want to divorce or break off an engagement, no one finds it strange, is that right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yun raised his eyes and replied calmly, "If the two families reach an agreement and the documents are approved by the government, it will naturally not cause any controversy."

"Then why..."

She pursed her lips, wanting to ask Zhu Yun why he was avoiding her, his fiancée. But then she thought, soon one of them would return to the capital, and the other would remain in the Prince of Anyue's fiefdom. From then on, they would be separated by mountains and rivers, and would not recognize each other if they met again. Why add to her troubles?

A thousand words, in the end, can be summed up in just two short words—

"never mind".

Back at the inn, Luo Yan took a bath first.

After she wrung out her long hair, she gently removed the door latch and called to Zhu Yun, "Come in."

The room was filled with the scent of bath beans, and her eyes seemed to shimmer with autumn water. Zhu Yuntong's heart burned, and he said awkwardly, "I... I can only ask that you sit at the desk for a short while while I bathe."

As the night grew deeper and quieter, Luo Yan, being a woman of striking beauty, naturally found it inappropriate to wait in the corridor like he had.

She didn't think much of it and casually replied, "It's alright, I was just about to browse through some books."

The waiter quickly changed the water, and Luo Yan closed the door, sat down at her desk, and pondered why she had only inherited half of the original owner's abilities.

Although their cores are different, their appearances are similar, and even their names are identical. Could it be that, as time goes by, she will awaken more things in the future, such as talents, memories, and the like?

She scribbled on the rice paper, trying to clear her mind, when suddenly she heard the sound of dripping water, which was especially clear in the silence of the room, and seemed to be hitting her eardrums.

Luo Yan froze, her cheeks flushing red. She belatedly realized that perhaps during her bath...

wrong.

The mountains and forests were never quiet to begin with; birds chirped in the branches and streams gurgled. How could they be as enchanting as they are now?

She took a quiet breath, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the screen.

The inner room was unlit, and the man's robes were draped over it, obscuring all view. Ke Luo Yan had seen his chest and abdomen on her first day; being still a boy, he was slender yet not thin, with beautiful lines and no trace of oiliness. In fact, the few times she touched him, the feel was exceptionally pleasant.

She pinched her waist, enduring the pain, to banish the memories.

The heat throughout my body not only didn't subside but actually increased, so I had to get up and walk to the window to force myself to distract myself.

Luo Yan stared at the window paper for a while, recalling how villains in TV dramas often breathed on their fingertips and then poked a hole in the window paper to blow the sleeping gas into the room.

She pointed her finger at something as if possessed—and then went out to investigate.

"Wait!" Luo Yan rushed over in a panic and grabbed his sleeve. "It wasn't an assassin, it was... it was me."

Zhu Yun frowned, his voice so calm it was impossible to discern his emotions: "Why?" His eyes were unfathomable as he pulled his forearm free from Luo Yan's grasp.

She was embarrassed and slightly annoyed, and said, "Curious, mischievous, hyperactive. Anyway, I pointed it out to you because this window paper looks like silk gauze, and I wanted to ask about the market price so I wouldn't be unable to afford it later."

After giving his account, Zhu Yun remained expressionless. The usually talkative man suddenly fell silent, and the large room was so quiet that only shallow breathing could be heard.

Zhu Yun smoothed out the window paper, rubbed his temples, and called out to the inner room, "Miss Luo."

Luo Yan paused in combing her hair, belatedly realizing that she always called her "A-Yun," but the other person insisted on calling her "Miss Luo." She hadn't noticed such an important detail for so long.

Fang Pingxi's anger suddenly surged back into a rage. She tugged at the tassels at the bottom of the gauze curtain and remained silent.

Zhu Yun frowned, feeling more anxious than ever before. He could only soften his voice through the screen and ask, "Miss Luo, would you be willing to let me explain?"

She naturally wouldn't respond.

Zhu Yun waited a moment, knowing she was quite angry, gritted his teeth, and whispered, "I'm sorry."

After saying that, he went around the screen and entered the inner room. He saw Luo Yan hugging the brocade quilt and staring blankly. Hearing his footsteps, she gave him a resentful look, but quickly turned her head to look elsewhere.

Little did he know that the beauty turned her head, her almond-shaped eyes languidly opening, her black hair swaying gently like a banner.

Luo Yan was annoyed. "Fine, don't believe me then."

Seeing the anger in her eyes, Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow and remained silent, his gaze seemingly scrutinizing her, causing the atmosphere to plummet to freezing point.

After a brief standoff, Luo Yan was the first to release her grip. She sat back down on the round stool and began toying with the white glazed teacup. In her heart, however, she thought, "It can't all be blamed on Zhu Yun."

If she were in that situation and encountered a mentally and physically healthy person, she would be curious about the ubiquitous glass windows and even try to hit them with a hard object. In the end, she would attribute it to mere curiosity.

It lowers intelligence, it lowers intelligence to an extreme degree.

Suspicious, highly suspicious.

However, in many unsolved mysteries, the truth is often just as unbelievable.

Just as Luo Yan hesitated and was about to explain more patiently, Zhu Yun tapped the table with his finger, making a dull "thump-thump" sound, which startled her and made her fingertips tremble slightly.

One sat, the other stood; he looked down at her with a nonchalant expression: "What are you so nervous about?"

Luo Yan was speechless, thinking to herself that anyone else would be nervous in the face of his cold questioning, so why did she seem guilty?

She struggled to lift her head, looking into Zhu Yun's cold eyes. He didn't even need to make a gesture; his imposing presence was already overwhelming.

Decisive and ruthless, with an imposing presence even without anger—this is the true Zhu Yun.

Zhu Yun, who is at the pinnacle of power.

Luo Yan forced herself to straighten her back and glared at him angrily: "I've said what I needed to say, believe it or not is up to you."

After speaking, she puffed out her cheeks and stormed back into the inner room.

She disliked Zhu Yun's assertive attitude, which, although more charming than before, was unappealing when applied to her, especially after she had been repeatedly drawn to him and thought that the two of them had finally developed a fragile trust like allies.

It turned out that she had been deluding herself.

Luo Yan felt a chill in her heart. She gave a mocking smile and thought to herself: How dare he scare her? We must break off our friendship!

Oh no, it actually poked a perfectly round hole.

Luo Yan leaned back on the desk, her legs swinging leisurely.

Suddenly, a rattle sounded from the inner room, and candlelight flickered. At the same time, Zhu Yun's tall and slender figure was reflected on the screen.

He gave a slight curtsy and placed the tinderbox back in its place. It was a simple action, but when he did it, his every move exuded a noble air, making it extremely pleasing to the eye.

A moment later, a tall silhouette swept past the screen, revealing a gentle, jade-like face behind it.

Zhu Yun approached her, bathed in candlelight.

He had just emerged from his bath; his thin lips were moist, the corners of his eyes were red, and his brows held a hazy quality, making him appear otherworldly handsome.

Luo Yan unconsciously straightened her posture, and with a flick of her wrist, pretended to tuck her long hair behind her ear. She then lowered her eyelashes, concealing the undisguised amazement in her eyes.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said with a hint of apology.

They were only two steps apart, and the familiar scent of bath beans spread out, gradually blending together, their origins indistinguishable, as if—you were in me, and I was in you.

Luo Yan was burned by her own abrupt thought, and a burning sensation spread through her, making her blush and too shy to look up. She only responded softly, remaining extremely reserved.

Zhu Yun didn't think much of it, walked past her, and tidied up the messy desk. Seeing the many crooked symbols drawn on the white paper, he suddenly stopped and asked with amusement, "What are these?"

"I'm not telling you." Luo Yan jumped off the desk, still unwilling to look him in the eye, and walked to the window, pointing with her finger, "Look."

To everyone's surprise, Zhu Yun's expression changed instantly, and he said in a deep voice, "Wait for me in the room."

Why do I remember so clearly? Why do I have to be as obedient as a dog? Why didn't I come sooner?

Zhan Feng knew Luo Yan. Seeing her die just a few steps away, and his young master in a frenzied state, he clutched his sword hilt in terror: "It's all over, it's all over."

A Kong was blocking the arrows in front of him when he heard this and turned around. He saw that Zhu Yun's left face was covered in blood, making his handsome face look ferocious.

"Young...Master?"

Zhu Yun slowly raised his head, revealing bloodshot eyes. Cold syllables were squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with malice, like a vengeful ghost descending to earth.

"Tonight, kill them all."

"I want them all to die."