Chapter 88 Soul Swap

Although the disciple on night duty found Zhu Yun's behavior strange, he didn't gossip, so he could directly inquire about her past. In the end, he only needed to give a cold, stern look around, and no one dared to utter a single word.

Luo Yan is the only one who is not easily fooled.

It is said that she and "Zhu Yun" were childhood sweethearts, but they were separated for two years. "Zhu Yun" even tried to commit suicide, to the point that he later let her ride on his head and act arrogantly.

Far from being afraid of him, she was even attracted to his looks. In just one or two hours, she hugged and kissed him, and took liberties with Zhu Yun many times.

He was still lying on the bed, barely clothed, which made his mouth dry and his throat parched.

"Madam, Miss Luo has come to pay her respects."

Madam Zhu glanced at her grandson sitting at the lower end of the table.

The man seemed oblivious, not even raising his eyes, calmly sipping his tea.

Madam Zhu noticed his absent-mindedness today, so she looked away and said, "Please come in."

Before long, a slender figure came into view, walking with a delicate, graceful gait.

Before even stepping inside, Luo Yan saw the man sitting upright. She knew that no matter how busy Zhu Yun was, he would always pay his respects to Old Madam Zhu after returning home every day; it was his rule.

The twilight cast a slant of light on his profile, outlining his high, straight nose, while the other half of his face was shrouded in shadow. The interplay of light and shadow made his features appear even more angular.

He wore a moon-white robe, having taken off his bright purple official robe; he resembled a distant, snow-capped mountain, unapproachable.

Luo Yan entered the room and greeted the old lady with a gentle smile: "Luo Yan greets the old lady."

Her movements were slightly hesitant when she bowed, so Madam Zhu quickly ordered someone to help her sit down.

As Luo Yan sat down, she glanced at the person opposite her, who still had his eyes downcast.

From the moment he entered until now, he hasn't looked up at her once, as if she didn't exist at all.

The matriarch, Madam Zhu, who sat at the head of the table, called her: "Luo Yan".

"yes."

"Since you've injured your foot and this matter is related to Zhu Yun, Luo Yan, you don't need to come to pay your respects every day until you've recovered."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yun immediately replied, "It is my fault."

Madam Zhu replied, "You are the head of the Zhu family, so your mistakes are ultimately our family's mistakes. In that case, Luo Yan, if you feel unwell these days, please let someone inform me."

Madam Zhu smiled kindly, but in what seemed like an apology, she shifted the blame for Zhu Yun onto the Zhu family, severing any connection between Zhu Yun and her.

If Luo Yan feels unwell again in the future, it is not appropriate for her to seek out Zhu Yun again.

She heard clearly and her face showed a flattered expression: "Madam, how could I accept such a favor? It was only because the Zhu family was so kind to allow Luo Yan to stay temporarily. Besides, my cousin saved me, and my foot injury was just an unintentional mistake. If Luo Yan were to use this as an excuse to even skip paying her respects to Madam, wouldn't that be too willful?"

The old lady was slightly pleased with her obedience. "Luo Yan, you are Ah Hui's niece. This is too formal. Fine, since you are so kind, then you can skip the evening greetings."

He was supposed to pay his respects to his parents morning and evening, but Zhu Yun went to court at dawn. The old lady Zhu, understanding his busy schedule, exempted him from the morning greetings.

But now, Madam Zhu has exempted her from the evening greetings, clearly because she is afraid that she and Zhu Yun will run into each other during the greetings and does not want them to have any more contact.

Luo Yan did not show it on her face, but instead said gratefully, "Luo Yan thanks the old lady for her consideration."

Madam Zhu smiled and then brought up another matter: "I heard that Supervisor Cheng just came to visit you? Luo Yan, your husband cares about you a lot. It's clear that being older has its advantages; he's more mature and knows how to care for people more."

"Are you older and more caring?" Luo Yan's smile remained unchanged, but inside her stomach churned, and she felt like vomiting.

That Supervisor Cheng isn't much younger than Old Madam Zhu, is he? Yet she brought it up without batting an eye, clearly trying to put her in a bad light.

Incidentally, she emphasized to Zhu Yun that she was engaged and would soon be getting married.

But appearances must be maintained. Those so-called wealthy families value appearances the most. Even if they hate someone inside, they will still be polite and amicable when they meet.

Madam Zhu was clearly well-versed in this matter, and she changed the subject to chatting about everyday matters.

Throughout the entire conversation, Zhu Yun simply sipped his tea slowly, his movements calm and steady. He seemed not to be listening to their conversation at all, nor did he even glance at Luo Yan.

After chatting for a few minutes, Madam Zhu said, "It's almost time for dinner, Luo Yan, I won't keep you any longer."

Madam Zhu asked her to leave, but not Zhu Yun.

Luo Yan understood her intention and had no intention of staying. She bowed and then withdrew.

Only then did he slightly raise his eyelashes, his gaze lightly sweeping over her lightly powdered face and delicate light blue dress, before quickly lowering his eyes again and bringing the teacup to his lips for a small sip.

Seeing this, Madam Zhu said after Luo Yan left, "Shenzhi, you have just been promoted. Although the Emperor trusts you, you must remember to be cautious in your words and actions and not become arrogant. Don't get distracted. It is important to keep your mind on the right path."

Zhu Yun quickly lowered his head and agreed.

Madam Zhu sighed again: "The Fifth Prince did a good job in disaster relief a few days ago, and I'm afraid there will be another controversy over the matter of choosing an heir. The situation in the court is becoming increasingly tense. Now that you hold a high position, various forces will definitely want to win you over, but our Zhu family has always only known loyalty to the emperor. Do you understand what Grandmother is saying?"

Zhu Yun lowered his head: "Grandson understands."

"Don't blame your grandmother for being nosy. Your parents had high hopes for you when they were alive, and even after things turned out that way... Never mind, let's not talk about these things anymore."

Zhu Yun lowered her eyes and remained silent.

Mentioning the painful matter immediately dampened Madam Zhu's spirits considerably. Seeing that her grandson had been absent-minded all day, she also felt bored. Estimating that Luo Yan should have returned to her own courtyard, she waved for Zhu Yun to leave.

Zhu Yun returned to the courtyard with a calm expression, but bumped into someone at a corner near the courtyard.

"cousin."

Luo Yan stood under the crape myrtle tree, a few crape myrtle petals falling on her slender shoulders, complementing her snow-blue dress.

A few petals had fallen into her hair; it was unclear how long she had been waiting there.

Zhu Yun's expression changed slightly when he saw it was her: "What is it?"

Luo Yan hesitated before saying, "Cousin, this afternoon... Supervisor Cheng didn't make you angry, did he?"

She looked uneasy; it turned out she had come for Cheng Feng. Zhu Yun looked away.

In the afternoon, Cheng Feng bowed and scraped before him, but he didn't listen carefully; it was just the usual sycophancy. Of course, he wouldn't let this affect his official duties.

He is not the kind of person who uses his position for personal revenge.

"I didn't hold it against you."

Luo Yan immediately said, "Cousin, you've misunderstood!"

Her reaction was so intense that Zhu Yun looked at her in confusion and met her gaze directly.

Under the cool moonlight, her eyes were slightly bright and clear, her gaze straightforward and sincere.

“Cousin, I’m not here to defend him. I just don’t want you to be unhappy.”

The atmosphere around them suddenly became subtle.

Zhu Yun paused for a moment, then frowned. Luo Yan seemed to have misspoke in her excitement, clutching her handkerchief awkwardly. Neither of them spoke for a while.

Finally, Zhu Yun spoke first, "No need."

She doesn't need to worry about him, and he doesn't need anyone's concern.

Luo Yan nodded dejectedly: "It was Luo Yan who overstepped her bounds."

Zhu Yun's tone was somewhat resolute: "Now that the matter is settled, I'll be leaving."

"cousin--"

Luo Yan quickly stepped forward to stop him, but suddenly her body went limp and she fell against the man.

The slender figure was instantly shrouded in shadow by the tall man.

"open!"

The whistling, chaotic wind carried the man's low, husky voice. Luo Yan, as if still dazed, stared blankly at her hand gripping the man's arm tightly, so tightly that it pulled the perfectly pressed sleeves into messy marks. The muscles beneath her palm were hard, and the veins throbbed.

She looked up, her eyes reddening, and when she met his gaze, she seemed startled. Her hand suddenly tightened, gripping his arm even tighter.

Zhu Yun's eyes darkened, and she awkwardly raised her hand to pull away.

Luo Yan quickly let go of her hand, biting her lip like a child who had done something wrong:

"Cousin, my foot hurts."

Zhu Yun was straightening his wrinkled sleeves with a stern face when he heard her words and paused slightly.

"No medication used?"

He had injured her foot, so naturally he couldn't hold it against her for almost falling into his arms earlier. Luo Yan pressed down on her lips, maintaining a guilty and aggrieved expression: "I used it. Perhaps I stood for too long today while looking for the silver elixir I brought from home."

"If the medicine runs out, let Wenfeng know."

Luo Yan responded, "Cousin, I specifically found the Silver Elixir Grass because I wanted to give it to you."

She took out the chrysanthemum petal patterned covered jar from her sleeve, and her sleeve slid down slightly with the movement, revealing a section of her snow-white wrist.

Zhu Yun refused without hesitation: "No need, take it back."

Luo Yan offered her prepared explanation: "Cousin, there's no need to worry. It's just a jar of Silver Elixir Grass, nothing rare. You're busy with official duties day and night, so it's understandable that your eyes are tired and strained. The book says that Silver Elixir Grass can clear the head and eyes and relieve fatigue. I often add it to my tea when I read at night, and it really does clear my head a lot afterward. Why don't you give it a try?"

Zhu Yun still refused: "No need."

Seeing that he remained unmoved, Luo Yan was extremely disappointed. She pursed her lips slightly and said, "This herb is abundant in my hometown of Ningzhou and has excellent effects. Perhaps others think that you, cousin, have a bright future and are destined for great things. But I only noticed that you rubbed your temples occasionally in the old lady's courtyard just now, which made me even more eager to give you the Silver Elixir Herb."

Zhu Yun slightly raised her eyes to look at her, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Luo Yan pretended not to notice and made a move to put away the porcelain jar and leave, but then she heard him suddenly say, "Ningzhou?"

Luo Yan was puzzled, but still answered earnestly, "Yes, cousin, don't you know I'm from Ningzhou? It's a beautiful place with clear waters and beautiful mountains, and it's very pleasant. If you want to go, cousin, I can point you to a few good places."

Zhu Yun did not answer, but remained silent, his expression making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

A few moments later, he held out his hand: "Give it to me."

Luo Yan placed the porcelain jar in his palm, her fingertips inevitably brushing against his, their soft surfaces touching, the warmth dissipating upon contact.

He grasped the porcelain jar, said goodbye, and left.

Luo Yan stood there watching him walk away, and chuckled silently.

As she expected, he would accept it. The silver elixir was neither valuable nor a token of intimacy, so it wouldn't break his rules. Most importantly, he certainly didn't want her to use it as an excuse to seek him out again.

But wasn't his act of accepting her a form of indulgence? Indulging her step by step closer to him.

His eyes are always calm as a lake, devoid of emotion or desire. What would they look like if they were filled with longing and struggle? What would they look like if the emotions in his eyes, hidden by his long eyelashes, were fully exposed to the sunlight?

Luo Yan really wanted to see.

But why did he suddenly ask about Ningzhou?

His aunt wasn't from Ningzhou, so it was normal that he didn't know she was from Ningzhou. Luo Yan thought for a while but couldn't find anyone in Ningzhou who might have any connection to him.

But she was certain that Ningzhou held a different meaning for him.

Luo Yan followed her heart and hugged him back, patting his back reassuringly with her palm, and asked blankly, "What exactly happened?"

“I don’t know either.” He deliberately lowered his voice, sounding utterly disappointed, but a triumphant smile rose in his eyes. “But you should know that there is no ‘Luo Yan’ in the other world, which is why I have never been happy.”

These words reminded her of the unseen spring in the original book.

The young man's origins are unknown, and he has few relatives. He has enough talent to dominate the martial arts world, but he is burdened by the plot and his spine is bent by the protagonist.

Luo Yan felt as if her heart had been torn in two, missing A-Yun who had grown up with her, yet also feeling sad for the person in front of her.

Before she could think it through, Zhu Yun leaned closer, his clear voice carrying a coaxing tone: "You know I learn things very quickly. If you're willing to teach me, I can become him to keep you company."

He then silenced her refusal with a kiss.

Unlike the stiff receptiveness in the bathroom, this time Zhu Yun took the initiative. Although he was inexperienced, the attraction between them seemed innate. He gently sucked and rubbed her lips, finding pleasure in every touch.

Suddenly, apart from the ambiguous sounds of lips entwining, a muffled wind filled the room.

Luo Yan snapped out of her daze and pushed him away with her palms against his chest.

Zhu Yun chuckled softly, took her hand and pulled it to his waist: "Why refuse? Don't you like my body? Treat me like him, kiss me, hug me, isn't that good?"

"But you clearly..."

“It’s clearly the same person.” He kissed her full lips again. “Though the memories may differ, the nature is the same. I am your husband.”

The dull gust of wind gradually grew louder.

Luo Yan had a guess and struggled to turn around, but Zhu Yun held her down firmly. His lips remained pressed against hers, and he glanced outside the tent out of the corner of his eye, only to see a crack that had appeared out of nowhere in mid-air, from which light burst forth.

It seemed to be turning into a door.