Chapter 101

Despite his words, the man in military uniform didn't dare act rashly. The young man and woman's appearance and demeanor didn't look ordinary. Those of them, constantly on the road, were actually the most discerning, and knowing when to serve was the most important thing. Zhou Jingchen's cold glance led the man in military uniform to tactfully step back, not daring to get too close to Ye Jia.

At the same time, several guards immediately surrounded Zhou Jingchen.

The four or five guards were tall and strong, each with a sword hanging from their waist. Each of them walked lightly, clearly skilled in martial arts. The man in military uniform, wary of this silent threat, stepped back two steps and spoke in a more friendly manner.

"We haven't seen the person in the portrait." Ye Jia curled his lips. "Why don't you go ask somewhere else? My husband and I are here to visit relatives in Khotan. We're asking for a doctor because a family member is sick. It has nothing to do with your search for someone."

While the old woman's identity was unclear, someone wearing a tiger talisman as a pendant around their neck was undoubtedly not a simple person. The Grand Protector of the Anxi Protectorate was searching for thieves under the pretext of apprehending them. Out of caution, Ye Jia hadn't yet decided to hand the old woman over. Zhou Jingchen was traveling in secret, so naturally, he wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible, and naturally, he didn't want to be associated with this matter.

Besides, what she said was not a lie. After all, judging from the portrait, it did not look like him.

The man in military uniform didn't know whether he believed it or not, so he cast his eyes on Zhou Jingchen. Then he nodded politely, waved his hand, and left with his men.

Only after they left did people on the street dare to move around.

The innkeeper came out cautiously, smiling. He had just heard Ye Jia's words. He glanced around and said in a low voice, "Guests, you're finally back. The old lady from Room 3, Xuanzi, suddenly ran out during the day and couldn't be stopped. We were worried something might have happened to her, so we took her back to her room. She was bumping around while we were trying to get her, so we don't know if she's okay..."

"Did you hit anything?"

"I didn't get hit, I guess my head just hit a little..." The guy hesitated for a moment.

Ye Jia frowned, but didn't say anything. He just went in to take a look.

Zhou Jingchen watched Ye Jia's back as he walked into the house, then turned to look at the officers and soldiers who were hurriedly leaving not far away, his eyes gloomy.

"Sir." The five people who followed him were said to be guards, but in fact they were also his loyal generals.

This time, Zhou Jingchen couldn't bring too many people with him, so he chose people with superb martial arts skills. Rather than being servants, they were actually helping Zhou Jingchen gather information and do things that couldn't be brought to the public.

Zhou Jingchen nodded and said, "Let's go in first and talk about it in the house."

The seal that Mr. Yu gave before he left was actually the seal of Tianxia Bookstore.

The Yu family is a 400-year-old family. Although all their property was confiscated by the court, some things cannot be taken away simply by confiscation.

For example, fame, for example, respect.

Tianxia Bookstore has been established in Dayan for over a century, founded by the Yu family five generations ago. Today, it has over thirty branches. Every owner of Tianxia Bookstore is a descendant of the Yu family, adhering to the family's rules. It is a place highly regarded by scholars from all regions.

There were many reasons, the most important of which was that Tianxia Book House possessed a vast collection of books. While these were merely rubbings, they were still extremely valuable. Furthermore, Tianxia Bookstores throughout the country complied with the Yu family's request and provided assistance to disadvantaged students. Scholars who cherished and loved books could borrow books from Tianxia Bookstores free of charge. The bookstores also offered talented and diligent students the opportunity to earn money by copying books.

Don't underestimate these efforts, but persistence over so many years has accrued prestige. Furthermore, books from ancient times were extremely precious. Ancient books were only collected privately by the powerful, and many rare copies were truly one-of-a-kind. Students from less privileged backgrounds, limited by family background or financial constraints, simply couldn't access them. Tianxia Bookstore's gift of the right to read to scholars was a truly generous act, one that would benefit generations to come.

Tianxia Bookstore has been in business for a hundred years, and is considered unique in Dayan and even in the previous dynasty. This shows the status of Tianxia Bookstore in the hearts of scholars.

Before the Yu family was raided, they had moved Tianxia Bookstore into seclusion. Now, Tianxia Bookstore has been publicly dismantled, but privately it's still owned by the Yu family. However, there's now a new rule: Tianxia Bookstore recognizes tokens, not people. Even members of the Yu family won't recognize them.

Now this token is given to Zhou Jingchen and Ye Jia.

Yes, there were two tokens from Tianxia Bookstore: a seal and a jade pendant. Zhou Jingchen had the seal, and the jade pendant was the one the old man wore around his waist. He hadn't brought any gifts when he met Ye Jia, so he just pulled it off and gave it to her. Ye Jia still didn't know what the jade pendant in his pocket was, and he was hurrying towards the old woman's room.

The door was closed, and everything inside and outside was quiet. It was unclear whether the old woman was fast asleep or what, but when Ye Jia opened the door, it was also quiet inside.

Is he asleep?

The old woman was in poor health, and her constitution was very weak, so the old doctor only prescribed her a tranquilizer. After taking just one dose, she would fall asleep for a long time. Ye Jia was muttering to himself when the man walked into the house.

I looked up and saw an old woman sitting quietly by the window, staring out. She was dressed neatly, and when she heard a noise behind her ear, she turned her head. There was a large bump on her forehead, but her eyes and expression were surprisingly normal. The window was open, and the trees were cast long shadows by the setting sun. A breeze blew the scent of grass and trees into the house.

Ye Jia was stunned and stood still: "Old lady, you are awake..."

"Well, I'm awake now. My illness comes and goes."

The old woman stroked her still aching forehead, and as Ye Jia approached, she actually curled her lips into a smile. "Child, I heard that it was you who took the initiative to bring me to town to see a doctor. My name is Yang, and I thank you for saving my life. I am old and have become insane. I am sometimes lucid and sometimes confused. My child, you are so kind to ask for a doctor for me. It is really troublesome for you."

"No," Ye Jia was sure that the man was really awake, and immediately smiled and said, "It's just a small favor, not worth mentioning."

The old woman smiled, and Ye Jia sat down opposite her.

Ye Jia had arrived in a hurry, still wearing the clothes she'd worn when she'd visited the Yu family. Zhou Jingchen had the material and jewelry sent for her, items not available in the Anxi Protectorate. The two sat down, and the old woman's gaze rested on Ye Jia briefly before she turned away. Her eyes stared blankly out the window. She clutched the urn in her arms, one hand wiping it.

Although her face was expressionless, her every move revealed her loneliness and grief.

Ye Jia had already guessed the general story since he discovered what she was holding. It was nothing more than this when one loses their only child in old age.

After sitting quietly for a while, Ye Jia turned his head to look at the old woman.

When the old woman was lucid, she looked quite pampered. Although it was not polite to interrupt her thoughts at this time, since she was sober, there were some things I had to ask her clearly.

Ye Jia pursed his lips, supported his lips with one hand and coughed, attracting the old woman's attention.

Actually, Ye Jia's decision to bring her along was a moment of weakness. She feared an old beggar would starve to death in the wilderness, and bringing her to a prosperous place might offer her some food. Then, by chance, they discovered the tiger talisman hanging around her neck... Although Ye Jia and the others had a purpose in mind, they decided to keep her. But the old lady wasn't a relative after all, and Ye Jia couldn't keep her with her forever. Eventually, she had to send her away.

After thinking for a moment, Ye Jia asked directly without beating around the bush: "Who is this old lady to the Anxi Protectorate?"

"Um?"

Ye Jia came straight to the point when he spoke.

The old lady didn't seem to expect Ye Jia to ask this. She paused, her hand subconsciously reaching for her neck. She usually felt for a string, but now she felt nothing. The thing hanging around her neck was gone.

Seeing this, Ye Jia's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.

The old woman did not immediately suspect Ye Jia. She just put down the urn and got up to look for the ashes on the bed.

She thought Ye Jia was dressed so richly, she didn't think he would take anything from anyone. The black thing looked like an ordinary bronze medal. She had simply strung it on a string and put it on, making it look sloppy. She had been wearing it all the time, and no one had stolen it. She subconsciously assumed that someone wouldn't take something that looked worthless.

After searching the bed for a long time without finding it, she suddenly came to her senses. She realized that Ye Jianeng had guessed that the Anxi Protectorate had most likely recognized the tiger talisman. If they had, they would definitely have taken it away...

The old woman's face suddenly turned panicked. She turned her head and looked at Ye Jia: "The token hanging around my neck..."

"I took it." Ye Jia admitted frankly, "I asked someone to take it off your neck when I washed you. Can you tell me your identity, old lady?"

Everything was said directly, so Mrs. Yang didn't have to make excuses.

She stood still, her back hunched, as she regarded Ye Jia with uncertainty. She looked about seventeen or eighteen, strikingly beautiful. For someone so young to know the Tiger Talisman, her identity must be quite impressive. Most likely a member of a military family. After all, few people in the world knew the Tiger Talisman.

She hesitated for a long time and asked Ye Jia, "Who are you?"

"I am a businessman, and I came to Anxi Protectorate with my husband to do business."

Ye Jia's eyes flickered, and he changed his tone, "The reason I speculate about the old lady's connection with the Anxi Protectorate is that so many people have been looking for you with your portrait along the way. The Anxi Protectorate issued a wanted order, offering a large reward for the old woman who stole the Protectorate's treasures. Old Lady Yang, is that thing around your neck a treasure lost by the Protectorate?"

As he spoke, Ye Jia put the fake token he had taken from Zhou Jingchen on the table with a click.

When Old Lady Yang saw the token and realized that Ye Jia did not embezzle it, she believed her after hearing her words.

She clenched her hands together, and her tense shoulders relaxed instantly. Seeing Ye Jia looking at him with a strange look, she curled her eyes and sighed softly, then walked back to the window and sat down. Ye Jia was being frank, so she didn't want to hide anything. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and said, "I am the wife of the former Grand Protector of Anxi Protectorate."

As she spoke, she lowered her head and looked at the tiger talisman: "The current Grand Protector is my adopted son of the Qiao family, and this item is a personal belonging of my late husband."

"...Adopted son?" Ye Jia was stunned.

"That's right," Old Lady Yang twitched her lips, the gloom between her brows becoming even darker. "My late husband and I have no children in this life."

Ye Jia was slightly startled and frowned. The position of Grand Protector of Anxi Protectorate was unexpectedly passed down from father to son. Official positions in Dayan were not hereditary, so how could a father and son be reappointed consecutively?

There must be something fishy going on here; the logic is flawed. In fact, according to the laws and regulations of Great Yan, apart from the hereditary title of the king, official positions were always appointed and dismissed by the imperial court and the Secretariat.

If the Grand Protector of the Anxi Protectorate was replaced, the imperial court would have to appoint a new one to take over. The situation at the Anxi Protectorate was peculiar. After the previous Grand Protector passed away, his wife, carrying the tiger talisman, became a commoner, while his adopted son officially succeeded him. Now, not only has this adopted son taken over the mansion, but he's also issuing a wanted notice for his adopted mother, claiming the Grand Protectorate was robbed. How outrageous is this?

Ye Jia couldn't help but ponder. If this was really the case, then didn't it mean that the current Grand Protectorate was not legitimate and didn't even have the Tiger Talisman?

In fact, although the tiger talisman is a dead object, it plays a vital role in the army and is an important token for commanding thousands of troops.

This item is like the emperor's imperial seal. An emperor without it has no legitimate power, and a general without the tiger talisman can't command a vast army or accomplish anything. No wonder the old woman offering the reward attached those strange requirements: no harm, no body search. Does this mean the current Anxi Protectorate General is a rip-off?

In other words, as long as there is evidence to expose the Grand Protector's illegitimate background, this person can be easily brought down.

...Did Zhou Jingchen come here specifically for this matter?

She was just thinking about it when she suddenly heard the old woman's voice.

The old woman hung the fake tiger talisman back around her neck and hid it in her clothes. She sat down opposite Ye Jia without knowing when. Ye Jia looked up and saw her pointing at a man outside and asked, "Child, is that handsome young man your husband?"

"Hmm?" Upon hearing that, Ye Jia raised his eyes and looked at where she was looking.

There stood a tall man, his black hair falling to his shoulders, his white robe fluttering. The afterglow cast a golden glow over him, making him appear even more graceful. Standing against the backlight, his features blurred, only a pair of clear, bright eyes and a curved mouth made clear. It was none other than Zhou Jingchen. He was talking to someone beneath a tree, his voice so low it was inaudible.

He noticed someone was looking at him and turned around. Seeing that it was Ye Jia looking at him, he curled up his eyes and smiled like the clouds and rain had just stopped.

Ye Jia's heart suddenly moved, and she lowered her eyes and said, "Yes, it's my husband."

Her slightly reserved behavior elicited a gentle smile from the elderly woman beside her. The elderly woman seemed deeply interested in the young couple's relationship, her gaze flickering between them, her smile warming. Reassured by the return of her belongings, she observed the young man with great interest. She stared at Ye Jia for a long moment, complimenting him on his appearance.

"I've never seen a girl more beautiful than you." The old woman sighed, but then she started praising Zhou Jingchen again, "Your husband is also extremely handsome."

"You two are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman."

Ye Jia felt a little embarrassed by the compliment, so he spoke modestly.

She then smiled and asked Ye Jia: "How many years have you two been married?"

"Huh?" The topic changed too quickly and touched on something personal. Ye Jia frowned uncomfortably. She wasn't really used to small talk. But considering the old woman's age, Ye Jia replied, "They've been married for just a short time, less than a year."

"No wonder they have such a harmonious relationship. They always take each other with them when they go on long trips. It's so nice..."

Ye Jia's face suddenly flushed at this remark. Zhou Jingchen had insisted on taking her along, but it wasn't entirely for disguise. Actually, the two of them hadn't put on much disguise along the way, as if they were just visiting relatives.

"...Harmonious?" Ye Jia glanced at Zhou Jingchen who was still smiling at her and curled her lips.

Well, actually, they were quite harmonious. Zhou Jingchen had never gotten angry with her and always gave in to her.

"The love in youth is the most sincere and touching. It is a lifelong blessing to meet him." The old woman sighed several times that the two were very well matched. Suddenly, she took a deep breath, her eyes turned red, and her voice sounded a little choked.

The way she cried when she was sober was different from the way she cried when she was confused. Silent tears flowed slowly down the ravines and wrinkles of her cheeks. Although she didn't look embarrassed, anyone could feel the grief in her heart.

Ye Jia hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

The old woman waved her hand, her gaze unknowingly distant as she stared at Zhou Jingchen not far away. She didn't know who she was looking at through Zhou Jingchen, but as she smiled, she choked up and said, "My husband and I have been married for over fifty years, and we've never been as harmonious as you and your husband. Now that he's dead, all I can recall are the hideous faces I used to show him when I bullied and humiliated him..."

Ye Jia: "...The dead cannot be resurrected, please accept my condolences."

Old Lady Yang seemed to have fallen into a state of reverie again, staring at something not far away, tears streaming down her face. Her mind was a little hazy again, and she began to chant, as if in a groan, a new verse: "Life must be enjoyed, do you know? It's easy to have gray hair."

Buddha said that the three greatest sufferings in life are not getting what you want, meeting with those you hate, and separation from those you love. Losing your only child in old age is one of the most tragic things in life.

Ye Jia swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

She wasn't the kind of person who was unreasonable, and pressing the issue at this point would be unkind. She stood up and fetched a pot of tea. She poured a cup and pushed it over to Old Lady Yang's table. Old Lady Yang continued to mutter to herself, and Ye Jia, fearing she might lose consciousness again, quickly inquired about her situation. Did she have anyone at home she cared about? Children or relatives?

"No, not one left now. Not a single one left."

As the old woman spoke, one hand stroking the wrinkled fingers of her other, "Being willful until old age also has its price. Alas, when I was young and naive, I didn't know how to cherish others. Only after they passed away did I realize the long-lasting regret. If I had known this day would come, I would not have treated him like that..."

Ye Jia scratched his cheek, feeling a little complicated.

She didn't try to persuade him. She believed that one shouldn't speak nonsense or give advice without first understanding their suffering. Who knows what unintentional words might be deeply hurtful. Ye Jia felt that the old woman's mental state was no longer able to withstand the stimulation. So she remained silent, sitting quietly by the side.

Everything was quiet, and soon even the crying stopped.

When I looked up again, the old woman's eyelids were drooping and she had fallen asleep with her face pressed against the outer wall of the urn.

Although many things remained unexplained, Ye Jia could roughly guess what was going on. However, it was difficult for a judge to judge family affairs, so she called two guards to help Old Lady Yang to bed.

Ye Jia blew out the light, turned his head to look at the person on the bed, then came out and closed the door.

It was already late, the sky gradually shrouded in darkness. The birds croaked as they returned home late. Ye Jia left the old woman's room and returned to her own quarters. Zhou Jingchen was not in the room. A letter was found under the teapot on the table.

Ye Jia raised his eyebrows and opened the letter to read.

The letter simply explained that Zhou Jingchen had to rush to Kucha for some business in the next few days and would not be back for at least three days. It also told Ye Jia that if he had time, he could look around the town and find a shop where he could start a legitimate business.

The letter stated that he had left someone in the city, and if she took the jade pendant to Tianxia Bookstore, someone would work for her.

A jade pendant? Ye Jia just remembered that Old Master Yu had given her a jade pendant as a meeting gift. When she received it today, the other members of the Yu family looked a little strange. Ye Jia guessed that this was some kind of valuable item, and the value behind it must far exceed the value of the jade pendant itself.

The room was lit, its dim glow bright. Sitting at the table, Ye Jia shone the lamplight on the jade pendant and discovered four large characters engraved on the inside: the Tianxia Bookstore logo. She blinked, thinking she was seeing things. Bringing two lamps closer, she shone them against it, and sure enough, it was there. She was inside the jade pendant, unable to see clearly due to the opaque light.

"Tianxia Bookstore? What? The old man gave me several shops?"

Muttering to himself, Ye Jia sent over some food. Although Zhou Jingchen hadn't specified what they were going to do in Kucha, after a conversation with Old Lady Yang, Ye Jia could vaguely guess his purpose. After all, the Grand Protectorate was in Kucha.

After eating, Ye Jia was tired after running all day, so she asked for water to take a shower, change clothes, and lie down to sleep.

No one knew what Zhou Jingchen was busy with, and three or four days passed without any news.

Ye Jia left two guards with her to ensure her safety. She wasn't worried. Khotan was a very safe place. She was in the city, with guards following her closely, so she didn't have to worry about being harassed. Ye Jia hadn't been idle these past few days. She'd been looking around for a suitable place to set up a granary and figuring out the best way to store food.

Although her assets weren't particularly large, Ye Jia was incredibly daring. She brought five thousand taels of silver with her this time. Granaries and shops weren't the main thing; the main thing was good farmland that could produce grain and people who knew how to grow it.

She never hesitates to spend money. After all, money would just gather dust at home, so she is happy to invest any liquid money in the market.

In the past few days, Ye Jia found a very powerful broker and followed him to look around at warehouses and shops.

Khotan was the southernmost city in the Anxi Protectorate, and relatively centrally located east-west. In other words, its location was similar to Dongxiang Town, but with essential differences in details.

It was more stable than Dongxiang Town, without having to worry about Turkic raids from the north. The climate was also warmer, making it ideal for farming. Ye Jia ultimately decided to put the shop aside for now and instead spent a large sum of money to buy a hundred acres of farmland at the foot of a mountain.

Later generations referred to Khotanese jade as Hetian jade. In other words, Hetian jade was abundant here. However, mountain jade mines were not easy to come by, and even if they did exist, the chances of Ye Jia finding one were slim. What Ye Jia valued more was Khotan's status as a key point on the Silk Road.

Most of the Western Region's luxury goods, gemstones, and fruits are shipped from here to the Central Plains. Furthermore, this area leads to the Taklamakan Desert to the north. Cacti are bound to grow in the desert. If cacti are present, could cochineal insects be cultivated? Furthermore, this area is a land of fruits and vegetables. Thanks to its natural climate and sunlight, it produces a wide variety of high-quality fruits and vegetables. If we could grow our own crops, we could also more efficiently store food.

The hundred acres of farmland cost nearly a thousand taels of silver. Ye Jia planned to find a reliable person to purchase grain from this place on a stable, long-term basis. He would then find someone suitable to look after the fertile land. As for other supplies, Anxi Protectorate would be easier to find than Beiting.

Besides, a portion of the hundred acres of land could be used to grow flowers. It just so happened that Yu's rouge research was successful, and the family also needed a flower field.

Ye Jia's ambition burned brightly, and she was busy running around every day. Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and she had forgotten she had come with Zhou Jingchen. If she hadn't woken up in the middle of the night one day by someone pinching her nose, Ye Jia would have forgotten her husband was still in Kucha.

Struggling to open his eyes, Ye Jia subconsciously reached under the pillow for the dagger. Then, he swung the knife in one go.

Zhou Jingchen caught it with one hand and easily pushed the man onto the bed. Ye Jia finally saw clearly that the man was standing by the bed in black, watching her. She didn't know when he came back. His dark eyes fell on her, and Zhou Jingchen was so angry that he laughed: "Jia Niang has been so busy recently? If he comes back later, will you forget your husband's name?"

"Ah?" Ye Jia was of course busy, making money! Not only did she have to buy land and a shop, she also had to find capable people to help her. With so much to do, she couldn't take care of anything else. "Husband, why are you back in the middle of the night again?"

"Why again? Shouldn't I come back?"

Although Zhou Jingchen had been in Kucha these past few days, he had been keeping a close eye on Ye Jia's situation. He had selfishly gotten Ye Jia out, naturally worried about her safety. As a result, the young lady was so busy and happy, she was completely carefree, just like she was at home!

"I didn't say I shouldn't."

"Then why are you lamenting that I'm back?"

"I meant you came back at midnight." Ye Jia was speechless. "Don't omit the two key words without authorization. It will easily cause ambiguity."

Zhou Jingchen snorted and returned the dagger to Ye Jia. Ye Jia put it away and put it under her pillow. She was almost sober now. She was about to say that since she was back, she should go wash up first, but when she got closer to him, her brows furrowed. Zhou Jingchen looked normal on the surface, but Ye Jia could immediately smell the faint smell of blood on him. "What happened? Are you injured again?"

"It's just a minor injury." Zhou Jingchen said as he took off his clothes. The clothes were torn open, and a large red spot was on his inner shirt. He didn't care at all, and just whispered to Ye Jia: "Jia Niang, did you bring medicine? I can't find it, can you help me find it?"

Ye Jia: "When did you get injured? Why didn't you treat it in time..."

She didn't bring much medicine. Just a few bottles of wound medicine and a bottle of safflower oil. Actually, Ye Jia hadn't brought these for herself, but because she knew Zhou Jingchen might get hurt. Just in case, he'd actually come back to her injured in the middle of the night. Ye Jia was a little unhappy. When she brought the medicine, he'd already washed up and was standing shirtless under the lamp.

"Yesterday."

"You didn't take good care of the injury you got yesterday, and waited until today for me to apply medicine for you?" Ye Jiamu wiped his wound with a serious face. During the process of applying the medicine, he lost strength in his hands and pressed him so hard that he cried out in pain.

Ye Jia put the medicine back without saying a word and looked at him sideways.

Zhou Jingchen looked at her expression and pulled her sleeve: "Are you unhappy?"

Unable to move away as his arm was grabbed, Ye Jia remained silent.

"Ignore me?"

Ye Jia lowered her eyes to look at his face, which was stained with fatigue. His eyes were bloodshot, and his body was covered in wounds. Ye Jia didn't know what was going on in her mind at the time, and she only blurted out one sentence: "Zhou Yun'an, do you think you won't die?"

"Huh?" These words were spoken suddenly, and Zhou Jingchen was stunned.

"You're so confident you won't die that you're so fearless. Don't torture yourself with these inexplicable self-torture tricks that you think are insignificant. You don't realize that excessive bleeding can also kill you." Ye Jia didn't really care about his injuries before, but her mindset has gradually changed. She gets angry when she sees him being so indifferent to his injuries, and a surge of anger burns in her chest.

The lights flickered in the breeze, illuminating the two men. Zhou Jingchen's arrow wound beneath his right ribs was reduced to a scar, much less severe. It was obvious he'd used scar-removing medication, trying to make the wound less hideous. There were also knife wounds on his arms and back.

Zhou Jingchen pursed his lips and looked at Ye Jia: "Jia Niang..."

"You don't have to test me all the time. If I don't care about you, I won't care even if you bleed to death." Ye Jia stared at the man for a long time, sighed, and put away the inexplicable bitterness, "Zhou Yunan, protect yourself when you go out."

Zhou Jingchen was stunned and paused. He lowered his head and smiled softly: "...Why are you different from others, little lady?"

"Yes," she said with a roll of her eyes, "I won't fall for that kind of self-torture."

"..." Zhou Jingchen lowered his eyes, "Then which one do you think is right?"

"Honey trap."

Zhou Jingchen: “…”

Ye Jia watched him sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, his dark hair falling down without her knowing when. She walked over, raised her hand and used her fingers as a comb to comb his hair. She hugged his shoulders and lowered her head to gently kiss his forehead. Zhou Jingchen's drooping eyelashes fluttered and trembled. Ye Jia rubbed the back of his head and turned away: "Your eyes are bloodshot, so ugly. Go get some sleep."

Ye Jia's words sounded casual, but Zhou Jingchen felt as if a honey pot had cracked in his heart, and sweetness was overflowing.

After a long while, he raised his hand and touched his hair that had just been rubbed, and muttered softly: "It is because you, a young lady, only fall for beauty tricks that I am worried. Your love for me is too superficial."