Snow falls and the wind blows

Chapter 76

The man's every smile and gesture, though more effeminate than the average man, was not unpleasant; rather, it possessed a unique charm. However, his direct expression of such matters made all four of them somewhat uncomfortable.

The man led the four into a room, inviting them to sit down while he began washing the teaware. Seeing that they were all a little awkward, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Please don't be so formal. We have more than thirty kinds of tea cakes and teas. Which one would you like to try?" As he spoke, he glanced at the signs on the table and gestured for them to look at them.

Zhou Yufei glanced at it only once before lazily pushing the wooden sign toward Zhan Yun: "Same as always, you do it."

Zhan Yun didn't refuse. After looking at it for a while, she said gently to the man, "I'll have Qingfeng Marrow then."

The man paused for a moment, then smiled brightly again: "This young master has excellent taste. The tea powder I just ground this afternoon is the best to drink today."

In a short while, four clean, lustrous teacups were gently placed on the table. The man turned and went to a drawer to retrieve a small box. He poured some tea powder into each cup, then slowly added water while gently stirring with a bamboo whisk. Next, he added some boiling water and lightly whisked the tea with a tea whisk. A fragrant aroma filled the air, and steam rose. A thin layer of white foam gradually formed on the two cups in his hand, but it didn't overflow at all, making the clear, green tea liquor look exceptionally enticing.

The man brought two cups of tea to the four of them, said softly, "Enjoy your tea," and then turned back to continue brewing the two bowls. He continued his work meticulously, and as he glanced up, he saw Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun each holding a cup of tea, simultaneously handing it to Duan Chen. He couldn't help but purse his lips, understanding the situation perfectly.

Duan Chen naturally couldn't possibly drink two bowls by himself, and feeling that it wouldn't be right to accept either of them in this situation, he softly declined, "You guys drink, I'm not thirsty."

In a short while, the man brought over two more bowls of tea. This time, he sat down at the table, directly opposite Duan Chen. Duan Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip. He found the tea slightly bitter, but after swallowing the first sip, there was a sweet aftertaste. The tea had a rich and complex flavor and a long-lasting aroma. This man's tea-making skills were superb, and the tea was of the highest quality; it was indeed a rare and delicious taste.

Zhao Ting rested his chin on his hand and stared at Duan Chen for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, the man raised his hand, glanced at Zhao Ting, then looked at Zhan Yun, and a somewhat mysterious smile gradually appeared on his lips.

"I presume you two have come here seeking some secret methods to please your beloved and satisfy your desires," the man said slowly, a hint of ambiguity in his eyes. "I wonder if Qingli's suggestion aligns with your thoughts?"

Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun immediately grasped the deeper meaning behind the man's words, and both showed some unease on their faces. Zhan Yun's cheeks flushed slightly, and his handsome brows furrowed gently. Zhou Yufei leisurely sipped his tea, sighing inwardly. He had expected this. People who frequented places like this were all shrewd, and these two always gave Duan Chen those kinds of expressions and gestures; it was hard not to misunderstand!

Duan Chen didn't understand what the "secret method" he mentioned meant, but he also noticed the other person's ambiguous expression. Thinking back to his encounter at the Nunnery Hotel, he couldn't help but frown.

This slight frown caused the person to let out a soft "Ah," still propping their chin up and staring at Duan Chen, clicking their tongue in admiration: "Though a bit aloof, he does possess a unique charm. Especially that frown, it's truly endearing. No wonder, no wonder..."

As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at Zhao and Zhan. Before Duan Chen and the others could speak, the man got up, walked to a wooden cabinet in the corner, and carefully took out a small silver box.

Returning to the table and sitting down gracefully, the man opened the box, turned to the four of them, and said with a smile, "This is a rare item that costs a hundred taels of silver for just one piece. Especially recently, it's practically priceless. I've gotten along quite well with you all, and since there are ten here, I'll sell half of them to you."

As she spoke, she winked at Zhan Yun, covered her mouth and laughed, "Don't just stand there dumbfounded. Go back and give one to your little darling, and you'll know how wonderful it is."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ting's eyes immediately turned cold: "What exactly is it, an aphrodisiac?"

The man who called himself Qingli clicked his tongue twice and shook his finger: "Young master, don't underestimate this stuff. If it were just an ordinary aphrodisiac, how could it be sold at such a high price?" As he spoke, he chuckled softly, his expression quite lewd: "Whether this stuff is good or not, you'll only know after using it yourself. This young man is probably still a virgin, isn't he? If we don't lend him some drugs, with your enthusiasm, he'll probably suffer quite a bit, and then it'll be you two young masters who will feel sorry for him."

Zhao Ting found it increasingly absurd, his face hardening as he raised his hand to strike, but Duan Chen grabbed his arm with one hand. Zhao Ting was both puzzled and delighted. Turning his head, he saw Duan Chen reach out and take the box, lower his eyes to examine it for a moment, and then say expressionlessly, "We'll buy it."

Seeing this, the man was very pleased with himself, laughing so hard his shoulders shook: "I didn't expect this young man to be such a straightforward person despite his thin skin!"

Seeing that Duan Chen seemed thoughtful as he looked at the pills, Zhan Yun pondered for a moment and understood what was going on. He took out a few silver notes from his pocket and handed them over, his clear voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible coolness: "If it is really as good as you say, we will definitely come again."

Zhan Yun tucked the handkerchief containing the pills into her sleeve, and the four of them left the building together. The man stood by the window, leaning against it, watching the four figures disappear into the distance, his expression somewhat complicated.

Zhou Yufei bid farewell to the three at an intersection. The three walked towards the Prince's Mansion. Zhao Ting glanced at Duan Chen and asked in a deep voice, "Chen'er, did you buy the pills because you thought they might be related to the smiles on those four people's faces?" He had calmed down and thought for a moment, and felt that this was the only possible reason. Otherwise, given Duan Chen's personality, while he might not necessarily hit anyone, he wouldn't allow others to say such humiliating things to him.

Duan Chen nodded slightly, his clear, cold phoenix eyes revealing deep thought. He slowly deduced, "The coroner didn't find any poison in the four people's bodies, but that doesn't mean they weren't drugged before they died. Two of the four weren't weak scholars; the one who died at the nunnery was, in fact, quite robust. Yet, none of them made a sound when they died, attracting no attention whatsoever. Especially since two of them died in their own homes..."

Zhan Yun nodded: "It does seem a bit far-fetched. Moreover, all four of them had smiles on their faces when they died, which means they were likely drugged and their minds were clouded, which is why they did not resist or cry for help."

Seeing the perfect harmony between the two, Zhao Ting felt a pang of jealousy. His thin lips pressed tightly together, his dark eyes gazing intently at Duan Chen's profile. He thought to himself, "Yi Ran said I must confess my feelings to her face-to-face. If Duan Chen doesn't directly reject me, it means there's a chance. If he does reject me, I'll have to change my strategy… Maybe tonight?"

Upon entering the Prince's residence, Zhan Yun and Duan Chen walked towards the back courtyard, only to find Zhao Ting still following beside them. They both turned to look at him. Zhao Ting pursed his lips, clenched his fists at his sides, and stared intently at Duan Chen: "Chen'er, I have something to tell you."

Duan Chen was somewhat surprised. He stopped and nodded, "Speak."

Zhao Ting gritted his teeth in frustration, his voice even lower: "Can we talk in your room?"

Standing beside him, Zhan Yun, still with a faint smile, waved his folding fan and interrupted, "Zhao Ting, is there anything we can't say in the courtyard? Why do we have to go to someone's room to talk?"

Duan Chen glanced at Zhao Ting with some suspicion, clearly puzzled by his insistence on talking in the room.

Zhao Ting gritted his teeth in anger, his dark eyes deeper than usual, his expression resolute, yet his tone was somewhat pitiful: "Chen'er, just a few words. I'll leave after I'm done."

Duan Chen was still puzzled. Although he vaguely knew Zhao Ting's feelings for him, he never expected that someone would come to him specifically to say such a thing. Therefore, when he heard Zhao Ting say that he had something to say to him, he assumed that the other party really had something to say. Thinking that there was no reason to refuse, he nodded in agreement.

Zhan Yun naturally guessed that Zhao Ting's intentions were impure, but since Duan Chen had already agreed, he had no grounds to refuse and could only watch helplessly as the two entered the house one after the other. The usually composed and gentle Xingzhi Gongzi, who prided himself on his calm demeanor, experienced for the first time the burning anxiety within his heart. However, due to his good upbringing, he couldn't bring himself to eavesdrop, so he could only silently enter the house and stand quietly by the window, letting the cold wind blow on him.

The sky was pitch black, without a trace of moonlight, and the breeze was slightly chilly, carrying the fragrance of magnolias. Zhan Yun had only stood there for a short while when the temperature of his hands, like the jade frame of a folding fan in his sleeve, became icy cold. His chest, however, felt as hot as boiling water, and he couldn't calm down no matter what he did; his breathing was not as even and long as usual.

Gazing at the tiny white flowers, each the size of a bowl, in the night, their delicate fragrance mirrored the scent emanating from that person. He recalled the night before, at the inn, gently holding her in his arms, whispering sweet nothings in her ear: her slightly pointed chin, her delicate white neck tracing a graceful curve, her expression always cool and composed, seemingly undisturbed by anything around her. And the words he whispered in her ear, though an act, were sincere, every word from the bottom of his heart, sweet as honey. Thinking of this, his chest burned even hotter, a sharp pain piercing his heart.

Author's Note: Next update will be at 9 AM this Wednesday, October 6th.

71

Chapter Five: Yu Liu Mountain • Sandalwood Hairpin...

Zhao Ting followed Duan Chen into the house, hesitated for a long time, unable to utter the words Zhou Yufei had taught him. In the dim light, gazing at the man's graceful figure and aloof eyes, for some reason, the sharpness he had displayed in the courtyard gradually faded. His heart was still pounding eagerly, but he could only stare blankly at the man.

Duan Chen waited for a long time, but the other party didn't speak. Seeing that it was almost four in the morning, and that it would be dawn soon if they kept going, he said softly, "Didn't you have something to say? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhao Ting suddenly snapped back to reality, his thin lips moving slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he finally managed to squeeze out a question: "Chen'er, are you... free during the day?"

Duan Chen's eyebrows twitched, his phoenix eyes looked elsewhere, and he gently shook his head.

Duan Chen tilted her head slightly, revealing her snow-white neck. A small strand of fine hair slipped down her earlobe, swaying gently with her shadow. Zhao Ting's eyes darkened, his burning gaze lingering on the beauty's fair earlobe and slender neck. His Adam's apple bobbed, yet he maintained a composed demeanor as he spoke. Suddenly, as if possessed, a question slipped out: "Do you like Zhan Yun?"

Duan Chen sensed something was amiss in those words and turned his gaze back. He saw Zhao Ting's eyes were unusually deep, and he was looking at him intently. Duan Chen frowned and spoke in a cold tone: "The young prince just said he had something important to discuss. Is this it?"

As soon as Zhao Ting uttered the words, he regretted it so much he wanted to bite his tongue off. He was supposed to be expressing his feelings, but why did he have to bring up that kid at this crucial moment! Seeing Duan Chen's displeasure, Zhao Ting took two steps forward, his voice slightly hoarse: "No, that's not what I meant..."

Neither of them were usually talkative, but now, because of Zhao Ting's words, one was filled with regret, and the other showed slight annoyance. For a moment, they fell silent, speechless. Looking at the beautiful woman's face so close to his, Zhao Ting inexplicably recalled what the man in the building had said earlier. Before he could even process his own thoughts, his arm was already around Duan Chen's slender waist, and he lowered his head to kiss her.