Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 77

―――――――――――――――Time Separator――――――――――――――――――――

In the Hidden Fragrance Pavilion, I looked at the beautiful women surrounding me, inhaling the strong scent of perfume, and my lips twitched violently. That bastard Yu Fei actually made me come to a brothel to find him.

I was dressed in a very simple gray-white long gown, my hair was styled in a fashionable scholar's bun, and a large folding fan in my hand firmly covered half of my face. I said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm looking for Young Master Liu."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman who looked like a madam sized me up and down, then smiled and said, "Oh, young master, you've finally arrived! Young master Liu has sent me out to see you many times already."

After spinning around and around for a while, until I was dizzy, the "madam" finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous private room and gently knocked three times. The door creaked open, revealing a pale face with flushed cheeks. I gasped and almost immediately took a few steps back: "Bai...Bai Wuchang!"

White Impermanence squinted, his expression unreadable, whether he was smiling or surprised. He waved for the woman to leave before saying in a shrill voice, "My lord has been waiting for the young master for a long time." He then parted to make way for me and bowed as I entered.

I closed my eyes, the scene of Qin Ye and the others' deaths flashing clearly through my mind, those hellish days and nights. I brushed past him, smelling a faint scent of blood mixed with the fragrance of perfume, which made me want to vomit.

As soon as he stepped into the room, the door behind him slowly closed, and a refreshing floral fragrance wafted in. Liu Cenfeng was leaning against the window with his arms crossed, his black hair flowing freely. Outside the window, pear blossoms fell silently, a few petals landing on his clothes. The white petals against his white clothes seemed to melt away, leaving no trace.

The east wind at night releases a thousand blossoms from the trees, and blows down stars like rain.

For some reason, this sentence suddenly popped into my head. I stared blankly at the people and the scene, feeling that it was so beautiful that I couldn't distinguish between heaven and earth, and I was completely mesmerized.

"Are you here?" He looked at me with a slight smile, his ethereal purity instantly shattered, like a blooming poppy, exquisitely beautiful yet deadly. "Change your clothes, let's go out."

"Huh?" I blinked.

He smiled, moved in front of me, and gently stroked my hair with his fingers: "I'll go shopping with you."

"Really?!" I looked at him in surprise. I used to love going shopping on weekends, but Xiaojie didn't, Yingying only liked shopping in ridiculously expensive department stores, and my brother had gone abroad early. Only Yufei always followed me into various clothing stores without getting tired of it or being teased.

A hint of doting smile appeared in Liu Cenfeng's eyes: "Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?"

Fifteen minutes later.

"Hey! Why are we dressed like this?" I glared at him, my cheeks puffed out.

"There's nothing I can do!" Her slender fingers deftly gathered her cascading black hair and secured it with a wooden hairpin. "What can we do when our identities are so eye-catching?"

"Can't we dress up as two men?" I said angrily, tugging at my belt.

Liu Cenfeng tugged at the sash in my hand, shook his head and laughed, "There's just been a rumor that Qin Luo and Liu Cenfeng are gay. Aren't you afraid that two men behaving intimately when they go out together will arouse suspicion?"

"But..." I grabbed that unbelievably beautiful face and pulled it to both sides, "Why should I pretend to be your wife?"

I pulled someone's face out of shape, but the mocking smile in their eyes only intensified: "Lanlan, you know this is ancient times. A lone man and woman walking on the street will attract a lot of attention. It's different if we pretend to be a couple. Besides, if we pretend to be a couple, I'm the one who'll have to sacrifice... Ouch! Ouch! Okay, so what do you suggest?"

Her skin was absolutely flawless. I reluctantly let go, feeling a little sad. Compared to her previous chubby and cute face, this face that was attractive to both men and women was truly hard to touch!

"Yufei, when did you start wearing Liu Cenfeng's clothes?" I glanced at the water chain on his wrist.

As he tied the complicated sash around my clothes, he said nonchalantly, "About three years ago."

I looked at him curiously: "He was already the Grand Tutor of the Fire Feather Kingdom back then, right? Could you have handled it?"

His gestures paused, but a faint smile remained on his lips: "Why do you ask that? Are you looking down on me? If you can handle it, why can't I?"

"Cough cough..." I glanced at Zi Mo, who was expressionless in the air, and mumbled, "If I could handle it, I wouldn't have been forced into the desert by you and barely survived."

Liu Cenfeng released her hand, looked up at me, and her azure eyes sparkled: "Lanlan, are you blaming me?"

I quickly shook my head and said, "How could that be? You didn't know it was me at the time."

His fingertips brushed against my temples, his smile faint: "Or are you afraid of my change and coldness?"

My lips trembled as I spoke: "I understand, you've gone through such a terrible ordeal..."

The blood-soaked suicide note flashed through my mind. Who did Yufei do this for? How could I blame him? Fear him? A sudden tightening around my neck, painful but not suffocating. Liu Cenfeng's smile was icy cold: "If you want to call it pity..."

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His voice abruptly stopped, his cold laugh turning into a bitter one: "Lanlan, do you think we're still immature students?"

I gripped his cheeks even tighter, pulling until his face turned red, before chuckling, "I wonder what your men, the likes of Mei Lan and Qiu Ju, would think if they saw their revered Grand Tutor in this state."

I slowly released his hand, placed my hands behind my back, and gently rested my head on his shoulder, my voice soft: "I have so much to say to you, but now that we've actually met, I don't know what to say first. Yufei, it's so good to see you again! You would never guess how happy I am that you're still alive, even if we can never go back to the old world, even if you're no longer the person you used to be..."

His well-proportioned and strong hands held me tightly, his embrace both soft and warm: "Lanlan, in this world, only you can treat me rudely. I only grant you this right, and you must remember it clearly."

After a long while, he helped me up, tugged at my loose long hair, and laughed, "Even though it's just a man dressed as a woman, I never thought my Lanlan would one day become an unparalleled beauty."

Not to be outdone, I rubbed his smooth skin with my palm and laughed, "I never thought my fat man would turn into an unparalleled beauty one day."

"Alright!" He tied a veil around my temple, covering half my face, his azure eyes shining with such gentle light. "If we don't go now, the streets will be closing up shop, Miss Lanlan."

"And what about you? You just went out and paraded around like that?" Her breath dampened the veil, soft and sticky.

He took something from his robes, casually touched his face with a backhand, and his once radiant face instantly became plain and unremarkable, leaving only his eyes still a deep blue. I stared in astonishment, wide-eyed. It was… one of the human skin masks made by Yun Yan?

There's a popular saying that walking through Qinghefang is like walking through a thousand years of Luonan City's history, highlighting the significance of Hefang Street in the eyes of Luonan's residents. Hefang Street is also known as the "Street of the Former and Later Dynasties," the only place on the Ishu Continent that preserves the relics of the former Mujia Dynasty. Since arriving in ancient times, I've lived a life of constant tension. Although I'd heard of this street before, firstly, my high position and power made it inappropriate to stroll through such a place, and secondly, I didn't have the relaxed mood for it.

I stood at the entrance to the "Former Dynasty" section of Hefang Street, watching the bustling crowds. Some brushed past each other, others exchanged greetings. Young, beautiful girls carrying baskets adorned with flowers strolled down the street, attracting adoring glances from young men. They would occasionally pick up one flower, look at another, their eyes darting back to the person whose attention they were looking at. Only when their baskets were finally full did they reluctantly and gracefully depart from the "Later Dynasty" exit. The vendors' cries, like a woven, yet harmonious, net, rose and fell, crisscrossing and drawing the attention of passersby. The open-air food stalls emitted enticing aromas of various dishes, including wontons, shumai, and noodles. The silk shops were always adorned with vibrant colors, showcasing both the newest fabrics and decorations, and attracting the admiring young women.

Everything was so vivid, so real, right before my eyes. A pair of hands landed on my head, gently stroking it: "Silly girl, it's just shopping, what's there to cry about?"

Yes, it was just shopping, why would I cry? I gently wiped away my tears with my sleeve and smiled, "Who said I cried? It's just sand in my eyes." But Yufei, do you know that in the world you once accompanied me, I can no longer go shopping, I can no longer see those bustling streets, those brightly lit streets. That's why I'm so grateful to you, grateful that you let me relive those beautiful memories in this world.

Liu Cenfeng chuckled softly. His face was unremarkable, yet his laughter was like the first rays of dawn, a single beam capable of spreading across the earth and dispelling darkness. Suddenly, his azure eyes flickered slightly, and he glanced behind him. I looked in surprise; aside from the passing crowds, nothing seemed different.

A hot breath hit my face, and I felt a tightness in my cheeks. Liu Cenfeng had already cupped my face and leaned in, his eyes filled with a playful smile: "Since the sand has gotten into your eyes, let me blow it out for you."

As those icy blue eyes drew closer, his hot breath tickled my face, making my pores contract. I shoved him away abruptly, my face flushed red: "What are you talking about! Do you think this is a romance novel?"