Young Prime Minister, a Hermit - Chapter 155
Volume Four: The Fragrance Lingers on the Sleeves When Weary Birds Return
Trailer
Riding the wind homeward, dusk lingers, alone amidst the azure waters and clouds. Flowers bloom and fade in their own time, their withering and blossoming both determined by fate.
Having lost her memory and unable to return to ancient times, Jialan designs a wedding ceremony for Xu Lie, leading them into the wedding hall. At the critical moment, Zi Mo's schemes and Wei Ye's efforts introduce unexpected changes to the wedding. Can this wedding, on which Xu Lie has poured his only hope, proceed smoothly?
Zi Mo went to great lengths to help Jia Lan regain her memories. After remembering everything, Jia Lan only wanted to return to Yi Han's side. However, upon arriving in ancient times, she discovered that five years had passed in a flash, and the continent of Yi Xiu had undergone tremendous changes, with everything and everyone transformed.
Five years of separation, five years of estrangement, starkly separated them. Can Jialan, who is wandering and searching, rekindle her relationship with Yihan?
The land is cold and desolate, the fires scorching, the winds merciless, the mortal world cruel and rife with war; the people suffer, wives and children are scattered, parents are filled with hatred, the divine child lies dormant, and the chaos of this world seems endless. Who is this mysterious Wind Emperor Feng Ming, who appeared out of nowhere and roamed the world for five years?
Galan repeatedly steeled herself to sever her ties with Xu Lie, only to be cruelly tormented by fate. So, how can the intricate web of grievances between them be settled and resolved?
Zi Mo, who has always been by Garan's side, Fei Fei, whose whereabouts are unknown, Yun Yan, who is heartbroken, and the people of the Yixiu Continent who are struggling in the chaos of the world, what will become of them?
Let's look at the fourth volume of "The Young Prime Minister, a Recluse": when weary birds return, the fragrance lingers on his sleeves.
Xiao Yi
2008.5.11 11:00
The scroll "If Heaven Had Feelings, It Would Grow Old" is now complete.
The next update was hinted at in the previous chapter. If the forum runs smoothly, it should be a little sooner. However, due to a dishonest hosting provider, our forum keeps exceeding bandwidth and CPU limits, resulting in it being shut down… Sigh! We are trying to find a replacement as soon as possible, and we hope everyone will understand.
Also, I'm going to Suzhou next week and might not be back for a month. So, updates from "Young Prime Minister" will be forwarded to the forum administrator, who will then manage the posting. Um, I'll let you know again later...
Insert bookmark
Side Story: Even Heaven and Earth Have an End (Prelude)
Chapter 1 Xia Yan
Chapter 1 Xia Yan
Xia Yan
August 2008, Shanghuai City.
"Xia Yan! Xia Yan! I love you!"
"Xia Yan!! We will always support you!!"
"Today, we have invited Xia Yan, a rising idol superstar, as our special guest. As everyone knows, Xia Yan debuted at the age of 23, and in less than a year, he has already participated in three international fashion shows. Moreover, since the release of his album at the beginning of this year, it has consistently topped various charts. This is undoubtedly a miracle in the entertainment industry. Mr. Xia Yan, do you have any secrets to your success that you can share with us?"
The sound of keyboard typing echoed regularly in the president's office of Xu Tian Group. Xu Lie, the president, simply leaned back casually on the leather sofa, his legs crossed, his hands outstretched and resting on the back of the sofa. He watched with slightly narrowed eyes as the television camera slowly switched from a capable host to a young man in a well-fitting black casual suit.
The man wore a silver earring in his left ear, and his short, slightly upturned hair revealed a broad forehead. His sculpted features, enhanced by the makeup artist's skillful touch, possessed a sensual beauty. Coupled with his naturally masculine and athletic physique from playing basketball and the superb basketball skills realistically portrayed in the music video, it's no wonder he could drive a group of young men and women crazy.
His handsome appearance, naturally magnetic voice, and ample financial resources created a dazzling stage for him. However, the main reason he was able to debut at such a young age and become famous in just six months was his own relentless hard work, fueled by a deep-seated hatred and an all-consuming willpower.
In the brief moment Xu Lie was lost in thought, the program had already moved on to the audience Q&A session. A girl who had finally managed to grab the microphone blushed deeply, overwhelmed with shyness, yet still asked nervously and eagerly, "Xia Yan, do you... have a girlfriend?"
Here they come! Xu Lie pursed his lips, a cold smile appearing on his face, a flash of cold light appearing in his eyes, and the sound of typing on the keyboard in the room stopped at the right moment.
"No." Xia Yan on TV still smiled calmly, his voice magnetic and alluring. Just as all the fans were relieved, he added loudly, "But I have a fiancée. We've decided to get married this October."
Xia Yan's words were like a bombshell, landing on the set and stunning the audience and even the host. He, however, seemed oblivious, continuing with a gentlemanly smile, "We met in university and dated for over three years. Although we broke up due to a misunderstanding, I could never forget her. Fortunately, I mustered the courage to confess my feelings to her, only to find out that she had been waiting for me without complaint all along."
Xia Yan paused, his eyes filled with deep affection as he gazed intently down at them. He said softly, "I know that past wounds cannot be easily erased, and the rift from a long separation cannot be wiped away by a marriage certificate. But I believe, Yingying, as long as we still love each other, we can definitely go back to how things were before. Please, marry me!"
Even the camera seemed to tremble with shock, abruptly panning to the audience, where a beautiful and charming woman sat at the very back. Her light makeup gave her an elegant and graceful air, and the tears welling in her eyes, brimming with happiness, only added to her pitiful appearance…
As the audience stirred, the cameras zoomed in, and the host excitedly asked questions about the juicy headline, Xu Lie could no longer hear clearly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the man standing up from the executive chair—a man with a sleek physique, a slightly thin frame, a pale face from prolonged illness, and perpetually deep, subtly smiling brown eyes… Xu Lie smiled, his thoughts involuntarily drifting back to two months ago.
June 2008, Shanghuai City.
"Yingying, aren't we friends? Why...why are you doing this to me?"
The trembling voice, the tightly suppressed sobs, made Xu Lie's heart ache. He lowered his head to look at the woman leaning against his chest. Her face was delicate, her features still somewhat childish, and beneath her barely visible double eyelids were a pair of tear-filled eyes. The salty tears made her already dark and bright pupils even brighter, like two pools of black jade, clear and transparent. Her small, pearly teeth unconsciously bit her pale lower lip, leaving a red mark on her jelly-like, tender lips.
Xu Lie quietly tightened his grip on her, wishing he could melt her into his body, possess her, protect her, and not let anyone hurt her or take her away.
Fan Yingying, still visibly shocked, harbored resentment towards Jialan because of her questioning. However, upon seeing Xu Lie behind Jialan, she quickly hid her anger, her neck throbbing slightly.
She looked away from those clear eyes that she now loathed even more. She wanted to beg for forgiveness in a humble voice to avoid Xu Lie's revenge, but the thought of the contrast between her situation and that of the foolish woman in front of her made her feel as if she were on fire, burning with pain.
Why should someone as incompetent and cowardly as her be able to become Xu Tian's mistress? Why should someone as smart and capable as herself only be destined to the tragic end of being someone else's mistress? Xu Lie actually wants this withered flower! He actually wants her! And he even has a tender expression of cherishing and protecting her as if she were a precious treasure.
A faint fragrance filled the room, like the scent of osmanthus drifting in from outside the window. It was a pleasant smell, yet it made Yingying feel suffocated and depressed. She dared not beg for mercy, afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would utter curses. Her neck ached again.
“Lie…” Galan’s face was filled with sorrow, pain and confusion. As if unable to bear it any longer, she suddenly turned around and wrapped her arms around Xu Lie’s waist, pressing her face against his chest. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and she whimpered, “Lie, why is this happening… why?”
Xu Lie felt a tearing pain in his heart, an overwhelming sense of guilt, and an overwhelming sense of cherishing this warm and fragrant moment. He gently stroked her soft hair with one hand, while holding her even tighter with the other, as if trying to embed her into his body, as if trying to freeze time.
Galan broke free from his embrace, turned around to look at the woman standing in front of the sofa, her face adorned with heavy makeup yet unable to conceal her pale complexion, and choked out, "Yingying, I only have one question for you: did you hurt me like this just because of jealousy?"
Yingying pondered, her gaze fixed on Xu Lie's hand resting on Jialan's shoulder. A sudden burning sensation flared at her temples, spreading throughout her body and frantically scorching her remaining sanity. The pervasive fragrance, like a ghostly fire, slowly ignited the love, hate, and jealousy hidden deep within her, until it boiled over completely.
Yingying suddenly raised her head and roared in a shrill voice, "Yes! I'm jealous of you! So jealous that I want to destroy you completely! A woman like you, living in an ivory tower, what does life mean? What does helplessness mean? Everything you want, everything you love, is within your grasp. And what about me! I've schemed and worked tirelessly day and night, and what have I gotten? Not even a decent house. You, who are utterly useless in university except for your grades, have gotten everything I want just because of a bit of luck. How can I accept this?! How can I possibly accept this?!"
"Ha...hahaha..." Yingying walked forward step by step, her makeup ruined by tears that had streamed down her face, making her look ferocious. Her eyes were bloodshot with hatred, as if jealousy had burned her heart and lungs in an instant, making her completely forget her current situation and only want to vent her dissatisfaction and resentment towards the world: "So when Shao Junyi proposed it, I agreed without even thinking. What do you mean, for Dad! That gambling-addicted dad, I wish he were dead, how could I care whether he lives or dies! So why did I agree?"
Yingying chuckled, her expression strangely eerie: "That's because I've finally found a legitimate reason for myself. A perfectly legitimate reason to destroy your obstructive, happy life!"
"After framing me, you received a considerable amount of money from Shao Junyi, which was more than enough, wasn't it? Why did you still become the mistress of a director of Foxconn Group?"