Ma femme escalade le mur

Chapitre 31

Duan Chen didn't even lift his eyelids, and said softly, "It's none of your business."

Zhao Ting was quite taken aback by Duan Chen's soft, slow tone. His grip on his chopsticks tightened, and he pursed his thin lips. After a while, he spoke again: "Are you going to Jiangning Prefecture?" There haven't been any major events in Bianjing lately, but Jiangning seems to be getting interesting. There are only two roads leading out of this town, so they should be able to travel the same way if nothing unexpected happens.

Duan Chen picked up a small spoon and began to drink the soup. The soup contained some finely shredded seasonal vegetables, and small, smooth, sweet dough balls, likely cooked with some sweet fermented rice. After drinking it, a lingering fragrance remained in his mouth, and a warm, comforting feeling spread through his stomach. Soon, the bowl was empty. Duan Chen softly said, "Enjoy your meal," and then picked up his bundle and headed for the stairs.

Zhao Ting stood up and strode over to Duan Chen. Duan Chen looked up, his gaze cold, his expression clearly displeased. Zhao Ting raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on his lips: "If I don't lead the way, do you know which room this is?"

Duan Chen pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and then mumbled, "Please lead the way."

Zhao Ting was overjoyed, his smile deepening as he turned and led the way. Having known her for so long, he had never seen her with such an expression before; it was like a kitten retracting its claws and letting out a soft "meow." Though not entirely willing, her awkwardness was undeniably adorable.

Duan Chen followed behind expressionlessly, thinking to himself that they were also heading towards Jiangning Prefecture. Could it be because of that matter as well? If so, wouldn't they be going to be together again? The thought of this possibility made Duan Chen somewhat irritated.

Once inside, Zhao Ting went to the table, lit the oil lamp, and opened the window a little wider. The snow had lessened, and a cold wind blew into the room, carrying a hint of chill but also a touch of fresh moisture. He picked up the kettle and turned around; Duan Chen was already standing in front of him, reaching out to take it, saying, "I'll take care of it."

In the dim light, Duan Chen's phoenix eyes were half-closed, her long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings, stirring a tremor in one's heart. Zhao Ting felt a flash of inspiration, his arm sweeping around the beauty's slender waist, pulling her possessively into his embrace, lowering his head to kiss those long-desired pink lips. But just inches from her lips, he heard the beauty in his arms say coldly, "I'm sorry. I don't mind if you're gay, but please don't come looking for me."

Zhao Ting froze, his deep eyes fixed on Duan Chen, his thin lips parted slightly, but he couldn't utter a single word. A...homosexual? Before he could even comprehend how he'd become a homosexual, Zhao Ting was shoved aside, his water bottle taken, his bundle stuffed into his arms, and he was pushed backward out of the room. Accompanied by a cold thank you and the loud bang of the door slamming shut, Zhao Ting finally came to his senses, cursed under his breath, and slammed his fist against the wall. Damn it! Who spread this rumor!

With a gloomy expression, he carried his bundle downstairs, lifted his robe, sat down, and took a large gulp of wine. Zhou Yufei smiled with a hint of amusement: "What's the meaning of this? Is this expression on our young prince's face the legendary sign of unsatisfied desire?"

Zhao Ting's face was frosty, and his eyes swept over the crowd, as if to say, "If you want to fight, just say so."

Zhou Yufei waved his hands repeatedly, put down the ceramic bowl and stood up: "Alright, alright! I know I'm not well received today, I'll leave, okay? You two can eat and chat at your leisure." He raised his hand and brushed a strand of hair behind his shoulder, and muttered to himself: "Sure enough, they all acted abnormally as soon as they saw that person."

A stool slammed down behind him, aiming for his knees. Zhou Yufei lazily took a step to the side, but Zhao Ting tripped him, causing even the quick-thinking Zhou to stumble. Guests at other tables turned to look at him with curiosity. Zhou Yufei cursed under his breath, straightened up, and his charming eyes flashed with a cold light as he swept his gaze around. He flicked his robes and stomped angrily towards the stairs. "You Zhao, you're in cahoots with Xingzhi! I won't leave the door open for you tonight, let's see where you sleep!"

Chapter Two: Changing Clothes • Walking Together

The three of them got up very early, but when they got downstairs, they found they were still a step too late. Duan Chentian had left before dawn, settling the bill for all three rooms at the same time, saying it was to offset the cost of the meal and drinks from the previous night. This time, even Zhou Yufei couldn't help but frown. This person's temperament was truly extraordinary! Inviting someone for drinks was supposed to be enjoyable, so why was she offering to pay?

Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun were somewhat used to Duan Chen's way of doing things, so they didn't take it too seriously. However, they couldn't help feeling a little down; if she hadn't gone to Jiangning Prefecture, they really didn't know when they would see each other again.

For the first two months of the past six months, the three of them wandered around the Liangzhe Road area, but they didn't hear a single thing about this person. Later, Zhao Ting and Zhou Yufei returned to Bianjing, while Zhan Yun returned to his old residence in Suzhou for a while. Until a few days ago, when the two came looking for him, "Xingyun Manor" received an invitation from the old master of "Wanliu Manor". The invitation stated that the master of "Wanliu Manor" would be celebrating his sixtieth birthday in a little over a month, and the manor would also be exhibiting several famous weapons from the martial arts world for everyone to enjoy. In addition, in early November, it would be the annual "Plum Garden Gathering" of Wanliu Manor, so they sincerely invited some familiar friends from the martial arts world to take time out of their busy schedules to gather, appreciate the plum blossoms, and drink wine.

Actually, this was originally something that could be done either way, but Zhao Ting received news from Bianjing that Wanliu Manor had been having some dealings with the Western Xia in recent years. The order from above was for Zhao and Zhou to go and scout things out. If the intelligence was accurate, they would act accordingly, and the court could send reinforcements at any time. If all else failed, they would wipe them out completely.

Zhan Yun's father had once been very close to the second young master of "Wanliu Manor," and this banquet was being handled by this second young master Liu, who therefore showed special favor to "Xingyun Manor," sending three invitations to his old friend to gather at their residence. The letter also expressed a strong desire for both young masters to attend, revealing considerable praise and admiration for Xingyun's son. When the eldest young master Zhan heard the steward read those words aloud, he smiled rather meaningfully. The patriarch Zhan, with a serious expression, sipped his tea several times, uttered only one sentence in a deep voice, and then rose to return to his study.

Zhan Yun blushed instantly, while her elder brother and sister-in-law exchanged knowing smiles. The remaining two sighed deeply, feigning emotion. Master Zhan's words were brief, but his attitude was resolute: "It's about time she got married."

Seeing his younger brother's awkward expression, Zhan Huan immediately clapped his hands and laughed, "Xingzhi will certainly live up to our father's expectations on this trip." As he spoke, he blinked his crescent-shaped eyes, which were exactly the same as Zhan Yun's, and was pleased to see the usually gentle and refined Young Master Xingzhi suddenly lose his smile and look at him coldly in public.

Ten days later, the three of them took the gold-plated invitations and traveled leisurely in a carriage towards Jiangning Prefecture.

They unexpectedly met Duan Chen in a small town three hundred miles from Jiangning Prefecture, but the next morning they couldn't find her anywhere. Zhou Yufei was alright; he just thought it was a loss of fun on the road and soon forgot about the money. Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun, on the other hand, were somewhat depressed. Zhao Ting, who was usually quiet, had a gloomy face for half the day and didn't bother to utter a single word. Zhan Yun, however, remained calm, tapping the carriage wall intermittently with his jade-bone fan, as if deep in thought.

Around dusk, the carriage finally entered the inner city of Jiangning Prefecture. It was already dark, and light snow was still falling. The three of them got off the carriage one by one, chose the most famous restaurant in the area, ordered a few signature dishes, and a jar of the local specialty "Lanbo Xiang" liquor. They then sat in a corner on the second floor, quietly eating and drinking while looking at the snow scene outside the window.

The dishes in Jiangning Prefecture are quite unique. The "Phoenix Feathers" dish whetted the appetites of the three of them. The sweet and sour plums and the fragrance of orchid mushrooms were perfectly infused into the chicken wings. Moreover, the chicken wings were fried to perfection, with the outer skin slightly browned and the meat inside so tender that it could ooze juice. Zhou Yufei kept praising it.

Another dish, "Hidden Beauty in a Golden House," kept Zhao Ting almost unable to stop eating. He had always enjoyed slightly sweet dishes. This dish involved burying lily bulbs, longan, red dates, lotus seeds, red bean paste, and a small ball of glutinous rice inside a golden pumpkin. The fillings were pre-cooked, and the pumpkin was half-cooked. It was then steamed until the pumpkin was soft and tender, and served directly on the plate. Not only were the fillings sweet and delicious, but the pumpkin used as a filling was also soft and slightly crispy, and the flavors blended together perfectly, making it a truly rare and exquisite dish.

The remaining dishes were delicious. The ribs were fragrant, the vegetables were refreshing, and the "Blue Wave Spring" soup was crisp and flavorful. The three of them, known gourmets, thoroughly enjoyed themselves and exclaimed how satisfying it was. Just as they were eating with great relish, a pale blue figure slowly moved to the table. Almost simultaneously, all three looked up, their faces showing delight. It was Duan Chen!

Zhan Yun pulled the stool in front of Duan Chen aside a little, a gentle smile playing on her lips: "Little Duan, sit down."

Zhao Ting stared intently at the person standing calmly at the table, without saying a word. Seeing this, Zhou Yufei sighed inwardly, but put on a nonchalant expression: "Oh! Isn't this Duan Chen? I didn't expect to actually run into him in Jiangning Prefecture. What, did you come here specifically to share a table with us?"

"Yiran." Zhan Yun's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes held a faint warning. He then turned to look at Duan Chen: "Xiao Duan, he just likes to joke around, don't take it to heart."

Duan Chen's expression remained unchanged, though his knuckles were clenched so tightly around the bundle that they turned slightly white. His phoenix eyes were half-closed, and his lips were pressed tightly together. Tiny drops of water slid down his temples, down his cheeks, and into his collar, but Duan Chen seemed oblivious. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his usually cool voice now light and airy, like an echo in a valley, making it hard to hear clearly: "Are you going to Wanliu Manor?"

Zhao Ting's expression remained unchanged, but his somewhat anxious question revealed his true emotions: "Are you going there too?"

Duan Chen raised his eyes and looked at Zhan Yun, his voice even lower than before: "Can you take me in?"

She arrived at Wanliu Manor around noon today, only to discover upon reaching the gate that entry wasn't easy; one needed a gilded invitation personally written by Master Liu Er to be considered an invited guest. Duan Chen blamed herself for not researching beforehand and preparing more, while simultaneously pondering every possible way to sneak into the manor. After much thought, she suddenly remembered the three men's probing remarks last night; they were likely also coming here. After inquiring for a long time, she finally learned from others that the renowned Young Master Xingzhi was indeed a VIP guest of the manor.

Duan Chen had been searching since the afternoon, turning the entire inner city of Jiangning Prefecture upside down. After searching three times, he finally spotted the three figures on the second floor of the most famous restaurant in the city, "Yingtai Lou." He moved forward with increasingly heavy steps, constantly pondering how to broach the subject. Duan Chen was adept at reading people, but he had never learned how to ask for help. Asking these three for help was harder than breaking his own wrist ten times over.

Seeing that Duan Chen didn't even glance at him and went straight to begging Zhan Yun, Zhao Ting was naturally very unhappy. Zhan Yun blinked, about to speak, when Zhou Yufei interrupted, "Getting you in isn't difficult, you just need to change your clothes!"

Not only Duan Chen, but Zhao Ting and Zhan Yun were also taken aback. Zhan Yun had a vague idea of what was going on and was about to make a move when Duan Chen spoke first: "Change what?"

Young Master Zhou smiled brightly, and also looked particularly irritating: "Change back into women's clothing."

Changing clothes isn't scary; the key is the word "return." Duan Chen's face suddenly turned pale, his phoenix eyes staring blankly at Zhou Yufei before slowly shifting his gaze to the other two. Zhao Ting's thin lips parted slightly, about to explain, when he felt a hard kick to his shin. Turning his head, he saw Zhou Yufei exchanging glances with him.

Zhan Yun cleared his throat twice and said gently, "It's like this, we only have three invitations. If we want to bring you in, we can only find a reason, saying that you are the cousin of one of us, and since the manor is in such a grand occasion, we've brought you here to broaden your horizons. Young Master Liu has had some dealings with your parents, so I think he should be able to give us that face." Zhou Yufei then secretly gave Zhao Ting a wink, meaning, "Look how shrewd he is. If you want to win the heart of a beauty, you'd better learn from him."

Duan Chen pursed his lips and remained silent for a long while before asking softly, "Then whose cousin should I be?"

Zhao Ting finally found a chance to speak: "You choose for yourself."

Zhou Yufei raised an eyebrow, lazily propped up one elbow, and picked up his wine cup to drink. Zhao Ting sat upright, leaning slightly forward, his deep eyes fixed on Duan Chen without blinking. Duan Chen gripped the strap of his bundle, lowered his eyes, and felt that in the past twenty years of his life, he had never been so troubled.

After another long silence, Duan Chen raised his eyes and looked at Zhan Yun again: "You're the best."

The young prince nearly flipped the table on the spot! His hand, resting on the edge of the table, almost snapped a piece off the edge, and the sound of breaking wood could be faintly heard. Zhou Yufei's eyelids twitched as he watched. Just as he was trying to figure out how to comfort the impending outburst from the young prince, Zhao Ting slammed his hand on the table, followed by a glare more chilling than the wind outside the window: "Aren't you going to buy clothes?!"

Winter days are short and darkness falls early, so it wasn't actually that late. Duan Chen followed the three into the carriage, sitting near the door, head down and silent. The carriage stopped outside a shop, just as the owner was closing. The heavy snow these past few days had reduced customers, and most shops closed early. Zhou Yufei lifted the curtain, strolled over unhurriedly, slipped a silver ingot into the owner's hand, and the two huddled together for a quiet conversation. Zhou Yufei then beckoned to the carriage, and Duan Chen got out with his bundle.