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Глава 56

Cheng Jue remained noncommittal, raised his hand, took off his general's uniform and handed it, along with his riding whip, to his personal guard. He then waved his hand again, and the hundred Cheng family soldiers marched away in unison.

I turned to Kim Sam and his men, "You may all leave now."

The crowd dispersed, but Kim Jong-un remained.

Cheng Jue chuckled, patting non-existent dust off his hands. "Alright, everything's fine now. Young Master Lin, go change your clothes. I'll wait for you."

I glared at Cheng Jue, but before I could say anything, Ru Ying grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the inner room.

Chapter 120: Shopping

"What kind of image is it for a girl to run out so early in the morning, dressed so unkempt?" Ru Ying said with a stern face.

I sat on the edge of the bed, looked up, and saw myself in the mirror. I chuckled to myself, remembering that this time and space was different from my own.

I wrapped my arms around Ruying's neck in a comforting gesture. "Okay, Ruying, don't be angry. I didn't mean to. I was just half asleep and forgot for a moment." Then I muttered softly, "It's not so bad. I wasn't wearing a crop top or a tank top."

Ru Ying blushed and gently pushed me away. Just as she was about to say something, she heard the next few words and her face immediately turned pale.

"What did you say?" Ru Ying's voice was laced with gritted teeth. "Crop tops and sundresses? You mean, you still want to wear these out? Hmm?"

I was startled, immediately realizing I'd said the wrong thing. I jumped up, grinning, and ran to the side, yelling, "Ah, Ruying, what do you think I should wear today? How about I try on women's clothes? Come to think of it, it's been so long since I've worn women's clothes!"

As I spoke, I reached out and unbuttoned my undergarment, preparing to change. I had only revealed half of my shoulder when I suddenly heard Ru Ying's reprimanding voice pause, followed by a gasp behind me, and then a strange rustling sound. I turned around and saw Ru Ying's disheveled figure fleeing. I was so shocked that I opened my mouth wide and forgot to close it for a long time.

My lips twitched, twitched.

After a long while, he slowly pulled up his inner garment, grabbed a casual outer robe, and haphazardly put it on.

When they arrived outside the hall, Ru Ying was standing coldly by the window, facing outwards, her expression unreadable.

Cheng Jue kept pacing back and forth, her riding crop cracking against her boots. When she saw me come out, a helpless annoyance appeared on her face. "You damn woman, it takes you so long to get dressed."

I rolled my eyes at him, annoyed. "Mind your own business! Why did you invite me shopping? Hurry up and get to the point!"

Cheng Jue choked for a moment, then snapped angrily, "How can you be so vulgar, woman?"

I raised my chin, disdainful.

That's just how I am, so what?

Cheng Jue was furious, but after a long while, she gave up and said, "Fine, I know you're like this by nature, but I still insisted on arguing with you. I'm just asking for trouble."

That's absolutely right! I nodded in complete agreement, my eyes crinkling with happiness.

Seeing my expression, Cheng Jue was both amused and annoyed. She walked over and gave me a sharp tap on the head. "Keep being so vain."

Caught off guard, I was hit on the head, which enraged me. I covered my head and yelled, "You damn Cheng Jue, I hate it when people hit me on the head!"

Cheng Jue took a few lazy steps, leaned back in the chair I usually love to lie in, and smiled, "I know. I also know that although you don't like others hitting you, you love to flick children's foreheads."

I stared at Cheng Jue with a look of surprise and suspicion for a while, then walked closer to him and squatted down beside him. "Hey, it sounds like you really know me quite well? Who exactly are you?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Jue's expression suddenly turned serious. He sat up, looked directly into my eyes, and said softly, "Qingyan, have you really completely forgotten me? Really, can't you remember me at all?"

I stared at him suspiciously for a while, but eventually shook my head in the face of his disappointed gaze.

"It's alright, I'll make you remember. I'll take you somewhere today, maybe when you see it, you'll remember something." Cheng Jue's expression was somber, but after a while, she started smiling again.

"Alright then." I shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Just as I was about to leave, a figure suddenly pounced on me from outside the door, grabbed me, and clung to me tightly like an octopus, shouting, "Sister, take me out, take me out! Sister hasn't spoken to me for days!"

I pulled Xiao Zheng off me. "Okay, I'll take you."

Xiao Zheng jumped for joy, but Cheng Jue's face instantly darkened. I pretended not to see it and turned my head away.

Chapter 121: The Token

Streets of Huaicheng.

In the corner, a group of beggar children sat, sunlight illuminating the ground littered with their broken bowls. Scattered within each bowl were a few small copper and iron coins.

One of the beggars was rather thin, and perhaps for this reason, he gained the sympathy of others and received a few extra copper coins. Another, larger beggar, taking advantage of the others' absence, immediately turned hostile. With a whoosh, he snatched the coins, shoved the lunging, thinner beggar to the ground, and ran away in a flash.

On the opposite street corner from the beggar children, three people stood quietly, watching the scene without making any move to interfere.

These three people, naturally, are us.

Of the three, Cheng Jue looked at the scene opposite her with a gentle expression and eyes full of affection.

Xiao Zheng was also very interested; he loved watching people fight.

I was bored, looking across the street, then at Xiao Zheng, and then at Cheng Jue.

"This is what you wanted to show me?" I finally couldn't help but yawn. If I had known this would happen, I would have been better off staying home and catching up on my sleep.

Cheng Jue froze, looking at me with sorrow and reproach in her eyes.

I slapped my forehead in exasperation. "Please, Marshal Cheng, can't you just say what you want to say? I'm tired of guessing like this. Just tell me, okay?"

It's always like this, making me feel so guilty. But I really can't remember a single thing. If things between us were really as he said, how could I possibly forget so completely?!

"If you really can't remember, then fine, I'll tell you... Back when we first met, you were the one bullying me." Cheng Jue's expression was as if he were recalling something.

I nodded. "I believe that. I've gotten into a habit of bullying people. I've bullied almost everyone I know. It's nothing. But I can't think of anything special about this. Is there anything unusual?"

“Yes.” Cheng Jue’s eyes suddenly lit up. He smiled gently, looking at me with tenderness and expectation. “Yes, it is something very, very special.”