Chapter 21 Chapter 21 He was halfway through

taking off his clothes, so he shouldn’t... Before Biezhi could get to Wuweipu, he was tripped by Hua Chao who came running.

The moment Hua Chao saw her, the anxiety in his eyes turned into watery tears. He trotted over, looking her up and down, "I've been looking for you for a long time and couldn't find you. I was scared to death."

"I'm fine." Biezhi took out a handkerchief and wiped the water from Hua Chao's eyelashes. She was used to being alone and had forgotten about going to look for Hua Chao. "There was a little incident, but it's all resolved."

"Is the young lady hurt?" Hua Chao lowered her eyes and looked her up from bottom to top, feeling a little scared. "When I arrived with my men, I didn't see the young lady. I hurriedly sent someone to the calligraphy gathering to report to Miss Wan. Miss Wan was also looking everywhere."

Biezhi paused and asked, "Sister is here too?"

Hua Chao nodded, looking back, "We split into two groups. Miss Wan and her men are on Yongle Street."

Biezhi's eyes swept towards the direction of Suzaku Gate. After a moment's silence, they headed towards Yongle Avenue, the opposite direction of Suzaku Gate.

Before they even reached Yongle Avenue, they encountered Qin Wan, hastily arriving with her servants. Her expression was anxious, her eyes flickering to Biezhi. "Where did he hurt you?"

The worry and distress in the woman's eyes were unmistakable. Biezhi stared at her for a moment, then shook his head, concealing the fact that he had personally committed the crime.

He then recounted the story Xu Wenche had told him at the yamen, recounting it with a truncated account. He also explained that it was Xu Wenche

's intervention that ultimately cleared his name. Biezhi lifted her teacup and took a small sip to moisten her throat. Her eyes, shaded by her lashes, scanned the slightly furrowed Qin Wan, unable to divine her thoughts.

Qin Wan had naturally heard of the Li family's second son's exploits. Leveraging his father's status, he flirted with women everywhere, and he was often heard harassing respectable women. Even married women, if he took a fancy to them, he would break into their homes.

She looked at Bie Zhi, who looked aggrieved, but otherwise unharmed. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Even if he really hit him, it's okay. He's just a bad guy, so what's the harm in hitting him?"

Bie Zhi raised his eyes at this.

She had already prepared herself for a lecture; after all, he was the son of the Minister of War, a familiar figure.

"Are you really okay?" Bie Zhi pursed her lips. "If it's not possible, I can go and apologize."

"Don't say you didn't hit him. Even if you did, it's okay." Qin Wan saw the worry flickering in her eyes and soothed her, "The Li family won't say anything. Even if they're not afraid of offending the Qin family, they have to consider the relationship between the Qin family and the prince."

Bie Zhi felt relieved at this last remark.

She had forgotten that Qin Wan's future husband was Prince Su.

Even if the Li family had a million guts, they would never go against the Qin family over such a trivial matter.

However, because of this incident, Qin Wan did not linger any longer. Seeing that Biezhi's mood seemed to have gradually stabilized, he hurried back to the mansion.

Biezhi was worried and did not let Hua Chao accompany her after returning to the mansion, but went to the main courtyard alone.

Coincidentally, Madam Qin was in the mansion that day. She saw Biezhi coming across the cobblestone path from a distance and could probably guess her purpose. She glanced at Madam Zhang, who bent slightly and found an excuse to dismiss the maids serving in the main courtyard.

"The gates to the main courtyard and your own courtyard are guarded by the master's trusted aides." Madam Qin found the token her husband had left her before he went to court today and handed it to Biezhi. "If you need to go out alone, you can use these two small gates. They'll cover for you, so there won't be any problems."

Biezhi traced the inscription on the token with her fingertips and clutched it tightly in her palm.

She bowed and said, "Xu Wenche has arrived in the capital. I'll be leaving the mansion more and more frequently over the next three months, and I'll most likely be out at night. If anyone asks, please explain."

Madam Qin nodded in understanding. "Don't worry about that. I've already thought of a reason before you came. I won't arouse suspicion."

That's why she had found a new maid, Hua Chaojin, to serve in the mansion.

If the old servants in the mansion were to serve, gossip would inevitably spread to others.

Biezhi thanked Madam Qin, carefully avoiding the maids who cleaned the courtyard, pushed open the small gate, and headed for the Suzaku Gate without hesitation.

Ning'an Street is quite far from Suzaku Gate, but she walked with such swift steps that she arrived at the Wuwei Shop in less than half an hour.

As evening approached, the Wuwei Shop was bustling with people.

The waiter under the eaves saw her coming and greeted her with a smile, "Are you the same as usual, young lady?"

Biezhi did not reply. His eyes passed over the waiter's figure and looked into the bustling shop. He looked around but could not see the figure of Shopkeeper Wang. The

waiter saw her eyes passing by, followed her eyes and looked around, and said with understanding, "Young lady, you came at an inopportune time. Jiran has been away for the past two days."

"Not away?" Biezhi retracted her eyes and stared at the waiter.

She knew that Jiran had been away for the past two days, but she didn't know how Shopkeeper Wang had said it to others.

The waiter nodded, "The shopkeeper had some matters to take care of at home, but you can see that the business of the Wuwei Shop has been getting better and better recently. The shopkeeper was busy, so he had to arrange for Jiran to go."

The excuse Wang Chuan found was far-fetched.

However, the people in the shop were all secret guards of the palace, so they naturally knew the truth. He didn't want others to believe him, but for Biezhi to think that this reason was appropriate.

The waiter under the eaves stared into the girl's eyes, showing no emotion.

He talked for a long time before she said, "Since he's not here, I'll leave first." After she

finished speaking, Biezhi nodded at him and left without looking back.

If Ji Ran was not recuperating in Wuwei Shop, then this was where he usually stayed.

Biezhi had only been to his residence once, and relying on her memory of that time, she found the thatched hut at the end of the bluestone road in just half a cup of tea.

She walked up and knocked on the door.

There was no response for a long time.

Biezhi frowned slightly, put her ear to the dilapidated door, and listened intently.

In an instant, she came out.

The hut was empty.

He was seriously injured, where else could he go?

After staring at the door for a moment, Biezhi placed her palm on it and pushed it open.

A dim and narrow thatched hut came into her sight. As the night fell, it was difficult to see the environment inside.

She stood still, and only after her eyes adjusted to the darkness did she step over the threshold and enter. There was only a bed, a tattered table, and a bench of varying lengths in the hut. Apart from that, there was not even an oil lamp or a candle.

There was no need to look around, it was clear at a glance.

In such a simple environment, one could still see the traces of someone who had lived here for years. Biezhi swept the table with her fingertips, and there was not a speck of dust. It was obvious that even in such an environment, the owner of the hut still took good care of his only residence on weekdays. After a

moment of silence, she sighed.

Biezhi turned and walked out of the hut, closing the door for him.

The moment the door closed, her eyes tightened, and she suddenly realized that something was wrong. She pushed the door open again and walked into the hut.

Biezhi looked around, but she couldn't see a whole candle, or even a trace of burning wax.

Jiran worked in the Wuwei shop, so the shopkeeper would naturally pay him.

No matter how frugal he was, it shouldn't be like this in the thatched hut.

Doubts suddenly flooded her mind, and Biezhi's heart sank a little. Could it be that as her senior brother said, Jiran had some plans for her and was deliberately approaching her?

She didn't understand what she had to offer him.

Biezhi couldn't calm down for a long time, and thousands of thoughts rushed into her mind like a tidal wave, making her restless.

She waited for half an incense stick, but Jiran didn't come back.

As time passed, the light in the girl's clear pupils dimmed little by little. She took a deep breath, got up and left the thatched hut.

What she hated most in her life was being deceived.

The reason why she became friends with Ji Ran was indeed because of his face in the beginning, but later it was more because of his quietness. He would listen to her chattering quietly, without interrupting her or complaining to others, and would accept everything about her, good or bad, he would not refuse.

Never mind, never mind.

He is not the only handsome man in the world.

Just find another one who suits her.

Biezhi stopped.

No, why should it be just that? ?

He is a little liar, who deceived herself and wanted to pretend that nothing happened? She

has not found him yet, but if she finds him tomorrow, she will punch him first and then ask him what he wants from her!

When she heard a slight noise in her ears, Biezhi suddenly came back to her senses.

Her eyes darted around, but before she could find anyone, she heard another, slightly piercing, high-pitched laugh. The man, seemingly tired of laughing, said, "After two weeks of not seeing you, you've shown some courage. You still dare to resist."

Biezhi hadn't had time to think before another muffled groan echoed in her ears. The moment she heard it, she froze, her eyes turning to the source.

She hurried towards the sound, just in time to see Ji Ran, cornered, deliver a vicious punch to the slovenly man. The man, stunned for a moment, recovered his composure and lunged at him without hesitation, commanding those around him.

The man then pulled out a knife, and Biezhi, stunned in her spot, snapped back to reality. Before she could even get close, Ji Ran quickly grabbed the man's wrist, gripping it tightly. The man cried out in pain, and the knife in his hand dropped to the ground with a resounding clang.

Seeing this, the tall man who had been beaten bent down to pick up the knife that had fallen to the ground. The knife, reflecting the light and shadow, stabbed at Ji Ran again. When Biezhi thought he could still dodge it, he saw him subconsciously raise his hand to grasp the sharp blade, and bright red blood gushed out instantly.

Biezhi's eyelashes trembled a few times, and he stepped forward to pinch the tall man's wrist.

The force of pinching the wrist bone was so strong that the tall man screamed in pain. The fierceness in his eyes was dispelled by the sudden pain. He hurriedly said: "It's broken, it's broken, let go, let go!"

Facing Ji Ran's tightly furrowed brows, the blood dripping from his palm condensed into a small ball. Biezhi tightened his palm again. The man's hoarse voice startled the birds that were taking a nap. The birds in the woods flew around in panic, and someone in the distance looked over.

"Who is it? You won't let me rest in the middle of the night!"

"If you do that again, I'll call the police!"

Fu Huaiqing raised his foot and kicked the man in front of him. He frowned and walked to Biezhi. The girl pursed her lips, and a trace of imperceptible murderous intent flashed in her eyes. He raised his palm slightly, circled the girl's slender and strong wrist with his fingertips, and shook his head to signal her to let go.

Biezhi met his dark and incomprehensible gaze, and the force she held on the tall man's wrist did not decrease at all, and even seemed to be getting heavier. She shifted her gaze and looked at the man: "Tell me, how many times has this happened?"

"The first time, is it really--" The tall man's forehead was sweating, "Ah--"

Biezhi didn't believe his nonsense. Just seeing their moves, she guessed that the same thing must have happened in the past. She loosened her fingertips a little, tapped the man's protruding wrist bone, and said: "I'll give you another chance. I advise you to tell me everything, otherwise I will break your hand today!"

The tall man's face was pale and distorted. Before he could recover, a wave of pain surged up again, and in an instant his nose and tears flew. He hurriedly said: "I'll tell you, I'll tell you."

Cheng Jin, who was hiding in the dark, saw the man's unbearable expression. A chill blew across his back from nowhere. He hissed and said to Jiang Yue, who was half leaning against the tree trunk: "They are lucky to have met Biezhi."

"She will really break his hand." Jiang Yue said.

Cheng Jin glanced at Ji Ran squatting behind him and said, "Just consider it revenge for Ji Ran."

The two or three men who cornered Fu Huaiqing were not disguised as secret guards, but playboys who had really bullied Ji Ran. They ran into Ji Ran a year ago, when they had just come out of the casino and lost everything they had.

Hearing that Ji Ran was deaf and lived alone, they set their sights on him.

Ji Ran was not the type to allow others to bully him, and he also had some martial arts skills. However, the prince would pretend to be him from time to time, so in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, he had to endure it.

This endurance made them even more aggressive.

But everything is the best arrangement.

When word of Biezhi and Jingqing's conversation reached the palace, the vast study felt like a freezing cold cellar. Jiran and Biezhi had known each other for two years, and she had inquired about him numerous times during those years. Her suspicions had dissipated by the second month of their acquaintance. Now, two years had passed, and even Jiang Yue, who had been arranging Jiran's identity for the prince, could not have anticipated that his identity would be questioned.

Fortunately, Biezhi had been restrained; otherwise, not only would she have been unable to plan the current incident, she might not even have had time to disguise the prince.

Biezhi's expression grew even colder as she listened to the man's account.

She chuckled coldly and abruptly released her grip.

The tall man, recovering instantly, pressed his palm against the wall to steady himself. But before he could steady himself, a sudden force struck his waist, sending him tumbling against the wall and collapsing to the ground.

Biezhi stepped forward and placed her foot on his palm.

"Why don't you ask who is protecting him?"

The tall man collapsed to the ground, curled up in an unbearable ball, not even able to express the pain.

Biezhi was really furious. She thought that what Wang Chuan said were all past events, but she never thought that Ji Ran would still be threatened by others at that moment.

Thinking of what the man had just said, that he had accidentally stabbed Ji Ran when threatening him, Biezhi's eyes flashed with the scar on his waist, and anger surged in her heart.

When her arm was grabbed, she suddenly looked back.

The girl's watery almond eyes were filled with anger, and when their eyes met, the anger in her eyes dissipated bit by bit, replaced by endless sadness.

Fu Huaiqing was stunned and looked at her.

As if possessed by a magic spell, he slightly raised his fingertips, lightly touched her long eyelashes, and lightly brushed the girl's eyes.

The sudden tenderness made Biezhi stunned, and she blinked blankly.

The eyelashes brushed across the fingertips, and waves of numbing passed through the fingertips and spread to the heart. Fu Huaiqing's body stiffened for a moment, staring into the clear eyes for a while, and then withdrew his hand.

Bie Zhi stared at him in amazement.

Fu Huaiqing glanced at the man lying on the ground and shook her head at her.

He didn't say anything, but Bie Zhi understood what he meant.

Dirty.

Don't dirty your feet for him.

"You--" Bie Zhi's lips slightly opened, and she was speechless for a long time when she thought of her suspicion not long ago.

She should have thought that Ji Ran didn't know kung fu, but the skills to save his life.

Two years ago, Shopkeeper Wang had mentioned Ji Ran's past to her, and also said that when he found him, he was resisting the beating of hooligans. He could no longer hear. If he hadn't been more observant and quicker, he would have reported to the King of Hell many years ago.

Bie Zhi wanted to say something but stopped herself. She caught a glimpse of the sticky blood dripping down his fingertips. Her eyelids twitched, and she took his hand and said, "Come with me."

There was no medicine in the thatched hut. Bie Zhi had never thought of taking him back to his residence from the beginning. Instead, she took a shortcut to the small courtyard arranged for them in the building.

The lights in the small square courtyard were dim, with a few lights coming through the windows.

Biezhi's bedroom was at the innermost part of the small square courtyard. She walked in with Jiran as if she was familiar with the place. When she met her senior brothers and sisters who were enjoying the cool air in the courtyard, she nodded to them slightly and did not stop for long, leaving her senior brothers and sisters staring at each other in shock.

She pushed open the door of the bedroom and let go.

She found a flint and lit the oil lamp, and the dim bedroom suddenly lit up.

Fu Huaiqing was standing at the door. Biezhi, who

had rummaged through the medicine box, turned around and saw that he had no intention of coming in. She didn't understand what he meant, so she picked up the medicine box and pulled him in, closing the door.

Fu Huaiqing: "..."

His heart twitched and his face was slightly distorted.

She was so indifferent, could it be that she had brought other men here before?

A single man and a single woman, staying in the same room, how could it be...

"You are the first man to come to me." Biezhi said as he lowered his head and rummaged through the medicine box.

Fu Huaiqing looked a little dazed.

Biezhi put the hemostatic powder and other medicines on the table, turned around to look at Jiran who had a gloomy expression, took the copper basin in the corner, pointed to the solid wooden stool and said, "Find a place to sit, I'll go get some water."

She held the copper basin, opened the door and walked out.

Fu Huaiqing's eyes swept across the brightly lit bedroom, which was clean and simple. Everything was neatly arranged. There was no trace of human habitation. It seemed that she seldom came back.

The books on the cabinet were neatly arranged. Many of the books had folded corners, which showed signs of being flipped through, and it was obvious that she was flipped through from time to time.

Fu Huaiqing didn't expect Biezhi to be a diligent reader.

He vaguely remembered that she was the kind of student who would take a detour when she saw the teacher.

He walked forward and took down one of the books, but before he could open it, it was snatched away.

Biezhi hugged the book, her almond eyes slightly widened.

She stood in front of the cabinet like a little animal guarding its food and said, "You can't read this."

Fu Huaiqing didn't understand.

What other books can't he read?

Fu Huaiqing lowered his eyes and saw that her earlobe was gradually turning a light crimson, and it was spreading to her cheeks. He raised his eyebrows silently.

Biezhi cleared his throat, turned around to put the books in place, pushed him back, and muttered, "I'll put it at the bottom of the cabinet later. Fortunately, I came back in time, otherwise I wouldn't know where to put this face."

Fu Huaiqing, who was pushed to sit on the bench, gave her a complicated look.

Biezhi glared back, "What are you looking at."

Fu Huaiqing: "..."

Biezhi was unreasonable but confident. She wrung out the handkerchief and gave him a look, "Hand."

Fu Huaiqing didn't forget his identity and pretended not to hear.

After waiting for a long time without him making any move, Bie Zhi frowned. She leaned over to the man, grabbed his right hand, and pulled it towards him. She looked at the blurry flesh beneath the dried blood. In the dim light of the lamp, she carefully wiped the bloodstain, unable to help but scold, "Idiot!"

Fu Huaiqing was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"Only a fool would catch a knife with his bare hands." Bie Zhi wiped the blood from her palm and examined the wound, which had stopped bleeding. It was a minor injury. "Luckily, we met a thug who threatened people with a knife. If it had been anyone else, you would have died right there."

She fetched the golden medicine and poured it onto the wound little by little.

Waiting for the cream to slowly melt into the wound, she found gauze and bandaged it. "The old wound hasn't healed yet, and now there's a new one. How many lives do you have left to waste on this?"

Bie Zhi kept on talking, and when she realized he couldn't hear her, she suddenly died.

Her eyes glared angrily at Ji Ran, who remained composed. He lifted his gaze slightly, looking up at her, his handsome face gleaming in the light.

A single glance, and her anger faded a little. He

was truly handsome.

Bie Zhi stared at him, lost in thought. She couldn't believe he was so handsome with that scar on his face. How much more alluring he would be without it.

His slightly parted lips, consciously or unconsciously, beckoned her inwardly. She

seemed a bit kissable...

This wasn't the first time Fu Huaiqing had seen her like that. It was clear she was captivated by his appearance once again.

Whenever she saw a handsome man, she'd always wanted to get to know him. Ji Ran was like that, Xu Wen Che was too, but with him, he became a bit fierce.

How was he fierce?

Fu Huaiqing didn't understand.

Was he fierce enough to let her express her dissatisfaction with him daily, unmoved?

A sudden chill blew beside her, and Bie Zhi snapped back to reality. Her eyes met the man's deep, clear, and piercing eyes, and she blinked.

Suddenly, she felt like she deserved to die...

Lust made her

lose her mind. She actually had lustful thoughts towards a seriously injured person.

Biezhi covered her mouth and coughed a few times, and was seriously arranging the porcelain bottles on the table. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered the injuries on Ji Ran's body, and her hands slowed down a little.

She side-glanced at the man's chest.

The girl's burning gaze seemed to see through the cloth.

Biezhi asked: "Do you want to open it yourself or should I do it?"

Fu Huaiqing: "......?"

Biezhi thought that Ji Ran couldn't hear her, and was too lazy to waste time gesturing. She grabbed his collar and pulled

it apart without saying a word. Halfway through, she couldn't pull it apart anymore.

Fu Huaiqing grabbed her hands with his big hands and looked at her solemnly.

Biezhi stared, and saw that he slightly closed the collar with his other hand, and then used a little more strength to pull it apart again.

Fu Huaiqing once again restrained her rebellious hands.

Seeing his determined resistance, Biezhi felt like a lecher flirting with others. She said patiently, "I'm here to help you apply the medicine, not to ask you to obey me."

Fu Huaiqing looked at her with a complicated expression.

He wanted to tell her that she didn't look like someone who wanted to apply the medicine.

But he finally loosened his grip. Who knew that the moment he loosened his grip, Biezhi seemed to have reached the limit of her patience and pulled at the collar a little harder.

Hiss -

a long and narrow tear suddenly appeared on the fine clothes.

Biezhi grabbed the torn collar and raised her eyelids to look at the man in surprise: "I said I didn't mean to do it, do you believe me?"

Fu Huaiqing: "..."

He looked at her speechlessly.

Biezhi met the silent and choked eyes of the man. She quickly threw the cloth in her hand to a place where she couldn't see it, pulled the corner of her mouth and smiled: "Let's apply the medicine."

She smiled slightly and turned back to take the golden wound medicine. Then she glanced at the messy clothes on his body and said to herself: "He's already taken off half of it, he shouldn't mind taking it off completely, right?"

Biezhi thought for a moment and nodded affirmatively: "I don't mind, why should he mind?"

Hearing this, Fu Huaiqing stood up suddenly.

The moment he stood up, he frowned slightly, realizing that his thoughts had been completely distracted by her. If this continued, she would definitely become suspicious.

Fu Huaiqing stood still and did not move.

Biezhi looked at him in confusion, her eyes just meeting his chest covered with gauze. The man's smooth chest surged up and down with his breathing.

She subconsciously raised her head and blinked lightly: "A doctor's heart is kind. I won't do anything to you." As she spoke, she grabbed his messy clothes and pulled them off without hesitation.

In an instant, the man's well-defined body came into view, his bulging muscles were tight and powerful, with clear ravines and no excess.

Biezhi took a deep breath

inwardly. The impact brought by the bright light was even greater than yesterday.

Fu Huaiqing's eyes changed slightly. The girl's almond-shaped eyes were not concealed at all, and her eyes scanned up and down. Her fingertips holding the cloth trembled, as if she was trying her best to restrain herself.

Biezhi was indeed restraining herself.

Control yourself and don't act like a pervert, it will be bad if it gets out.

But she really couldn't move her eyes away.

Biezhi calmed herself down and silently told herself that she must control herself and not scare Jiran away, and slowly untied the gauze tied around his chest.

The light reflected and flashed mottled light and shadow, making it difficult for her to see the wound.

Biezhi put away the gauze and moved closer.

As she got closer, the overflowing breath also flowed over Fu Huaiqing's chest, and in an instant, the slowly falling breath lingered all around.

Fu Huaiqing's eyes darkened, his eyelids drooped slightly, and he stared at her quietly.

Biezhi's mind was focused on his wound, and she didn't notice the burning and gloomy gaze falling on her head. The blood from the wound had stopped long ago, and the open wound was no longer as white as yesterday.

She raised her fingertips, reached out and poked the wound, and then looked up to observe his expression: "Is there any discomfort around the wound?"

Fu Huaiqing's breathing paused slightly.

He lowered his eyes, staring at the girl's clear and bright eyes, his fingertips with a little callus sometimes brushed and sometimes rippled, waves of numbness rushed through the veins, surging inch by inch.

The blue veins on the side of Fu Huaiqing's neck bulged.

Biezhi didn't expect Ji Ran to answer her. She leaned over and took out the golden medicine. She turned around and looked at the man who was standing still. She put her palm on his shoulder and pushed back. It

moved with one push.

Fu Huaiqing took a few steps back and his knees hit the couch.

The man fell down on the couch, and the light in his calm eyes flashed away in an instant.

Biezhi bent down and carefully poured the golden medicine on the wound.

Fu Huaiqing closed his eyes, trying to control his slightly rapid breathing. When he opened his eyes again, the fluctuating emotions in his eyes disappeared, leaving only a faint indifference.

Biezhi applied the medicine and found gauze to cover him.

After treating the chest wound, her fingertips paused on the gauze, her gaze slowly shifting downward. Two faint marks marked the right side of the man's firm, flawless waist and abdomen, their pale skin tinged with a faint pink, evidently fresh wounds that had only recently healed.

Biezhi frowned, and by the time she came to her senses, her fingertips were already resting on the man's waist.

Her fingertips trembled slightly as she tapped.

Biezhi distinctly felt the man's breathing hitch for a moment, his waist and abdominal muscles tightening. Her fingertips sank downward as he thrust.

As if by magic, the fingertips on the firm waist and abdomen became the palm of her hand. A firm, elastic touch washed over her, and she subconsciously pressed down. Her palm sank for a moment, then rebounded.

Biezhi's eyes lit up.

Wow! What a nice touch!

Every line beneath her palm was perfectly defined, completely different from her own, even firmer and more powerful, inviting her to her own imagination.

The most important thing is that it feels really good!

Fu Huaiqing's eyes paused, and the indifference in his eyes disappeared, replaced by an indescribable darkness. He lowered his eyes, staring at the girl's slightly raised mouth, with a hint of satisfaction.

His eyebrows twitched fiercely.

Looking at the girl half-crouching in front of him, Fu Huaiqing opened his thin lips slightly, but then remembered that he was a deaf man who could not speak, so he had to give up and hold her eager palm with his palm. Biezhi,

who wanted to press down again, raised her head, her almond eyes sparkling. She looked at him

with a look of thirst for knowledge.

Fu Huaiqing was stunned for a moment, staring at her with a complicated expression.

The girl's face did not show any shyness, but only joy, and her eyes did not hide her desire at all.

She was really bold.

Biezhi thought it would feel good, but she did not expect it to be so wonderful. The feeling described in the storybook was not even one ten-thousandth of what she felt now.

She stared at Ji Ran's handsome face with a fixed gaze. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that his fair earlobes were gradually covered with a faint blush. He was so innocent that she suddenly felt that she was teasing a decent man.

Bie Zhi covered her mouth and coughed, muttering, "In fact, the master's suggestion is not bad. If we really want to get married one day, we must find a husband who satisfies us. Ji Ran is indeed a good choice."

She had no other requirements for the man, as long as he was tall enough and handsome.

Ji Ran just met these two requirements.

Fu Huaiqing's face darkened when he heard her muttering.

He didn't expect that he was not satisfied with her anymore and was planning to take him home to raise him.

If one day she found out that the Ji Ran in front of her was not the real Ji Ran, wouldn't she have to take the real Ji Ran home and put him in a bad place...

The moment the delusion arose and he realized what he was thinking, Fu Huaiqing pursed his lips.

He was really carried away.

If that day ever comes, the bridge will be what it is, and the road will be what it is. What she chooses has nothing to do with her.

The man suddenly stood up, startling Biezhi, who was half-crouching, and trembled. She watched him pick up the torn cloth with an unwavering expression, his sharp jaw straight, and put on his clothes.

Biezhi was stunned for a moment, not understanding why he was suddenly angry.

Could it be that I have gone too far and he doesn't like it?

"If he doesn't like it, then he doesn't like it." She curled her lips, "I'll just find someone else."

The familiar words reached her ears, and Fu Huaiqing paused in her cloth-dressing movements. The last time could be said to be drunken nonsense, but now it was clearly her true thoughts.

She's going to find someone else...

who?

Xu Wenche, or Qin Xiao.

Or is there another man he doesn't know about?

Fu Huaiqing's eyes suddenly changed.

Biezhi patted the dust from his palms, stood up, looked at Ji Ran who had his back to him, and said, "It's getting late, I'll take you home."

Fu Huaiqing's veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly. He was silent for a moment, slowly tied the laces of his cloth dress, turned around and looked at the girl who had put away the porcelain bottle.

Who is she going to meet in such a hurry to get him out?

"I was wrong to be suspicious of you today. I won't do that again." Even after being rejected, Biezhi apologized. She turned back to the man, who stood with his back to the light. Against the backdrop of the shadows, Jiran couldn't see his expression. "It seems you won't come with me now. I'll teach you some martial arts after I finish what I'm doing."

By then, even without him, he'd be able to handle it.

Biezhi opened the tightly closed door and, as she stepped over the threshold, saw Jiran hadn't followed. She looked at him puzzled and muttered, "After I take you home, I still have to go find Xu Wenche."

Fu Huaiqing remained silent.

He knew that even if Jiran disagreed, she still had other options.

Fu Huaiqing's face was grim, his eyes fixed on the girl, a hint of anxiety flashing across hers, as if he was trying to get him back to where he needed to go so he could find Xu Wenche.

Biezhi glanced at the night. It was indeed late. Any later on in the street would have aroused suspicion, but the man inside remained motionless.

She frowned slightly, walking back to Ji Ran, puzzled.

Fu Huaiqing lowered his eyes, glancing at the girl's palm wrapped around his wrist. Seeing the look on her face as if she wanted to lead him away, he lowered his palm, grabbed her slender, strong wrist, and tugged it towards him.

Bie Zhi was caught off guard, suddenly turning around and running straight into the man's arms.

Meeting Ji Ran's deep, unfathomable eyes, she froze in panic. For the first time, she couldn't understand the emotions hidden in his eyes. "You—"

Before she could finish her words, a dark shadow suddenly enveloped her. In an instant, her slightly parted lips touched a cool, thin one. She blinked lightly and closed her eyes.

However, Ji Ran didn't move for a long time.

Not even the gentle touch depicted in the picture book.

After waiting for a while, with no sign of his next move, Bie Zhi opened her eyes and suddenly found herself in the depths of the man's dark pupils. He seemed to be staring at her the entire time, not even an inch away.

Biezhi remembered his slightly red earlobes not long ago, and understood instantly.

He didn't understand.

But it didn't matter, she did.

Although Biezhi had never eaten pork, she had seen pigs run.

As a well-read person, she must know a lot more than the innocent and harmless Ji Ran. She imitated the girl in the picture book, stood on tiptoe, raised her hands to wrap around the man's neck, and moved her lips forward.

Fu Huaiqing lowered his eyes, his pupils darkening, and his larynx rolled up and down.

He stared at the girl's slightly trembling eyelashes. Her long eyelashes were like feathers plucking the strings of a guitar, brushing across his eyes one by one.

Biezhi didn't understand either. Her lips caressed the man's thin lips in a disorderly manner

, but she couldn't get the point. After a long time, she

still couldn't figure out what was going on. And the person who took the initiative at the beginning seemed to have lost the desire.

Realizing this, Biezhi opened her eyes, stood on tiptoe, and loosened her lips. She looked up at Ji Ran, not understanding what he meant.

Bie Zhi nudged his chest. "What do you mean?"

The girl's tone was filled with a hint of unconscious coquettishness. Fu Huaiqing closed his eyes and said nothing. He had forgotten that in her eyes, he was Ji Ran, not Fu Huaiqing.

At this moment, if he hadn't realized the source of his anger, he would be no different from a fool. It was precisely because of this realization that he felt a little confused and a hint of panic that he couldn't grasp.

Biezhi waited a long time for an explanation, but her mood wasn't particularly bad; it could even be said she was a little pleased. She vaguely realized she'd been anticipating this moment for a long time. "This time, I'll give you a chance to take advantage of me. Next time I kiss you, just try to dodge."

Fu Huaiqing: "..."

Seeing his slightly complicated expression, Biezhi felt even more relieved. She couldn't help but say, "If you had just told me you liked me earlier, we wouldn't have had to wait until today."

She took Jiran's arm and led him out. "Today isn't a good day. I really need to go find Xu Wenche. We can try again another day after I've finished my studies." After I've

finished my studies?

Fu Huaiqing frowned. Who was she going to learn from?

Biezhi, of course, was going to learn from books. She'd always thought she'd read a lot, but she hadn't expected to find the right technique in real life. It seemed she'd have to ask Fang Tingzhi for a few more storybooks.

She walked Jiran back to the thatched cottage without lingering. She tilted her head slightly, made a sleeping gesture, and then waved goodbye, leaving without a backward glance.

Watching the girl disappear from his sight, Fu Huaiqing's eyes did not move away, and remained quietly on the deserted cobblestone road.

After a moment, he said: "Let Su Ci write a letter tomorrow to sue Li Shanjue for lax family management and poor discipline."

Cheng Jin, who appeared quietly behind him, looked serious. He knew that the prince meant to convict the Li family in the court. He cupped his hands and said: "Yes."

After Cheng Jin left, Fu Huaiqing still did not leave. Ji Ran ,

the real owner of the thatched cottage, could not figure out what the prince meant. He looked at Jiang Yue, who had followed the prince for many years, with a puzzled expression.

Jiang Yue shook his head at Ji Ran, and then he heard his master speak.

Fu Huaiqing said: "Find a reason to make Ji Ran disappear from her life."