BVAHEDLA[W Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Ancient Times 16 – Peeping

Chapter 42: Ancient Times 16 – Peeping

A torrential downpour, accompanied by thunder, fell in an instant, striking the eaves with a violent sound, forming a curtain of water behind Chu Li-fei in an instant.

Not far away, a sharp-eyed servant, holding an umbrella, hurried over, the rain quickly splashing on his hem, leaving gray-black mud spots.

The heavy rain blurred vision, making it difficult to notice from a distance. Only when the servant with the umbrella ran closer did he realize that Chu Li-fei was not alone.

“Your Highness… this…” His gaze hesitated between Chu Li-fei and the umbrella in his hand.

Lu Mo-chen, who was holding Chu Li-fei’s arm, finally stopped trembling. But he felt as if the heavy rain outside was not falling on the ground at all, but striking his heart with each drop. Otherwise, why would his heart be beating so fast?

He was curious and nervous. Would Chu Li-fei let him stay?

Lu Mo-chen didn’t know. He simply maintained his previous position, his cheek pressed against Chu Li-fei’s back, feeling his warmth and listening to his heartbeat.

The rain curtain seemed to isolate all the noise from the outside world, allowing him to hear Chu Li-fei’s movements even more clearly.

Chu Li-fei lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the pair of hands that didn’t belong to him wrapped around his waist.

The fabric of his clothes was tightly gripped by Lu Mo-chen in two places, but it was released the next moment, though wrinkles remained.

He sighed softly, then grasped the pair of hands embracing his waist, then removed them, finally letting them fall.

Lu Mo-chen’s hands hung at his sides, his eyes red, staring blankly at Chu Li-fei’s back.

Chu Li-fei then turned sideways, instructing the servant holding the umbrella, “Go and call Wang Shu over, and have him bring more umbrellas.”

The servant lowered his head, not daring to look around, and ran off quickly after hearing Chu Li-fei’s command.

Lu Mo-chen stammered, his voice seeming somewhat choked, “Royal Uncle…”

“Mm,” Chu Li-fei replied simply.

Hearing Chu Li-fei’s voice, Lu Mo-chen lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought, and fell silent.

Wang Shu arrived quickly. He noticed Lu Mo-chen behind Chu Li-fei, and also noticed the black-clothed girl standing in the corner.

Chu Li-fei turned his gaze to the black-clothed woman standing quietly in the corner, signaling to Wang Jian-guo with his eyes: “Wang Shu, find a courtyard for this lady.”

Wang Jian-guo secretly sized up the black-clothed woman. Although he was a little surprised, he didn’t say much.

Chu Li-fei continued, “Also, arrange for more people to serve her.”

Wang Jian-guo had served Chu Li-fei for many years, so he naturally understood the implied meaning in his words, realizing that he had misunderstood. He quickly nodded in response, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Cheng Yuan—which was the name of the black-clothed woman—heard Chu Li-fei’s words and walked to Wang Jian-guo’s side, coldly saying, “Your Highness, you can rest assured. Since I have agreed, I will not go back on my word.”

Chu Li-fei curved his eyebrows, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, his tone gentle, “Visitors are guests. Since Miss Cheng is a guest at the Qin King’s Residence, this King naturally cannot neglect the proper etiquette. Miss Cheng, please settle in.”

Cheng Yuan snorted coldly, bowing, “Then I thank Your Highness for your kindness.”

After speaking, she quickly left with a servant leading the way.

The two seemed to be on amicable terms on the surface, but in reality, they had long seen through the hidden intentions. Everyone knew that Chu Li-fei was arranging for people to serve Cheng Yuan in order to monitor her, only saying it nicely.

Chu Li-fei smiled, not taking Cheng Yuan’s displeasure to heart.

Lu Mo-chen saw that Chu Li-fei had arranged a room for Cheng Yuan, but had not arranged anything for himself, and suddenly felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.

He smiled bitterly to himself. He simply didn’t want to face the answer.

He should have known.

That’s right, after all, he couldn’t help Royal Uncle with anything, and only caused him trouble and displeasure…

Wang Jian-guo, however, noticed that there was still one person following behind Chu Li-fei, but had not been arranged for, and wondered what Chu Li-fei was thinking. He raised his eyes, carefully glanced at Chu Li-fei’s expression, and tentatively asked, “Your Highness, is the Fourth Prince to be sent back to the palace?”

Wang Jian-guo looked at the weather outside, thinking that the rain was so heavy that the carriage might be washed away. Yet Lu Mo-chen was so weak, braving such heavy rain to return to the palace, he would surely get a fever or catch a cold.

He sighed inwardly. If Chu Li-fei agreed, he naturally hoped that Lu Mo-chen would suffer less and simply stay in the Qin King’s Residence for the night.

However, Chu Li-fei had always shown that he didn’t like Lu Mo-chen, and he didn’t know where the Fourth Prince had offended Chu Li-fei.

Wang Jian-guo was getting old, so he was always particularly concerned about the younger generation.

Chu Li-fei looked at Wang Jian-guo and held out his hand to him, “Umbrella.”

Wang Jian-guo naturally handed over the umbrella from the servant behind him.

Hearing this, the last shred of hope in Lu Mo-chen’s heart finally shattered.

He lowered his head, his eyes dark and unclear, like a rain-soaked puppy, which Wang Jian-guo found heartbreaking.

Wang Jian-guo assumed that Chu Li-fei was asking him for an umbrella because he had decided to send Lu Mo-chen back to the palace. He plucked up his courage and spoke, hoping that Chu Li-fei would soften his heart: “Your Highness, the rain outside is so heavy, the horses are likely to slip on the road, and it’s not safe. Why not… let the Fourth Prince rest in the residence, and return after the rain stops or slows down?”

Lu Mo-chen gave Wang Jian-guo a grateful smile, then shook his head in disappointment, “No need… to.”

Before he could finish speaking, Chu Li-fei’s pleasant voice pierced through the rain and entered his ears: “Come here.”

Lu Mo-chen looked up in astonishment, seeing Chu Li-fei looking at him unhappily.

Chu Li-fei opened the umbrella himself, then glanced at Lu Mo-chen, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, teasing him, “What, does this King have to walk to your side?”

Lu Mo-chen stood there blankly, his mouth slightly open in shock. Did Chu Li-fei mean… he agreed to let him stay in the residence?

Before Lu Mo-chen could react, he only felt a shadow in front of him, and a familiar voice came from above his head: “What are you standing there blankly for? Come over here quickly.”

Lu Mo-chen raised his head and found that Chu Li-fei was standing in front of him, holding an umbrella.

His eyes instantly lit up with joy, revealing a big smile, and he took several steps to Chu Li-fei’s side, then hugged Chu Li-fei’s free arm and shouted happily, “Royal Uncle!”

“Mm,” Chu Li-fei looked at Lu Mo-chen’s expression, and as if possessed, reached out and rubbed his head, a smile gathering in his eyes, “Let’s go.”

Wang Jian-guo touched his head, not understanding the development of the situation, shrugged his shoulders, and followed behind them with relief.

Chu Li-fei finally took Lu Mo-chen to the room he had stayed in last time, right next to his room.

Night.

The room was lit with a pleasant-smelling incense, and the room was also warmed by a charcoal basin, so that the cold and wetness of the rain could not be felt at all, which was much better than his room in the palace, Lu Mo-chen thought.

The ornaments in the room were also complete, and there was even hot tea that the servants had just brought up on the table, with wisps of hot air floating from the spout.

Listening to the hazy sound of rain outside the room, Lu Mo-chen felt that his eyelids were beginning to droop, and he couldn’t wait to throw himself directly onto the soft bed and fall asleep.

But the thought of Chu Li-fei, just a wall away, made his mind wander again.

What would Chu Li-fei be doing now?

Lu Mo-chen asked himself.

At this moment, “Boom—”

A dull thunderclap came from outside the room.

Lu Mo-chen was startled by the sudden sound, and an idea quickly emerged in his mind.

He immediately put on a pitiful, frightened expression. His eyes were red, his eyes were moist, and his nose was twitching slightly, making him look very pitiful.

Lu Mo-chen, wearing his sleeping clothes, pushed the door open and walked towards Chu Li-fei’s room.

The rain was still falling outside, and the wind was blowing the rain on Lu Mo-chen’s body, like a knife scraping across it.

The entire courtyard was very quiet, without a single servant.

Lu Mo-chen felt a little strange. He looked around and didn’t see anyone, and finally slowed down his steps and walked to Chu Li-fei’s door.

He knocked on the door, his youthful voice mixed with a bit of worried and frightened tone: “Royal Uncle—”

There was no response from inside the room.

Lu Mo-chen felt strange and put his ear to the door.

Instantly, his face turned red.

He could only hear a series of ambiguous splashing sounds in the room.

Several scenes instantly appeared in Lu Mo-chen’s mind.

At this moment, a gust of wind blew open Chu Li-fei’s door.

Lu Mo-chen immediately saw the tall and graceful figure behind the screen, and his Adam’s apple moved.

His eyes were dazed, and his body uncontrollably walked in.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Chu Li-fei subconsciously called out to Wang Jian-guo, “Close the door.”

Lu Mo-chen then woke up and did as he was told.

Chu Li-fei thought that Wang Jian-guo was still outside the door and did not realize anything was wrong.

The room was filled with warm water vapor, steaming Lu Mo-chen’s cheeks even redder.

His nose seemed to be able to smell the cold fragrance on Chu Li-fei’s body, which had become more intense because of the heat.

Lu Mo-chen stood behind the screen, staring blankly at the figure, and even forgot to breathe for a moment.

He carefully controlled his breath, his face red, and tried hard to look elsewhere.

He saw Chu Li-fei’s clothes that he had casually thrown on the ground, the black clothes he had worn during the day.

Huh? What is this white thing?

Lu Mo-chen moved closer, and saw a small piece of paper.

The paper was blank, with only the word “Lu” at the end.

Lu Mo-chen’s eyes widened instantly, and he even forgot to restrain himself and exclaimed in surprise.

Chu Li-fei, who was in the pool, narrowed his eyes and shouted coldly, “Who!”