The scenery that night was beautiful. However, the only flaw was that amidst the gentle whispers, there was always the murmur of a name, "Murong Xiu."
His heart tightened. Huffily, he threw the handkerchief in his hand into the basin, splashing up quite a bit of water.
"Who's there?" came the sound of knocking on the door.
He turned around and opened the door.
A confidant of Li Xinyue stood at the door, bowing with hands clasped, "Your subordinate is here by the order of Princess Yuanyang. Please come with me, my lord."
"Alright. Lead the way."
He intended to spend the whole night figuring out whether his lingering feelings for Li Xinyue were because he lusted after her body or truly loved her.
If it was just lust, it would mean that as a normal man, he had certain physical needs. In that case, he should quickly find a satisfactory wife, and the matter would be resolved.
If it was love...
He paused in his steps, his brows knitting together in annoyance!
It was absolutely impossible!
A shrew like Li Xinyue was good for nothing except being good-looking.
Unless he was blind!
"Wait, this doesn't seem to be the way to the princess's mansion. Aren't we going there?" Chu Junyi asked warily, looking at Jing Bai.
Jing Bai lowered his head and scratched his nose. The princess was truly clever. She had even guessed what Young Master Chu would ask.
"That's right. But the princess said that whether you come or not is up to you. If you don't, it's fine."
Chu Junyi's brows twitched slightly. It was so typical of Li Xinyue.
He could even imagine her stomping around as she said those words.
"Fine. Just lead the way."
Jing Bai was shocked. Was the princess like a tapeworm in Young Master Chu's stomach, able to predict that he would come? Bah!
The princess was noble and precious. How could she be a tapeworm!
"Achoo—" Li Xinyue wiped her nose with a silk handkerchief and sat down in the reserved private room, a curious smile curving her lips.
Hongxiu took the hot tea from the waiter, closed the door, poured a cup for Li Xinyue, and thoughtfully opened the window in front of her.
As the window opened, her view extended, and two figures, one in blue and the other in white, appeared in the opposite restaurant. They were Chu Junyi and Jing Bai.
She excitedly craned her neck and watched as the two figures went up to the second-floor private room one after another. Then, the window directly opposite hers lit up.
Seeing that Chu Junyi had smoothly gone to the designated room, she felt relieved.
Actually, whether the plan succeeded or not, nothing earth - shattering would happen.
Although the eldest princess loved handsome men, she never forced anyone. As long as that scoundrel Chu Junyi wasn't charmed by the eldest princess's beauty, he could keep his innocence and leave unscathed.
The reason Li Xinyue did this was just to divert the queen's attention from her.
Although she had dealt with the aftermath of that night's incident, she couldn't be sure that the queen's people wouldn't dig deeper.
Thinking of that night, the image of that well - defined body and the furtive little hands on it involuntarily flashed through her mind.
The hot and firm touch on her hands had been so real and profound in her hazy memories.
Her heart fluttered, and she shyly lowered her eyelids. When she looked up again, she noticed that there seemed to be no movement in the opposite room.
Jing Bai hadn't returned either.
Could it be that Chu Junyi had sensed something and detained Jing Bai?
Chu Junyi had indeed sensed something. "Your mistress isn't coming, is she?"
Given Li Xinyue's personality, she would rather bury him in the ground and never let him see the light of day. How could she arrange a meeting in such a bustling place?
Jing Bai panicked for a moment and started to lie. "Your subordinate will go and fetch the mistress."
"Oh— Let your mistress meet me alone? A man and a woman? This doesn't seem to be her style, does it?"
At this point, Chu Junyi was about seventy or eighty percent certain that Li Xinyue had lured him to this restaurant for a purpose.
He had to hold onto Jing Bai. In this way, he would be indirectly entangled with Li Xinyue, and she wouldn't stand by and watch him in trouble.
He was going to see what good show Li Xinyue had arranged for him.
Li Xinyue watched the struggling figures reflected on the window and immediately became anxious.
The eldest princess and the queen's people would arrive soon. If they saw her personal bodyguard of Princess Yuanyang struggling with the newly - crowned champion, wouldn't they think there was some secret between her and Chu Junyi? Then she would be finished!
However, just as she feared, a noble carriage with an oil lamp hanging on it clattered towards them from the end of the road.
Li Xinyue glanced sideways. It was indeed the eldest princess's carriage. It was about to reach the restaurant entrance, and the two people in the private room were still struggling.
She gritted her teeth in anxiety. At this moment, she had no mood to watch the show. She only thought about how to help Jing Bai get away.
Jing Bai never expected that although Chu Junyi looked gentle and weak, he was actually quite capable. Whether it was a verbal or a physical fight, he was no match for Chu Junyi.
Chu Junyi had already cursed Li Xinyue a hundred times in his heart.
She'd better never fall into his hands, or else... just wait and see!
The carriage was getting closer. The sound of the eldest princess flirting with her male favorite in the carriage clearly reached the ears of the three of them.
Li Xinyue clenched her fists anxiously.
Jing Bai got so anxious that he started to play dirty. "Look, what's that!"
Chu Junyi punched him.
Jing Bai covered his eye socket and stepped back repeatedly.
After much hesitation, Li Xinyue finally grabbed the window sill and leaped.
In the darkness, her bright and valiant figure flew straight towards the outer corridor of the second floor of the opposite building, then climbed in through the window and landed in the room.
When the two people struggling in the room saw this, they reluctantly withdrew their fists from each other's shoulders.
"Go!" Li Xinyue ordered Jing Bai. Then she looked at Chu Junyi, but was stared at by his angry gaze, which made her scalp tingle.
It was as if something was stuck in her throat. After a while, she said guiltily, "Come with us."
At this moment, the eldest princess's carriage had stopped steadily below.
The carriage curtain was lifted from the inside. The eldest princess and her male favorite got out of the carriage one after another and walked inside.
Without a word, Jing Bai climbed out of the window and happened to pass by the eldest princess and her entourage.
The eldest princess glanced over, but all she saw was the empty long street and the moonlight covering the ground. So she didn't think much of it and turned back to continue flirting with her male favorite.
Li Xinyue followed closely behind. But just as she stepped onto the window sill, her slender waist was grabbed by a strong hand. She was uncontrollably pulled back. The wind around her blew her hair flying. In her panicked sight, a handsome face loomed large. His thin lips were tightly pursed, and there was a glint of cunning in his angry eyes.
"Why?" Thinking of the eldest princess who was about to come up the stairs and looking at the current situation, a sense of foreboding welled up in her heart, and she panicked.
Chu Junyi laughed heartily. With a calm look in his clear eyes, he calmly observed her panic. "Your Highness the princess has played tricks on me again and again. Shouldn't you pay a price?"
The princess's heart skipped a beat.
She raised her hand and tried to strike at Chu Junyi behind her, but he tilted his head to avoid it and firmly caught her hand. His big hand clasped hers, their fingers intertwining.
"..."
The other hand she just raised was also firmly caught by him.
"Your Highness, don't struggle. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what impulsive things I might do!"
"..." It was as if he was being a gentleman now!
The corner of Chu Junyi's mouth lifted. With one hand, he firmly grasped both of her hands and pinned them behind her back, encircling her. With the other hand, he took the opportunity to close the window and pressed her against the wall beside the window.
Li Xinyue was extremely annoyed and frustrated, but there was nothing she could do.
She found that she couldn't defeat him.