Ming Feizhen Weighs the Gains and Losses
Ming Feizhen and Shen Yiren resembled hostages trapped in a room as they stood in the encirclement, yet they seemed oblivious to the fact that they had become the centre of attraction.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” After he scanned Shen Yiren from head to toe and back to front, Hong Jiu checked out Ming Feizhen in the same fashion. “Tsk, tsk, tsk… Hmm?” He cracked a big smile and continued, “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“Speak Mandarin!” Ming Feizhen clocked Hong Jiu over the head.
Using one hand to rub his head, Hong Jiu flicked up a thumb in his other hand. “Leader, good stuff. Good stuff. Very good stuff.”
“What is good?”
Hong Jiu looked around despite already knowing there was someone seated in every cardinal direction, and then quietly praised, “Leader, you did not even wait for Miss Shen to change… Wow, that is next-level skill.”
“What sort of sick thoughts are you letting your mind wander off to?!”
“You do not have to hide it from me, Leader. Look at your hips. There is a bloodstain right there.”
Ming Feizhen looked down to the spot where Hong Jiu pointed, which was exactly “that” spot. “It’s my blood, you dimwit! What’s so strange about spilling some blood when I’m injured?”
“Eh? Are you saying nothing happened between you two last night?”
Ming Feizhen opened his mouth to scold Hong Jiu, but some memory made his face red, thereby galvanising him to swallow the words on his tongue. The reaction all but cemented Hong Jiu’s suspicions, so he zoomed over to Shen Yiren straight away and conveyed, “Congratulations, Sister-in-law!”
Shen Yiren wasted no time shooting Ming Feizhen a glare, yet he looked away instead of panicking, confusing her.
Tianhu went up to Ming Feizhen and expressed his genuine feelings. “I have business I need to attend to, but I’ve pushed it back two hours for your sake.”
“???”
“I’m going to go now. But before that, I have a question.”
“???”
“Am I invited to the wedding banquet?”
“Piss off!”
Tianhu shook his head, pretending he was disappointed in a friend, and then giddily left with Dugu.
Mountain Monster draped her shoulder over Shen Yiren’s shoulder and caressed the latter’s cheek. “Ol’ Shen, your skin is so nice, so smooth and supple.”
“Really? Wow… I think you’re right. I slept well last night.”
“Of course you did. Having said that, good sleep is the secondary reason. The main reason is the rejuvenation.”
“What rejuvenation?”
With a smirk, Mountain Monster bumped Shen Yiren on the shoulder. “Hurts, hey?”
“Yeah, a little. Not that much.”
Mountain Monster cackled behind her hand. “Well, that’s understandable since it was your first time. You’ll get used to it.”
“Just what in the world are you talking about?”
“Don’t tell me it’s not because…” Mountain Monster finished off the rest in Shen Yiren’s ear.
Before Mountain Monster could finish, though, Shen Yiren whacked the former over the head. “I was talking about a headache!”
Hong Jiu: “You can get headaches from it?”
“Sh-shut up. I forbid you from making it more complicated than it already is.” It was the meekest scolding Ming Feizhen ever gave.
Shen Yiren couldn’t understand why Ming Feizhen looked devoid of life, like someone who didn’t get any sleep for a night. Nonetheless, she didn’t think too much about it as she had nothing to fear when she knew she didn’t have anything to be guilty about. They didn’t cross any lines last night. Plus, she trusted Ming Feizhen could shut all their gossiping mouths up, but… he seemed beside himself today. Ming Feizhen, casting his gaze heaven-bound, had his brows glued together. He was sitting in the middle of an encirclement, yet his mind was off in another dimension. Knowing that he wasn’t going to return to reality any time soon, she had no choice but to dismantle the situation on her own.
“Hey, you…” When she attempted to explain what transpired, Shen Yiren realised that it wasn’t going to be easy based on the gazes on them. She had a feeling that it was a mistake to not explain, but it was also a mistake to explain. With hot flushes on her cheeks, she said, “Don’t get creative. W-we didn’t do anything.”
“I did not ask anything.” Song Chi showed open hands.
“You trying to play games with me, you runt?!”
No, Song Chi truly didn’t ask for an explanation; why would an explanation be necessary? Only a fool would question himself when he saw it all with his own eyes.
Song Chi felt tired because, whether it was from a personal or career perspective, he didn’t want Shen Yiren and Ming Feizhen to be close. At this point, they weren’t close; they were inseparable…
On his way out, Tianhu reminded Dugu to ask for leave as soon as possible, or he wouldn’t be able to take time off to partake in the wedding banquet once invitations were sent out. Hong Jiu already started inquiring which shop in Hangzhou made the best stickers, which shop would be able to meet the demands for cakes and so forth. Mountain Monster and Master Qi, meanwhile, discussed what sort of style Shen Yiren should go with for her wedding robe. Bai Zhiqing and his wife played guests, savouring the tea, feeding each other and watching the next generation chatter as if they were watching their children.
Boss doesn’t seem to remember anything. If she remembers kissing me… will she flatten me with the inkstone in one slam? But if she doesn’t remember, doesn’t that mean I was kissed for nothing? The best choice would be to feign ignorance, but I do remember, yet I can’t mention it… It’d be best if nobody remembers anything because anything can happen when you’re intoxicated. Plus, I’m safe if Boss doesn’t remember, and I won’t have to take any responsibility, but… does she not remember? How can she forget when I vividly remember the smell and taste of her warm lips…?
Noticing everyone being busy with different things and ignoring her, Shen Yiren inhaled deeply and then slammed the table with her hand, commanding all attention once again. “Quit the yammering! Don’t you find yourselves annoying?!” She swept her piercing gaze over them, then continued, “I told you already. I drank with Feizhen last night and then fell asleep in his room. We shouldn’t be talking about it when we’ve all been on battlefields. This ends here. If I hear anyone mention it, I’ll lock them up for thirty years!”
All the yammering and teasing ceased.
“Seriously. I have to get mad for you to stop. We didn’t even do anything; what’s with the big reactions?” Shen Yiren mumbled. “Right, Feizhen?”
“Huh? Wh-what? Ah, right, right, right. Yes, yes, yes. W-we didn’t… do anything.”
Everyone’s teasing smiles returned, sending Shen Yiren into panic.
“Don’t react like that! It creates the impression we did something!”
“We didn’t do anything.”
“Exactly.”
Ming Feizhen sighed.
“Why did you sigh? We…”
“Didn’t do anything.”
“Exactly.”
Ming Feizhen sighed.
“Why are you sighing?!”
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