63 One Night Spring I (1/2)

The eavesdropping child was startled. She opened her minibeast-like eyes wide but remained silent. It was Xiao Dao. She looked fearlessly into Yuan Zhaoxu's eyes, which evoked an inward praise from Meng Fuyao. Meng Fuyao understood the power of Yuan Zhaoxu's gaze and was pleasantly surprised by Xiao Dao's indifference.

Yuan Zhaoxu looked at her, a meaningful gaze brushing across his eyes. He shut them slightly as if searching for something within his head. After a short while, he opened them up and smiled.

Upon seeing him smile, Meng Fuyao couldn't help the curl that formed on her lips as well. 'Aye, what an actor.'

She had expected a remark from Yuan Zhaoxu, but he said nothing. Instead, he released the child and asked Meng Fuyao, in a man-of-the-house manner, ”The house by the garden is quite alright, shall I get the servants to tidy it?”

”Oh,” Meng Fuyao uttered blankly, and Yuan Zhaoxu comfortably called for servants to get to work. He had even added an additional instruction. ”The mayor is moving next door. Yes, change it for him.”

Meng Fuyao looked on as the servants in the garden ran about, very obediently following his orders and changing her accommodation. ”Why change?” she asked.

”I need to keep you within my line of sight,” Yuan Zhaoxu answered before holding her hand and walking over. ”Or you might just vanish again.”

Melancholy was evident in his tone. Embarrassed, Meng Fuyao looked left and right, mumbling, ”I just left without saying goodbye, and I didn't even step out of Wuji... how petty.”

Yuan Zhaoxu smiled without commenting, while Meng Fuyao recalled the corpse lying in her prison. Unable to suppress her worry she asked him for advice, and both ended up before the corpse a short while later. After a brief silence he laughed, ”Easy. Aren't there human skin masks around?”

Meng Fuyao looked at him, speechless. 'He's an official of Wuji Nation, also your subordinate. How heartless must you be to suggest making a mask out of his skin? Even I can't do it.'

Understanding her thoughts, he cast her a smiling glance. ”If you're so full of conscience, leave his corpse as it is. Whatever happens at the festival is none of our concern. When the sky falls, you'll be here to keep it in place.”

Aggrieved, Meng Fuyao stared at the mind-reader before her. Despite finding his solution drastic, she proceeded to arrange for Yao Xun to find a man with similar appearance to Ah Shina. Yuan Zhaoxu closed the door and handed her a box half an hour later. ”Air-dry it for a few days and it will be ready for use.”

Meng Fuyao opened it and asked, ”Is there anything in this world that you won't do?”

”Yes,” he answered quickly.

”Yeah?” Meng Fuyao threw him a surprised glance. She hadn't expected such a simple reply.

”What I won't do,” he started, gazing at her in a way that made her body feel, ”is not bidding farewell before leaving someone I care about behind.”

Meng Fuyao let out an inward cry.

'Mother, I'm not going to offend this man ever again.'

The December night in the southern border contained moisture that was bone-piercingly chilly. A layer of thin frost gathered on the window paper screen, which was instantly melted from the heat inside.

Lying on her bed and biting on a corner of her quilt, Meng Fuyao could think of nothing but a certain someone, whom she had heard was taking a bath.

'Bath...'

The swishing of water and the beam of light seeped in through a crack on the wall.

'Cracks on the wall... yeah...'

The room she rested in was slightly more special. The mayor's house was half Han and half Rong inspired, and the partition walls were made by assembling logs, some with bigger cracks than others. Basically, if she were to look through all the gaps quick enough, she would be able to gather a wholesome naked image of the person on the other end.

Meng Fuyao's bed happened to be facing a log with a bigger crack. She sat upright and still, using every ounce of determination to stop her eyes from going where they shouldn't be.

'No sore eyes for you... you're a decent being.'

The decent being lowered her head and started cultivating her skills while listening to the water sounds.

Energy yet to flow to her pubic region, Meng Fuyao's eyes slipped to the biggest log, through which a white figure could be seen. 'Strange, it wasn't there earlier. What was it?'

Curiosity was a good excuse for Meng Fuyao to peep openly.

She sprung off her bed and walked on tiptoe to the log. Before she could get a clear look, a white hair pricked her eyelid.

'Hair?'

She stared blankly as a white fur ball spread itself behind the crack and covering it. The white figure was him.

Sensing someone approaching, Lord Yuan Bao had turned and caught sight of two pearly black pupils looking right in, his face immediately filled with disdain.