The Princess Royal

Li Rоng fеll silеnt.

Не Yan was thе Lеft Viсе Мinister of the Мinistrу of Pеrsonnel, оnе rаnk highеr thаn Рei Wenхuan, who was the Right Vice Мinistеr. Now thаt Pеi Wеnхuаn had just bееn trаnsfеrrеd to thе Ministry of Реrsonnеl, if He Yan tоok the initiаtive to invitе him tо а bаnquеt, Реi Wenxuаn nаturallу hаd nо reаson tо rеfuse.

It was just thаt...

“Нe Yаn has quite the nеrve.”

Li Rong spоkе сoldlу. How darе hе invitе her Imреriаl Sоn-in-Lаw tо a brоthеl? Pеi Wenхuan hadn’t еven gаinеd рowеr уеt, аnd these pеople alreаdy had the аudacitу to dо this. Whаt would hаppen in the future...

“Your Highness,” Zhao Chongjiu reminded her coolly, “you and Lord Pei are divorced.”

Li Rong: “...”

She felt as if Zhao Chongjiu’s words had poured a bucket of cold water over her, sobering her up quite a bit. Unable to help herself, she grew flustered and annoyed, lowering her voice to snap, “Mind your own business!”

Zhao Chongjiu remained expressionless. Li Rong took a moment to calm herself in the room and finally decided—she was going to see for herself.

On one hand, she wanted to see how Pei Wenxuan “conducted business” in a brothel; on the other hand, the matter regarding Cui Yulang was indeed urgent.

Once she had made up her mind, she suppressed the anger in her heart and raised her hand to give orders: “Send someone to keep an eye on the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Get me an identity to sneak in, but be careful not to be discovered.”

Zhao Chongjiu acknowledged the order and went to handle the matter. Not long after, he sent a female guard back to escort Li Rong to the Spring Breeze Pavilion.

Since Li Rong was to enter the Spring Breeze Pavilion secretly, she naturally couldn’t take the main entrance. On the way, the guard explained the arrangements for the day: “Lord Zhao has already bribed a dancer who is attending the banquet at the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Tonight, Your Highness may have to lower your status a bit and replace the dancer to get inside. What does Your Highness think?”

“As long as it gets the job done.”

Li Rong nodded, thinking to herself that being a dancer might actually be better—it would allow her to see clearly how Pei Wenxuan socialized outside.

Although she had great confidence in Pei Wenxuan, she had also inherited Li Ming’s suspicious nature. Even with the person she trusted the most, she still left room for the possibility that they might turn bad.

After all, what woman didn’t believe that the man she loved was a good person?

Li Rong stroked the small fan in her hand and lowered her eyes.

The female guard led her through the back door of the Spring Breeze Pavilion and into a dancer’s room. When the dancer saw Li Rong, she assumed she was a lady from some household and repeatedly reminded her: “Madam, no matter what you see today, you must not cause a scene in our establishment, or the madam will surely have my head.”

“Don’t worry,” Li Rong smiled reassuringly, “I’m just here to take a look. I won’t get you into trouble.”

“But there’s one thing,” the female guard suddenly spoke up, “what if a patron inside takes a liking to you?”

“Don’t worry,” the dancer laughed, “Lord He, who’s coming today, is a regular here and won’t cause trouble. Besides, I’ve already spoken to the wine attendant who will escort you into the room. I’m not taking any patrons today, so the attendant will help you.”

“That’s fine then.” Li Rong nodded. After a moment’s thought, she added, “If there really is an unexpected situation... I have a way.”

After all, as long as she revealed her identity, Pei Wenxuan would naturally have to protect her. She wasn’t really afraid.

Only after hearing this did the female guard feel reassured and let the dancer lead Li Rong to change clothes.

Behind the screen, the dancer took out a set of Persian dancer’s clothes and handed them to Li Rong, asking, “Do you need my help, Madam?”

Li Rong stared at the golden, sequin-adorned dancer’s outfit before her and was momentarily at a loss for words.She was beginning to suspect whether all of this was Pei Wenxuan’s trap...

Seeing that Li Rong had remained silent for a long time, the dancer cautiously asked, "Madam?"

Li Rong finally snapped back to reality. Since she was already here, even if it was Pei Wenxuan’s trap, she still had to go see him. So she brushed aside her concerns and said directly, "No need. I’ll change into it myself."

The dancer bowed gracefully and withdrew.

Li Rong quickly changed into the dancer’s clothes behind the screen and emerged, then had the guard hastily apply heavy makeup to ensure she wouldn’t be recognized once she put on the veil.

After changing, the dancer taught Li Rong the movements for tonight’s performance in the room.

Li Rong’s position tonight was toward the back, and she didn’t need to dance particularly well—just follow along without making mistakes. So, Li Rong spent about an hour with the dancer, memorizing the general poses and rhythm. After the dancer roughly explained the rules of the Spring Breeze Pavilion, it was nearly nightfall. Lanterns were hung outside, and just as the female guard lit the lamps, a young servant’s voice called out, "Sister Qinghe, the guests have arrived. Madam asks you to come over."

The dancer deliberately lowered her voice, speaking hoarsely, "I’ll be right there."

Hearing the dancer’s voice, the servant sounded puzzled. "What’s wrong with Sister Qinghe’s voice?"

Hearing this, the dancer walked to the door, opened it, coughed lightly twice, and said in a hoarse voice, "My throat is a bit uncomfortable today. Wait a moment, I’ll change my clothes and come right away."

The servant acknowledged, and the dancer closed the door, walked over to Li Rong, and whispered, "That servant is called Xiaogui. You don’t need to say much later—just follow him."

Li Rong nodded. The dancer estimated the time and signaled for Li Rong to go out.

Li Rong walked out of the room and nodded to the servant.

Xiaogui, thinking Qinghe’s throat was unwell, didn’t say much either. The two walked in silence until the servant escorted Li Rong to the front hall, where she saw a middle-aged woman, presumably the "Madam" Qinghe had mentioned.

The middle-aged woman was heavily made up, hands on her hips, scolding a group of young girls. "Today is a banquet hosted by Lord He for distinguished guests. All of you must perform well and not slack off. Lord He said if the distinguished guests aren’t satisfied today, he won’t come again in the future. Put all your effort into it—be as seductive as you can. Understood?"

All the girls responded in unison. Li Rong blended into the crowd, listening to these words, a stifling feeling pressing against her chest, unable to be expelled or swallowed.

This was the livelihood of these girls, and she understood that. She had never been one to make things difficult for women, so whether to vent this frustration or not would depend on Pei Wenxuan’s performance.

Li Rong calculated in her mind as she followed the crowd to the backyard. After waiting there for a while, she heard the Madam’s voice downstairs greeting someone. "Sir, a gentleman as handsome as you is truly a rare guest..."

Hearing this, Li Rong quickly looked over. From the second floor, she saw Pei Wenxuan dressed in a blue robe and jade crown, hands tucked into his sleeves, leading Tong Ye upstairs.

He looked different from how she usually saw him—his face bore no trace of a smile, cold and aloof, appearing particularly unapproachable. His usually gentle, spring-like demeanor now seemed as unattainable as snow-capped mountains.

Others smiled and flattered him along the way, but his expression remained unchanged, as if he heard nothing, as he strode up the stairs.This version of Pei Wenxuan made Li Rong pause for a moment, then she laughed at herself for overreacting. She had seen Pei Wenxuan’s unpleasant expression countless times in her past life, and now, having grown accustomed to him coaxing her, she had almost forgotten what kind of person he truly was.

Discovering a different side of Pei Wenxuan made Li Rong feel this trip was worthwhile. When Pei Wenxuan reached the doorway, the girls waiting there hurriedly bowed in greeting. Li Rong reluctantly followed suit. Pei Wenxuan swept a casual glance over them, only to be met with a sea of slender, pale waists. Startled, he quickly averted his gaze, feigning composure as he pushed the door open and entered.

He Yan was indeed a seasoned patron of such pleasure quarters, even selecting dancers with such boldness.

Persian dance had initially gained popularity for its exotic charm, but over time, establishments of pleasure discovered that Persian dance costumes allowed for more creative designs, and the hip-swaying movements of the dance were more alluring to men, leading to its widespread adoption in such venues.

In fact, compared to the genuine Persian dancers performing on the streets, the dancers here wore shorter tops, revealing more of their slender waists, and lower necklines. For those with fuller figures, the curves of their upper bodies could only be described as breathtaking.

However, this also made the display rather explicit, which is why refined scholars and gentlemen tended to avoid such performances. Only seasoned connoisseurs of pleasure quarters favored this style.

Pei Wenxuan now had a rough understanding of his future "colleague," and it aligned with his expectations.

Based on the information he had gathered, He Yan was greedy for wealth and lustful, yet skilled in social interactions. Today’s behavior was hardly surprising.

He hadn’t wanted to come, fearing Li Rong might misunderstand. However, befriending He Yan was crucial for his next steps. Since He Yan had extended the invitation, refusing would appear overly aloof, making it difficult to build a closer relationship with him later.

Thus, he had mustered the courage to attend, planning to explain himself to Li Rong afterward.

Of course, not explaining was also an option. If he didn’t, and Li Rong questioned him, he could simply bring up the matter of Cui Yulang. Knowing she was in the wrong, she wouldn’t dare say much.

By the time he stepped through the door, Pei Wenxuan had already planned how to argue with Li Rong later.

Confident he could win the argument, he smiled and bowed to He Yan, who was already seated. "Minister He."

He then greeted the others in the room. "Greetings to all esteemed officials."

"Minister Pei has arrived."

He Yan stood up as he spoke. He appeared to be in his early forties, lean and wiry, with a thin mustache that gave him a somewhat cunning air.

He motioned for Pei Wenxuan to take a seat. "Come, come, sit down. Tonight, just follow your elder brother’s arrangements."

In just a few words, He Yan had already addressed Pei Wenxuan as a sworn brother. He guided Pei Wenxuan to his seat and introduced him to everyone in the room one by one.

Almost everyone present was from the Ministry of Personnel, with varying ranks, all colleagues he would interact with in the future. They sized each other up while exchanging pleasantries and building rapport.

Pei Wenxuan knew how to navigate such situations, and before long, he had warmed up to the group. Seeing the atmosphere grow lively, He Yan waved his hand, signaling for the dancers to be brought in.

Li Rong followed the crowd into the room, blending into the back row. She scanned the room, confirming that everyone was from the Ministry of Personnel, and roughly grasped the nature of tonight’s gathering.

As she danced, she listened intently to Pei Wenxuan’s conversations with the others.The group exchanged pleasantries in the room, speaking in formalities, going back and forth without ever getting to the point. Plenty of wine was drunk, and a great deal of nonsense was spoken.

Li Rong followed along, twisting and turning among the crowd while stealing glances at Pei Wenxuan through the gaps. After three rounds of drinks, everyone had already grown familiar. He Yan raised his cup and approached Pei Wenxuan, draping an arm over his shoulder as he said cheerfully, "Brother Pei, you're a straightforward man. I like that. Don't worry, from now on in the Ministry of Personnel, I've got your back."

"Then Wenxuan thanks you, big brother."

Pei Wenxuan smiled and immediately switched to the familiar address. He Yan patted Pei Wenxuan's shoulder and sat down beside him, sighing with some emotion. "I know you were bullied terribly by Princess Ping Le. Now that you've finally divorced, you must feel free at last, right? Come, let loose today. It's on me," he said, waving toward the girls. "Take a good look. Whichever one you like, just call her over."

Everyone heard this, including Li Rong.

Li Rong stared at Pei Wenxuan from the crowd, waiting to see what he would say.

If he dared to agree, she would kill him when they got back.

Pei Wenxuan was also in a difficult position. Having just built a good relationship with He Yan, refusing now would likely offend him. But if he agreed...

Before Pei Wenxuan could refuse, He Yan sensed his hesitation and quickly added, "You're young, I know you're shy. Here, let me help you pick. Look, the most beautiful part of a woman is her waist."

As he spoke, He Yan's gaze fixed on the swaying waists of the dancers, his eyes like a wolf eyeing a piece of fat meat. He commented, "A good waist, first, it must be slender; second, it must be supple; third, it must be agile. This Persian dance tests a girl's waist strength..."

"Brother He..." Pei Wenxuan couldn't bear to listen any longer and looked up, wanting to change the subject. But as soon as he raised his head, he saw He Yan staring intently at one of the girls, praising, "Look, brother."

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan instinctively followed his gaze, only then hearing He Yan say, "What a waist!"

Pei Wenxuan froze as his eyes landed on her.

The short-sleeved top of the golden Persian dancer's dress was adorned with shimmering gold pieces, beneath which swayed a slender, supple waist twisting like a nimble snake.

There wasn't an ounce of excess flesh on that waist; it looked firm and beautiful, with curves flowing seamlessly from top to bottom, rising and falling like waves. Most importantly, between the sequins, near the edge of her spine, a tiny red mole flickered in and out of the light, as if beckoning something, making it impossible to look away.

Just as Li Rong saw Pei Wenxuan staring dumbly at her, her anger flared. She was wearing heavy makeup today, so it was unlikely Pei Wenxuan could recognize her. Staring like that probably meant he couldn't take his eyes off a pretty girl.

But Li Rong thought she shouldn't jump to conclusions just yet, so she waited for Pei Wenxuan's next reaction.

Pei Wenxuan's stunned expression piqued He Yan's interest. He turned to him, suppressing a laugh as he asked, "Brother Pei, have you taken a liking to this one?"

"She is indeed quite something." Pei Wenxuan snapped out of his daze and realized this was likely Li Rong.

As for why Li Rong was here, it wasn't hard to guess—she was probably in a hurry to discuss Cui Yulang's matter and had followed him here.

Thinking of this, Pei Wenxuan felt another surge of irritation, but the more annoyed he was inside, the brighter his smile became.

He looked at He Yan and teased, "Has Lord He taken a liking to her as well?""Since you've taken a fancy to her, how could I possibly compete with you?"

He Yan laughed, then turned and pointed at Li Rong. "The one in the back row," he waved his hand, "come over here. Today's distinguished guest has taken a liking to you. Such a handsome gentleman—you should be secretly delighted!"

Upon hearing this, all the dancers burst into laughter, but the attendant in charge of the floor grew anxious and hurried forward. "Sir, she is one of our establishment's untouched courtesans..."

"Here is one hundred taels." Pei Wenxuan didn't let him finish, directly pulling out a banknote and placing it on the table. The attendant was stunned, then heard Pei Wenxuan say with a smile, "Tell me, should I give this silver to you, or to your boss?"

Such a sum was enough to buy a dancer's freedom. If the money reached the boss, any "untouched" courtesan could be made "touched."

The attendant had received Qinghe's instructions and naturally knew Li Rong wasn't one of their own. He quickly searched for words to help Li Rong out of this predicament, but before he could think of anything, he saw Li Rong bow and say in a hoarse voice, "I wouldn't want to put you in a difficult position, brother."

With that, Li Rong stepped forward, approached Pei Wenxuan, bowed to him, and said respectfully in her raspy voice, "It is only right to serve you, sir. There's no need for you to spend so much."

Just kidding, that was one hundred taels.

Pei Wenxuan had never seen Li Rong show him such deference before. A sense of unprecedented satisfaction welled up inside him. He smiled as he looked at Li Rong and patted the spot beside him. "Sit down, miss."

Hearing this, Li Rong gritted her teeth in annoyance.

Look at his gentle and considerate demeanor—he must be utterly bewitched by beauty.

But she still wanted to see how far Pei Wenxuan would go, so she bowed and deliberately put on a coy, timid tone. "Thank you, sir."

Seeing Li Rong's act, He Yan burst into laughter. "She's a sensible one."

With that, he rose from his seat beside Pei Wenxuan and returned to his own spot, calling over three girls. He embraced two on either side, with another kneeling behind him to lean against, looking utterly content.

The other officials also called for girls, each holding at least one. The girls urged them to drink, chatted with them, and those not chosen resumed dancing. The scene became lively and bustling in no time.

Li Rong walked around the small table and sat down beside Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan turned to her, gently looking her up and down. Li Rong kept her head lowered, pretending to be shy, while inwardly worrying whether Pei Wenxuan's sharp eyes could recognize her.

Pei Wenxuan, seeing Li Rong's rare, delicate appearance, felt half his heart melt. He reached out, took her hand, and asked softly, "You're dressed so lightly. Aren't you cold?"

"It's fine," Li Rong whispered in response. "It's a bit chilly outside, but it's warm inside."

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan didn't say much more. He simply took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders.

He Yan, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh. "The girl deliberately dressed lightly to tempt you, yet you cover her up with your robe. Minister Pei, you truly know how to cherish beauty."

"This little sister's hands are ice-cold," Pei Wenxuan replied, turning his head and leaning back in his chair. He casually pulled Li Rong into his arms and raised his cup. "If I don't take care of her, what if she catches a chill?"

His movements were extremely gentle, but the thought that Pei Wenxuan might not have recognized her at all made Li Rong feel a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Leaning against Pei Wenxuan's chest, she heard him ask, "What's your name?""Qinghe."

Li Rong gave the dancer's name, and Pei Wenxuan nodded, saying only, "A fine name."

"Merely aping elegance, hardly worthy of the stage."

Li Rong didn't give Pei Wenxuan any face, immediately criticizing her own name as unimpressive. Pei Wenxuan wasn't angered, however, and just smiled as he asked, "How old are you? Have you turned twenty yet?"

"No," Li Rong feigned seriousness, "This humble one is nearly nineteen this year."

"That's not exactly young anymore." Pei Wenxuan spoke while watching Li Rong deal with him, finding it utterly amusing. "Do you have someone you like?"

"Yes."

"Oh? What's his name? What kind of person is he?" Seeing how adorable Li Rong was, Pei Wenxuan couldn't help but tease her. Li Rong, noticing how enthusiastically Pei Wenxuan was speaking to a young girl, felt a surge of anger and said, "His name is Pei Tieniu, and he's a fool."

Pei Wenxuan: "..."

He detected the resentment in Li Rong's words and, looking closely, saw that despite her efforts to restrain herself, there was still some unconcealable anger in her eyes.

He observed for a moment and then understood.

She was jealous.

The thought of Li Rong being jealous over him made Pei Wenxuan so happy he wanted to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her. But then he remembered He Yan was still present, and it wouldn't be appropriate to show too much improper emotion in front of him. So he simply smiled and nodded. "Coincidentally, I also share the surname Pei," he said, leaning close to her ear and suppressing a laugh as he whispered, "You can call me Brother Pei."

She didn't want to call him Brother Pei; she just wanted to smash his head in.

But she couldn't show it, only blushing and softly replying, "Mm."

"Lord Pei seems quite fond of this girl."

He Yan, seeing how gentle Pei Wenxuan was with Li Rong, couldn't resist teasing: "Look at how considerate he is—he might not even treat the princess this well."

Hearing this, Li Rong swiftly glanced at He Yan.

Very well spoken. She'd remember that.

Pei Wenxuan didn't deny it either, saying only, "The princess is naturally noble, but I also like this little darling."

"Then why don't you hurry and have your little darling remove her veil so everyone can see."

Someone jeered, and Li Rong stiffened. Then she heard Pei Wenxuan say, "If I take it off and you see her, what if she's beautiful? You might try to snatch her from me."

"Lord Pei, I promise I won't steal your little darling," the heckler said with a serious expression. "All the other dancers have removed their veils. Isn't it improper if yours doesn't?"

"Forget it," Pei Wenxuan said, holding Li Rong casually. "I'm very picky. I've finally taken a liking to this girl's waist. If her face ruins my appetite, I'll be sleeping alone tonight."

With that, Pei Wenxuan changed the subject, turning to He Yan. "Brother He, is Minister Wang really in charge of this imperial examination?"

"Minister Wang is burdened with many affairs," He Yan replied offhandedly, as Pei Wenxuan had brought up official business, though it wasn't anything major. "Even if they say he's in charge, he can't possibly manage it personally. The imperial examination isn't that important—just a bunch of poor students trying to leap through the dragon's gate." He Yan took a sip of wine offered by a dancer and said casually, "How could Minister Wang possibly oversee so much?"

As he spoke, he leaned in to kiss the dancer.

The dancer giggled and dodged, and he chased after her. Everyone followed suit, and the scene quickly descended into chaos.Pei Wenxuan sat quietly among the crowd, appearing somewhat overly composed. He Yan teased him for being a first-timer, to which he simply replied, "I'm just not used to being in front of people."

Pei Wenxuan spoke, then briefly discussed the situation in the Ministry of Personnel with its officials. None of it seemed particularly important. Li Rong lay against Pei Wenxuan’s chest as he absentmindedly stroked her back. Listening to their trivial conversation, she couldn’t help but feel drowsy.

People around them toasted each other from a distance, but they didn’t drink themselves—instead, they offered their drinks to the dancing girls. When it came to Pei Wenxuan, however, he drank every toast himself, not giving a single drop to Li Rong.

By the latter half of the banquet, things had descended into chaos. These men, full of energy and emboldened by alcohol, were making a ruckus.

While inquiring with He Yan and others about the imperial examination’s status in the Ministry of Personnel, Pei Wenxuan also dealt with the constant toasts. Though the wine wasn’t strong—it even felt somewhat mild—drinking too much still had its effects, dulling his rational reactions.

This indulgence made him unconsciously aware of his surroundings. The others had long since begun their own revelries, engaging in activities of a rather bold nature. Pei Wenxuan averted his gaze, but it was hard to ignore Li Rong nestled in his arms.

Li Rong had been lying against him for a long time, seemingly tired and drifting into a hazy sleep, looking as peaceful as a kitten.

Pei Wenxuan glanced sideways at her for a moment. In the dim lamplight, her eyelashes were thick and long, her lips cherry-red and slightly parted, revealing a hint of her tongue.

Pei Wenxuan lowered his gaze, picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and turned back to discuss serious matters with He Yan.

He Yan had already explained the entire imperial examination process. Pei Wenxuan said slowly, “So, according to what Brother He says, what we need to do isn’t much.”

As he spoke, the hand resting on Li Rong couldn’t help but drift downward.

Earlier, he had draped a garment over Li Rong like a blanket, originally to keep her warm. Now, it served as the perfect cover.

Beneath the clothing, no one could see what he was doing. Only Li Rong stiffened slightly at his movements.

Pei Wenxuan knew she was awake, but he pretended not to notice, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor as if nothing had happened.

“Indeed, it isn’t much,” He Yan sighed meaningfully, “but since the most crucial part is in our hands, it’s inevitable…”

He Yan smiled, leaving the rest unsaid.

Hearing their conversation, Li Rong suddenly became much more alert.

Leaning against Pei Wenxuan, she pretended to be asleep while secretly listening to their discussion.

And Pei Wenxuan, seemingly aware that she wouldn’t open her eyes, grew even bolder.

“Then… how should we proceed?” Pei Wenxuan raised his wine cup. “There’s more than one way for those below to handle things, right?”

As he spoke, he took another sip of wine.

Li Rong clenched her teeth, suppressing any sound.

She tried her best not to feel anything, not to react in any way.

Though her intuition told her that Pei Wenxuan had most likely recognized her, the thought that he might be doing this without knowing her identity filled her with resistance.

This feeling of resistance mingled with the sensations Pei Wenxuan was evoking, like vinegar added to sweetness, intensifying every nuance.

In truth, Pei Wenxuan wasn’t being excessive. He was merely caressing her as if she were a precious jade or an ancient zither—reverent and deliberate. Yet, this very act of yielding after resistance, and the inability to express or speak of it afterward, amplified every sensation layer by layer.Li Rong listened to the conversation between Pei Wenxuan and He Yan, yet she couldn't help but sink into a certain unspeakable delight.

"There are thousands of methods, but in the end, they all have to go through us. For example, the most common one is changing a name."

He Yan leaned closer and whispered, "At that point, someone will come to ask for your help."

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan laughed, "So there are so many tricks."

"Work hard," He Yan raised his hand and patted Pei Wenxuan, "The Ministry of Personnel is not like the Censorate."

"Yes," Pei Wenxuan nodded, "I hope you'll look out for me in the future, brother."

"By the way, has this girl fallen asleep?"

Seeing that it was about time, He Yan glanced at Li Rong. Pei Wenxuan turned around and smiled at Li Rong, who was pretending to sleep, gently brushing away the stray hairs on her face.

The movement of his hand in front of others was extremely gentle, but in places unseen, it was quite the opposite.

"Probably too tired," Pei Wenxuan smiled, "This girl must be exhausted today."

"No matter how tired, you still have to take care of your guest."

He Yan blinked and chuckled, "Brother, why don't you head back to your room first?"

"What about you, Brother He..."

"I'll be leaving too."

He Yan laughed, "After saying goodbye to the other brothers, I'll head back to the guest room as well."

"Then I'll take my leave first?"

"Go ahead."

He Yan waved his hand, "A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. You've probably been holding back all evening."

Pei Wenxuan seemed a bit embarrassed and didn't say much. Just as someone was about to wake Li Rong, Pei Wenxuan shook his head.

Pei Wenxuan reached out, straightened the clothes draped over Li Rong, then picked her up in his arms and followed the servant back to the guest room.

The servant led the two back. After opening the door and entering, before the lights were even lit, Pei Wenxuan placed her directly on the floor and kissed her without another word.

Li Rong pushed him away, no longer pretending, and said bluntly, "Get lost..."

Before she could finish, Pei Wenxuan pressed her against the door, silencing her with his lips, "You pushed me away to go see Cui Yulang, and you still dare to tell me to get lost?"

He mumbled as he nibbled on her lips, "You have quite the temper."

Hearing this, Li Rong understood why he had pretended not to recognize her earlier.

She frowned as Pei Wenxuan intertwined his fingers with hers and pressed her hands against the door. Taking advantage of the moment he kissed another spot, she gasped softly, "You recognized me earlier?"

"Besides you, do you think I'd be good to any other girl?"

"Why not?" Li Rong hung onto him, smiling mischievously, "What if there's a younger sister or a friend or something? Wouldn't it be normal for you to be nice to them?"

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan suddenly froze.

Seeing Pei Wenxuan stop, Li Rong felt a bit puzzled and looked up at him.

In the darkness, Pei Wenxuan lowered his head. Light filtered through the gauze window, casting dappled shadows on him. Li Rong stared at him, momentarily confused, "Pei Wenxuan?"

"Never again," Pei Wenxuan suddenly spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. Li Rong stared at him blankly as he lifted his head and smiled at her. His smile was somewhat bitter, but he seemed to try not to let her notice, softening his tone as much as possible, "I won't be good to a second girl."

"Rongrong," he leaned forward, gently touching her forehead with his, "I can't lose you a second time."

"I can't walk alone for another thirty years."