Chapter 44: When We Return to the Residence, I

"Stop spouting nonsense!"

"No one has even seen them yet...."

Pei Suiwan rolled his eyes white, and on his handsome face a rare hint of shyness appeared.

In Chang'an, there is never a shortage of aristocratic dandy types, but someone with such talent and charm is hard to find....

"This handsome, marriage‑age young lord—are you willing to let him slip by?"

Du Shuying stepped forward, clasped Pei Suiwan's hand, winking, and teasingly said, "I heard Miss Fang has already been probing for his whereabouts everywhere...."

"Looks like it's a sure thing!"

The words were full of teasing.

"I think you, miss, are the one whose spring heart is awakening!" Pei Suiwan let out a light hum and scolded.

But upon hearing about Miss Fang, a chill flashed in his beautiful eyes.

A mere Fang family also wants to poach her from the He Dong Pei Clan?

The sun was high.

Cao Kun, the subject of Pei Suiwan and Du Shuying's discussion, finally rose leisurely from Jiang Li's room and left.

Sunlight bathed his face; he stretched lazily, inhaled fresh air, and sighed, "Life!"

"It should be like this...."

"When life is triumphant, revel fully; do not let a golden goblet face the moon empty!"

Chen Yan radiated with vigor, his face full of contentment.

A flower courtesan is just a flower courtesan—so luscious!

Just then, a weak yet familiar voice came from behind, "A Xiong, give me a hand...."

"My back aches and my legs are weak now; I have no strength left!"

Yuwen Ze was seen leaning against the wall, his legs trembling as he shuffled over slowly.

"What the heck!"

Chen Yan turned his head, shocked, "Did you stay up all night, fighting the whole evening?"

What met Chen Yan's eyes was Yuwen Ze's heavy dark circles and his lips turned pale.

As if his yang had been completely drained.

His whole body exuded emptiness.

Still so fierce!

"More or less...."

"Not a drop left...."

"I'm not good at it!"

Yuwen Ze wore a grimace, feeling his body hollowed out.

The more indulgent he was last night, the more helpless he feels now....

Chen Yan stepped forward, grabbed him, forced a smile, and said, "Next time, you should act within your limits!"

"We must not drain the pond to fish..."

Looking at the young man before him, Chen Yan couldn't help recalling his first time ordering, when he ate everything but refused cilantro.

Seems that's the same trait!

"I've finally learned!"

"I won't dare again...."

Yuwen Ze held his waist, sighed, and said.

He said that, but only for now, as he emptied his magazine.

A youngster who savors the marrow, after a few days will probably be as sharp as a bone‑scraping steel blade, yet we Guanzhong folk are famously hard‑boned.

"Let's go!"

Chen Yan's lips curled slightly as he laughed, "First, let's go back to my residence for a nap and fully restore our energy...."

"Alright," Yuwen Ze nodded and replied.

Chen Yan caught sight of Zhu Yi returning from another annex, and called, "Zhu Yi, help Yuwen Ze over there...."

On the road.

"Sigh~ sigh~ sigh~"

Supported on both sides, Yuwen Ze, unsure of his thoughts, let out three consecutive sighs.

"Why are you still sighing?"

Seeing this, Chen Yan assumed he was distressed by his own inadequacy and comforted him, "Even a rookie meeting a top‑class succubus feels this way; never feel inferior!"

It's like Zhao Kuo, just debuting, immediately facing the top‑tier boss Bai Qi.

Levels still have to be cleared one by one.

He paused, then continued, "When we get back to the residence, I'll give you a few vigor‑boosting elixirs, guaranteed to help you cut her down next time!"

As he spoke, Chen Yan recalled the formula: Cistanche, deer antler, horny goat weed, golden‑lock yang, red goji, tiger‑spear powder, deer‑spear powder, horse‑spear powder.....

Is there also snake‑spear powder?

"A Xiong, you've misunderstood, it's not that...."

Yuwen Ze froze, his face flushing bright red, and hurriedly explained, "I'm not lacking in that department!"

Everyone was stunned.

Just a sigh, and suddenly it became a problem?

"Then what's wrong with you?"

Dislike the quality of the flower queen at Chunman Lou?

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow, snapped his fingers, and laughed, "Next time we'll go to Jiaofang Si!"

If it's a quality issue, then it's even easier to solve.

Just one word: change!

If swapping a batch doesn't work, then change the place!

When you have rice in hand, it naturally comes clink‑clank.

"Not exactly."

Yuwen Ze shook his head, looked at the wildly scattered thoughts of Chen Yan, gave a bitter smile, and said, "I've realized that my father and I only look alike; everything else is completely different!"

"Besides not looking alike, you're similar in everything else!"

The difference is in appearance; the similarity lies in temperament, skill, ability, and disposition.

If their faces were swapped, Chen Yan would be the perfect son of his father.

But Yuwen Ze, though flowing with Yuwen Clan blood, is a son unlike his father…

"I thought it was something else!"

Chen Yan, amused, lightly patted Yuwen Ze's shoulder and laughed, "If I had a father like Great Stronghold, I could even wake up laughing in my dreams…"

In his eyes was an indescribable envy.

"Indeed."

Yuwen Ze nodded, then, recalling some things he had heard earlier, spoke out in indignation, "What Chen Tongyuan did was truly too beastly…"

"Even a tiger's poison won't eat its own cub!"

Having the Duke of Wei accuse his own son and send his father to Tianlao as a contrast, Yuwen Ze inexplicably felt he was whining without cause.

His father is strict as usual, but he is also excellent.

Without a comparison, there is no harm.

In contrast, his brother A Xiong, having such a father, would be better off without one…

"We've arrived!"

Chen Yan stopped in front of Chen Fu's gate, raised his hand and pointed, introducing, "This is the residence bestowed upon me by Great Stronghold!"

Yuwen Ze looked around, his eyes shining, "It's truly big and luxurious. If my father ever drives me out of the house, I'll come to rely on A Xiong…"

He felt no jealousy, only made preparations for the future.

From now on, he finally has a fallback, a place to settle.

The three had just entered when they met Dantai Mingyue, the woman expressionless, asking, "Did you finally have the heart to return?"

Chen Yan glanced behind Dantai Mingyue, saw no familiar figure, and asked, "Why are you the only one home? Where's Qingyu?"

"She went out to shop…" Dantai Mingyue replied coldly.

As they approached the three, her delicate nose was tickled, it twitched lightly, but she said little.

"Mingyue, this is my brother A Ze…"

Chen Yan pointed at Yuwen Ze, gave a brief introduction, then continued, "Please arrange a room for him to rest."

"Hmm."

Dantai Mingyue nodded and instructed the maid cleaning the courtyard, "You two, support A Ze, Young Master, and take him to the side room."

"Got it." The two girls helped Yuwen Ze briskly away.

"Go catch up on sleep!"

Chen Yan yawned, "Call me again at dinner…"

Although his condition was completely different from Yuwen Ze's, he too had barely slept all night.

He walked straight back to his own room, lay down and fell asleep.

He didn't know how long had passed.

"Hm?"

"Who?"

Half‑asleep, Chen Yan felt something strange, but he vaguely recalled he was no longer at Chunman Lou, muttering, "This size looks like my Xiao Lajiao…"

"It's me."

A cold woman's voice drifted from beside him.

"So it's really you?!"

Chen Yan, startled by the familiar voice, snapped his eyes open and, incredulously, asked, "Mingyue, why are you on my bed?"

Even with his willpower, he was a bit dazed.

Dantai Mingyue pressed her lips together and said lightly, "Chen Yan, I smell a strong scent of rouge on you…"

The non‑sequitur answer left Chen Yan puzzled, and he asked, "So what of it?"

He had just returned from the Qinglou, and being very sleepy, went to bed without bathing or changing; isn't the smell perfectly normal?

Dantai Mingyue gritted her teeth, as if making a certain resolve, and said firmly, "If you have needs, you can come to me; don't go to those shady places…"

"My body is still clean; I can satisfy you!"