Chapter 193: And a Kiss

Ye Huanhuan's body trembled.

She knew Ye Qingran was alluding to her.

The hand in her sleeve clenched tightly into a fist; Ye Huanhuan hated her intensely. Ye Qingran, why is it always you ruining my plans?!

"But, young master..." Li Qing felt somewhat unwilling.

Ye Qingran stopped Li Qing, "I've said all I need to; more talk is useless. Xiao Yin, let's go."

Xiao Yin rose, pressed down its forelimbs, leapt, and dashed outside, disappearing behind the high wall in the blink of an eye.

Dongfang Qingxuan watched Ye Qingran leave, his gaze dazed.

Just now, Ye Qingran said she would not become the new commander of the Dingyuan Army. Could it be that she is not, as Ye Huanhuan claimed, someone with ambition exceeding the heavens?

"You just said becoming the new commander of the Dingyuan Army was Ye Qingran's long-held wish; why then did she refuse Li Qing just now?" Dongfang Qingxuan turned his head, his eyes flashing like lightning, extremely sharp.

Ye Huanhuan's heart gave a jolt.

"Sister indeed used to say that, but I don't know when she changed her mind..."

Ye Huanhuan's nails dug into her flesh; she hated it intensely.

Crown Prince, why would you suddenly take an interest in Ye Qingran?

"That would be best!"

Dongfang Qingxuan flicked his sleeve, turned, and also left the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.

……

Qin Ge

Ye Qingran arrived as promised.

Wuhen had already arrived early.

At the private room door, seeing that person standing with hands behind back before the window, tall and imposing, bearing an exalted aura, merely a silhouette already peerless in beauty; even the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers could not steal a trace of his splendor!

Whenever she saw this, Ye Qingran couldn't help but wonder: could such a heavenly being truly have come from the remote Cangzhou City of Donglin Country?

To say he is the monarch of Donglin Country, she even felt it was a injustice to him!

Hearing the movement at the door, Wuhen turned around. His face and overall demeanor were quite mismatched; not exactly ugly, but rather ordinary, somewhat unworthy of his powerful aura.

"You've come." Wuhen's thin lips moved, uttering a low, magnetic voice that was pleasing to the ear, causing a tingling sensation; the icy undertone hidden within made people dare not approach lightly.

Ye Qingran nodded slightly and entered the private room.

Having ordered the waiter to bring a full table of dishes, Ye Qingran and Wuhen sat facing each other; Leng Yue entered from outside to attend.

Even when Wuhen first arrived, Leng Yue had the fortune to see this legendary figure. The first impression was strange. That kind of mismatch between looks and aura made her feel his face was obscured, not fitting someone so extraordinarily beautiful.

"Miss Ye, you said last time you wanted me to pretend to be your lover; what exactly should I do?"

Wuhen got straight to the point, exposing his straight-man nature completely.

Ye Qingran had just taken a sip of tea when his bluntness stimulated her, almost making her choke.

"Cough… this… actually you don't need to do much. Normally we stay as usual; mainly, in front of the National Master, we need to show affection."

Hearing this, what a scumbag woman!

Wuhen again spat in disdain, wondering how his eyes could be bewitched by such a woman.

However…

Affectionate?

Wuhen resembled Xiao Bai, asking, "What counts as affectionate?"

Meeting Wuhen's gaze, Ye Qingran wondered if she was seeing things; otherwise how could she see two clusters of ill-intentioned little flames in his cold eyes?

It must be her illusion!

What ill intentions could Wuhen possibly have?

Ye Qingran stroked her chin, pondered a moment, then replied: "For example, when the National Master is present, to prove we are lovers we need to do some intimate gestures, like… hugging, holding hands, you fixing my hair, etc." That was all Ye Qingran could think of.

Forgive her, this novice who hasn't even had a chance to attend the novice training camp yet!

Wuhen's gaze deepened.

While secretly resenting her ruthlessness, he also felt full of anticipation for what she said.

Hugging? Holding hands?

Could it go deeper?

"Is that all? Wouldn't that be too simple?"

Ye Qingran blinked. What do you mean too simple?

"What I mean is, just hugging and holding hands, the National Master might not think we are lovers, and might even mistakenly believe our relationship isn't that close, thus giving him the illusion he still has a chance."

Ye Qingran thought it over and found it quite reasonable.

"What else do you think we need to do?" She is quite capable, but when it comes to male-female matters she's truly a blank slate. She really doesn't understand.

Wuhen shook his head, embarrassed: "I don't really understand either; I just think what you said is too simple..."

Leng Yue stood aside, giving an auntie-like smile, thinking Wuhen was too pure; although her mistress lacks experience, could the celestial-aura Wuhen also be a novice?

Leng Yue couldn't help but remind: "Miss, there's also kissing!"

Kiss…?

Upon hearing that, both froze.

Both of their gazes fell on Leng Yue; light flickered in those two pairs of eyes.

After a few seconds, they withdrew their gazes from Leng Yue, then after looking at each other, due to embarrassment each looked elsewhere.

In the air, an ambiguous atmosphere brewed.

Leng Yue looked at one then the other, her mouth almost splitting into a grin.

If Miss were really to date Wuhen, that wouldn't be bad either!

Wuhen swore that although he had this thief's heart and this thief's courage, he never expected Leng Yue to say what he wanted to say so quickly. He had originally intended to coax and lure Ye Qingran step by step onto the hook.

Ye Qingran never expected that pretending to be a couple would actually require a kiss.

Is this level too much?

Although she had given birth, her psychological first kiss was still intact!

"Leng Yue, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Ye Qingran glared at Leng Yue and said angrily.

"Actually, Miss Ye, you are my first friend in Xiliang City. If you truly need me to go this far, I wouldn't object." Wuhen lowered his eyes slightly, and in Ye Qingran's gaze he felt a sense of guilt for forcing a good woman into prostitution.

She couldn't help but reflect whether she had gone too far.

Wuhen seems overly naive, doesn't he? He probably hasn't even kissed a girl before, right?

The more Ye Qingran thought about it, the more she felt she was worse than a beast!

The innocent Wuhen, in an angle Ye Qingran couldn't see, a flash of brilliance crossed his eyes and the corner of his mouth curled into a wanton arc, like a big gray wolf eyeing a little white rabbit.

Woman, since you came to me of your own accord, don't blame me for being impolite!

Who let you be heartless and try to get away from me? Then don't blame me for collecting interest in advance!

Ye Qingran never expected that she, who had invited the wolf into the house, had already become the fish on someone's chopping block.

"Wuhen, actually, it's not necessarily necessary… don't think too much about it." Ye Qingran gave a dry laugh.

"Hmm." Wuhen lifted his head and returned to his usual aloof demeanor.

Seeing him like that, Ye Qingran finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"By the way, I have a question I can't figure out."

"Go ahead and ask."

"National Master is peerlessly handsome and of noble status, with countless women wanting to marry him. Why do you avoid him like the plague? Is it because he has children?"

Wuhen's gaze burned. He really wanted to know wherein he fell short; this woman despised him in every possible way.