Chapter 1874: The Frail Young Master's Beauty Bride Brought to Ward Off Misfortune 29

Two weeks later, on the central street of Chuan Ze Cheng, Wan Xi Restaurant.

Today a distinguished guest arrived; the proprietor had the staff put in twelve percent effort, for the Young Master had finally taken lodging at their restaurant, and if they failed to satisfy him, they might even have to close shop.

Unlike what Ye Yuchi remembered from his past life, Duan Lingfeng perhaps had completely settled on the Prince Yi as his backing; nowadays in Chuan Ze Cheng he grew ever more unscrupulous, to the point that even his maternal grandfather's Liu family could no longer rein him in—saying he was arrogant and overbearing would not be an exaggeration.

Jin Chen and Ye Yuchi stepped out of the carriage and headed straight for the restaurant.

"Duan Lingfeng is really stupid, making a fuss over this kind of thing so everyone knows." After sitting down, Jin Chen complained to his husband beside him, not knowing what disguise was on his face, but he looked even more wan than a few days ago.

The customers who recognized Jin Chen's identity exchanged glances, but none dared to go over and ask.

They still didn't know the temperament of the Jin family's young master, but this young lady was beautiful indeed—she was as cold as ice, and aside from meeting for business at the cloth shop, her face was colder than anyone's at other times.

"That's fine too, saves us having to figure out his whereabouts." Ye Yuchi rubbed his slightly sore waist, and while the server brought the dishes, he gave Jin Chen a subtle glare.

Everyone said the most important thing these days was to completely ruin the Ye family, then try to find Lord Sheng's whereabouts from Duan Lingfeng.

But as Jin Chen's health improved, he simply couldn't rest at night.

Jin Chen felt himself move closer, his arm wrapping around the waist, and said, "Ah Ci, let me massage you."

"I know, you always want me to restrain myself." Jin Chen muttered into Ye Yuchi's ear, quite reasonably: "But Ah Ci makes me wear your embroidered clothes to sleep every night, which I could tolerate, yet you deliberately go without clothes, I… mm."

Ye Yuchi hurriedly covered Jin Chen's mouth, "Husband, we're out in public."

Such talk should be kept behind closed doors; how could it be said outside?

Ye Yuchi pushed the pastry roll on the table toward Jin Chen's mouth, at least stopping him from continuing his "reasoning."

After Jin Chen finished chewing, he took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, narrowed his smiling eyes, and softly asked, "Then Ah Ci must have a reason—why do these 'accidents' keep happening when we sleep these days?"

The previous night they said warm spring was coming, and they forgot to have the servants change clothes; wearing them at night would be hot, so when he lifted the blanket he saw his husband stark naked.

Yesterday night they again said his body was fatigued, washing his long hair was too troublesome, so Ye Yuchi lay in his arms on the bed wiping his dark hair; the steam dampened his thin inner garment, making it even more alluring than going without clothes.

Jin Chen silently counted his husband's little thoughts lately, the arm wrapped around Ye Yuchi's waist suddenly tightened, and they exchanged teasing glances.

Ye Yuchi turned his face away, the corners of his eyes flushed with a captivating red.

One couldn't say that after following Duan Lingfeng for a few days, they discovered that aside from completing the task given by Prince Yi, he was constantly seeking out various handsome, pretty young men.

Earlier they were concerned about Jin Chen's health, but now they worried that Jin Chen might also feel… dissatisfied and go look for someone else.

"If you husband don't want me to do this… then we'll just leave it be." Ye Yuchi couldn't say the true reason, pushed Jin Chen's face away, sat up a little straighter, his thin cheeks flushing red.

"I know even if you don't say it."

Jin Chen added some vegetables to his bowl, "But Ah Ci is overthinking; I'm not some beast like Duan Lingfeng."

Going back and forth like this, there's no fear of catching illness.

Ye Yuchi didn't know what he thought of, hooked his lips into a smile; in an instant the spring breeze melted the snow, captivating the heart.

"I know."

【Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 75!】

【Host! The main character you've been waiting for has arrived!】Ling Gun Gun said while chewing on his snack.

Jin Chen then looked downstairs; he had deliberately chosen a seat by the second-floor railing, so he could clearly see those coming up from below and also see those emerging from the third-floor side rooms.

Ye Zining's expression was hurried, his whole body in disarray, no time to tidy up; his urgent gaze swept over everyone in the hall, then he grabbed a server's hand.

"Lingfeng, have you guys seen the Young Master?"

After all, this restaurant serves only wealthy families; the server froze, then after a moment recognized Ye Zining's identity, and immediately stammered, afraid to answer.

"Young Master Ye, I've never seen the Young Master, sir; you're joking."

"You haven't seen him, so why are you feeling guilty?"

Ye Zining was merely anxious as fire, not blind; at that moment his heart was filled with blazing anger.

He and Duan Lingfeng had already mutually agreed to spend their lives together; those outside rumors he could treat as unheard, but these past two days his father suddenly contracted a strange illness, his life hanging by a thread, and when he sought Duan Lingfeng's help he heard he was in this restaurant…

"Move aside!"

Ye Zining also didn't care about losing face; the Ye family's reputation had already been completely ruined these days.

As he passed the second floor, he stepped onto the stairs and bumped head‑on into Jin Chen and Ye Yuchi eating at a nearby table.

Ye Yuchi looked pleased, politely curling his lips and said, "Cousin, what matter is so urgent? How is your uncle's illness?"

Ye Zining's face fell, "How dare you ask! Don't you know how this strange illness came about?"

He had no time to talk to this person; the urgent task was to find Duan Lingfeng and have a physician from the capital come to treat his father.

Seeing him leave, Jin Chen's gossipy heart could no longer be contained; he tilted his head back and looked upstairs.

There were only a few rooms of the heavenly character size; Ye Zining quickly found Duan Lingfeng, and right after that a certain merchant's young man came running out wrapped in clothes, the arguing nonstop.

Ye Zining had made preparations, but he hadn't expected things to go this far; his unrestrained shouting left no room for escape, and soon any guilt Duan Lingfeng might have felt vanished completely.

"What do you think you are!"

Duan Lingfeng's robes flew open, exposing a chest covered in ambiguous marks; hearing those words made him furious, his blood rushing to his head, and he seized Ye Zining's neck and hurled him toward the railing.

"This prince values your obedience and good behavior enough to spare you a few glances, yet you still want to boss me around?!"

Ye Yuchi put his arm around Jin Chen, his gaze upstairs full of mockery; in this life there is no greater pleasure than watching his past‑life enemies tear each other apart.

Ye Zining's whole body ached, as if just waking from a dream he recalled his original purpose in coming here, and he gripped Duan Lingfeng's hand while holding back tears.

"Lingfeng… Young Master, I was wrong, I shouldn't have meddled in these matters; my father is gravely ill, I beg you to help me—only a physician from the capital can offer hope."

"So that's what this is about."

Duan Lingfeng grew angry again, thinking of the rumors that the Ye family was steeped in sickly qi, that any contact with its members would bring the strange illness, and also recalling how he had lost his hair at the plum‑blossom gathering that day.

He violently broke free of Ye Zining's hand; when he looked again, there was none of the former tenderness, only disgust and rejection.

"Do you Ye family members still not know what illness you have? Isn't the help I've given you enough? At this critical juncture, where am I supposed to go find a capital imperial physician for you?"

"From now on you needn't appear before me; saves me the unpleasant sight."

He is someone who must undertake great deeds for Prince Yi; if he contracted that strange illness, what would become of him?

"No… Lingfeng, you can't refuse to help me, Lingfeng!"

Ye Zining chased after Duan Linfeng, wanting to beg again, but saw the side-room door tightly shut, and stood there stunned in disbelief.

He walked downstairs in a daze, and when he passed the second floor again he caught sight of Jin Chen and Ye Yu Ci; for some reason he suddenly thought of the substitute marriage to ward off misfortune, and stood on the stairs looking at them for a while.

Since the substitute marriage to ward off misfortune, Ye Yu Ci has completely escaped her former plight, and also receives meticulous care from the young master of the Jin Family.

At this moment, Ye Zining even felt that it would have been better if nothing had happened.

If he had not been unwilling to undergo the substitute marriage to ward off misfortune, the one who awakened Jin Chen would have been him, and perhaps the Ye family would not have been driven to such ruin by Ye Yu Ci.

Ye Yu Ci seemed to sense something; her stern, cold brows lifted, and her gaze toward Ye Zining burned with intense possessiveness and hostility.

Ye Zining felt stabbed by that gaze, but the next second he caught Ye Yu Ci showing a hint of a smile, dripping with sarcasm.

Just then, two servants burst into the tavern hall, asking where Ye Zining was, and hurriedly ran upstairs.

"Young Master, Young Master! Something's wrong!"

"The servant's face was panicked: 'Old Master... he... he couldn't hold on, he passed away...'"

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -15, total 55!】

Jin Chen glanced at the husband in his arms, and held him tighter.

Ye Zining felt as if struck by heavenly punishment, stood dazed in place, his pupils unconsciously scattered for a long time, until he heard the servant's another sentence.

"Madam, upon hearing the news of the Old Master's death, fainted and has not yet awakened; please hurry, Go Back and See, Young Master."