Some implied sensuality, some were blatant flattery.

He had never seen anyone praise his beauty with such calm and pure eyes. No flattery, no greed. Just pure appreciation, as if it was just an ordinary compliment.

Her voice was cool and clear, like a stream of clear water sliding across Pei Yuanshao’s heart on this hot, thunderous night. It made him tremble and feel joyful.

Pei Yuanshao was dazed for a moment. He lowered his head and said softly, “We can’t stay in the main hall any longer, the shoes on our feet are already wet. We don’t know when the rain will stop now, if we wait any longer, the water in this room might reach our knees. Let’s go to my room… If you’re unwilling… Hmph! A single man and woman, inviting you into my boudoir, it’s ruining my reputation, I’m very unwilling too.”

Liu Changning looked at him with his neck stiffly straightened, harsh words but a soft heart.

She found it amusing, thinking that there could actually be such a man in this world. It was a rare sight, and for the first time, she found it quite interesting.

The corner of her lips curved into a faint smile as she said softly, “Thank you, Yuan Gongzi, for your kindness in taking in this commoner. In the future, I will surely repay you with my body…”

“Hm?” The man beside her turned his head and let out a cold snort.

“Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. In the future, I will surely repay you by divorcing my husband!” Liu Changning promised with a serious expression.

Pei Yuanshao choked, the words “divorce husband” coming from her mouth sounded particularly harsh to his ears.

He turned away his gaze, his expression displeased. Without even a word of greeting, he strode out the door.

Liu Changning quickly followed with a candle in hand. For the sake of sharing an umbrella, life was indeed difficult.

–

The cheap husband’s bedroom was much better than the original owner’s. Because he had his own money and liked to affect refinement, all the furnishings in the room were brand new.

Opening the door, although the mud-brick house was old, there wasn’t the slightest damp smell. From far away, there was the fresh scent of gardenia. Not far away, a finely crafted sachet hung on the screen, its fragrance permeating the entire house.

The bedroom was divided into two parts by a screen. The inner room had the cheap husband’s red wood soft bed and a copper mirror.

The outer room was more special. Facing the main door was a desk piled with thick books, with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone arranged in order.

In the center of the outer room was an eight immortals table, with several stools neatly placed under the square table.

The entire room was clean and tidy, with all items arranged in an orderly manner, without any mess.

There was a saying in the previous life, “Judge a person by their belongings.”

The room before her eyes had no trace of femininity. All items were neatly arranged, not at all like the unrestrained and dissolute manner the cheap husband usually presented.

Liu Changning turned back in surprise, staring at the red-clothed man who was closing the oil paper umbrella.

She abruptly asked, “Aren’t you tired of pretending to be frivolous every day?”

This question was quite blunt.

In the past, the two had a tacit understanding, not inquiring about each other.

They could each live well, except for necessary encounters and meals, sometimes not seeing each other for an entire day.

Liu Changning usually didn’t like to probe into other people’s secrets, but today she had recovered another part of the original owner’s memories, suddenly realizing that she had been viewing the cheap husband through colored glasses. There was more or less a sense of compensation in her heart.

So at this moment, she couldn’t help but ask a few more questions.

Pei Yuanshao lowered his head, his hanging hair hiding the fleeting light in his eyes.

His fingers, hidden in his sleeves, dug deep into his palms.

He remained silent for a while, then looked up, curled his lips, and his sharp lips parted slightly: “I…”

However, unexpectedly, Liu Changning’s tea-colored eyes met his gaze, interrupting his unfinished words. She said faintly, “If you don’t want to say it, then don’t. I was just curious and asking. If pretending to be dissolute outside is very tiring, then you can relax a bit in front of me now.”

Liu Changning pointed at the corner of his eye and said slowly, “Do you know that when you’re lying, the tear mole at the corner of your eye trembles very slightly, and the forced smile at the corner of your lips is very ugly.”

Pei Yuanshao stood dumbfounded on the spot.

He opened and closed his mouth, feeling that he should say something at this moment, but couldn’t make a sound. His chest felt swollen and tight.

In the candlelight, the woman’s eyebrows were relaxed. She didn’t pursue the question further, but sat by the eight immortals table, picked up a piece of pastry from the porcelain dish, and put it in her mouth.

Crumbs of the pastry fell on the corner of her lips. She seemed to notice, and her crimson tongue tip swept the crumbs at the corner of her lips into her mouth.

Pei Yuanshao’s eyes darkened, his gaze shamefully lingering on her tightly closed lips.

For some reason, a strange change occurred in the place beneath his long robe.

He squeezed his legs together and lowered his head blankly.

His expression was both restrained and ashamed. The summer clothes were thin, and even with his legs tightly closed, he seemed to be able to feel the red robe rising up below his waist and abdomen.

He glared angrily at the silver-white sash around his waist, inwardly cursing Guan Yunyun for being so careless – the clothes she bought were too tight, revealing, and indecent!

Pei Yuanshao lowered his head. He flicked his sleeves, even using a bit of inner force, and flashed away, awkwardly fleeing into the inner room.

Liu Changning looked up just in time to see a red figure disappear from view at an extremely fast speed.

She swallowed the pastry in her mouth, her gaze focusing on the stone-paved floor of the room, where there was a neat row of wet footprints extending all the way behind the screen.

Liu Changning called out to the shadowy male figure behind the screen, asking with concern: “Did the rain soak into your wounds?”

Pei Yuanshao stumbled, nearly falling over. He turned his back, hurriedly walked to the pine wood bed, and pulled down the bed curtains.

After taking a deep breath, he said in a hoarse voice: “I’m changing clothes. Look again and I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

So vicious?

Liu Changning looked at him suspiciously, fearlessly continuing: “Are you really alright? If your wounds…”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Pei Yuanshao covered the embarrassing protrusion under the brocade quilt with both hands, his face alternating between red and white.

The woman’s incessant inquiries reached his ears. Her voice was cool and clear, like a mountain stream, yet it added fuel to the fire suddenly rising in his heart.

Pei Yuanshao clutched the quilt tightly, his back rigid.