bookbashuk Page 110
Page 110
Yi Chen: "..."
This system is clearly in cahoots with that fox, isn't it?!
The next day, Yi Chen was sitting in the courtyard of the Shen Li family's house, sighing and groaning over the koi in the pond, poking the water's surface with a stick in his hand, his heart in turmoil.
Go find Yae no Miko to confess your love a second time?
—It feels like I'm offering myself up to be teased by a fox, the level of shame is off the charts and my life is in danger.
The allure of Senbonzakura is simply too great, and that system will definitely keep nagging about it. More importantly… if that fox can't wait any longer and comes knocking on our door, the situation could become even more disastrous…
Just when he was filled with worries and caught in a dilemma—
A languid, alluring voice, tinged with obvious laughter, yet clear enough to penetrate the courtyard walls, pierced through the air like a bewitching melody:
"My boyfriend~! My dear boyfriend~! Are you home? Open the door quickly!"
That voice…that address…
The branch in Yichen's hand fell into the pond with a "thud," startling the group of plump koi carp into scattering in all directions.
He sprang up from the ground, his face draining of all color instantly!
Oh no! What I feared most has come to pass!
She...she...why did she come directly to my door?!
Still calling me 'boyfriend'?! And why so loudly?!
Are you afraid others won't hear you?!
Yi Chen's first reaction was to immediately dig a hole and crawl inside, or climb over the wall and escape!
However, before he could take any action, he heard Thomas's voice from outside the door, which was clearly filled with shock and bewilderment.
"Lord Yae no Kyoji?! You...you just addressed Lord Yichen as...?"
Yae no Miko's voice remained cheerful.
"Your Yichen-sama made a solemn vow and a heartfelt confession to me at the Narukami Shrine yesterday~"
We're officially dating now.
I came here especially to see him today~ Open the door quickly~
Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it was loud enough for everyone inside and outside the courtyard to hear clearly!
Yi Chen felt a sudden darkness before his eyes and almost fainted!
Vows of eternal love?! Heartfelt confessions?! Official dating?!
How could she say such nonsense without batting an eye?!
He could almost picture Thomas's shocked and contorted face, and the curious and gossipy looks of the servants passing by!
"Lord Yi Chen... this..."
Thomas was clearly unable to handle the sudden situation; his voice was trembling, and he seemed to want to ask Yichen in the courtyard for help.
Yi Chen covered his face, inwardly groaning.
If I don't step in, who knows what other outrageous things that troublemaker will say at the door!
He steeled himself and, with steps as heavy as if facing death, slowly made his way towards the door.
With each step he took, he felt the gazes of the servants around him like needles pricking his back.
Finally, with trembling hands, he opened the door.
Outside the door, Yae no Miko stood smiling. Today, she wore an even more exquisite and gorgeous shrine maiden outfit, which made her skin look as white as snow and her eyes were full of charm.
She was also carrying an elegant food box, making it seem like she was coming for a proper visit…
If we ignore her groundbreaking statement just now.
Meanwhile, Thomas was completely petrified, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg. He looked at Yae no Kamiko, then at the ashen-faced Yichen, his eyes filled with a bewildered expression, as if wondering, "Am I still asleep?"
Upon seeing Yichen emerge, Yae no Miko's eyes lit up, her smile widening as if she had truly seen her beloved lover, her voice so sweet it could kill:
"Oh my gosh~ My dear boyfriend, you finally decided to come out and greet me? I've been waiting for so long~"
As she spoke, she took a very natural step forward and, before Yi Chen could react, reached out and affectionately straightened his collar, which was not actually messy, as if she had done it a thousand times before.
Yi Chen was so stiff he was like a piece of wood, and he even forgot to breathe.
Yae no Miko seemed oblivious to his near-out-of-body state, and shoved the food box into his arms.
"Here, these are some sweets I brought especially for you~ Please invite me in for a seat~ Or perhaps..."
She suddenly leaned closer and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
"My boyfriend wants to have our second... 'emotional exchange' right at the door?"
Yi Chen: "!!!"
He jolted awake, almost reflexively stepping aside to make way, and uttered a few words through gritted teeth:
"Please...please come in..."
Yae no Miko smiled with satisfaction, and walked into the Kamisato Mansion with great poise, as if returning to her own home, leaving Thomas frozen in place and Ichijin as if all his strength had been drained away.
Yi Chen watched the fox spirit's swaying figure from behind and closed his eyes in despair.
A moment later, Yae no Miko strolled leisurely through the courtyard of the Kamisato family, even commenting on the garden scenery, seemingly oblivious to the utterly devastated look on Ichichen's face behind her, as if he wished he could disappear on the spot.
Holding the food box that felt like a hot potato, Yi Chen mechanically followed behind, his brain racing as he tried to figure out how to explain this absurd misunderstanding.
Chapter 32 I Came at the Wrong Time
Just then, soft footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.
"Yichen-jun, I heard we have guests..."
Ayaka Kamisato's gentle voice came from the doorway; she had clearly been drawn there by the commotion.
When she turned the corner of the corridor and saw the scene of Yae no Miko and Yi Chen being intimate in the courtyard, the usual elegant smile on her face froze instantly, and then, like fragile glass, it stiffened and shattered little by little.
What made her heart tremble even more was that she clearly heard Yae no Miko's lazy yet affectionate call just now—
"Boyfriend~ The scenery here is quite nice too~"
Linghua felt her breath catch slightly, and her heart felt as if it had been gently squeezed by an invisible hand, causing a dull ache.
She tried to maintain a calm expression, but the corners of her mouth could no longer curve upwards naturally as usual.
She slowly walked forward, her gaze sweeping over Yi Chen before finally landing on the Eightfold Divine Child. She nodded slightly, her manners impeccable, but her voice was a few degrees colder than usual.
"So it is Lord Gongsi who has graced us with his presence. I am so sorry for not welcoming you sooner."
Then, she looked at Yichen again, her eyes, which always held a gentle smile, now seemed to be covered with a thin layer of icy mist.
She asked softly, using a form of address that carried a hint of detachment:
"Mr. Yichen, is there any important matter that brings you and Lord Gongsi here today?"
"Mr. Yichen"...
The name was like a tiny ice spike, gently pricking Yichen.
She had gotten used to calling him "Yichen" or "Yichen-jun"...
He hurriedly stepped forward, trying to explain.
"Ayaka! It's not what you think! Let me explain! The truth is..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Yae no Miko suddenly pressed herself against him, reaching out and grabbing his arm with remarkable ease, practically hanging on him!
Her soft body pressed against his arm, and a faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils, causing Yi Chen to freeze instantly, all his words of explanation stuck in his throat!
Yae no Miko raised her stunningly beautiful face and gave Yi Chen a wronged yet innocent look.
"What's wrong, darling?"
She paused deliberately, glancing meaningfully at Ayaka Kamisato, whose face had turned slightly pale, before continuing slowly, in a tone as if she had been hurt by a heartless man:
"When you swore to Sakura at Narukami Shrine yesterday that you liked me and wanted to be with me, you weren't like this now, so eager to distance yourself."
"Are all those sweet words that make someone's heart race... just lies?"
"Are you going to deny what you said to me before, my boyfriend?"
Each word was like a bombshell, making Yi Chen dizzy and causing the color to slowly drain from Shen Li Ling Hua's face.
Yi Chen felt Ling Hua's gaze growing colder and colder. He was sweating profusely and tried to break free from the Eighth Divine Child's hold.
"No! I didn't! Let me go! That's not how it happened! Ayaka, please listen to me..."
But Yae no Miko held on tightly, and whispered a threatening tone with a smile in a voice only he could hear.
"If you dare push me away, I'll kiss you right now, darling~"
Yi Chen: "!!!"
He froze instantly.
Yae no Miko looked with satisfaction at Yi Chen's stiff reaction and Kamisato Ayaka's pale face, her smile becoming even more charming and alluring, as if she had won a battle.
She even rested her head on Yichen's shoulder and gave Shenli Linghua a smug smile that seemed to say, "Sorry, my boyfriend is too clingy."
The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze, and the temperature plummeted.
On one side was a pink-furred fox clinging tightly to Yichen, asserting its dominance.
On one side was Princess Egret, pale-faced, with cold eyes, struggling to maintain her last shred of composure.
In this extreme chaotic scene, where the air seemed to freeze, and Yi Chen felt as if he was about to be suffocated by Yae no Miko's "sweet" embrace or frozen into an ice sculpture by Kamisato Ayaka's icy gaze—
Ayaka Kamisato, who had been silent and pale-faced, suddenly moved slightly.
Her eyes, which seemed to be veiled in icy mist, blinked very quickly and subtly in Yi Chen's direction.
That wasn't a simple blink. The emotions conveyed in those eyes were extremely complex.
There was a fleeting sense of understanding, a profound "I understand," and even a subtle, almost cunning, sense of reassurance.
It was as if it was saying, "Don't panic, leave it to me."
That glance was so fast it was almost impossible for anyone other than Yi Chen, who was facing her directly and was in a state of high tension, to notice it.
Immediately afterward, before Yi Chen could fully process the meaning of that look, he didn't give the Eightfold Divine Child another chance to make his move.
The frost on Ayaka Kamisato's face melted away at an impeccable speed, like snow melting in spring, and she was replaced by that flawless, elegant, and proper smile befitting the White Heron Princess.
She nodded slightly in the direction of Yae no Miko and Yi Chen, her tone returning to its usual gentleness, yet still retaining that faint sense of aloofness:
"I see. It seems that Mr. Yichen and Lord Gongsi do have important matters to discuss, and it is Linghua who has taken the liberty of disturbing you."
Her words betrayed no emotion, as if the stiffness and coldness of the moment had never existed.
“It seems that my elder brother was also looking for Mr. Yichen. Since Lord Gongsi is here, Mr. Yichen must be unavailable for the time being. I, Linghua, will take my leave now and not disturb you two any longer.”
After she finished speaking, she gave another graceful bow, then turned around and quietly left along the corridor she had come from.
The entire process was smooth and fluid, with impeccable posture.
However, the calmer and more composed she appeared, the more uneasy Yi Chen felt!
What did that little look mean?!
What did she finally understand?!
Do you understand that he was forced into this situation?
Or...did you realize some other, even more terrifying misunderstanding?!
And she specifically mentioned that Ayato Kamisato was also looking for him?!
what does this mean!
As Yae no Miko watched Ayaka Kamisato's decisive departure, she narrowed her eyes slightly, and the curve of her lips became somewhat meaningful.
"Oh my... the young lady of the Kamisato family is really... sensible."
She chuckled softly, but her grip on Yichen's arm showed no sign of loosening.
"So, it seems he's tacitly accepting our relationship, my dear boyfriend~"