Yan Zhen figured that Yun Xiu’s earlier spat with Cai Lian must have planted seeds of doubt in Huangfu Wenqing’s mind.
He decided to add fuel to the fire, stoking his fiancée’s suspicions enough to spur her into action—ideally, catching him in the act.
“As a man living under the same roof as you and your master, it feels a bit awkward, don’t you think?”
Huangfu Wenqing laughed.
“What’s awkward about it? We’re not sharing a room. Or are you afraid of my master?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then do you have designs on her?”
“Ahem, ahem. Wenqing, you can’t just say things like that. I’m a proper gentleman.”
“I was only joking. Why so nervous? You look guilty as sin. Now I’m really starting to wonder.”
“…”
She was probing again!
This was the moment to bluntly change the subject.
“Anyway, enough of that. Mind if I take a look at your room?”
“Of course. I’ll take you there right now.”
At those words, Long Ying—who had been busy stuffing her face—shoved the rest of her snacks into her mouth and frantically hugged one of Yan Zhen’s arms, terrified he’d be whisked away by Huangfu Wenqing.
Huangfu Wenqing had already dismissed Long Ying as nothing more than Yan Zhen’s pendant accessory. Ignoring her completely, she linked arms with his other side. They left the right side hall, crossed the corridor in front of the main hall, and headed to the left side hall.
Huangfu Wenqing’s room had all the hallmarks of an eldest miss’s taste—prim and proper, clearly influenced by Yun Xiu to some degree.
With that in mind, Huangfu Wenqing remarked offhandedly, “Master arranged this room for me back then. I’ve only added a few personal touches since; the style hasn’t changed.”
Yan Zhen nodded. “I see. No wonder it feels a bit… er.”
“No wonder what?”
“N-No wonder it’s so mature!”
—She was probing again! And trying to lead him into spilling something. He’d nearly fallen for it!
The key was not to let her become fully convinced yet. The impact wouldn’t be strong enough.
Huangfu Wenqing’s tolerance for him was sky-high. Even if she learned about his other women, she’d just get a little jealous and move on—no talk of breaking off the engagement.
To shatter her defenses, he needed something far more shocking, like catching him red-handed with Yun Xiu in the throes of passion.
No man or woman could stomach that kind of “double betrayal.” Even someone as magnanimous as Huangfu Wenqing wouldn’t forgive him.
The only concern was whether the shock might push her too far—turning her into a yandere who grabbed an axe and came for his head.
Yan Zhen abruptly shifted topics again. “By the way, Wenqing, what’s your current level of cultivation?”
Huangfu Wenqing answered honestly. “Three-Star Mystic General, nearing Four-Star. If you pressure me too much tomorrow, I might even break through on the spot… What, trying to scout my intel before the duel?”
“Know thyself and thy enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles.”
“Fine, ask away. I’ll tell you everything. But on one condition: for every question I answer, you give me a kiss~”
Long Ying, seated nearby and munching away, furrowed her little brows. She’d only just sat back down to eat, and now this wicked woman was scheming again, trying to take advantage of Yan Zhen. How despicable!
But Yan Zhen held firm, refusing to fall for the honey trap.
“Then forget it. I know you’ll lose to me anyway.”
Huangfu Wenqing pouted. “Don’t underestimate me. You’ll regret it tomorrow when you take a beating. No crying then.”
“Hmph. I’ve prepared plenty of trump cards. You don’t stand a chance, Wenqing.”
“As if. I’ve got trump cards too.”
“Mine outnumber yours.”
“Who says~?”
Neither would back down, locking eyes in a staring contest.
Huangfu Wenqing pressed on. “What kind of trump cards did you prepare?”
Yan Zhen went on high alert. “If I tell you, they’re not trump cards anymore.”
“Then how about this: you answer one question of mine, and I’ll kiss you. Sound like a good deal?”
“…Sister Ji Ya has that exact same shameless look when she’s negotiating.”
Talk about brazen.
“What do you mean by ‘look’? Don’t be so rude. Isn’t one of my kisses worth a tiny bit of intel?”
“Fine, I’ll just tell you outright. No payment needed.”
“Damn you, Yan Zhen! I want my kiss!”
Huangfu Wenqing was done playacting. In a flash, she threw her arms around him and planted a smacking kiss on his lips.
Yan Zhen didn’t truly resist—especially since he planned to betray her that very night. He let her have her way.
The wet smacking of lips filled the air. Long Ying, her cheeks bulging with snacks, finally snapped to attention. Her home had been raided! The wicked woman was kissing her Yan Zhen!
Her pure Yan Zhen was being defiled!
She immediately wailed in protest, her little hands clutching pastries and flailing up and down like an enraged chick.
Translation: “Let go of Yan Zhen, you green-haired wicked woman!”
But Huangfu Wenqing ignored the “pendant lolita,” lost in the bliss of suckling her lover’s tongue, greedily sipping the sweet saliva from his mouth, swallow after swallow.
Days of pent-up longing exploded in that moment. She only released him when she grew dizzy herself, resting her head on his shoulder and panting softly.
Spotting the fuming dragon lolita, Huangfu Wenqing even taunted her by planting two more kisses on Yan Zhen’s neck, leaving faint lipstick marks.
Long Ying retaliated by hurling snacks at her, but Huangfu Wenqing dodged them nimbly. Enraged, Long Ying let out a howl and reverted to her big sis form. She spread her arms wide, enveloping Yan Zhen in a full embrace and squishing her ample bosom—rivaling even Yi Xian’er’s—firmly against his back.
“Wicked woman, no taking advantage of Yan Zhen!”
Her voice still held a milky lilt, but it was no longer a child’s tone.
Stunned, Yan Zhen twisted to look. “Long Ying, why’d you change back?”
Long Ying said stubbornly, “I must protect Yan Zhen from the wicked woman!”
Huangfu Wenqing blinked in surprise but quickly recovered. She’d seen Long Ying in her mature form before—just not at a time like this.
The real issue: how was this annoying little lolita even bigger than her? By so much? Was she not even a match for a child?
Huangfu Wenqing thought of Cai Lian, Zi Ji, and even Master Chen Xi. God Race women were total cheaters. It wasn’t fair!
“Long Ying, enough.” Yan Zhen hurried to soothe the dragon maiden, sighing helplessly. “You promised you’d behave. Keep this up, and I won’t bring you next time.”
“It’s the wicked woman’s fault!”
“Wenqing and I are engaged. Kissing and cuddling is normal… Come on, let go and change back. Your features are too obvious like this. Anyone could spot you’re a dragon, and that’ll cause trouble.”
Dragon horns, tail, pointed ears, faint scales on her hands, slit pupils in her eyes—even a blind man could tell.
“Mmph.”
Long Ying reluctantly released Yan Zhen, shrinking to her original size. The draconic traits vanished, leaving only a pair of tiny nubs of horns hidden in her hair.
To prevent more squabbling between Long Ying and Huangfu Wenqing, Yan Zhen took her hand and returned to the right side hall to wait for Yun Xiu.
—He knew she’d come.
