“Late?” Qing Wenting glanced outside. The sun had not even risen yet. How could that possibly be considered late? Besides, she knew Ye Chu’s habits all too well. Normally, the longer he could sleep, the longer he would stay in bed. In all the time they had known each other, she could count on one hand the number of days she had seen him get up earlier than today.
Qing Wenting was about to say more when two people emerged from the room. On the left was the woman Ye Chu had just seen completely exposed. Her face was still flushed with lingering embarrassment, cheeks glowing crimson, eyes darting away and refusing to meet Ye Chu’s gaze. Her delicate features were flushed as though painted with rouge, her eyes misty like fine wine. The shy, overwhelmed charm she exuded was utterly captivating. As Ye Chu looked at her enchanting, radiant state, he could not help but recall the breathtaking sight from moments ago, and his heart stirred involuntarily.
With some effort, Ye Chu tore his gaze away from her and let it fall on the other woman beside her. She stood tall and graceful, with bright eyes and gleaming teeth, her features beautifully refined. What drew the eye most were her extraordinarily long legs: tall, slender, and perfectly straight. They accentuated the curves of her waist and hips in a way that was almost soul-seizing.
Standing together with Qing Wenting, the three stunning women formed a breathtaking tableau. Even Pang Shao, who was nearby, was left dumbfounded, utterly spellbound by the sight. The three of them together created a scene of pure beauty.
“Let me introduce you. This is Ye Chu. And these two are Ye Jingyun and Tan Miaotong!” Qing Wenting said, introducing them to one another. Only then did Tan Miaotong dare to glance at Ye Chu, though her cheeks remained vividly red, as though blood was about to seep through.
“You’re Ye Chu?” Ye Jingyun straightened her beautiful legs, fixing him with a piercing, scrutinising stare, as though trying to see right through him.
“You know me?” Ye Chu asked curiously, noticing her surprise. In his memory, he had no recollection of any woman with such alluringly long legs. Otherwise, he would never have forgotten her.
Ye Jingyun studied Ye Chu with an odd expression. When she noticed his gaze lingering on her legs, a layer of frost immediately settled over her face. She thought to herself: indeed, the rumours about him were true.
“I never imagined it would be you!” Only after seeing Ye Chu’s puzzled look did Ye Jingyun continue. “You certainly have guts, daring to do something like that to my cousin Ji Die.”
Ye Chu suddenly understood. Memories flooded back into his mind. The current head of the Ye family in the empire had a daughter named Ye Jingyun. He had never met her before, and he had not expected her to possess such captivating, bewitching beauty. Even less had he expected her to know Qing Wenting, and apparently quite well.
“You two know each other?” Both Qing Wenting and Tan Miaotong looked at Ye Jingyun in surprise.
“How could we not? To put it bluntly, he’s also part of the Ye family: a collateral bloodline disciple. Calling him my cousin wouldn’t be wrong at all!” Ye Jingyun suddenly smiled. The earlier chill vanished completely. Her gaze on Ye Chu now carried a trace of teasing.
Ye Chu felt a shiver run through him. Though he did not know what kind of person Ye Jingyun was, he could tell this woman harboured no goodwill towards him. Her sudden friendliness now was anything but innocent.
“You’re from a collateral branch of the Ye family? Cousin Jingyun?” Qing Wenting was genuinely astonished. This was the first she had heard of Ye Chu having such a connection.
“Hehe! Saintess, how exactly did you come to know Ye Chu?” Ye Jingyun was equally shocked inside. How could this man, once called the greatest scoundrel in Yao City’s history, possibly be acquainted with a heaven-blessed prodigy like Qing Wenting?
“We met by chance!” Qing Wenting did not want to explain too much and quickly changed the subject. “In the future, don’t call me Saintess. We’re all friends. Just call me Wenting.”
Pang Shao finally snapped out of his daze. He sidled up to Qing Wenting with a flattering grin. “Your Highness, we’re friends too, right? Can I call you by your name from now on as well?”
“No, you cannot!” Qing Wenting shot him a glare, her beautiful eyes widening roundly in a way that was both adorable and captivating.
“Oh…” Pang Shao wilted like an eggplant hit by frost and gave a weak reply. Seeing Ye Chu smirking gleefully beside him, he suddenly remembered something. He turned to Qing Wenting and said urgently, “Your Highness! The one who committed that misdeed back then really wasn’t me. I swear!”
Those words immediately drew Qing Wenting’s gaze towards Ye Chu. Clearly recalling that incident, her pretty face flushed with a drunken-like red tint.
“Ye Chu! Can you give me an explanation?” Qing Wenting stared straight at him, her expression carrying a note of accusation.
“Hm? What are you talking about?” Ye Chu asked with an air of genuine confusion, as though he had no idea what she meant. Then, turning to Pang Shao with clear disdain, he added, “Can you please stop swearing in front of us old acquaintances? I distinctly remember you once saying, ‘Swearing to a woman is the most effective trick. One oath, one sure success.’ You can fool others if you like, but Wenting and I both know you inside out. Do you really think that’s going to work on us?”
Ye Chu’s contemptuous words reached Qing Wenting’s ears, causing her to look at Pang Shao with growing suspicion.
“I…” Pang Shao panicked. When had he ever said such a thing? He flailed in explanation. “I didn’t… I swear I really didn’t say…”
“There you go again… swearing.” Ye Chu sighed and turned to Qing Wenting. “This scoundrel must have said something bad about me again, hasn’t he? I knew it. He got beaten by me so many times back then that he’s never accepted it. He’s always looking for a chance to get even. Who knows what nonsense he’s made up about me this time. Never mind. Seeing how pitiful he is, just believe him once this time, no matter what he’s accused me of.”
The more Ye Chu spoke like this, the more doubtful Qing Wenting’s gaze towards Pang Shao became.
Pang Shao wanted to cry. He had never imagined Ye Chu would turn the tables so thoroughly the moment he arrived, and with such righteous conviction that he had no chance to defend himself. Seeing Qing Wenting’s suspicious look, Pang Shao knew he was finished. In the Saintess’s heart, Ye Chu’s reputation was far better than his. She had definitely believed Ye Chu’s version.
Pang Shao wished he could slap himself. He had known all along that Ye Chu was difficult to deal with, that provoking him was asking for trouble. Yet he had still wanted to get even. And now he had been thoroughly outplayed once again.
“I’ll settle this with you later!” Qing Wenting swept Pang Shao with a sharp glare before turning her attention back to Ye Chu. “Oh! It’s nothing. By the way, our Miaotong is quite beautiful, isn’t she? If I didn’t know you had never met her before, I might even suspect you deliberately went to peek.”
Hearing those words, little Wei lowered her head nearby, cheeks puffed out as she desperately tried not to laugh. She could hardly tell the Saintess that she had informed Ye Chu about your habit of sleeping naked. This time, Ye Chu had come fully prepared. He had not been aiming for Tan Miaotong at all. He had come for you, Saintess.
“How would I have known someone would be like that?” Ye Chu shrugged with perfect innocence. “I always head for the best room to find you. I never imagined anyone would sleep without clothes. I knocked a few times, got no response, so I just pushed the door open and went in.”
Ye Chu looked utterly blameless, as though he truly had no idea what had happened. Only little Wei was struggling to keep a straight face, not daring to make a sound.
Those words caused Tan Miaotong’s cheeks and ears to flush completely red. Even the swan-like curve of her jade neck was tinged with a faint blush. She looked radiantly beautiful, exuding an enchanting allure. That shy, budding posture made even Ye Chu feel as though his soul had been captured. He thought to himself: what a truly remarkable woman.