Chapter 124: I’ll Never Leave You Again

Li Rong stopped speaking.

He Yan was the Left Vice Minister of Personnel, a rank higher than Pei Wenxuan, who had just been appointed as the Right Vice Minister. Now that Pei Wenxuan had just transferred to the Ministry of Personnel, He Yan took the initiative to invite him to a banquet. Naturally, Pei Wenxuan had no reason to refuse.

However…

“He Yan is really bold.”

Li Rong spoke coldly. He actually dared to invite her consort to a brothel. Pei Wenxuan hadn’t even gained power yet, and these people were already so daring. What would happen in the future…

“Your Highness,” Zhao Chongjiu reminded her coolly, “You and Lord Pei are divorced.”

Li Rong: “…”

Zhao Chongjiu’s words were like a bucket of cold water, sobering her up. She became both embarrassed and annoyed, snapping, “Who asked you to speak!”

Zhao Chongjiu remained expressionless. Li Rong calmed herself in the room and finally decided—she had to go see for herself.

On one hand, she wanted to see what kind of “business” Pei Wenxuan was discussing at the brothel. On the other hand, the matter concerning Cui Yulang was indeed urgent.

After thinking it through, she suppressed her anger and gave instructions: “Send someone to keep watch at Chunfeng Brothel. Get me an identity to blend in. Keep a close eye and don’t let anyone notice.”

Zhao Chongjiu acknowledged and went to make arrangements. Not long after, he sent a female guard to escort Li Rong to Chunfeng Brothel.

Since Li Rong needed to enter secretly, she couldn’t take the main entrance. On the way, the guard explained the plan: “Lord Zhao has bribed a dancer attending the banquet. Tonight, Your Highness may need to lower your status and take her place. What do you think?”

“As long as it gets the job done.”

Li Rong nodded, thinking that being a dancer was actually a good way to observe how Pei Wenxuan handled social interactions.

Although she had great confidence in Pei Wenxuan, she had inherited Li Ming’s suspicious nature. Even with the people she trusted most, she always kept in mind the possibility they could change.

After all, what woman doesn’t believe the man she loves is good?

Li Rong gently stroked the small fan in her hand and lowered her gaze.

The female guard led her through the back door into Chunfeng Brothel and into a dancer’s room. The dancer, upon seeing Li Rong, assumed she was a noble lady and warned her repeatedly: “Madam, no matter what you see tonight, you mustn’t cause a scene in our establishment. Otherwise, the madam will surely kill me.”

“Don’t worry,” Li Rong smiled reassuringly, “I’m just here to observe. You won’t be implicated.”

“But there’s one thing,” the female guard suddenly said, “What if one of the patrons takes a liking to you?”

“Don’t worry,” the dancer laughed, “Lord He is a regular here and won’t make trouble. I’ve already spoken to the wine attendant who’ll escort you inside. I won’t be entertaining guests tonight, and the attendant will help you.”

“That’s good.” Li Rong nodded, then added thoughtfully, “If something unexpected does happen… I have a way to handle it.”

Anyway, as long as she revealed her identity, Pei Wenxuan would naturally protect her, so she had nothing to fear.

Hearing this, the female guard finally relaxed and let the dancer lead Li Rong away to change clothes.

Behind the screen, the dancer took out a set of Persian dancer’s attire and handed it to Li Rong, saying, “Madam, do you need my help?”

Li Rong stared at the golden, sequin-adorned dancer’s outfit before her and was momentarily speechless.

She was starting to suspect whether all of this was a trap set by Pei Wenxuan…

Seeing Li Rong remain silent for a long time, the dancer cautiously asked, “Madam?”

Li Rong finally snapped out of it. Since she was already here, even if it was Pei Wenxuan’s trap, she still had to go see him. So, she decided not to overthink it and said directly, “No need, I’ll change by myself.”

The dancer bowed gracefully and withdrew.

Li Rong quickly changed into the dancer’s outfit behind the screen and emerged. She then had the guard quickly apply heavy makeup to ensure she wouldn’t be recognized once she put on the veil.

After changing, the dancer taught Li Rong the choreography for the evening’s performance in the room.

Li Rong’s position that night was toward the back, and she didn’t need to dance exceptionally well—just follow along without making mistakes. So, she spent an hour with the dancer memorizing the general poses and rhythm. She also listened as the dancer explained the rules of the Spring Breeze Pavilion. By then, it was almost evening, and lanterns were lit outside. Just as the female guard finished lighting the lamp, a young servant’s voice called out, “Sister Qinghe, the guests have arrived. Madam asks you to come over.”

The dancer deliberately lowered her voice, hoarsely replying, “Coming right away.”

The young servant, puzzled by her voice, asked, “Sister Qinghe, what’s wrong with your voice?”

Hearing this, the dancer walked to the door, opened it, coughed lightly, and said hoarsely, “My throat is a bit uncomfortable today. Wait a moment, I’ll change my clothes and come right away.”

The young servant acknowledged her words, and the dancer closed the door. She walked up to Li Rong and whispered, “That servant is called Xiaogui. You don’t need to say much later; just follow him.”

Li Rong nodded. The dancer estimated the time and signaled for Li Rong to go out.

Li Rong walked out of the room and nodded to the young servant.

Xiaogui, thinking Qinghe had a sore throat, didn’t say much. The two walked in silence until the young servant escorted Li Rong to the front hall, where she met a middle-aged woman, presumably the “Madam” Qinghe had mentioned.

The middle-aged woman was heavily made-up, with her hands on her hips, scolding a group of young girls: “Today is a banquet hosted by Lord He for distinguished guests. You all better perform well and don’t slack off. Lord He said if the guests aren’t satisfied today, he won’t come back in the future. You better give it your all—be as seductive as you can. Understood?”

All the girls chimed in agreement. Li Rong blended into the crowd, listening to these words, a stifled feeling pressing in her chest that she couldn’t swallow or spit out.

This was these girls’ livelihood, and she understood that. She had never been one to make things difficult for women, so whether she would vent this frustration depended entirely on Pei Wenxuan’s performance.

As Li Rong mulled this over, she followed the crowd to the backyard. She waited there for a while until she heard the Madam’s voice greeting someone downstairs: “Sir, a handsome young master like you is truly a rare guest…”

Hearing this, Li Rong quickly looked over. From the second floor, she saw Pei Wenxuan in a blue robe and jade crown, his hands tucked into his sleeves, leading Tong Ye upstairs.

He looked quite different from the way she usually saw him—his face was devoid of any warmth, cold and distant, appearing particularly unapproachable. His usually gentle, spring-breeze-like demeanor now seemed as untouchable as snow-capped mountains.

People fawned over him all the way, but his expression remained unmoved, as if he heard nothing, as he strode upstairs.

This version of Pei Wenxuan stunned Li Rong for a moment, but then she laughed at her own overreaction. She had seen this stern face of his countless times in her past life. Having grown accustomed to Pei Wenxuan doting on her lately, she had almost forgotten what a formidable man he truly was.

Realizing she was witnessing a different side of Pei Wenxuan, Li Rong suddenly felt the trip was worth it. When Pei Wenxuan reached the door, the girls waiting there quickly bowed in greeting. Li Rong reluctantly bowed as well. Pei Wenxuan swept a casual glance over the room, only to be met with a sea of slender, exposed waists. Startled, he quickly averted his gaze, feigned composure, and pushed the door open to enter.

He Yan was indeed a seasoned patron of such pleasure quarters—even the dancers he selected were so bold.

Persian dance had initially gained popularity for its exotic charm, but later, pleasure houses realized that the costumes could be designed more provocatively, and the hip-swaying movements of the dance were more seductive to men. Thus, it became a staple in such establishments.

In fact, compared to the genuine Persian dancers performing on the streets, the dancers here wore even shorter tops, revealing more of their slender waists, with lower necklines. For those with fuller figures, the curves of their upper bodies could only be described as breathtaking.

That said, this also made the display rather explicit, so it wasn’t favored by refined scholars—only seasoned patrons of pleasure houses appreciated this style.

Pei Wenxuan now had a rough understanding of his future “colleague,” which aligned with his expectations.

Based on the information he had gathered, He Yan was greedy for wealth and lust, skilled in socializing. Today’s behavior was hardly surprising.

He hadn’t wanted to come, fearing Li Rong might misunderstand. But building a good relationship with He Yan was crucial for his next steps. Since He Yan had invited him, refusing would seem too aloof, making it difficult to get closer to him later.

So, he gritted his teeth and came, planning to explain things to Li Rong after returning.

Of course, not explaining was also an option. If he didn’t, and Li Rong questioned him later, he could simply bring up the matter of Cui Yulang. She would be in the wrong and wouldn’t dare say much.

By the time he stepped through the door, Pei Wenxuan had already planned how to argue with Li Rong later.

Confident he could win the argument, he smiled and bowed to He Yan, who was already seated: “Lord He.”

Then, he greeted the others in the room: “Greetings, esteemed lords.”

“Lord Pei, you’ve arrived.”

He Yan stood up as he spoke. He appeared to be in his early forties, lean with a cunning air accentuated by a thin mustache.

He gestured for Pei Wenxuan to take a seat: “Come, come, sit down. Tonight, just follow big brother’s arrangements.”

In just a few words, He Yan was already addressing Pei Wenxuan like a brother. He ushered Pei Wenxuan to his seat and introduced him to everyone in the room one by one.

Almost everyone present was from the Ministry of Personnel, with varying ranks—all colleagues he would be working with in the future. They sized each other up while exchanging pleasantries.

Pei Wenxuan knew how to navigate such situations, and soon he was familiar with everyone. Seeing the atmosphere warm up, He Yan waved his hand, signaling for the dancers to be brought in.

Li Rong followed the crowd into the room, blending into the back row. She scanned the room and, confirming that everyone was from the Ministry of Personnel, quickly grasped the nature of the evening’s gathering.

As she danced, she carefully listened to Pei Wenxuan’s conversations with the others.

The group exchanged pleasantries in the room, speaking in formalities and diplomatic language. The conversation meandered without getting to the point, with plenty of wine consumed and idle chatter exchanged.

Li Rong twisted and turned with the other dancers while stealing glances at Pei Wenxuan through the gaps. After three rounds of drinks, everyone had grown familiar. He Yan raised his cup and approached Pei Wenxuan, slinging an arm around his shoulder enthusiastically. “Brother Pei, you’re a straightforward man. I like that. Don’t worry, from now on, I’ve got your back in the Ministry of Personnel.”

“Then Wenxuan thanks you, Big Brother.”

Pei Wenxuan smiled and immediately switched to a more familiar address. He Yan patted Pei Wenxuan’s shoulder and sat down beside him, sighing with emotion. “I know you’ve suffered greatly under Princess Pingle’s tyranny. Now that you’re finally divorced, you must feel liberated, right? Come, let loose tonight. Big Brother’s treating you.” He waved toward the dancers. “Take a good look. If any catch your eye, just call them over.”

Everyone heard this, including Li Rong.

Li Rong stared fixedly at Pei Wenxuan from among the dancers, waiting to see how he would respond.

If he dared agree, she would make him pay when they got back.

Pei Wenxuan was also in a dilemma. He had finally built a good rapport with He Yan, and rejecting him now would likely offend him. But if he agreed…

Before Pei Wenxuan could refuse, He Yan sensed his hesitation and quickly added, “You’re young, I know you’re shy. Come, let Big Brother help you pick. Look, the most attractive part of a woman is her waist.”

As he spoke, He Yan’s eyes fixated on the dancers’ swaying hips, gleaming like a wolf eyeing a piece of meat. “A good waist has three qualities: slenderness, flexibility, and liveliness. Persian dance really tests a girl’s core strength…”

“Big Brother He…” Pei Wenxuan couldn’t bear to listen any longer and tried to change the subject. But as he looked up, he noticed He Yan staring intently at one of the dancers, exclaiming, “Brother, look!”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan instinctively followed his gaze. Only then did he hear He Yan add, “What a waist!”

Pei Wenxuan’s eyes widened in shock.

The short-sleeved top of the golden Persian dancer’s outfit was adorned with shimmering sequins, beneath which a slender, flexible waist twisted like a spirit snake.

There wasn’t an ounce of excess fat on that waist—it looked firm and beautiful, with curves flowing seamlessly from top to bottom, rising and falling like waves. Most importantly, among the sequins, near the edge of her spine, a tiny red mole flickered in and out of the light, as if beckoning, making it impossible to look away.

The moment Li Rong saw Pei Wenxuan staring dumbfounded at her, her anger flared. She was wearing heavy makeup today, so it was unlikely Pei Wenxuan could recognize her. His stunned expression probably meant he couldn’t tear his eyes away from a pretty girl.

Still, Li Rong thought she shouldn’t jump to conclusions too quickly. She decided to wait and see how Pei Wenxuan would react next.

Pei Wenxuan’s dazed expression piqued He Yan’s interest. He turned to Pei Wenxuan and said with a suppressed laugh, “Brother Pei, taken with this one?”

“She is indeed quite remarkable.” Pei Wenxuan snapped out of his trance and realized it was most likely Li Rong.

As for why Li Rong was here, it wasn’t hard to guess—she was probably eager to discuss the matter of Cui Yulang with him and had followed him here.

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Pei Wenxuan felt a fresh wave of irritation. But the angrier he grew inside, the brighter his smile became.

He glanced at He Yan and teased, “Has Lord He taken a liking to her as well?”

“If you’ve set your sights on her, how could I possibly compete?” He Yan laughed heartily, then turned and pointed at Li Rong. “The one in the back row,” he waved her over, “come here. Our distinguished guest has taken a fancy to you. With such a handsome gentleman, you must be thrilled!”

Hearing this, all the dancers giggled. However, the wine attendant overseeing the event grew anxious and hurried forward. “Sir, she is one of our pure entertainers…”

“Here is one hundred taels.” Without letting him finish, Pei Wenxuan pulled out a silver note and placed it on the table. The attendant froze, and then Pei Wenxuan added with a smile, “Tell me, should I give this silver to you or to your boss?”

That amount of money was enough to buy a dancer’s freedom. If it reached the boss, even the purest entertainer could be tainted.

The attendant, having been instructed by Qinghe, knew Li Rong wasn’t one of their own. He quickly searched for words to help her out, but before he could formulate a response, he saw Li Rong curtsy and say in a hoarse voice, “No need to trouble yourself, brother.”

With that, Li Rong stepped forward, approached Pei Wenxuan, and bowed respectfully, her voice raspy. “It is my duty to serve you, sir. There is no need for such generosity.”

A hundred taels? She couldn’t let him spend that frivolously.

Pei Wenxuan had never seen Li Rong behave so deferentially toward him. An unprecedented sense of satisfaction surged within him. He smiled as he looked at her and patted the spot beside him. “Please have a seat, miss.”

Hearing this, Li Rong gritted her teeth in frustration.

Look at him, so gentle and considerate—probably utterly bewitched.

But she wanted to see how far Pei Wenxuan would go, so she curtsied again and deliberately feigned shyness. “Thank you, sir.”

He Yan, observing Li Rong’s demeanor, burst into laughter. “She knows her place.”

With that, he rose from his seat beside Pei Wenxuan and returned to his own spot, calling over three girls—one on each arm and another kneeling behind him for support. He looked utterly pleased.

The other officials also summoned girls, each holding at least one. The girls encouraged drinking, made conversation, and those not chosen continued dancing. The room quickly grew lively.

Li Rong circled around the small table and sat beside Pei Wenxuan. He turned to her, giving her a gentle once-over. Li Rong kept her head lowered, pretending to be shy, all the while worrying whether Pei Wenxuan’s sharp eyes would see through her disguise.

Pei Wenxuan, seeing her unusually delicate demeanor, felt his heart soften. He reached out, took her hand, and asked tenderly, “You’re dressed so lightly. Aren’t you cold?”

“It’s alright,” Li Rong whispered in response. “It’s a bit chilly outside, but it’s warm inside.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan didn’t say more. Instead, he removed his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders.

He Yan, watching from the side, couldn’t help but laugh. “The lady dressed lightly to tempt you, and you cover her up with your robe. Lord Pei, you’re quite the chivalrous one.”

“This young lady’s hands are ice-cold,” Pei Wenxuan replied, leaning back in his chair and pulling Li Rong into his arms in one smooth motion. He raised his cup and added, “If I don’t take care of her, what if she freezes?”

His movements were gentle, but the thought that Pei Wenxuan might not have recognized her at all made Li Rong’s heart ache with a dull bitterness.

Leaning against his chest, she listened as he asked softly, “What’s your name?”

“Qinghe.”

Li Rong gave the dancer’s name. Pei Wenxuan nodded and said, “It’s a lovely name.”

“Just a pretentious attempt at elegance, nothing remarkable.”

Li Rong didn’t spare him any courtesy, outright dismissing the name. Pei Wenxuan wasn’t offended and simply smiled. “How old are you? Have you turned twenty yet?”

“Not yet,” Li Rong replied with feigned seriousness. “This humble girl is almost nineteen.”

“That’s not too young anymore.” Pei Wenxuan watched her play along, thoroughly amused. “Do you have someone you like?”

“I do.”

“Oh? What’s his name? What kind of person is he?” Pei Wenxuan, finding her utterly adorable, couldn’t resist teasing her further. Li Rong, irritated by how enthusiastically he was chatting with a “young girl,” snapped, “His name is Pei Tieniu. He’s a fool.”

Pei Wenxuan: “…”

He detected the resentment in her tone and, upon closer look, noticed that despite her efforts to restrain herself, a trace of anger flickered in her eyes.

After a moment, he understood.

She’s jealous.

The thought of Li Rong being jealous over him filled Pei Wenxuan with such delight that he wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss her. But remembering He Yan’s presence, he knew he couldn’t show too much inappropriate emotion. So, he simply smiled and nodded. “What a coincidence—I also share the surname Pei.” Leaning closer to her ear, he suppressed a laugh and whispered, “You can call me Brother Pei.”

She had no desire to call him “Brother Pei”; all she wanted was to knock his head off.

But she couldn’t show it. Instead, she blushed and softly replied, “Mmm.”

“Lord Pei seems quite taken with this young lady.”

He Yan, observing Pei Wenxuan’s tenderness toward Li Rong, couldn’t resist teasing. “Look how attentive he is—he might not even treat the princess this well.”

Hearing this, Li Rong shot a quick glance at He Yan.

Quite the smooth talker. I’ll remember that.

Pei Wenxuan didn’t deny it. “The princess is naturally noble, but this little darling… I like her too.”

“Then why not have your little darling remove her veil so we can all see her face?”

Someone in the crowd burst into laughter, and Li Rong’s body stiffened. Then she heard Pei Wenxuan say, “If I let you see her face and she turns out to be beautiful, you might try to steal her from me.”

“Lord Pei, I promise I won’t snatch your little darling,” the teasing man said with feigned seriousness. “All the other dancers have removed their veils. Isn’t it unfair if yours doesn’t?”

“Let it be,” Pei Wenxuan replied casually, his arm still around Li Rong. “I’m quite picky. I finally found a girl whose waist I admire—what if her face ruins my appetite? I’d be lying awake alone all night.”

With that, he deftly changed the subject and turned to He Yan. “Brother He, is Lord Wang really in charge of this year’s imperial examinations?”

“Minister Wang is overwhelmed with duties,” He Yan replied offhandedly, not treating the matter seriously. “Even if he’s nominally in charge, he can’t possibly handle it personally. The imperial exams aren’t that important—just a bunch of poor scholars trying to leap into the dragon’s gate.” He took a sip of wine handed to him by a dancer and added dismissively, “How could the minister possibly manage all that?”

As he spoke, he leaned in to kiss the dancer. She giggled and dodged, and he playfully chased her. Others followed suit, and the scene quickly descended into chaos.

Pei Wenxuan sat quietly among the crowd, appearing unusually composed. He Yan teased him for being a first-timer, to which Pei Wenxuan simply replied, “I’m just not used to being so open in front of others.”

While speaking, Pei Wenxuan casually inquired about the Ministry of Personnel’s affairs, though nothing seemed particularly important. Li Rong lay against his chest, half-asleep as he occasionally stroked her back. The meaningless conversation around her made her drowsy.

Others across the room toasted each other but didn’t drink themselves—instead, they made the dancers drink for them. When toasts came Pei Wenxuan’s way, he drank everything himself without offering a drop to Li Rong.

As the banquet progressed into the latter half, it devolved into outright debauchery. The revelers, fueled by alcohol and high spirits, grew increasingly rowdy.

Pei Wenxuan multitasked—gathering information from He Yan and others about the imperial exams while fending off endless toasts. The wine wasn’t strong, even somewhat mild, but after drinking too much, its effects began to dull his senses and slow his reactions.

His attention inevitably drifted to his surroundings. Everyone else had long abandoned themselves to pleasure, engaging in activities far beyond propriety. Pei Wenxuan averted his eyes, but it was hard to ignore Li Rong nestled in his arms.

She had been lying against him for some time, seemingly asleep, looking as peaceful as a kitten.

Pei Wenxuan glanced sideways at her. In the dim lantern light, her eyelashes were long and thick, her lips cherry-red and slightly parted, the tip of her tongue faintly visible.

He lowered his gaze, took a sip of wine, and turned back to discuss serious matters with He Yan.

He Yan had already outlined the entire imperial examination process. Pei Wenxuan said slowly, “So, according to what you’ve said, Brother He, there isn’t much we actually need to do.”

As he spoke, the hand resting on Li Rong subtly drifted downward.

Earlier, he had draped his outer robe over her like a blanket, originally to keep her warm. Now, it served as the perfect cover.

Beneath the robe, no one could see what he was doing. Only Li Rong stiffened slightly at his movement.

Pei Wenxuan knew she was awake, but he pretended not to notice, maintaining a calm and composed facade as if nothing were happening.

“Indeed, not much,” He Yan sighed meaningfully. “But the most critical part is in our hands, so naturally, there’s no lack of…”

He Yan chuckled without finishing his sentence.

Listening to their conversation, Li Rong quickly became more alert.

Leaning against Pei Wenxuan, she pretended to be asleep while eavesdropping on their discussion.

Pei Wenxuan, seemingly aware that she wouldn’t open her eyes, grew even more uninhibited.

“So… what should we do?” Pei Wenxuan picked up his wine glass. “There’s more than one way to handle things at the lower levels, right?”

As he spoke, he took another sip of wine.

Li Rong clenched her teeth, suppressing any sound.

She tried her best not to feel anything, not to entertain any emotions.

Although her intuition told her that Pei Wenxuan had most likely recognized her, the thought that he might be doing these things without knowing it was her filled her with resistance.

This feeling of resistance mixed with the sensations Pei Wenxuan was evoking, creating a sweetness tinged with vinegar—intensifying every sensation.

In truth, Pei Wenxuan wasn’t being overly inappropriate. He was merely caressing her as though she were a piece of precious jade or an ancient zither—treasured and deliberate. Yet, this very act of yielding after resistance, of being unable to react or speak, amplified every sensation layer by layer.

As Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan’s conversation with He Yan, she couldn’t help but lose herself in an indescribable pleasure.

“There are thousands of methods, but ultimately, they all have to go through us. The most common one, for example, is changing a name.”

He Yan leaned in and whispered, “That’s when people will come to ask for your help.”

Hearing this, Pei Wenxuan laughed. “So many tricks to learn.”

“Work hard,” He Yan said, patting Pei Wenxuan on the shoulder. “The Ministry of Personnel is nothing like the Censorate.”

“Yes,” Pei Wenxuan nodded. “I’ll be counting on your guidance in the future, Brother.”

“Speaking of which, is this girl asleep?”

Seeing that it was about time, He Yan glanced at Li Rong. Pei Wenxuan turned around, looked at the pretending-to-sleep Li Rong with a smile, and gently brushed away the stray hairs on her face.

The hand he used in front of others was extremely gentle, but the one hidden from view was the complete opposite.

“She must be exhausted,” Pei Wenxuan said lightly. “This girl probably had a long day.”

“No matter how tired she is, she still has to take care of the guest.”

He Yan winked and chuckled. “Why don’t you take her back to your room first, brother?”

“What about you, Brother He…”

“I should be going too.”

He Yan chuckled, “After I finish greeting the other brothers, I’ll head back to the guest room as well.”

“Then I’ll take my leave first?”

“Go ahead.”

He Yan waved his hand. “A night of spring is worth a fortune in gold—I’m sure you’ve been holding back all evening.”

Pei Wenxuan seemed slightly embarrassed and didn’t say more. Just as someone was about to wake Li Rong, he shook his head.

He adjusted the cloak draped over her, then scooped her into his arms and followed the servant to the guest room.

The servant led the way, and as soon as the door opened, before the lights could be lit, Pei Wenxuan set her down on the floor and kissed her without a word.

Li Rong pushed him away, no longer pretending to be asleep, and snapped, “Get lost—”

Before she could finish, Pei Wenxuan pressed her against the door, silencing her with his lips. “You pushed me away to go see Cui Yulang, and now you have the nerve to tell me to get lost?”

He murmured against her mouth, nipping at her lips. “You’ve got quite the temper.”

Hearing this, Li Rong finally understood why he had pretended not to recognize her earlier.

Frowning, she found her hands pinned against the door, fingers interlaced with his. As he kissed his way downward, she gasped softly between breaths, “You knew it was me all along?”

“Besides you, do you think I’d treat any other woman kindly?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Li Rong wrapped herself around him, smiling coyly. “What if there’s some younger sister or friend? Wouldn’t it be normal for you to treat them well too?”

At her words, Pei Wenxuan suddenly froze.

Li Rong, puzzled by his abrupt stillness, looked up at him.

In the dim light, Pei Wenxuan hung his head. Moonlight filtered through the latticed window, casting dappled shadows over him. Li Rong studied his expression, feeling a wave of confusion. “Pei Wenxuan?”

“No,” he said suddenly, his voice hoarse. Li Rong stared at him, stunned, as he lifted his head and offered her a faint smile. There was a tinge of bitterness in it, though he seemed to try to soften it with tenderness. “I won’t treat any other woman well.”

“Rong Rong,” he leaned in, resting his forehead against hers. “I can’t lose you a second time.”

“I can’t walk alone for another thirty years.”

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