”Mister~~”
“No, I just…” “Ah~”
Xu Ping’an looked at Li Yuer, who had suddenly become assertive, and a wave of regret immediately rose in his heart.
If only I had known this back then, why bother in the first place?
He shouldn’t have said all that useless nonsense, thinking he was something special, only to dig a hole for himself.
Seeing Li Yuer holding a cherry, with a look that said, “If you don’t open your mouth, I won’t stop,” Xu Ping’an could only helplessly open his mouth, and immediately, a bright red cherry dropped into it.
However, that slender finger, as smooth as jade, didn’t hurry away after placing the cherry. Instead, it gently brushed against his lips.
“Mister, there’s a bit of juice here~”
“Um… Mister can handle this himself.”
“How can that be? Since Mister has come to Yuer’s residence, Yuer naturally wants Mister to experience being treated like honored guests.”
Isn’t “treated like honored guests” supposed to be used the other way around?
Though her pretty face was slightly flushed, her eyes were bright and alluring, her gaze soft and captivating.
Taking a bite of the cherry in his mouth, it was truly worthy of being a Tribute from the Prince’s Residence—this cherry was sweet to the point of being cloying.
“Well… Yuer, Mister isn’t really fond of sweets. These fruits are enough, right? Mister’s already eaten over a dozen. How about we take a break?”
Xu Ping’an rubbed his stomach. More than ten cherries down, though not enough to fill him up, eating too many was starting to feel a bit much.
“Alright then, Xiao Jing’er, go arrange the meal. Today, Mister is to dine here.”
“I never said there’d be a feast! Xiao Jing’er, where are you going? Come back!!”
Watching Xiao Jing’er dash off, Xu Ping’an wanted to stand and stop her, but Li Yuer pressed him down immediately.
“Mister, why rush?”
“No, Yuer… if you keep this up, how am I supposed to handle it?”
“What’s there to be afraid of, Mister? Are you afraid Yuer will devour you?”
She hadn’t exactly eaten him yet, but it was close, wasn’t it?
For some reason, looking at Li Yuer’s eyes, gleaming with an intense light, gave Xu Ping’an chills down his spine.
Could it be that later, something will be added to the meal* to force a done deal?
After much thought, Xu Ping’an gave up pretending and sat down, earnestly persuading:
“Yuer, Mister knows your feelings, but you understand, I already have a family. And you… you’re the only heir of the Duke of the Southern Border’s Residence. Don’t laugh at me, but I have no great ambitions or lofty hopes. I just want to return to my little courtyard and live my life quietly—men farming, women weaving, admiring the autumn moon. But I don’t want to get involved with the Imperial Court, nor do I want all that messy trouble.”
The smile on Li Yuer’s face gradually faded. Her bright eyes quietly fixed on Xu Ping’an, making him feel uneasy all over.
“Yuer, what do you mean by looking at me like that?”
“Mister.”
“Ah?”
“What you said, does it have anything to do with Yuer liking you?”
Huh?
Seems like it doesn’t.
But that’s very important!
“Yuer, you’re the Shizi.”
“Yes.”
“I’m just a commoner.”
“Yes.”
“We don’t want these statuses!”
“But Mister, you forgot—you’re a Lord now.”
Alright, that one’s refuted.
Let’s try another.
“But Mister, I don’t plan to inherit the Prince’s Residence!”
“No problem. Then Yuer will inherit the Residence.”
Ah? That… also seems fine.
Okay, that one’s refuted too.
“But I don’t intend to take part in court affairs, do you understand?”
“Yuer understands. Yuer won’t let anything from the Residence trouble Mister. I only ask that Mister keep a room in that little courtyard for Yuer. After Yuer finishes handling the Residence’s matters, there will be a place where we can share a drink together.”
“But that won’t make you happy.”
“Mister, ‘How can you know the joy of fish unless you are fish?’”
Damn!
No convincing this time.
In plain terms, it’s ‘I’m willing.’
Now Xu Ping’an was completely out of options.
“Yuer, why didn’t I realize before you had such a stubborn side?”
“That’s because, Mister, your heart has always been with someone else. But don’t worry, Yuer believes that as long as she can stay by Mister’s side, one day Mister will share a part of that heart with Yuer.”
Li Yuer slowly stood and moved closer to Xu Ping’an. In those peach-blossom eyes, only his figure was reflected.
“Yuer dares not ask for everything, nor too much. Yuer has her responsibilities, but she only wants, sometimes, to have someone to rely on, to be able to chat with Mister. Is that too much to ask?”
Standing before Xu Ping’an, Li Yuer gently bent down, their gazes meeting.
“Could it be that Mister isn’t even willing to grant this small mercy?”
A woman, one he didn’t exactly dislike, confessed so plainly and completely.
To be honest, any man would be moved.
Xu Ping’an took a deep breath, and the faint scent of rouge filled his breath.
“Yuer, are you sure you’ve thought this through?”
“Mister, since I’ve come this far, do you think I’m the kind to make decisions without thinking?”
“I need to talk to my wife about this, you…”
“Yuer isn’t in a hurry, Mister. No matter how long it takes, Yuer will wait for you.”
Most painful is a beauty’s grace.
This phrase, Xu Ping’an fully understood today.
Soft jade, tender and pliant—it’s truly every man’s greatest weakness.
At least, for him, it was.
He had no grand ambitions, let alone glory for his ancestors. To him, those were fleeting clouds.
Nothing worth praising, nothing worth fighting for.
His only wish was to maintain a good home.
He wanted a simple home, where his wife would greet him with a smile every day.
Where he could eat hot rice every day.
His expectations were never high.
Yet, someone like him—with no ambitions, practically a layabout—how did he attract so many beauties?
Xu Ping’an was utterly bewildered.
He didn’t understand.
What was it about him that attracted people so much?
He was almost like a novel’s protagonist, a human succubus!
He didn’t understand. Really didn’t understand.
Even after the midday banquet ended, drunk to the point of oblivion, he still didn’t understand.
Sitting drunk in the carriage, leaning drunkenly inside, Xu Ping’an began reflecting on his recent actions.
They seemed to be slowly drifting away from his original simple wish.
“Mister Little Eunuch…”
“Eh? Lord, what are your orders?”
The driver, a young eunuch, hurriedly responded.
Xu Ping’an pulled back the curtain, looking at the eunuch’s youthful face.
“Tell me, am I handsome in the eyes of women?”
“Handsome?”
“You know, good-looking.”
“Oh~ naturally. Even if not a woman, I think Lord is very handsome!”
“Then, Lord, I should be very attractive to women, right?”
“Lord is a blessed man, surely with many wives and sons!”
Damn! That’s just flattery!
Looks like there’s no point asking this guy. Maybe I should ask the Elder at the Hall of Ten Thousand Harmonies?
Ah, forget it. That old man probably won’t say anything nice anyway. Better not ask.