Chapter 44

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Golden sunlight streamed through the partially lifted carriage curtain, spilling into the dim interior. Both the man and the cat noticed the light and, as if synchronized, turned their heads toward Gu Yan Fei.

Black eyes, dark as ink, and green eyes, vibrant as jade, both with subtly upturned corners, traced bewitching arcs.

Qing Guang froze for a moment, seemingly realizing that it had been caught. The sudden recognition that it had sneaked along without permission sent the cat into a panicked scramble. Its hind legs pushed off with an almost frantic force, sending its furry body leaping high into the air. Without hesitation, it dove headfirst into Chu Yi’s wide sleeve, though its long, fluffy tail betrayed its hiding spot, swaying back and forth outside the fabric.

Gu Yan Fei couldn’t help but let her lips curl into a faint smile, finding the silly cat’s futile antics both amusing and absurd.

Pausing only briefly, she stepped into the carriage as though nothing had happened, settling gracefully into the seat opposite Chu Yi.

The curtain fell, blocking the sunlight and dimming the interior once again.

Chu Yi, with an air of mild exasperation, pinched the scruff of the kitten’s neck and pulled it from his sleeve. The kitten instinctively extended its tiny, sharp claws, attempting to cling to the fabric as it was lifted.

Its efforts, however, proved fruitless.

“Rip!” The kitten’s sharp, hook-like claws snagged two threads on the pristine white sleeve embroidered with subtle bamboo leaf patterns. The previously immaculate garment was now marred, yet Chu Yi’s expression remained unchanged.

Despite its furious resistance, the kitten was effortlessly lifted into the air, its four paws flailing wildly.

Qing Guang: “!!!”

Its green eyes widened into perfect circles, glaring at Chu Yi with what could only be described as incredulity. The look seemed to scream, How dare you, insolent commoner!

Chu Yi tilted his head slightly, observing the wriggling kitten with amusement. “Is this your cat?” he asked, his tone calm and unhurried.

“It’s called Qing Guang,” Gu Yan Fei replied, her lips curving into a crescent-moon smile. Despite her response, she made no move to take the kitten back.

“Meow! Meow!” Qing Guang felt as though it had just been dealt a severe blow to its dignity. Its wide, horrified eyes darted between Gu Yan Fei and Chu Yi, tail puffed up like a feather duster in alarm.

Gu Yan Fei watched the interaction with growing interest.

While she wasn’t surprised to see Chu Yi suddenly appear here—his unpredictability was something she had already come to expect—what caught her attention was his complete composure as he locked eyes with Qing Guang’s emerald glare.

Not a single flicker of surprise or unease crossed his face.

How intriguing.

Although Qing Guang had been reduced from a spiritual beast to an ordinary cat, and with the lack of spiritual energy in this small world, its innate racial abilities had diminished to less than a tenth of their original strength, its remaining “charm” talent was still enough to earn it the adoration of humans. Here, it could easily reign as the revered “Cat Emperor.”

Only someone with an exceptionally resolute mind could remain completely unaffected by its natural allure.

From Qing Guang’s utterly dumbfounded expression, Gu Yan Fei could tell that Chu Yi was the first person it had ever encountered who was entirely immune to its influence.

Amused, Gu Yan Fei decided to watch the scene unfold, her gaze fixed on the cat in Chu Yi’s hand as it puffed up into a fluffy “porcupine.”

“Little Qing Guang.” Chu Yi’s voice was cool and gentle, melodious like jade striking jade, with a slight upward lilt at the end.

He held the fluffy creature with one hand supporting its soft belly, the other stroking its glossy back in a slow, rhythmic motion. Within just a few strokes, the kitten’s initial outrage melted away, replaced by a contented purring sound as it squinted its emerald eyes in pleasure.

Qing Guang even nuzzled against his palm, leaving behind a few strands of fur on Chu Yi’s immaculate white robes.

Gu Yan Fei couldn’t hold back a soft laugh, a “pfft” escaping her lips at the sight of the cat so thoroughly charmed by the very person it had tried to intimidate.

“Hmm?” Chu Yi raised his right brow slightly, his strikingly handsome profile tilting just enough to accentuate the sharp lines of his jaw and neck. A natural air of elegance and nobility seemed to radiate from him without effort.

Gu Yan Fei quickly composed herself, smoothing away her smile. She picked up the teapot and personally poured him a cup of tea, handing it over with a calm tone. “Young Master Chu, has your cough improved?”

What was meant as a simple inquiry carried a subtle undertone of deeper meaning as it left her lips.

As Chu Yi reached for the teacup, his hand paused mid-motion. The tea rippled gently, creating concentric circles in the cup.

Qing Guang, however, had no time for subtext. Believing anything belonging to Gu Yan Fei was rightfully its own, it confidently leaned toward the cup. Its pink tongue flicked out, curling repeatedly as it lapped up the tea with loud slurping noises.

This time, both Gu Yan Fei and Chu Yi couldn’t help but burst into laughter simultaneously, their gazes naturally falling onto the audacious kitten.

For a brief moment, the carriage filled with shared amusement, light and unspoken yet perfectly understood.

“It has,” Chu Yi replied, his lips curling into a soft smile. The warmth of his expression tempered the cold elegance of his usual demeanor, like moonlight softened by a veil of mist, evoking a sense of precious jade within reach.

Perceptive as ever, he immediately grasped the underlying meaning in Gu Yan Fei’s words.

She knows. But when had she figured it out? Was it today? Or had she already unraveled his identity back in Danyang City?

He had made the right decision to come today.

Chu Yi’s gaze lingered on Gu Yan Fei, a subtle amusement dancing in his dark eyes. “My name is Chu Yi. Yi, as in Yi Yun—to uphold the destiny of the nation.”

The meaning of the name, bestowed upon him personally by the Emperor, carried a weighty expectation: to safeguard the nation’s fortune.

His gaze, deep and boundless like the night sky, fixed firmly on her. His tone was sincere yet deliberate as he said, “I must thank you, Miss Gu, for ‘helping’ me enter the city that day.”

Each word seemed to carry an echo of unspoken truths.

“Just happened to be going the same way,” Gu Yan Fei replied with a faint smile. Her expression remained calm, with not the slightest hint of surprise in her eyes or at the corners of her lips.

Back in Danyang City, she had already deduced Chu Yi’s true identity as the Crown Prince of the reigning dynasty. His act of saving her wasn’t out of sheer goodwill or meddlesome kindness—it was a calculated move to use her as cover to sneak into the city.

It had been the same in her past life; she had unknowingly served as his shield then, too. Ultimately, regardless of his motives, in both her previous life and this one, the outcome remained unchanged: he had helped her. Their relationship had always been one of mutual benefit.

“My name is Gu Yan Fei,” she said with a warm, playful smile, cupping her hands in a polite salute to him. It was her way of reciprocating his earlier gesture. Previously, they had merely been strangers crossing paths. Today, they had truly made each other’s acquaintance.

Chu Yi placed the teacup down gracefully, and with equal elegance, returned her salute.

The kitten let out a dissatisfied “meow,” and Chu Yi, as if placating an old friend, reached out to scratch its chin. Man and cat seemed perfectly at ease with one another.

Gu Yan Fei picked up the teapot and poured herself another cup of tea, her gaze flickering subtly.

In her past life, Chu Yi hadn’t revealed himself until the following year. By then, his face and body bore severe burn scars, forcing him to wear a crescent-shaped mask in public. Her thoughts lingered momentarily on his current appearance, her eyes tracing his clear and unblemished features.

When they had first met, his forehead had carried an ominous darkness, a sign of impending disaster. Yet now, his aura radiated prosperity and vitality. Even without performing any calculations, Gu Yan Fei could tell that his life-threatening tribulation had already passed.

She set down the teapot and, with a faint, teasing smile, remarked, “Young Master Chu, feigning illness is no good. No matter how convincing the act, one can’t escape the truth revealed by one’s pulse.”

In this small world, unlike in the Yao Ling Realm, mortals had limited means to disguise their pulse, and the medicines that could alter it often came with harmful side effects.

Chu Yi, unfazed by her pointed observation, met her gaze with calm composure. He replied as though continuing a casual conversation, “But what if being ‘ill’ is necessary?”

The corners of Gu Yan Fei’s lips curved ever so slightly as she took another sip of tea, her expression unreadable, the quiet tension between them tinged with unspoken intrigue.

Gu Yan Fei’s directness was met with equal frankness from Chu Yi, their conversation refreshingly candid, devoid of pretense.

Qing Guang lay sprawled across Chu Yi’s lap, its green eyes darting back and forth between him and Gu Yan Fei, as if trying to decipher the subtle undercurrents in their exchange.

“Knock, knock.”

The soft sound of tapping broke the silence. From outside the carriage came Xiao Shi’s familiar raspy voice: “Young Master.”

Though Xiao Shi hadn’t elaborated, Chu Yi understood immediately—someone was heading their way.

Chu Yi’s lips curved into a faint smile as he reached into his sleeve and retrieved a small wooden plaque. He placed it on the low table between them, its polished surface gleaming faintly in the dim light. Carved into it were three characters: 琼芳斋 (Qiong Fang Zhai).

“The boy mentioned you enjoy Qiong Fang Zhai’s osmanthus wine,” Chu Yi said casually. “But they don’t just have fine osmanthus wine. Their exclusive recipe for Tusu wine is equally remarkable, though it’s never sold to the public. If you’d like to try it, you can ask the shopkeeper.”

His tone was light and conversational, yet there was an unmistakable suggestion woven into his words, leaving Gu Yan Fei to decide if she wanted to read between the lines.

Gu Yan Fei fixed her gaze on Chu Yi, her smile deepening by a noticeable degree, exuding an almost otherworldly charm. Their eyes met, and in that brief moment, an unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them. She smiled warmly and agreed without hesitation.

Then, without breaking the flow, she reached for the box of treasures she had won earlier that day, opening it with an easy elegance. The gleam of gold and silver jewels spilled forth, casting a warm, radiant glow across the dim carriage interior.

“This is what I won from my wager,” she said generously, her tone light. “The principal came from you, so half of this belongs to you.”

Her openness, combined with the glittering display, seemed to momentarily brighten the atmosphere, adding a touch of levity to the otherwise charged exchange.