Chapter 57: Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Can’t Help but Curl One’s Toes

The air seemed to fall into an awkward silence.

Shen Yian couldn’t help but curl his toes a couple times. Wasn’t this way of meeting a little too cliché?

Compared to this toe-curlingly awkward encounter, he’d rather grab that storyteller by the collar and ask: Where did you learn this bizarre story? Don’t you understand copyright? Did the original author agree for you to spread it around?

Back then, he took a boat south to Huizhou. When he was bored, he would tell the sailors and passengers stories he had adapted to pass the time. He still vividly remembered the super mishmash “Takumi and Guan Yu’s Big Adventure on Mount Akina” – he had made it up as he went along.

If you asked him to tell it now, he’d barely be able to recount the full content.

Perhaps because the stories in this world were too dull and boring, such an outlandish tale actually won the applause of everyone on the boat.

Suddenly, a faint fragrance wafted into Shen Yian’s nostrils. It wasn’t an overpowering scent, but very light and soft, making one feel comfortable.

With a “plop”, the gauze hat fell to the ground. The beauty was already in his arms, her delicate hands clutching his clothes as if they would never let go.

Shen Yian’s stunned expression gradually softened.

“This king has returned as promised.”

“Liyan missed Your Highness so much...”

The grip on his clothes tightened, her voice barely audible, just enough for the two of them to hear.

“This king missed you too.” Shen Yian affectionately rubbed his cheek against Ye Liyan’s forehead.

Ye Liyan’s eyes reddened slightly, her small face buried in that warm chest like a pitiful kitten confirming if this was all real.

The two maintained this posture silently for several dozen seconds.

Except for Jinxiu and Jinlian who were already used to it, the other women looked as if they had seen giant pandas. Their faces flushed with excitement, eyes sparkling, just short of screaming out loud.

Qiu Lanlan’s hand pressed on Jinxiu’s shoulder as she panted heavily: “Sister Ye looks so cute! The King of Chu is so handsome and gentle! Ah ah ah ah! A match made in heaven! A match made in heaven!”

Jinxiu nervously said: “Miss Qiu, your... your nose is bleeding...”

Qiu Lanlan casually wiped it with her sleeve: “I’m fine!”

“Yaoyao! In the future, I also want to find a man like the King of Chu as my husband!” Qiu Lanlan turned around, excitedly shaking Lu Lingyao with both hands.

“Blood... Lanlan... blood!” Lu Lingyao’s eyes rolled back and she chose to faint directly.

“Oh no! Yaoyao fainted at the sight of blood!” Qiu Lanlan cried urgently as she held Lu Lingyao.

The commotion from the girls instantly broke the incredibly intimate atmosphere.

Only then did Ye Liyan realize just how brave an act she had performed moments ago.

Although it was twilight and there were fewer people on the street, it wasn’t deserted.@@novelbin@@

Besides the girls, two more groups of young masters and misses had come out.

She had just embraced His Highness in front of so many people.

Her mind went blank. Her gauze hat... seemed to have fallen off too.

“I... I’ll go wash my face,” Qiu Lanlan said, fearing Lu Lingyao might faint again upon seeing her current state. She stood up and walked towards a nearby teahouse.

“How is she?” Shen Yian asked.

Ye Liyan nodded gently, “Yaoyao has recovered and should wake up soon.”

“Sister Ye?” Lu Lingyao struggled to open her eyes, calling out instinctively.

“And His Highness the King of Chu? Gree... greetings to Your Highness.”

“No need for formalities, just rest well,” Shen Yian said with a helpless smile.

Qiu Lanlan brought a bowl of water for Lu Lingyao to drink, which visibly improved her condition.

“I’m sorry, Yaoyao! I forgot about your hemophobia! Wuwuwu!” Qiu Lanlan cried, burying her face in Lu Lingyao’s embrace.

“You really almost scared me to death,” Lu Lingyao pretended to be angry, lightly punching Qiu Lanlan’s shoulder with her small fist.

“I’ll never scare you again! Wuwu!”

“Lanlan!!!”

“Yaoyao!!!”

From down the street, two large groups of people came rushing over.

Marquis of Xinwei – Qiu Jingze.

Minister of Agriculture – Lu Jiu.

The two men’s voices competed in volume.

Someone had come to report that one’s daughter was covered in blood on the street, while the other’s daughter had fainted. How could they not be alarmed?!

“Greetings to His Highness the King of Chu!”

“At ease...” Shen Yian felt a bit tired of saying these two words.

After the formalities, the two men immediately turned their attention to their respective daughters.

“Daughter! What happened?! Let Father take a look! I’ll go to the palace right away to request the imperial physician for you!”

“Yaoyao! Let these famous doctors in Tianwu City examine you quickly!”

Faced with this surge of fatherly love, Qiu Lanlan and Lu Lingyao were momentarily at a loss.

After explaining the situation, the two men expressed their profound gratitude to Shen Yian and Ye Liyan, insisting on hosting a banquet for them.

“Sister Ye! I’ll come visit you another day!”

“Me too, Sister Ye!”

Facing the girls’ invitations, Ye Liyan smiled and nodded, “Alright.”

Shen Yian watched the group leave, then looked at the darkening sky before turning his head to meet Ye Liyan’s gaze through the white gauze.

“Would you like to eat some candied haws as a pre-dinner dessert?”