Chapter 64

Rong Mo had noticed his little fiancée stealing glances at him all afternoon, her eyes darting around as she hatched some unknown plot, occasionally breaking into a smug, secret smile.

Amused, the corners of his lips curved upward. “Ruyi,” he asked casually, “what’s on your mind?”

Guilt flickered across Cheng Ruyi’s face. There was no way she was telling him the truth—it was far too embarrassing. She shook her head quickly, giving a vague wave of her hand.

“Nothing! Nothing at all!”

“Is that so?” Rong Mo narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed his little fiancée was keeping secrets now.

Cheng Ruyi nodded furiously to prove she wasn’t lying, but her shifty eyes gave her away completely.

Rong Mo didn’t press her, but he made a mental note to keep a close eye on her.

Relieved that she had managed to fool him, Cheng Ruyi quickly changed the subject. “Ah Mo, let’s go over to Cousin Luo Fei’s place and look into that Yan Zixuan girl. I don’t want that crazy woman forcing herself onto my cousin.”

Having lived in the ancient world for several months now, and being an engaged woman, Cheng Ruyi had learned a thing or two about propriety. She made it a rule never to meet another man alone—not even her own cousin.

Before Rong Mo’s true lineage had been revealed, he had also been her cousin, and Cheng Ruyi had learned how to navigate these boundaries by watching her eldest sister.

Even though her eldest sister had a never-ending line of suitors, she had never spent time alone with another man once she and her brother-in-law got together. With such a perfect role model, Cheng Ruyi naturally followed suit.

Prince Rong didn’t count, of course—he was an elder!

“Alright,” Rong Mo agreed.

Coincidentally, it was Luo Fei’s day off. His little fiancée’s ex-fiancé belonged to the Marquis of Huaiyang’s household, and so did this Yan Zixuan. It was best to ensure Luo Fei kept his distance to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Late autumn was in full swing. The midday sun wasn’t harsh, and a brisk autumn breeze brought a pleasant chill to the air.

Instead of heading back to their respective courtyards, Rong Mo and Cheng Ruyi took a detour straight to Luo Fei’s residence.

Cheng Ruyi completely missed the odd expression on the face of the servant who opened the door. She excitedly pulled Rong Mo inside, while he looked at his impetuous little fiancée with a mix of helplessness and pure adoration.

Before they even reached the main courtyard, a sharp, indignant female voice echoed from inside.

“Luo Fei! You… you are absolutely infuriating!”

Cheng Ruyi’s eyes lit up. Ooh, drama! Thrilled, she dragged Rong Mo forward at a run.

Rong Mo’s curiosity was piqued as well.

The two burst into the courtyard, only to find a bright, fierce young girl practically pinned on top of the elegantly handsome, utterly flawless Luo Fei. The position was incredibly compromising.

Luo Fei didn’t keep many servants in his residence—just a few maids and older matrons—but he had plenty of guards, most of whom had been given to him by Rong Mo. Right now, these guards were all hiding in the shadows, watching the scene unfold while trying desperately to swallow their laughter.

“Wang Ying! Men and women shouldn’t be so physically familiar. Hurry up and get off me!” Luo Fei’s handsome face was flushed a deep, burning crimson.

“Hmph, listen to you!” the girl named Wang Ying shouted back angrily. “Why didn’t you care about propriety when you took advantage of me the other day?!”

“That was an accident! And I already said I would take responsibility! Just… just get up first. It’ll look terrible if someone sees us!”

The spirited girl was soft and lithe against him. While Luo Fei was secretly enjoying it, he was also thoroughly mortified.

Cheng Ruyi and Rong Mo had a front-row seat to this scandalous scene. Cheng Ruyi’s eyes went wide, but she completely ruined the mood by piping up, “Cousin Luo Fei, what are you two doing?”

Startled by the voice, Wang Ying gasped and leaped back in a panic. Luo Fei scrambled to his feet rather disheveled, smoothed down his robes, and tried to greet them with as much calm dignity as he could muster.

“Rong Mo, Cousin, you’re here.”

Beside him, Wang Ying’s face was bright red, her eyes darting everywhere but at them.

She recognized Rong Mo and Cheng Ruyi. Her parents frequently talked about the divine medicine sold by the Marquis of Changle, often lamenting that Miss Cheng had gotten engaged too early, otherwise they would have loved to propose a match for her brother.

“Cousin Luo Fei, who is this lady to you?” Cheng Ruyi asked, her eyes sparkling with pure mischief.

Luo Fei glanced at the fierce girl who had suddenly turned as meek as a lamb, a touch of warmth in his eyes. “She is your future cousin-in-law!”

“Who said I’m marrying you?!” Wang Ying jumped up, blushing furiously and bristling like an angry kitten.

The amusement in Luo Fei’s eyes only deepened.

Cheng Ruyi chuckled, completely ignoring Wang Ying’s protests. “Ah, so she is my future cousin-in-law!”

Wang Ying had soft, beautiful features, but a strong, athletic build and a vibrant, expressive personality. One look was enough to tell she came from a military family. Cheng Ruyi liked her instantly. She felt this girl was lightyears better than the crazy woman who had blocked her path earlier today, and knew they would get along splendidly.

Rong Mo raised an eyebrow, teasing Luo Fei, “So, when are you having your mother officially visit her family to propose?”

“Soon!” Luo Fei lofted an eyebrow, showing none of the embarrassment from being pinned by a girl just moments ago.

“Is your name Wang Ying? Who is your father?” Cheng Ruyi beamed, stepping forward to take Wang Ying’s hands, eagerly digging for information.

Wang Ying glared at Luo Fei. She wasn’t a fragile, timid creature, so she answered Cheng Ruyi’s questions with straightforward grace. “Yes, I’m Wang Ying. My father is Commander Wang.”

Cheng Ruyi was thrilled. So Wang Ying’s father was Commander Wang—the military official who had bought a pill of the divine medicine right on the spot in the imperial palace!

Finding common ground instantly, the two girls began chatting like old friends. Cheng Ruyi was dying to know how Wang Ying and Luo Fei had met, and eagerly pressed for details.

Blushing, Wang Ying recounted the rather scandalous story of their first meeting.

It turned out that on the day of Cheng Wanru’s wedding, Cousin Luo Fei had fled the restaurant in a hurry and accidentally collided with Wang Ying, who was out shopping. Both of them had tumbled to the ground, resulting in an unexpected, accidental moment of physical intimacy. In truth, they had crossed paths a few times before that, and Wang Ying had even helped Luo Fei out of a tight spot once.

“I see! So that Yan Zixuan girl was actually your indirect matchmaker. She’s going to explode when she finds out,” Cheng Ruyi laughed gleefully.

“Ruyi, there’s nothing… nothing like that between us…” Wang Ying’s face burned, desperately trying to explain herself but not knowing where to start.

Cheng Ruyi grinned knowingly. “Oh, don’t worry about it. Didn’t Cousin Luo Fei just say he’s going to ask his mother to propose? Unless… you don’t like him?”

“Let me tell you, when I went to deliver gifts to my future father-in-law today, that crazy Yan Zixuan blocked my way and warned me to stay away from Cousin Luo Fei.”

Hearing this, Wang Ying forgot her embarrassment. Her eyes widened with concern. “Are you alright?”

“How could anything happen to me? If she dares block my way again, I’ll give her a taste of my whip,” Cheng Ruyi declared boldly. “So, if you like each other, don’t drag your feet. Strike fast! Otherwise, if someone else snatches Cousin Luo Fei away, it’ll be too late for regrets.”

“Fortune favors the bold! The early bird gets the worm!”

“Take it from me, I speak from experience!”

Cheng Ruyi really liked Wang Ying and decided to give her a little push.

Rong Mo smiled softly. Experience? Then again, his little fiancée had indeed been incredibly decisive when she accepted his proposal, without a single shred of hesitation.

Wang Ying bit her lip, looking torn. She didn’t dare look at Luo Fei. Truthfully, she did have feelings for him. But she knew nothing of poetry, chess, calligraphy, or painting; she only knew how to wield swords and spears. There were so many noble ladies who adored Luo Fei, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit insecure, wondering if she was truly good enough for him.

Noticing the conflict on Wang Ying’s face, Luo Fei sighed inwardly. This silly girl. If he didn’t have feelings for her, why would he constantly ‘accidendy’ run into her and tease her?

Rong Mo patted Luo Fei on the shoulder and filled him in on the details regarding Yan Zixuan, advising him to lock down the engagement quickly to avoid any unwanted complications.

Luo Fei’s heart tightened. He immediately resolved to visit his mother the very next day to arrange the formal proposal to Commander Wang’s estate.

Seeing their reactions, Rong Mo and Cheng Ruyi smiled secretly, deciding to leave them alone to nurture their feelings. Before leaving, Cheng Ruyi gave Wang Ying an encouraging look.

When they returned to the manor, they happened to see her mother arriving home. Cheng Ruyi immediately rushed over to tell her about the situation. Rong Susu was overjoyed. She was on excellent terms with Commander Wang’s wife, Lady Liu, and knew her children well. She had met Wang Ying before and knew her to be a bright, spirited young lady.

Without even stepping foot into her own house, Rong Susu turned right back around and hurriedly set off to see Commander Wang’s wife to talk about the match.

For once, Cheng Ruyi didn’t cling to Rong Mo. Instead, she slunk back to her own courtyard with a mysterious air. Rong Mo narrowed his eyes as he watched her retreating figure. His little fiancée was acting incredibly suspicious today.

He called over a guard and quietly gave a few orders.

For the rest of the afternoon, Cheng Ruyi stayed cooped up in her room, tinkering with something in total secrecy. After dinner, as soon as night fell, she hurriedly dragged Moxiang out, which was highly out of character.

Unable to resist any longer, Rong Mo secretly followed her.

Watching the two of them leave one after the other, the Marquis of Changle and Rong Susu exchanged a knowing smile.

Caught up in her excitement, Cheng Ruyi didn’t notice Rong Mo tailing her. Back in her room, with Moxiang’s help, she changed into men’s clothing and applied some clever makeup to her face. In no time, the stunning young lady had transformed into a dashing young gentleman.

Cheng Ruyi looked at the young master in the bronze mirror, thoroughly pleased with herself.

“Miss, dressed like this, how are you going to leave the estate?” Moxiang asked, full of worry.

Cheng Ruyi grinned mischievously. “Scale the wall!”

With that, Cheng Ruyi slipped out of her courtyard. Using the darkness and the cover of the fruit trees, she successfully evaded the manor guards and made her way to the outer wall. The wall, standing nearly three meters high, posed absolutely no challenge to her.

With a slight burst of energy, she leaped gracefully onto the top of the wall. But just as she was about to jump down to the other side, her sharp eyes caught a tall, slender silhouette dressed in white standing directly below.

Uh oh. Caught red-handed!

Pure guilt flooded Cheng Ruyi’s chest. The words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them: “Ah Mo! The moonlight is lovely tonight, are you out enjoying it too?”

Dressed in spotless white, Rong Mo looked up at his little fiancée, who was fully decked out in a young master’s disguise. He glanced up at the pitch-black, overcast night sky, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Yes,” he replied smoothly. “The moonlight tonight is indeed lovely. It’s so black, it’s quite atmospheric.”

Cheng Ruyi blinked, suddenly realizing that it was pitch black all around them. There wasn’t a single trace of a moon anywhere.

How embarrassing!

There was usually a moon every night; why on earth did it decide not to show up tonight of all nights?

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here