Chapter 278: The Despicable Harem Protagonist

After entering January, the weather seemed to grow even colder.

When he woke in the morning, he only wanted to curl up in the blankets and keep sleeping.

At night, he didn’t even want to leave the bathtub while bathing, and this weather also made people drowsy easily.

But Lu Yunze had always been someone who insisted on going out to exercise even in the dead of winter.

A mere winter wasn’t enough to turn him into a lazybones who only curled up in the blankets.

Although he got up a bit later than usual, Lu Yunze could still arrive on time for breakfast, lest the freshly made breakfast go cold.

Seeing Jiang Sui standing in a corner of the Living Room, Lu Yunze exchanged a smile with her and couldn’t help but sigh that Jiang Sui was even more resilient than he was.

Having to get up early to work in such cold weather was no ordinary hardship, especially since her job was that of a Maid.

Lu Yunze, who had intended to walk straight into the Dining Hall, saw Jiang Sui’s hands folded in front of her and slowed his steps.

Those small hands that were usually fair were now reddened from the cold.

Lu Yunze immediately wanted to go over and show concern, but after Jiang Sui glanced behind him, she said coldly:

“Young Master, breakfast is ready. Go eat.”

Lu Yunze, already a seasoned veteran, understood that Jiang Sui being so obedient definitely meant something was wrong.

Sure enough, when he turned around, he saw Luo Qiaoying coming out of the Corridor.

In winter, everyone changed into thick, warm clothes, but only she wrapped herself up like a rice dumpling.

Anyone who didn’t know would think she had just returned from surviving at the world’s poles.

Her gaze fell on the two of them. Feeling watched, Lu Yunze hurriedly put on a serious expression and asked:

“What are we eating today?”

“Same as yesterday, Young Master. After all, once we’re at someone else’s home, we have to follow their menu.”

“I see. All right, you may withdraw.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

After saying goodbye to Jiang Sui, Lu Yunze pretended to have just noticed Luo Qiaoying and greeted her with a smile:

“Sister Qiaoying, what a coincidence?”

“You two are quite close, aren’t you?”

“Is that so? You must be seeing things.”

“Heh, dishonest.” Luo Qiaoying smiled playfully. “You men are all like this: you like to smile at me, but there isn’t much truth in what you say.”

“From the sound of that, Sister Qiaoying, it seems you’ve had a story.”

Luo Qiaoying sighed. “Just old history. There’s nothing worth talking about.”

Just as Lu Yunze scratched his head, so embarrassed he didn’t know what to say, Luo Qiaoying spoke again:

“Still, your character isn’t bad. No wonder so many girls like you.”

“There aren’t that many. Sister Qiaoying, you flatter me too much.”

Luo Qiaoying only smiled without replying, then walked toward the Dining Hall.

Lu Yunze was just about to follow when Ye Qianlan, who had jumped out from somewhere, blocked him and held out a hand to stop him.

“Sorry, don’t get too close to the Eldest Daughter.”

“Understood, understood.”

She was Luo Qiaoying’s guard, after all, so Lu Yunze understood.

But wasn’t it a bit too cautious to guard against even her own people?

During breakfast, the others arrived one after another, making the quiet Dining Hall lively.

Although the porridge had neither texture nor flavor, once swallowed, a warm feeling spread through his stomach and gradually seeped into his internal organs.

As Lu Yunze ate, he noticed someone was missing from the table.

“Where’s Luo Heng?”

“Still sleeping in,” Luo Yao answered irritably. “I can’t even get him up.”

Although she said that if he couldn’t get up, he shouldn’t bother, and they might as well let him starve to death, when she was almost done eating, she still picked up the bowl of porridge that was about to go cold and told a Servant to heat it up and deliver it to Luo Heng’s doorway.

“Luo Yao, if you spoil him like that, aren’t you afraid he’ll really become a lazybones?” Luo Qiaoying teased from the side.

“Who, who’s spoiling him?” Luo Yao hurriedly retorted. “If he starves to death, how would I explain it to Father when I go back? I only have this one full brother.”

“There’s also one who shares the same father but a different mother.”

Who was it just now who said “let him starve”? That change of face was a bit fast.

After finishing the bland breakfast, Lu Yunze thought about how to spend a bland morning.

After entering January, it reached the coldest time of year, and the whole Donghai City was not as lively as when they first arrived.

Last month, the Execution Division and Police Station had been frantic, but now they had become idle.

Whether it was the Mosu Society or the Black Star Cult, lately he hadn’t seen them commit any evil.

‘Could the people in these organizations be hibernating too? Or were they all too cold to leave their blankets?’

Thinking this, Lu Yunze came to the Front Yard, intending to take care of the winter flowers for Luo Qiaoying.

“Hey.”

Someone called him from behind. Lu Yunze turned and saw that it was the head Servant of this Gu-style Mansion, Ye Qianlan.

“These are Miss Qiaoying’s most beloved creations. Don’t mess them up and kill them.”

“Don’t worry. I have experience growing flowers, and I even asked Sister Qiaoying for advice.”

Ye Qianlan did not relax her expression because of his words, and instead asked again:

“Did you really only ask Miss about flower-growing knowledge?”

“Huh?”

“You’re not harboring other motives, are you?”

“Uh, what do you mean?”

Ye Qianlan frowned, unable to tell whether he was truly stupid or pretending.

“Miss Qiaoying seems to take quite good care of you. With a Harem Protagonist like you, I’m very worried.”

“What the hell is a Harem Protagonist?” Lu Yunze didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Aren’t you a Harem Protagonist?”

Ye Qianlan widened her eyes. “It seems every woman who has contact with you likes to keep coming back to you, as if bewitched. Even the two young ladies of our family are no exception.”

“Is that so?”

Lu Yunze thought about the women around him.

There was no need to mention Jiang Sui and Luo Yao.

Dong Youer only had a Cooperation relationship with him, and after Donghai City entered a stable period, they rarely contacted each other.

As for Luo Qiaoying, most of what Lu Yunze had said to her was either teasing the Luo Family siblings about their childhood or discussing flower-growing knowledge.

“With a Harem Protagonist like you, I’m very worried that after Miss Qunyou becomes obsessed with you, she’ll be hurt by you.”

“I already told you, I’m not a Harem Protagonist.”

Ye Qianlan paused, then spoke again:

“Miss Luo Yao likes clinging to you, right?”

“Right.”

“When Miss Qiaoying talks with you, she always looks delighted too.”

“I suppose so.”

“That Dong from the Execution Division always contacts you first whenever something happens.”

“Mm.”

“Harem Protagonist.”

“So how did you reach that conclusion?” Lu Yunze was about to faint. “If I really were a Harem Protagonist, how could I have only three beauties?”

That question stumped Ye Qianlan. She thought for a moment, then spoke with a trembling voice:

“Am I your target too?”

‘What kind of godly thought process was that?’

Just as Lu Yunze was trying to figure out how to explain clearly, someone chose that moment to cut in. Unfortunately, that person was Jiang Sui.

“Oh my, Young Master, why are you here?”

Jiang Sui walked over with a surprised look, drawing out her tone, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Usually after you eat, you either go out for a walk or return to your room. Why are you here chatting with a woman today?”

She stopped in front of Lu Yunze and blinked her limpid eyes.

“Are you angry?”

“What are you saying, Young Master? How could I be angry?” Jiang Sui was actually amused into laughter. “Every day I pray that I won’t do anything wrong and make you angry, Young Master. That you aren’t angry with me is the greatest happiness of my life.”

“So you even do that kind of thing?”

“Of course. The care you’ve shown me, Young Master, this Sui’er will find unforgettable in this life~”

She spoke one word at a time, each syllable longer and sweeter. Lu Yunze rarely saw Jiang Sui so strange, and it made his heart itch.

“So, there’s her too?”

Ye Qianlan, standing to the side, finally couldn’t help but speak.

“As expected of you, Harem Protagonist.”

“I already told you I’m not…”

“Don’t come near me. I don’t want to become a member of your harem!”

Ye Qianlan’s expression changed at once, and before Lu Yunze could explain, she turned and ran.

As for Lu Yunze, he could only freak out on the spot, wondering how he had somehow become a Harem Protagonist.

“That’s too much. She actually slandered the Young Master as a Harem Protagonist.”

“Isn’t it because of you?”

“Me?” Jiang Sui tilted her head and looked at him blankly. “I’ve never supported the Young Master starting a harem, and I even have protective measures.”

“What protective measures?”

“It’s better if the Young Master doesn’t know.”

Jiang Sui smiled, but it was a very creepy smile.

Legend had it that there was an Artifact that specifically dealt with amorous men.

Once, a man of the “Cheng” generation died beneath this Artifact.

Jiang Sui hoped that in this life she would never have the chance to use that Artifact on Lu Yunze, because obtaining a Lu Yunze who could neither move nor speak would be utterly boring.

Lu Yunze didn’t understand her thoughts, but for some reason he felt a chill in his heart. Had the temperature dropped again?