FID – Chapter 576

Chapter 576: Very Masculine

Liu Yusheng understood.

That helpless, unbearable feeling when someone most important to you might be in danger.

Even his kiss carried guilt.

It made her heart ache.

But what made her heart ache even more was that, in the middle of kissing her—he fell asleep.

It felt like something was tugging at her heart—a dull, aching pain, yet at the same time, she found it a little amusing.

He was this exhausted, yet he still forced himself to help her distribute medicine.

Did he think he was made of iron?

Covered in dust from the journey, he probably hadn’t gotten a proper rest the entire way here.

From the moment the flood warning was issued, to the flood breaking out, to when they were finally rescued and brought down the mountain—it had only been about twenty days.

A secret report from Xinghua Village to the capital would have taken at least ten days to arrive. That meant he had less than half a month to make it here. How on earth did he manage to get here so fast?

She carefully supported his sleeping body, helped him lie down on the bed, removed his shoes, and pulled a thin blanket over him.

She didn’t leave. She sat at the bedside, quietly studying the man who had fallen into a deep sleep.

At this moment, he looked a little disheveled.

Dark shadows weighed heavily beneath his eyes, bloodshot veins spread across the whites, and a layer of stubble had grown on his chin.

But to her—he looked incredibly handsome.

Only he could give her this kind of happiness, this sense of security, this feeling of absolute trust.

He had abandoned everything in the capital just to rush here for her.

So, in a way, he was a fool.

For all his sharp intellect, when it came to her, he still panicked and felt uncertain.

Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on the man’s eyelids.

She smiled silently.

If being foolish meant loving someone so deeply, then she was just as much a fool as he was.

Only for each other. 

“Miss, Lady Ruyi took a man into her room. They haven’t come out since, and the door has been shut the whole time,” a maid reported after entering the room in the side courtyard of the inner residence.

She didn’t understand why her lady had ordered her to keep an eye on the County Lady, but as a servant, she simply followed orders.

“Leave. Keep watching!” Kang Ziyu sat before her dressing table; her voice icy cold.

“Yes, Miss.”

After the maid withdrew, Kang Ziyu raised her gaze, looking at her own reflection in the bronze mirror. A face of stunning beauty stared back at her.

Her features were delicate yet proud, and even among the noble ladies of the capital, she was considered one of the finest.

She was in no way inferior to Liu Yusheng!

And yet, her own fiancé was a vulgar, nouveau riche merchant—nothing but a stinking pile of wealth with no redeeming qualities!

While Liu Yusheng’s fiancé? He was the pride of the world, a man as noble as jade, the legendary Regent!

A mere village girl, with far worse conditions than her, yet possessing far more than she ever could!

She snatched the jade comb from the table and hurled it at the mirror in rage. The comb fell to the ground, and the reflection in the mirror instantly turned grotesque and hideous!

“Ah!” Kang Ziyu terrified scream and knocked the bronze mirror off the table.

That wasn’t her!

The person in the mirror wasn’t her!

How could she be so ugly?! No!

By the time Kang Shiming returned to the county office, the sun had already begun to set.

When he heard that the King of Nanling, Feng Qingbai, was actually staying in the guest courtyard, he couldn’t sit still.

Why had His Highness come? Did he even need to think about it?

It was undoubtedly for Liu Yusheng!

Otherwise, someone of such status would never step foot in his lowly county office!

“Quick! Have the kitchen prepare a feast! The dishes don’t need to be overly extravagant, but they must be refined and presentable! We absolutely must not serve anything too simple!”

“My Lord, the flood just passed—the kitchen barely has any ingredients left to prepare a proper banquet for such an esteemed guest!” Mrs. Kang frowned, clearly anxious.

If they failed to provide a worthy meal, wouldn’t His Highness see it as disrespect?

And if he took offense, her husband’s official position might not be safe!

“Just do your best! If we truly can’t make it extravagant, then so be it—as long as our sincerity is evident, I trust His Highness won’t hold it against us. Now hurry!”

Mrs. Kang immediately got up and rushed to the kitchen herself.

Kang Shiming turned to his rarely quiet daughter sitting nearby and warned, “In the past, it was just family, so I let you act out. But today, if you dare to cause trouble, don’t blame me for being harsh!”

“Don’t worry, Father. I know what’s appropriate.” Kang Ziyu turned her face away and huffed. “Besides, that man is the King of Nanling. How could I possibly afford to offend him? If I say the wrong thing, I might just get my head chopped off—I wouldn’t dare!”

“As long as you understand. He is a true noble. If something happens, even if I wanted to cover for you, I wouldn’t be able to.” After another stern warning, Kang Shiming returned to his room to change.

He had been visiting disaster victims all day, and his clothes were covered in dust and dirt—he could not meet Feng Qingbai in such a state. 

That would be disrespectful.

By the time Feng Qingbai woke up, the sky outside was completely dark. 

Soft moonlight filtered through the window, casting a hazy glow over the room.

The girl he cared for most was sleeping peacefully beside him.

Her breathing was steady, and her small nose twitched slightly—utterly adorable.

A tender satisfaction filled his heart, watching her sleep so soundly.

Hand in hand, with time flowing peacefully—this was probably how it is.

“Feng Qingbai, you’re awake?” The young girl seemed to sense him waking up. Before even opening her eyes, she asked in a soft, sleepy voice.

“Mm, are you still tired?”

“Pfft! I’m definitely not as tired as you. You fell asleep while kissing me—this is a first in history.”

“Are you complaining? Do you want to continue now?” As he spoke, Feng Qingbai leaned in as if to kiss her again.

The girl swiftly turned over, got out of bed, and ran a few steps away before turning back. “It’s already dark. Since you’re awake, get up and freshen up. You smell of dust, and your clothes are starting to sour.”

“…”

After getting off the boat, he had rushed straight here, not daring to stop or rest. Where would he have found time to bathe or change clothes?

Yet now, this little girl was disliking how he smelled.

He touched the stubble that had started growing on his chin. “Does it look bad?”

“No, you look extremely handsome—very manly!” The girl giggled. “But this look is for my eyes only. No one else is allowed to see it. Now go take a bath—I’ve had hot water prepared next door.”

Before falling asleep, she had instructed someone to prepare hot water in the adjacent room for the night. Since it was summer, the water wouldn’t cool down too quickly. Now that he was awake, the timing was just right.

Liu Yusheng lit the oil lamp inside the room, then opened the door and stepped out. “You go wash up first, I’ll find Qian Wanjin to get you a set of clothes to change into.”

“Find Xue Qinglian instead. Qian Wanjin’s clothes have too much gold embroidery—I don’t like them, too gaudy.”

“…” After a brief silence, Liu Yusheng clutched her stomach, laughing as she turned toward Xue Qinglian’s room.

She never expected this man to care about fashion too.

By the time Feng Qingbai had freshened up, the four of them headed to the main hall, where Kang Shiming and his family had been waiting for quite a while.

Since their guests hadn’t woken up, they hadn’t dared to send someone to disturb them and could only wait patiently.

When they saw the group enter, Kang Shiming quickly stood up and, along with his wife and daughter, stepped forward to bow. “This humble official greets Your Highness!”

“No need for formalities. Apologies for keeping you waiting, Lord Kang.”

“I wouldn’t dare. I wouldn’t dare! Your Highness has traveled a long way and must be exhausted. I wouldn’t dare disturb your rest. The meal has already been prepared. Due to the flood disaster, the dishes are quite simple—I hope Your Highness will forgive us.”

“Lord Kang, you’ve been considerate.” Feng Qingbai held Liu Yusheng’s hand as they walked to the dining table and took their seats first.

Though the dishes on the table weren’t luxurious, they were prepared with care and looked delicate. Given the circumstances, much effort had been put into them.