The Villainous Classmate is My Lucky Star Chapter 183
Translated by Pure
Chapter 183
After Mu Yang left, Wen Yantong shamelessly sat next to Chi Jingxi. She didn’t speak but continued to secretly smile.
Chi Jingxi glanced at her, and then said, "Have you gone silly?"
Wen Yantong laughed and said, "Little Marquis, you look very handsome today."
Chi Jingxi was caught off guard by the compliment, and subconsciously wanted to return the favor. "Today, you..."
However, on second glance, he noticed she was wearing a simple and casual outfit. Moreover, this gown was the same one she wore when she went to the Mu Residence a few days ago. He immediately changed his words. "...are wearing the same as usual, why aren’t you dressed more solemnly? This is Yang’er's eighteenth birthday."
Wen Yantong scratched her head. "Actually, I didn't plan to go at first, but I didn't expect Mu Yang to go to Wen Residence early in the morning to pick me up, so I casually found some clothes to wear."
Chi Jingxi replied, "I told you before that you must attend the birthday banquet. If you don't attend, Yang’er will definitely not let it go."
Wen Yantong retorted, "But he wants us to all soak in the hot spring together! You also know, how can I soak in the hot spring with everyone?"
As soon as her words fell into Chi Jingxi's ears, his eyes subconsciously lowered, and fell on her snow-white neck. He quickly withdrew his gaze and pondered for a moment before saying, "Of course I will help you with this matter."
Wen Yantong felt a little relieved at his promise. She then lowered her voice with a smile, "Actually, it's not impossible, but I just want to soak in the hotspring with Little Marquis."
The pupils of Chi Jingxi's eyes dilated slightly, but there was no change in expression on his face as he slowly turned to looked into Wen Yantong's eyes.
Seeing his lack of reaction, Wen Yantong thought that her teasing had failed. "Why aren’t you making any response?"
Instead of replying, Chi Jingxi leaned back and closed his eyes, as if ready to take a nap.
Wen Yantong felt his response was a bit dull, so she wanted to go to disturb Chi Jingxi. She reached out and poked his flank. Chi Jingxi was probably ticklish, he grabbed her hand abruptly, and said in a languid voice, "Don't make trouble."
Immediately, she felt his grasp tightened, Chi Jingxi intertwined their hands and placed it onto his lap. Chi Jingxi's palm was warm, and the warmth conveyed onto Wen Yantong's palm. This move seemed to have startled Wen Yantong, she immediately became obedient, and reciprocated the hold on Chi Jingxi's hand.
Sometimes holding hands was more intimate than hugging; Wen Yantong heard her heartbeat beating faster and faster, and a faint sweetness at the tip of her tongue, as if she had eaten some candied fruit.
After driving for half a day, the carriage stopped suddenly right before they reached Xunyang Mountain.
Wen Yantong slowly woke up from her slumber. Chi Jingxi was in the middle of disembarking the carriage, so she thought they had arrived, and went down with him. However, she didn't expect to come down and see a desolate countryside around her.
Wen Yantong walked to Chi Jingxi's side, saw Fu Zixian standing nearby, so she asked, "What happened?"
"There is a landslide ahead, we have to take a detour." Fu Zixian replied.
"Landslide?" Wen Yantong was puzzled, "Isn't the Xuanlin Palace for the Emperor? If there is a landslide up ahead, why didn’t it get cleaned up immediately?"
Fu Zixian looked a little imposing as he shook his head. "I’m not sure."
The questions that Wen Yantong could think of, the others had naturally pondered over as well. Up ahead, Chi Jingxi was listening to the attendant's report with a calm expression.
‘Out of ordinary circumstances meant the possibility of a phantom.’
Wen Yantong immediately thought of this saying.
…
A couple kilometers to the south of the mountain, there was a remote town with a large population.
There was only one road from Chaoge to Xuanlin Palace, but the people of the town cleared another road during the fourth lunar month, which happened to pass Xuanlin Palace. Chi Jingxi stopped when passing by the town, and sent someone to inquire about some news.
The guard came back to report. "According to the civilians, those mountain roads were fine last year, but suddenly collapsed one day after the new year. But because this pathway led to a temporary imperial palace, there were occasional inspections by officials from the government, so ordinary people are not allowed to linger there. Thus no one was aware of the cause of the landslide."
Wen Yantong felt at a loss after hearing this. Although she also felt that this matter was unusual, she really couldn't figure out where the problem was. Afterall, it was not impossible for the mountain to collapse due to heavy accumulation of snowfall.
However, looking at Chi Jingxi's expression, it was obvious that he had other suspicions. Unfortunately, this was not the time for her to inquire about them.
Chi Jingxi thought for a while, and then ordered someone to notify the government of the matter. It was best to find the cause of the landslide and clear the road as soon as possible.
The group then took the other path to the palace. Although there had been a long delay, they managed to arrive before dark.
When Wen Yantong got out of the carriage, the western sky was covered with red clouds, encompassing most of the sky in vermilion. Xunyang Mountain was not a high mountain, but standing near its peak and looking into the distance, the viewers would nethertheless be taken aback by its scenery.
Xuanlin Palace was very vast, with pavilions and kiosks connected one after the other, rock garden and wooden bridges in tasteful clusters, covering an area comparable to dozens of Wen Residences. And in a conspicuous area, one could see the building with whitewashed walls and umber-black roof tiles being guarded and supervised all year round.
The Emperor looked fondly upon Mu Yuan, so he made an exception and lent the temporary imperial residence to Mu Yang for a few days.
The carriage stopped at the main entrance of the temporary imperial residence. There were rows of servants standing in front of the entrance, saluting and welcoming Chi Jingxi. Cheng Xin, who arrived at the palace one step earlier, and went out to greet him when he heard the movement.
The courtyards in the temporary imperial residence were clearly defined, with the courtyard on the east side having the best terrain. That was where the emperor lived every time he came to the palace. And Mu Yang, Chi Jingxi, and the rest of the invitees live in the southern courtyard. There were three pavilions in the southern courtyard, and eight available rooms available in the main hall and side halls; it was enough for several people to live in one courtyard.
Cheng Xin was rather thoughtful, he knew that after a long day of travel, everyone would be hungry when they arrived, so he ordered for a meal to be prepared in advance. Not long after everyone was seated, the dishes were served one by one.
Mu Yang wolfed down the food, not bothering with any pleasantries. In contrast, Fu Zixian maintained refined manners, his use of chopsticks and the bowl never made a single sound.
When Wen Yantong witnessed the two foils, she felt that the saying ‘like father like son’ was absolutely spot on. Mu Yang embodied the big, old, and rough feeling of Mu Yuan; his actions were blusterous, his thoughts simple, and his goal straightforward. Fu Zixian, on the other hand, had perfectly inherited Fu Sheng's literati spirit. He looked frail and deceptive, but his eyes were full of unfathomable wisdom and vision.
Chi Jingxi also somewhat resembled the Marquis, but he still lacked some maturity and would often show his emotions on his face, unlike Chi Shu, who was already a cunning old fox.
As everyone was enjoying their meal, Cheng Xin sipped on a cup of hot tea. He then turned to Mu Yang and said with a smile, "The beauties that General Mu found for you have been located in the side hall, when would you like to go and have a look?"
Mu Yang gnawed on the chicken leg and widened his eyes in surprise. "What? How did they arrive so quickly?"
"I rushed to the temporary imperial residence before dawn." Cheng Xin said, "They were already waiting when I arrived, still chattering about which one you would choose."
"This lord won’t choose any of ‘em!" Mu Yang snorted, "My father wants to put chains on me, I'm not stupid!"
Wen Yantong couldn't help but interject, "But you’ll eventually have to marry a wife and have children."
Mu Yang replied, "Even if I have to marry, I will marry the woman I love! And I will only marry one, so I won't be like my father. All my children can only have one mother!"
Everyone at the table was startled by his words.
Wen Yantong's eyes lit up, she was very moved when she heard these words. She hadn’t expected the dunderheaded Mu Yang to have such an idea! This was a really rare and commendable notion in the noble circle, where having three wives and four concubines was the norm.
She happily added a chicken leg to Mu Yang’s bowl. "You are so right, come, eat some more."
However, Mu Yang disdained her actions. "I can do it myself."
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The author has something to say:
[Chi Jingxi's Little Diary]
On the twenty-fourth year of Ruixing Decade, third day of the fifth lunar month:
She said she wanted to go into the hot spring with me, so I’m writing it down here.
Hopefully she doesn't break her promise.
