Her fingers twitched and she could feel the warmth and strength in his fingers. Mo Xuetong only realized then that he had been holding her hand tightly and had been holding his tightly without letting go. Half of her body was in his embrace. No wonder she could feel his warmth around her.
Her face heated up and she turned around, not daring to look at his handsome side profile. She bit her lips and her fingers moved, wanting to let go but not daring to. What if she annoyed the fellow and he really let go? Then she would really fall down!
“What’s the matter?” Feng Yuran turned around and asked her when he sensed the long slender fingers in his hand twitching.
“It’s nothing.” Mo Xuetong replied, biting her lips. She did not dare to say that anything was of matter. What kind of person was Feng Yuran? He was the prince the Emperor Zongwen doted on the most. And he sometimes did not even show respect to Emperor Zongwen. Like what she said, why would he care what an insignificant girl? But when she thought of how he had half-embraced her in an inappropriate manner, she was so shy that she could not look up. This person really did not follow the rules. Did he know that there should be a distinction between men and women?
Even though she did not wish to follow the rules today, they didn’t have to behave like this!
Of course, Mo Xuetong did not dare to say that to Feng Yuran. Who was he? He was the arrogant King Xuan! He was a man who would dare to offend anyone. It would be best not to annoy him if she could.
“If nothing’s the matter, why is your face so red? Let me take a look. Do you have a fever?” Feng Yuran looked at Mo Xuetong’s little face that peeked out from the large coat. He reached out gently to touch her forehead. Her temperature was not high nor low. He frowned and looked at Mo Xuetong’s face which was growing redder and redder and he could not decide right then if she was really having a fever or not.
“I’m sick!” Even if Mo Xuetong pretended not to know, she was so shy she could not speak when he reached out to touch her face. She grumbled to herself, wondering if Feng Yuran was playing tricks on her intentionally. Who would think that he was not easy to deal with when they saw him pretending to be decent and gentle? He seemed very harmless right now, but who knew what he would be up to the next moment. It would be better to be more prudent. As such, she might as well reply him to prevent him from creating more trouble.
“Are you really ill? You can’t be. Let me take a look.” Feng Yuran reached out and pressed his hand on Mo Xuetong’s forehead. Then, he put his hand on his forehead. He truly could not make heads or tails of the situation and did not want to just send her home like this. As such, he moved his head forward and intended to place Mo Xuetong’s forehead against his to see if she was having a fever.
Mo Xuetong’s long lashes fluttered when she saw his approaching handsome face. She did not know what he intended to do. His high forehead bumped against her tender and pale forehead softly like a feather, and his handsome eyes were looking straight into her clear and confused eyes. Two sets of long lashes bumped against each other. Feng Yuran’s deep dark eyes darkened further, blinking at her, and stirring at her soul with a flash of slyness.
“Is it a fever? Or are you ill?” There was a gentle murmur in her ears. The wind lifted his black hair, bringing them across his handsome face. Her slightly upturned lips had a hint of wildness in them. His handsome appearance was as seductive as the devil. His high nose, thin lips, and his glowing eyes were all filled with charm.
“No, no!” she answered as if she had been bewitched.
“Alright, then shall we go take a walk?” Feng Yuran’s smile grew even more bewitching. He was like a blooming flower that took away one’s breath. The charming smile on his handsome face had a hint of gentleness in it. Mo Xuetong felt as if her heart was being rammed by a deer and that even her breaths were heated. Her clear and lively eyes were shy as she lowered her head subconsciously, not daring to look at the beautiful face of the youth.
“It’s too late. We’d better go back!” Mo Xuetong muttered. She suddenly felt that the wind blowing at them was hot as well. Why wasn’t there any cold wind in the winter? She started to feel dizzy and she closed her eyes and took a long breath. She pushed Feng Yuran who was approaching her away forcefully. Then, she tugged at the coat wrapped around her tightly. She felt that the cold breeze had caused her mind to calm down.
She turned around and saw the smile on his handsome face. This person was too much. He was bating her intentionally! She gritted her teeth secretly but could not do anything to him. She glared at him fiercely. If looks could kill, Feng Yuran would have died several times already.
Could he be anymore shameless! He already looked like that and still made an expression like that intentionally. How many girls were there in the world who could withstand the seduction of his beauty? He was the noble King Xuan. How could he do something like that that was beneath his status? Furthermore, wasn’t there a rumor that said that he hated being stared at by women the most.
She didn’t feel so though. Instead, she felt that he was in a very good mood!
Feng Yuran’s lips curled up in a smile when he saw the beautiful girl regaining her vigor as she glared at him as usual. He really did not want to see her looking sickly and weak. She looked better now. The little wildcat had gotten back her claws and she did not seem as despondent and depressed as she did when he first saw her earlier.
It seems that she really had to get more wind. The winter wind was really powerful. She had regained her energy in just a while. She even had the energy to glare at him.
“Are you really not going?” Feng Yuran raised his brows.
To go or not to go? Mo Xuetong hesitated for a moment. She looked at the streets in the distance. There were more people on the streets today than usual. The crowd bustled and she could hear the occasional sounds of laughter coming from the streets. The people were all very happy. The happy atmosphere was something that the Mo Manor did not have. The Mo Manor was grave and solemn and lacked vitality. The breathing of the people down there was all light. Compared to the grave and solemn atmosphere in the Mo Manor that made her feel as if she could not breathe, she preferred the happiness under the lights.
She had the urge not to care about anything and to just head down there and stroll through the streets, being in the bustling crowd. Even if she just watched others laugh, it would put her in a much better mood, she thought. Her brows furrowed slightly and she replied subconsciously, “I’ll go!”
She found herself relaxing the moment she said that. Perhaps it was not that difficult to let go and not care about anything!
No matter in her past life or this life, the chains on her were all too heavy. They were so heavy she almost could not bear them.
The worries in her eyes dissipated and her slightly flushed face made her beautiful face even more charming. She was irresistible when it was coupled with her clear and pure eyes. Feng Yuran, no matter how composed he was, could not help but be startled. His eyes darkened and he coughed softly, turning his head away. He scooped her up and brought her towards an empty street.
The corners of his beautiful lips lifted happily where Mo Xuetong could not see. He had brought her here today to walk on the streets, so how could they return without having done so!
Feng Yuran and Mo Xuetong walked among the crowd. They had only felt that the crowd was especially large when they were on the roof. They only realized when they came down that there were people everywhere. Even though it was already late, the people of the capital had all squeezed onto the streets, wanting to join in the festivities. There were both men and women in the crowd. It was a happy occasion and people were not that particular about separating men and women.
They would see smiling couples or husbands and wives holding hands. The men had come to the streets to see all sorts of beautiful women while the women had come to find their prince charming. There were not as many stringent rules for young men and women on occasions like these. One could see young couples taking a stroll together from time to time.
Mo Xuetong walked along the bustling street with Feng Yuran and looked at the brightly lit shops on both sides of the street. She felt as if she could not get enough of this. The street at night was completely different from at night. It was much more crowded and there was more laughter. On this night before New Year’s Eve, there were lantern riddle games everywhere. It brought the atmosphere on the streets even higher.
Feng Yuran wore a full-length purple robe embroidered with dragons soaring over the clouds and the sea. It had a round neckline and he wore a jade belt that was encrusted in purple crystals at his waist. His hair, which was the color of the dark night was tied up only with a single purple hair tie. His purple clothes had not only added an additional roguish charm to him, but had also complimented his devilishly good looks as well as the proud and haughty disposition he had as part of the royal family.
He stood in the crowd, a noble aura wrapping around him, making him stand out from those around him. Many girls who saw his figure stared at him and blushed. Their shy gazes could not help but fall on his beautiful face. However, his noble aura made them feel ashamed of themselves and they did not dare to go forward to strike up a conversation with him.
Mo Xuetong was wrapped up in the coat. Feng Yuran helped her to tie it up again so only her pair of beautiful and shiny eyes could be seen. As such, she did not attract as much attention. He held her hand tightly in his. There were many people on the streets and Mo Xuetong was not stupid. If she did not hold on to his hand tightly, they might be separated by the crowd of people coming towards them. As such, she allowed him to hold on to her hand.
The moon was clear today and hung up high in the sky. It shone brightly like a fire, making the whole place seemed as if it was enshrouded in a hazy light. It was easy for one to put away their worries in such an environment and immerse themselves entirely in the bustle and happiness of the crowd. Mo Xuetong even felt that Feng Yuran was especially friendly and gentle today and had not intentionally challenged and made things difficult for her. They held hands and could sense each other’s warmth and they got closer then.
“How is it. Do you like it?” Feng Yuran smiled and asked with satisfaction when he saw her looking around, unable to hide the surprise in her eyes. She was no longer as solemn and despondent as before.
“I like it very much. Many thanks, Your Highness.” Mo Xuetong nodded and agreed. Her attention was completely captivated by the characters on the tall stage. She had already walked by several of such tall stages and they were all places for riddle games. However, unlike the others, there were not many people under this stage. Furthermore, it seemed that those watching were either officials or nobility and some of the sons and daughters of noble and wealthy families. Mo Xuetong could not help but look at the items placed on the stage.
There was a string of crystal-clear beads that were round and full. One could tell that it was expensive from just one look. This was especially so when the beads shone with a warm gentle light even in the dark.
The other object was a pair of small and exquisite jade-colored swords. It was unknown what material they were made of, but it was a striking green. The pair of swords were very small and one did not know whether they were real swords. The two swords were like hair pins women wore and pearls dripped down from both ends of the sword.
“Do they look good?” Feng Yuran saw that Mo Xuetong’s attention was on the two objects and her eyes glittered. He knew that she was not listening to him at all.
“Oh, they look good.” Mo Xuetong’s gaze was focused on the two miniature swords. Her brows gathered gently. She felt that the pair of miniature swords were really familiar but she could not recall where she had seen them. However, she felt as if she knew them.
“Are they as good looking as me?” Feng Yuran felt unhappy then. He wrenched his hand from Mo Xuetong’s hand. There were so many women who were paying attention to him but the girl whose hand he was holding tightly too was not focused on him at all.
Mo Xuetong turned around when she sensed the sinister tone in Feng Yuran’s voice. She saw him staring at her in an unfriendly manner and she answered hurriedly, “Of course they are not as good looking as Your Highness. Look at what all the girls around us are looking at.”
Anyone with eyes would know that King Xuan was extremely handsome. Mo Xuetong did not dare to say anything otherwise. Furthermore, he seemed extremely petty.
Feng Yuran’s mood immediately took a turn for the better and he nodded with satisfaction. Then, he looked at the girls around him who were looking at him dazedly and felt annoyed. He ignored the girls who were looking at him with dazed adoration and pulled Mo Xuetong in front with him.
Mo Xuetong could not help but be dazzled by how Feng Yuran’s gloomy expression had turned into a brilliant smile because of what she said. His beautiful eyes were charming and seductive. When had the noble King Xuan been so childish that he would be so happy and excited just because of her praise? That was too childish!
