Let’s Squander A Billion First!

Chapter 528: Chapter 528 Difficult to be a Hostage (23)

Chapter 528: Chapter 528 Difficult to be a Hostage (23)

The waning stars gradually hid themselves from view, and the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

On the horizon, the glow of the sunrise leapt forth, and a slit in the grey shroud of heaven appeared as if by magic, the rosy light spreading through the crevice, gradually reddening the clouds all around.

The hazy feeling slowly dissipated as the first rays of sunlight brushed over the mountains with the breeze.

Lian Qiong cast a sidelong glance at the person beside him.

The young master, expressionless, stared at the sunrise, the brilliant radiance reflected in his clear pupils, the pale skin of his face touched with a faint golden hue, as if he himself were immersed in the light.

Lian Qiong’s gaze drifted from his eyebrows and the corners of his eyes, to the bridge of his nose, and then to his lips…

His lips were perfectly shaped, the color attractive, luscious and full, as though moistened by morning dew.

Lian Qiong felt an inexplicable dryness in his mouth.

Lian Qiong: “…”

He’s a man!!

Lian Qiong shifted his gaze towards the rising sun in the distance.

But he couldn’t seem to calm the turmoil within him.

Though it was still a bit chilly earlier, now as the sun’s rays fell upon him, Lian Qiong felt hot and bothered.

Chuzheng paid no attention to Lian Qiong’s unease, for she was feeling a bit strange herself at the moment.

The Temple Master had warned her of an impending bloody disaster which… most likely referred to a woman’s period troubles.

What a jinx!

The original owner of the body didn’t have a regular cycle, and Chuzheng had not anticipated her period to come so early this month.

What to do now?

How could she, a big shot, let others see her like this and still hold her head high?

Chuzheng tensed her body, hoping only that Lian Qiong would finish watching soon and then leave.

However, Lian Qiong showed no intention of doing so, as if the sunrise was just too captivating.

Chuzheng: “…” How much longer is he going to watch!

Lian Qiong: “…” Why hasn’t he suggested we go back!

The two sat in silence.

“Ahem…” Lian Qiong couldn’t stand it any longer, his mind in a state of frustration, “Thirteenth Prince, let’s go back.”

“Mm,” Chuzheng nodded.

Lian Qiong quickly stood up, but when he saw Chuzheng not moving, he said, “Thirteenth Prince.”

Chuzheng extended her hand: “Give me back my clothes.”

Lian Qiong: “…”

Lian Qiong thought he must have misheard.

But Chuzheng’s outstretched hand and her earnest expression made it clear he had not.

Lian Qiong’s emotions were mixed as he took the clothes off, placed them on the table, and strode away.

Chuzheng: “…”

They were my clothes to begin with, is giving them back to me really that upsetting?

Chuzheng put on her clothes, covering her back, and then hurried down the mountain.

Lian Qiong started walking quickly, but then slowed down. He thought of talking to Chuzheng several times, but Chuzheng was eager to return and didn’t pay him any attention, passing him by and descending the mountain first.

Lian Qiong: “…”

Lian Qiong cursed under his breath.

–

“Your Highness, where have you been?”

Bang—

Chen Fei almost collided with the door.

What was up with the prince again?

Lian Qiong paced back and forth in his room.

There was no way he could like men.

Definitely not!

How could he, a man of honor and stature, fancy another man?!

Impossible.

It simply couldn’t be!

Slap!

Lian Qiong’s palm struck the table.

“Your Highness, time for your medicine.”

“What medicine? Can’t you wish me well for once?”

“Your Highness, you’ve caught a cold,” Chen Fei said earnestly, “How can you get better without medicine?”

Lian Qiong thought for a moment: “Right, I have a cold.”

“Yes, Your Highness, please open the door.”

Lian Qiong did not respond and just mumbled to herself, “It’s just a cold causing hallucinations; how could I possibly like men? It’s impossible, everything will be fine once the illness is gone.”

Lian Qiong went to open the door, and Chen Fei, carrying medicine, was about to speak when Lian Qiong snatched the medicine bowl from him and gulped it down in one go.

“Is there any more?”

“…” This is medicine, not sugar water! “Your Highness, you shouldn’t drink too much medicine.”

Lian Qiong handed the medicine bowl back to him, about to close the door.

Chen Fei hurriedly said, “Your Highness, just now… I saw blood-stained clothing in the Thirteenth Prince’s room. Has he been injured?”

As he passed by earlier, he saw from the half-open window a garment draped over the screen, stained with some blood.

Lian Qiong looked up: “Injured?”

When he came down the mountain he walked so briskly, how could he seem injured?

Could it be that he was injured on his way back?

Even if that was the case, what did it have to do with him?

Thinking it over, Lian Qiong retorted, “What’s it to you if someone else is injured or not? Am I your master, or is he your master?”

Chen Fei did not know what had gotten into Lian Qiong, who was so irritable early in the morning.

But he could say nothing and could only silently endure.

While Lian Qiong verbally brushed it off as none of their concern, before long, she emerged from her room and wandered around Chuzheng’s quarters, prowling outside for a while before moving to the window.

The window was still open, and the screen inside could be seen.

There was nothing on it, and naturally, there were no blood-stained clothes as Chen Fei had mentioned.

“What are you sneaking around for?”

The window was suddenly flung open, and Lian Qiong froze on the spot.

“I… I was just passing by.” Lian Qiong pulled at an awkward yet polite smile, “Just passing by…”

She immediately walked forward.

“That way…”

Bang!

Lian Qiong crashed headfirst into a wall.

“It’s a dead end,” Chuzheng added calmly.

Lian Qiong, holding her head, turned tail and ran off like a shot.

–

On the way back, Lian Qiong did not share a carriage with Chuzheng.

When Chuzheng went down, she saw Lian Qiong’s carriage disappearing in a cloud of dust.

As if pursued by the Evil Ghost himself.

Back in the city, the first thing Lian Qiong did was go to the Pouring Red Building. In broad daylight, the Pouring Red Building was at rest, but when the boss came, the old madam dare not sleep, greeting her nervously.

“Get a woman over here.”

Lian Qiong commanded as she entered.

“Young Master, whom would you like?”

“Someone clean,” replied Lian Qiong, visibly impatient.

Someone clean… That meant a girl who hadn’t yet been with a client.

The old madam dared not ask further, hastily summoning a girl and cautioning her as she went in, “The young master is in a foul mood; be careful.”

The girl suddenly became anxious, stepping into the room with trepidation.

The man appeared boneless, slouched in the chair with an air of languor. His astonishingly stunning countenance made the girl’s heart tremble.

“Yo… Young Master…”

He looked up, and in that instant, the girl felt as though she couldn’t breathe.

Being seen by him felt like the luckiest thing in the world.

“Entertain me.”

“Your Highness?” The girl had not yet reacted, but Chen Fei spoke up first.

What had gotten into His Highness?

Hadn’t the Prince never touched a woman before?

“You, leave,” he ordered.

Chen Fei: “…”

Considering that his Prince was a normal man and it was normal to favor a woman, he bowed and withdrew from the room.

The girl stood there in shock, seemingly unable to believe such a thing would happen to her.

“Yo… Young Master…” she stammered in a shaky voice.

“What, didn’t they teach you here?”

“They… they have,” the girl nodded, blushing and timid. They all came here out of desperation, willing to stay, bound to receive clients eventually. But if she could give her first time to such a man…

The girl swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she untied the belt of her outer robe and took cautious steps toward Lian Qiong.