CH 24.1

Chapter 24.1 – Darkness Surging Within the Eyes (1)

Too many things had happened during the day, and in the end Lu Qipei didn’t stay in the courtyard – after she understood Qi Yang’s feeling, it had felt too ambiguous. Plus, right now she was feeling uneasy about the Lu family, so she resolutely declined.

Qi Yang didn’t force her, and boarded the carriage to personally send Lu Qipei back.

Lu Qipei who had already declined Qi Yang once had no choice but to acquiesce. However, she didn’t want Qi Yang to send her home, so she told the coachman to bring her back to Hanlin Academy, and planned to go home alone afterwards.

The coachman nodded and Lu Qipei assuredly boarded the carriage. Unfortunately, she missed Qi Yang winking at the coachman.

Amidst the silent night, the carriage drove through the stone-paved street with only few pedestrians.

It was pitch dark and quiet outside, and the ones inside the carriage weren’t bored enough to look at such scenery. Thus, Lu Qipei didn’t realize that the carriage wasn’t going to Hanlin Academy, but to the Lu Mansion instead.

The candles inside the carriage shone bright and swayed slightly with the rocking carriage. Maybe because she had drunk several glasses of wine earlier, Lu Qipei felt a little sleepy and leaned against the carriage. Just as her eyelids drooped down, she forced them to open again, and she stared blankly at Qi Yang in front of her for a while before closing them again sleepily. It repeated several times, but she never really fell asleep, as if she was holding on for whatever reason.

Qi Yang propped her cheek on her hand and looked at Lu Qipei. Seeing her struggle again and again, she finally said, “If you’re sleepy, then go sleep for a while. I’ll tell you when we get there.”

Hearing this, Lu Qipei raised her eyelids and gazed at Qi Yang. Under the candle lights, the young girl looked as if she was covered in a soft glow, showing beauty that could move anyone. But her sleepiness struck again, and she finally stopped holding on and closed her eyes, falling into a light sleep.

Qi Yang’s courtyard was neither far nor close to the Lu Mansion, but Lu Qipei slept for a long time. When she woke up, she found that the carriage had stopped moving. Qi Yang who was in front of her was still staring at her, her eyes completely focused, as if she was looking at a peerless treasure.

Lu Qipei sat straight up, her drowsiness gone in an instant. She subconsciously raised her hand and touched her face that had suddenly turn red. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t find anything unusual, then asked, “Have we arrived? When didn’t Your Highness wake me up?”

Of course Qi Yang wouldn’t wake her up; she only wished that they could stay together for even a moment longer. So after hearing Lu Qipei’s question, she just calmly replied, “You woke up just when we arrived, and didn’t need me to wake you up.”

Lu Qipei didn’t doubt her and nodded tactfully, then straightened her clothes and bit Qi Yang goodbye.

Qi Yang seemed unhappy that she insisted on leaving, so she just waved at her and let her leave. When Lu Qipei got off the carriage and looked at the Lu Mansion in front of her, she was temporarily frozen. It was only then that Qi Yang suddenly lifted the carriage’s curtain and told her, “I’ll come to get my handkerchief from you tomorrow.”

Lu Qipei turned around but did not have the time to say anything. The carriage’s curtain had been lowered, and the princess’s carriage quickly drove away.

She raised her hand and wanted to shout that she had already washed the handkerchief and had it on her, so she could return it to Qi Yang right now. But the coachman obviously didn’t give her the chance to do so. He drove the carriage away very quickly and it soon disappeared into the deep night. Only the sound of the horse’s hooves was left, gradually fading away.

Lu Qipei was stunned yet again. When she realized that Qi Yang just wanted an excuse to come back and find her, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She stood under the dim light outside the Lu Mansion – her eyes looked helpless, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily smiled, obviously in a good mood. But this good mood disappeared when she turned to look at the gate of the Lu Mansion.

By the time she realized, there was already another figure outside the Lu Mansion’s gate. Qi Bo stood there quietly just like a ghost, and it wasn’t clear how long he had been watching.

Lu Qipei’s heart suddenly sank. Her smile disappeared, and she walked forward with her lips pursed. “Qi Bo, why are you here? You’re old now, and the spring night is cold. You should stay inside the house.”

It wasn’t weird for Lu Qipei to say this. She always had a gentle and pure temperament, and always cared about the people around her. This was also something that Qi Bo and the others purposely cultivated. If she hadn’t died once, it would’ve been very difficult for her to be on guard towards the people who watched her grow up.

Qi Bo smiled when he heard those words, and this normally serious person looked gentle at this moment. “I’m just worried since you haven’t returned for a long time. I saw you just as I came out, so I didn’t get blown by any night wind.” Then, he looked at the direction Qi Yang’s carriage left and asked, “The carriage just now… which noble family’s lady did Young Master meet?”

He did see it!

Lu Qipei’s heart was in shock inside, but her face still looked simple and pure on the outside. “Um, it’s just a new acquaintance. She was kind enough to send me back.”

Qi Yang caught her off guard and sent her home directly. Lu Qipei was not surprised that Her Royal Highness The Princess knew where she lived, but she really had a headache and had no time to make up an excuse. However, what caught her even more off guard was what Qi Bo said next. The old man looked at her with eyes full of meaning and said, “A girl you just met, is it? The gatekeeper said that the carriage stopped outside the mansion for a long time earlier.”

Lu Qipei froze when she heard that, and she could no longer maintain her calm appearance. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at Qi Bo – even if she didn’t say anything, the latter could see the surprise and confusion in her eyes.

Qi Bo was also slightly surprised by her reaction. Then he looked at her face and saw that she seemed to have just woken up. His doubts were answered and he returned to his original guess, and a new plan began to emerge in his heart.

But, these were things to talk about later. Right now, Qi Bo didn’t say anything else and took the initiative to welcome Lu Qipei inside.