Chapter 2 The First Date

  Nangong Qiuyue looked at Chunyu with a worried expression when she called him over, while Chunyu instead pulled Nangong along, as if afraid that I would bully him again.

  Sun Yu's nervous expression made Leng Yue Yao suspicious.

  "I told you not to bully Xiang Xiang, right?" Cold Moon Jade said softly, her eyes glancing back as she leaned against my arm, acting affectionate with me but her heart still lingering behind.

  She had already learned about her relationship with Chun Yu from Xiao Ruo, and the two were childhood friends who grew up together. Leng Yue Yao's personality was originally very casual, and she often made harmless jokes with some of her close male friends, just like a tomboy.

  As for whether there are other factors between them besides friendship, only they know each other.

  I looked around, this is my first time out for a stroll since I recovered. Unexpectedly, the Kyoto of the Xuan Yuan Dynasty was quite large in scale. There were mountains and rivers, bridges and buildings, wide pipes that could be driven through, and small streams that could be walked on by boats.

  I thought it would be a crowded scene, but as the National Protector's wife, I walked on the main street and people turned their heads, but instead, Chun Yu and Leng Yue Yao attracted a lot of attention.

  The Empress Dowager was so low-key that no one recognized her, and since the competition was quite far away, most of the people didn't get a clear look at the Empress Dowager.

  "Hey! I'm talking to you!" Cold Moon Jade bumped into me, and I stumbled, almost colliding with someone. It was Nan Gong Qiu Yue who immediately steadied me, separating me from the passersby beside us.

  "No, I didn't even have time to hurt him." I glanced back and Xun Yu immediately turned his face away as if he hadn't seen me.

  "Liar!"

  I was stunned, still not back to my senses, when Leng Yue Yao ran up from behind: "Jun Yu, it's been a long time since we last met." Leng Yue Yao's expression was very natural, just like an old friend she hadn't seen in years. Jun Yu also withdrew his scattered gaze, and a hint of melancholy appeared in his eyes: "Yes, it's been a long time since we last met."

  I turned my face and smiled, rarely seeing Chun Yu with such a fresh and natural expression. Although Leng Yue always made jokes about chasing after Chun Yu, in fact she was very clear that it was impossible, so she just said it to vent the depression in her heart.

  "Jun Yu and the Cold Princess were originally acquaintances." Nan Gong's voice came from one side, neither light nor heavy. I looked at him, his expression was always very serious. As he protected me and moved forward, he continued to say, "Jun Yu's father and the Cold King were good friends. Before entering the Hu Guo Fu, Jun Yu often went to the Cold King's house to teach the Cold Princess how to cook."

  "Are you cooking?" Unexpectedly, their previous relationship was like this. Xuan Yuan Yifei really hit the nail on the head.

  "Madam, don't think too much, the feelings between Chun Yu and Leng Jun are clear."

  I laughed and looked at Nangong. He was speaking on behalf of Chunyu, but the two were clearly standing on different ground. It seemed that Nangong Qiuyue should be a very objective and rational person.

  "Nangong, I have never doubted them."

  "Madam." Nangong Qiuyue raised a smile, with a hint of relief in her eyes.

  The wide streets are crowded with people, the sound of vendors calling out is endless, it's indeed a bustling and prosperous place under the emperor's feet.

  The crowd started to get crowded, and Nan Gong Qiuyue became more careful in protecting me. Every time I finished shopping, I would throw things at Chun Yu, and his face would lengthen, as if saying "I knew you didn't call me out for a good reason".

  Then, Leng Yu Yao would secretly laugh on the side and even throw the things she bought to Chun Yu, it turned out that Leng Yu Yao didn't care about this childhood friend at all.

  I entered a wine house, turned around to look for Leng Yue Yao, but didn't expect her to be chatting with Chun Yu, whose face was filled with joyful smiles. I had never seen Chun Yu laugh so freely in the Protector Manor, his fox-like eyes always maintaining a straight line. He was holding the things I bought, and Leng Yue Yao was also helping him carry them, neither of them noticing that I had already entered the wine house next door. The crowd surged forward, drowning my figure.

  Nan Gong wanted to call out to them, but I pulled him back and hid by the door, waving my hand at him as I watched Leng Yue Yao and Chun Yu walk past the doorway, chatting and laughing.

  "Madam." Nangong grasped my arm and furrowed his brow. "Avoid suspicion."

  "Let Chunyu be happy for a day..." I sighed, feeling the hand holding mine tighten slightly. I brushed off Nangong Qiuyue's hand and smiled at him: "It's not too late to call after ordering."

  Nangong Qiuyue's serious expression finally brought out a hint of gentleness, and he smiled slightly. The smile was very bright, filling his entire face with sunshine. I stared at his smile, lost my soul, and hastily turned my gaze to look inside the store.

  The restaurant was packed with people, and smelling the aroma of delicious food in the air, my stomach growled, I'm really hungry.

  The guys were all busy coming and going, as if no one was in charge of us. Just then, a woman came down from upstairs, around thirty years old, wearing plain clothes, but with a pair of eyes that could hook one's soul.

  She spotted Nan Gong Qiuyue at a glance, and with a smile, she welcomed her: "Hey~~ isn't this Lord Nan Gong? It's been ages since you last came to take care of our little shop's business..." She said halfway, then saw me, and her eyes widened in surprise, "T-this, t-this... could it be the Duchess of Protection?!"

  Nan Gong Qiuye beside him did not respond, but instead said lightly: "Boss Hua, a private room."

  The woman in front of us immediately changed her expression and became serious, slightly nodding: "Yes, please go upstairs." She then personally led us up the stairs.

  I didn't expect Nan Gong Qiuyue to be so familiar with the outside world, I thought he would really die when he saw the light.

  "Madam, sir, please come in. The waitress will serve you immediately." Without saying more, Hua Zhanggui disappeared at the end of the corridor. The private room she arranged for us was quite secluded.

  The room was elegant, with a faint scent of fragrance. I walked to the window and opened it to look out. Unintentionally, I caught sight of Leng Yue Yao. She and Chun Yu seemed to be looking for someone. They must be looking for us. We should call them up.

  "Madam." Nangong Qiuyue stood beside me, and I casually pointed at Chunyu: "Go call them."

  Nangong Qiuyue stood quietly for a moment, then smiled faintly: "Yes"

  After Nangong left, I remained standing by the window. Then I saw Nangong calling out to them, they looked up and I smiled and greeted them. Leng Yueya puffed out her face, seemingly angry that we had deliberately hidden from them. Then, they entered the wine tower one after another.

  Just as they were about to enter the wine shop, I was preparing to close the window, when I saw in the crowd a horse carriage stopped at the original position where Chunyu and others stood. On the horizontal bar behind the carriage sat two burly men. The place where the horse carriage stopped was a grocery stall. Suddenly, the burly men jumped off the carriage, picked up a little girl who was buying things at the side of the grocery stall and threw her into the carriage.

  "Ah——save me!" The little girl's cry was suddenly cut off as she was thrown into the carriage, and the surrounding villagers were shocked and then sighed.

  They actually kidnapped people on the street, how come nobody is in charge?

  The coachman immediately whipped up the horses and they were off.

  What's going on?!

  How strange! How can this be? I immediately ran out of the door.

  As soon as he went out, he bumped into Nangong Qiuyue leading Leng Yueyao and Chunyu over.

  "Madam! Where are you going?" Nan Gong Qiuyue came to greet me, but I didn't want to delay for a moment, afraid of not catching up with that carriage.

  "Save him!" I hastily said and ran downstairs, passing by him.

  When I ran to the gate, the carriage had gone far away. My heart was a little anxious, and my two legs couldn't catch up no matter how hard they tried. Just then, I happened to see someone leading a flower horse at the entrance of the wine tower, instructing something to the waiter of the wine tower. The man wore a hooded hat and looked dusty and tired.

  I immediately rushed forward and snatched the reins from his hand: "Imperial summons!"

  Before he came back to his senses, I leapt onto the horse: "Giddy up!" and chased after the carriage in front.

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