Pei Qingfeng let out a relieved sigh. It was fortunate that Bai Luochu didn’t turn suspicious, if she had sensed something wrong, then his trip today would have been in vain.

In fact, Bai Luochu did have her suspicions but she was indeed in need of assistance. In the end, she agreed in a straightforward manner. It didn’t matter what Pei Qingfeng’s true intentions were as long as it wasn’t harmful to her. She would simply treat this as a simple deal between the two of them. He would offer her his help and she would repay him by treating him.

“Since this is the case, do we have a deal then?” Pei Qingfeng probed carefully.

Bai Luochu nodded. “Naturally. I have troubled the Second Prince for personally making a trip.”

“It isn’t a problem at all. This is an important matter and it is better for me to come personally.” Pei Qingfeng didn’t make his intentions clear. If Bai Luochu had wanted to collaborate with him, he simply had to send a messenger and Bai Luochu would still have agreed to his terms. He came personally because he wanted to see her.

Since the previous time they parted at the Landscape Pavilion, this lass left in a dispirited state and he didn’t get the chance to take a good look at her. He was originally worried that she would be heartbroken because of the engagement with the Third Prince, but it seemed like he was worried for nothing. This lass wasn’t merely stronger than what he expected of her, she was also extremely rational. She never thought of things like relationships. Instead, she was thinking of making use of whatever connections she had to lead her to the truth. She was truly an extraordinary woman and one that was worth having him fall in love with.

“If that is the case, I will return to my residence. When it is time for you to provide treatment to the Empress Dowager, I will come and pick you up.” Pei Qingfeng saw that the discussion was over and didn’t plan to stick around. There was still a lot of time in the future and if he insisted on staying, it might just irritate her.

“I will send you out, consider it the responsibility of the owner of this residence.” Bai Luochu turned around and was about to push Pei Qingfeng’s wheelchair.

Pei Qingfeng noticed something stuck onto Bai Luochu’s hair and said to her, “Lower your head. Something is stuck on your hair. Let me help you take it off.”

It was rare for Bai Luochu to be so obedient as she immediately lowered her head and allowed Pei Qingfeng to take off the flower petal stuck on it.

Bai Luochu didn’t feel anything but in the eyes of others, it was an indescribably romantic scene.

It was especially so for her cousin.

Bai Luochu’s cousin had been silently following the duo since they exited the main hall. When she saw the two of them stopping in the reception pavilion, she found some rocks to hide behind and wanted to listen in on what they were talking about. Who would have expected that she couldn’t hear a thing. Instead, she got to watch a nice show.

Pei Qingfeng was looking at Bai Luochu with tender eyes and at the end, he almost kissed her. The cousin gnashed her teeth until it almost broke.

After Bai Luochu pushed Pei Qingfeng far away, her cousin finally emerged from her hiding spot. She looked in the direction where the two of them left and muttered to herself, “Luo Chu, you’re a shameless woman! How dare you seduce the Second Prince! Just wait for me to tear your face up!”

After raging, she returned to her room and ordered her chief servant girl to follow her as she prepared to plot against Bai Luochu.

When Bai Luochu returned to her room, she immersed herself back into cultivation. She almost broke through the barrier this morning but no one expected Uncle Liang to appear with such surprising news. She had no choice but to make some preparations. Now that she had this load off her mind, her pace of cultivation was definitely going to increase.

Bai Luochu sat in a meditative position and gradually circulated the spirit qi in her body. She had released her spiritual energy and strived to extend her spirit qi absorption range. In less than five spirit qi cycles, she broke through the barrier. Just as Bai Luochu was preparing to continue on to the next advancement, she heard a knocking sound at the door.

“Knock knock knock” As the knocks ended, the sickly sweet voice of her cousin entered the room. Bai Luochu felt extremely repulsed but she couldn’t do anything about it. “Luo Chu, can I enter the room?”

Bai Luochu truly admired her younger cousin who could keep up her dramatic performance. There was obviously no one around, but she still had to use her pretentious voice.

“Come on in.” Bai Luochu wanted to see what her cousin was up to.

Upon hearing Bai Luochu’s approval, she opened the door and entered without reservation. Once she entered, she saw Bai Luochu reclining on her couch as though she had just woken up.

Her cousin carefully sized up Bai Luochu and felt that she had nothing outstanding enough for the Second Prince to take notice of. She immediately felt even more disdain for Bai Luochu and thought about using her to get closer to the Second Prince. Her plan was to use Bai Luochu as a stepping stone to approach the Second Prince. 

In the end, she was thinking too highly of herself. The disparity between her and Bai Luochu was like the clouds in the sky and the mud in the ground. Putting that aside, the fact that Pei Qingfeng never allowed any other women near him was enough to send her packing.”

“Elder sister has been living outside for such a long time. It has been hard on you. You don’t know how hard your younger sister tried to look for you.” The cousin forcefully squeezed out two drops of tears as she finished her speech. The level of disgust in Bai Luochu’s heart rose once again. 

“How did you search for me? Did you look for me in the streets? It is best not to do such things and expose yourself in public, otherwise, outsiders might think that the women of our general’s residence aren't well-behaved and educated.” Bai Luochu’s response made it seem as though she was really concerned about her younger cousin. However, any intelligent being would be able to understand that she was criticizing her younger cousin for being shameless.

Her younger cousin naturally understood the meaning behind her words but her expression didn’t change. Instead, she smiled and even took out some desserts for Bai Luochu.

“Elder sister I personally made these desserts and it is a little something to show my respects. Elder sister please try some...”

Personally made these desserts? I’m sure you personally added some stuff to it… The cakes had a strange smell to it and the color was off. Bai Luochu knew that she couldn’t eat them and she was thinking of a way to force her cousin to eat it. 

Bai Luochu smiled and dodged the plot. “I ate too much during lunch and I cannot eat anymore. Why don’t younger sister eat it yourself?”

“Oh no, this is something I made for elder sister. How can I eat it myself?” Her cousin was startled. In the past, no matter how she messed with this lass, Bai Luochu wouldn’t say anything. Right now, she was actually putting up some resistance. It seemed like this lowly lass was getting harder to deal with after she returned.

After pushing and evading, it was already time for dinner. Neither one of them had touched this plate of dessert and when Bai Luochu’s cousin saw that her scheme wasn’t going to work, she found an excuse to leave.

Soon after her cousin left, Cai Ling entered to deliver the food.

“Mistress, they didn’t do anything to your dinner today. It seems like His Second Highness’ reputation is rather useful.”