Chapter 18: Downhill Slope?

  Ye Yun glared at him with a bad temper, "Whether you have a good relationship or not is none of my business. If you do, then that's for the better. This way, you can properly and honorably get rid of the emperor's arranged marriage. And I can be free too."

  Ling Feng knew it was no good to continue pretending to be stupid, so he closed his eyes and said, "Don't bother explaining."

  Don't you understand? Ye Yun was puzzled.

  "I'm none the wiser. Anyway, it's none of my business. However, she came looking for you twice when you weren't around. Today she saw that you're back, but didn't come looking for you. There's obviously something wrong, is she an old flame of yours?"

  Xing'er didn't answer her question, but instead looked at Ling Feng. This shows that Xing'er knows this woman.

  Yan Cheng definitely didn't know her, otherwise he wouldn't have said that he couldn't tell who she was and had to find a painter to paint her portrait.

  Ling Feng opened his eyes, a playful smile at the corner of his mouth: "Don't worry, wife. I don't have any other romantic interests outside, only you."

  A cold glint flashed in Ling Feng's eyes as he reminded, "You'd better be more careful. What just happened has already made Xing Er and the others suspicious of our relationship. If you want to be free sooner, it's best if we 'act like a couple' properly."

  Ling Feng rarely spoke harshly to Ye Yun.

  Ye Yun gave him a slanted glance and stopped talking.

  He's unhappy? Is it because of that woman just now? It seems like their relationship is quite deep.

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  The Huamanlou is truly a building like its name, the whole restaurant inside and out is filled with fresh flowers, when the wind blows, the petals dance freely.

  They don't display all kinds of flowers, mainly peonies. Peonies are the king of flowers, with a natural beauty that's different from others. With meticulous care, they look even more stunning. Not everything on display is fresh flowers; some are newly picked petals placed in a pavilion, gently swaying in the breeze like falling flowers, creating a picturesque scene with a unique charm.

  It's just... Ye Yun lowered her head and looked at the flower petals under her feet, shaking her head.

  Beauty is beauty, if placed in a forest of flowers, she would have more appreciation and admiration for it. On this street... it's really not worth mentioning.

  "What's wrong?" Ling Feng saw Ye Yun looking at the scenery of this building with a dull expression, completely unlike her surprise when she first saw the Black Shop.

  Everyone praises the scenery of flowers filling the building, how can she be so calm?

  "It's nothing. Are we having a banquet here today? Let's go." Ye Yun took Ling Feng's arm.

  Ling Feng glanced at her hand on his arm and felt very satisfied with her sense of occasion, but still looked puzzled: "Isn't the scenery here beautiful?"

  "How beautiful." Ye Yun casually replied.

  "Why are you making such a face?" He almost showed a disgusted expression.

  Ye Yun glanced up at him, "Want to hear the reason? Don't blame me for ruining the mood then."

  Ling Feng showed interest and nodded, "But it doesn't matter what you say."

  It was him who made her say it.

  "This scene of petals drifting away is quite beautiful. But don't you think this scenery should be in a garden or forest? This is a main street, and when the wind blows, the petals drift beautifully, but they also scatter all over the ground, making it a pain to clean up, right? Maybe they'll even drift into someone else's home. Can you guarantee that no one has hay fever?"

  "Hay fever?" Ling Feng had never heard of this term before, "What's that?"

  "You don't even know what hay fever is?" Ye Yun's eyes widened in surprise.

  Did people in ancient times not know about hay fever?

  Ling Feng raised an eyebrow discontentedly, "Should I know?"

  How could he not know that having hay fever would make her despise him like this?

  "There are some people who, upon smelling the scent of flowers or coming into contact with pollen, will sneeze and have a runny nose, and in severe cases, may even suddenly go into shock!"

  Not to mention he doesn't know this kind of person.

  "So that's what it means..." At this time, they had already walked into the store. Ling Feng pointed at several people covering their mouths and constantly sneezing, "Are those people with hay fever?"

  "Of course. They just belong to people who can't get in touch with fresh flowers, as long as they leave the fresh flowers, these symptoms will alleviate," Ye Yun nodded very affirmatively.

  Ling Feng gave a hint with his eyes to Yan Cheng who was standing behind him. Yan Cheng understood and retreated quietly.

  Ling Feng brought Ye Yun to the door of a luxurious room.

  "The name 'Huā Chén Yuè' is very elegant, and Ye Yun really likes this name. She only hopes that the person inside won't ruin her good mood up until now."

  Ling Feng pushed the door open and entered, inside a stately and elegant old woman sat on the mat, as soon as she saw them her eyes widened and she said in a low voice: "You've finally arrived!"

  It's as if they had kept her waiting for a very long time.

  Ling Feng's face had already put on his usual smile to deal with people: "Sorry to keep Grandma waiting. Come, Grandma, this is the future granddaughter-in-law I mentioned before, Ye Yun. Yun'er, this is my grandma."

  Ye Yun shouted in a very humble and polite tone: "I've seen grandma."

  "Hmph!" Grandma snorted, curling her lip in distaste. "What kind of thing are you? Who is your grandmother? Did I ever acknowledge you as my granddaughter-in-law after all? Ling Feng! You actually brought back such an ungrateful wretch?"

  Ye Yun was taken aback. Why was it this type of person again?

  Grandma Yu beckoned with her hand, on each of her fingers was a jade ring, the green color varying in size.

  Ye Yun doesn't understand the value of antiques, but every finger is wearing a ring... it's really showy!

  The originally tightly closed door suddenly opened, and two women walked out from each side. Each person was walking with the wind, regardless of whether they had a waist or not, they would twist it.

  Wearing a big red flower on her head, holding a fan in one hand, she looked just like the old procuress in Stephen Chow's movies.

  They stood still beside Yu Shi, each raising their eyes to stare at Ye Yun, scanning her from head to toe, and incidentally making an assessment in their hearts.

  There is no food on the table, and there isn't even tea.

  It seems that this so-called dinner party is just a cover-up.

  The real purpose... is it to intimidate her? To scare her away?

  "Yuner, sit down first? What's going on with this restaurant? Why aren't the dishes being served?" Lingfeng said, turning around and wanting to leave.

  Ye Yun grabbed his hand and smiled sweetly, "Feng, don't you ask Grandma what she wants to eat?"

  It's a difficult situation! If he dares to run away, believe it or not, she'll give him a slap and send him packing right now!

  Yu's hand slapped on the table with a loud "bang", and he shouted angrily: "You're really an unruly little wild girl!"

  After scolding, he gave a wink to both sides.

  The four women immediately understood and each took up a fighting stance.

  What's going on? She let Lingfeng ask what her elderly wanted to eat, and that also became a breach of etiquette?

  "My goodness. I've never seen a girl like this, not even married yet. Calling people's elders like that. Isn't she ashamed?" The one in the red clothes on the left immediately raised her voice.

  "Exactly! The old lady hasn't even agreed yet, and she's already elevated her own status. I really don't know how her parents taught her!" chimed in the first person on the right wearing purple clothes.

  "She's probably not the daughter of a wealthy family either. Otherwise, how could she still be unmarried and yet... with a man... Look, which girl would do that? Shameless!" The second person on the left pointed at Ye Yun pulling Ling Feng's hand.

  "Good heavens, Master Ling, where did you find this girl? Bringing her out is really beneath your status! We can't bear to look at it!" The second disdainful person on the right turned their head away.