Chapter Eighty: Creating Opportunities

Up until now, the main purpose of this gathering of noble ladies had yet to be achieved, leaving Hu Mo quite dissatisfied, though there was nothing he could do about it. That fellow Huang Sheng had barely arrived before being forced to leave, and Hu Mo alone simply couldn’t accomplish much. He had intended to sound out Zhu Xinluo, but not only had he failed to catch the chicken, he’d lost the rice as well, exposing much of himself before her instead.

Yet Hu Mo didn't regret it. If he hadn't stepped forward at that moment, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself. So what if he’d been exposed? The stagnant waters of Flame City needed stirring—otherwise, it would be difficult for him to rise above the rest.

What saddened Hu Mo most, however, was that when he’d gotten into conflict with others, Du Zhong and Lin Meng hadn’t come to his aid at all. In fact, they'd even taken Si Tu Feng’s side, leaving Hu Mo completely disheartened. In the face of reality, words like “friend” and “brother” seemed so cheap, and this left him feeling sorrowful and desolate.

He slouched in his fur-lined chair, a cup of wine in one hand, popping fruits into his mouth with the other. He tried to calm himself, to forget all those unpleasant matters for the time being.

Cang Ling was seated beside him, engaged in lively conversation with several princesses. It had to be said, this woman was truly enigmatic—like water and fire in chaos. At first she was icy, but now she was warm and radiant, exuding a gentle warmth that drew everyone in.

The little princesses were all laughing heartily at her jokes. They were all quite young, most of them around Zhu Xinyue’s age. In Cang Ling’s presence, they were just a bunch of mischievous children.

“Cang Ling, why do you wear a veil?” asked a little girl in a yellow dress, pouting as she reached out to lift Cang Ling’s veil. “Xinyue says you're very pretty—she must have seen you before. That’s not fair, we want to see too!”

Cang Ling slipped away lightly, reappearing on Hu Mo’s other side, using him as a shield.

“Sixth Princess, I can’t allow you to be so grabby. Actually, I wear the veil because I’m afraid of frightening others. Just think—there are so many people here. If someone fell ill from being shocked by my looks, I’d never forgive myself.” She waved a hand dismissively, feigning helplessness.

The princesses immediately protested, several of them brandishing their hands as they prepared to pounce. Hu Mo stared helplessly at the oncoming wave of giggling girls, utterly at a loss, his innocence leaving him clueless as to how to dodge.

“All right, enough! Stop right there!” Zhu Xinyue appeared just in time, stepping between Hu Mo and her sisters, “rescuing” him. She shot Hu Mo a look, standing firmly between him and the other girls.

“Oh, little sister, don’t block us! I just want to see how beautiful Cang Ling really is—just to satisfy our curiosity!” The Sixth Princess pleaded pitifully, but from their behavior, it was hard to tell who was elder and who was younger.

“No chance! Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister—Cang Ling is my guest. It’s terribly rude to act so brash. Second Sister is watching you; if you keep this up, she’ll come over and pull your ears.” Zhu Xinyue mimed tugging an ear, startling the others into glancing back, where they saw Zhu Xinshui smiling at them.

That single glance did the trick; they instantly became much more well-behaved.

“Second Sister, you really have the most intimidating presence,” Zhu Xinluo laughed behind her hand, unconcerned by Zhu Xinshui’s earlier words.

“Hmph! I’m not as affable as you. These little girls need proper discipline, or they’ll stray down the wrong path,” Zhu Xinshui retorted, giving her a meaningful look.

Zhu Xinluo shook her head calmly and smiled, “You’re right, Second Sister. I’ll leave it to you, then. I’m hungry; I’ll go find something to eat.” Zhu Xinshui was momentarily taken aback, then shot her a look of utter disdain before turning and leaving the hall. Zhu Xinluo’s meaning was clear—it was time for her to feed.

Zhu Xinluo stifled a laugh, nearly brought to tears, as she watched Zhu Xinshui walk away. With a graceful gesture, she smoothed a lock of hair from her shoulder and murmured to herself, “Second Sister, do you really think I don’t know what’s on your mind? Remember, I’m the eldest.”

She licked her lips, summoned a maid, whispered a few words, and the maid hurried off. Turning slightly, Zhu Xinluo glanced at Hu Mo, now surrounded by women, smiled sweetly, and left the hall in no hurry.

Hu Mo’s face remained flushed, enveloped in the fragrance of the ladies. He was now the center of every man’s envy—but none could comprehend his agony. These women were all untouchable, especially with Zhu Xinyue’s watchful eye upon him. Every movement and glance needed to be perfectly proper, lest he incur her thunderous wrath.

Cang Ling covered her mouth and chuckled, “Little sisters, let’s go to another room and talk. The air here is stifling—I don’t like it. Xiao Nan, come with me. Your young master needs no protection; no one dares provoke him. As for Xinyue…”

“I’ll stay here and sit awhile; you all have a good chat,” Zhu Xinyue said quickly, sounding a bit anxious and eager.

The Sixth Princess immediately caught on. “Great, let’s go to Chunxiang Pavilion—it’s very quiet there. Little sister, you stay and chat with Young Master Hu.”

Soon, only Hu Mo and Zhu Xinyue remained in that part of the hall. The scent of perfume faded, and Hu Mo found it much easier to breathe.

“Princess Xinyue, why don’t you go and talk with them? Staying here with me is rather dull,” Hu Mo said awkwardly. For all his lives as a scoundrel, he was hopelessly clueless when it came to genuine feelings.

It’s said that for a man to pursue a woman is like crossing a mountain, but for a woman to pursue a man, it’s only a thin sheet of paper.

Now, it was Zhu Xinyue who was taking the initiative—drawing close, even shyly offering herself. But Hu Mo dared not take that step. He couldn’t, and wouldn’t, for Zhu Xinyue’s status was far too sensitive. If he were to get involved now, any future complications would be impossible to unravel. He couldn’t afford to gamble.

Zhu Xinyue naturally heard the polite rejection in his words, and her expression dimmed a little. She smiled faintly and said, “I've spent plenty of time chatting with them—it’s all trivial talk anyway. But you and I have never really had a heart-to-heart. I’d like to take this chance to speak honestly with you.”

She was direct, seating herself beside Hu Mo, her bright eyes shining softly like autumn waters. Her noble bearing and lively charm were impossible to ignore.

Hu Mo was speechless for a few seconds, forcing a smile. “Sure, Princess Xinyue. What would you like to talk about?”

“There’s so much, but before we start, could you promise me something?” Zhu Xinyue abruptly grew very serious, her earnest demeanor making Hu Mo unexpectedly tense.

“What is it? Princess Xinyue, if it’s within my power, I’ll do it.” Hu Mo wiped the sweat from his brow, cursing himself for being so timid. Overthinking had indeed shackled him.

Zhu Xinyue’s smile blossomed. “It’s simple: I hope you’ll stop calling me ‘Princess’ from now on. Just call me Xinyue. If you’d like, you can call me Yue’er like my sisters do—I wouldn’t mind at all.”

Even a fool could see that Zhu Xinyue had begun her pursuit. It was no small thing for a girl to take the initiative like this—let alone a princess, adored by all.

Hu Mo was momentarily stunned, forgetting to stop pouring wine; it soon overflowed the cup.

“Oh, I got distracted,” he said hurriedly, attempting to wipe the wine away before it could soak the fur chair Zhu Xinyue was sitting on, but his efforts only made things worse. His awkwardness made Zhu Xinyue laugh aloud.

“Let me do it—men are all clumsy. Little things like this are best left to us.” She took out a silk handkerchief and gently cleaned up the spilled wine. Her graceful movements left Hu Mo in a daze. Was this really the same famously unruly princess, always causing trouble and raising a racket? Suddenly, many of Hu Mo’s negative impressions of her faded, and the look in his eyes changed.

When Zhu Xinyue finished wiping up the wine, she looked up and noticed Hu Mo’s odd expression. She frowned in confusion, touched her face, and asked, “What’s wrong, Hu Mo? Is there something on my face?”

“Ah? Oh, Princess Xinyue, no…”

“Hmm? Still calling me that?” she said with a hint of anger, but her glare had no real force behind it.

Hu Mo couldn’t help but laugh. “My mistake. From now on, I’ll call you Xinyue. But you’ll have to promise I won’t be punished for disrespecting rank!”

“Of course not! If anyone dares blame you, I’ll be the first to stand up for you!” she declared, making a fierce little fist. Hu Mo’s heart warmed, and he smiled.

“With your assurance, I’m relieved. Let’s talk about whatever you wish. I was a bit drunk earlier, but after those annoying fellows provoked me, I’ve sobered up completely.” Hu Mo yawned contentedly.

Zhu Xinyue nodded, laughing. “Exactly! Hu Mo was really drunk just now; a slip of the hand is perfectly understandable!”

She clearly caught the underlying meaning in his words, and her eyes crinkled into crescent moons.

Hu Mo blushed, grinning foolishly in silence.

Just then, he noticed her expression darken. A strange aura emanated from her, full of helplessness and sorrow.

“Hu Mo, sometimes I truly envy you. I really do, immensely…” Her voice grew soft, and Hu Mo found himself frowning, his mood turning heavy.