Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Luo Qianyu's heart hammered like a drum.

His heart pounded especially hard after he broke into a frantic run, and chaos broke out within the cabin. He initially thought the Ximo people wouldn't let him go, but when he caught a glimpse of Wen Yu chasing after him out of the corner of his eye, his heart sank completely. In his panic, his worst fear was confirmed.

...

How could it be a trap?

How could it be Wen Yu's trap?!

No matter how many times he replayed the events, he would never have guessed that Wen Yu had intentionally allowed himself to be captured by the Western Desert Envoy, leading him to believe the capture was real, making him frantic with worry, and even driving him to recklessly disguise himself as the Mysterious Guest to rescue him... To take such a risk, to lie in wait like this—how could Wen Yu do such a thing?

What happened to the noble gentleman of high moral character?

This was no act of a gentleman!

The boat had already left the shore.

The Young Marquis couldn't swim. He secretly estimated the distance, steeled his heart, and quickly stepped into the water to wade across. The lake water at this time of year was bone-chillingly cold. Gritting his teeth, he didn't dare look back, suddenly regretting not having learned some *Lightness Skill* techniques from Wen Yu earlier.

Fortunately, the water here only reached his waist. Although he didn't need to swim, the hem of his robe was completely soaked by the time he reached the shore, dripping wet—a sorry sight, but he couldn't afford to care too much, nor dared to look back. He could only hear the wind whistling past his ears, lifting the veil of his curtained hat.

Run, flee deep into the woods, don't stop for a moment!

Further behind him were the angry shouts and curses of the Western Desert Envoy. A few torches flickered faintly in the distance, accompanied by cries, as if they were already on his heels.

However, he couldn't worry about the Ximo people now.

Because the footsteps behind him were getting closer and closer.

Wen Yu had caught up.

His heart raced to its limit, as if he were back on the rooftop that night. But this time, there were no Imperial Guards, no Luo Shifu, no one to cover for him or help him return to the manor. He could only face Wen Yu alone.

Luo Qianyu's nerves were stretched taut, not daring to stop for a moment. Yet, the next moment, he heard Wen Yu's voice: "Why is my benefactor avoiding me?"

His eyelashes fluttered beneath the veil.

The voice was sincere and calm, as if he truly just wanted to sit down peacefully, face to face, and have a good talk.

...If not for the fact that the man's pace hadn't slowed in the slightest, Luo Qianyu might have believed him and obediently stopped.

The Mysterious Guest pursed his lips, his tone cool and brief: "Your Excellency has mistaken me for someone else."

But Wen Yu didn't let him off. "If it's a mistake, why are you running?"

The Mysterious Guest didn't answer.

Wen Yu's voice remained calm, yet his words were startling. "Benefactor, did you wash away the words 'Top the Golden List, Succeed at Once' because of me?"

"..."

In the split second he turned, the folding fan was already hurled toward him.

Wen Yu didn't dodge. Not only did he not dodge, he used the momentum to seize the golden fan ribs, brushed his sleeve, and moved to grasp his wrist.

Sensing the other's intent, the Mysterious Guest's fingertips trembled. He subconsciously bit his lip and struck back with a move.

Seeing the other had evaded it, the Mysterious Guest didn't press the attack. His feet didn't stop, as if deliberately avoiding a direct confrontation.

A chill ran down Luo Qianyu's neck, breaking into a light sweat.

No, he couldn't face Wen Yu head-on, not even exchange blows carelessly... because all his martial arts were personally taught by Wen Yu. If this continued, he would definitely be discovered!

The next moment, an arrow whistled through the air, shooting straight toward them.

In the distance, a Ximo man had drawn a horn bow high and released the string. However, the arrow wasn't aimed at the 'Eldest Princess'; it was locked directly on the Mysterious Guest!

In that split second, the Jade Spirit Sword rang out as it left its sheath, deflecting the arrow. The arrow's force was fierce, barely redirected, grazing the edge of the Mysterious Guest's veil and tearing a snowy-white corner.

When Wen Yu grasped the arrow shaft, he found the arrowhead already stained with blood, just beginning to drip.

Wen Yu's pace gradually slowed. When he looked back, his eyes had also turned cold.

...

The Mysterious Guest had already put more distance between them. Sensing something, he glanced back and saw that Wen Yu, who had been on the verge of catching up, seemed delayed by that arrow. Seizing this fleeting moment, the Young Marquis darted swiftly, vanishing into the depths of the dense forest in the blink of an eye.

He didn't know how long he had been running.

Panting, Luo Qianyu looked back along the path and found that his footprints and the trail of drips from his soaked hem had long since faded, disappearing without a trace.

Realizing he had run very far, at this distance, the direction was already hard to discern. Forget Wen Yu catching up; even he himself would have considerable difficulty retracing his steps.

Just as his tense back began to relax, the youth wiped the cold sweat from his brow and suddenly froze. He seemed to hear the faint sound of dry branches being stepped on somewhere in the distance behind him.

...

An animal in the woods?

Or... had Wen Yu caught up?

This possibility sent a chill of sweat down his spine. Luo Qianyu touched his injured spot; his fingertips came away stained with blood. Even kneeling as punishment hurt him, let alone this kind of real, tangible flesh wound.

He was probably overthinking it. Giving up the chase when you can't catch someone is normal logic. How could Wen Yu be this persistent?

Until that distant sound grew clearer, carrying a rhythmic cadence, unmistakably the sound of someone treading on leaves.

Luo Qianyu was utterly dumbfounded. If not for the era, he'd suspect Wen Yu had planted a tracker on him. His Adam's apple bobbed as he retreated behind a stone wall, muttering under his breath, "This lunatic..."

A few breaths later, feeling that this person always seemed to see through his thoughts, he decided the stone wall was too obvious a hiding place. So he made a swift decision and changed his hiding spot.

He sat on a tree branch, one leg bent, unwinding the blood-soaked cloth strip and tightening a fresh layer over the wound. He hissed in pain. When he glanced down, the person had already arrived.

It was indeed Wen Yu.

As the footsteps drew near, the young man's heart leaped into his throat.

Wen Yu indeed walked to the spot where he had just hidden. Finding nothing behind the empty stone wall, the Young Marquis was taken aback, gritted his teeth, and couldn't help but feel relieved he had changed his hiding place.

Strangely enough, Wen Yu, as a beauty coveted by many, sometimes seemed to him like a pitiful little thing trapped in the plot of a storybook, in need of protection. But at times like this, he felt the other was more like a persistent, haunting seductive ghost.

This level of obsession didn't seem like simple gratitude; it felt more like a fixation wanting to devour someone whole.

No wonder the real Mysterious Guest refused to show himself. Who could withstand this?

Fortunately, Wen Yu didn't suspect the tree and had started walking in the opposite direction. Just as Luo Qianyu was secretly pondering this, he felt a cool sensation by his ear. Something round and plump, fluttering its wings, slowly landed on his shoulder.

"Huh?"

The Young Marquis glanced sideways, meeting the gaze of the little red-tailed bird.