Chapter 151 Explanation

Chapter 151: Explanation

Cheng Ge's finger was still raised in midair, his entire body frozen like a stone statue.

He slowly looked up at the sky, then at the three avatars standing at the door.

His throat rolled involuntarily as he silently retracted his middle finger.

Then, as if no one else was there, he lay down on the bed, turned his back to the crowd, and slowly pulled the covers over his head.

Cheng Ge: Damn it!!! The author set me up, that heartless bastard!!!

Wrapped in the blanket, Cheng Ge squeezed his eyes shut, deliberately breathing slowly and evenly, like a quail playing dead.

The blanket was so hot it made his forehead sweat, but he didn’t dare move a muscle.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone: “...…...”

They stared at the bulging blanket, their mouths twitching.

Zhou Yinyun kicked the bedpost in anger: “Cheng Muyu! Get up for me, your young lord!”

The bed shook violently, but Cheng Ge didn’t budge, even letting out a faint snore: “Zzz... zzz...”

Star Frost seemed to sense something was wrong and sneakily poked out its snake head.

Yun Xunyu raised an eyebrow, strolled slowly to the bedside, and Star Frost carefully coiled around his wrist.

Suddenly, he leaned down and whispered in Cheng Ge’s ear: “Sister Lvrou said the food is ready, and she told my dear to go eat first...”

“Grumble—grumble—grumble—”

Cheng Ge’s stomach, which had been pretending to sleep, suddenly betrayed him with a loud growl, echoing loudly in the quiet room.

His body stiffened instantly, his toes curling tightly.

He slowly lifted the blanket, revealing a flushed face, and looked at everyone with a dazed expression: “When did you all get here?”

He struggled to sit up, his breathing still unsteady: “I was a little dizzy... probably just starving.”

With that, he stumbled off the bed, holding onto the edge, and lowered his head.

“I need to go eat first; the food will get cold if I wait. Please make yourselves at home, everyone!”

As soon as Cheng Ge took a step forward, Zhou Zhan blocked his path, anger still burning in his eyes.

“Your Highness... what’s wrong?” Cheng Ge feigned ignorance, turning his face away to avoid eye contact.

“Tell me the truth: is that maid your wife or not?”

Cheng Ge lowered his head, his eyes darting around, then looked up with a smile: “Of course not! When have I ever lied to you, Your Highness...”

Hearing this, Zhou Yinyun pushed Zhou Zhan aside and jabbed his finger forcefully at Cheng Ge’s chest.

“Bullshit! Back at Zhang Qinghang’s villa, you clearly told me she was your wife!

You never speak a word of truth, treating me like a fool!”

Staggered by the jab, Cheng Ge hurriedly grabbed Zhou Yinyun’s sleeve.

Then, with a serious expression, he countered, “What do you mean, my lord? When have I ever deceived you?”

“You!” Zhou Yinyun was so furious he shook off his sleeve.

“Isn’t this deceit?! You said you were deeply in love with her but had a new fling outside! And you even asked me to go with you...”

Cheng Ge showed no sign of guilt but stepped forward to rebut.

“Exactly, I’m deeply in love with Lvrou, but she’s not into me. What can I do about it...”

Everyone: “???”

Seeing the shocked expressions, Cheng Ge immediately went into full drama mode.

He clutched his chest and staggered back three steps, crying out in anguish, “You all don’t know! Lvrou is actually my long-lost cousin...”

Zhou Yinyun’s teacup clattered to the ground: “Cousin?!”

“That’s right!” Cheng Ge dashed to the window, looked up at a 45-degree angle, his eyes deeply melancholic.

Then he slowly turned his head to look at Zhou Yinyun: “My lord... do you still remember Caicai from Cuilou Tower?”

Zhou Yinyun’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Caicai, and he asked urgently, “Of course I remember! What does this have to do with Caicai?”

Everyone else: Who is Caicai?

Cheng Ge squeezed two tears from the corners of his eyes and said slowly, “Her fate is exactly the same as Caicai’s.”

“Back then, when I was three and she was three and a half, we got secretly engaged at the crooked-neck tree at the village entrance...”

Yun Xunyu snorted: “Three and a half? Got secretly engaged? Really?”

“Yes!” Cheng Ge turned around, his face full of affection: “She gave me a little wildflower, and I gave her half a piece of malt candy.

Our token of love is still buried under the third willow tree east of the village!”

Zhou Zhan’s forehead bulged with veins: “Didn’t you just say it was under the crooked-neck tree?”

Cheng Ge’s expression froze, and he blinked: “Ah... well... there are two trees, you know!”

Suddenly, he clutched his heart, staggering and leaning against the table corner: “Later, her family was hit by bandits, and she was the only survivor!

She was sold off somewhere, and I searched for her for eighteen years!”

Zhou Mingqi sneered: “If I recall correctly, you’re only twenty, my dear minister?”

Cheng Ge bit his lower lip, grinding his molars, and shot a stealthy glare at Zhou Mingqi.

Damn Emperor! Why don’t you come up with the story?

Stumped by Zhou Mingqi’s question, Cheng Ge choked: “Uh... I must have misremembered!”

He immediately changed to a pained expression: “I searched for her for twelve full years...”

Zhou Mingqi gave a cold laugh, took a sip of his tea, and said nothing.

“Of course, that’s not the point!”

Cheng Ge suddenly grabbed Zhou Yinyun's sleeve, his voice choked: "The thing is... when I finally found her after going through so much, she had already... already..."

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength to utter the next words: "She had already given her heart to someone else!"

The room fell into a terrible silence.

Cheng Ge wiped his imaginary tears and continued: "That young man named A'niu, to save her... was beaten to death by a dozen or more thugs... and in his last moments, he was still holding her hand tightly..."

Yun Xunyu raised an eyebrow: "A dozen or more thugs?"

"Yes!" Cheng Ge nodded vigorously: "Those thugs were each eight feet tall and eight feet in girth! A'niu single-handedly..."

Hearing this, Zhou Yinyun was slightly moved, thinking that if Caicai were bullied, and there were an A'niu to protect her, maybe then she would have someone...

"After Brother A'niu passed away, Sister Lvrou's heart could no longer hold anyone else."

Cheng Ge immediately clutched his chest, looking pained: "Three's a crowd in love!

I chose to step aside... but I can't let go of her. Actually, I've always regarded her as my wife..."

As he spoke, he suddenly wiped the corner of his reddened eyes, in a muffled voice.

"Do you know what it feels like to see the one you love has someone else in their heart?"

The others were speechless.

Cheng Ge took two steps forward, looking at Zhou Zhan and Zhou Yinyun, his eyes full of sincerity.

"I originally planned to find her and fulfill our childhood promise—to marry her with full ceremony.

But a gentleman knows right from wrong!

Since she has someone else in her heart, even if I adore her deeply, I can't force it."

Cheng Ge looked up at Zhou Yinyun, his eyes as if brimming with tears: "I told Your Highness back then that we both had our difficulties, and I didn't blame her... Have you forgotten all that?"

Hearing this, Zhou Yinyun finally remembered, and felt a pang of guilt.

His expression stiffened: "I... of course I remember, of course I do... It was my fault for misunderstanding you."

Zhou Zhan looked at Cheng Ge's expression, then turned to Zhou Yinyun, feeling a sense of relief.

He thought to himself that the maidservant was plain-looking, hardly a match for Cheng Ge.

He looked reproachfully at Zhou Yinyun: "Yinyun, make sure you get the facts straight next time!"

"Boom —" Another thunderclap burst in the sky, making everyone uneasy.