Chapter 199 Exposed

Chapter 199: The Unmasking

That voice was like a paralyzing charm, instantly nailing him to the spot.

Cheng Ge's back stiffened abruptly; he swallowed hard, fighting the urge to cuss.

He forced himself to turn around, plastering a fake smile on his face that was a mix of surprise and politeness, mostly polite.

"Ah, Prince Heir?" Cheng Ge gave a deliberately casual salute, while his feet quietly inched toward the mansion gate.

"What a coincidence! What brings you to my place today? Are you here to see Sister Lvrou?

Unfortunately, she might be resting in the back courtyard. I'll go call her out right away!"

He spoke at a rapid pace, and then tried to slip back into the mansion, hoping to get rid of this hot potato.

But the moment he took a step, his wrist was suddenly grabbed tightly!

Zhou Yinyun's hand had precisely clamped onto his wrist. The grip wasn't tight, but it felt inescapable.

Cheng Ge's scalp prickled, and all the hairs on his body stood on end. He tried to pull his hand back with a forced smile: "Prince Heir? What is this…"

But Zhou Yinyun did not let go. He was staring at him without blinking, his gaze so sharp it felt like it was burning into his face.

The air seemed to freeze—-

Zhou Yinyun looked Cheng Ge up and down, noticing his slightly disheveled clothes and slightly flushed cheeks from running.

The absurd and tormenting thought that had haunted him day and night surged forth wildly again in his mind.

He looked at this Cheng Ge before him, dressed in men's clothing, without a single slip in his words or actions.

His mind uncontrollably conjured up the image of the lively, charming Caicai who had haunted his dreams.

His memories shifted, and he recalled Cheng Ge's face, dazed and flushed with desire during the last incident with the aphrodisiac…

The shape of those brows and eyes, the subtle expressions of panic…

How could they be so alike? Did such similar siblings really exist in this world?

Or… were they actually the same person?

Once this idea took root, it grew like a toxic vine, wrapping around him and giving him no rest day or night.

It was even more tormenting than the burning desire from the day he was drugged.

Today, feeling a bit better physically, he couldn't hold back anymore and had to come himself to verify his conjecture.

He stepped forward, his gaze locked onto Cheng Ge's mask of calm with dangerous scrutiny.

"Muyu, I'm here specifically to see you today."

His gaze slowly swept over Cheng Ge's brows, eyes, lips, nose, earlobes, and every inch of exposed skin.

His steps slowly closed in, looking for any tiny flaw or sign of deception.

Cheng Ge felt deeply uncomfortable under that burning, searching gaze.

He couldn't help but flash back to the absurd, chaotic scene from that day after the drug.

His slender frame shook violently, and he instinctively stepped back two paces, his back nearly hitting the mansion gate.

This stance… had he finally figured out this was a special trip to settle the score from that day?

Cheng Ge raised his eyes to meet Zhou Yinyun's unfathomable eyes, swallowing hard.

Trying to take control and lighten the mood, he said: "Prince Heir, about that day's matter… we were both in a situation we couldn't avoid. If…"

But before he could finish, a low, clear voice suddenly rang out right beside his ear—

"Caicai…"

Cheng Ge's body jolted, his pupils suddenly constricted, as if struck by lightning.

Zhou Yinyun's hand tightened fiercely around his wrist, his voice dropping even lower, with an accusation that left no room for doubt:

"Actually… you are Caicai, aren't you? You've been lying to me all along."

Cheng Ge: "!!!" Holy shit! How does this dumb dog know?!

Overwhelming panic set in after the initial shock.

But Cheng Ge knew he definitely couldn't admit to this—if he did, he was done for!

Without a second thought, he immediately straightened his back, trying his best to look innocent and wronged.

"Don't talk nonsense, Prince Heir. How could I be Caicai? Caicai is my sister. We're twins, so it's only natural we look alike! You just miss her too much, that's why you're overthinking."

Zhou Yinyun stared at his feigned calm face, his eyes darkening. Suddenly, his free hand quickly pulled out a plain white veil from inside his robe.

With lightning speed, he draped the veil over the lower half of Cheng Ge's face.

Cheng Ge froze in shock, leaving only his eyes visible above the veil, blinking in panic.

Above the veil, those eyes, usually defiant or cunning, were now wide with shock, eyelashes trembling, the corners of his eyes slightly red from running and tension just now…

Zhou Yinyun's breath caught in his throat. Seeing these eyes, this expression—it was exactly like Caicai!

"You are her." Zhou Yinyun's voice carried a barely noticeable tremor and a firm, angry certainty. "You lied to me."

Cheng Ge stiffened his neck, retorting in a muffled voice through the veil.

"I've already said it! My sister and I were born from the same pregnancy, so it's natural that our features are similar. Prince Heir, stop accusing me of things you can't prove!"

A flash of anger passed through Zhou Yinyun's eyes as he stepped closer to Cheng Ge.

"You're still lying! I've already sent people to Yuanzhou to investigate. Your parents and neighbors all confirmed it!

You, Cheng Ge, only have a younger brother. There is no twin sister named Caicai at all!"

Cheng Ge's mind went blank—he was completely stunned! He… he had actually sent people to investigate secretly?!

He instinctively recoiled, his heart pounding wildly, almost leaping out of his chest.

He opened his mouth, trying to make one last-ditch effort: "Well… maybe it's been so long they got it wrong…"

"Misremembered?" Zhou Yinyun sneered, his eyes slightly reddening as he cut him off.

I sent someone to investigate the origin of this veil. You bought it on East City Street, didn't you? The shopkeeper said that on that day, only you bought this pattern!

Cheng Ge panicked outright and denied it instinctively, "The shopkeeper must have misremembered. I never bought any veil at all."

"You're still making excuses! The shopkeeper saw your portrait and said it was you who bought the veil that day. She also said you haggled with her for half an hour over a single coin! She would recognize you even if you were reduced to ashes!"

Cheng Ge: "..." Dammit, his cover was blown.

Cheng Ge looked at the familiar handkerchief and heard the detail about a single coin. He knew that this matter could no longer be concealed, and denial was useless.

In the blink of an eye, his attitude changed. He grabbed Zhou Yinyun's sleeve.

His brows drooped, his tone instantly turned pitiful, and he began to expertly play the victim: "Your Highness... I... I had no choice!"

"My father was killed by that traitor Liu Xianyue. I had to take the risk to go to Cuiyun Tower to search for evidence. Unexpectedly, I was entangled by that scoundrel Zhang Qinghang."

"In my desperation, I... I had to resort to this trick and deceive Your Highness!"

"It's all my fault. If you are angry, just beat me. I won't fight back, I swear!" He raised his face, the redness at the corners of his eyes more pronounced from anxiety.

Against his face half-hidden by the veil, there was indeed a pitiful charm.

Zhou Yinyun looked at his demeanor and listened to him mentioning the past; his heart stirred involuntarily.

In the past, he had been thinking only of Caicai, but now he discovered that the object of his affections was actually his good brother.

Moreover, he had been made a fool of, torn between longing and guilt.

Instantly, the anger of being deceived and a certain indescribable complex emotion intertwined and surged up in his heart.

The hand clutching Cheng Ge's shoulder squeezed tight!

Cheng Ge only felt a sharp pain in his shoulder blade and frowned instinctively.

But thinking that he was indeed in the wrong and had let down this brother, he forced himself to endure without struggling.

Fine, let him beat me. As long as he doesn't report it to the emperor, anything is fine...

To his surprise, what reached his ears was not a rebuke, but Zhou Yinyun's voice, suppressed with emotion, almost through gritted teeth.

"Originally... I intended to find Caicai, go through the formal betrothal process, and marry her as the Heir's consort."

"..." Cheng Ge was stunned, not understanding this turn of events.