Chapter 445: Chapter 162 Embrace_3
Lu Tong calculated the time, estimating that Dong Lin should have seen everything he needed to see, and things he shouldn’t have. Just then, she looked up, and as she did, she met a pair of black, deep eyes.
Pei Yunmeng was very handsome.
With an elegant and resolute air, and although he seemed approachable and warm, there was always an inherent sense of distance, deterring people from getting too close.
However, at the moment, he was simply gazing down at her, with the reflection of her visible in his dark eyes.
There was only a sliver of the setting sun’s afterglow left, and when it shone from behind, her reflection in his eyes scattered like the moon over a silver pond, turning into brilliant stars. It was as if there was an emotion she couldn’t understand, something deeper surfacing from the bottom of his eyes, entwined and unclear.
She was very close to him.
Even more intimate than the accidental touch during the carriage ride, the cold garment at the fringe, yet his embrace seemed to carry warmth. A faint scent of musk drifted across, subtly enticing her into forbidden thoughts, inadvertently giving rise to fantasies she shouldn’t entertain.
Lu Tong was momentarily in a trance.
His gaze fleetingly passed over something just behind her, then after helping her to stand properly, he smiled and asked, "What’s the matter?"
Lu Tong turned around; just outside the courtyard door, she caught a glimpse of Dong Lin hastily making his escape.
She let out a sigh of relief and turned back to look at the man in front of her.
Pei Yunmeng stood before her, looking very innocent; he wasn’t surprised by her sudden rush back, nor did he ask any further questions.
His reaction was plain and calm, unlike what she had expected.
Lu Tong was uncertain whether he had actually seen Dong Lin or not.
If he had seen him, then he should’ve been aware of her deliberate act, yet why was he so calm? But if he hadn’t, with Pei Yunmeng’s personality, he would’ve already made a few jests about her "fiancé" by now.
After all, even she herself felt that her behavior just now was too affected.
Moreover, this man was very intelligent.
But since she had achieved her objective, and Pei Yunmeng said nothing, Lu Tong certainly had no reason to embarrass herself further. Anyway, the young master of the Dong Family seemed to be the crying type, and since Lady Dong already believed there was something between her and Pei Yunmeng, deepening this misunderstanding could at least put an end to Young Master Dong’s persistence.
Lu Tong took a step back, readjusted her medical kit strap on her shoulder, and said, "It’s nothing."
After thinking it over, she added, looking up, "Don’t use the Golden Swallowtail Butterfly; consider this a token of my thanks."
Pei Yunmeng looked at her, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn’t. He simply nodded, smiling, "Alright."
Lu Tong felt slightly more at ease and said, "I’ll take my leave now."
"I’ll walk you out," he cut in.
This time, Lu Tong didn’t refuse.
If Dong Lin saw Pei Yunmeng being affectionate with her, it would only make his own thoughts clearer; Pei Yunmeng’s behavior was exactly what she wanted. Fortunately, on her departure this time, perhaps Young Master Dong had left earlier, heartbroken—she didn’t see him all the way until she got into the carriage.
Pei Yunmeng stood at the entrance of the alley, waiting until Lu Tong’s carriage was out of sight. The smile on his lips gradually faded, and after standing there for a while, he turned and walked toward the Palace Marshal’s Mansion.
He walked slowly, his expression peaceful, as if contemplating something. In the distance, the last of the setting sun’s glow had sunk, and the courtyard lost the warm light from earlier, becoming instantly colder.
As he entered the Camp Mansion’s courtyard, and saw a figure leaning under the wutong tree from afar, Pei Yunmeng was startled.
Xiao Zhufeng stood under the tree, his expression cold and detached, not knowing when he had arrived and how much of the recent events he had seen.
"When did you get back?" he asked with a smile as he approached.
Xiao Zhufeng didn’t speak, waiting until the other man was close enough to almost brush past him before speaking in a meaningful tone, "I need to retrieve an item, and someone has to clear the path for me."
Pei Yunmeng: "..."
That was something he had said not long ago. At that time, Xiao Zhufeng had asked him why he always favored and protected Lu Tong, and he had responded this way.
"How good for you," Xiao Zhufeng glanced at him, his tone indescribable, "You’ve cleared yet another ’obstacle’ from her path."
"..."
"Nonsense," Pei Yunmeng snorted, and with a lazy wave of his hand, he said, "If you want to enjoy the moonlight, do it on your own. I’m going inside." And with that, he walked into the Camp Mansion.
Xiao Zhufeng remained standing, motionless.
The sky was completely dark now, and there was no moon tonight. A wind blew through the courtyard, and a wutong leaf drifted down from the tree, landing softly in his palm.
The leaf was half green and half yellow, with a part in the center where the color wasn’t clear, blurry and indistinct. He looked down at it for a moment, then let his hand open, and the leaf slowly floated down, like a withered butterfly sinking into the earth.
The man stood upright and then also left.