"Indeed, thanks to you, I have awakened."
"Hmph, heaven is blind, why didn't it let you sleep forever," Huang Chunlai said with great annoyance, as if seeing Zhou Hong awaken meant that if any beauties appeared on the Purple Cloud Continent again, Zhou Hong would snatch them away.
"Hahaha, Huang Chunlai, during my nine months of unconsciousness, did you take a fancy to another young lady? Introduce me, I'll go take a look and see if she's worthy of you," Zhou Hong said with a hearty laugh.
"How dare you!" Huang Chunlai immediately became nervous, as if genuinely afraid.
"It seems you have indeed set your sights on another lady. I'll inquire later and go see how she looks."
"Zhou Hong, have you no morals? Are you going to snatch away every slightly pretty woman that appears on the Purple Cloud Continent?" Huang Chunlai said furiously.
"If you call me Grandpa Zhou, I won't interfere this time."
"You!"
"Go on, call me."
Just then, another man walked out of the restaurant.
"Chunlai, don't let him threaten you. The reason he was so good at wooing girls before was simply because he was the number one genius of the Purple Cloud Continent. Now, he isn't anymore. He still thinks he's a ladies' man? With the loss of that title, I wonder how many women will be charmed by him now," the man who walked out said, shaking a folding fan in his hand.
"That's right, that's right, he's no longer the number one genius of the Purple Cloud Continent," Huang Chunlai quickly agreed, looking at Zhou Hong with disdain.
"Heh, even if I'm not the number one genius anymore, the current number one genius is still my fiancée," Zhou Hong said, pouting.
"Pah! Don't think I don't know. Nalan Yunzhu was already planning to break off your engagement. She's been admitted to the Primordial Academy. What makes you think you're worthy?"
"Heh." Zhou Hong sneered, too lazy to bother with them.
However, Zhou Hong was just speaking casually; he had no real interest in snatching Huang Chunlai's potential love interest.
After all, Zhou Hong was not the same Zhou Hong as before. Before transmigrating from Earth, Zhou Hong, a young man in his twenties, was passionate and somewhat immature. He had indeed done things that young men would do.
But now, having experienced life on Earth, his perspective and mindset had changed. He had lost interest in the things he used to enjoy.
Zhou Hong, too lazy to waste more words, walked forward.
"Zhou Hong, is that you?" After walking for a few minutes, a woman's voice suddenly called from behind.
Zhou Hong turned around and saw a woman dressed in great luxury. Judging by her attire, she was clearly a noble consort from the imperial palace, though very young, around twenty years old.
"Consort Yang, you... how did you leave the palace?" Zhou Hong immediately recognized her.
"Zhou Hong, I heard you were unconscious, and you've finally woken up," Consort Yang said with a hazy look in her eyes, her gaze filled with a peculiar emotion as she looked at Zhou Hong.
"Your Ladyship, I only just woke up today. Thank you for your concern," Zhou Hong said with a slight smile.
"Zhou Hong, what's wrong? When we used to watch the moon together, you called me 'Little Fei Fei,' but now you call me 'Consort'?" the beautiful noblewoman said, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Zhou Hong wiped a bead of cold sweat.
"Consort Yang, I was ignorant in the past. Please don't take it to heart. You are the Imperial Noble Consort of our Purple Cloud Empire. If this were to be known, it would lead to the extermination of your clan."
"You knew it would lead to the extermination of your clan, so why did you dare to provoke me?"
"This...!" Zhou Hong was also speechless. In his youthful arrogance, having become the continent's number one genius at such a young age, he feared nothing and had indeed provoked many young and beautiful women.
"Zhou Hong, today, I'm going to Huang En Temple to pray for blessings," Consort Yang said, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"This...!" Zhou Hong felt a pang of discomfort. He couldn't fail to understand that Consort Yang wanted him to go to Huang En Temple so they could meet.
"Your Ladyship, I have other matters to attend to. Let's talk another day," Zhou Hong said, turning to leave.
"Zhou Hong, I am very unhappy in the palace. The Emperor has hundreds of concubines, and there is constant strife. I am an unfavored Imperial Noble Consort," the Imperial Noble Consort said with great emotion, appearing pitiable.
Zhou Hong, who was about to leave, stopped.
"Zhou Hong, I'll be waiting for you at our usual spot at the temple. You must come," Consort Yang said, then walked away to a nearby palanquin and instructed her servants to proceed to Huang En Temple.
Zhou Hong looked at Consort Yang's forlorn figure and sighed inwardly.
This Consort Yang had a difficult background. Due to her humble family origins, she was bullied relentlessly in the palace. Unlike other concubines who came from noble families and were thus less likely to be mistreated, her own family was a very small commoner household. In the palace, anyone could bully her, and she didn't even have anyone to talk to. Zhou Hong had comforted her in the past because he pitied her.
However, Zhou Hong had matured now and no longer wished to engage in such affairs.
Just then, the palanquin carrying Consort Yang suddenly lifted its curtain. Consort Yang peeked out, looking at Zhou Hong with a distant gaze filled with infinite loneliness, evoking immense pity. Perhaps, apart from Zhou Hong, she had no one else to speak to.
Helplessly, a trace of sympathy stirred within Zhou Hong.
"Fine, fine, let's go to Huang En Temple," Zhou Hong said to himself inwardly.
An hour later, Zhou Hong, under the pretense of going to Huang En Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha, walked into the temple's back courtyard.
Finally, Zhou Hong wound his way through a series of turns, seemingly very familiar with the path, and arrived at a very secluded room within Huang En Temple.
"Brother Zhou Hong, you've indeed come." Upon opening the door, he saw a noblewoman waiting inside. Seeing Zhou Hong, she could no longer contain herself. Tears streamed down her face as she rushed into Zhou Hong's embrace. Although she was a consort, her actual age was younger than Zhou Hong.
"Your Ladyship...!" Zhou Hong sighed, sensing the cold treatment she must have endured in the palace during his nine months of unconsciousness, and that she could only find solace in him.
"Zhou Hong, I'm so glad to see you again."
"Your Ladyship, this is the last time I will see you. From now on, I will not come again," Zhou Hong said cruelly.
"I'm sorry. I know that if our affair were discovered, it would implicate you and your family."
"That's not the case."
At this moment, Consort Yang's body began to feel warm, and she exhaled heavily through her nose.
"Your Ladyship, during these past nine months, has the Emperor not favored you?" Zhou Hong couldn't help but ask.
"No, he's an old man who, apart from managing state affairs, spends the rest of his time cultivating. Even when he rests occasionally, there are hundreds of concubines."
Zhou Hong let out a bitter laugh.