Chapter 76: The Crown Prince of Eastern Yu

Chapter 76: The Crown Prince of the Eastern Realm

Early the next morning.

Chu Fei stepped out of his room feeling refreshed, just in time to see Ximen Lu bustling about alone in the kitchen.

“Where’s Xu Shiqi?” he asked, feigning curiosity as he walked over.

“That lazybones is still sleeping.” Ximen Lu sounded a bit disgruntled, snorting as she continued preparing breakfast. She then turned, eyeing Chu Fei with a peculiar look, her charming eyes blinking, “You’re up early for once—how rare.”

“Ha, you must have misunderstood me. I’ve always been this diligent,” Chu Fei replied with a laugh, though he felt a pang of guilt. The real reason he’d gotten up so early was to see if last night’s commotion had disturbed his beautiful housemates. After all, things had gotten quite intense between him and Xu Shiqi, and she hadn’t returned to her room until nearly dawn. Judging by Ximen Lu’s expression, however, she seemed none the wiser, which was a relief.

As for Xu Shiqi still sleeping in, that hardly surprised him. Last night, he’d first been provoked by his childhood fiancée’s advances, then, upon returning home, been nearly set aflame by Ximen Lu’s allure. Naturally, he wasn’t about to let Xu Shiqi, who delivered herself to his door, off easy. After a brief respite, the battle resumed, and in the end, Class Monitor Xu was left so thoroughly exhausted and content that she nearly fainted from pleasure. It was after four in the morning before she managed to crawl off Chu Fei’s bed and sneak back into Ximen Lu’s room.

“Diligent? You?” Ximen Lu scoffed, rolling her eyes before turning back to her breakfast, clearly uninterested in further conversation.

Chu Fei forced a sheepish smile and wisely chose not to push his luck, heading to the bathroom to wash up.

“What’s with him today? He’s acting odd,” Ximen Lu muttered to herself, glancing curiously at Chu Fei’s departing figure.

There was no denying the uncanny intuition women possessed. Though she hadn’t heard a thing the previous night, Chu Fei’s unusual behavior had certainly piqued her suspicion. Still, it was only a passing thought.

Despite her mischievous nature, Ximen Lu’s culinary skills were impressive. Not only did she make breakfast for herself, but she also prepared portions for Chu Fei and the still-sleeping Xu Shiqi. As usual, Chu Fei’s meal consisted of fried eggs, millet porridge, a seared steak on the side, and a few slices of freshly baked bread.

Chu Fei couldn’t help but see Ximen Lu in a new light; for all her quirks, she was certainly industrious when it came to daily life.

The two ate quietly, exchanging few words. It wasn’t until they were nearly done that a door finally opened; the bleary-eyed Class Monitor Xu emerged at last. Spotting the breakfast on the table, she hurried over, but moved so quickly she nearly tripped.

“Hey, are you all right? Did you sleep so much you forgot how to walk?” Ximen Lu quickly got up to steady her, giving her friend a curious look.

“Maybe I’m just groggy from sleeping too much,” Xu Shiqi replied awkwardly, sneaking a glare at Chu Fei. In truth, she wasn’t dazed—she was sore. Last night’s escapades had left her aching, and if not for the need to avoid arousing Ximen Lu’s suspicion, she wouldn’t have gotten up at all.

“Lazy as ever. One of these days you’ll balloon up and have no one to blame but yourself,” Ximen Lu teased, then left her breakfast unfinished to fetch her purse. At the door, she turned back to Chu Fei: “Chu Fei, don’t you dare skip work today. Come to the company and explain the new address properly.” With that, she swayed her hips and strode out.

Chu Fei finished his last bite of steak and stood.

“Chu Fei.” Xu Shiqi suddenly called after him, hesitating.

“What is it, Class Monitor Xu?” Chu Fei turned, amused by her expression. He couldn’t help but tease, “Don’t tell me you’re still not satisfied after last night and want an extra breakfast?”

“Get lost,” Xu Shiqi retorted, blushing fiercely. When Chu Fei suddenly moved closer, her face paled. Ignoring her soreness, she quickly backed away, pleading, “No, please—I'm still sore down there. Don’t torment me again.”

Chu Fei chuckled. He hadn’t realized he’d scared her so much last night. “I’m just teasing. If you’re all right, I should get to work.” He’d meant only to joke; for all their wildness the night before, he respected his old classmate and wouldn’t truly take liberties with her.

“Wait, Chu Fei.” Xu Shiqi called him back once more, then hobbled into her room. Moments later, she returned with a bank card, pressing it into Chu Fei’s hand. “Here, take this.”

“What’s this about?” Chu Fei didn’t move, puzzled by her gesture.

“Didn’t you say last night you were out of money? There’s still several tens of thousands in here—use it for now,” Xu Shiqi explained, quickly adding, “Don’t misunderstand, I don’t look down on you or anything…”

Chu Fei was stunned, staring at Xu Shiqi in disbelief.

“I—” Xu Shiqi faltered, about to explain further when Chu Fei broke into a grin. “Xu Shiqi, what’s this? Are you trying to keep me as your boy toy?” He gave her a strange look.

“You know I don’t mean that…” Xu Shiqi hurried to clarify, afraid of being misunderstood.

But Chu Fei just laughed, snatching the card. “This is my first time spending a woman’s money. It feels pretty good.”

Xu Shiqi managed an embarrassed smile, relieved he wasn’t angry. “I really don’t mean anything by this. I just think a man shouldn’t be stingy out in the world. And last night I heard Ximen Lu say she mortgaged the whole company; she probably doesn’t have any money now. Don’t rush to ask her for what you spent, okay? Don’t make things harder for her.”

Chu Fei was taken aback. So that was her reason—she was thinking of Ximen Lu. He couldn’t help but feel a little moved; Ximen Lu was lucky to have a friend like Xu Shiqi.

Xu Shiqi smiled softly. In her heart, Ximen Lu was more than a best friend—she was like a sister. Over the years, their mutual affection for Chu Fei had only drawn them closer, even closer than real siblings.

“All right, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head to work,” Chu Fei said with a smile.

“Go on, and be careful on the way,” Xu Shiqi replied gently, as though sending her husband out the door.

Chu Fei didn’t leave immediately, but instead grabbed pen and paper and quickly wrote down the names of several medicinal herbs.

“What’s this?” Xu Shiqi stared, bewildered.

“It’s a prescription. Take it to the pharmacy, boil the herbs, and drink the decoction—it’ll help you recover from the soreness faster.” Chu Fei’s gaze drifted to her pale, shapely legs, and he felt a sudden rush of heat. Unlike Ximen Lu’s willowy figure, Xu Shiqi was a touch more voluptuous—curvy, but never plump, with just the right balance of softness and slenderness. She was the very picture of allure…

What am I thinking?

Chu Fei silently berated himself for his shamelessness and quickly came back to his senses, only to find Xu Shiqi eyeing him, cheeks flushed with enchantment—a look that nearly made him lose all self-control.

“Um, recovery is only part of it. This prescription is mainly for regulating the body—it’s especially effective for women’s endocrine issues and period pains,” he blurted, not daring to meet her gaze. He turned and hurried out, afraid that if he lingered a moment longer, he’d never escape the class monitor’s web again.

After leaving the house, Chu Fei walked a fair distance before glancing back at the little building, sighing deeply. His instincts told him Xu Shiqi’s offer of money wasn’t just to help Ximen Lu—she’d clearly developed real feelings for him.

Trouble indeed.

Chu Fei felt a headache coming on. He simply couldn’t give Xu Shiqi what she truly wanted.

It seemed he’d have to keep his distance from her in the future. The thrill of forbidden love was addictive—once was never enough, as last night had proven.

Xu Shiqi was on the verge of marriage, yet now she was tumbling in the sheets with him. What was he supposed to make of that?

Chu Fei’s head throbbed.

—

Xu Shiqi clutched Chu Fei’s prescription in her small hand, watching his figure disappear down the street before finally withdrawing her gaze. She glanced down at the slip of paper, and a delighted smile curved her lips. Was Chu Fei really this concerned about her? The feeling sent a surge of excitement through her heart.

The next moment—

Slap! Xu Shiqi pulled out her phone, hesitated for a moment, then found a familiar number in her contacts and dialed.

“Qiqi, I’m in a meeting,” a gentle, low male voice answered.

“Dongze, when will you be back?” Xu Shiqi asked quietly, gripping her phone.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” The man on the line sounded worried, sensing something off in her tone.

Xu Shiqi bit her lip hard, as if steeling herself. “When you return, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“I’m quite busy right now and probably won’t be back for a few days. Is it something you can’t say over the phone?” His voice was tinged with concern.

“I’ll tell you when you’re back,” Xu Shiqi replied, then hung up before he could press further.

She leaned against the balcony, taking a deep breath. Only she knew how much effort that call had cost her.

Meanwhile, in a hotel conference room somewhere in Europe, a refined young man stood by the window, frowning as he put away his phone.

“Brother, you don’t look well. Who was that on the phone?” A gentle voice sounded behind him. At the conference table, a demure young woman in business attire approached, concern in her eyes.

“It’s nothing. Xiaoyu, you take over the meeting—I need to step out for a bit,” the young man said, not even glancing at the subordinates waiting for him. He turned and strode out of the room.

In the corridor, he pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, then quickly dialed a number from his contacts…

[By the way, dear readers, did you enjoy yesterday’s five chapters? A new week has begun, and it seems many students are returning to their regular schedules as the holidays end—no doubt the mood is a bit heavy. If you’re feeling stressed, come read Xing’er’s new novel—it’s guaranteed to give you a little relief. And with the new week, don’t forget to vote for The Caring Soldier King and send some flowers! Both voting and sending flowers are free, whether by IP or otherwise!]