Chapter 1: Sing a Song from the Past

Why did he come back now?

Coming back at this time wasn't strange, considering he had been closely monitoring Prince Huai, much like how he had once watched her incessantly, never leaving his post.

But why had he come here upon returning? He surely knew where Prince Huai was, so why didn't he check on Prince Huai first, or could it be that he was more intent on watching her?

If he discovered this, it would only confirm his suspicions that she harbored ulterior motives in approaching Prince Huai and Princess Jiuli.

If caught here, she would surely be killed by Lu Yunqi on the spot—there would be no Zhu Zan appearing in Prince Huai's mansion.

Why think of Zhu Zan now? Even without him, she could avoid being killed by Lu Yunqi; she might even be able to kill Lu Yunqi herself.

But that would mean she could never enter the capital again, let alone protect her sister and brother. Moreover, the emperor might seize the opportunity to execute her sister and brother.

What should she do?

Though hidden behind a tree, he would find her if he walked this way; perhaps he had already seen her.

She just needed to get her master's handwritten notes. Miss Jun steadied her hands and quickly closed the metal box, pushing the layers of dirt on top.

Hurry, hurry, even faster.

But no matter how fast she was, she couldn't restore the site to its original state. If he came over, he would notice something was off.

The key now wasn't to prevent him from discovering what she was doing but to explain why she was doing it.

How could she explain?

How could she explain without raising his suspicions?

Or prevent him from guessing?

Miss Jun's shovel quickly covered the dirt, feeling as though she was suffocating.

The footsteps grew louder and more urgent; evidently, he had spotted her. He quickened his pace, his gaze likely turning colder, his hand probably already on his waist knife.

Miss Jun abruptly looked up.

"Lady Hua, Grass Lady, Earth Lady, Lady Shi," she said.

Her voice was elongated and gentle, as if chanting.

She truly chanted.

"Which goddess comes, which goddess goes."

She hummed softly, her voice spreading tranquilly under the quiet trees.

The footsteps behind her suddenly stopped.

She poked and stirred the ground with her shovel as if a child were playing with dirt.

"Lady Purple, Lady Bai, Lady Lv, Lady Huang."

"Which goddess comes, which goddess goes."

She was singing this when she forcefully jabbed the shovel into the ground. At the same moment, a mellow male voice came from behind her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm digging up the Insect Goddess," Miss Jun replied offhandedly, standing and turning around, "Do you know what the Insect Goddess is?"

Her expression was smiling, her eyebrows lifted, her chin slightly raised, resting her hand on her waist while looking at the man before her.

Her gaze collided with Lu Yunqi's.

Her expression stiffened, her originally relaxed body suddenly tensed, and her arm dropped as her shoulders sagged while she stood straight.

"Lord Lu," she said, her voice soft but aloof and somewhat stiff. She stepped back, her foot pressing on the disturbed soil, seemingly trying to cover it with her skirt. "I was waiting for His Highness and Mr. Gu to come; they went—"

She didn't finish her sentence when Lu Yunqi abruptly came over and grabbed her, pressing her against the tree trunk.

Miss Jun, caught off guard, screamed, already seized by Lu Yunqi. His face nearly pressed against hers, his eyes locked onto hers.

His face was icy cold, almost breathless, like a real snake.

Miss Jun, startled, stared with wide eyes, her chest heaving as she breathed rapidly.

"What are you doing?" Lu Yunqi asked softly, looking at her.

Miss Jun finally recovered from her shock.

"What are you doing?" she echoed, her voice sharp as she randomly hit at Lu Yunqi, like a startled bird.

Lu Yunqi easily restrained her arms.

"Tell me, what were you just doing?" he asked again, looking at Miss Jun.

Under the sunlight-dappled branches, his porcelain-white face fluctuated between light and dark, his usually cold gaze now appearing gentle and sincere. But on his face, this look only seemed eerie.

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Miss Jun's expression was frightened and angry.

"Lord Lu, what are you doing? Let go of me," she struggled and shouted.

In Lu Yunqi's grip, she was like a helpless ant, her struggles futile.

"I just want to ask you what were you doing just now?" Lu Yunqi softened his voice again while glancing at the ground.

The soil, disturbed and tread upon, bore their footprints, and a small spade was kicked aside.

Miss Jun tried her best to calm herself down, seemingly finally understanding what he was asking.

"I wasn't doing anything, I was just waiting for His Highness to come over and playing around," she said.

"Playing by digging the soil?" Lu Yunqi looked at her and asked.

"No, just digging for a type of worm. They're white and plump and can be used in medicine," Miss Jun, her body pressed against a tree to avoid the man's face coming too close, shouted somewhat hysterically.

In the distance, a mess of footsteps approached, accompanied by Prince Huai's laughter.

Miss Jun's face grew even more anxious and embarrassed, tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Let go of me," her voice also carried a hint of crying.

This time, Lu Yunqi complied and released his grip.

Miss Jun immediately staggered away, almost tripping over the uneven soil and her own medicine box, her expression both furious and frightened.

Prince Huai's entourage appeared in their line of sight, accompanied by the crackling of fireworks.

Miss Jun, as if seeing a savior, hurriedly ran towards them with her medicine box, a stare feeling like a thorn in her back.

Her steps were a bit frantic, but her face no longer showed any of it; instead, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She had won the bet.

She didn't need to look back or worry anymore; Lu Yunqi no longer cared about what could be dug up from the soil under his feet or why someone would need to dig.

That was not surprising because someone had done the same thing before.

Miss Jun, seeing that Mr. Gu was leading Prince Huai, hurried her steps.

That should have been her first face-to-face and private encounter with Lu Yunqi. She was already in Prince Huai's mansion at that time, and from boredom, one day she squatted in the yard digging for insects, thinking how her master would roast these insects and eat them, a thought both thrilling and nauseating.

The thrill and disgust made her very happy.

She hummed a little tune her master had made up while digging for insects, poking the soil with a small spade.

It was then that Lu Yunqi stood at the doorway; he stood for a long time, seeming hesitant and as if wanting to leave.

She had seen him early on but didn't pay him any mind or bother with him, just assuming he was a guard watching them.

Eventually, he couldn't hold back any longer.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She was also a bit tired from squatting by then, so she stood up and turned around.

"I'm digging for Insect Goddess. Do you know what Insect Goddess is?" she casually said, looking at Lu Yunqi.

That was his first visit to Prince Huai's mansion, and the next would be half a year later when he came to marry her.

Miss Jun walked over to where Mr. Gu and the others were.

Mr. Gu smiled at her, and Prince Huai still paid no attention, just happily playing with fireworks.

"Miss Jun, are you all right?" the female official asked, looking at her complexion.

Miss Jun shook her head.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, trying her best to mask her unease.

Of course, the female official didn't buy it; she glanced at Lu Yunqi standing under a swing.

She guessed the girl might have collided with Lord Lu while playing on the swing and, being a doctor not following closely behind Prince Huai, was likely scolded for being here instead.

Lord Lu was always intimidating even when he didn't scold, no wonder Miss Jun was so panicked.

The female official smiled lightly and didn't inquire further, continuing to watch Prince Huai.

Miss Jun also watched Prince Huai, trying her best to let herself relax and be at peace.

Although she didn't glance in that direction, she could feel Lu Yunqi's gaze fixed on her.

That kind of gaze was once very familiar to her and once brought her joy and peace.

But at that moment, all she felt was disgust.

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Thank you all for your various votes, thank you for your love and care.

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