Chapter 214: Flirting

His breath caught, though he quickly reined it in, tightening his grip around the teacup.

No.

He had already received a messenger scroll earlier that day, relayed from the Capital, stating that Lord Yun was still present there. The timing had been precise; the message was clear.

Which meant… it could not be her.

This little chatterbox was simply what she seemed to be a young woman who was too carefree for her own good.

And yet…

The way she savored each sweet was truly identical. The way her eyes curved into crescents when she laughed, it was also the same.

’Am I just projecting him on someone else? What am I even doing? It’s so shameful!’

But for a moment, he couldn’t help but let himself imagine.

What if?

What if she truly was Yun Shu, sitting beside him, disguised and teasing fate itself by staying at his side?

His heart gave a painful lurch before he forced the thought away.

It was an absolutely absurd and impossible idea. He was only projecting, chasing phantoms that were born of longing.

But he could not deny it, that he missed Lord Yun.

He missed her calm, her steel, her presence that made him feel guarded even in silence.

And here, beside him was sitting someone who stirred the same ache, even while chattering nonsense with sugared crumbs clinging to her lips.

Yun Shu, oblivious to his inner turmoil, reached for another sweet.

“Ah, too good! Palace Lord, why don’t you try this one? It’s my favorite!”

She held it out to him, her fingers dusted with sugar.

The system giggled uncontrollably.

[Ohohoho, Host! Feeding him sweets now, are we? Bold move! Will he take it? Will he refuse? Tune in to the next episode of How to Seduce a Cold Palace Lord with Pastries!]

Yun Shu’s smile strained for a fraction of a second before she shoved the thought aside. She leaned forward innocently, holding the sweet closer.

Bai Yunxian hesitated. His lashes lowered, his gaze flickering briefly to her fingers before he finally took the pastry from her hand.

Their skin did not touch, yet the nearness sent a faint tremor through him, one he immediately buried beneath his calm exterior.

He bit into it silently.

Sweetness spread across his tongue. Too sweet, really, almost cloying. He had never cared for desserts.

But in that moment, he ate without complaint.

Yun Shu beamed, clapping her hands lightly. “See? Isn’t it wonderful? I knew you’d like it!”

The system howled.

[Host! He ate it! He actually ate it! Ahahaha, you’re conquering him one cake at a time! Soon, he’ll fall helplessly at your feet, begging for more desserts, and maybe your heart!]

“Shut up,” Yun Shu hissed silently, smiling all the while.

Her heart thumped unsteadily in her chest, her disguise threatening to slip under the weight of her own emotions.

But she steadied herself with another bite of pastry, feigning carelessness as the sun dipped lower, and the lake reflected fire across its rippling surface.

Evening deepened, but the divine artifact still didn’t show up. The tension among the cultivators escalated into a fever pitch, their gazes fever-bright, their bodies coiled like springs.

Yet at the edge of it all, two figures sat side by side, sharing food and silence, as if untouched by the storm brewing around them.

And though Bai Yunxian told himself it was impossible, though Yun Shu wore her disguise with playful abandon, the truth shimmered between them like the reflection of the moon on the lake, hidden by ripples, yet undeniable.

***

The sky had already dipped into indigo, the lake shimmering with moonlight like a sheet of silver. Lanterns from cultivators’ camps flickered on the opposite shore, casting reflections that trembled across the water’s surface.

The divine artifact still had not appeared, and the air was thick with restless impatience.

But despite the anxiety gripping everyone else, Bai Yunxian and his companion looked utterly unbothered. Yun Shu reclined slightly on the grass, nibbling another candied fruit with cheerful abandon. Bai Yunxian sat in his usual dignified stillness, sipping tea as though the tense atmosphere around them did not exist.

It was precisely that calmness, combined with the cold, untouchable reputation of the Palace Lord, that drew the attention of many watching eyes.

And soon, some of those eyes could no longer resist.

A group of cultivator beauties, each dressed in dazzling silks and jewels that sparkled under the moonlight, exchanged looks before approaching.

They had watched for hours, fuming inwardly. A random chatterbox girl had taken up the seat beside the esteemed Palace Lord, sharing food and conversation with him as though they were lifelong companions. And the worse problem was that he hadn’t driven her away!

That in itself was shocking. The cold Palace Lord, who was famed for his ruthlessness and disdain for feminine advances, was… tolerating a silly, giggling girl?

If she could sit there, why couldn’t they?

And besides, everyone knew that the newly succeding Master of the Nne Hall Palace was single. There had never been any whispers of marriage, no rumors of a wife or even a favored consort. Surely, then, the position beside him was open, waiting to be claimed.

Their silks swished as they drew closer, faces painted with delicate smiles, their voices dripping with sweetness.

“Palace Lord,” one greeted, lowering her lashes coyly. “The night grows cold. Would you please, allow us to share the warmth of your fire?”

Another leaned slightly forward, her neckline conspicuously low. “Yes, traveling alone can be dangerous. Surely, you wouldn’t refuse a little companionship?”

A third giggled, clutching a wine flask. “We brought fine wine from the Southern Peaks, as it is very rare! Would the Honorable Palace Lord do us the honor of sharing a drink?”

Their eyes sparkled with hunger, though it was not just for his beauty that was sealed away inside a mask, but for the prestige that would come with catching the attention of the Palace Lord.

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