CHAPTER 745: CHAPTER 612: DEADLY ATTRACTION

At the dining table, the Heavenly Venerate kept persistently adding food to Earth Venerate’s bowl, and before long, a small mountain had been piled up in it.

Earth Venerate was in a dilemma, her mouth felt as if she was chewing wax, ever since she took her seat, a fierce, tiger-like gaze had been glaring at her, glaring at the vegetables in her bowl.

Earth Venerate naturally knew where that gaze came from.

What’s wrong with this man again? Ever since that day, he hasn’t given her a good look.

Barely able to celebrate the New Year, he was as if he had ingested gunpowder.

"I toast you for the mentorship you’ve bestowed upon me over these past days."

Because of the heat from the hotpot, Feng Lan’s face was tinged with redness, as he raised his cup.

With Earth Venerate’s guidance, he was no longer as troubled by those account books.

This expression of gratitude was indeed sincere.

"Sister, you are still recuperating from your injury and should not drink alcohol. Feng Lan, if you really want to drink, I’ll drink on her behalf."

The Heavenly Venerate was extremely considerate in blocking the drink for Earth Venerate, conscientiously reminding her.

His thoughtfulness only made him seem extremely inconsiderate.

Just like that day, he was just a step too late, and everything seemed superfluous.

The cup in Feng Lan’s hand was suddenly clenched tight.

"What are you, and what gives you the right to block the drink for her!"

The two men, glaring at each other, turned the originally harmonious dinner table instantly cold.

At that moment, Feng Xun was adding a slice of boiled bamboo shoot to Ye Lingyue’s bowl. Ye Lingyue poked Feng Xun, who, unruffled, stuffed the bamboo shoot into Ye Lingyue’s mouth and then picked up a piece of mutton that Ye Lingyue found too gamey, chewed it slowly and said.

"Eat your food, don’t meddle in adults’ matters, kid."

Ye Lingyue rolled her eyes. She was also somewhat full, so she simply leaned on Feng Xun and lazily continued to watch the drama unfold.

Affairs between men and women are not to be inquired about by outsiders; even one extra person is considered too crowded.

As someone who had been through it all, how could Feng Xun not know.

Those upholding the same spirit of watching the drama included Yan Jiu and Lan Cai’er.

As for Jin Wu Old Monster and Aguduo, they were already flushed from drinking, no longer paying attention to Feng Lan and Heavenly Venerate’s staring match.

"Feng Lan, and what gives you the right to speak to my senior brother like that? Feng Lan, there’s no sincerity in this toast, I won’t drink." Earth Venerate’s indifference these past days had left her heart cold as water.

Gratefulness, there was not a trace of it in him. If he had even a bit of gratitude, how could he still, to this day, not recognize her, and why would he, all these days when facing her, remain silent, only using cold glares to stare at her.

Bang, the wine cup in Feng Lan’s hand was suddenly crushed, sharp porcelain shards piercing into the palm of his hand, yet it wasn’t the hand that pained but somewhere in his chest that ached first.

His eyes were red, either from being smoked by the heat or something else.

"Knock knock knock"

A series of rapid knocks interrupted the oppressive atmosphere inside the house, coming from a messenger who had come to deliver a message.

On New Year’s Eve, the Beiqing Empress issued an urgent command for Feng Lan to return to the palace.

King Kaijiang Chen Tuo, because of ill health, had turned in his Commander’s Seal. The Beiqing Empress ordered Feng Lan to return to Beiqing immediately to receive the Seal.

Feng Lan had stayed in Mercenary City for over a month; the Empress had more than once wished Feng Lan to return to the capital, which he had been avoiding with various excuses. However, being summoned by decree to return was a first.

Feng Lan could no longer find any excuse to shirk.

"Go back and report to Your Majesty, I will return to the capital when I pick the date."

Feng Lan spoke solemnly, the messenger hesitated.

"His Majesty said to have Prince Feng return immediately, without delay."

"I understand," Feng Lan replied somewhat impatiently, his gaze subconsciously shifting to Earth Venerate.

A cold snort rang out beside his ear, as Earth Venerate angrily departed the gathering.

Having left hastily, Earth Venerate didn’t return to her quarters but stood in the courtyard instead, waiting until darkness had completely enveloped the dome of the sky. Only then did she realize that her limbs were ice-cold.

A warm fox fur had been draped over her shoulders.

"Senior brother, thank you..." The tail of her word ’thank’ reverberated in the chilly air, but it caught harshly in her throat.

Earth Venerate suddenly remembered that Heavenly Venerate disliked opulence; the thick fur coat she wore could not possibly belong to him.

It was not Heavenly Venerate standing behind her, but clearly Feng Lan.

Feng Lan’s eyes were deep with intensity as they fixed on Earth Venerate. He didn’t know how long he had been standing there, long enough for a layer of frost to form on his handsome brows.

The fox fur coat was originally worn by him.

After Earth Venerate left, Heavenly Venerate also looked upset, seeming to want to rise and follow Earth Venerate, but Jin Wu Old Monster held him back, insisting on drinking.

Feng Lan’s appetite had faded, and he had risen from his seat, restless and displeased.

On leaving the hall, as if by some devilish temptation, he caught a whiff of a familiar scent in the air.

Following that scent, he walked forward and saw Earth Venerate standing alone in the courtyard.

This season witnessed the withering of all flowers, and even the trees were barren.

Earth Venerate just stood there, lost in a world of her own, not even noticing Feng Lan approaching.

Feng Lan didn’t speak; he simply observed her slender shoulders and instinctively took off his fox fur coat but hesitated to offer it to her.

She had refused even a sip of wine with him earlier; he feared she would be similarly disinclined to use his clothes.

These days, he had deliberately been cold to her.

On one hand, he knew Earth Venerate detested him.

On the other hand, he was afraid of once again making some inexplicable move.

Since childhood, Feng Lan had been adept at controlling himself.

Unaffected by material joy or personal sorrow, the few times he had lost control in his life concerned the young girl named Qing Feng.

But Qing Feng had died.

Empress Qing Shuang had personally taken him to see Qing Feng’s mausoleum.

Feng Lan couldn’t describe his feelings then; he wasn’t overly sad, but standing before that cold, luxurious tomb for a moment felt as if the person lying inside was a complete stranger to him.

Qing Feng’s death had led Feng Lan to believe that the only person in the world who could disrupt his composure no longer existed.

Yet now, Earth Venerate had appeared.

This woman, whom Feng Lan hadn’t even bothered to look at properly the first time, had thrown his composure into chaos upon her first appearance, an unsettling feeling he did not like.

Feng Lan knew he should keep his distance from her, but time and again, he failed.

He found himself increasingly drawn to her, like an addiction.

Caught in his inner turmoil, Feng Lan awkwardly held the fox fur coat halfway lifted, hovering above Earth Venerate’s shoulders.

It wasn’t until Earth Venerate let out a soft cough that, unable to resist, he draped the fur onto her shoulders.

But he soon regretted it because of that one word from Earth Venerate, "senior brother."

Damn "senior brother," the word made Feng Lan’s teeth ache with bitterness.

He glared fiercely at Earth Venerate, as if he wanted to burn a hole through the veil covering her face.

"Why is it you?" A flash of surprise crossed Earth Venerate’s face, returning quickly to calmness. "Didn’t you agree with your Empress to return to Beiqing immediately? I thought you couldn’t wait to rush back overnight."