Chapter 161 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

Sitting in the carriage of the Wuqing Marquis's residence, He Yunxiao couldn't help but mock Nan Zhu, his wife. Even though he had received professional training, he still couldn't help it. In the confined space of the carriage, Meng Qingrou and He Yunxiao sat face to face, their demeanor no different from usual. Seeing He Yunxiao trying to suppress his laughter, Meng Qingrou scolded, "Don't laugh. I was just a little nervous earlier. If it happens again, I definitely won't be like this." He Yunxiao suppressed his laughter and said, "Nan Zhu, cough, is this really your first time leaving the palace?" Meng Qingrou proudly said, "Of course not. When Nan Zhu was young, she went with her mother to pay respects at the ancestral tomb. We also went hunting in the capital and took summer vacations at Qingyuan." He Yunxiao secretly calculated. If she remembers this so clearly, it's probably only these three times she went out. Moreover, they were all when Nan Zhu was young and her birth mother took her out. Nan Zhu is now seventeen, which means... Oh my, she practically hasn't been out at all! He Yunxiao remained silent, waiting for the carriage to reach the bustling market, observing his wife's reaction. Meng Qingrou was sitting quietly in the carriage. When the noise from the market outside intensified, she became somewhat restless. Her large eyes blinked curiously, and her sitting posture kept changing. Sometimes her hands were on her lap, and other times she moved them to the front to play with the strands of hair hanging down. Then she stopped playing with her hair and started touching the silk cushion on the carriage with her fingertips. Amused, He Yunxiao pretended to say, "Nan Zhu, I woke up early this morning and I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when the carriage stops." "Mm." He Yunxiao propped his chin with his hand, pretending to sleep, while keeping his eyes slightly open, continuously watching his wife. Initially, she hesitated to move, but then shifted her position, carefully observing him. Seeing that he had indeed fallen asleep, she began to relax. At first, she only twisted her neck to look in every direction, and then became bolder. Fearful of He Yunxiao discovering her, she quietly shifted around the carriage, even reaching out to touch things that piqued her curiosity. The noise from the bustling market outside the carriage grew louder. Some people's voices sounded as if they were coming from just behind or beside Meng Qingrou. Having never seen such a scene before, she was very curious. Sitting in her original position, she double-checked that He Yunxiao was still asleep before cautiously twisting her body, turning around, and lifting a corner of the carriage curtain. Resting her pretty face against the carriage wall, her large eyes quietly observed the outside world through a small slit. Her first impression of the outside world was that it was very bright! It was as if she was facing the sun directly, making it hard to keep her eyes open. However, her beautiful eyes quickly adjusted to the changing intensity of light, and the outside scenery gradually became clear. The ground in Yincheng was paved with large white-worn stone blocks, each tightly fitted together with small gaps. Some of the stones had cracks that were filled with soil, on which small green grass grew. At places less traveled, these stone crevices sprouted adorable, short green grass. Along the roadside were a series of houses—some tall, some short—made of stone or wood, one after the other, seemingly endless. There were people walking along the street. Most were men, while a few were women and children. They wore simple linen clothes, devoid of intricate patterns, but looked sturdy. Occasionally, there were some beautifully dressed girls, laughing joyfully. Meng Qingrou leaned against the carriage window, watching everything outside. Her lips involuntarily curled upwards. She felt that this kind of life was wonderful, where everyone was full of vitality and happiness. Seeing his wife, Nan Zhu, so engrossed, He Yunxiao decided to stop pretending to sleep and openly watched her. You gaze at the scenery while the one showing it to you watches you from the carriage. He Yunxiao watched his wife's curved eyes and knew that she was delighted. Unfortunately, she was currently wearing a veil, so he couldn't see her full expression. Otherwise, He Yunxiao believed that at this moment, the naturally joyful Nan Zhu would be the most beautiful. Damn veil, it's fine to guard against ill-intentioned people, but how come it’s even blocking a gentleman like me? Seeing the veil, He Yunxiao suddenly realized that when taking Nan Zhu out, covering her face was a good idea. However, they also needed to create a fictional identity for her. Besides, they couldn't continue calling her Nan Zhu in public, for fear of being recognized. He softly called out, "Nan Zhu? Nan Zhu, stop looking." Hearing He Yunxiao's voice, Meng Qingrou's hand trembled. She turned around and, seeing that he was awake, hurriedly said, "I, uh, it's just…" "Mm, Nan Zhu, listen to me first." "Okay." Meng Qingrou secretly assessed He Yunxiao's expression and saw that he was calm, so she relaxed. "He's going to give me a fake identity. Do you understand?" He Yunxiao continued, "We will have to walk openly in the streets, so we can't be seen as unrelated man and woman. It's best if we appear to be relatives. My family has few relatives, especially few female relatives, so it's difficult to falsely claim a relationship. On the other hand, the Duke's family where my mother and aunt belong, the Zhang family, is extensive with many descendants and tangled family relations. So, you will adopt the surname Zhang." Meng Qingrou asked, "Is it the 'Zhang' from General Zhang?" "Mm." Meng Qingrou happily said, "Okay, then Nan Zhu will be surnamed Zhang." He Yunxiao chuckled, "You can be surnamed Zhang for anything, as long as our children have the same surname as me." "You, shameless!" Although she wore a veil, He Yunxiao had seen Nan Zhu blush many times. Now, just by imagining it, he could vividly picture his wife's embarrassed expression. But this wasn't the time for teasing. He Yunxiao continued, "My mother's brother has a daughter around your age with a very similar name—Zhang Lingrou. You will take on her identity." "Mm." "Now, I am Nan Zhu's cousin, and Nan Zhu is my younger cousin. Understand?" "Mm." He Yunxiao cleared his throat. Actually, he deliberately chose the "Zhang Lingrou" identity with some selfish motives. "Let's address each other using those titles. Ahem, Little Rourou? Little Rourou?" Meng Qingrou blinked, a little dazed. "Your Highness Nan Zhu, don't be stunned; I'm addressing my cousin, Zhang Lingrou. Please consent quickly and don't give us away. Little Rourou?" "Uh...Mm, Mm." "You can casually call me 'Cousin Yunxiao' or 'Yunxiao Cousin.' It's all fine." He Yunxiao urged eagerly, "Call me quickly." After struggling for a while, Meng Qingrou finally blinked her eyes and timidly said, "Yunxiao... Cousin." Sss… The intimate address coupled with Nan Zhu's sweet and shy voice… It was quite thrilling... Tl: Soothsayer.io