Before arriving in the capital, no one is allowed to open it without my orders!
The moon hung like a hook, and the stars were like dust.
At first, there were no dreams, just a pitch-black void, as if falling into a pool of ink, surrounded by a quiet and serene atmosphere that gave a sense of boundless emptiness, as if placed comfortably in some corner, every limb wrapped in softness, feeling extremely comfortable, not even wanting to move a single finger.
Later, the sweet darkness gradually dissipated. At dawn, he began to have repetitive dreams.
He dreamed of being ill, then of a noodle shop, and dreamed of his adoptive father and Aunt Xu standing together, as if a thousand years of time flowed in his eyes, making it hard to distinguish the sequence and distance, tossing and turning through the night, not as stable as the first half of the night, but filled with chaotic dreams. Yu Jinnian felt disoriented, sometimes feeling cold and sometimes hot, sometimes feeling like his head was splitting, as if lying in a cradle being rocked…
He didn’t know how much time had passed. When he was at his most uncomfortable, a vague figure approached in his dream, gently calling him, “Jinnian.”
“Ah Hong…”
Yu Jinnian awoke with a groan, but his eyelids felt heavy and couldn’t open. His back was soaked with cold sweat; however, the chaotic feeling from the dream had not yet dissipated, so he breathed heavily and closed his eyes for a moment of rest.
Outside the window, there was a drizzling sound, not like rain, but heavier and more viscous than rain. He didn’t know where he was, lying there for a long time before regaining sensation in his hands and feet, and then he slowly opened his eyes, surveying the room—wooden carved windows, a bed draped in exquisite silk, and thin gauze curtains. The sunlight was faint, with a light and refreshing minty aroma lingering in his nostrils, easing his originally heavy and painful mind a little.
“You’re awake?”
Upon hearing the voice, Yu Jinnian instinctively thought it was Ji Hong, turned his head to look, only to see another figure, whose build was completely different from Ji Hong’s, sitting at a writing desk outside the curtain. Still a bit dazed, he sat on the bed for a moment, then hazily realized what had happened before he fainted, and suddenly jumped up from the bed.
He quickly pulled back the bed curtain and got out of bed.
Since the effects of the medicine hadn’t completely worn off, his vision was somewhat blurry, so he swayed a bit as he stood. He didn’t have the leisure to put on shoes and socks, directly stepping onto the floor without knowing how bad his complexion looked. Boss Xia hurriedly put down his brush to help him, but he shrugged off his arm and slapped him hard, annoyed, saying, “Go away.”
He didn’t accept Yan Chang’s “kindness,” and using both hands to grip the edge of the bed and the standing cabinet, barefoot, he groped his way towards the door, swaying unsteadily. After some difficulty, he finally reached the door and reached out to grab the knob—but grasped nothing.
—Once vision becomes unclear, even the sense of direction weakens to some extent.
Yan Chang followed behind him. After he failed to accurately grab the door latch twice, he finally reached out, guiding his hand to the correct position, successfully pushing the little wooden bolt.
When the door opened, a chilly river wind blew in.
Although he couldn’t see clearly, Yu Jinnian knew for sure that this was definitely not in the city of Dongchong Prefecture.
Yu Jinnian felt the deck beneath his feet, and in front of him was a wide and surging river. Yan Chang, following behind him at a leisurely pace, seemed to be afraid he would faint and fall in. Without waiting for him to say anything, he pulled him by the arm and said, “You’ve slept an entire night; you must be hungry, right? The kitchen has been preparing warm porridge all along. Since you’re awake, don’t stand here in the wind, come back and have some porridge.”
He called for Zhou Feng, who had been waiting nearby, to prepare some warm and palatable porridge.
As soon as Zhou Feng received the order, Yu Jinnian gripped the railing, his voice hoarse, but he couldn’t stop himself from taunting, “Speaking with a guilty conscience, your tongue doesn’t trip over itself, Boss Xia is indeed a talent. But I can’t dare to eat anything from Boss Xia again; I just tried some foreign tea yesterday and didn’t know what was happening the whole night, and now I want to vomit… It shows that Boss Xia’s food is too noble; someone like me, a commoner, can’t afford it.”
Originally, Yu Jinnian said this to irritate the other party, but his stomach indeed felt uncomfortable. Just as he finished speaking, he bent over the railing and turned to genuinely vomit a few mouthfuls of sour water, inevitably dirtying the exquisite clothes that were as fine as gold and silver threads.
Yan Chang instinctively let go of his hand and stepped back two paces, looking down at the filth on his clothes with a frown and no words to say.
Just as he was about to undo his belt, he caught a glimpse of the youth leaning against the railing, trying to step over. Yu Jinnian rushed forward without caring that the vomit had soiled his inner garment and pulled Yu Jinnian back, sternly saying, “What are you doing? Do you know this stretch of river is called the Eight Zhang River?”
“Only eight zhang…” Yu Jinnian muttered, feeling dizzy, with a look of eager anticipation on his face, “It’s not that long; I can just swim across.”
Yan Chang finally had the time to untie his belt, took off his outer robe, and threw it on the ground, gritting his teeth, “It’s eight zhang deep!”
Yu Jinnian was choked for a moment, and he stubbornly covered his stomach, sliding down to sit on the deck, leaning against the railing and wiping his mouth, still trying to regain his face, saying, “If I drown, it’s my fault. At that time, my man will come to mourn for me; what business is it of yours?”
In just a short sentence, each word was sharp.
Yan Chang’s expression darkened. Throughout his life, he had been in a position of power, holding the authority of life and death. Now, being able to lower himself to speak with Yu Jinnian was already considered “humble,” yet the youth showed no gratitude at all. He no longer held back, saying, “Since you are on my ship, then follow my rules. If someone is going to drown in this river, it’s up to me to decide!”
He lowered his head to take a look but was left speechless by the youth’s obstinate expression: “Wait until he’s finished vomiting and then send him back to his room. If he doesn’t behave, knock him out and carry him back! Zhou Feng, have someone prepare water for a bath.”
Yu Jinnian spat heavily towards Yan Chang’s retreating back.
He closed his eyes, not caring where Yan Chang went, sitting cross-legged under the deck railing, one hand supporting his head, both to adjust to the blurriness caused by the lingering effects of the medicine and to contemplate life, thinking about where he had stepped on Boss Xia’s tail, that the person had gone so far as to drug him and take him away.
Recalling the taste of that so-called foreign tea “Drunken Luosha,” it took effect in less than half an hour, making one feel drowsy and dizzy, limbs heavy, and even numb. There were moments when he thought he saw Ji Hong’s shadow, and just before passing out, he felt a dazzling array of colors before his eyes.
If it was described as wonderful, it truly was extraordinary, but this kind of feeling left one’s mind in chaos. First came the confusion, with headaches and body pains without realizing it, followed by numbness and deep sleep—rather than being some tea, it felt more like a kind of substance that could induce hallucinations and sleep, disturbing the nerves; in other words, a kind of drug.
The Central Plains were rich in resources, with fruits and vegetables that were both beautiful and cheap, while the items from the foreign lands were often strange in nature. Things that caught the eyes of the powerful certainly wouldn’t be anything benign.
For instance, there was the Five Stone Powder before and the Afurong Ointment after; when used properly, they could be medicines that benefit the world, but when misused, they would become something that harms for a hundred years. As for what Boss Xia had in hand…
A servant came up to clean the deck and, seeing Yu Jinnian sitting there, didn’t dare to instruct him to move, only wiping the area around him thoroughly before retreating. After a while, Zhou Feng felt the river growing colder and softly called out, “Little Sir, Little Sir?”
Yu Jinnian casually responded with an “mm,” adjusted his head, but did not move.
Zhou Feng took a step forward, blocking some of the wind for him. He had been following the King of Yue for nearly ten years, and he was very familiar with his master’s temper. Although Yan Chang looked angry and spoke coldly, Zhou Feng knew better; he was well aware of the situation! Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to live safely under the “tyrant” Yan Chang for so many years. No wonder the servants secretly called him “Lord Feng” behind his back.
Long before Yu Jinnian vomited all over Yan Chang, Zhou Feng had already started to calculate various schemes in his mind.
Zhou Feng called out to him a couple more times before Yu Jinnian hazily came to his senses, opened his eyes, blinked hard, and gradually felt better before slowly getting up. He rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, “Is your master a bit off? It’s just a pain; it’s not like he’s not treating it. Why be so heavy-handed… Come here! My eyes still aren’t good! If I fall off the boat, I’ll really become a ghost drowned in the water!”
He reached out to feel around, and Zhou Feng hurriedly went over to support him, guiding him toward the room while constantly tilting his head to observe.
Yu Jinnian’s vision was only a bit blurry; he was somewhat sensitive to light but not truly blind. He couldn’t help but feel someone was scrutinizing him with sharp, knife-like eyes. He abruptly turned his head and shouted, “What are you looking at?”
Zhou Feng averted his gaze, and as the two of them assisted each other into the East Chamber, he finally spoke, “Drunken Luosha was brought here by a monk from the Daxin Kingdom. It’s said to originally be a beautiful and enchanting flower that grows at the edge of the underworld. Those who see it rarely survive; after picking and consuming the flower, one can communicate with spirits, receive divine revelations, feel light and ethereal, and glimpse celestial lights in dreams. It is a divine medicine bestowed by the gods. Your master acquired it previously but has never taken it out, only allowing you to consume two qian.”
Yu Jinnian sneered, “What you say is truly laughable. Are you afraid I’m poisoned by Drunken Luosha and have forgotten everything? Wasn’t it someone who specially mixed the powdered medicine into the flower tea yesterday to trick me into drinking it?”
“Besides, if such a divine object truly exists, why wouldn’t your master keep it for himself? Why come to harm me?” Just as he was reminded, Yu Jinnian suddenly recalled something. He thought that Drunken Luosha was most likely what he had encountered.
He had previously encountered Afurong with Master Yixin, and unexpectedly, just after the Afurong seeds had been burned, before he could express his regret, he encountered it again. It seemed he was truly fated with these nefarious things. Thinking of this, Yu Jinnian couldn’t help but laugh, “I’m afraid your master doesn’t believe in these divine revelations and just uses this ‘divine medicine’ as a sleeping drug! In terms of wasting precious resources, your master is indeed a top-notch figure.”
Such a mystical, exaggerated statement was Zhou Feng’s way of providing a ladder for Yan Chang. His master had a thin skin and was unwilling to lower himself; it was only natural for him, the “Lord Feng,” to worry more. Who would have thought this seemingly simple-minded boy was actually quite astute? His words hit the nail on the head, leaving Zhou Feng feeling embarrassed, forcing him to awkwardly laugh a couple of times as he sent Yu Jinnian back to the bed, even specifically pouring him a full cup of tea before leaving.
“Little Sir, my master doesn’t want to make things difficult for you. You should rest and take care of your health. We will naturally serve you well with food and drink… You shouldn’t make it hard for us lowly servants.” With failed toasts, they could only bring out punishment drinks.
It was unclear whether it was because of his trembling hands yesterday, which led to too much medicine, or if Yu Jinnian was inherently weak. Zhou Feng noticed his pale and yellow complexion, looking a bit frail as he leaned against the soft pillow, making his figure appear thin. Coupled with his tender and pitiful appearance and his young age, Zhou Feng couldn’t help but worry about his health, fearing that before they even reached the capital, this young man’s fragile body would be worn down by his master.
Thus, Zhou Feng felt pity and didn’t say anything harsher to provoke him.
However, this concern didn’t last long before it easily dissipated.
Yu Jinnian quickly adapted to his “captivity” with astonishing speed, showing not a shred of anxiety. Instead, he took the initiative, enjoying himself, ordering the people on the ship around more smoothly than his own servants. In just half an hour, he not only remembered the names of the two maids, three attendants, a janitor, and a pair of cooks who came to care for him, but he also learned the old stories of their relatives and connections. If they continued chatting, that cook, Wei Niang, might just introduce him to her niece for marriage!
It was hard to tell who the master was, him or Yan Chang.
Zhou Feng stood at the door, watching everyone who entered and exited with smiles on their faces. When they came out, they appeared reluctant to leave, and the room was filled with laughter and joy, creating a lively atmosphere! This journey down the river had been quiet all along, but none of the days could compare to today’s bustling activity.
Zhou Feng, used to the calmness accompanying Yan Chang, found this noise unbearable. He turned around and kicked the door open, quickly scolding, “What are you all doing here? Can’t you control your tongues? If you keep this up, I’ll cut them all off!”
He saw two young maidservants sitting on the floor, smiling sweetly as they leaned on the bed, surrounding the young man. At the table, Wei Niang was helping him sew the sleeves of his outer garment… When they saw Zhou Feng enter, they quickly stopped their chatter and lowered their heads, not daring to look up. Yu Jinnian, dangling his legs, sat there casually, smiling, “Oh, so fierce! Be careful, before you cut someone else’s tongue, you might just bite your own… Lord Feng.”
Zhou Feng: “…” Although he had long heard this nickname and knew the servants secretly called him that, Yu Jinnian was the first to openly call him this. Usually so good-natured, Zhou Feng was genuinely left baffled by this young man’s audacity.
Yu Jinnian slipped on his shoes, ignoring him, and smilingly took Wei Niang’s arm, “Wei Niang, didn’t we agree to go to the kitchen to cook for me? Let’s go, I’m starving!”
Wei Niang opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly realized Zhou Feng was present, and hesitated, not daring to reply. She was pulled by Yu Jinnian to go outside.
Zhou Feng warned, “Little Sir, your eyes are still blurry. Just call for the kitchen to bring whatever you want to eat. It’s not appropriate for you to go to that smoky place.”
Yu Jinnian ignored him, treating him like air. It wasn’t until Zhou Feng blocked him that he unhappily said, “I’m not blind. I have hands and feet; I can do it myself. Why… are you afraid I’ll jump off the boat and run away?” He looked up at Zhou Feng and then gestured outside, “Eight zhang, I’m not foolish.”
Zhou Feng didn’t dare to act arbitrarily. Unable to refuse Yu Jinnian, he could only arrange for two attendants to follow him. When he saw Yu Jinnian indeed chatting happily with Wei Niang in the kitchen, he didn’t dare to relax—Ji Family’s Third Young Master treated him like a treasure, and how could they bear to let such a tender little doctor suffer in the kitchen? It seemed this boy wanted to enter the kitchen under the pretense of cooking, but in reality, he was plotting something.
When Yu Jinnian entered the kitchen, he really had no ulterior motives; he was genuinely hungry and came to find something to eat.
Having suffered from that Drunken Luosha the day before, he dared not eat anything offered by the servants of the Xia family. He decided it was better to make something palatable himself than to suffer at the hands of others. As for the several attendants watching him, he didn’t treat them with any politeness; he simply regarded them as labor to be used.
When Zhou Feng reported back to Yan Chang, he saw the few bewildered attendants under Yu Jinnian’s command, having lost their tempers, squatting in the corner and diligently peeling potatoes.
Yu Jinnian: “Peel the eyes off!”
Zhou Feng: “…”
——
At this moment, after forcing himself to walk around and drinking plenty of water, Yu Jinnian’s eyesight gradually returned to clarity, but he still felt tired and realized it was not suitable to handle a knife. So, he instructed the cook on how to prepare the food while lazily leaning to supervise.
He had never liked being on a boat, partly due to a little history of seasickness. Later, it mysteriously got better to the point he wouldn’t throw up and lose his mind, but he could never forget the feeling of vomiting sour water. Therefore, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable. However, thanks to the heavy and stable ship, he only felt a slight sway.
Even so, his complexion wasn’t good; his stomach was both hungry and uncomfortable. Even if he stayed still, he could feel the gurgling sounds in his stomach, which was very unpleasant. He just wanted to eat something light, so he planned to make a small dish to satisfy his cravings.
Shredded potatoes, rinsed with clean water, chopped green onions and garlic, and a steamer was preheated on the stove.
Yu Jinnian took a bag of flour and dumped the rinsed shredded potatoes into it, using both hands to mix and coat them evenly in the flour. After that, he sifted out the floured potato shreds and laid them on a piece of thin cotton gauze in the steamer, then poured the potato shreds in to steam them.
This snack is called “Bu Lan Zi,” but its ancient name has never been studied. Yu Jinnian only remembered the taste because he had eaten it once at a friend’s house during his school days, and when he returned home, he asked for the recipe to make it himself. This dish serves as both a vegetable and a staple, with various forms. Not only potatoes can be used, but also cabbage, green beans, and eggplant. Additionally, it can be prepared in a hundred different ways based on the diners’ preferences.
While the potatoes were steaming in the steamer, Yu Jinnian asked the cook to cut up another batch of potato strips. This wasn’t to make some fancy dish, but to kill time; he wanted to fry some French fries. After all, the Xia family was wealthy, so they likely wouldn’t mind if he used a few extra spoons of oil.
He instructed the cook to soak the freshly cut potato strips in saltwater and then boil them until half-cooked. Afterward, they would be drained of excess moisture. If someone wanted a more delicate method, they would first soak them in fresh milk for two hours, making the fries softer, stickier, and sweeter. However, Yu Jinnian didn’t have the time or inclination to put in such effort, so he skipped that step and directly fried them for convenience.
When the oil pot reached a temperature of 70%, Yu Jinnian used a slotted spoon to drop in the cut potato strips. Instantly, the oil bubbled vigorously, and the strips floated up and down until they quickly turned pale. He then removed them, let the oil cool, and refried them until they turned golden brown.
The fries were done, and the potato strips in the steamer were also ready. As Yu Jinnian chewed on the fries, he stood on tiptoe to check the steamer. After eating a few, he reached for the salt jar and five-spice powder.
Yu Jinnian pinched a small handful of salt but immediately felt something was off, so he picked up the salt jar and scrutinized it in the light.
No matter when, salt and iron were hard currency in the hands of officials, and the finest salt and most durable iron were always reserved for the highest rulers. Unless one was a hopelessly greedy person, even typical noble families wouldn’t dare to overstep. Although they had made quite a bit of money from the noodle shop, the salt they purchased was of a finer grain compared to what Yu Jinnian was used to, but it still had a significant amount of impurities.
However, the jar in his hand contained salt that was as pure as snow. When rubbed between his fingers, it was delicate as sand, and the effort it took to produce it was no less than what Yu Jinnian knew from his past life; this was truly a good thing.
Zhou Feng was checking around when he noticed Yu Jinnian staring at the salt jar. Realizing something, he quickly approached, snatched the small porcelain jar away, and took a spoonful of salt to sprinkle on a plate. He then quickly changed the subject, saying, “I just instructed the servants to heat water. Little Sir, will you be taking a bath soon? There are bath balls from the East Sea available; soaking them in the tub makes one’s skin fragrant.”
Yu Jinnian secretly observed him but didn’t pursue the matter of the fine salt. Instead, with narrowed eyes, he replied, “Sounds good.”
The cook had started heating oil again, sautéing ginger and garlic, frying two eggs, then cutting some cucumber and green onion strips. Following Yu Jinnian’s instructions, she tossed the steamed potato strips into the pan after the other ingredients were nearly cooked, adding a little salt and soy sauce, quickly stirring. The golden scrambled eggs mixed with the potato strips created a dazzling golden color, accented with a hint of green onion, and the aroma was mouthwatering.
The steamed potato strips were called Bu Lan Zi. Their texture was soft and chewy, somewhat like noodles but different from actual pasta. This dish was Northern cuisine, so the maids and servants from Yue hadn’t likely eaten it before. Yu Jinnian took one portion of Bu Lan Zi and the fries, and noticing they had some dried seaweed on the ship, he quickly made a bowl of seaweed soup to eat alongside, leaving the rest for the cook and maids to enjoy.
Upon returning to the East Chamber, he sat alone with his meal as the outside gradually darkened.
The wind and waves on the river began to rise. Hearing shouts outside, he hurried to the window to lean out and take a look. It was a group of fishermen on the distant shore, calling out to each other, reminding one another to pull up the rain curtain to prevent the boat from getting wet if it rained soon. A few children pulled some reeds, staring curiously at the large boat like a tower and calling out to Yu Jinnian, who appeared at the window.
Yu Jinnian leaned dejectedly against the window, watching a dark cloud approaching the horizon—he knew Ji Hong would not show up, yet he couldn’t help but worry. He wondered if Ji Hong would be anxious, angry, or do something improper. He thought about whether Ji Hong could eat well without him and if he would be scared of the dark at night…
Thinking too much led to a depressed mood, and naturally, he lost his appetite, not even wanting to eat the fries on the table, pushing them aside instead and calling for Zhou Feng to bring in the bathing tub.
Not long after, the bathing tub was indeed brought in, but with it came many other items.
There were freshly washed strawberries with the stems cut off, and at this time, strawberries weren’t cheap. A group of servants had gone in and out, setting up an entire table of them. Following that were various bathing flower petals—seasonal and non-seasonal, red, yellow, pink, and white—surrounding the tub. After the servants retreated, several maids entered, bringing in a dozen or so sets of silk clothing, complete with jade belt buckles and gold and silver hairpins, filling the bed area.
Yu Jinnian twitched his eyes: “What is all this?”
Zhou Feng replied, “These are gifts from the master.”
Yu Jinnian smiled without joy: “Then I truly thank Boss Xia. Looking at my worth, I’m almost comparable to the top courtesans in the brothels now, right?” He pointed outside the door, self-deprecating, “Alright, Lord Feng, the top courtesan is going to bathe now; why don’t you hurry up and leave?”
——
The East Chamber had an inner and outer room. Although both were not large, they were reasonably well-equipped. Yu Jinnian locked the door latch in the inner room to take a bath. No one here cared how he went about it, so even though he was imprisoned, he believed there was no need to torment himself for an unrelated person. Therefore, he enjoyed it however he wanted.
The bath balls Zhou Feng mentioned indeed had a fragrant aroma, and they likely contained some calming herbal powder that made one feel relaxed. He submerged himself in the tub, feeling drowsy. Suddenly, he heard the door creak, and there was some rustling, as if someone was moving outside.
Yu Jinnian splashed some water on his face, wrapped a piece of undergarment around himself, then turned to check the clothes Boss Xia had sent him. Finally, he grabbed a dark black robe to drape over his shoulders before approaching the door to unlock it.
He saw Boss Xia standing at the door holding a jug of wine. Upon seeing him open the door, he lifted his eyes slightly.
“Boss Xia, why aren’t you sleeping at such a late hour? Are you here to force some medicine down my throat?”
The inner room was filled with steam and moist mist. The young man walked out, his hair still dripping water, and his feet from the calves down were also wet, leaving small wet spots on the wooden floor. He had a slim figure, flushed cheeks, and an air of youthful vitality, making the black robe appear rather out of place on him.
Last night, he specifically sent a small boat to nearby towns to buy some clothes—some luxurious, some simple, some long gowns, and some short riding clothes—over a dozen outfits in total, ensuring he wouldn’t pick something he didn’t like. Yet, he ended up choosing this black one, which somehow suppressed his vibrant youthfulness by a bit of an evil aura.
Yan Chang furrowed his brow slightly: “Why are you wearing that?”
Yu Jinnian looked down at himself, his voice still hoarse from soaking in hot water, and replied slowly, “What’s wrong? I like this one; is it not suitable?”
Yan Chang didn’t continue to dwell on the issue of clothing. Instead, he turned his gaze to the half-eaten food on the table: “I heard you cooked today. Was the food made by the cook on the ship not to your taste? If you like any particular dishes, just tell Zhou Feng… Can you eat Su Nan cuisine?”
Yu Jinnian replied, “No need. People are unpredictable; it’s safer to be self-sufficient.”
Yan Chang seemed completely off from the same wavelength as him, continuing to speak: “In a couple of days, we’ll arrive in Jiancheng. The local carpenters are outstanding. I’ll buy you some interesting little gadgets to pass the time. I’ve heard they can make a clockwork bird that chirps every hour. It’s supposed to be really fun. By the way, are these strawberries sweet enough?”
He picked up a strawberry and held it out to Yu Jinnian.
Yu Jinnian waved his hand to reject it: “I don’t know; I haven’t tried it. Just take them all away. My brother doesn’t let me eat other people’s food.”
“—Yu Jinnian!” Yan Chang said sternly.
Yu Jinnian didn’t flinch; he stared directly back at him, the pent-up frustration from a day and night finally boiling over: “Stop! Don’t act all high and mighty! I don’t care who you are; if you don’t want to say, then I don’t want to know. If you enjoy playing this game of hiding a beauty in a gilded cage, there are plenty of people in the world willing to play along, but I’m not interested. If you want to keep this arm of yours, just let me off at the next dock. I won’t hold it against you, and I’ll still treat your ailment; otherwise… unless you plan to kill me, I’ll poison this arm of yours sooner or later!”
Yan Chang, who had always held power over others and punished countless people, was experiencing this for the first time, having someone tell him “I won’t hold it against you.” He relaxed his grip slightly, and the strawberry fell to the floor, rolling underfoot and quickly squishing into pulp. He reached out and pulled off Yu Jinnian’s black robe, leaving him in a wet undergarment that clung to his skin: “Well then, let’s see whose mouth softens first or whose hand gets hurt first.”
“Zhou Feng! Lock the door. Before we reach the capital, no one is allowed to open it without my orders!”