Fanghua had planted many flowers, but they were far less vibrant and colorful than those in Flying Flower City. The drooping flower buds hanging on the yellow-tiled walls mirrored the dejected appearance of the young girl before him.
Ji Bozai didn’t ask why she apologized. He merely surveyed the surroundings and asked, “Is this where you used to live?”
Mingyi nodded and led him inside.
The courtyard was quite spacious but lacked luxurious decorations. The furniture was simple, not even matching the previous Ji mansion. Only the abundance of crystal stones and registers filled two rooms.
From inside came the excited exclamations of Luo Jiaoyang and others, as if they had discovered many incredible treasures. Ji Bozai, however, showed no interest and walked towards the main house.
On the doorframe were several marks, as if someone had regularly measured their height there. He glanced at it and instinctively stood next to it, leaving his height mark at the top.
Provocation, this was a provocation!
Mingyi puffed her cheeks and turned away resentfully.
He smirked and continued inside.
The room lacked any feminine touch. Black wooden furniture, cyan curtains, and a bed so hard it seemed like just a thin cloth over wood.
After looking around, Ji Bozai sat casually on a stool and said lightly, “With these conditions, I don’t know why you feel you’ve wronged me.”
Although his first ten years in the slave camp were indeed difficult, his good days afterward were something she never had.
Mingyi felt awkward. “Nanny Xun and the others told me about your experiences in the slave camp. If it weren’t for Mingan, you wouldn’t have had to…”
“By that logic, if it weren’t for Consort Yan, you wouldn’t be in your current situation,” he raised an eyebrow. “Should I also apologize to you, and then we stand face to face, bowing and apologizing to each other?”
Her almond eyes rolled, and Mingyi suddenly realized, “Oh, right. My situation was also caused by your imperial mother.”
“I have no imperial mother,” Ji Bozai wagged his index finger, seriously correcting her. “I’ve never felt that being forcibly brought into this world is something to be grateful for, let alone being born but not raised.”
Mingyi frowned. “Your thoughts are too strange. Your life was given by your parents…”
“Did they ask me if I wanted it when they gave it to me?” he raised an eyebrow.
The young girl before him grew angry. “How can you be like this? Who doesn’t want life? If you don’t want it, why don’t you give it back to them?”
“I’ve tried,” Ji Bozai lowered his eyes. “When I almost lost my life in Star City due to multiple poisons, I tried. Those who saved me are my benefactors. My life belongs to them now, not to Consort Yan.”
Mingyi was speechless. Seeing Ji Bozai lower his eyes with a hint of sadness, she rubbed her hands together and softened her tone. “Don’t be sad. It’s good that you can think this way. Consort Yan isn’t a good person. I wouldn’t feel at ease if you returned to her side.”
What’s with this comforting attitude? Ji Bozai’s brows twitched slightly. He had only lowered his eyes to rest a bit because he was tired, but the person beside him had become so cautious.
She’s quite easy to bully.
A thought crossed his mind, and he suddenly let out a long sigh. “I never expected to encounter so much in Chaoyang City.”
Mingyi felt extremely guilty and squatted beside him, muttering, “I just wanted you to know the truth, in case… in the future…”
In case she died in the future, and no one else could tell him these things.
Originally, she thought anyone would want to know who their birth parents were, but she didn’t expect Ji Bozai to be completely indifferent. This made her feel like she had meddled unnecessarily.
Ji Bozai smiled bitterly. “This truth is truly disgusting. After seeing Consort Yan’s behavior today, I’m afraid I won’t even want to visit Huamanlou anymore.”
“That won’t happen. A dog can’t change its habit of eating feces, rest assured.”
“Hm?” He narrowed his eyes.
“Ah, no, I mean, Consort Yan is Consort Yan, it has nothing to do with others. Your romantic conquests span the world, you’ll be fine after a while.”
When did he become such a philanderer? Previously, he enjoyed being close to women, but it was just casual flirtation out of boredom… Never mind, even he wouldn’t believe that if he said it out loud, let alone her.
Ji Bozai glanced at Mingyi, feeling a bit of a headache.
He didn’t want to let this person go, but now in her heart, apart from a slight guilt towards him, there was nothing else.
It was truly frustrating. In the past, so many women were reluctant to leave him, but with her, he seemed like just a debt that needed to be repaid.
He let out a long sigh and lowered his eyes.
Mingyi felt a bit at a loss. She looked around and found a small wooden carved rabbit.
“This was given to me by Twenty-seven. It’s the cutest thing in the whole room,” she held it out to him. “When I’m unhappy, I look at it. Do you want to look at it too?”
Compared to the cold, hard colors of the room, the wooden rabbit was indeed cute. But Ji Bozai narrowed his eyes. “Twenty-seven is still just a servant. I’m surprised you’ve kept something he gave you for so long.”
Mingyi’s mouth twitched. “What’s wrong with being a servant? In the entire inner court, he was the only one who treated me sincerely.”
“You’re just someone who’s never been treated well, so you think anyone who gives you a little sweetness is good,” he snorted coldly. “I could give you a hundred rabbits like this. Why don’t you think I’m sincere?”
Mingyi looked at him with a complex expression, then stood up and put the rabbit back on the black wooden shelf. “Sincerity has nothing to do with you, sir.”
Ji Bozai fell silent.
Indeed, he had never been sincere to her. But what about her? Hadn’t she also hidden so many things from him before, even her motives for approaching him weren’t pure?
The atmosphere in the room became tense. Luo Jiaoyang entered obliviously, smiling at Mingyi. “Your courtyard may seem unremarkable at first glance, but it’s full of treasures. We must seize the opportunity to study intensively during these few days here.”
Mingyi came back to her senses and smiled back at him. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can come and ask me. Although my Yuan Power is weak now, I’m still well-versed in the ways of cultivation.”
Her smile towards him always seemed to be behind a veil, but when she smiled at others, her eyes were bright, the curve of her mouth natural and lovely, quite charming.
Ji Bozai’s fingers tightened, and he suddenly felt his throat go dry.
“How are we dividing the rooms in this courtyard?” Chu He came in from outside, hesitantly saying, “There are only three empty rooms, we might have to squeeze a bit.”
Three empty rooms, with each bed only able to sleep two people, meant that someone would have to share a room with Mingyi.
Luo Jiaoyang immediately raised his hand. “I’ll room with Miss Ming. I can sleep on the floor, and I can also ask Miss Ming about Chapter Nine of the ‘Fighter’s Register’…”
Fan Yao tugged at his sleeve.
Luo Jiaoyang turned his head, displeased. “Why are you pulling me? I spoke first, don’t try to compete with me.”
Who was competing with him? He was saving his life. Fan Yao shook his head and glanced at Ji Bozai.
Ji Bozai sat there composedly, appearing indifferent, but the corner of his eye was watching for Miss Ming’s reaction.
Miss Ming was calm. “That’s fine. There’s a screen in the room, we can just divide it. Fighters shouldn’t be concerned with such trivial matters.”
She was behaving like someone with nothing to lose.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Bozai smiled without humor. “Fine, let’s do that then.”
Qin Shangwu felt it was inappropriate, but before he could speak, his disciple stood up with a cold face and strode out of the room.