Chapter 2: A Chance Encounter with a Handsome Man

Chapter 2: A Chance Encounter with a Handsome Man

Hua Ling ran out in a fit of anger. Once she stepped out of the courtyard gate of Yinlü Pavilion, she stood there, stunned. Damn it, this Prime Minister’s estate is way too big! Why are there so many paths? Where should she go to find that heartless Mu Yelei?

Hua Ling tried her best to analyze the three paths in front of her with her clever little brain, wondering which one was the right one. After thinking for a long time, she finally gave up because she really didn't understand the layout of ancient houses. Damn it, she’d just go for it—she’d take the path on the right. If she couldn't find him, she’d deal with it then; at worst, she could just turn back the way she came.

Hua Ling stepped onto the path on the right. Along the way, there were willow trees providing shade, flowers filling the garden with fragrance, rockeries, pavilions, small bridges, and flowing water. The scenery here was truly beautiful, so much so that Hua Ling almost forgot the purpose of her visit.

The further she walked, the more Hua Ling felt something was wrong. How come she hadn't seen a single soul? Were there no servants in the Prime Minister’s estate? Standing there, Hua Ling took a closer look at her surroundings and confirmed that she must have reached the garden. It seemed that ancient dignitaries loved to have gardens to show off their status. It appeared this Mu Yelei was truly highly regarded; if such a large garden were in modern-day Beijing, where every inch of land is worth gold, oh my god, it would cost tens of millions of RMB to buy!

After clicking her tongue in secret, Hua Ling prepared to head back the way she came. Mu Yelei surely wouldn't be strolling in the garden at this hour; she definitely wouldn't find him here.

Hua Ling turned to leave when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Someone was there! Curious, Hua Ling turned back around. The moment she turned, she locked eyes with a pair of pitch-black eyes. Startled, she quickly took a step back, clutching her chest as she said, "You scared the life out of me! Why are you standing so close?"

The man opposite her was stunned. No one had ever dared to speak to him in such a tone, and he found it quite refreshing. He carefully sized up the woman before him: she wore a simple, clean, crescent-white shirt and skirt, with a sash of the same color tied around her waist. Her ink-black hair hung down long, styled only in a casual butterfly bun at the top of her head, held by a very ordinary jade hairpin.

Her movements were graceful and elegant, her every glance radiant. Her vermilion lips were red without the need for rouge, her willow-leaf brows were slightly knitted, and her phoenix eyes were pitch-black—she was peerlessly beautiful. Her figure was perfectly proportioned, her shoulders looked as if they were carved, and her waist was as slender as a silk ribbon. Her neck was long and elegant, her fair skin exposed, and she wore no heavy makeup, yet her shifting gaze was enough to take one's breath away.

What a naturally beautiful woman. What the man noticed most was that her hair wasn't pinned up, clearly indicating she was an unmarried maiden. This Mu Yelei was truly underhanded; he had hidden such a stunning beauty in his home without saying a word. He would ask him for her later; surely he wouldn't be unwilling to part with one woman.

While the man was sizing her up, Hua Ling was also examining him. He had a tall, elegant build. His clothes were made of high-quality ice-blue silk, with elegant bamboo leaf patterns embroidered on the snow-white trim, which complemented the mutton-fat jade hairpin on his head. It cleverly highlighted the extraordinary figure of a flamboyant young nobleman, and his smile carried a touch of a dashing, romantic youth.

His chin was slightly lifted, and in the center of his apricot-shaped eyes, the stars shone brilliantly. He wore a robe of ink-colored satin, with silver openwork hibiscus flower trim peeking out from within. He wore a jade belt and held an ivory folding fan. In the garden beyond the railing, hibiscus flowers bloomed enchantingly under the moonlight, their light red buds as bright as if they were summoning the spring back.

Wow, what a handsome man. He was much more handsome than those plastic-surgery-enhanced heartthrobs in idol dramas. It was said that ancient times were full of handsome men; it seemed that was true. She had just arrived and already bumped into one. Looking at the sunny and handsome man before her, Hua Ling felt so happy!

"I didn't mean to; I was just walking a bit too quickly. Please forgive me for bumping into you, Miss!" A voice as gentle as jade flowed slowly through the air.

Wow, his voice was super pleasant too. Hua Ling blushed slightly and said, "It's okay, never mind. You didn't mean it anyway. Um, let me ask, do you know where Mu Yelei is?"