Chapter 77
Chapter 77: Heart Racing Home
Lin Qing Xuan’s jaw tightened. He stared at the cat as if he could burn holes through it.
“You followed me?”
Tuan Tuan lifted a paw and scratched behind its ear, elegant in a way that was somehow infuriating.
“Please. Your wreck of a carriage has so much space in the back. I curl up in a corner and you still wouldn’t notice.”
It rolled its eyes so dramatically disdain practically spilled from its golden pupils.
“Lin the Great Buddhist scion, can you have any sense of time?”
“Xiao Man is next door in the kitchen right now, making snacks and clanging away. I heard she saved some for you, and you’re still here wasting breath with a bald monk.”
It jerked its chin at Zhen Su, full of contempt.
“This is nothing. Yet you ran into the mountains to talk and talk.”
“Begging him is worse than begging me. I can fix this with a few words.”
Lin Qing Xuan’s chest felt tight with anger—yet he couldn’t help listening.
Tuan Tuan flicked its tail, pleased with itself.
“Simple.”
“When you sleep tonight, I’ll slip into that maid’s dream. You confess in the dream, and it’s done.”
It leaned closer, lowering its voice with deliberate mischief, though every word carried clearly to both men.
“Come to think of it… how long has it been since you two had a good time in your dreams?”
The courtyard went still.
Zhen Su, who had been listening with shameless interest, choked.
“Cough—cough, cough!”
He covered his mouth, cheeks flushing, eyes darting as if thinking, This is something a monk shouldn’t hear.
Then, when he caught his breath, he looked at Lin Qing Xuan’s mortified face and burst into laughter.
“Junior Brother, oh Junior Brother!”
“Master and I always said your love trial would be hard. I never imagined a tiny thing like this would come to enlighten you.”
“What a fate. What a great fate! Hahaha!”
Each booming laugh made Lin Qing Xuan’s face burn hotter.
“You monster! Spouting nonsense!”
He lunged forward, reaching for the cat.
“Oh?” Tuan Tuan dodged with a fluid twist, tail high. “Embarrassed and angry?”
It hopped onto the stone table and looked down at him with smug superiority.
“I’m done playing.”
“I’m going to the Main Buddha Hall to chat with Shakyamuni Buddha. I want to ask if he was this twisted back then too.”
Then it swung its head toward Lin Qing Xuan and barked, “Move faster!”
“Your Third Miss is a bottomless pit. She won’t leave you a single bite of what Xiao Man made!”
“And Xiao Man is soft-hearted. She’s easy to bully. If you don’t go back, she’ll get pushed around until she cries—and you’ll be the one who suffers.”
Wifey. Bullied. Crying.
Those words slammed into Lin Qing Xuan’s chest and sparked a sudden, unreasoning panic.
He stopped caring about the cat. Stopped caring about appearances. He turned sharply to Zhen Su, bowed in haste, and spoke fast.
“Senior Brother, I’ll take my leave!”
Then he strode out of the temple without looking back.
Zhen Su watched his hurried retreat and shook his head with a smile. His gaze drifted to where the cat had vanished, admiration lingering.
When Lin Qing Xuan reached the carriage, he lifted the curtain—and there was the culprit, sprawled boldly on the softest cushion, licking its paw with total focus.
“The wind outside is brutal,” Tuan Tuan drawled. “The carriage is much nicer.”
It meowed twice, found a better spot, curled into a ball, and promptly fell asleep.
Back at the Heir Apparent’s Manor, Lin Qing Xuan nearly leapt down from the carriage and headed straight for the Auspicious Cloud Residence.
His heart raced as if an arrow were lodged inside it.
From a distance, he saw a slender figure at the residence gate, standing on tiptoe and looking outward.
Xiao Man.
Was she waiting for him?
Not exactly.
She had just sent away Third Miss Lin Yu Ning, who had come again to scavenge the almond cream she’d just made.
Xiao Man had spent half the day preparing a few bowls, shared them out, and saved one for Lin Qing Xuan, keeping it warm.
When she spotted him, her eyes brightened.
“Eldest Young Master, you’re back early.”
She stepped forward with a gentle smile.
“I saved you some almond cream. Drink it while it’s warm—let it chase the chill from you.”
Lin Qing Xuan looked at the bowl in her hands, steam rising faintly, and something in him softened into a quiet ache.
A small voice sounded at his feet, smug as a wink.
“I don’t lie. I only fool idiots!”
Lin Qing Xuan glanced down. Tuan Tuan had slipped to his side at some point, tail held high, walking toward Xiao Man with elegant cat steps.
Xiao Man saw the glossy black cat—sleeker, brighter-eyed than before—and instinctively bent as if to pick it up.
“I’ll do it,” Lin Qing Xuan cut in, voice low, and reached down.
The cat flashed away from his hand.
“No need. I can walk.”
It darted into the courtyard, heading straight for the study with shameless confidence.
Lin Qing Xuan sat at the desk, fingers tapping once, then stopping as if he’d forgotten what he meant to do.
Xiao Man entered carefully with the white porcelain bowl and offered it forward.
“Eldest Young Master, drink while it’s hot. I made it richer.”
Before the last word settled, a lazy, commanding voice spoke from the desk corner.
“Save some for Young Master!”
Lin Qing Xuan’s eyelid twitched. Tuan Tuan was crouched at the corner of the desk, grooming as if it owned the world.
Xiao Man shot it a look. “You’re a cat. Why are you drinking almond cream?”
Even as she scolded it, she turned to Lin Qing Xuan, eyes asking permission.
“Eldest Young Master… do you want to share?”
Lin Qing Xuan didn’t answer. He took a spoon, scooped two spoonfuls from his bowl, and poured them into a clean dish meant for washing brushes.
Xiao Man set the dish on the desk’s edge.
Tuan Tuan hopped down, sniffed once to the left, once to the right, then extended its pink tongue and lapped delicately.
After one taste, it lifted its head and declared with satisfaction, “Not bad. This Young Master allows you to make it again tomorrow.”
Xiao Man laughed despite herself and tapped its head lightly with a finger.
“As if I need your permission. There aren’t any sweet almonds left. Even if you want it, you won’t get it.”
Lin Qing Xuan’s gaze fell on her fingertips—fine calluses, the quiet proof of work—and he asked, “Did you eat any yourself?”
Xiao Man’s mouth twisted with helplessness.
“Only this bowl is left. Third Miss took all the rest. She didn’t even leave Old Madam’s share.”
Lin Qing Xuan pushed the bowl toward her.
“Then try some.”
Heat rushed to Xiao Man’s face. She waved her hands quickly.
“No—really. You’ve already eaten!”
Tuan Tuan’s voice drifted in at once, syrup-sweet with malice.
“Oh? You swallowed his dream drool, but now you’re picky about the food he’s touched?”
Xiao Man’s face went crimson in a blink, cheeks to ears. She reached for the cat in a fury.
“You shameless dead cat!”
Tuan Tuan sprang away, landing neatly on the windowsill. It looked back and stuck out its tongue, utterly pleased with itself.
“Last time, didn’t you say you’d beat me once I had flesh? You still can’t hit me now. Bleh.”
It flicked its tail and leapt out the window, disappearing like smoke.
Lin Qing Xuan’s ears felt warm too.
Xiao Man stood there, half mortified, half furious, her mind a boiling mess. All she wanted was to flee before she made things worse.
She turned to go.
Lin Qing Xuan stopped her.
“Whatever you want to make, I’ll have Stone prepare the ingredients. Make more. You don’t need to save everything only for me.”
Xiao Man halted.
But her mind was still caught on those two words—dream drool—and she wanted nothing more than to catch that damned cat and beat it senseless.