Chapter 26

Until he saw this portrait, Zixiu had always thought that he simply got into trouble by accident because he tried to help that witch out of curiosity. “How come this girl looks exactly like me? Is kidnapping me part of someone’s scheme?” he wondered.

But it didn’t make sense! He had been in the town only a few times in the past three years, so no matter how charming he was, nobody would have waited several years merely to kidnap him. Moreover, hadn’t it been for his insomnia, he wouldn’t have wandered about in the yard and run into that woman who was the start of his nightmare! “Is it a pure coincidence? How could that be! Has dad been hiding something from me? But how come my family has anything to do with the royalty of the Wen Kingdom? What the hell is going on?” Zixiu was in over his head. However, despite his confused state of mind, he was aware that his situation was getting more dangerous. “This pervert must be more suspicious of me. Gosh! It’s unfair! What have I done wrong?”

“Your Highness, please do trust me! I hate liars the most! My family lives in the Cirrus Valley in Mount Windward. We’ve been honest people for generations, selling herbs for a living. I rarely went out and in the last three years, I’ve only gone down the mountain three times. If anyone says I have anything to do with that perverted woman, it’s pure malicious slander! Your Highness, you’re such an insightful person, so I’m sure you will uphold justice and protect the innocent me, right?” Zixiu explained, almost in tears.

Compared to him, Nangong Du appeared to be much more relaxed. Watching the portrait on the table with keen interest for a while, he muttered, “The Cirrus Valley in Mount Windward?”

“Yes! That’s it!” Zixiu immediately said in response to his words with a smile. “That’s where I live! Your Highness, if you don’t believe it, just send someone there to verify what I’ve said. My dad is Liu Wuyi. On the 15th of every month when there’s a fair in town, he’ll go there to sell herbs!”

“Really?” Nangong Du didn’t seem to be convinced. “Honey, you went into so much detail, so I guess it’s only a made-up story!”

“Your Highness, don’t get me wrong! Lying to you is the last thing in this world that I would ever do!” To show his sincerity and prove that every word he spoke was heartfelt, Zixiu put away his flattering smile. Needless to say, he wouldn’t throw his father under the bus to prove his innocence. The Cirrus Valley in Mount Windward not only had a varied topography, but was also secluded, so nobody could find it without a guide. Actually, without his father leading him, even Zixiu himself dared not step out of the valley for fear that he might never find his way back once getting lost. At this point, a question suddenly crossed his mind. “Even if it’s for the mere sake of convenience when collecting herbs, we shouldn’t have lived in such a secluded place, which is necessary only for people trying to stay off the grid. Is dad really hiding something from me?”

“Darling, are you homesick?” Seeing that Zixiu seemed to have been lost in thought, Nangong Du began to beat about the bush.

“Homesick?” Zixiu was surprised, wondering what this pervert meant.

“Honey, you have my word. I’ll escort you home to visit my father-in-law one day!”

“Fa… Father-in-law?” When Zixiu heard this word, his face twitched unconsciously. “Is he really starting to take me seriously or is this part of another trick?”

Disregarding Zixiu’s awkward look, Nangong Du continued with a meaningful smile, “Honey, I’m sure you’re smart, but I would hate to see you fall victim to your own cleverness!”

“Er… Hehehe…” What was he talking about? Zixiu didn’t understand what Nangong Du was implying, so he could only flash a fake smile, which gave the latter another reason to make fun of him.

“I can feel myself drowning in that smile of yours. Darling, are you trying to seduce me?” Nangong Ddu suddenly wrapped his arms around Zixiu’s waist while staring at him lustfully.

“Your… Your Highness…” Before Zixiu could muster up courage to yell at this psycho and break free, he had already lost it.

Fortunately, he didn’t act on impulse. Nangong Du didn’t harass him anymore after giving a pinch on his slender waist. “Darling, you’re doing better now! As you’ve been dressed up, let’s go and have breakfast together!”

“Breakfast? So he has dropped the idea of looking into my relationship with the woman in this painting?” Seeing Zixiu in a trance, Nangong Du grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the room.