Chapter 14

Lu Yanzhou bowed his head, his shoulders trembling violently for a moment.

Shi Liao Liao thought he was having another attack and subconsciously took a few steps forward, just as Lu Yanzhou lifted his head. 

She collided unexpectedly with his gaze, still brimming with a dissipating smile, as if filled with the shimmer of autumn waters.

The proximity left both of them momentarily stunned.

Lu Yanzhou was the first to avert his gaze, his long eyelashes casting a slight shadow.

He nearly forgot that the young male servant before him was suspected of harboring a secret crush on him.

"I'm much better now, let's go," he said softly.

He didn't ask why Shi Liao Liao knew about his fear of darkness.

Shi Liao Liao glanced at him.

[How do we get out?]

"Have you regained your strength?" she asked.

Another kick and that door would surely fall.

Lu Yanzhou shook his head.

"This..."

He suddenly pulled something out of his pocket and waved it in front of Shi Liao Liao.

On the silver-white strap, a small screen reflected the chaotic light of glow sticks, and the watch-like device appeared before Shi Liao Liao's eyes.

Her gaze fixed upon it.

"iWatch?"

[You little rascal, you had it all along and didn't say anything. Why did I even need the glow stick?]

Lu Yanzhou nodded, "Yeah, just remembered."

He handed over the watch and buried his head back down, "Help me dial, I'm so tired."

His tone sounded whiny due to exhaustion.

Shi Liao Liao got goosebumps all over and poked around on the watch face.

"Young master, who should I call?"

"Qingzhou."

After saying that, worried that the young servant wouldn't know which characters to use, he added, "Qingzhou that has crossed a myriad of mountains."

Shi Liao Liao had a puzzled look on his face, "Who's not wearing pants?"

Lu Yanzhou: "..."

Meeting his gaze that was faintly filled with helplessness, Shi Liao Liao who realized his mistake scratched his face calmly, "Oh, the Qingzhou from 'Qingzhou has crossed a myriad of mountains'."

He then entered the contact and dialed the number that appeared.

"Hello~ darling, what's up?"

A cheerful male voice came through.

Shi Liao Liao: "Hello pants, I'm not your darling."

The person on the other end: "...…???"

Lu Yanzhou's lips curved into a clear smile.

Shi Liao Liao: Pardon me, I misspoke.

"Hello, I am the personal manservant of Lu Yanzhou. We are currently trapped next to the first banquet hall, in the—"

"Old storage room," Lu Yanzhou interjected.

Shi Liao Liao repeated, "Inside the old storage room."

Hearing Lu Yanzhou's voice, Yang Qingzhou was startled: "Whoa, you've been ambushed, haven't you?"

"Mm," he replied.

"Hang on, I'll be right there to play the hero and save the damsel in distress~"

"Wait, remember to buy me fried chicken afterward, from that place at the very end of the third street, and don't forget the gloves!"

Lu Yanzhou responded indifferently, "Mm."

Shi Liao Liao couldn't help but lower his head to hide his amusement.

[So Yanzhou has such a cheerful friend by his side, quite cute.]

Yang Qingzhou: "Oh right, that little manservant, also explain to me what's with the nickname 'Pants'."

Shi Liao Liao: "" This little guy holds a grudge.

Lu Yanzhou put away his watch.

Why aren't you laughing anymore?

Is it your nature not to smile?

By the time Yang Qingzhou arrived with his tools, Lu Yanzhou had already recovered quite a bit.

Actually, as long as there was a bit of light, he wouldn't lose his ability to move. 

But the room had no windows, not even a sliver of moonlight could shine in.

"Lu Yanzhou! I'm here! You guys step back a bit, don't want to cause any accidents!"

Yang Qingzhou shouted.

After making sure that Lu Yanzhou was standing steadily, Shi Liao Liao turned and walked inside to avoid being hit by the door.

The next second, the iron door was forced from outside, and with a 'bang', it suddenly collapsed.

Moonlight poured in, illuminating the room. 

Lu Yanzhou did not look at Yang Qingzhou, who had just made a heroic entrance for himself, but instead turned his head to look at Shi Liao Liao.

The little manservant's slender figure was huddled in the corner, his suit somewhat wrinkled and his hair a bit messy. 

Even the legs of his trousers seemed to have been torn, as if cut by something.

Despite his disheveled appearance, the little manservant's eyes were bright, like black pearls, and even dust seemed unable to hide their luster.

Looking at his trousers, Lu Yanzhou, who had already redefined the little manservant in his mind, slightly furrowed his brows.

"Are you hurt?"

Yang Qingzhou, who had walked over, said, "Ouch~ How did you know? It hurts so much. It might be from when I bumped into the door just now. It really hurts~ I need someone to blow on it—"

Before he could finish his sentence, he watched in disbelief as his good friend walked straight towards the corner without a glance at him.

Yang Qingzhou: "..."

Shi Liao Liao hadn't yet realized what injury or who was hurt.

Seeing Lu Yanzhou staring at his leg, he then remembered that he seemed to have bumped it earlier.

Following the gaze downward, he saw that indeed, his trousers were torn; that bump earlier must have been quite harsh.

Thinking back to when he was uncomfortable, she seemed to have rushed over immediately. 

At that time, he indeed heard a collision sound, which made Lu Yanzhou's frown deepen even more.

"Can you walk?"

At this moment, the young master Lu no longer showed any signs of the earlier disheveled weakness. 

The clear and noble face regained its usual aristocratic and unapproachable demeanor; he had returned to the usual image of Lu Yanzhou, as if what happened just before was nothing but an illusion.

Shi Liao Liao thought to herself that such a minor injury was nothing to fuss about.

"It's okay."

Yang Qingzhou walked over from the other side. 

Seeing the torn pant leg of Shi Liao Liao, he also showed some concern: "Oh no, that looks like a bad cut. You might be bleeding. Let me help you."

Only then did Shi Liao Liao look at the person in front of her.

Contrary to the elegant name 'Qingzhou,' Yang Qingzhou himself had nothing to do with those two characters. 

On the contrary, he was very robust, similar to the bodybuilders Shi Liao Liao had seen on TV, with bulging muscles on his arms and a righteous expression on his face, exuding a handsome and manly charm.

Was he almost two meters tall at a glance?

Casting a glance at his outstretched hand, Lu Yanzhou said with some disdain: "Your hands are dirty."

Yang Qingzhou's eyes widened: "My dear friend, you're wearing a dusty suit and you're calling me dirty? Maybe you should take another look at yourself?"

Worried that the two would start arguing, Shi Liao Liao coughed.

"Young Master, I can walk on my own."

[How is he supposed to help me when he's so tall? Is he going to pick me up like a little chick?]

Yang Qingzhou wanted to say something else, but before he could speak, the light above them suddenly turned on with a 'click.'

It also illuminated the three of them, covered in dust.

Unbeknownst to them until they saw each other, Lu Yanzhou and Shi Liao Liao both had dust on their faces.

The two exchanged glances and simultaneously showed a hint of amusement in their eyes.

"Sit down first, let's check your leg," said Lu Yanzhou, trying to control his emotions.

They needed to make sure the wound was not too deep or had reached the bone, to prevent the injury from getting worse without them knowing.

Yang Qingzhou nodded in agreement: "Right, right."

Shi Liao Liao had a poker face as she said, "No need."

As Yang Qingzhou took a step forward, she stepped back and repeated—

"Really, there's no need."

Yang Qingzhou thought he was just being shy.

"Come on, what's there for a big guy to be shy about? No need to be polite."

Without waiting for Shi Liao Liao to speak again, he quickly pushed her down, and Lu Yanzhou, collaborating on the side, lifted her pant leg with the speed of lightning—

Revealing the saucy pink leopard print long johns underneath.

Both men: "..."

Outside, Shi Liao Liao was wearing dull black trousers, but inside she had on pink leopard print long johns, and she exchanged a deadpan look with Lu Yanzhou.

"I said there's no need."

[Man, are you satisfied with what you've seen?]