Chapter -84 The Meeting with Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er.

Chapter -84.

Ye Chen couldn't help but feel a bit silly for his earlier words. Who would share their feelings so openly in a moment like that? Only someone a bit foolish would do that!

Feeling a mix of excitement and regret for being so blunt, he thought, "You can keep those thoughts to yourself, you know?"

Qian Renxue's cheeks flushed a lovely shade of red, and she looked at Ye Chen with a mix of emotions—neither smiling nor frowning. It was a bit confusing, as if she hadn't quite said yes or no.

The air between them grew a little awkward. With such a stunning beauty in front of him, Ye Chen felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her, forgetting everything else.

With a sheepish grin, he scratched his head and admitted, "I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me, but I really want to kiss you."

As soon as he said that, Qian Renxue's face turned an even deeper shade of red, her gaze darting away from his intense stare, her ears blushing too.

"You're such a fool," she murmured softly, almost too quietly to hear.

But Ye Chen couldn't hold back any longer. He wrapped his arms around her delicate waist and kissed her passionately.

Qian Renxue squirmed a little in his embrace.

Confused, Ye Chen pulled back and asked, "Don't you like it?"

With a mix of laughter and exasperation, Qian Renxue rubbed her nose and said, "You kissed my nose!"

Ye Chen blinked in surprise, then looked at her lips, his heart racing as he thought about kissing her again.

"Mm~"

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow, Ye Chen and Qian Renxue slowly floated down from the sky, hand in hand, gazing into each other's eyes for a moment before they both let go and returned to their disguises.

Watching Qian Renxue ride away, Ye Chen felt a strange emptiness in his heart, unable to put a name to the feeling.

Back at the Imperial Academy, Ye Chen had planned to take a nap, but excitement kept him wide awake. No matter how hard he tried to close his eyes or count sheep, sleep just wouldn't come.

Tossing and turning in bed at the principal's villa, he finally remembered he had an appointment outside and got up to get ready.

**Tian Dou City, Eastern Suburban Royal Garden.**

Ye Chen arrived at the garden's stone archway, surrounded by lush trees. This place used to be a beautiful royal garden, but it had fallen into disarray over time, with wild growth everywhere.

Since it was a bit out of the way, he wondered why they had chosen this spot.

Shaking his head, Ye Chen walked through a rusty iron gate, navigating the winding forest paths, unsure of where to go.

He had never been here before, and Shui Bing'er and Huo Wu hadn't given him specific directions. The garden was so vast; where could they be?

Reaching a fork in the path, he saw a wild, thorny trail to the left and a neatly arranged gravel path to the right. Trusting his instincts, he chose the thorny path without a second thought.

After pushing through the thorns for a while, the view suddenly opened up to reveal a stunning lake and mountain scenery.

But before he could take it all in, a voice called out, "You're here."

Turning, he spotted Huo Wu in a fiery red skirt, standing nearby with her long legs catching his eye.

Ye Chen quickly walked over, checked the time on his wrist soul guide, and said casually, "Just to clarify, everything I saw in the illusion is confidential, so no worries there."

"Um, wait, that's not what I meant," Huo Wu replied, nodding but then shaking her head, realizing she had almost been led off track by his words. What she really wanted to say was different.

Gathering her thoughts, she continued, "Actually, the person you saw in the illusion wearing the black robe is you, but not really you. I just think you resemble someone else, which is why I reacted that way."

"Wait, I'm confused," Ye Chen said, rubbing his temples and glancing at the time again.

In just a few minutes, he was supposed to meet Shui Bing'er. He was more curious about what she wanted to discuss than about Huo Wu's thoughts.

Looking back at Huo Wu, he smiled slightly and said, "So, you're saying the guy in the black robe isn't really me? You just want to get close to someone else?"

"Exactly! I just don't want you to get the wrong idea and think 'I like you.' That wouldn't be good for either of us."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow at her words. In the illusion, wasn't the other person just him in regular clothes? Did Huo Wu actually have feelings for him?

He turned to Huo Wu, filled with questions. He didn't recall having much interaction with her—just a few meetings and some time in the council hall. Could feelings really develop that quickly?

Just as he was trying to figure it all out, a familiar voice called out, interrupting them.

"Shadow, are you in there? Did you get lost?"

Hearing the voice, Ye Chen turned and quickly replied, "I'm here, coming out soon!"

He smiled at Huo Wu and added, "I still have someone to meet. Since we've cleared up the misunderstanding, I'll take my leave."

"Go ahead!" Huo Wu said, extending her hand but not trying to stop him. She felt that what she needed to say was already clear.

"I'm coming out!" Ye Chen waved goodbye and headed back through the thorny path.

When he reached the fork in the garden path again, he spotted a blue-haired girl waiting for him.

Shui Bing'er stood there, about 1.65 meters tall, with a figure that was just right—not too curvy, not too petite. Her long, water-blue hair cascaded down her back, and her fair face was adorned with delicate features. At first glance, she might not seem extraordinary, but a closer look revealed a captivating beauty that drew you in.

"Ye Chen, where did you run off to? I thought you weren't coming!" she exclaimed, her smile warm and inviting.

As she took his arm, Shui Bing'er led him along the gravel path lined with trees, not quite sure where it would take them.

As they walked away, Huo Wu emerged from the thorny path, watching the fading silhouettes of Ye Chen and Shui Bing'er. She murmured to herself, "Ye Chen, could he really be Ye Chen?"

Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind. In the illusion, amidst all the chaos, she had caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, though the face had been unclear. Now, looking back, she realized that person had looked a lot like Ye Chen.

"No wonder he looks so much like him," she thought, a spark of certainty igniting in her eyes. Huo Wu decided to follow them down the gravel path, eager to see what Shui Bing'er had planned for Ye Chen in this secluded garden at night.

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