The café fell silent. A few seconds later, the Stop-Killing Palace Lord set down the kettle, her bright eyes narrowing beneath her mask.
"Tut, tut. What do you mean by that? That I've known you for a long time?"
Covering her mouth, she let out a girlish giggle, looking slightly unhinged. "Do you want to be the man of my dreams? Sigh, that little face of yours is decent enough, but still not quite there. If it were Fu Qingyang, though, he could be the man of my dreams."
For a moment, Zhang Yuanqing didn't know whether he should be angry that his boss was competing for his position as her favorite male companion, or that she wanted to steal his boss. He silently grumbled to himself.
His expression turned solemn, his tone certain. "You knew my father, Zhang Zizhen, didn't you?"
The Stop-Killing Palace Lord's smile vanished instantly. The curve of her lips gradually flattened, and beneath the mask, those lovely, lively eyes became deep and unfathomable.
"You don't need to deny it. I already know everything! The one who saved you back then and brought you to Songhai wasn't a member of the Chu Family—it was my father, Zhang Zizhen. That's why there were never any so-called clan members by your side. I asked the Great Sage of Love Madness. After following you for so many years, he'd never once seen you mention any clan members. I also asked Xie Lingxi. She said you were crazy and unpredictable, your moods changing on a whim. Let alone keeping male companions—even the most handsome man wouldn't earn a second glance from you. Yet you treated me differently. Every other word out of your mouth was 'male companion,' and you never refused any request I made. She only thought I was