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"Young Master Piao, this humble monk pays his respects."
The gatekeeper monk seemed to know His Your Majesty well, and bowed with his hands clasped together. Without saying a word, he invited the three of them into the temple.
As they followed the winding path deeper into the side hall, Zhu Bafu grew increasingly uneasy in this place filled with the Incense of temple bells. He couldn't help but move a few steps closer to Li Chenjing. "Your Majesty wouldn't be so ruthless as to... get rid of us just because we didn't want to return to the palace, would he? Young Master?"
"... I feel like I've been here before."
As the temple bell rang, Zhu Bafu paused for a moment before looking up at Li Chenjing.
His focused gaze shifted away from her, as if subconsciously searching for his lost memories, glancing around at the familiar surroundings.
"Go through this corridor, then turn right..." The monk led the Holy Emperor ahead, and indeed they had already turned right.
"... Go through here, there's a broken water vat over there..." After passing through the corridor, there was indeed a broken water vat standing there.
"Over there, there's a stone table with Chessboard on it... Only six White Stones, the rest are all Black Stone..." The patterns on the old, damaged stone table and Chessboard were no longer clear, but six snow-white pieces, as White Stone, stood prominently on the Chessboard, surrounded by Black Stone Chessboard...
He... the Young Master had indeed been here.
He showed no reaction even upon seeing Liu Rongrong, so why did the layout and pathways of a small temple evoke so many memories for him...?
Will you remember?
Can you remember now?
As expected, he still has to revert to being the cold, aloof, and unsmiling Dongxu Grand Secretary.
Then, he couldn't remember any of the ambiguous conversations, expressions, or actions he had with her.
Hey, hey... what is she thinking? That aloof and elegant Dongxu Grand Secretary the Eastern Prefecture is the real Li Chenjing.
And this guy in front of me, who seems to think she's the only person in the world, is just...
Only...
"Little Eight?"
"..."
"What's wrong with you?"
"..."
"Why did you suddenly reach out and grab me? Why are your palms sweating?"
"..."
She... reached out and grabbed the Young Master?
Looking down, the image that appeared before him was her fingers tightly gripping his wrist, as if afraid he would suddenly disappear...
"What's wrong? Are you afraid I'll abandon you?" He looked at her, a smile spreading across his face. The honey-colored sunset bathed his long, dark hair in a soft glow, making him appear as radiant as a fleeting, beautiful night-blooming cereus, yet capable of fading away easily.
"This road seems familiar. Just follow me, Little Eight."
"... You, don't walk so fast, okay..." Even if she would eventually remember, even if this wasn't the real him, please, don't go so fast, okay? She had only just started to find him somewhat cute.
"What's wrong? Why are you shaking?" He took her hands in his, as naturally as he often did to comfort her, and placed them to his thin lips, squinting as he lightly kissed the back of her hands. "Don't worry, I won't abandon Little Eight."
"..."
"No matter how fast I walk, I will never leave Little Eight behind."
If... you could say that after you've remembered everything, how wonderful would that be?
If... we were really as you imagine, wouldn't that be wonderful?
If only... you hadn't lost your memory!
No... the last one is bad. If you hadn't lost your memory, how would I have known that you, who are so annoying, so cold, and who have nothing to do with me... could be so adorable?
This is so... something I like.
I like it? I like it?!
She... likes... the Young Master?!
"Little Eight?"
"Little Eight? What are you spacing out about?"
"Little Eight?"
A hand waved in front of Zhu Bafu's unfocused and stunned vision. The next moment, a face full of innocence and concern squeezed in front of her. Those deep, dark eyes were so close that they could only hold her alone, and the wing-like eyelashes gently blinked and brushed against her eyelids.
"Wow! Why are you suddenly so close to me!" She was so startled that she took three steps back. Before she could regain her footing, he stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.
"Be careful, these stone steps are unstable. You'll fall."
"..."
With all her might tensed, Zhu Bafu used both hands to push him away, turning her head away so as not to be noticed by his flushed cheeks. "No, stop it! His Majesty, His Your Majesty is nowhere to be seen."
Displeased by her sudden change of attention, Li Chenjing frowned, glanced at the wooden door of the side hall behind him, and pointed behind him, "How could he not see that eyesore? Look, isn't he kneeling inside?"
Kneeling? Kneeling?! Was she seeing things? She rubbed her eyes and looked again.
That's right—the reigning emperor was actually kneeling in a small side hall of the imperial court!
The wooden door of the side hall was half-open, and the golden rays of the setting sun slanted into the somewhat worn offering table, where a solitary altar was displayed. There were two Incense Burner and several plates of offerings, indicating that they were usually cared for, but there was still a sense of coldness and desolation about them.
Zhu Bafu peeked out from the doorway and saw His Your Majesty kneeling on the couch, holding three sticks of incense, his eyes closed, placed them on his forehead, and respectfully kowtowing three times, the sound of his head hitting the ground resounding. The inscription on the Memorial Tablet was indistinct in the afterglow of the setting sun. How many people in this world could command such grand respect from the Emperor himself? If someone could be worshipped by the Emperor, how could he be placed in such a humble and obscure temple?
There must be something fishy going on here... but Zhu Bafu didn't want to know.