Beauty Feng Vol. 2

Chapter 128: Ordinary Man

Feng Yanyan was woken up by the door creaking.

"I wanted to knock but that will be noisy." Yao Liheng stood by the threshold, looking like a ghost.

"Come in." Yanyan got up and poured water for himself using only the silver gleam of the moon.

Eldest master Yao refused his offer to drink. They only have unheated water after all.

Feng Yanyan shrugged as he found the cool drink refreshing and it woke him up just enough to listen to this bedtime story. "There's something about nights like this that makes you want to share horror stories."

He couldn't help but blurt that out. He didn't hear a reply from his biological father.

"Oh, nevermind. I didn't think before I spoke."

Liheng cleared his throat. "Well, do you have anything in particular that you want to know first?"

It was Feng Yanyan's turn to go blank.

"Hmm... Maybe how you and my mother first met."

It wouldn't hurt to have some light story first, right?

Feng Yanyan didn't see the distant smile on the older man's face as he mentioned this. Liheng was being transported back to the past. A bittersweet past. "Lingling... she was a lively girl. I first saw her showing off her horse-riding abilities to her brother's friends. I happened to be on the third floor of a restaurant."

That day was forever etched in his mind.

The girl who looked about his age was racing against a bunch of other kids. Her hair was braided but a few strays were tousled by the wind. Her triumphant smile never wavered. She was confident she would win.

And when she did, she laughed in such a carefree way. He admired her spirit then but he didn't approach. He still knew his standing. As a decent youth and a son of the Yao family, he couldn't just frivolously approach any young miss.

Also, why should he advance on such a wild girl? He was just amused, that was all.

So amused that he told the restaurant manager to invite the group inside for refreshments which was to be paid by him.

The manager praised his generosity but knew the values of nobility so the group of friends only thought that a nobleman might have enjoyed the race too. There was no mention of the Yao family's name.

Soon, Yao Liheng forgot this little encounter but fate playfully reminded him.

Liheng was the only legitimate son of the Prime Minister. He had two sisters who were older than him. The eldest was married to a grand prince while the other was widowed at a young age.

His widowed sister now lived at the Yao estate as their father ordered. Her health wasn't in good condition. This left Liheng as the guardian of his niece most of the time.

He noticed Cheng'er liked bright clothes but she couldn't wear them in public due to the mourning period. Liheng wanted to give her a gift, maybe an accessory that she could hide when in front of visitors.

As he was deep in thought, he heard a rather familiar laughter. "Is it that pretty? Oh, even if it suits me, I won't be able to buy it. Thanks for the offer though!"

It was a lively and sweet voice. Yao Liheng carelessly glanced.

In hindsight, that glance was his downfall. The girl was smiling but it was obvious she regretted not being able to buy the scarlet bangle that she was taking off from her wrist.

He shouldn't have cared. It was an unnecessary feeling. But he still found himself telling his footman to pay for that accessory and give it to the young miss.

After saying that, he turned around as quick as lightning and hid behind the racks as subtly as he could. He didn't want to risk looking like a fool.

He found his heart pounding inside his chest. The girl didn't even know him!

But approaching her was useless. It was enough to give her something and never cross paths again. What would his father say if he knew? Surely, his wrath would be enough to upset the heavens.

Deep inside his mind, he wanted to see that girl more often. Just look at her from afar and never dare to go closer.

From then on, he found it fortunate that he and the girl had a lot of accidental meetings. So much so that he suspected it was intentional. However, he checked her background and knew that she wouldn't have the capabilities to do so.

Until one rainy afternoon, he was finally discovered albeit the situation wasn't something he would call romantic.

"Was it you who secretly gave me trinkets and snacks?" Her pretty face wasn't too amused. "Do you think I'm a beggar? That I need alms?"

"Wha- No!" Yao Liheng's thoughts spiraled. Did he come across as rude? He just wanted to give her things.

"Then take these back. I don't want them! It's not right to accept things that didn't come from my betrothed. I'll pay you back for the snacks you've given me too." The girl, whose name he knew by now, was indignant.

He truly struck a chord. In his smitten delusions, he failed to see Feng Lingling's pride.

"I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be like that– I just... I didn't know how to..." How pathetic, he couldn't even find the right words to say.

He had long been soaked by the rain. It added to his misery but also hid the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes.

Feng Lingling handed him the pouch of the trinkets and hopped on her horse. She galloped away, splashing rainwater in her wake.

Watching her like that, something cracked inside Yao Liheng. He couldn't breathe. He didn't resent the girl, he resented himself.

There were too many 'what ifs' running in his mind. If only, he didn't pay attention to her. Or if he was brave enough to approach her and her family directly.

If only, he wasn't the only legitimate son of the Prime Minister. If he was just a regular man, he would even beg her family to accept him. He'd leave everything behind.

Why did he have to feel these things? Regrets... there were too many.

He stood there under the rain like a puppy abandoned by its owner. Raindrops pelted his fair face and pale lips.

Until he heard the sound of hooves again. He reckoned they belonged to his servants, picking him up.

But when he lifted his head, he couldn't believe his eyes. Feng Lingling came back with a thunderous face.

"Are you stupid? Just because someone rejected you, you want to die out here in the rain?"

He was hoisted up the horse single-handedly and his mind went blank. The sunny girl took him to shelter and clarified that she was only doing it for charity.

Yao Liheng didn't care. He was only happy she came back for him. And that was the start of their blooming love. The son of the Prime Minister of the land fell for a woman without rank. That was how people would phrase it if they knew.

But for him, he was just an ordinary man who fell for the most amazing girl in the world. 

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I didn't realize I'm publishing a bittersweet chapter on my birthday. I love it tho! Lemme hear your thoughts!