The Trick to Teasing a Noble Family's Son - Chapter 26.3

Wei Lan had a pit to herself, but with Xie Zichen there. He joined her instead of the others. The pit was cramped, their bodies pressed together. Wei Lan, back to him, peered through the grass. Xie Zichen shrank back, but still touched her.

Her body felt different from a typical youth’s, slender, softer curves evident only on contact.

Xie Zichen felt a flush of heat, shrinking further. Wei Lan, focused outward, didn’t notice, maintaining her vigilant stance.

At dawn, when the Morning Star rose, movement came. The enemy, not bothering to hide, positioned themselves at the cliff’s edge, waiting for Wei Shao’s convoy.

Two groups ambushed different targets in the same space, the hidden ones barely breathing from tension.

Xie Zichen, nervous, felt his senses heighten. Wei Lan’s warmth seemed scalding. He stiffened, face red, but she, unaware, watched for the signal.

After half an hour, movement outside. “They’re here.” The enemy took positions at the cliff edge, readying their bows. Wei Lan leapt out, shouting, “Attack!”

The cold wind jolted Xie Zichen awake. He followed, sword drawn, cutting down the enemy.

Caught off guard, they barely pushed a boulder before Wei Lan’s men threw them off. Wei Shao’s convoy heard a crash, then battle cries. Men were hurled off the cliff with thuds. Wei Shao, roused from sleep, shouted, “Charge through!” His carriage surged forward.

On the cliff, under the cool night breeze, Wei Lan, blood on her face, wielded a long blade. Her usual gentle demeanour turned bloodthirsty, like a killing god, cutting down and throwing off enemies.

Xie Zichen fought beside her but was pushed aside. “Don’t dirty your hands. Watch.”

Stunned, he remembered her past actions, clenched his jaw, and fought more fiercely. In moments, he transformed from noble to killer. Wei Lan, glancing back, saw him hurling men off, her heart prickling.

Had she provoked him?

Maybe asking him to take a break hurt his pride?

No time to ponder. The enemy, over a hundred strong, recovered from their initial panic, launching an organized counterattack.

Too late. Moments later, Wei Lan’s side had slaughtered them all.

Wei Lan led her men down the cliff, intercepting Wei Shao’s convoy. Forced to stop by her larger force, Wei Shao nervously lifted the curtain. Seeing his Wei Lan’s bright eyes and calm demeanour, he heard “Father, your child has come to escort you.”

Wei Shao’s heart sank.

Seeing this daughter always made his heart ache.

He swallowed his urge to scold her for fighting like a man. Before he could, he noticed the noble youth beside her, like pine and bamboo, serene and upright, a drawn blade with lingering killing intent, standing quietly by Wei Lan.

His heart clenched again, face darkening. “Get in here!”

Wei Lan nodded, dismounting and boarding the carriage. The convoy moved on. Inside, Wei Shao glanced at Xie Zichen outside, ensuring he was far, then whispered, “Who is he? What’s your relationship?”

Her antics in the military camp, flirting with men, were a hurdle he couldn’t overcome. He always felt his lax discipline had made her a peculiar flower. Seeing a handsome man near her, he didn’t worry about harm to her but what she might do to him.

“The capital isn’t the border,” Wei Shao warned. “That youth looks noble. Which family?”

“Xie family.” Wei Lan smiled. Wei Shao’s face changed. Before he could react, Wei Lan said, “A Xie family bastard. I haven’t done anything to him, don’t worry.”

“Really?” Wei Shao was skeptical. Wei Lan nodded seriously, “Really.”

He fell silent, then patted her shoulder. “I know your temperament. A man this good-looking—you saying you’ve done nothing, I don’t quite believe. Bastard or not, if you like him, marry him…”

Hearing this, Wei Lan’s face changed and corrected him, “Take him as a husband. I only take husbands.”

Wei Shao was speechless.

He missed his late wife.

His daughter’s behaviour must be like this because her mother died too early…

Escorting Wei Shao near the Capital, Xie Zichen and his men parted ways, heading home at dawn. Climbing over the back wall, he collapsed into bed.

He had a strange dream.

On that cliff, Wei Lan pressed close.

But this time, she wore no clothes. Under moonlight, her flat chest, slender waist, and long legs were clear. Her dark hair spilled behind her. She turned, smiling slowly, her voice low. “Come.”

Then, she kissed him.

A peach-blossom-scented kiss, the surroundings turning into a peach grove. She pressed him against a tree again, kissing deeply. He gasped, embracing her, pushing her to the ground…

When he woke, the sun was up three poles.

Realizing his body’s reaction, Xie Zichen looked at his canopy in despair.

In his past life, his first dream like this was at sixteen, though the face was unclear, it was a woman.

After a lifetime alone, reborn, this happened at fourteen- with a man.

He must be mad.

Closing his eyes, he thought.

But who could control dreams? What could he do? He felt hopeless.

No, no.

After much thought, Xie Zichen concluded the root cause: Wei Lan’s excessive beauty and brazen flirtation.

He’d never encountered this. His only past affection was for Wang Wanqing, with whom he never even held hands. Wei Lan, however, pinned and kissed him, naturally shifting his perceptions to her.

To solve this, he needed a woman more beautiful than Wei Lan.

After much thought, he found a solution.

He got up, changed, called Xie Tong, instructed him to burn his clothes. Casually, he asked, “I heard Wei Shizi has a twin sister?”

Xie Tong, about to leave, paused, “Yes, Master. Why?”

“Find out Miss Wei’s whereabouts and report to me,” Xie Zichen said, sighing and closing his eyes. “Prepare a bath.”

Xie Tong complied without question. Alone, bathing, Xie Zichen couldn’t stop recalling that strange, enchanting dream.

Dream-Wei Lan seemed even more alluring than reality.

His thoughts wandered, breathing heavier. But recalling her brazen demeanor, he dunked himself in the water, feeling a twinge of grievance.

It’s all her fault.

That lunatic!