Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play

Chapter 715 - 695: The Kiss

Lan Ningzhen was neither his sworn brother nor his childhood friend. She stood there, waiting for Xie Jue to approach her willingly, smiling brightly at him, refusing to let the matter rest until he made himself clear.

Xie Jue took a deep breath and asked Lan Ningzhen expressionlessly, "Care for a drink?"

Lan Ningzhen, "..."

She hadn’t expected that after holding back for days, what he’d manage to say was an invitation to drink. Well, so be it!

After all, in these short few days, he had come to know she loved drinking—it was progress, however slight.

The two walked out together and arrived at the tavern, requesting a private room. Lan Ningzhen indeed loved drinking, and Beiman’s strong spirits packed quite a punch, but she drank without so much as flushing.

"You’re treating me to a drink?" Lan Ningzhen propped her head on her hand. "Then I’ll order the most expensive one."

"Alright." Xie Jue showed his sincerity by ordering their priciest drink. Lan Ningzhen’s gaze drifted to his waist, where he wore the jade ornament she had gifted him. The jade pendant, delicate and eye-catching, hung at his side. Seeing the jade resting against his waist inexplicably made Lan Ningzhen happy—it seemed as though it had branded him with her mark.

Xie Jue noticed Lan Ningzhen’s gaze. The gift she had given him had been carefully tucked away in a wooden box, hidden from sight, until today. As he was meeting Lan Ningzhen, he’d deliberately chosen to wear it—and had even paired it with a white outfit. He looked like a refined scholar, the exact type Lan Ningzhen had once said she liked best: cultured, elegant, and thoughtful. It was the first time Xie Jue had gone to such lengths to please someone.

Lan Ningzhen regarded him with a playful look, her eyes heated and ambiguous. Xie Jue could see her fondness and adoration, unchanged as ever, without even a hint of the rumored entanglement with Dugu Jing. Perhaps the rumors were entirely wrong.

"Mr. Helian, what inspired you to treat me to a drink?" Lan Ningzhen asked knowingly. Xie Jue replied coolly, "You gave me a gift. I have nothing to offer in return, so I can only treat you to a drink."

"Oh..." Lan Ningzhen tapped her fingers against the table, pondering silently. What an idiot—he couldn’t even come up with a decent excuse. Her gaze rested on him, half-smiling, half-serious, as if she’d seen through his flimsy pretext. Xie Jue felt a tad awkward; he knew the excuse he’d given was incredibly thin. But what else could he say? That he liked Lan Ningzhen?

That would be far too fast!

Even if they were acting it out, it couldn’t be done all at once—it had to happen gradually.

"Ah, I’ve gotten ahead of myself. I thought Mr. Helian hadn’t seen me in days because he missed me, just as I miss you. I didn’t expect it was merely to return the favor. Honestly, I’m a little disappointed." Lan Ningzhen spoke half in jest and half in earnest. She knew that leaving it to Xie Jue to confess his feelings would mean waiting an eternity, so she gave up on hoping and decided she’d take the initiative herself—it would be faster that way.

"You haven’t been missing me either, have you!"

"Mr. Helian, don’t go falsely accusing people. Everyone in Prince Manor knows how much I’ve been thinking about you," Lan Ningzhen quipped smoothly. "I miss you so much I’ve grown thin."

"You’ve gained weight!" Xie Jue said bluntly. Lan Ningzhen’s complexion was bright and rosy; even through layers of makeup, it was clear she’d put on weight over the winter. Beiman winters were lazy, filled with rich meats; anyone would gain weight, except people like Xie Jue who had little taste for such fare and a poor appetite.

"Gained weight?" Lan Ningzhen pinched her cheeks and touched her waist. "Really gained weight?"

"Mm!"

Lan Ningzhen took a deep breath. "Alright then, I’ll start practicing with the spear again when I get home!"

Xie Jue stifled his laughter. He had to admit, Lan Ningzhen was adorable—her temperament appealed perfectly to him, as though tailored to suit his preferences.

"I heard you’ve been spending quite a lot of time with Dugu Jing lately. People are saying you’re about to marry him."

"Utter nonsense. I obviously like you—why would I marry Dugu Jing? Him? That immature brat—how could I possibly marry him."

Indeed, to her, Dugu Jing was nothing more than an immature brat.

But Xie Jue didn’t fully understand her intentions. He felt perplexed: if she didn’t like Dugu Jing, why had she been spending so much time with him lately, stirring up such misunderstandings? Though inexperienced in matters of love, even he could recognize the illogicality. Was it to make him jealous?

If so, she’d succeeded—he wasn’t exactly jealous, but it had prompted him to seek her out. To pursue her. At the very least, he had to show where he stood.

"Wait a moment—Mr. Helian, could it be that you care about the rumors concerning me and Dugu Jing? Do you like me? Are you jealous?" Lan Ningzhen asked straightforwardly, with the confidence she’d cultivated through intuition and observation.

Xie Jue pressed his lips together. "Mm."

A man of few words.

Lan Ningzhen was nearly laughing herself to death. How could anyone be so endearing! She leaned in closer, teasingly gazing at him, unable to help herself as she asked, "Do you like me?"

Xie Jue had been pushed to his limit. His ears betrayed a faint blush, and Lan Ningzhen was so close he could catch the light fragrance she carried. His Adam’s apple bobbed lightly as he played the role of a boy struck by affection.

"I like you!"

"I don’t believe you!" Lan Ningzhen’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Unless... you take the initiative and kiss me."