A long while later, the door opened.
Hong Xing led out a young gentleman, fair-skinned and exceptionally handsome.
This person was, naturally, Li Qiufeng, disguised and dressed in men's attire.
With Hong Xing's skillful touch, she had transformed from a beauty of unparalleled loveliness into a graceful young master of the world.
"Miss, you look so dashing in men's clothes! If the ladies outside saw you, they'd surely be smitten."
Hong Xing was incredibly excited. Even looking at Li Qiufeng now, she couldn't help but blush and her heart race.
Li Qiufeng tapped Hong Xing's forehead with her fan, adopting a roguish demeanor and speaking in a deep voice, "My little beauty, call me 'Young Master,' or I'll have you warm my bed tonight, hehehe..."
His laughter carried the air of an unscrupulous young lord teasing his personal maid.
Li Qiufeng was quite pleased with her disguise, fulfilling her dream of being a boy.
The only discomfort was the several layers of cloth tightly bound around her upper body, constricting her.
"Young Master, this servant is delicate and easily pushed over; you can do as you please."
Hong Xing appeared shy, her face full of adoration.
If such a handsome young master fancied her, she certainly wouldn't resist, letting him have his way.
Li Qiufeng's skin crawled. She shot Hong Xing a stern look, "You little wench, you must be in love."
"No, I'm not."
Hong Xing felt a bit guilty and quickly changed the subject, "Young Master, are we going out through the front gate?"
"We're climbing over the wall. Otherwise, if the servants see me dressed like this, wouldn't it be a laughingstock?"
Li Qiufeng was, after all, cautious. She bore the title of soon-to-be Crown Princess, and every word and action was scrutinized. Especially her stubborn father, who would never permit her to dress like this.
"Then let's climb out from the back garden. No one will be there, and we won't be discovered," Hong Xing suggested.
The two crept stealthily towards the back garden.
"Wangjing City is truly prosperous, but the prices are too high. I can't even afford a single meal."
Ji Mo walked along the long street, sighing occasionally.
Having arrived in Wangjing, he naturally wanted to explore.
Initially, being unfamiliar with the area, he planned to invite Ying Tianbao. However, Butler Fu stopped him.
Butler Fu now watched Ji Mo as if he were a thief, fearing that Ji Mo might "bend" Ying Tianbao, thus preventing their meeting.
With no other choice, Ji Mo had to go out shopping alone.
Unfortunately, with no money in his pocket, he could only travel frugally, wandering around to admire the architecture and scenery.
He looked up and saw a wall adorned with blooming flowers, and Ji Mo's poetic inspiration struck. He couldn't help but recite, "The garden's full bloom cannot be contained; a single branch of red apricot peeks over the wall."
"Young Master, trouble! We've been discovered."
Hong Xing, who had just reached the top of the wall, suddenly heard the poem and panicked.
In her nervousness, she accidentally bumped Li Qiufeng next to her, causing her to fall.
"Ah..."
Li Qiufeng lost her footing and tumbled directly from the garden wall.
Hearing the commotion, Ji Mo rushed over and caught the falling Li Qiufeng.
Huh!
What was so soft?
Ji Mo felt a soft mass in his hands and, on impulse, squeezed it.
Another young master with exaggerated pectoral muscles!
Ji Mo couldn't help but recall Lan Rou, who also had exaggerated pectoral muscles. He looked down; the young master in his arms was handsome, but unfortunately, too effeminate. He lacked Lan Rou's heroic aura.
Moreover, he seemed to catch a faint, refreshing fragrance, which made him somewhat disgusted.
A young man wearing makeup was too feminine!
"Wow, you scoundrel, let go! Release my little... Young Master."
Hong Xing, from atop the wall, saw this scene, her eyes nearly popping out.
What was she seeing?
A man was holding her Young Master in his arms, and his hand was brazenly reaching out to grope her.
At this moment.
Li Qiufeng's mind went blank.
She wasn't a cultivator, just an ordinary person. She had expected to fall and be severely injured, but unexpectedly, she was saved at the critical moment.
Could this be the legendary hero saving the beauty?
Her heart couldn't stop pounding. She stared with wide eyes at Ji Mo's profile, momentarily stunned.
She didn't even realize she had been groped.
It wasn't until Hong Xing shrieked that Li Qiufeng snapped back to reality and then froze.
She instinctively raised her hand to slap Ji Mo, but ultimately didn't. Biting her lip, she said, "Young Master, could you please stop touching and let me down first?"
Ji Mo quickly put Li Qiufeng down and explained flusteredly, "Brother, I just wanted to save you. I have no other intentions towards you. I really don't like men."
Thinking that he had involuntarily grabbed a man's chest, Ji Mo felt a wave of shame, his face burning.
This man was actually shy!
Li Qiufeng, who had been somewhat displeased, couldn't help but chuckle at Ji Mo's current appearance.
For some reason, she found the man in front of her so endearing.
Hong Xing jumped down from the wall and glared at Ji Mo. Her Young Master's pure body had been touched by this bastard, and she wanted to chop off his dog-like claws.
She turned, intending to return to the mansion to call for help and have this scoundrel captured and his hands severed.
Li Qiufeng understood Hong Xing's intention and stopped her, signaling that the matter should be dropped and not publicized.
After all, if this got out, it would be her reputation that was tarnished.
Moreover, she didn't blame Ji Mo in her heart. She knew it was an unintentional mistake, not a deliberate attempt to take advantage of her.
"You got off too easily, you damned bastard," Hong Xing huffed angrily.
"What are you saying? Didn't I just save your Young Master? Why am I a bastard?"
Ji Mo argued.
Although he shouldn't have touched him, they were both men, so what was the big deal?
He had saved someone, so why was it making him seem like he had taken advantage?
"If you hadn't teased me with that poem about the wall, startling me, how could Young Master have fallen?"
Hong Xing said indignantly.
It was also her own guilty conscience. The moment she heard "a single branch of red apricot peeks over the wall," she thought she had been discovered by people in the mansion. In her panic, she had accidentally pushed Li Qiufeng down.
Fortunately, her Young Master wasn't injured, otherwise, she would have called for people to tear Ji Mo limb from limb.
"Tease you? I was just reciting a poem," Ji Mo said, completely bewildered.
"My name is Hong Xing. Your poem was clearly making fun of me climbing the wall. Are you trying to renege?" Hong Xing sneered.
"Hong Xing? Climbing the wall?"
Ji Mo's expression immediately became strange. He said earnestly, "Girls should be more demure. It's best not to have a red apricot peeking over the wall."
It seemed there was no such saying as "red apricot peeking over the wall" in this world, but to promote traditional culture, Ji Mo kindly offered a reminder.
"I, Hong Xing, love to peek over the wall. I love peeking over the wall, so what?"
Hong Xing was defiant. Why couldn't a girl climb walls? This was clearly discrimination.
Ji Mo was dumbfounded, finding himself utterly speechless.