Chapter 104: Has Your Heart Ever Stirred?

“Host! Do you realize what you’re doing right now? Our mission is to find Li Haoran, not to fall in love here!”

The system scolded Chu Bing in exasperation. It had expected her to quickly follow Li Mohan to find Li Haoran this time, but unexpectedly, she had developed feelings for Li Mohan!

The system’s voice brought Chu Bing back to calm once more. She stubbornly explained, “I’m doing this so Li Mohan can trust me! Otherwise, what if he refuses to take me to find Li Haoran?”

The system’s tone turned stern, “This is your last warning. If you don’t complete the mission promptly, I won’t go easy on you!”

“Understood!” Chu Bing bit her lip and raised her eyes to look at the man before her. Li Mohan’s gaze was deep and intense.

There was a complexity in his eyes, as if he had many things to say to Chu Bing, yet his thin lips remained tightly sealed, not uttering a single word.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Bing touched her face, wondering if Li Mohan no longer wanted her by his side.

Growing anxious, she couldn’t help but grasp the hem of Li Mohan’s clothes. “Young master, I truly want to stay by your side. Please don’t…”

“I want to see your true face,” Li Mohan said softly, looking down at the fingers clutching his garment, his eyes gentle.

Since they parted last time, he had thought Chu Bing was dead and regretted it day and night. If it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t have had to take such risks! This regret gnawed at his heart, fused with his very being. He kept thinking that even if Chu Bing were dead, the only image he had of her was this mask.

He wanted to remember her real appearance.

Chu Bing hesitated briefly, then looked up at Li Mohan’s serious expression and placed her hand on her face. “Alright.”

If it were Li Yuxi, she might worry whether he would have improper thoughts upon seeing her face, but this was Li Mohan—she trusted him sincerely.

Slowly, she lifted the mask from her face, revealing a delicate and exquisite countenance before Li Mohan’s eyes. Her soft, flowing hair brushed against his face as the breeze stirred it. He stared blankly at Chu Bing, his heart pounding fiercely in his ears.

“Don’t let others see your true face,” Li Mohan said hoarsely after a long silence, turning his head aside.

Chu Bing happened to notice the redness in his earlobe hidden beneath the strands of hair, and her heart settled. Li Mohan was still the same as before! Smiling brightly, she leaned closer and tilted her head at him. “Why?”

Suddenly, an extraordinarily beautiful face appeared before him. A surge of emotion welled up in Li Mohan’s eyes but was quickly suppressed, unnoticed by Chu Bing.

Silently, he created some distance between them and said lightly, “An innocent man bears the guilt of possessing a treasure.”

Chu Bing’s face would invite many troublesome admirers.

Chu Bing loved seeing Li Mohan shy; watching him become serious made her feel a bit bored.

She pressed the mask back onto her face while Li Mohan watched her movements carefully.

“How do you know this art of disguise?” he asked.

Chu Bing’s eyes flickered. Of course, she couldn’t tell him that the system had taught her. Instead, she explained, “My master taught me. My life was difficult before, but fortunately, I met him. He taught me many skills—not just disguise, but also formations and martial arts…”

Her words were half-truths, meant to explain her abilities’ origins to Li Mohan and dispel his suspicions.

Li Mohan nodded, unsure whether to believe her.

Chu Bing didn’t care; she trusted Li Mohan wouldn’t harm her! She sat casually on the chair behind her and grabbed some fruit from the table to eat. Seeing this, Li Mohan frowned slightly. “Hungry?”

Chu Bing nodded.

Having been on the carriage for so long, she hadn’t had much appetite.

Li Mohan immediately stood and ordered the attendant outside to bring some food in.

Chu Bing casually added, “Bring some hot water too. I want to take a bath.”

The inn attendant hesitated, wondering if there was a lady among the young master’s entourage.

In the neighboring room, Old Zhao heard the noise and came out.

He pushed open Li Mohan’s door and was surprised to see a familiar face—none other than Chu Bing.

“What are you doing here? Weren’t you dead?” Old Zhao’s eyes widened in shock.

He had heard from the young master himself that Chu Bing had been tortured to death by Li Yuxi!

Chu Bing rolled her eyes. “Old Zhao, after all these days, can’t you hope for something good for me?”

Her words immediately put Old Zhao at ease.

Still the same old troublemaker after all these years!

He snorted, putting on his stern expression as he came in. Without asking how Chu Bing had survived, he looked her over and frowned. “How can you be so disrespectful? The young master is still standing, and you just sit there eating?”

While pouring tea for Chu Bing, he muttered, “Looks like I need to teach you some manners.”

Chu Bing paused her movements, staring at the tea in front of her, eyes moistening slightly.

Old Zhao’s words meant he accepted that she would stay by Li Mohan’s side.

She bit a piece of fruit hard and lowered her head to conceal her expression.

Soon, the attendant brought in the food and hot water.

Old Zhao tipped the attendant some silver, then was sent by Li Mohan to check on the carriage.

Li Mohan watched Chu Bing devour the food, his brows furrowing slightly, a flicker of tenderness in his deep eyes. “Did Li Yuxi ever bully you?”

Hearing that name, Chu Bing clenched her teeth in hatred. “Don’t bring up that bastard! He’s a pervert!”

She angrily listed Li Yuxi’s crimes but left out his strange behaviors, causing a flicker of doubt in Li Mohan’s eyes. “He... didn’t harm you?”

Li Yuxi was no kindhearted man, so why would he spare Chu Bing?

Could it be that…

Li Mohan’s mind flashed with the image of Chu Bing’s true face, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Have you ever shown your real face to anyone else?”

Chu Bing shook her head naturally. “I wouldn’t dare. What if someone falls for me?”

Li Yuxi breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, but before he could look up, a smiling face appeared before him. Chu Bing asked teasingly, “Young master, didn’t you feel anything at all when you saw my face?”

Li Mohan awkwardly averted his gaze, expressionless. “Appearance is merely superficial, of little consequence.”

Chu Bing wrinkled her nose, eyeing him suspiciously. “Are you really not even a little stirred?”

Li Mohan stared straight ahead, suppressing the flutter in his heart with all seriousness. “Not at all.”

Chu Bing leaned back, pouting. “Young master, has anyone ever told you that you’re not charming at all? How can you treat a girl like this?”

If it were anyone else, they might start doubting their looks by now.

Noticing Chu Bing move away, the faint fragrance she carried vanished. Li Mohan released his grip, his palm covered in sweat.