255: Chapter 35 A Girl Has Grown Up

Seeing Wang Yuyan's pinky-swear gesture, Meng Li reacted instantly.

He had made a pinky-swear promise with her on the boat back then, saying he would marry her when she grew up.

For a moment, Meng Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This little girl...

The internal complaint had just surfaced when it stopped.

Because Meng Li discovered that the Wang Yuyan standing before him was no longer that carved-in-jade little girl from back then.

Through the strokes of time, she had blossomed into a young woman, her figure tall and graceful.

Her facial features had matured, her brows and eyes like a painting; her face was already eighty to ninety percent similar to the stunning visage Meng Li had seen in the drama during his first life.

Her whole being was like a radiant, blooming flower of worldly wealth and elegance.

Having finished her subtle hint, Wang Yuyan felt her shyness grow. Seeing Meng Li staring straight at her, her bashfulness was instantly tinged with secret joy. With mixed emotions, she didn't forget her purpose, but it was hard to bring it up herself, so she could only call out to Meng Li again: "Cousin."

Meng Li understood her meaning and smiled, "I'm here, what's the matter?"

Wang Yuyan: "?"

A look of bewilderment appeared on her face. She looked at Meng Li and caught the blatant mischief in his eyes, immediately becoming embarrassed and annoyed.

"I'm ignoring you!"

After saying that, Wang Yuyan turned to leave, but as soon as she took a step, her slender hand was caught by Meng Li, and then she was pulled into his embrace.

"I'm just teasing you," Meng Li said with a smile in his eyes, explaining in her ear.

Wang Yuyan felt her ear itch and turned her face away, ignoring him.

She naturally knew he was teasing her just now and wasn't angry, she just didn't want him to coax her back with a single sentence.

At least two sentences.

Just as Wang Yuyan's tsundere thought arose, Meng Li's words came: "I missed you so much."

Hearing this, Wang Yuyan subconsciously wanted to reply "Me too," but when the words reached her lips, they became: "Then why didn't you come back sooner?"

Her tone carried a hint of resentment.

"Because the business wasn't finished," Meng Li explained simply, then sat down with her on a nearby stone bench and slowly recounted what he had done on this trip.

Wang Yuyan felt strange after listening.

Her cousin, sweetheart, and future husband had found a companion for her maternal grandfather.

The other party was her maternal grandmother's love rival.

This...

Even as clever as she was, she didn't know how to evaluate this bizarre operation.

However, the matters between Wu Ya Zi and Li Qiu Shui were already quite messy.

Wang Yuyan simply couldn't be bothered to think about it, turning instead to another question, a trace of worry arising in her heart.

Then, she asked Meng Li: "Cousin, are you choosing to be the Young Lord of Lingjiu Palace to prepare for the restoration of the kingdom?"

Meng Li shook his head and said frankly: "I don't plan on restoring the kingdom anymore."

"Ah?!" Wang Yuyan's face showed surprise.

Although she had guessed this possibility from Meng Li's various previous performances, hearing him admit it personally still made her inevitably surprised.

Restoring the kingdom was the goal the Murong Family had been striving for, working hard for generations. By Meng Li's generation, he was even named with "Fu" (Restoration), showing the depth of the Murong Family's obsession.

Now Meng Li was giving it up...

"Why?" Wang Yuyan asked curiously.

Meng Li replied: "Because that goal is too distant, and the hope is slim. Even a figure like Ancestor Longcheng didn't succeed, let alone me."

"I don't want to spend my whole life rushing and tossing about, only to end up with nothing."

After saying that, he saw Wang Yuyan subconsciously nod in agreement. He couldn't help but tap her forehead with his finger, ignored her guilty little expression, gently stroked her jade-like face that looked like a Heavenly Immortal, and added with a smile: "More importantly, I feel that compared to the empire, I prefer the beauty."

Wang Yuyan was startled, then felt both shy and happy. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond and could only call out softly: "Cousin~"

Seeing this, Meng Li slowly leaned his face in.

Wang Yuyan visibly became nervous, but she didn't dodge or refuse; she just shyly closed her eyes, her beautiful eyelashes trembling slightly.

Seeing this, Meng Li stopped his movement and began to carefully observe her jade-like face.

The more he looked, the more stunned he became.

Because on this face, Meng Li couldn't find any flaws or bad angles; it really was like a painting, even the silhouette of her eyelashes was just right.

She truly deserved the reputation of being the "Fairy Sister."

Meng Li remembered that in his first life, there were three characters who were considered "HP tanks" with maxed-out health bars: Zhao Ling'er, Little Dragon Maiden, and Wang Yuyan.

Among these three characters, some preferred Zhao Ling'er.

Because she was innocent, lively, and lovely, like a butterfly fluttering on a branch; a single "Brother Xiaoyao" would make one's protective instinct surge.

Others liked the Little Dragon Maiden.

Because they were once stunned by her immortal grace as she came riding the moon in a white dress, or felt that her white clothes were like the three feet of snow on the Heavenly Mountains, cold and unattainable, unforgettable once seen.

But Meng Li uniquely loved Wang Yuyan.

For no other reason than one word—beauty!

She was beautiful, and her makeup and styling complemented her, making the character extremely beautiful.

She made Meng Li believe that in ancient times, there really were people who possessed nation-toppling beauty in their youth.

Now, the nation-toppling girl was in his arms, waiting for him to pluck her.

Meng Li naturally had no reason to refuse.

As he drew closer, he kissed the girl's naturally red lips.

Wang Yuyan's eyelids, which had just opened a crack, instantly closed again. She felt nervous and excited, with an indescribable joy and elation. With all these emotions mixed together, she felt a bit dizzy and subconsciously reached out to wrap her arms around Meng Li's neck.

What Wang Yuyan didn't know was that in a distant corner, a pair of eyes was watching this scene without blinking.

After a long time, their lips parted.

Wang Yuyan pushed away Meng Li's hand, which had wandered mischievously after the kiss, and said with a bit of grievance: "Cousin, you're bullying me!"

Although her tone was aggrieved, her expression and eyes only held shyness, not anger.

Meng Li gently bit her earlobe, making the girl shudder, and then whispered: "I want to bully you like this for the rest of my life; are you willing?"

The blush on Wang Yuyan's face instantly spread to the back of her ears. She felt her cheeks burning and her head spinning, and it took a while for her to recover some strength.

Then, she said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "I am."

Meng Li immediately said: "Then after the wedding at Xuan Shuang Village is over, I'll go to Aunt's to propose."

"Mm."

Wang Yuyan gave a low response, her heart filled with infinite joy, becoming even more clingy to Meng Li.

The two of them were affectionate for a while longer, until it started to get late.

Wang Yuyan was very reluctant to leave, but she was afraid that staying any longer would make Li Qingluo fly into a rage.

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, her expression changed slightly, and she said to Meng Li: "By the way, Cousin, my mother set a banquet tonight and asked me to invite you for drinks."

Meng Li: "..."

After being speechless for two seconds, he said helplessly: "Then let's head over quickly. If we're late, I'm afraid Aunt will be unhappy."

"Okay."

Wang Yuyan agreed and got up from Meng Li's embrace.

Just as the two of them left the garden, they encountered A Zi.

"Master Young Master, Martial Aunt, it's so late, where are you going?" A Zi asked curiously.

"Manda Mountain Villa."

"Take me with you."

...