Chapter 148: Underwater Kiss

## Bottom of the Lake

Before the footsteps approach, you take a deep breath and jump into the water.

It’s early summer already, and the lake water isn’t particularly cold. Only the darkness keeps bringing you a fear of unknown danger.

Guard: Matron, are you sure you’ve seen someone sneaky?

Matron: 100% sure! There can be no mistake! I saw someone who kept coming this way and didn’t listen to my call!

Guard: Scatter and search! Let’s find out this bold thief who dares to get into the mansion!

You can vaguely hear the voice of guards searching around the lake. Although you feel lucky for your decision to hide in the lake, you are also afraid that you will still be found.

MC: (No, even if they haven’t found me, I may still get myself drowned.)

The guards’ voices still persist, and you feel yourself running out of breath. Fear grows in your mind. What should you do?

It is then you realize someone else in the lake is approaching you!

MC: (What? Is it a man? But how can I not detect that there is someone else in the lake?)

## Blood’s Up

That person quickly swims towards you in the dark lake. Instinctively you want to escape, but he is faster and takes you into his arms.

MC: (Are you a man or a ghost?!)

The next moment, this person gently snaps on your forehead. You immediately relax with the familiar. It turns out that he is Yin Zhen.

MC: (When did he come? How does he know I’m in the lake? And what is he doing here?)

There are many questions in your mind, yet you know you can’t get the answer right now. Because of holding your breath for too long, your heart is pounding fast and your mind is a mess.

In a daze, you are gently pushed forward. The next instant, he lunges forward and presses his lips upon yours.

You feel like a wave of fire surging through your body, and you heart almost jumps out of your heart. Although you are still in the cool lake water, you feel too hot and too shock to make any response.

As you stop holding your breath, you have also… drunk some unpleasant lake water.

MC: (…Yin Zhen?)

## Peace Returns

You don’t know how long you have been through, but there is no more sound in your ears, and everything has calmed down.

Yin Zhen holds your waist and swims towards the lake shore. The moonlight shines in the dark, and you can finally breathe in despite your still pounding heart.

Yin Zhen: We gotta leave as soon as possible before they spot us.

Yin Zhen helps you out of the lake and leads you to avoid any potential guard. Your mind hasn’t resumed clear, and you can do nothing but follow his lead.

Yin Zhen: [smile faintly] I guess I can sell you now without any effort.

* Blame him
* Ignore him
 MC: This is all your…

Yin Zhen: Yes, it’s all my fault.

Yin Zhen answers your words in an unusually gentle tone. You inadvertently turn to look into his eyes, and all you can see is gentleness in them. Ashamed, you pretend that you didn’t hear his words and ignore him. However, he only gets closer.

Yin Zhen: Is your mind not clear enough to answer me?

MC: I don’t want to answer you.

Yin Zhen: Well, since it’s all my fault, you have every right not to answer me. I’ll wait for you to calm down.
Your face blushes again, and you quickly lift away your gaze. Suddenly you feel yourself being carried on Yin Zhen’s back.

MC: Yin Zhen! What are you doing?! Put me down!

## Open and Aboveboard

Yin Zhen: You can shout louder if you want to draw more people here.

Your voice suddenly pauses in shame and irritation. All you can hear is the blowing wind in the dark.

MC: Why did you suddenly do that without asking me…

Yin Zhen: It was quicker that way. You can be angry once we reach somewhere safe.

With you are quietly on his back, Yin Zhen swiftly jumps down to land on a side door of the mansion.

As soon as you have landed, two figures immediately show up. One is Yin Zhen’s guard, and the other one is a servant in Prince Jin’s mansion.

Servant: My Lord, the carriage is ready. This way, please.

You are surprised that a servant in Prince Jin’s mansion is working for Yin Zhen, but now is not the time for questions. The servant opens the door, and you just leave the mansion without concealment.

Outside the door parks a carriage. Only when you get onboard and the mansion is far behind do you slowly relax.

MC: My Lord, you are amazing! even the servant in the mansion works for you.

Yin Zhen: With a little fool like you, I have no choice but to be smarter.

## Grown a Lot

Yin Zhen takes out a dry robe and put it on you. He chuckles when he sees your unhappy face.

Yin Zhen: Why do you think I visited Prince Jin so often? I was trying to plant my people into the mansion! However, the rules in his mansion were too strict, and I only managed to plant one after all the efforts.

MC: Did you come to the mansion tonight to rescue me?

Yin Zhen: After I learned that you are under house arrest, I sneaked into the mansion tonight to get you out, but I didn’t expect you to act sooner than I did.

Yin Zhen: When I saw you jumping into the lake for hiding, I just followed you into the lake too. Any more questions?

Yin Zhen is looking at you with bright eyes. Remembering the scene in the lake, your face almost turns blushing again. You pretend to be calm and lift your gaze away from him, starting to obvious the carriage’s interior.

MC: No.

Yin Zhen: What do you plan to do next?

MC: I want to see the Western Liang Crowned Prince.

Yin Zhen: You’ve grown much. I thought you would be too disappointed to meet him again.

MC: [resigned] I have no other choice.

## Don’t Disappoint

When the sky is about to dawn, the carriage has stopped at the capital’s outskirt. You open your eyes after some sleep, and find Yin Zhen sitting by your side, his eyes closed.

However, judging from his furrowed brow, he doesn’t seem to sleep well. Soon he has woken up and is looking at you quietly, as if he wants to carve your face onto his heart.

MC: Why are we here?

Yin Zhen: Are you not going to send me away? I’m leaving soon.

MC: [stunned] You are leaving?

Yin Zhen: Yes. I’ve spent quite some time in West Liang in secret.

He doesn’t want to leave, but he can’t afford to be found by the Emperor, or he will only cause trouble for her.

Yin Zhen: The guard by my side will stay to protect you. Just do as you like and fear nothing.

MC: Yin Zhen, thank you for everything.

Yin Zhen: I’ll be waiting for you. Please wait for me too. Deal?

Yin Zhen’s words seem to have some deeper meaning, but before you can think about it, Yin Zhen’s handsome feature is already pressing to your face. You are leaning against the carriage’s wall with no more space to retreat, then he suddenly lowers his head.

Yin Zhen: [whisper] I’ve got to leave something after travelling so long to get here.

Yin Zhen is riding away in the morning sun. You subconsciously touch your lips, then quickly withdraw your hand.

Dark Guard: [quietly appear like a ghost] My Lady, let’s go. I hope that you won’t failed His Highness’ wish.