The Male Lead’s Backyard is on Fire! – Chapter 89: Captivated

She could not help but raise her arms, clinging to Yuchi Li’s shoulders. Yuchi Li reached out and embraced her slender waist. Liu Luoyi’s already weak body softened even more. As she grasped Liu Luoyi’s waist, a smile hung on Yuchi Li’s face. 

When Liu Luoyi saw that smile, she grew even more bashful. She buried her face in the crook of her neck, feeling her own boiling hot body temperature. 

Her thoughts were in chaos. She did not know what to say or do, but all she knew was that as soon as she looked at Yuchi Li, her mind was filled with that kiss. This feeling, like nothing she had ever known, was like a giddy drunkenness. 

Perhaps it was because the person that kissed her was Yuchi Li. 

Her embrace, her lips, her everything, she indulged in them all. So long as she was near, her fears and disguises all vanished like smoke into the air. 

“Xiao Liu’er, never leave me.” Yuchi Li suddenly said. Perhaps because of the deep kiss, her voice carried an intoxicating sonority. As she spoke, such a voice was inexplicably tear inducing. 

Liu Luoyi’s eyes grew red again. She obstinately dried her tears on Yuchi Li’s clothing, then whispered softly: “Princess, were you truly frightened?”

Yuchi Li nodded wordlessly. She recalled how she was when she thought she may have lost Liu Luoyi, that overwhelming terror, that unforgettable moment. Before then, she had never given thought to what she would do if Liu Luoyi was no longer there. 

Perhaps it was because Liu Luoyi had expressed her love toward her so thoroughly. Her heart had been at peace, like a spoiled child who had no worry of missing sweets. 

Thankfully, her world came back. 

The blades of grass danced in the morning breeze. On one side was a battlefield littered with blood, and on the other was the grasslands adorned with flowers. From a distant view, the green grass appeared dusted with snow, tossed about in the wind with a fluid grace. The two of them stood in each other’s tight embrace, the boundless grasses behind them. 

The battle on this side had already come to an end, and the Yan Kingdom’s reinforcements had retreated, withdrawing beyond the treeline. They had left as quickly as they had come, as if they were just testing the waters. The soldiers scoured the battlefield as the Northern King stood in the cool morning breeze, his eyes narrowed at the great sun rising above the horizon. 

This was precisely the scenery in the north: open and expansive. 

“Where’s Li’er.” The Northern King retracted his gaze, his brow furrowing. When he was serious, he looked quite awe-inspiring. 

“Informing Royal Father, Yuchi Li…” Despite calling the Northern King an old man behind his back, when facing him, her expression was completely respectful. She raised her head and looked around. She saw the two of them embracing very far away. 

“She…nature calls.” Yuchi Die bit out after dallying for half a day. 

“Oh.” The Northern King nodded, unconvinced. He still felt worried, so he ordered the person beside him, “It is not safe here. You, go search for the princess.”

Upon hearing this, Yuchi Die was scared out of her wits. She rushed to reach out and stop them, smiling with effort: “Royal Father, uh, Yuchi Li is a woman, and they’re all men, so it isn’t suitable. Let’s wait here, she’ll be back soon.”

The Northern King swept a glance over Yuchi Die, only then nodding. Then, like he suddenly thought of something, he asked: “Die’er, were you injured?”

“No, thank you for your concern, Royal Father.” Yuchi Die said, her eyes downcast. She felt a sourness in her heart, not knowing whether to feel happy or sad. She had stood there for so long, but she could not match one kick from Yuchi Li. 

The Northern King acknowledged her, then did not reply further. He started to converse with some of his white-bearded trusted aids. 

Even though Yuchi Li could not bear to let go of Liu Luoyi, when she thought about their situation, she did release her. The two of them wandered back to the group. The flush on Liu Luoyi’s face had yet to recede, making her seem less cold. 

The more Yuchi Li thought about it, the happier she was. The smile never left her face. 

Eventually, after walking for a bit, she made eye contact with the Northern King, and only then realized that she had a serious problem. How should she deal with the Northern King? It was too late for her to flee. The Northern King had already opened his mouth to speak. His face was expressionless, the beard on his face lending him a fierce look. 

“Where did you go?” He asked. 

Yuchi Li froze in place. She sent a pleading look at Yuchi Die, who then covered her stomach, her face twisted in pain like she was having digestion issues. 

An Ge, who was watching from behind, could not refrain from shielding her eyes. 

“Stomach ache.” Yuchi Li answered with absolute certainty. 

Upon hearing this, the Northern King’s face revealed some surprise. He nodded, then looked over at Liu Luoyi, using his eyes to signal her to speak. 

“She’s Liu Luoyi, my…” Before Yuchi Li had the chance to finish speaking, she was pounced on by Liu Luoyi, who stopped her from speaking. Liu Luoyi had used quite a bit of force, almost pulling Yuchi Li to the ground. 

“This humble one is the princess’ friend. Greetings, Your Majesty.” Liu Luoyi interrupted. She lowered her head, not daring to look at the Northern King for too long. 

“Uhhh…” Yuchi Li attempted to throw off Liu Luoyi’s hand, but she was afraid of harming her, so she could only struggle weakly. 

The Northern King looked at Liu Luoyi, then looked at Yuchi Li, feeling that something was odd but not thinking too much about it. He only nodded, turned around, and walked toward a horse with a glossy coat. 

The atmosphere was exceedingly awkward. Considering his own anger and to spare Yuchi Li’s feelings, the Northern King did not take the initiative to speak with Yuchi Li, especially after the events that had occurred in the forest. 

Yuchi Li did not say anything, either. She had calmed down after Liu Luoyi had stopped her, and she knew now that she had been reckless. She was filled with things to say and things to ask, but she was scared that when she revealed that she was not the original owner of her body, there would definitely be trouble. 

Hence, all she could do was shut her mouth and wait for another opportunity to deliberate her words. 

The reinforcement troops cleaned up the battlefield and settled down in the area, while another group escorted them along the road. Several rode their horses abreast of each other. The atmosphere was very strange. Yuchi Li rode her horse, leading Liu Luoyi’s behind her. Her face was splotchy and taciturn. 

Liu Luoyi opened her mouth to speak several times, but because the Northern King was in front of her, she did not dare say anything. 

The Northern King felt even more pained. He had thought that after his daughter suffered such a loss, she could offer him an apology. So long as she honestly admitted her wrong, he would forgive her without hesitation. In the end, not only was she unrepentant, but she also treated him, her father, with such coldness. 

He felt utterly wronged. 

Yuchi Li felt extremely conflicted. On the one hand, just as she had managed to muster up the courage to, against all odds, tell her father about her relationship with Liu Luoyi, she had not succeeded in doing so. On the other hand, she did not know how to face the father of her body’s original owner. She had no familial feelings, and she was worried that her words would reveal her. She did not even dare speak of the war. She felt frustrated and anxious. 

And so, with everyone else full of every sort of feeling, only Xin Ran was giggling with foolish excitement about the familiar scenery. 

After riding their horses for a full day, they arrived at the capital city of the Northern Territory. The city was named E’Gu^[1]额古, I don’t know the transliteration, meaning ‘perpetual’. These were things that Yuchi Li had asked Xin Ran before. She was afraid that, if she was the least bit unfamiliar, she would be suspected. 

E’gu rested up on high, and one could glimpse its prosperity from a distance, truly outdoing the capital of the Yan Kingdom. At the entrance of the city were two large, stone platforms guarded by soldiers. Upon spotting the Northern King, they placed their right fists against their chest in salutation. 

The city was a picture of cheerful joy and laughter. The streets, while narrow, were filled with people bustling to and fro. They were dressed completely differently from people of the Yan Kingdom, especially the women. Many of them had their arms and ankles exposed, and should one look around, they would see bevys of girls chatting with each other. The men were more sturdy than those from the central plains, their skin tanned and their faces handsome. 

Yuchi Li had never seen such a sight before. She looked around, her face full of curiosity. 

“You haven’t been back to the Northern Territory in so long, you must not be used to it. This was my favorite restaurant, but now it’s a musical instrument shop. Alas.” Yuchi Die sighed sorrowfully, as if in remembrance. 

The Northern King sent her a look, and she straightened back up, daring not to say anything more. But, after he turned back around, she made a silly face at his back. 

When the people saw the Northern King, they all bowed and saluted, smiling as they spoke some indistinct words. However, the strange thing was that Yuchi Li could suddenly understand them. They were blessings from an ancient language of the Northern Territory. 

“Look, it’s the Second Princess! The Second Princess has returned!” Someone shouted from the crowd, drawing their attention. Because of the eyes on her, Yuchi Li felt a little at a loss. She could only smile slightly. 

Compared to the respect given to the Northern King, the level of courtesy afforded her was far less. Yuchi Li understood. Everything the original owner of her body had done was unbecoming of a princess. 

She coughed twice, her face flushing red. She spurred her horse forward. 

The palace was deep into the city. The Northern King was in a rush to deal with government affairs and did not pay heed to Yuchi Li and their group again before hurrying away with a group of people. Yuchi Li did not have the chance to speak with him again, and she secretly released a breath. 

Because she was tired from the journey, she did not get a clear view of the palace before she was led away by Xin Ran to a room. The room’s decor was quite interesting. On one side were some sword manuals and a few weapons, and on the other side was a beautiful dressing table with not a speck of dust on it. 

Yuchi Li walked slowly over. She reached out and opened the box in front of her. Inside was a large quantity of fresh rouge. She took a sniff. It was fragrant and smelled of blossoms of the grasslands. 

Before her eyes in a trance-like vision, she seemed to see a father who had lost his daughter cleaning her room each day, changing out her little belongings for new ones, the weapons on the other side collecting dust. 

With that thought, her chest felt a bit tight. She sat in front of the dressing table, staring dazedly at herself in the mirror. Someone’s figure approached her wordlessly and soundlessly. Yuchi Li likewise said nothing. 

A gentle finger poked her back, and she shifted to the side. 

The finger poked her again. This time, Yuchi Li did not move, not budging in the slightest, just to see what Liu Luoyi would do. 

“Princess, I’m just afraid. The knot in yours and the Northern King’s hearts has not been resolved. Moreover, with the war and other pressing issues, if he finds out now, you two will be at even greater odds. And I’m really scared that the Northern King will not agree.” Liu Luoyi said, her voice low. She grabbed the hem of Yuchi Li’s clothes and shook them slightly. 

It seems like she thinks that I’m mad, Yuchi Li chuckled internally. Liu Luoyi was pushing her to agree, but she feigned anger and did not respond. 

Liu Luoyi saw that Yuchi Li’s expression did not shift and felt panicked. She clung to Yuchi Li’s clothing, not knowing what to do. 

She was not sure why, but when she faced her own father, she could do so with bountiful courage, but when the one she was facing became Yuchi Li’s father, she was afraid. After all, he was the Northern King. If she was determined to disagree with him, as she did with her own father, she did not know what she should do. 

She could not watch Yuchi Li once again sever her relationship with her own father because of her. 

And so, for these reasons, she had blocked Yuchi Li then. However, she did not expect that Yuchi Li would be mad at her for it. This was the first time she had been angry at her for so long. 

“Princess…I was wrong.” Liu Luoyi let go and circled around to Yuchi Li’s front to make her look her in the eye, but her attempt failed. 

She bit her lip. A sudden turbulence rising in her heart, she sat on Yuchi Li’s lap, her soft, lithe body falling into her embrace. Yuchi Li almost did not react. Her eyes widened as she gazed at Liu Luoyi. 

The closer she got, the more she thought that Liu Luoyi was breath-takingly beautiful. Her heart had long melted into a puddle, so how could she be angry at her?

Liu Luoyi sat in her lap, her face flushed with embarrassment, but she stubbornly locked eyes with her, placing her hands on her shoulders and giving them a gentle shake, trying to make her happy. 

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