MCSCPM -Chapter 14 The First Time He Hugged a Woman

When Chu Jingcheng stopped and turned to look, the familiar scent had already vanished. He scanned the surroundings but found no suspicious woman. Finally, he asked Leng Yi, “Did you notice anyone suspicious just now?”

“Your Highness, the suspicious person you speak of—is it a man or a woman?” Leng Yi stepped closer, uncertain.

“Since entering Xize, the only one who has drawn my attention is a woman. Are you asking if the suspicious person I speak of is male or female?” His tone carried a cold edge. Leng Yi immediately felt the suppressed anger radiating from him.

Thinking carefully, Leng Yi dared to answer, “Your Highness, if I must point out a suspicious person, it would be the ugly woman who stared at you unflinchingly just now. But… judging by her demeanor, she doesn’t seem bold. Rather, she seems…”

“Seems… what?” Chu Jingcheng asked in a low, deep voice.

“Your Highness, please calm your anger. You are renowned for your military achievements, tall and upright in figure, handsome in appearance, your fame spreads far and wide. Surely, that woman, upon seeing you, would have her thoughts stirred.” Leng Yi’s heart raced. Speaking to the prince was always serious business. He hadn’t expected such a question today.

Chu Jingcheng spoke softly, “In that case, this bold woman…” Then he paused, thinking to himself: If the bold woman had intentions of seduction, she wouldn’t have stolen only my clothes and money—she would have taken me!

“Your Highness, I’ve stationed men watching all the major pawnshops in Xize City. Even the smaller ones are under observation. If that woman enters a pawnshop with your clothes, I will capture her without fail!”

“I’ll stroll a bit more. I distinctly smelled that familiar feminine scent just now.” He sniffed carefully at the undergarment; even if he met the bold woman unexpectedly, and didn’t know her face, he could recognize her from her scent.

Hidden in the corner, Yin Qingyue heard this. How could he know her scent? Suddenly, she realized—she hadn’t taken the undergarment! He must have. And the words she had casually said to frighten people earlier… half of it had actually hit the mark. That clothing belonged to Prince Jing! She and the prince already had a faint connection.

Originally, she had planned to sell the garment, but now she knew she would need to wait a while. As for her own scent, from now on, she would not only keep up the ugly disguise but also cover her body’s smell.

“Return to the inn first. That person must be nearby!” Chu Jingcheng said as he moved forward.

Leng Yi frowned as he watched the prince’s back. Just then, a man’s whistle reached his ears—it was his brother.

“Your Highness is hard to please, huh? Originally he didn’t even want to come to Xize, only forced by the emperor.”

“Don’t speak of the prince in private.”

“Come on, take a leaf from my book. What do you think the prince will do when he catches this bold woman? Strip her and dismember her?”

Hidden in the corner, Yin Qingyue paid no attention to the brothers’ words. Her focus remained on Chu Jingcheng’s back. She had just tried reading his mind but had failed completely. Her mind-reading abilities weren’t fully restored—she needed to strengthen her body first!

Yin Qingyue stepped out from the corner. She couldn’t go to the pawnshop right now, which meant she couldn’t get money. Restoring her strength would rely on ginseng and sesame. If possible, she’d check with Nanny Zhao for good ingredients. For now, she would head to the pharmacy—she had some silver to buy herbs. With that decided, she walked toward the pharmacy.

After a few steps, a man called out to her—it was the guard who had accompanied the prince earlier.

“Well, I wouldn’t have guessed you like this sort of thing,” Leng Feng joked immediately.

Leng Yi didn’t glance at him, keeping his eyes on Yin Qingyue.

She focused carefully, studying him. Suddenly, a flicker of joy appeared in her eyes. She had read this man’s thoughts!

[This woman was staring at the prince intently, leaving and appearing again. It seemed she had been eavesdropping on the conversation between him and the prince! Should she be caught?]

As soon as she finished reading his mind, weakness spread through her body. Her fragile body could barely sustain the effort of reading just one person’s mind.

“Though she’s ugly, she didn’t do much to you, right? Why are you glaring at her so coldly?” Leng Feng tapped Leng Yi, then walked over to Yin Qingyue.

Yin Qingyue stepped back. Just then, a petite woman with heavy makeup appeared. Seeing the tall, imposing Leng Feng, she fluttered her eyelashes seductively and scattered perfume powder from her hand.

Leng Feng sidestepped and avoided the powder, but some fell on Yin Qingyue. She deliberately did not dodge—if Prince Jing happened to pass by on the street again, the powder would mask her scent!

The woman, seeing that the powder hadn’t hit her target, scowled and glared at Yin Qingyue, raising her hand to push her.

Yin Qingyue stepped back, knowing she had to get to the pharmacy quickly. Time was limited! As she turned, her foot hadn’t even lifted when she bumped into a hard chest.

Her nose hurt. She had just used her mind-reading ability and had no strength left. The collision left her body weak. She realized she had bumped into a man, but she had no way to step back.

“Your Highness…” A soft voice whispered in her ear. She recognized it as the guard from earlier. Her eyelids twitched—Prince Jingcheng had appeared again!

“Shameless!” The woman with the perfume powder shouted when she saw Yin Qingyue crash into the man’s chest.

Chu Jingcheng frowned. Leng Yi understood immediately and drew his sword. The woman, seeing this, panicked and ran off.

Chu Jingcheng frowned again as he held the motionless woman in his arms. He sensed her frailty; she was soft, entirely dependent on his chest.

Leng Yi tried to pull her away, but Leng Feng stopped him. “Let’s go. This isn’t our business!” He then forcibly dragged his brother away.

“What are you doing! That’s an ugly woman, and she has… thoughts about the prince!”

“Who cares if she’s ugly? The prince didn’t push her away. This is the prince’s first time ever hugging a woman!” Leng Feng whispered, emphasizing “first time.”

Leng Yi froze. Indeed, the prince had not pushed her away! In Beihai, beauties abounded; other countries sent countless women as tribute, and the prince refused them all. But in Xize… he didn’t push away the ugly woman! Could it be that the prince prefers ugly women over beauties?

Yin Qingyue noticed he hadn’t pushed her away and began to wonder—had he recognized her? The perfume masked her scent entirely, yet she could still smell it, sharp and pungent.

“I’ve just recovered from a serious illness. My body is still weak, and I don’t have much strength,” she said slowly, resting her hand on his chest as she gently pushed him away.