Chapter 1004: Chapter 1004: If You Say You Want to See Me, I Will Always Come

Bai Zhi’er was the first to react.

She stepped aside: "Are you planning to climb in through the window again?"

A trace of unease appeared on Feng Fuce’s jade-like face.

He averted his dark eyes and raised a plump orange cat in his hand.

"The big orange was wandering around your window just now. I guessed it was looking for food, afraid it would wake you up, so I intended to take it away."

Bai Zhi’er quickly went over and cradled the orange cat in her arms.

The big orange meowed twice, gently placing its paw on Bai Zhi’er’s shoulder, expressing its hunger.

So many years had passed, and the once chubby orange cat had become somewhat thin.

It was an old cat now.

Its offspring were now spread throughout the imperial palace.

But it always went to the Xiuluo Guard and Ruizhu Palace to scrounge for food and drinks, sometimes bringing its children along.

Bai Zhi’er gently scratched the big orange’s chin.

"Hungry, are you? Is it because Brother Chu Ping isn’t feeding you?"

In the Xiuluo Guard, Feng Fuce was very busy, so Chu Ping was specifically responsible for feeding the cat.

With this in mind, Bai Zhi’er lifted her watery eyes.

She saw Feng Fuce had already climbed through the window into the room.

"Brother Fu Ce, are you giving Brother Chu Ping too many tasks? He’s so busy he hasn’t even fed the cat."

Feng Fuce slightly furrowed his brows: "Didn’t Chu Ping leave? I just returned to the Xiuluo Guard and didn’t see him."

Bai Zhi’er was taken aback.

"He went home? But he promised Sister Qingmei that he would come over after his shift tonight."

Sister Qingmei had been waiting for him for three hours!

Just then, Qingmei returned from outside.

Seeing Feng Fuce in the hall, she wasn’t surprised, just looked completely disheartened.

Bai Zhi’er quickly asked, "Sister Qingmei, did you see Brother Chu Ping?"

Qingmei shook her head.

She looked downcast: "I asked the Xiuluo Guard’s sentries. Chu Ping left the palace an hour ago."

"If Chu Ping didn’t want to see me, he could have just refused. Why agree and then not show up?"

Feng Fuce, with his naturally calm demeanor, said, "That’s not like Chu Ping’s character."

Qingmei sighed: "Forget it, I guess I’m just not worth it."

She took out that packet of candied dates from her sleeve, threw it on the table, which the big orange then snatched up to enjoy.

Seeing Qingmei in a poor mood, Bai Zhi’er urged her to go rest first.

After Qingmei left, Bai Zhi’er turned, seeing Feng Fuce already seated at the table.

He poured himself a cup of tea, the movements so practiced as if he were at home.

Bai Zhi’er sat next to him: "Why did you come so late?"

Feng Fuce savored the tea, glancing at her, seemingly with a hint of a smile.

"Didn’t you have someone tell me you had something to say? You said no matter how late, you’d wait. I was afraid you were really waiting."

"But when I arrived, a few lights in the room were out, and I thought you were asleep."

Bai Zhi’er pouted jokingly: "If you were any later, I would really have fallen asleep."

"Sister Qingmei was waiting for Brother Chu Ping, so I kept her company for a while."

"I didn’t think Brother Chu Ping would just leave directly. Maybe he didn’t imagine that Sister Qingmei would wait for him so long."

Feng Fuce put down the teacup.

His deep and dark eyes: "I still stand by this—if Chu Ping agreed to meet Qingmei, even if it were raining knives from Heaven, he would crawl his way there."

"If he didn’t come, something else must have held him up, otherwise he wouldn’t break his promise."

With that, he looked towards Bai Zhi’er.

"Just like me, no matter how late, if you said you wanted to see me, I would certainly come."

Bai Zhi’er wasn’t paying attention, because the big orange had choked on a date and was retching.

She immediately went to help the orange cat and massaged its belly to expel the candied date.

Feng Fuce, exasperated, rubbed his temples.