Chapter 188: In a Better Mood

Chapter 188: Chapter 188: In a Better Mood

Hua Buwan could only lower her head and quickly finish her breakfast. After washing the dishes, she hurried back over to Ling Qianjun.

"Are you ready? Once we cross over to Dongxuan Country today, you’ll assume the identity of the daughter of my mother’s distant aunt’s niece, making you my cousin. From now on, we’re relatives," he explained.

"Oh? You’ve already figured out the cover story? Haha, not bad." Upon first hearing it, Hua Buwan couldn’t even remember exactly whose daughter she was supposed to be.

However, this was exactly what they wanted. Their goal was to pull the wool over people’s eyes; even if someone tried to investigate, they would be hard-pressed to find any concrete answers. Furthermore, using a connection from Xu Panqing’s side of the family was much safer. After all, fewer people paid attention to her lineage. The Ling family, on the other hand, were incredibly prominent figures in the Capital City. All their relatives had been thoroughly investigated and exposed during the recent Nine Clans extermination crisis, making it nearly impossible to fabricate a connection there. Even if they did invent one, it would be easily seen through. It was much simpler to forge an identity through Xu Panqing’s maiden family.

"Okay, Cousin," Hua Buwan said, feeling a bit awkward as she used the title. She thought, "Oh my, this whole cousin business... in ancient times... it feels surprisingly embarrassing."

"I’m ready," she continued. "Oh, by the way, you go ahead and pick out what you need to bring from the shelves over there. I’m going upstairs to change into my ancient costume and do my hair. You might have to wait a little while, but I’ll get ready as quickly as I can."

As she spoke, she already had a rough idea in mind, having decided exactly which outfit to wear and which hair accessories to use so she wouldn’t waste too much time later.

"Alright," Ling Qianjun replied, watching her head upstairs.

He didn’t waste any time gathering the supplies he needed. He picked out locks—for the front gate, the bedrooms, the kitchen, and the attic. Although they would mostly be at home and locking just the front gate would technically suffice, it was better to have extra locks on hand just in case. Next up were iron woks; he needed two of them. Spotting the largest ones in the supermarket, which would perfectly fit their stove, he grabbed a pair. He also took a ceramic stew pot.

Ling Qianjun spent most of his time browsing the supermarket’s kitchenware section. Their top priority was securing a way to cook food; everything else could wait.

Just as he finished bagging all the items, Hua Buwan came back down from upstairs. She was dressed in a flowing blue gown, resembling a blooming orchid exuding a fresh, elegant aura. The hem of her skirt swayed gently, as if dancing in a light breeze. Her hair accessories were simple yet exquisite, and a few stray strands framed her fair face, adding a touch of gentle charm to her demeanor.

Ling Qianjun stared at Hua Buwan, completely mesmerized. He had never seen such a beautiful woman. Her beauty lay not just in her appearance, but in her temperament and grace. An inexplicable surge of emotion welled up in his heart, making him feel as though the woman standing before him was the one he had been searching for his entire life.

Noticing his intense gaze, a faint blush crept onto Hua Buwan’s cheeks. She lowered her head with a soft smile before walking over to him.

"What’s wrong?" she asked softly.

"Nothing," Ling Qianjun replied. "I just think you look truly beautiful."

Her face flushed even redder. Looking up into his eyes, she said, "Thank you for the compliment."

She thought, "Oh my god, how can this guy be so straightforward?" However, she absolutely loved hearing it. What girl didn’t enjoy being praised for her looks? Being complimented instantly brightened her mood.