Sir, You've Got The Wrong Person - Chapter 19

Chu Mufeng didn’t return to his room all night. Meanwhile, Yan Yiyi had a peaceful and uninterrupted sleep. The next morning, when she woke up and still didn’t see him—even through breakfast—he remained absent.

She hadn’t initially planned to concern herself with his whereabouts. But when she noticed the butler hovering nearby, clearly wanting to speak but hesitating, she couldn’t help asking:

“Uncle Li, is there a problem?” The butler’s surname was Li, in his early forties, with a simple and honest demeanor. Calling him “Butler Li” felt too formal, so Yiyi addressed him more familiarly as “Uncle Li.”

Uncle Li seemed to hesitate a moment before finally raising his head to say, “Young Madam, are you still upset with the Young Master?”

Yiyi frowned, not quite understanding why he would ask that.

Sensing her confusion, Uncle Li gave a sheepish cough and explained awkwardly, “Last night, the Young Master left with a dark expression and didn’t return all night. He rarely shows that kind of face, so this old servant assumed he might have heard something displeasing from you. Please forgive the presumption.”

“No need to be formal, Uncle Li,” Yiyi replied evenly. But her attention had already shifted to the more curious part: “He didn’t come back at all last night? Does he often spend the night elsewhere?” Although the Chu estate in Xijing had several other residences, it appeared that this particular one was Chu Mufeng’s primary base due to his familiarity with it. If he didn’t usually stay out overnight, then it meant either he kept another woman elsewhere or he was involved in something secret and inconvenient to share.

Uncle Li gave her a wary glance, again on the verge of speaking but biting his tongue. “Whatever the Young Master does outside, since he’s already brought you through the door with a formal marriage, he won’t wrong you. I hope you’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Yiyi’s brows furrowed deeper. After a moment of silence, Yiyi attempted to understand the implication: “Uncle Li, are you implying that the Young Master is in love with another woman but is unable to marry her for some reason?” And that this marriage to me was a forced arrangement? Is that why he didn’t return last night—because he was with her?”

Maybe she’d watched too many operas lately, but Uncle Li’s half-hinted words practically spelled out a hidden romance. If Chu Mufeng had indeed spent the night elsewhere, it was a highly plausible explanation. Although he was known for being a charming libertine, the bitter words he expressed last night suggested that his visits to brothels were likely just a facade. That he kept a secret lover somewhere wouldn’t be surprising at all.

From what Miss Mu had said previously, the engagement between her and Chu Mufeng had been forcibly arranged. Both parties wanted nothing more than to break it off. If so, and she was the unfortunate third party now tangled up in the mess—why had he still insisted on completing the wedding, knowing full well it was her in the bridal sedan? Wouldn’t that only hurt the woman he truly cared about?

While Yiyi was still puzzling over it, Uncle Li sighed and gave a subtle nod but still tried to defend Chu Mufeng: “Young Madam, both you and the Young Master were bound by imperial decree. I know this situation has been hard on you, but it hasn’t been easy for him either. Still, he put aside Miss Liu and formally brought you into the household. Over the past half-year, when you didn’t often return home, he always spoke well of you. I truly believe the Young Master does have you in his heart. So please… don’t keep fighting with him. For your own sakes, settle down and live in harmony with one another.

This passionate explanation left Yiyi speechless. She didn’t know the whole story and Chu Mufeng hadn’t bothered to tell her, so she wasn’t even sure how to behave around the staff, much less avoid making a mistake. She wasn’t certain if he had done it on purpose or by mistake. Either way, she didn’t dare talk about it. She understood the wisdom in “speak less, err less.” Therefore, she simply smiled, nodded, and swiftly changed the subject, although the entire issue remained a burden in her mind.

Chu Mufeng had mentioned yesterday that he could only keep her bound to him for a year or so. At the time, she’d found the statement odd, but now it made sense—he must be plotting something behind the scenes. Perhaps once that matter succeeded, he would dissolve his alliance with the Mu family and finally marry the woman he truly loved.

Was he acting quickly to get her back because the court had become suspicious of her prolonged absence as the Young Madam of the Chu family? The Emperor himself may have become suspicious, but dragging her back was merely a ploy to maintain appearances. In that case, she wouldn’t mind assisting him in putting on a show and pretending to be his loving wife. Even though she wasn’t a model citizen, she didn’t mind contributing to someone else’s happy ending. All she asked was that he stop using the Guardian Token of the Labyrinth Sect to threaten her.

That said, all her assumptions were based solely on Uncle Li’s account. Until the man himself admitted anything, she couldn’t be certain how much she’d guessed correctly. So for now, she decided to wait for Chu Mufeng to return and discuss it with him face-to-face.

He finally came back around dinnertime that evening. Though his expression was no longer stormy like the night before, his face was still cold and unreadable. Clearly, if he’d visited his hidden beloved, it hadn’t helped his mood—or maybe she herself was just an eyesore he hadn’t wanted to see.

Yiyi had some self-awareness, to her credit. She made the sensible decision to avoid upsetting the tiger since she could still see that Young Master Chu was not happy. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

With that in mind, she ignored him entirely and focused on her meal. From the moment he entered, she did not say a word, only glanced up once before resuming her dinner. Last night, thanks to her sour mood, she’d barely touched her food. Tonight, everything tasted especially delicious.

Her mind was so fully absorbed in the meal that she didn’t even notice when the brooding Young Master Chu across the table suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist—tight. The force in his grip was unmistakable.

Yiyi noticed the veins that were conspicuous with tension as she gazed down at the long, sinewy fingers that were clenched around her arm. She gave him a small frown before slowly raising her eyes to meet his icy gaze.

Chu Mufeng had a cold expression on his face, but as she looked up at him, a sarcastic smile slowly formed on his lips.

“Do you like the dishes tonight, my dear wife?”

Yiyi smiled back at him and gave a small nod. “Every dish is exquisitely prepared and bursting with flavor—the chef here is very talented.”

“Is that so? You certainly have a discerning palate.” He drawled the words with a hint of a sneer, then took the chopsticks from her hand.

Yiyi’s brows drew together. She looked at him and asked, “Young Master Chu, what are you trying to do? Last night I had no appetite, and you forced me to eat. Tonight I’m actually enjoying the food, and now you’re stopping me? Honestly, this kind of unpredictable behavior—no one can tolerate it for long.”

The corners of Chu Mufeng’s lips twisted in disdain. “Whether others can tolerate it or not means nothing to me. Even if you can’t, you’ll just have to endure it.”

Yan Yiyi hesitated before speaking, recalling what Butler Li had mentioned that morning. “I heard you loved Miss Liu, but the imperial decree forced you to marry Miss Mu. If I hadn’t accidentally ended up in the bridal sedan, this wedding wouldn’t have happened, and you two would be happy together. Is that true?”

Chu Mufeng glanced at her and released her wrist, his tone cold. “You certainly hear a lot of things.”

Unsure if he was confirming or denying, Yan Yiyi forced a smile and pressed on. “Why did you bring me back so urgently? Whatever it is, I’ll cooperate so we can end this soon. Then you could marry Miss Liu and spare her the heartache—”

His icy gaze silenced her. Leaning in, he lifted her chin with two fingers, his touch deceptively gentle. “Since you’re so concerned about me, why not come meet someone tomorrow?”

“Miss Liu?” she asked cautiously.

His smirk deepened. “Mu Qingchen.”

Yan Yiyi froze. The mere thought sent a chill down Yan Yiyi’s spine. She quickly found an excuse. “Business matters between men—I’m just a woman; I’d only be in the way.”

Chu Mufeng studied her. “You’re my wife. It’s normal for you to attend to business matters. Besides, you’ve gained a lot from the Mu family recently—it’s only right to thank Young Master Mu in person.”

“Nonsense! I’m just a countryside girl. I wouldn’t fit in,” she protested.

He chuckled, his expression sharp. “Then get used to it.”

Straightening his robe, he spoke with finality. “Rest well. You’ll need your energy tomorrow. I’ll come fetch you.”

Without giving her a chance to refuse, he walked away.