I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 28

Lately, the rumors about the Cold Palace being haunted have grown more intense, preventing Xun Fangwen from wandering out late at night.

The weather has also turned colder these past few days. The sky is gloomy, seemingly holding a significant amount of snow and wind, waiting for a day to be unleashed.

The northern weather is frighteningly dry and cold; merely walking outside and returning could lead to frostbitten ears. Although the Cold Palace was well-maintained by Xiao Lu and the other thoughtful maids, it couldn’t overcome the lack of resources.

“What month is this?”

Xiao Lu looked at the gloomy sky outside the window, leaning on the window ledge with a sigh. “Months are just passing like this. I don’t know when we can finally leave.”

Mangkai looked at her plaintive expression and couldn’t help but laugh. “Isn’t it nice here? It’s peaceful.”

Apart from that Consort Chun, no other concubines came by, leaving the Cold Palace incredibly quiet.

“What’s good about it? If Your Highness stays in the Cold Palace all the time, when can you clear your father’s name?”

“Hmm…”

Mangkai had forgotten she even had a wronged father.

“Ahem.” Mangkai cleared her throat, pretending to ask seriously, “Then… how is my father now?”

“Your Highness, what are you talking about? His Lordship is already gone.”

“…”

Oops, I forgot the backstory.

Mangkai sighed softly, and Xiao Lu sighed, too.

“His Majesty is truly heartless. So many people pleaded for mercy, yet she ignored them all. Now, Xiao Lu doesn’t even know if Your Highness should return to His Majesty’s side.”

“Xiao Lu…”

“Your Highness, Xiao Lu honestly feels that if you can escape the palace, you shouldn’t come back.”

Xiao Lu sat beside Mangkai and whispered, “His Majesty has never been willing to touch you. Even after eight years of being childhood sweethearts and sharing a bed, she maintains that icy demeanor. This servant suspects that she only cares about herself.”

Mangkai was touched by Xiao Lu’s expression. Although she had only been here for half a month, living day and night with this young girl, she could see that the girl genuinely revered her.

Not because of her status, but because she truly wanted to serve her and stay by her side.

Even when stuck deep in the Cold Palace, even when suppressed by the Female Emperor, she remained faithful.

“Xiao Lu.” Mangkai reached out and rubbed the young girl’s cheek. The sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl’s skin was soft and delicate to the touch.

“Actually, even if I go out, I don’t know where to go,” Mangkai said with a light laugh. “However, if I can leave, I will try my best to get away from here.”

After all, she still had to find Xun Fangwen.

“Your Highness…”

Mangkai saw that Xiao Lu was about to cry again, so she smiled and asked, “Speaking of which, what exactly does Her Majesty the Female Emperor look like? I’m almost forgetting her appearance.”

Xiao Lu wiped her red-rimmed eyes and complained slightly, “Your Highness is joking again…”

“I’m not.”

Mangkai genuinely hadn’t met the Female Emperor.

Xiao Lu thought for a moment, holding up a finger. “She is very heroic and very beautiful, but she usually doesn’t speak and looks fierce. Her eye color is very dark, like the ink on a book, and it’s especially beautiful.”

Mangkai tried to imagine it. Xun Fangwen was beautiful, yes, but it was a sexy kind of beauty, not typically described as heroic, right?

On the other hand, that Sister Musician she often met these past few days was quite heroic and also very pretty.

Eyes…

Mangkai thought about it. It was too dark, and she couldn’t remember what color the Musician’s pupils were. If she had a chance next time, she would look closely.

Xiao Lu added, “His Majesty likes to wear black clothes, saying it makes her look slender. Later, for a while, everyone in the palace liked to wear black clothes, too. It did make them look slender, but a group of people wearing black looked like mourning clothes, so the attendant had to stop it.”

Mangkai couldn’t help but chuckle. “You guys were really silly. Of course, it doesn’t look good when a whole group wears it. It’s not a uniform.”

Xiao Lu said helplessly, “There’s nothing we can do. There are many women in the palace, and everyone likes to follow suit.”

Mangkai chatted with Xiao Lu, but didn’t find anything of value, so she let the little girl rest while she stayed in the room alone for a while.

That night, Mangkai tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

She lay on the bed, looking at the dark room outside the bed curtains. Only the brazier in the room still emitted light, illuminating the circle around it in the darkness.

Mangkai sat up, put on an outer coat, and walked to the window.

She had been in this world for over half a month, unable to leave the Cold Palace, living the same routine day after day. If this continued, let alone finding Xun Fangwen, even returning to her original world would be a difficult problem.

She needed to fall in love with Her Majesty the Female Emperor.

Mangkai covered her chest, feeling a surge of resistance. She didn’t want to get involved with a stranger. In her heart, her affection would forever remain on that ginkgo-lined avenue.

The golden autumn, the warmth of clasped hands.

And Xun Fangwen’s soft kiss.

Mangkai closed her eyes. If she could, she wanted to return to the first book. She would definitely be good to Xun Fangwen then, never angering her, and the two of them would live a simple life, hand in hand.

Engagement, marriage.

And they would walk until their hair was pale, until both of them became old ladies.

Unfortunately, all of this was just wishful thinking.

Just as Mangkai felt sad, she heard a familiar sound again. The sound was very close, seemingly coming from the rooftop.

It’s Sister Musician!

Mangkai poked her head out the window. Due to the angle, she couldn’t see the roof, but she knew that Sister Musician must be waiting for her up there.

Without any hesitation, Mangkai pushed the door open, found a ladder in the corner, and climbed up.

Indeed, in the dark night, a woman in a white dress sat quietly on the roof. Hearing someone climb up, she turned her head.

“You’ve come.”

Xun Fangwen swung the flute in her hand and chuckled softly, “I’ve already learned the ‘Ren’ai Circulation’ you asked me to learn.”

Mangkai: “…”

Sister Musician is such a good person. She even went to learn a Japanese song.

Xun Fangwen waited for Mangkai to sit down and began to play. However, the sweet and cute song sounded strange when played on a flute, making Mangkai lose herself in thought.

“What’s wrong?” Xun Fangwen was a little unhappy. “Was my playing not good?”

“No, not at all.” Mangkai realized she had been distracted and said, “I was just thinking that the Cold Palace is now full of rumors about a female ghost haunting it at night. I don’t know how to explain it to them.”

Xun Fangwen couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “It’s not just the Cold Palace. The entire palace is discussing the female ghost.”

Mangkai blinked. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“That’s going to be troublesome…”

Mangkai stared at Xun Fangwen for a long time, then suddenly straightened up and leaned close to Xun Fangwen.

The warm breath in the cold wind rushed toward her, mixed with a hint of sweet fragrance.

Xun Fangwen didn’t move. She sat still, staring back at the person who had leaned forward.

Mangkai’s light-colored pupils scanned Xun Fangwen’s face for a long time before she finally spoke slowly. “Your eyes are black.”

Just as Xiao Lu had said, black, like freshly ground ink, absolutely pure.

Xun Fangwen said with interest, “Did you come this close just to look at my eyes?”

Mangkai smiled, realizing her impertinence, and was about to sit back down.

‘Crack—’

The two heard a crisp sound. Mangkai suddenly felt her foot slip. The sensation of falling instantly hit her, and she plummeted downward!

Xun Fangwen swiftly reached out and scooped her up, holding her tightly in her arms.

‘Thud—’

‘Clatter, clatter, clatter—’

A large section of roof tiles slid off and smashed onto the ground, making a jarring noise in the quiet midnight. Immediately, lights turned on in several rooms of the Cold Palace.

Mangkai tightly gripped Xun Fangwen’s clothes. Seeing the lights come on, she panicked and looked up at the other person, whispering, “What should we do? They’re coming out!”

Xun Fangwen looked down at Mangkai, whose face was pale with fright. She couldn’t help but curve her lips, whispering, “Are you scared?”

Mangkai looked up at her, her eyes clear and bright, making Xun Fangwen momentarily stunned.

She…

“Aren’t you scared?” Mangkai whispered. “If we’re discovered meeting secretly in the middle of the night, it will surely cause chaos.”

Her current identity was the Empress. Spreading such rumors with anyone would be bad.

Xun Fangwen thought for a moment, then curved her lips and didn’t speak, only holding the person tighter.

Mangkai smelled a faint fragrance on the other person’s body. It seemed to be sandalwood, a very comforting scent with a calming effect.

Warm bodies leaned against each other. Mangkai couldn’t help but close her eyes.

So warm.

Mangkai buried her face in the other’s chest, like a small, lost rabbit, so docile it was heartbreaking.

Xun Fangwen gently patted Mangkai’s back, comforting her.

At this moment, both of them had the same thought flash through their minds, but neither knew how to voice it.

What if I’m mistaken?

What if I’m wrong about who she is?

What if… she’s not in this world?

The sounds inside the palace wall behind them gradually faded. Eventually, the lights went out, and the entire Cold Palace fell back into silence.

“They’ve gone back,” Xun Fangwen whispered to Mangkai. “I’ll take you back.”

Mangkai looked up at her. As their eyes met, Mangkai didn’t know what to say, and finally just nodded.

Climbing back over the palace wall, Xun Fangwen saw her to the doorway, then disappeared from the Cold Palace rooftop.

What should I do…

Mangkai stood where she was, letting out a breath. She had almost mistaken her for the one she was looking for…