Marry First, Love Later With The White Cat Princess - Chapter 64

After a moment of silence, Luo Binglun managed to force a thin smile. “It was only a nonsensical dream that offended Physician Yu. It was my own abruptness.”

Qingyue must have shifted her memories again, Luo Binglun thought. If she remembered correctly, this should be the period shortly after they first met.

At this time, Yu Qingyue was neither humble nor arrogant toward anyone, polite to a fault. Their relationship appeared familiar on the surface, but in reality, it was marked by a distinct sense of distance.

“I see.” Yu Qingyue looked thoughtful as she asked warmly, “This is not my residence, it looks more like the Wutong Pavilion in Phoenix City. Since Priest Luo brought me here, could it be that there is a patient?”

Luo Binglun thought carefully for a moment and replied, “Indeed, there is a patient.”

Yu Qingyue’s elegant brows arched as she immediately entered professional mode, standing up. “Lead me to the patient, then.”

“Wait, Physician Yu!” Luo Binglun hurriedly called out to her. Meeting Yu Qingyue’s confused gaze, she fabricated a lie: “The patient… is me.”

During this period, Yu Qingyue was still fully immersed in the way of medicine. Hearing Luo Binglun say this, she quickly sat back down and asked, “Priest Luo, where specifically in your body do you feel unwell?”

Luo Binglun originally wanted to release her twin wings to startle her, but she feared that after the initial shock, Yu Qingyue would think she was merely messing around. Instead, she pressed a hand to her chest and said solemnly, “My heart has not been quite right lately.”

Yu Qingyue placed a hand on her pulse, probing for a while without detecting any abnormalities. Releasing her hand, she said, “Please allow me to listen to your heartbeat.”

Listening to a heartbeat usually required tools, but ever since Yu Qingyue woke up, she had been searching for her portable medicine chest to no avail. She could only resort to the most primitive method.

Luo Binglun agreed without hesitation. However, when Yu Qingyue leaned toward her and pressed her ear against Luo Binglun’s chest, the latter froze entirely.

“Phy… Physician Yu…” she stammered. Qingyue had never listened to her heart like this before!

Hearing the sudden acceleration of her heartbeat, Yu Qingyue frowned slightly. She held Luo Binglun’s hand and whispered, “Don’t be nervous. Relax.”

After listening for a while longer, Yu Qingyue straightened up and asked in surprise, “Why is Priest Luo so nervous? I am merely listening to your heart. Your reaction makes it seem as if you’re afraid I might enter your heart.”

Luo Binglun: “…”

She felt that when this bird’s memories were muddled, she was even more unintentionally flirtatious.

After taking several deep breaths, Luo Binglun finally met the standard for Yu Qingyue to listen to her heartbeat.

The warmth in her arms lingered for a long time before moving away. Yu Qingyue looked up, propping her hands on either side of Luo Binglun’s body, gazing calmly into her eyes.

Luo Binglun instinctively leaned back, unsure of what the other woman was about to do.

After a long pause, Yu Qingyue said testily, “My consultation fee is very expensive, and my time away is limited. I hope Priest Luo is not dallying with me.”

Luo Binglun was speechless. Who could blame her when this demon suddenly switched memories, catching her off guard? Last night, she had been a submissive and obedient child, waking up this morning, she had become a diligent physician searching for patients.

“Your fee has already been paid,” Luo Binglun said unhurriedly. “My heart is indeed ill, but it is not a physical lesion. Rather, it is a problem with my thoughts… what you often call a ‘psychological illness’.”

Seeing her serious and solemn expression, Yu Qingyue said, “Very well, tell me about it.”

Thus, Luo Binglun released her demon form. Under Yu Qingyue’s astonished gaze, she said calmly, “In order to suppress my loathing for demons, I used a secret technique to turn myself into a demon. In your opinion, is my approach reasonable?”

Yu Qingyue was stunned, but she did not answer. Instead, she asked in a low voice, “Does Priest Luo not intend to return to the Candle Radiance Kingdom?”

The thick demonic energy almost enveloped her. Yu Qingyue had long heard that Luo Binglun detested the demon race most of all, seeing her transform now was naturally shocking.

“I’m afraid that is not a question a physician should be concerned with,” Luo Binglun said, her face darkening.

“Indeed.” Yu Qingyue was briefly taken aback, then nodded. “To be honest, I do not think there is anything unreasonable about your actions. Since you insist that there is a problem with your thoughts, it is likely because you haven’t had time to accept your new identity.”

She reached out to touch Luo Binglun’s azure feathers. As she passed by her ear, she said, “I have many demon friends, including feather demons. If Priest Luo is willing to accept this identity but finds it difficult to adapt on your own, please allow me to be your guide.”

Luo Binglun knew that at this point, Yu Qingyue was still presenting herself as a human. She had not revealed her own demon form just because Luo Binglun was one, nor did she use “their kind” to bridge the gap between them.

A subtle sense of distance remained.

Mindful that they were not in the Candle Radiance Kingdom, Luo Binglun decided to take a gamble. She grabbed Yu Qingyue’s wrist, leaned into her ear, and whispered, “I am certainly willing. However, Physician Yu, could you also reveal your demon form and let me see what kind of feather demon you are?”

She noticed a slight change in Yu Qingyue’s expression, but before long, she heard Yu Qingyue say flatly, “Did Priest Luo mishear me? I said just now that I have feather demon friends, not that I am a feather demon myself.”

If Liu Fenyun were present right now, she would surely think: It seems this time we have Yu “Adamantly Denies Being a Demon and Is Self-Righteous About It” Qingyue.

Luo Binglun guessed she would deny it. She moved behind Yu Qingyue, stroking her back gently and softening her voice: “We are both of the demon race; what are you afraid of? If anyone should be afraid, it ought to be me first. You are merely a physician, if your identity as a demon were exposed while traveling, you could simply tell others that ‘Physician Yu’ was eaten by a demon. People would feel regret, but they wouldn’t look into it deeply. But I am the Great Priest of a nation. Now that I’ve become a demon, should I also tell people that ‘the Great Priest was eaten by a demon’?”

Yu Qingyue was stunned. She didn’t understand why Luo Binglun was bringing up so many complications, but she sensed the other woman’s persistence in wanting her to reveal her true form. Fearing that Luo Binglun would continue with such nonsense, she said helplessly, “I am hiding in the human realm to find a fellow disciple. If I expose my identity too early, that fellow might run away. Since the High Priest wishes to see so badly, please keep it a secret for me.”

A pair of snow white wings spread out from behind her back. Yu Qingyue also let her features shift into her demon form, her eagle-like eyes constantly monitoring Luo Binglun’s expression. If the other woman showed even a hint of loathing or dissatisfaction, she would immediately retract her form and find a way to erase this memory from her mind.

However, Luo Binglun suddenly lunged forward, pulling her wings and all into a tight embrace and giving her a thorough rubbing.

Yu Qingyue dazed for a moment under the rubbing. By the time she reacted, she knew she was being toyed with, yet she found she didn’t want to push her away. She didn’t know she was under the influence of a Love Gu, she only felt that every time there was physical contact with Luo Binglun, strange emotions would surge in her heart.

She even wanted to imitate Luo Binglun, to hold the other woman tightly, wantonly stroke her feathers, and never be apart for a single moment.

Luo Binglun eventually remembered to maintain a proper sense of distance. After getting her fill, she released Yu Qingyue. Seeing the physician remain silent, she felt a twinge of guilt, she had just done something to the innocent Qingyue that was usually reserved for the mating season.

“To be honest, I like your feathers very much,” Luo Binglun said, finding an excuse for her actions while taking the opportunity to praise her beloved. “You are the most beautiful feather demon I have ever seen.”

Yu Qingyue: “?”

She suddenly suspected whether the Luo Binglun before her had been possessed by a Great Demon. Not only was she inexplicably intimate, but she had even forgotten to refer to herself as “This Seat.”

“The Priest overpraises me,” Yu Qingyue replied composedly, though she did not return the compliment.

Failing to receive praise from her beloved left Luo Binglun feeling a bit empty. However, she quickly adjusted, leading Yu Qingyue to a side room. She pulled out the cage containing Qi Ran and asked, “Is this the fellow disciple Physician Yu is looking for?”

On the other side of Wutong Pavilion.

Yesterday, Liu Fenyun had just finished organizing her living quarters before heading into the medicinal garden to craft the antidote for the Love Gu.

If Lian Yi hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night and dragged her out of the garden, she likely would have pulled another all-nighter.

After being dragged out, Liu Fenyun endured a scolding and could only sleep obediently, intending to wake up early the next day to finish the antidote. But they had been traveling constantly these days and were exhausted. As soon as Liu Fenyun closed her eyes while holding the cat, it was already noon the next day when she woke up.

Lian Yi hadn’t woken up either, sleeping soundly in her arms. One of her hands was resting on Liu Fenyun, and her cat tail was wrapped around one of Liu Fenyun’s legs.

Knowing she was tired, Liu Fenyun didn’t dare move for fear of disturbing her. She closed her eyes again, intending to nap for a bit longer, when she suddenly heard a eunuch outside shouting at the top of his lungs: “The Emperor arrives…!”

The voice was so loud that the cat demon’s ears in her arms twitched. “Mmm, who’s here?” she asked sleepily.

“It seems to be the Sovereign of Phoenix City?” Liu Fenyun replied calmly at first, then suddenly realized something was wrong. She bolted upright and hurriedly shook Lian Yi awake. “Yiyi, wake up! We promised the Lady of the Bedchamber yesterday that we would enter the palace today to pay our respects to the Sovereign!”

As a result, one had stayed up late and overslept, while the other simply couldn’t wake up, both had completely forgotten.

The two of them were startled into full wakefulness and scrambled to get dressed. Fearing they might commit a breach of etiquette, Lian Yi cast an illusion on both of them before they headed out, it was more than enough to fool a human monarch.

However, when they arrived, they realized the Sovereign had actually come to catch up with Luo Binglun. After all, they were currently hiding their identities and had entered the city based entirely on Luo Binglun’s status.

The loyal guards naturally stopped them at the door. Lian Yi felt that since they were already there, it would be rude not to show their faces. Thus, she intentionally said to the captain of the guard, “Officer, could I trouble you to report to Priest Luo and ask if she and Physician Yu would like us to go into town to buy some snacks?”

The captain hadn’t seen them before, but the Lady of the Bedchamber, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, had. She hurriedly led them inside to pay respects to a woman dressed in a phoenix robe. “Your Majesty, these two are… Great Demons who came with Priest Luo.”

She wasn’t actually sure if Liu Fenyun counted as a demon. Liu Fenyun’s demonic energy was very heavy, yet she appeared to be a pure blooded human. However, seeing that Lian Yi was a Great Demon, she assigned the same status to Liu Fenyun so the Sovereign wouldn’t mistake them for nobodies.

Liu Fenyun quickly recalled the information on Phoenix City. The rulers of this country had been women for generations, using “Xiao” as the royal surname. Because their ancestors were beast tamers who could command spirit birds, the children of the imperial family all had names containing the “bird” radical.

The Sovereign sitting before them now was named Xiao Lingyuan. She was only seventeen years old and had only been on the throne for six months. Her appearance and aura still held a touch of youthful innocence, yet when she ordered the Lady of the Bedchamber and the guards to withdraw, every gesture carried the dignity befitting a ruler.

“Is this the first time you two have visited Phoenix City?” Xiao Lingyuan smiled and ordered seats for them, asking, “Did you sleep comfortably last night?”