Yesterday it rained, but today the sky is as clear as a freshly washed canvas.

Under the thick red candle inside the room, as it burned to its last drop of wax, Song Suiyuan, lying alone on the couch, slowly opened his eyes.

The sweet and complex fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose, the pain on the surface of his body, and his dizzy brain all indicated that today was unusual. He only remembered yesterday… after taking a bath, he went to sleep and had a vivid dream…

However, after taking off his clothes, his shoulders, neck, and chest were covered with fresh scratches and bite marks.

And his muddled brain just recalled—this treasure bites quite painfully.

Song Suiyuan’s calm expression broke, his chest heaving, his mood clearly unstable, and his tall body remained tense for quite a while.

Yesterday, it wasn’t a dream?

Did he really do that thing?

With a pretty guy who bites and scratches when in pain?

…With a guy who rudely barged into his room.

After realizing the reality, Song Suiyuan propped up his head. He distinctly remembered that after taking a bath yesterday, he saw Ah Yan on the bed, then went to sleep on the couch, and there was no one else in the room.

So who was he? When did he come in? Was he a gigolo brought in by Shi Wan?

He immediately denied it in his heart. It didn’t seem like it; more like a pampered young master raised in luxury.

Song Suiyuan’s fingers moved down from supporting his head, touching the new wound on his collarbone, bringing a slight pain. He let go of his hand, his face darkening a shade, whoever he was, if he met him again, he would definitely catch him to vent his anger!

Both parties are responsible for such a thing happening; it was consensual, so why hurt someone like this?

Song Suiyuan’s first experience was quite good, which he attributed to the intoxicating drink. As for the involvement of another person, he was only left with anger. Although he couldn’t remember clearly due to drunkenness last night, a few fragments indicated that the young master was the one who initiated it, and in the end, he was the one covered in injuries. He pursed his lips and hastily put on his new clothes, full of creases, and hurriedly sought out the servants in the building to ask, not noticing the clothes from yesterday that fell off the bed with his movements.

After detailed inquiries, except for Shi Wan, who went out to play the zither today, all the servants and guards related to this matter came over, all saying they hadn’t seen an unfamiliar young master last night.

A line of guards exchanged glances… not to mention, one who is as beautiful and ethereal as a child under Buddha’s seat.

“Go down and check carefully. If you don’t find any clues, be careful of your skin.” A loud scolding voice came first, and Dong Niang, the manager of Liuxiang Pavilion, came up to dismiss the guards, smiling obsequiously towards Song Suiyuan behind the screen, “Young Master Song, you know the guards here are lazy in their work. Dong Niang apologizes to you here. Rest assured, if there’s even a trace of the young master, I’ll have them turn the place upside down to find him.”

Liuxiang Pavilion is frequented by nobles and scholars, and the guards are known for being reliable and skilled.

Song Suiyuan was already annoyed and didn’t want to engage in small talk with Dong Niang. Knowing he couldn’t get anything out of them, he followed her words and let her leave.

How strange, the young master last night should be skilled in martial arts.

He vaguely remembered the flexible yet powerful little body, the swift movements, and the two hands he held in his palm at the end… the thin calluses on the tiger’s mouth and the pads of the four fingers were easy to overlook. All these indicated that the young master must be skilled in martial arts, yet he managed to evade the guards of Liuxiang Pavilion without them noticing…

When did such a person appear in the capital?

He sat alone in thought for a moment, suddenly remembering Ah Yan.

His gaze followed his thoughts to the direction of the canopy bed, where was the little white cat?

The bed curtains were pulled down by the little white cat’s claws last night, covering half the bed.

Song Suiyuan approached and lifted the bed curtain, only to find the little white ball in the corner. At this moment, it no longer had the arrogant posture of trying to occupy the entire big bed yesterday, shrinking pitifully in a corner as if it had been wronged.

With more important matters at hand, Song Suiyuan subconsciously ignored the difference. He first gently touched Ah Yan’s little head with his fingers, intending to see if it was awake, only to be swiftly and accurately swatted by the closed-eyed cat.

Very fierce.

Song Suiyuan’s hand almost gained another scar, and he frowned, tapping its head with a cold voice: “Always learning bad things.”

The little white cat, with its eyes closed, swatted fiercely again, missing, then covered its ears and turned over, its round back facing him. Song Suiyuan actually saw annoyance in its expression.

Annoyed with him?

Song Suiyuan, being petty, reached out and messed with the cat’s head, disturbing its sleep.

However, the little white cat seemed extremely sleepy, its round little body swaying with the movement, looking very pitiful.

Song Suiyuan unconsciously lightened his already gentle touch, finally withdrawing his hand. He stared at the little white cat hiding its sharp claws, got up, and carefully searched the room, finding no trace of anyone coming in or going out. The person had already run away, and there was no point in Song Suiyuan staying in the building. Plus, he couldn’t stand the smell of alcohol on him, so he picked up the still sleepy little white cat and returned to the mansion.

Meanwhile, the news of Young Master Song spending a night with a young master at Liuxiang Pavilion spread out.

Just as Song Suiyuan reached the gate of Heqi Courtyard, he was caught in the act by his father, Song Wenxing, who was on leave at home from his position as Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. The Assistant Minister, with his wide robe, hair neatly tied, and beard well-groomed, looked at him with disappointment: “You didn’t come home last night, where did you go causing trouble?”

Song Suiyuan stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, turned around, and respectfully called out, “Father.”

He treated the question as if it were the wind by his ears.

Song Wenxing snorted coldly, recently he never had a good face when he saw Song Suiyuan: “Assistant Minister Wang of the Ministry of Revenue greets me more diligently than Minister Yang, showing how capable you are. If I didn’t care about your daily activities, I’m afraid even if a colleague in the court showed diligence, I wouldn’t know why.”

Assistant Minister Wang of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang San’s father. Wang San loved to mess with money since he was a child, bold and reckless. Others didn’t know he actually made a lot, only knowing he always lost money, almost bankrupting his family. Assistant Minister Wang, at an old age, almost developed a heart condition because of this youngest son. Now Wang San has been following Young Master Song for a long time without losing money.

Song Suiyuan shrugged at his words, petting the cat without speaking.

He thought no one would show diligence; they would probably switch to recommending their sons to build connections.

Song Wenxing sternly looked him up and down, suddenly his sharp eyes focused, staring at his neck, and demanded: “Tell the truth, where did you go last night?”

Song Suiyuan followed his gaze, glanced down slightly, and paused: “Liuxiang Pavilion.”

Forget it, nothing to hide.

Song Wenxing couldn’t believe it, his finger trembling as he pointed at him for a long time, angrily leaving a sentence “Choose a day to discuss marriage” and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Song Wenxing always had high hopes for his legitimate eldest son. He knew his own child well, never rebellious since childhood, wasting time was nothing; he would eventually know that indulging in pleasure leads to ruin and return to the right path. Seeing the child becoming more excessive, Song Wenxing seriously considered his wife’s suggestion that a son would only settle down after marriage.

Song Suiyuan watched his father leave in anger, thought for a moment, and wrote a family letter to his elder sister, who was accompanying her husband in Jiangnan, asking her to invite Doctor Kang to the capital again.

Song Wenxing, in his youth, was frightened by a fall into the water, and later years of diligent work and late nights depleted his health. In his previous life, he was taken by a winter cold. Originally, he was to be promoted to Minister of Personnel, but unfortunately, he passed away. Song Suiyuan later rose smoothly in the court, initially somewhat out of compensation.

Song Suiyuan put down his pen, smiled faintly, and the irritation in his heart dissipated a little.

Father has been recuperating for nearly a year, looking much better, full of energy when angry.

Sui Mo returned to Heqi Courtyard after Song Suiyuan sealed the letter. He didn’t know where he had been, and as soon as he entered, he curiously asked, “Young Master, why is everyone saying you’re getting married?”

Upon hearing this, Song Suiyuan raised an eyebrow, recalling the figures sweeping not far outside the courtyard earlier, understanding that in such a short time, this “discussing marriage” had turned into “getting married,” who knows how many mouths it had passed through.

He didn’t answer Sui Mo’s question, instead, he pondered, “You reminded me.”

He should go out to avoid the limelight for a while. His father casually mentioned “discussing marriage,” he must have prepared a lot in private, the sooner he leaves, the better.

Sui Mo was even more puzzled.

Song Suiyuan made plans, thought for a moment: “I’ll take Ah Yan to stay at the villa at the foot of Sanghua Mountain for a while. You go notify them now, I’ll leave tomorrow.”

He had mentioned it to the Crown Prince yesterday, so Sui Mo didn’t ask much, agreed, and was about to go prepare.

Song Suiyuan raised his eyes: “You stay in the city and keep an eye on the happenings at Liuxiang Pavilion for me.”

Sui Mo: “Huh?”

Song Suiyuan briefly explained, then said, “A young master skilled in martial arts, focus on investigating sons of newly arrived wealthy merchants in Shengjing. Now, arrange for someone to heat water, I need a bath.”

Sui Mo received too much information, frowned in confusion, and retreated, unconsciously glancing at the half-circle red mark on his young master’s neck, his eyes drifting.

Teeth marks, huh.

The collar of Liuxiang Pavilion was high, and the clothes Song Suiyuan changed into after bathing were loose and comfortable, fully exposing the neat teeth marks.

Nice bite, the household is quite particular.

“Young Master, where’s Ah Yan?” Sui Mo suddenly came in to ask.

He suddenly remembered, afraid the young master had forgotten the Crown Prince’s Yun Shizi’s cat at Liuxiang Pavilion.

Song Suiyuan put down the finger touching the teeth marks, and before he could answer, there was a “meow!” from the bed.

Ah Yan finally woke up.

Song Suiyuan waved Sui Mo away, walked around the screen, and unexpectedly saw the little white cat, which was obedient yesterday, had wrecked his bed into a mess.

All the silk and cotton that could be torn with claws were destroyed.

And it lay right in the center, like the king of the battlefield.

Song Suiyuan took a deep breath, very well, his patience completely snapped.

He picked up the little cat by the scruff, smiling slightly, his tone sinister: “I’m going to ask you some questions now. If you can’t answer, you’ll have white porridge for three meals a day, eat vegetables, bathe in the morning and before bed, and your activity area will be limited to the side room of Heqi Courtyard.”

“I know you can understand.” He spoke softly, “I mean what I say.”

Having turned into a cat, with his butt still hurting, Ah Yan: “Meow!”

Beast! Filthy!

An incense stick later, Song Suiyuan trapped the little white cat in his arms, holding scissors, squeezing and clipping, leaving its nails completely bare.

In the process, Ah Yan tried countless times to get up and fight, but the cat’s strength was much weaker than a human’s. Last night, as a human, he could still turn over and lie on Song Suiyuan, but today, no matter what, he couldn’t retract his claws.

Yesterday bullying people, today bullying cats, beastly Song Suiyuan!

Song Suiyuan’s dark eyes were emotionless, asking it: “Did someone come into our room last night? Yes, extend your right paw; no, extend your left paw.”

Ah Yan, irritated, wanted to run, but when he looked up and saw his expression, his heart skipped a beat, pausing for a moment, but then this person is much weaker than his father! Furious, he angrily swatted his right paw at his face: “Meow meow…”

Ask ask ask! You still have the nerve to ask!

Song Suiyuan caught Ah Yan’s paw, for the first time directly confronting its inexplicable anger, suddenly realizing that Ah Yan’s fury didn’t seem to stem from being threatened; it was angry from the start.

Ah Yan wasn’t an ordinary cat; it didn’t exhibit the destructive nature of cats. On the bed at Liuxiang Pavilion, several plates were still in place, and this morning, Ah Yan was pitifully curled up in a corner of the bed curtain.

So the destruction of his bed wasn’t aimed at the bed, but at him.

It was unruly today after waking up…

Waking up, its disturbed sleep…

After a long silence, Song Suiyuan’s attitude gradually softened, holding the little white cat in his palm, clearing his throat with an ambiguous tone, dryly asking: “Last night, did we disturb you?”