Chapter 100

Pei Ji watched silently as she carefully opened her hand, examining the little moon in her palm, and finally raised her hand slightly, letting the moon pendant catch the moonlight.

The rooftop of the Lord’s Manor is lit up with white lights, resembling a celestial palace, timeless and ethereal.

Apart from the streetlights and fireworks, red lanterns were also lit up on the Cangjiang River, their light broken by the oars of passing boats, casting fragmented shadows and hinting at drifting petals.

Ning Ning gazed at the tiny jade pendant, feeling the gentle breeze brushing over the eaves and lifting a few strands of her black hair that fell by her cheeks. Pei Ji caught sight of her fair neck, unable to avert his gaze.

Under the moonlight, the jade pendant emitted a faint white light, while the fireworks wove a sky full of stars, all of which fell into the girl’s pupils.

The moon was in front of her, and the stars were in her eyes.

Suddenly, Ning ning turned her head, and in addition to the stars and the moon in her eyes, there was also the shadow of Pei Ji standing right in the center within reach.

She couldn’t help but chuckle, looking pleasantly surprised, “Wow, Pei Ji, this is the first time I’ve seen you smile.”

Pausing for a moment, she added, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to laugh… but the way you look now, it’s like the ‘fake smiling boy‘.”

(T/N:Gavin Thomas, from the United States, is known as the “Fake Smiling Boy” by netizens because of his fake smile.)

Although Pei Ji had never seen a “fake smiling boy” before, from Ning Ning’s tone and the literal meaning of the term, he could guess that it meant he was smiling strangely.

The banquet had already begun, and not long after they returned to the inn in haste, they prepared to attend the banquet with the others from the sect.

Before attending the banquet, it was proper to tidy up a bit. Pei Ji held the brand-new hairband in his hand but did not tie it on.

The golden patterns on the jade silk sparkled, and the young man’s eyes darkened slightly as he subconsciously clenched his slender fingers.

In that jewelry store, he had seen Ning Ning hesitate in front of the jade pendant, perhaps because of the price.

Pei Ji had always been thrifty and had saved quite a bit of money. Originally, he had intended to buy it for her, but unexpectedly, amidst the teasing from Cheng Ying (Pei Xiaoji is actually preparing surprises too, wow),.

He heard the shopkeeper say, “What a coincidence! The little girl who was with you during the day just left—she bought the night pearl.”

Night pearl.

That was something Senior Brother Lin Xun liked.

It turned out she hadn’t bought the jade pendant so as to make Senior Brother Lin Xun happy.

Pei Ji found it hard to describe his feelings at that moment—surprise, confusion, a little bit of grievance, and sadness.

…Just a little bit.

He was a little angry at first and didn’t want to give her the pendant anymore.

But seeing this hairband now, the accumulated anger and stubbornness in his heart dissipated because of the thin layer of fabric, leaving no trace.

He really was so weak-willed.

As if remembering something, Pei Ji leaned over with a cold face, frowning as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Then he raised his right hand, curling the corner of his mouth upwards.

He had lived in darkness and abuse since he was young, almost never encountering anything worth being happy about. Over time, smiling became a useless burden, cast aside.

He wasn’t very good at smiling.

The corners of his pale pink lips were forced into a smile-like arc, but they looked stiff as if they were made of iron. Paired with his cold eyebrows and eyes, it didn’t look like a smile; it looked like he was possessed.

The person in the bronze mirror frowned.

Was this what he looked like when he smiled?

After remaining silent for a long time, Cheng Ying finally spoke, struggling not to laugh.

(Come on, Pei Xiaoji, Ning Ning just casually said that. Are you really looking at yourself in the mirror to see what you look like when you smile? How about it? Are you happy to receive a gift today?)”

Perhaps sensing Pei Ji’s impatience and irritability, Cheng Ying coughed lightly.

(Let me tell you. When someone smiles, do they only lift one corner of their mouth? Try lifting both hands together and curling them upward along with the corners of your mouth. That’ll look more normal.)

Cheng Ying was like a middle-aged single man addicted to love, and Pei Ji always felt it was unreliable. But now, with a calm expression, he lowered his head slightly and wordlessly followed the instructions.

So both corners of his mouth were curled up by his fingers, and Cheng Ying used a tone full of motherly love to instruct him earnestly:

(Yes, that’s it. Pull a little more outward—perfect, Pei Xiaoji! From now on, smile like this, got it? Hehehehe! This is incredible! What kind of heavenly being has descended to earth!)

Unable to bear it anymore, Cheng Ying, who had transformed from a kind and loving mother into a cackling old hen, burst into laughter.

Pei Ji remained still, his gaze fixed on the mirror. Where his gaze fell were his sharp sword-like eyebrows, his unruffled black eyes, and his high-bridged nose.

And the ridiculously curled lips, as well as the two chubby cheeks piled up by his fingers, looked fair and round.

This time, it wasn’t a fake smile anymore.

He looked like a fool.

Pei Ji: …

He had been played.