Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 196 A Heart-Fluttering Tale, a silver tongue
[Occupation: Playboy Lv1 – You flit from flower to flower, yet remain untouched. You are a natural darling of the dating scene, a woman's nemesis. Your charm will have nowhere to go, and your tenderness will be an irresistible poison for them.]

[Professional Talent: Winning Hearts - "Don't try to guess a woman's thoughts?" No, you don't need to guess.]

All lies, reserve, and pretense crumble before you. You can directly hear the true thoughts and feelings of your female target. Is she feigning resistance, or genuinely disgusted? Is she saying one thing but meaning another, or is she deeply in love? To you, the answers are no longer secrets, but bargaining chips to be used at will. In this game, you've seen her cards beforehand.

[Skill: Eloquent Tongue – Your words possess an extremely strong persuasive and infectious power over women, easily gaining their trust and favor! Simultaneously, your tongue becomes exceptionally flexible and powerful on a physical level, bringing unimaginable pleasurable experiences.]

Looking at the professional talent and its description, Chen Ye's lips twitched, and then an extremely absurd feeling welled up in his heart.

He never dreamed that the profession he awakened in this world full of experts would be so unorthodox. For a moment, Chen Ye didn't even know where to begin complaining.

However, after a brief moment of bewilderment, Chen Ye quickly calmed down, and his eyes gradually became serious.

Although the "wanderer" profession may sound unreliable, its talents and skills are terrifying.

In particular, her talent of "hearing hearts" allows her to directly hear what the other person is thinking.

This is no longer a simple skill, but a power that involves the level of rules, just like the Myriad Calamities Blade I obtained in the previous world.

In the complex world of the capital, possessing such an ability means he can be invincible in his interactions with women!
Thinking of this, Chen Ye's heart couldn't help but beat a little faster.

Then he looked down at the letter in his hand. He was certain that the activation of the Prodigal Son profession was directly related to Wu Mengwei, so Chen Ye changed his mind.

go with!
Not only do we have to go, but we also have to see what's going on.

Thinking of this, Chen Ye carefully folded the letter and handkerchief again and stuffed them into his pocket.

You can't just throw this thing away, otherwise it'll be a big problem if someone finds it.

Chen Ye then stood up, brushed the grass clippings off his clothes, and returned to his own tent as if nothing had happened.

The servants of the Chen family had already prepared the meal. Although it was just a simple marching ration, the steaming meat soup and flatbread tasted quite good.

After dinner, it got dark, and Chen Ye went straight back to his tent and closed his eyes to doze off.

The noise gradually subsided, and the entire hunting camp became quiet.

Apart from the footsteps of the patrolling imperial guards and the occasional neighing of horses, the only other sounds were the crackling of the campfire.

Most people were already asleep, conserving their energy for the hunt that would officially begin tomorrow.

When the night was deep and quiet, Chen Ye suddenly opened his eyes, then quietly sat up and slipped out of the tent.

The late autumn night was bitterly cold. Chen Ye tightened his black outfit and looked up at the moon.

The moon was bright tonight, and the patrol teams in the distance were very dense, but this did not pose a problem for Chen Ye.

After all, the patrols focused on the area around the central command tent, and no one paid any attention to the corner where the Chen family was located, which made things easier for Chen Ye.

He moved quickly through the shadows between the tents in the camp, and soon left the camp area and came to the birch forest on the west side.

The birch forest was deserted, but Chen Ye wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he found a big tree to hide under.

Time passed by, and after about 15 minutes, two small, shadowy figures appeared in the distance.

coming!

Chen Ye's gaze sharpened slightly, and then he looked over.

At this moment, two figures also entered the birch forest. The one walking in front was the little maid in pink who had delivered the letter to him during the day.

Behind her followed a person wearing a large cloak, covering himself completely from head to toe.

It must be Wu Mengwei.

The master and servant appeared very nervous at this moment, walking and stopping frequently, constantly looking around, afraid of being discovered.

After arriving behind a large tree, the two stopped, and then the maid whispered, "Miss, this should be the place."

"Shh... keep your voice down."

The figure in the cloak made a sound as soft as a mosquito's buzz before lifting the hood to reveal a beautiful and refined face.

Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting a soft glow on her face and highlighting her fair skin. Her eyes, like those of a startled fawn, held a mixture of trepidation and barely concealed excitement and anticipation.

It was none other than Wu Mengwei, the daughter of the Grand Tutor's family.

She looked around and saw that the woods were empty. She didn't see the person she wanted to see, and the expectation on her face immediately turned into a hint of disappointment.

"Peach, are you sure you delivered the letter to him?" Wu Mengwei couldn't help but ask again.

"My dear lady, you've asked me that question at least ten times!"

“I personally handed it to Young Master Chen, so he definitely received it. You can rest assured!”

"Then...why hasn't he come yet?" Wu Mengwei bit her lip and murmured to herself, "Does he...not want to see me?"

By the end, her voice had become tinged with aggrieved sobs.

Hearing this from behind the tree, Chen Ye knew it was his turn to step in, so he cleared his throat.

"cough."

The cough was particularly clear in the silent forest.

"who!"

Wu Mengwei and her servant were startled, like frightened rabbits.

Taozi immediately shielded Wu Mengwei behind her, looking warily in the direction from which the sound came.

Just then, a tall and imposing figure slowly emerged from the shadows behind the tree. The two were initially nervous, but upon seeing the person's appearance, their nervousness instantly turned into immense joy.

"Young Master Chen!" Peach stammered.

Wu Mengwei's beautiful eyes lit up the moment she saw Chen Ye, as if all the starlight in the night sky had gathered in her eyes.

All the anxiety and grievances from before vanished in that instant.

She pushed aside the maidservants blocking her way and ran quickly toward Chen Ye.

Wu Mengwei only stopped when she ran right up to him, then looked up at him with a dazed expression.

“Chen…Brother Chen.”

Her voice was soft and gentle, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, as if she had used up all her strength.

Seeing the gentle and tender girl in front of him, whose eyes were full of love for him, even Chen Ye, whose heart was as hard as stone, couldn't help but tremble slightly, and then cursed inwardly.

The original owner of this body was such a bastard, he really did a terrible thing!
Such a naive and well-bred young lady was tricked into falling for his trap with just a few words!
Simply not human!

But it's no use cursing the original owner now; he has to clean up the mess himself.

Chen Ye suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind and smiled slightly at Wu Meng.

"Mengwei, it's been a long time."

A simple "long time no see" is like flipping a switch.

Wu Mengwei's tears flowed instantly, like beads from a broken string, sliding down her fair cheeks.

She didn't wipe her eyes, but just looked at Chen Ye with teary eyes, her voice full of grievance and longing.

"Then why don't you come to me?"

"Do you know how much I've missed you these past six months...?"

She sobbed as she spoke, her frail and helpless appearance enough to break any man's heart.

Chen Ye sighed inwardly.

Here comes the killer question.

At times like these, saying the wrong thing could lead to utter ruin.

In the past, Chen Ye might have been stumped and wouldn't have known how to answer.

But now...

A thought struck him, and he quietly activated the newly acquired talent of "Hearing Hearts."

In an instant, a strange feeling welled up in Chen Ye's heart.

He seemed to hear voices that did not belong to this world. The voices rang directly in his mind, ethereal yet incredibly clear.

[That heartless man! He even knew it had been a long time since we'd seen each other! He married a wife and then forgot about me! Waaaaah...]

He definitely doesn't like me anymore... If he liked me, why wouldn't he come to see me even once in six months...?

But... but I still miss him so much... When I see him, I can't stay angry at all... He seems even more handsome than before...

A series of chaotic and complex thoughts, filled with resentment, love, and grievances, flooded Chen Ye's mind like a tide.

On the surface, Chen Ye remained calm, but inside he was in turmoil.

I rely on!

You can really hear it!
And I could hear it perfectly clearly!
With these standard answers, wouldn't the next question be easier to answer?
Chen Ye immediately had an idea.

He looked at Wu Mengwei, deliberately showing a hint of guilt and struggle on his face, then took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

At the same time, he quietly activated another skill.

Silver tongue!

"Mengwei, let me explain."

Chen Ye's voice was low and slightly hoarse.

With the help of his skill, those few simple words seemed to possess a kind of magic, instantly stopping Wu Mengwei's crying. She raised her head, looked at him with her big, watery eyes, and waited for him to continue.

Chen Ye's eyes became extremely serious, even showing a hint of pain.

"How could I not miss you? Do you know that I haven't stopped thinking about you for a single day in the past six months!"

"I dream of going to see you, but I... I can't!"

"What am I? A notorious spoiled brat! And you? You're the Grand Tutor's daughter, a cloud in the sky! How could I be worthy to go to you?" "Besides... my sister forced me to marry that Xie Weining. Now I'm a married man. If I were to go to you again, wouldn't I... wouldn't I be ruining your life!"

By the end, Chen Ye's voice even choked with emotion, and he closed his eyes in anguish, as if he were enduring immense torment.

These words, combined with his Oscar-worthy acting skills and the terrifying boost of his silver tongue, were as devastating as a nuclear bomb.

Wu Mengwei's defenses were instantly shattered.

So... so he didn't forget me, he didn't stop loving me!
He had his reasons!

He was afraid of holding me back; it was for my own good!
He has feelings for me!
In an instant, all the grievances and resentment in Wu Mengwei's heart turned into deep heartache and emotion.

So that's how it is... I knew it, Brother Chen isn't that kind of person... He still cares about me...

He was forced to marry Xie Weining! There was no love between them!

Upon hearing these thoughts, Chen Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a slight, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips, but he quickly reverted to his pained expression.

"No...that's not the case!"

Wu Mengwei shook her head urgently, forgetting all about crying. She reached out and grabbed Chen Ye's sleeve, tilted her head back, and said with utmost seriousness, "Brother Chen, I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid of anything!"

"I don't want any title, and I'm not afraid of gossip. I... I'd be content just to be able to sneak a glimpse of you now!"

Girl, you're so... too easy to fool.

Chen Ye sighed inwardly.

He even began to suspect that the original owner and this Miss Wu had really developed to some unspeakable stage.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea.

Because he clearly found relevant fragments from the original owner's chaotic memories.

The two did meet privately a few times, but at most they would chat in the garden or exchange glances at poetry gatherings.

The boldest thing the original owner ever did was to secretly hold her hand when no one was around, and as a result, Miss Wu blushed so much that she almost fainted on the spot.

That's it?

Is this all it takes to make a Grand Tutor's daughter so devoted to me?
Chen Ye was completely baffled.

All I can say is that the original owner's face, paired with that silver tongue, was incredibly devastating to a naive and inexperienced young girl in the throes of first love.

"Silly girl."

Chen Ye looked at Wu Mengwei with pity and heartache in his eyes. He raised his hand as if to touch her head, but then, as if remembering something, he painfully lowered his hand.

He sighed and said softly, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

These four words, coupled with his hesitant and conflicted expression—wanting to say something but not daring to—instantly melted Wu Mengwei's heart.

He feels sorry for me... He really feels sorry for me...

He wants to hug me... He definitely wants to hug me...

Hurry... hold me tight... and kiss me passionately...

A series of bold and passionate thoughts exploded in Chen Ye's mind, making him freeze for a moment.

This girl looks quite quiet, but does she have such a vivid inner monologue?
And then he kissed me fiercely?

Chen Ye glanced subconsciously at Wu Mengwei's beautiful and refined face, and her slightly pouting, moist and glossy red lips.

He had to admit that he was indeed a little tempted at that moment.

But reason quickly prevailed over impulse.

Impulsiveness is the devil!

This is the beloved daughter of the Grand Tutor, a first-rank official of the current dynasty!

If I were to actually sleep with her now, the situation would be completely different.

If Grand Tutor Wu finds out and gets angry, not only Chen Ye, but also his father Chen Fangshi, and even his sister Chen Wan'er who works in the palace, will probably be unable to handle it!
No, the risk is too great.

I'm currently in the prime of my career, and I absolutely cannot let a moment of impulsiveness cause me such a huge problem.

Furthermore, upgrading to the Prodigal Son class doesn't necessarily require reaching the final step.

Thinking of this, Chen Ye took a deep breath, his eyes softening and hardening once more.

He didn't kiss her, but instead reached out and gently took her small hand that was clutching his sleeve.

Her hands were small and soft, with a slight coolness to them; holding them felt like holding a piece of fine, warm jade.

With just this simple gesture, Wu Mengwei's body trembled violently. A current seemed to surge through her body from the point of contact between the two, making her feel weak all over. Her face turned red to the tips of her ears at a visible speed.

He...he held my hand...

His hands are so big and warm...

Chen Ye clearly heard her heart pounding like a deer, and knew that the time was almost right.

So he looked into Wu Mengwei's eyes and said with utmost seriousness, "Wei'er, I know your feelings, and you know mine too."

"But you have to give me some time, because now is not the time."

"I can't be so selfish as to let you bear the infamy with me."

Before Chen Ye could finish speaking, Wu Mengwei was already nodding repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice.

"I understand! Brother Chen, I understand! Don't say anything more!"

She looked at Chen Ye, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration.

“I’ve heard about your recent changes. They say you’ve been studying hard behind closed doors, practicing martial arts diligently, and no longer hanging out with those bad friends.”

"I was so happy to hear that!"

"Because I know that you made such a big change because of me, right?"

Chen Ye: "..."

[Quickly comfort me, tell me you're working so hard because of me!]

Wu Mengwei's heartfelt words once again pointed Chen Ye in the right direction.

Chen Ye chuckled inwardly, then activated his silver tongue once more, speaking softly in a tone that could melt any woman's heart: "Silly girl, if not for you, who else would I do it for?"

"Every time I think of you, I am filled with strength. I tell myself that I can't continue to be so decadent. I have to become stronger and make something of myself!"

"Only in this way will I be qualified to stand before you with dignity in the future!"

Even Chen Ye himself almost believed what he was saying.

Wu Mengwei was completely bewitched and infatuated, to the point that she almost fainted.

She felt that her brother Chen was the best man in the world, and that he was willing to turn over a new leaf and work hard for her.

What deep affection!
I'll wait for you! Brother Chen, I'll definitely wait for you! I'll wait for you to come and marry me!

She was shouting excitedly in her heart.

Just as the two were getting intimate and the atmosphere was heating up, a deliberate cough came from not far away.

"Cough cough!"

It was that little maid named Peach.

She was looking in this direction anxiously, clearly reminding her young mistress that it was getting late and it was time to go back.

Wu Mengwei also woke up from her intoxicated state. She glanced at the sky and her face showed deep reluctance.

Chen Ye knew that this was the end of it for today.

He released her hand and softly instructed, "Go back quickly, don't let anyone find out, be careful."

"Mmm." Wu Mengwei nodded obediently, then reluctantly walked out of the woods, turning back every few steps.

Watching her slender figure disappear into the night, Chen Ye couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief.

He looked down at his hands, which still seemed to retain the girl's body heat and fragrance.

"Ugh……."

Chen Ye sighed.

Although I don't want to admit it, I seem to have a lot of potential to be a scumbag.

However, Chen Ye then thought again, how can this be called scum?

I was clearly doing a good deed!
See, with just a few words, I helped a young girl who was lost about the future find her direction in life again and provided her with valuable emotional comfort.

I'm practically a friend to women and an emotional mentor!
After comforting himself with this noble and righteous thought, Chen Ye felt much better.

He straightened his clothes, turned and left the birch forest, returning to the camp.

But as soon as he returned to his own camp, he noticed that something was off.

The entrance to his tent was brightly lit.

A servant of the Chen family was pacing back and forth at the door like an ant on a hot pan, his face full of anxiety.

When the servant saw Chen Ye return, he ran over as if he had been granted a pardon.

"Young Master! My dear Young Master, you're finally back!"

Chen Ye frowned: "What's wrong?"

The servant lowered his voice and said, "Young master, hurry... hurry inside! The young lady is here!"

(End of this chapter)