NOVPUBMushroom, as a wealthy young lolita, well, barely qualified as a lolita, I suppose.
She rarely encountered difficulties, as problems that could be solved with money were not considered problems.
Seeing the incessant flow of messages, it was evident that she had run into a major problem this time.
Xia Feng returned her call directly.
"What’s up?"
"Are you okay? Sick?" Mushroom asked with uncertainty.
"All good, all good, don’t you know me by now, I tend to vanish for a while," Xia Feng urged, "Come on, tell me what’s up."
"Oh! Right!" Mushroom’s tone instantly shifted to a serious deep voice, "Feng, I need you to accompany me to a party."
"Party? What party?"
"Liszt’s fiftieth birthday celebration."
"Liszt?" Xia Feng paused, the Purple Sunflower Duke’s birthday party, huh... He did remember Wei Shutong mentioning it, and even asked him if he wanted to go.
He had naturally declined; such aristocratic socializing didn’t interest him.
Mushroom’s mother had passed away early, and her father was an aristocrat, but Xia Feng had only heard her mention him a few times, and she had a very strained relationship with her father—she didn’t say much more than that.
He didn’t pry further; after all, it was her heartache.
"So, your father is pressuring you to go to the Prince’s birthday party, right?" Xia Feng guessed the reason.
"Hmm... pretty much," Mushroom muttered in a low voice.
"Pretty much?"
"Well... actually, my father is the Purple Sunflower Duke. He says I must attend his birthday party this year."
"Oh, so your father is the Duke," Xia Feng nodded and uttered softly, then paused for a full two seconds, his mouth slowly dropping open, eyes bulging in disbelief O_o "What?"
"You, you can’t blame me, I didn’t mean to hide it from you."
"..."
"Hello? Are you still listening?" Mushroom’s crisp inquiring voice came from the phone.
Xia Feng cleared his throat, "Your Highness, in the past, I was blind to Mount Tai’s greatness, offended you, and even tried to act like your dad. Do you think there’s any hope for me?"
Seeing his reaction, Mushroom’s eyes suddenly sparkled bright, "Then how about you dress in drag? That way, I’ll forgive you~"
"Haha! I take my leave—"
"Hey, hey, don’t hang up, you haven’t agreed to the birthday party yet!"
"You’ve got to tell me why you need me there?" Xia Feng wondered.
"I, it’s my first time going back after all these years, and I have social anxiety..." Mushroom’s voice tapered off. "Plus, my elder brother always forces me to call that vixen ’mom,’ and I’m definitely not going to—"
"Okay, I get it. When’s the birthday party again?"
"Tomorrow at seven in the evening, you must come!"
Xia Feng chuckled, "Don’t worry, I’ll be there to back you up, I promise no one will bully you."
"Mhm!"
After chatting for a bit more, they hung up. He pulled out his "location card" and glanced at it. On the reverse side’s grid map, two lights blinked, one red and one blue.
The red one was number 11, and the blue was him.
The scale in the bottom-right corner of the grid indicated: a span of 5000 kilometers.
There were a bit more than eight spans between the red and blue lights, suggesting player number 11 was in the vicinity of the 48th sector, far across from the 51st.
Getting here would definitely take a day or two at the least.
"Buzz buzz—"
The phone vibrated again. Xia Feng glanced at it.
Rare, a text message from the Destructive Witch.
[Experience Bag: Are you free tomorrow night?]
[Xia Feng: No.]
[Experience Bag: Do me a favor.]
[Xia Feng: I said I’m busy!]
[Experience Bag: Accompany me to a party.]
"..."
[Xia Feng: Prince’s birthday party?]
Soon after, Mu Qingtong made a direct call.
A calm and gentle voice spoke, "The Prince has two sons, both of whom like me. The younger son is dead, and the elder son keeps sending flowers to the Mu estate every month..."
Oh, I see, classic cliche, you want me to be your shield, right?"
"It’s not about being a shield, you are my fiance, it’s your responsibility to be there," Mu Qingtong said softly.
Xia Feng rolled his eyes slightly, "Responsibility? What about rights then?"
"What did you say?" Mu Qingtong’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh, I said the moon is really round tonight, I’m going to sleep, goodbye!"
"You’ve agreed then?"
"I may not have many virtues, but I’m kind-hearted. I really didn’t want to attend the banquet, but since you’ve requested so sincerely, I guess I’ll have to reluctantly help—" Beep—beep—
Before he could finish, a long beeping sound signaling the call disconnected came through. Xia Feng looked at the screen with bewilderment, muttering, "How rude."
"Buzz buzz—"
Just as he was about to put down the phone to take a shower, the screen began vibrating again.
[Wei: Are you free tomorrow evening?]
"Ah, that familiar opener."
[Xia Feng: ...let me guess, the Prince’s birthday party, right.]
[Wei: Kid, you don’t have a choice this time, the Prince himself has requested your presence!]
