My Years in the Jianghu with the Prince: A Time of Unethical Conduct

Chapter 140, Recollection Part 7 - Observing in the Dark

Xie Yan remembered.

Before he joined Fengyunlou, he had indeed met Wang Youdao in the capital.

Although it was only a fleeting glance, Xie Yan would never mistake it for someone else.

Because the way Wang Youdao looked at him then was the same as how he looked at him now—undisguised lust.

Unfortunately, Xie Yan hadn't realized what was happening before the man was kicked out.

Otherwise, this person probably wouldn't be here now.

Thinking of this, Xie Yan realized why he always felt that Wang Youdao's gaze, besides being sticky, also seemed to be looking through him at someone else.

In addition, there's the name he gave himself.

The person he's looking at is actually his past self.

However, Wang Youdao probably thought he had died two years ago, so he didn't even consider that the person in front of him was the real Wang Youdao.

Once Xie Yan realized this, she suddenly felt a bit nauseous. This guy actually wanted to use her as his own substitute?

...Wait a minute, doesn't this plot seem a little familiar and a bit melodramatic?

The only difference is that Wang Youdao is not one of those obsessive thugs who forcibly seize and plunder in melodramatic storylines.

He's just a damn pervert.

Xie Yan looked up at Wang Youdao and saw that the man was still looking at her with tenderness, his eyes so gentle they could practically drip water.

Xie Yan immediately felt goosebumps all over his body. He couldn't help but take a step back and give this pervert a mouthful of birdsong and fragrance.

But fortunately, he managed to suppress it the next second.

Seeing that he hadn't received a reply from Xie Yan, Wang Youdao spoke up again: "Ayu, what do you think? Is this a nice name?"

While Xie Yan cursed Wang Youdao's ancestors to the eighteenth generation in her mind, she remained calm on the surface, obediently nodded to Wang Youdao, and said, "It sounds good."

Wang Youdao nodded in satisfaction and said, "I knew it, Ayu, you would definitely like this name too."

Seeing Wang Youdao's expression, even the slow-witted leader sensed something was wrong.

He couldn't help but step forward, but his guards blocked his way, both openly and subtly.

The leader looked at Xie Yan, who appeared quite "delicate" under Wang Youdao's protection, coughed a few times, and hesitated before saying, "Ahem, Mr. Wang, you..."

"kindness?"

Disturbed by his interruption, Wang Youdao turned around, still with that smiling expression, showing no sign of anything amiss.

But soon, as if he had just thought of something, his expression changed instantly, and he said with a slightly sad expression, "Ah, I lost my composure."

"But whenever I see these poor babies, I can't help but think of my lost child."

"What lost child?"

The leader looked surprised. He remembered that Wang Youdao did have a wife, but it seemed that he had no children.

Why is a lost child suddenly appearing now?

Wang Youdao glanced at him, his sorrow deepening as if lost in distant memories: "Alas... this matter is a pain in my heart, so very few people know about it."

"My wife and I had a son in our early years, and we loved him dearly and cherished him like a treasure."

"But who would have thought that when he was five years old, my wife and I took him out for a trip, and in a moment of carelessness, the child was abducted by human traffickers."

“We searched for him for years but couldn’t find him. My wife also cried every day because of his disappearance, and she died of depression three years ago.”

As Wang Youdao spoke, a few tears even welled up in his eyes.

His eyes were filled with sorrow, truly like a father who had lost his beloved son.

So many years have passed, and I still don't know where my son is now. I worry about his safety and well-being every day.

"So whenever I see these children, I can't help but think of my lost son, and I'm afraid that he might not have enough to eat or wear."

"That's why I adopted these children; it's a good deed for my son."

After Wang Youdao finished speaking, he even pretended to wipe the corner of his eye.

Looking at Wang Youdao's appearance, the leader couldn't help but feel sorry for him, never expecting that Wang Youdao had such a painful past.

It seems that he is judging others by his own standards.

The leader comforted him, saying, "Master Wang, there's no need to be sad. The world is vast, and miracles may happen. Your son will surely return one day."

"Well, then I'll take your kind words."

Wang Youdao sighed and then nodded.

But his gaze remained fixed on Xie Yan, intentionally or unintentionally, without shifting away for even a moment.

Xie Yan watched his performance and was utterly amazed. No wonder no one had been able to discover his true colors for so long.

The leader wanted to offer some more words of comfort, but it was clear that Wang Youdao didn't want to continue this pretense.

"It's getting late, so I think we should stop here. I plan to let these children rest here for the night and then return to the manor tomorrow to settle them properly. Why don't you all rest here for the night as well?"

Seeing that it was indeed late, the leader readily agreed.

After he was led away by the guards, Wang Youdao immediately composed himself, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light, showing no trace of sadness.

He turned his head and looked at Xie Yan with satisfaction.

He didn't say anything, but simply gestured, and the guards beside him immediately understood and stepped forward.

The guard grabbed Xie Yan and strode out.

Moments later, he was stripped naked and thrown into hot water.

It's unclear whether Wang Youdao had planned something in advance, but the hot water had been prepared well in advance, and the servants were ready to serve him.

As soon as Xie Yan entered the water, several hands grabbed scented soap and began frantically rubbing his skin. Their movements were swift and practiced, as if they had done it countless times before.

They even wiped it on his face while washing him.

Xie Yan immediately cried out in pain and covered her face tightly.

Just kidding, if his disguise were to be washed off right now, that would be a real problem.

Fortunately, the servants saw this and withdrew their hands, continuing to clean him in silence.

Soon, Xie Yan was not only washed clean, but her whole body was also covered with a layer of fragrant powder.

Aside from not being carried away wrapped in a large towel, the whole process was just like going to serve a concubine.

Just as Xie Yan was feeling dizzy from being soaked in the water, she caught sight of a set of clothes that had been brought up.

In an instant, the hair on my body stood on end, and a chill ran down my spine—

Because this outfit was exactly the same as the one he wore when he was still in the capital.

There was absolutely no way that a fleeting encounter back then would have allowed Wang Youdao to remember his face and attire so vividly.

The only possible explanation is that this person had been secretly watching him for a long time, in a place unknown to him.