"You're dreaming!" Lan Yanfeng emerged from behind a clump of bamboo. He had been eavesdropping there for who knows how long, just like Yi Chunjun.
He walked over with a fierce expression, grabbed Xiao Ji by the waist, and pulled her from the rock into his arms. "In this life, I'm the only one who treats others like dog shit; it's impossible for others to treat me like dog shit!"
He swore that there would never be a day in his life when she didn't like him!
"You're such a jerk!" Xiao Ji rolled her eyes at him.
Chapter 73 of "The Smiling Flower": The Greatest Danger
A light drizzle began to fall in the evening, making the sky even darker, as if night had arrived early. Xiaoyuan opened the window, and the damp, cold wind that rushed in made her shiver slightly. The withered and yellow bamboo leaves scattered on the ground added to the desolate autumn atmosphere.
He... hasn't come back yet.
She knew his plan was nearing completion. After patiently waiting for months, even though she was living in seclusion in the bamboo forest and couldn't see or hear it firsthand, she could imagine the immense chaos and countless deaths caused by those greedy martial artists for those few lines of incantation and the location it hinted at…
This was precisely his goal; he had been waiting, letting more and more of them die, their strength dwindling. He had even had the big shots deal with the minor characters—a truly brilliant, albeit cruel, scheme to kill with a borrowed knife.
She sneered, "Serves them right! If they hadn't been greedy, they wouldn't have suffered such a catastrophic disaster! They brought it all on themselves."
She touched her lower abdomen, her expression softening. She was three months pregnant, but it wasn't very noticeable. She often wondered what kind of person her and Yi Chunjun's child would be. Needless to say, very beautiful. If it was a boy, would he be as mischievous yet adorable as him? If it was a girl… she couldn't help but laugh. If she looked like her, that would be fine; if she looked like him, Pei Junwu would be in big trouble.
Hearing footsteps, she ran anxiously to open the door.
Although she didn't want to admit it, she knew that even after only an hour apart, she missed him terribly and longed for him. She kept waiting for him, and her anxiety grew stronger. After everything they had been through, she helplessly found herself becoming more and more attached to him.
She had lived through the years without him. But she couldn't imagine what the future would be like without him. He was her husband, the father of her children... perhaps, her everything? She didn't know; she couldn't weigh the possibilities.
The footsteps were Yuan Xun's. Yes, Yi Chunjun walks silently. Thank goodness… she smiled; he and Yuan Xun had returned together.
"Why aren't you wearing more clothes! The weather's changing." The ruthless Young Master Yi quickly took a few steps forward, put his arm around her, and said in a rambling tone.
Tuoba Yuanxun chuckled, "I've really seen something new."
Yi Chunjun turned around and glared at him, clearly annoyed. "Knowledge? Isn't it right for a man to love his wife? Do you expect me to punch my wife the first thing I see?"
"That's not what I meant. You monster, you weren't exactly steely before, but now you're definitely as soft as silk. I always thought you were cheesy, but you're even more cheesy now."
Yi Chunjun rolled his eyes. "Didn't you come to say goodbye? Hurry up and say it, then get lost!"
Xiao Yuan and Yuan Xun looked at each other and smiled.
"Saying goodbye?" Xiao Yuan pushed aside the sullen-faced Yi Chunjun, pulled Yuan Xun's hand and led him into the house, making him sit down. "Are you going with him too?"
Yi Chunjun glanced at their clasped hands, and although he didn't say anything, he angrily sat down in a chair, ignoring everyone.
"No, I won't go with them. My martial arts skills are not good enough, and I would only cause trouble if I went with them."
"At least you have some self-awareness!" Yi Chunjun said retaliatoryly. "Go back and tell your self-important older brother to stop meddling in the affairs of the Central Plains martial arts world! He only has such a small territory, yet he has such big ambitions. The rise and fall of the Song Dynasty doesn't affect him! He won't get any benefits either, so he should just behave himself!" As he spoke, he stood up and slammed his hand on the table, which earned him a glare from Xiao Yuan. "If it weren't for the fact that you're practically my brother-in-law, I would have exposed your despicable deeds in front of everyone just now."
He sneered, and Yuanxun's face stiffened.
Xiao Yuan was puzzled. "Something immoral?"
Yi Chunjun snorted, "That team of skilled fighters who inexplicably appeared to attack Pei Family Village was sent by his elder brother, Li Yuanhao! I really can't understand why he would do something so harmful to others and himself! Did he gain anything from it?"
Yuanxun lowered his head with a hint of guilt and mumbled, "I only mentioned this to his men unintentionally; I didn't expect him to send someone to stir things up."
Xiao Yuan was secretly shocked. That group of people were actually experts from Western Xia? Things were much more complicated than she had imagined.
Yi Chunjun glanced at him and said, "I didn't hold it against you because I knew you didn't mean it! Your elder brother is very ambitious. If he tries to get your father to become emperor or even jumps out on his own, you must go along with him. He's not one to listen to advice. If you want to be a prince smoothly and peacefully, you should avoid going against his wishes and not provoke him."
Yuanxun remained silent for a while before finally nodding.
"You're going... back to Xingqing?" Xiaoyuan asked, somewhat saddened.
Yuanxun nodded wistfully. "With a demon taking care of you, you're always the one bullying others, never the one being bullied. I'm relieved. My senior sister... has been gone for almost a year now, it's time for me to go back." He sighed. "Thinking back to when the three of us came to the Central Plains together... I never imagined I'd be the only one going back!" He raised his sleeve to wipe his eyes.
Xiao Yuan's nose tingled, and tears streamed down her face.
"Alright! Don't make my wife cry!" Yi Chunjun walked over and put his arm around her shoulder. "It's not like we'll never see each other again. As long as my wife misses you, I'll take her to see you. What kind of behavior is this, crying and sobbing?"
Yuan Xun sniffed and forced a smile, "That's true."
Xiao Yuan watched as Yi Chunjun closed the door, and the room... it felt like the whole world was just the two of them left.
She couldn't help but walk over and hug him tightly from behind, pressing her face against his strong back. "When are we leaving?"
Yi Chunjun silently savored the tenderness that belonged only to him, "Let's leave tomorrow morning."
Xiao Yuan tightened his arms around her. "I don't want you to leave! I don't want to be left here alone!" She knew she was just being futile; he was going to avenge the Pei family, pay off her debts, and rid her of the villains who coveted the treasure. She shouldn't keep him here, she couldn't let him stay…
He turned around, pulled her into a tight embrace, pressed his lips to hers, and said teasingly, "Okay, I won't go."
She could only punch his chest with a mixture of anger and love, her blows becoming lighter and lighter until she finally gripped his clothes tightly, completely lost in his kiss.
He looked up, panting, and chuckled with suppressed anger, "I'd better leave. Staying here means I can't touch you, and I'll just be tortured to death."
"You can't touch me...?" Xiao Yuan's breathing quickened; the kiss from before had aroused her desire. Indeed, recently—he hadn't made love to her.
“Master said your pregnancy is not stable and he won’t let me touch you,” he said, somewhat annoyed.
Xiao Yuan's face turned purple, and she pinched him, "Aren't two grown men ashamed to say this?!"
"Aren't you ashamed?" he grinned mischievously again.