Huang Tao stared wide-eyed, crouching down to try and peek through the hole in the window, but was startled by a scream that was quite shrill, and crouched down again.
"You, you're just going to have your fun, oh my god, I'll die right now!" Lu Sheng.
"What are you talking about, dying or not? Hmph, I've already told Miss, we're going to clear out another barren mountain in the south and build our own courtyard." Ruan Hu.
"Waaah, why don't you just die?" Lu Sheng.
"Amin, really, at a time like this, sigh."
The sound of a hand slapping flesh.
Qiu Su shuddered, feeling as if her soul had left her body, and then crawled out onto the ground. Huang Tao seemed to understand what was happening inside, and seeing Qiu Su crawling out, she quickly followed, lowering her voice to ask, "What did Ruan Hu say to the young lady? Did she agree?"
"No, I didn't say anything."
Huang Tao looked devastated when she heard another long, drawn-out cry from inside the house. Then the sound suddenly became softer, probably because someone had covered her mouth. Cough, or maybe they had kissed.
Huang Tao stiffened for a moment, then quickly scrambled to the front of Qiu Su. Qiu Su looked at Huang Tao, who was walking like Xiao Qiu, and suddenly realized something. She withdrew her hand, stood up, and looked up to see Tara and He Zhuo standing at the gate of the courtyard, their eyes wide open.
Qiu Su wanted to remind Huang Tao, who was diligently climbing, but it was too late. Qiu Su watched as Huang Tao looked up, her face as red as a frostbitten persimmon, then clutched her head and lay motionless on the ground.
He Zhuo raised an eyebrow and gestured with his chin towards Qiu Su. Qiu Su, sensing the situation, tiptoed out of the yard, glanced at Huang Tao who was still lying on the ground pretending to be dead, coughed, and whispered, "Well, maybe, she's taken a hit. I'll have to trouble Tara."
Tara nodded, a smile playing on her lips, then bent down, picked up the seemingly unconscious Huang Tao, and left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The blow was quite severe; Qiu Su's hands were still trembling uncontrollably during dinner. Zhou Tong glanced at Qiu Su's trembling hands and exchanged a look with his wife beside him. Aunt He shook her head and sighed, "Poor thing."
Huang Tao hadn't shown up, so naturally she wouldn't see the two people who had been with Bai Rixuan. After dinner, she had planned to hold Mo Mo and tell him stories. Although she didn't know anything about little rabbits, she could still tell him stories about little dogs. But then Aunt He said she had made some little clothes for Mo Mo and wanted to take him over to try them on, so she should rest first and bring them over later.
The mountain lord remained lying under the table without moving. Qiu Su pulled it out and gave it a good rub, then shook its ears and said, "Go out and play for a while. Don't just lie there all the time, or your body will become stiff."
The mountain lord shook his ears and followed Aunt He after Mo Mo.
The building was still the same. Although she had previously lamented that the second floor shouldn't have been used as a bedroom, she had left without making any changes. Qiu Su pondered that it would be good to renovate it sometime, as a room could be partitioned off next door. As Mo Mo grows older, she should eventually have her own room.
The room was completely dark. Qiu Su groped her way upstairs, found the flint and lit a candle. The moment the candlelight came on, she exclaimed softly, "Didn't Huang Tao stay with Tara? Why is everything so messy?"
The room remained the same. The decor was still a slightly purplish-white, but since the weather had warmed up, the bed curtains had been replaced with a glossy, thin silk used only in spring and summer. Through the curtains, the figure of a person could be vaguely seen on the bed. He lay there quietly, his back to her, appearing profound and aloof.
The room smelled wonderful. Qiu Su stood by the table for a long time, and for some reason, she recalled the first time Pei Yuan was abducted to the mountain. He was like this then, draped in a light blue veil. Only, when she draped a blanket over him then, he glared at her.
The person on the bed remained motionless. Qiu Su stared at him for a long time, then, as if possessed, walked over and lifted the bed curtains. A naked man, another naked man. Through the thin gauze, Qiu Su saw the diagonal scar on his back. Yes, it was Pei Yuan. Qiu Su sighed, preparing to lower the bed curtains and leave, when she saw the man roll over, lying on the bed with his limbs spread wide. His eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes, blinking seemingly in confusion, and said with a smirk, "Wife, why are you only coming back now?"
Qiu Su turned to look at the candlelight on the table, then at the naked Pei Yuan, and slapped her forehead in frustration, letting out a groan. Yes, things have been a bit eerie on the mountain lately. Could it be that we've encountered one of those legendary ghosts that can take human form?
The naked man sat up, and his thin veil slipped down, barely covering his private parts. He gently removed Qiu Su's hand from her forehead and said with a smile, "My wife kept me waiting. She was asleep."
Qiu Su trembled all over, not with excitement or anger, not with any of the emotions she should be feeling at this moment. After trembling for a while, she slapped away the slender hand and shouted angrily, "Get back!"
62. Not the end
The naked man sighed aggrievedly, lowered his eyes and said, "Where does my wife want to send me? I have gone through countless dangers and suffered endless hardships in order to find you. The mountain god was moved by my sincerity and sent me to your bed."
Qiu Su felt dizzy and grabbed his neck, yelling, "Go back! Don't you dare use his likeness! You're not worthy!"