"Whether His Majesty is willing to tell you or not is his right. Even if he doesn't, I believe that with your abilities, you will naturally find out through other channels."
After talking for so long about the traitor who started it all, it ended up backfiring on me. I've finally experienced what it means to suffer in silence.
"So, in the end, you just don't believe me, do you?"
He lowered his head, placed the porcelain bowl on the plate, and remained silent for a while before speaking.
"How can I believe you? I only know that every time His Majesty gets into trouble, it's related to you."
"Great Protector, is the porridge ready? I'll take it to you."
Shaoyou stepped forward and picked up the plate. Because his back was to me, I couldn't see his expression, but Qionghua was clearly stunned for a moment, then his brows furrowed more, and he glanced at me before waving his hand impatiently.
"Madam, would you like something to eat?"
"No, let's go."
Qionghua's words left me incredibly frustrated. Although they were true, they were still very hurtful.
"The Grand Protector is also wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord. Besides, he is injured and his words may be harsh when he is angry. Madam, you don't need to worry about it."
"I'm not going to argue with him."
That's what I said, but I still have a knot in my heart; it's impossible not to mind.
Chapter 101
Author's Note: Thanks to the students who helped me get extra points! ^-^
Here's a freshly written chapter, presented with both hands, as a token of my gratitude.
When they returned to Zhaonan Pavilion, the man had already gotten up. He was still wearing only a single garment and sitting on the soft couch, his face appearing even paler in the cold wind blowing outside the window.
"You won't stop until you make someone sick, will you?" I rushed over and slammed the window and door shut.
His jet-black hair, no longer supported by the wind, hung limply, covering half of his face.
My heart tightened. I never thought of myself as someone who cries so easily, but now my nose really stung.
"Clouds..."
"Lian'er, tell me, how much of you can I trust?" He raised his head, his eyes cold and clear. "This humble attitude is so unlike you. Are you trying to please me so you can continue to use me?"
“You…” I opened my eyes wide, both angry and anxious, unable to speak.
"Come here, let me hug you for a while." He slowly reached out his hand, his fingers long and delicate.
My temper flared up, and I slapped his hand away.
He paused for a moment, then laughed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you."
Her hand reached out again, but I dodged it. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, she bit her bloodless lips, and her fingers twisted tightly around my sleeve.
"I really came here to suffer. I didn't want the good food and comfortable accommodations outside, but I came here to endure the cold and hardship..."
Suddenly, the hem of my sleeve sank, and before I knew it, he pulled me down onto the couch.
A pair of hands gripped her waist tightly, and a slender, thin body covered her, casting a shadow of gloom over her.
"Outside...which one are you referring to? Li Mu or Xiao Lianjue?"
Oh no, his temper of being unable to stop talking once he gets angry hasn't changed at all.
"Outside, outside is so big, why does it have to be these two people? Why is it always my fault when something happens, and can't it be someone else's fault?"
The more I talked, the more wronged I felt; it was all an injustice done to me. You, Nangong Ling, are quite something; you managed to control my temper so well, holding back until now before finally exploding.
His dark, jade-like eyes flickered, and he sighed, wiping the burning sensation from the corner of my eye with his cool fingers.
"Don't cry, I can't bear it if you cry." He lowered his head and nuzzled my neck with the tip of his nose. "I'm sorry..."
Her soft, hoarse voice lingered in my ears, making me cry even harder with each repetition.
His slender fingers couldn't wipe away the torrent of tears, so he simply leaned down and gently kissed away the tears from the corners of my eyes with his lips.
My vision blurred and cleared intermittently. The light in the room wasn't bright enough, but I could still see the blush gradually spreading across his clothes.
"Yunzhi, get down, the wound on your shoulder..."
Before she could finish speaking, her mouth was sealed by a pair of thin, cool lips, leaving a lingering fragrance on her lips and teeth.
I pushed him, and he tightened his grip and deepened his kiss. He only let go of me when I was completely out of breath.
However, he wasn't much better off; his breathing was chaotic and disordered, but his eyes burned as if they could spit fire at any moment.
"Don't do anything reckless! Do you want this hand to be useless from now on?"
He closed his eyes, took a breath, and slowly released me.
After getting off the bed, I reapplied the medicine and changed the bandages, then picked out a set of thick clothes for him to wear, and fed him breakfast before I finally calmed down.
What are your plans next?
"Isn't it nice to live here?" He grabbed my hand and started playing with it again.
"This doesn't sound like something you would say."
He gave a wry smile, "Isn't it enough that I'm afraid? What if you turn on me the moment I leave the valley? What am I supposed to do then?"
That was a really sharp blow from my brother; it completely shattered Nangong Ling's confidence. Or maybe the cold winds these past few days have made him a bit dazed?
"What a joke! You think you're the kind of person who would just swallow your pride? You wouldn't hold a grudge against me for my sake. I've seen your tricks before. Luckily, I like you, otherwise I would hate you to death."
I couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks to him. After saying it, I felt like I really understood him. But after thinking about it for a while, I noticed his strange look and realized something was wrong. What did I just say?
His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and he didn't speak, but just smiled gently with his lips pursed, his eyes revealing considerable satisfaction.
You actually blurted it out without thinking! You're ruthless. I was wondering why you suddenly changed your personality. Turns out you were just trying to trick me into talking!
"Satisfied? Happy? When are we going back?"
"Don't you like it here?" His hand slowly explored upwards, feeling both cold and itchy.
"No, you know I can't stand the cold. I wouldn't have stepped into this place if it weren't for you."
"Don't give me hope only to disappoint me again. I'm afraid I really can't handle it if it happens again..."
He leaned down and rested his head on my shoulder, a soft sigh coming from beside my ear, tinged with a lazy weariness.
"You're always thinking about random things, aren't you tired?" He frowned and pulled his hand away from my collarbone.
"I'm tired, but I can't control it."
Now it's my turn to sigh. "Do you know that you're acting like a spoiled brat who won't eat candy? What exactly do you want me to do to put your mind at ease?"
"If I could, I would want to keep you by my side at all times."
"Dream on!" I pushed away the person who was clinging to me. "I'm hungry."
I've been serving you all morning, and I haven't even eaten yet.
He leaned back on the soft couch, the smile on his lips hidden beneath his long, dark hair, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
"Have them deliver it over there, you don't need to go, it's cold outside."
He propped his head up on the purple cushion with his hands. Due to the excessive blood loss, his face was still very pale, but there was a red mark at the corner of his eye because of exhaustion, which was terrifyingly alluring.
I stared blankly for a while, and by the time I came to my senses, I was already sitting back down.
"Good boy." With a long reach, he easily scooped me back onto the bed.
"...Aren't you going to sleep a little longer?"
He shook his head. "I didn't see anyone when I woke up. I thought you were gone."
This person has a knack for making me uncomfortable. Before, they were sarcastic and mean, but now a single flat sentence can make me feel suffocated.
"If you dare to doubt me again, believe me, I'll bite you to death."
His thin lips were slightly pursed, yet a faint smile remained, clearly mocking me.
Have you heard this saying before?
"What?"
Her slender fingers tapped lightly on my knuckles, and her eyes, seemingly casually lifted, exuded a captivating charm that lingered in my soul.
"To die beneath the peony blossoms, even as a ghost, is a romantic endeavor."
He spoke in a soft, gentle tone, his voice low and slightly hoarse. I'm sure he was testing my willpower.
Chapter 102
Summer has arrived outside, and the scenery along the way is serene and verdant. A warm breeze blows, unfolding layers upon layers of lush greenery, and the air is filled with the faint scent of grass.
At this moment, the sky was clear and the mountains and rivers were beautiful. The azure sky was cloudless, and the orange-gold light shone down without restraint, breaking through the branches and leaves into a mottled and gorgeous scene.
A few rays of light shone through the curtains, striking his open silver-trimmed collar and reflecting a dazzling brilliance that made the red embroidered patterns on the collar appear as vivid as blood.
"Stop staring, your eyes are practically glued to the screen."
"...Take off your clothes."
The person who had been leisurely sitting on the soft chair in the carriage was stunned, and their expression became somewhat blank.