Hibiscus as a Painting - Chapter 172
Love and hate leave no trace, deep affection is hard to wait for, a descendant of the gods, three lifetimes of karmic entanglement, a marriage changed on the Three Lives Stone (Part 4)
Changing Fate on the Stone of Three Lives (Part 4) The mountain wind at dusk rustled through the bamboo forest. Xiao Bai stood at the entrance of the courtyard, gazing northwest with anxious eyes. She wanted to go and see, but fearing that Zi Jin would be angry, she took two steps timidly and then retreated.
Xiao Bai lowered his eyes, struggling back and forth, but finally stood obediently by the door. His hesitant and conflicted expression, like a wronged little wife, amused Cheng Qingsong, who was watching from the side.
"Hey! Come here, you idiot!" Cheng Qingsong sat on the rocking chair in the courtyard and waved to Xiaobai, who had turned around.
Xiao Bai watched Cheng Qingsong for a while, then looked back at the northwest direction, frowned, and still walked over.
"Look at your reluctant face, I know what you're thinking. Come here, sit down, I have something to ask you," Cheng Qingsong said, pointing to the small stone stool beside him.
Although Xiaobai was very unwilling, it obediently sat down as instructed, but its eyes kept looking in the direction of the courtyard gate.
"Don't bother looking, she won't be back until dark," Cheng Qingsong said gloatingly.
Xiao Bai glanced at Cheng Qingsong, his gentle eyes instantly filled with worry and heartache. He got up and was about to walk towards the door, but Cheng Qingsong pressed him back down.
"What's the rush? I give her so many nourishing medicines every day, it's not like they're given to her for nothing. Don't worry, she has so much internal energy from all these years, she can cut down an entire bamboo forest without any problems."
Xiao Bai was a little anxious: "Then Xiao Zi... his hand... is injured... then..."
"If you're worried about her, why don't you say so? She's always had an injury on her hand, and you've been pretending not to see it. Seeing your submissive attitude makes this old man angry!" Cheng Qingsong said indignantly.
Xiao Bai was stunned, her eyes instantly reddening, her pink lips pressed tightly together: "No, no, Xiao Zi, he doesn't want me to know, I dare not say, he... he... he doesn't like me... it wasn't like this before... before he..."
"Who told you, you idiot, to have a wife? Do you expect me to make my precious apprentice your concubine?" Cheng Qingsong said, pretending to be righteous when he saw that he had made the man cry.
"Wife?...Young lady?..."
"It's your wife! Madam! You're already married, why are you still bothering my precious disciple? Tomorrow I'll send you out of the valley and back to where you belong. This old man feels uneasy seeing you two together!"
Xiao Bai's eyes widened, her dark, jade-like eyes filled with terror. She stammered, "No!...Don't send me...I...I'll be good, I'll be good, I won't ask, I won't say. I'm not married, I have no one, only Xiao Zi, only Xiao Zi. He...he doesn't look at me...he doesn't care about me, he never used to...What should I do...what should I do...I dare not say...I dare not ask...what should I do..."
Cheng Qingsong's tiny eyes narrowed into slits: "You really aren't married?"
"No, no... I want Xiao Zi... but, Xiao Zi... doesn't want me... I'm afraid... he doesn't want me anymore..."
All the grievances of the past few days flooded back, instantly bringing tears to Xiaobai's eyes. Xiaobai couldn't understand why Zi Jin was becoming increasingly distant. She had been so obedient and well-behaved, yet why wouldn't he treat her the way he used to? What should she do? He had an injury on his hand, which he didn't want her to see, so she pretended not to know, not even daring to ask a question. She waited for him to sleep with her every day, but why did he insist on waiting until she was asleep before he would sleep himself? He wasn't like this before. He used to always sleep with her, letting her hold his hand, but now he never touched her. Before, he only had eyes for her; now he saw everything, but not her… What should she do? What should she do…?
Cheng Qingsong patted Xiaobai on the shoulder: "Don't cry, you idiot. Since you're not married yet, this old man will figure something out for you. Don't worry, leave everything to me. Come closer..."
Xiao Bai suspiciously leaned closer, listening for a while. Her previously dim eyes gradually brightened, but after a long time, they suddenly dimmed again: "But... Xiao Zi, he's a man... how... can he..."
"Pfft! Cough cough!... Cough... Cough cough..." Cheng Qingsong almost choked on his own saliva, unable to catch his breath: "You idiot! My precious disciple is clearly a girl, how could you think she's a boy? Even if she's dressed as a boy, she still has all the right features... although it's not very obvious... You, you, you... how could you be so stupid?... You can't even tell if someone is a boy or a girl, and you like her! How could you be so old?!"
Xiao Bai suddenly looked up, her tear-washed eyes filled with joy, and exclaimed urgently, "Really...?"
Cheng Qingsong stroked his beard and chuckled: "Why would an old man like me lie to you? ... You can try it yourself to see if it's true or not... Hehe... As long as you listen to everything I say, I guarantee she'll treat you the same way she used to."
Zi Jin stayed in the bamboo grove until the moon was high in the sky before dragging her broken knife and staggering towards the bamboo hut. Unlike usual, the hut wasn't lit; it seemed Xiao Bai had fallen asleep before she could wait. Though she tried to reassure herself, a small sense of disappointment still welled up inside Zi Jin. In the past, no matter how late it was, Xiao Bai would always wait for her to return. Ah… now, even she had lost her patience.
As usual, Zi Jin first ran to the kitchen, casually washed her wounded hands, found a bun harder than a rock, mixed it with water and ate it, drank the herbal soup that the old man made her drink every night, then washed her face and wiped her body before heading towards the bamboo house where she lived with Xiao Bai.
Upon entering, the darkness of the room momentarily disoriented Zi Jin. She carefully closed the door, a bitter smile playing on her lips, and cautiously made her way towards the bed, trying to remain as quiet as possible. Her early mornings and late nights were definitely disturbing Xiao Bai's rest. She'd move out tomorrow; since she'd already decided to send him away, what was there to be reluctant about?
Zi Jin lay down in bed and glanced at Xiao Bai, who was huddled in the corner as usual. Although he didn't seem shrewd, he was the best at reading people's expressions. Ever since she stopped sleeping at the same time as him, he had been secretly observing her expression and dared not get any closer.
Zi Jin dared not approach him again, never again could she be as close as before. Now, the distance between them was no longer just half a foot on the bed, but a physical distance between them. How far was that distance? It wasn't long, but she and Xiao Bai could no longer stand together.
A hand quietly rested on Zi Jin's. In the darkness, Zi Jin, whose hands were covered in wounds, flinched in pain. The hand, startled, tried to pull away, but Zi Jin grabbed it and squeezed it reassuringly. The hand was still as cool as before, but it seemed much thinner. There wasn't much time left; let her hold it, just hold it a little longer.
The owner of the hand seemed encouraged and moved closer to Zi Jin, but dared not get too close. Exhausted from a long day, Zi Jin's consciousness was gradually fading. In her sleep, she seemed to sense the person's approach, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Seeing that Zi Jin didn't seem to mind, the man slowly placed his other hand on her waist and moved closer. He wrapped one arm around her waist, buried his face in her shoulder, and breathed softly, careful not to wake her with his light breathing. Her ear tickled, but her hand ached terribly. Zi Jin rubbed her ear to the side, her lips brushing against his. His breathing immediately quickened. He cautiously and very slowly pressed his body against hers, tentatively licking her neck like a puppy.
A tingling sensation spread from the nape of her neck, and Zi Jin instinctively flinched. The man seemed to be enjoying himself, and automatically moved closer to Zi Jin. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Zi Jin, ignoring the pain in her hand, shoved the plaster away, only to find the touch was off. She tentatively touched it again and again, finally unable to fall back asleep. He…he…he wasn't wearing any clothes…
Under Zi Jin's haphazard caresses, Xiao Bai's breathing gradually became heavier, and it nestled limply against Zi Jin's shoulder, afraid to move any further. Zi Jin stiffened for a moment, then slowly lowered her hand, turned over, and pretended to be fast asleep.
Xiao Bai waited a while, and seeing that Zi Jin had fallen asleep again without any apparent change, as if recalling something, he slowly sat up and carefully examined Zi Jin in the moonlight. Xiao Bai's face gradually moved closer, his lips attempting to touch Zi Jin's soft, warm lips. His tongue slid in without any resistance, his movements clumsy yet careful.
Zi Jin closed her eyes tightly, suddenly feeling an urge to cry. She slowly opened her eyes, abruptly pressed down on Xiao Bai, who was trying to escape, grabbed the back of his neck, and her tongue touched Xiao Bai's tongue, which hadn't had time to retract, and forcefully invaded his throat, rubbing back and forth, circling back and forth, her movements extremely rough, as if she wanted to melt Xiao Bai into her own body.
After a long while, she slowly closed her eyes and gradually loosened her grip, and the two of them were panting heavily.
Xiao Bai's cheeks were flushed, his breathing was rapid and heavy, and his whole body was trembling. His dark, warm eyes were filled with mist. His hands gripped Zi Jin's waist tightly, unwilling to let go.
Zi Jin turned her head to look at Xiao Bai, her eyes cold and indifferent: "Xiao Bai, I'll have Master send you out of the valley tomorrow."
Xiao Bai shuddered, her grip on Zi Jin's waist tightened, her pink lips pressed together, and her eyes instantly reddened: "Xiao Zi, back then, when you were with me, I... I didn't know, it was love... Now Xiao Zi, you don't like it like this, you don't want me anymore... Xiao Zi won't say anything, you've never said anything, you won't say anything... I'm stupid, but... Xiao Zi, don't send me off, don't send me off, I'll be obedient... very obedient."
Zi Jin raised her hand and gently rubbed Xiao Bai's face with the back of her hand, coaxing softly, "It wasn't your fault that you didn't know back then, it was because I never said anything. It's not that I don't want you, or that I don't like you. Xiao Bai isn't feeling well, he needs to go back to the palace to recuperate, and if you don't go back... Le'er will worry. Le'er... he gets lonely when he's alone, doesn't he?"
Tears welled in Xiao Bai's eyes, and her body trembled uncontrollably, whether from fear or something else. Her hands gripped Zi Jin's waist tightly: "No, no, I want Xiao Zi. I'm fine, I'm fine. I won't go back, I won't go back."
Zi Jin's face turned cold, and she easily pried Xiao Bai's hands off. Xiao Bai was no match for Zi Jin now, and was pushed far away by Zi Jin in no time, without any power to resist: "There's no need to say anything more. You can leave the valley tomorrow."
Xiao Bai huddled in the innermost corner of the bed, trembling all over, sobbing softly.
Love and hate leave no trace, deep affection is hard to wait for; the descendants of the gods, three lifetimes of karmic entanglement, their fates altered on the Stone of Three Lifetimes (Part 5)
Changing Fate on the Stone of Three Lifetimes (Part 5) Zi Jin closed her eyes, trying her best to ignore the person crying so pitifully in the corner. If she couldn't harden her heart this time, then… she didn't know if she would still have the courage to push him away. Xiao Bai was too tempting for her, like someone who had forgotten their addiction and had obtained an endless expanse of poppies. If they tried it once, they would never have the courage to give it up, and would surely drown in it again.
Gradually, the crying became intermittent, and the blankets around her shook violently. Zi Jin knew that Xiao Bai was crying so hard that she was having spasms. She gritted her teeth and turned her face away.
In a daze, Xiaobai stared intently at Zijin's every move. Seeing her treat him so cruelly, he felt both wronged and terrified. But as Zijin turned her face away, the deep grievance was gradually replaced by fear. From Zijin's every move, he could tell that she had made up her mind not to want him anymore. The fear in his heart deepened, and he slowly reached out, wanting to touch Zijin's arm, but Zijin skillfully dodged him. Xiaobai's mind went blank. He suddenly pounced on her, tightly hugging Zijin's neck and wrapping his whole body around her.