Accept it? The Yu family never suffers a loss, even if they do, it's to make others suffer an even greater loss. For the past few months, she's endured hardship and humiliation, being taken advantage of by this person. Isn't this just a way to retaliate in kind, a small act of revenge? Since that's the case, why bother accepting it?
Her fingertips throbbed with blood as she touched his waist, her fingers limply tracing patterns on it. The book described this as "feeling as if boneless," and then she looked up, her moon-like eyes slightly glazed over—this was called "a dreamy gaze." She tried to imitate him perfectly, but when she finished, she realized something was wrong: the handsome man had transformed into a tiger.
Not just a tiger, but a ferocious man-eating tiger with three horizontal lines carved on its head. Its beautiful tiger skin was taut, as if if it moved even slightly, it would be dismembered and devoured, leaving not a trace of flesh.
The book clearly didn't say that, it clearly said yes, it said yes... She suddenly remembered that she hadn't finished reading the rest before this big tiger had embezzled it.
What a tragedy! A villain in my heart is pounding his chest in despair.
Now that things have come to this, there's no other way but to fight! So what if she's a tiger? After all, the only person in this house who knows martial arts is supposedly her. It's just a rumor. Do you think she'd lift a rock only to drop it on her own foot?
With a determined heart, she leaned forward slightly, her eyes almost touching the tiger's skin, but she stopped. She had to be able to turn back, no matter what. This distance was just right, just right.
"son--"
Before she could finish speaking, a force pulled her firmly into his arms from behind. A heavy shadow loomed over her, and Yu Zigui tilted his head, his burning lips landing on her cheek. Clearly unsatisfied, his claws slid up her slender waist, gripping her neck tightly, his thin lips attacking again. Just as they were about to kiss, his claws were suddenly struck on a pressure point, and when he looked again, her figure was gone.
Looking thoughtfully at the empty space in her arms, Shangguan Yi gazed at the beauty a few steps away who seemed to be admiring flowers.
What a beautiful spring day, what a beautiful scene, what a close call! Even though she had her back to him, she could still feel the tiger's paw hesitate for a moment. In fact, if he had exerted just a little more force, she would have been struggling under the tiger's jaws. Luckily, she had gambled correctly. Luckily, she secretly wiped the cold sweat from her palms and gritted her teeth to maintain a calm demeanor.
"It turns out I underestimated you."
"No problem." She turned slightly to the side, making sure to maintain a dignified demeanor.
"Zigui is already a grown woman."
That was it; she felt proud and wanted to look down on others, but then she saw his gaze lowered, fixed on her with a half-smile...
She shrank back and glared at him fiercely.
Shangguan looked away, still wanting more: "It's been so long, hasn't Zigui gotten used to it yet?"
"Get used to what?" she asked instinctively.
"Those who are used to me, my kisses, and—my body."
He spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable, and her delicate body trembled upon hearing it.
"Zigui, Zigui, you've already become a ripe fruit just by talking about you. On your wedding night, you'll be completely overripe."
"You...you..." She was utterly bewildered.
"Tell me, when should I eat this fruit?"
Her eyes flickered as she looked at him. A gentle breeze stirred, rippling across the room, but who was the heart of the wave, and who was the ripple? Since they couldn't tell, why bother trying?
“Ziyu, you have known and pitied me all these years. Yu Zigui is not a fool, nor is he dull. I thank you.”
"If you care, you should know that what I want is not just a thank you." His dark eyes were fixed on her, not looking away for a moment.
"Yes, I know, I know. Ziyu, you once said that no matter who pulls whom along this path, as long as we walk together, that's fine."
“Zigui, I don’t mind keeping you on my toes, but you’ll have to put in some effort,” he hinted, his gaze unwavering.
"Yes, yes, I used force, a lot of force." She stammered and turned away, making it impossible to see her expression.
Shangguan frowned slightly and stopped by the window before she could pretend to admire the flowers. Perhaps because he moved too quickly, something slipped out of his sleeve.
"Ah, fans!" Merchants in Nanjing had a penchant for elegance, and the front of their fans was often painted with landscapes, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune.
Outside the window, a pool of clear water rippled. The fan brushed against the window frame, but she reacted swiftly, grabbing the edge before it fell into the water. With a soft rustling of paper, the fan unfolded, revealing a beautiful woman in a painting.
Her slightly elongated eyebrows and eyes, like a sweeping stroke of autumn water, seemed to captivate the heart with just a slight turn. The silhouette against the shimmering water reflected her eyes as if they had stepped out of a painting; anyone who saw them couldn't help but praise the artist's skill.
She watched helplessly as the fan was slowly closed, folded from bottom to top, and then her hand, which had been resting on the edge of the fan, was grasped.
"They're all mine." A soft voice whispered in my ear.
Her face flushed slightly, then she straightened up and looked into those seemingly expressive black eyes.
Having read the entire book, she was ultimately more advanced than her. Yu Zigui sighed slightly and said, "Three years ago, you were ahead of me, but now..." She glanced at her tightly clenched left hand, "Now we stand side by side."
He loosened his grip on her hand slightly, then tightened it again in an instant. She felt a slight doubt in her heart, and when she looked up again, she saw a sky full of peach blossoms, as beautiful as March in the human world, blooming like a brocade in his eyes.
He laughed heartily, his eyes sparkling with a hint of arrogance, making no attempt to hide his joy. "When did you catch up?" he asked.
Lord Shangguan, know when to stop and don't get too cocky.
"We're side by side, you love me to death, don't you?"
Who went first? Oh dear... she shuddered.
"Zigui, Zigui, I love your honesty, so honest that I really want to take a bite."
So, the tiger opened its mouth.
She touched the faint teeth marks on her face, pointing angrily. "You...you..."
The tiger chuckled softly, revealing a set of white teeth.
Yu Zigui shuddered. She had clearly gained the upper hand, so how had things turned around? No, if this continued, she would be reduced to nothing. A chilling thought washed over her, like a bucket of cold water being poured over her head, and she suddenly snapped back to reality.
She lowered her fingers and smiled, "It's nice to walk side by side like this right now."
Sensing the unspoken meaning, the tiger became alert. "What does Zigui mean?"
"I need to think about it."
"Think about it?" The tiger squinted.
"Hmm, think about it, think about the road ahead, think about the rest of your life, you really need to think it over carefully."
That's right, she is Nacho.
If she were suppressed like this, would she still be a member of the Yu family? How could she ever face the world again? Besides, this master said she was honest, but he himself was not. It's said, it's said, that rumor that has been circulating in the martial arts world for so long, causing her to unwittingly become a maidservant—that's what it's said.
Thinking of this, she met those tiger-like eyes, their dark pupils deep and unfathomable, as if she were standing on the edge of an abyss. If she took a step back, she would fall into the tiger's jaws, with no chance of ever turning her life around.
She steeled herself and met his gaze. And so it went, for a long time, until—
"Young Master, it's time to go out," a voice said from outside the curtain.
She nodded inwardly. Tiger, it's time to patrol the mountain. It's no fun just keeping an eye on her.
"Young Master?"
She signals with her eyes when someone calls her.
Suddenly, Shangguan smiled, his fingertips gliding across the painted fan, a hint of something unusual beneath his gentleness. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Take your time to think it over. I'll wait as long as it takes." With that, he lifted the curtain and left.
She was stunned for a long time, so long that she could hardly believe it. After a while, cold sweat slid down her back, and she finally understood what it meant to be horrified.
It's terrifying, absolutely terrifying!
This person always says one thing and does another; he's all talk and no action, all talk and no action. The fact that he agreed so quickly this time is definitely suspicious. She was bold and certain, but cautiously sought confirmation, and then—
The first day was calm and peaceful.
The next day was uneventful.
On the third day, spring was in full bloom and the scenery was beautiful.
The fourth day, the fifth day...
Then she figured it out!
When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it. The tiger is coming? Well, the tiger's been busy dealing with Ji Junze lately, so it hasn't had time to pounce on her. Good, very good. She'll take advantage of this free time to relax, otherwise, what will she use to fight back when the tiger pounces?
Seeing that no one was around, she opened her treasure box of books, placing "The Wandering Swordsman" openly on top. Surely even if Lord Shangguan saw it, he wouldn't suspect anything. Her crescent-shaped eyes crinkled with a smile as she removed the embellished Yu family manual, her pupils transforming into full moons.
"The Jade Hairpin," "The Kite's Mistake," "The Romance of the Western Chamber"? Before marriage, infatuated men and women; after marriage, harmonious and loving couples. Flip through a few pages, and it's all these kinds of stories. When did her taste become so bland? She clearly liked those shocking, cynical, and highly individualistic stories. How did she turn to these?
It's a conspiracy, absolutely a conspiracy—a conspiracy to completely destroy her mindset!
She trembled, then abruptly stood up and walked outside. Soon after, she ran into Uncle Lin and several of his men, carrying large and small bags, their bright red packaging quite eye-catching.
"Young Madam, where are you going?" Uncle Lin asked.
"Go buy books." Just as she was about to pass by, she suddenly looked at the arms of one of the men. The shopkeeper's expression changed slightly, and he quickly covered the exposed items with his sleeve.
"Dragon and phoenix wedding candles? What, is there a wedding being held in the manor?" she asked.
The men all looked at Uncle Lin in unison.
“In response to your question, young mistress, it is indeed the joyous occasion of the young master and Miss Cong.” The old man stepped forward.
"Oh, these two have progressed this far?"
“Young Master has been drowning his sorrows in alcohol for several days, and Miss has been accompanying him every day. People of the Great Wei value reputation above all else. How can a man and woman be together day and night without getting married? Even people in the martial arts world are no exception. Young Madam, don’t you agree?” Old Mu stared at her meaningfully.
"Uncle Lin, you are one of the nine stewards, aren't you?"
Seemingly surprised that she would bring this up, the old man paused for a moment. "Yes, Lin Cheng has been assisting the young master in Shuntian Prefecture."
No wonder Xiao Kuang said that Ziyu's nine stewards were all cunning and shrewd foxes with keen eyesight; now I understand.
“Since their wedding is imminent, I must congratulate A-Luan. There’s no time like the present, let’s do it today.” Yu Zigui made a move to leave, but Lin Bo didn’t stop her. Could it be true?
"Young Madam," Uncle Lin called out.
Here she comes, here she comes. Feeling guilty? Smiling, she took two steps back.
"Please take this to Miss Cong while you're at it, young madam." Uncle Lin took something from his waist and handed it to her.
"This is?"
"This is the young master's private key."
It was true; Xiao Kuang and Cong Luan were about to consummate their marriage, and she couldn't help but feel happy for them. "Alright, I will definitely give it to her."
After carefully putting the key away, Yu Zigui had just taken a step when he heard a sharp female voice from across the street.
"You can't be like Yu Moumou, Xu Sanniang, prepare to die!"
Smashing pots and pans, shouting curses—she hadn't wanted to hear it, but those recurring phrases stirred up unpleasant memories from three years ago. "Yu Moumou," she sighed, turning to ask, "Who is this Yu Moumou?"
The look in their eyes seemed rather strange.
“What are you looking at? I don’t think this Yu is me. I’m just curious, that’s all,” she repeatedly emphasized.
Uncle Lin coughed.
“Well…” one of the men stammered, “The two women arguing are notorious shrewish women in Nanjing. A couple of days ago, one of them lost a few taels of silver playing mahjong and hasn’t paid it back yet, so the other came to their door and started arguing with them for three days.”
Then another voice said, "You can't be a decent person like Yu Moumou, return the money immediately!"
Oh, it seems this Yu is a notorious deadbeat, otherwise these two shrewish women wouldn't be hurling insults at him. This Yu is definitely not her; firstly, she doesn't owe anyone money, and secondly, she doesn't play mahjong. She's relieved, she's relieved.