Sept nuits de neige

Chapitre 110

But he didn't care about anything else; he could accept her, even if she were a bloodthirsty, inhuman Tang Shijiu. However, he couldn't tolerate a woman who only loved half of him.

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Adjustment (Part 1)

Tang Shijiu slept for three days and three nights, during which time she had countless chaotic dreams, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing. When she was crying and playing around, Shen Yuntan was her human punching bag. When she was laughing and giggling happily, she still kept Shen Yuntan awake. In short, while Tang Shijiu was unconscious for three days and three nights, Shen Yuntan was awake for three days and three nights. Although his wounds were gruesome, they weren't serious. While bandaging them in private, he still felt lingering fear after seeing that ferocious, bloodthirsty yaksha from that day.

That expression... it was so familiar. Shen Yuntan tilted his head, racking his brains, but still couldn't remember where he'd seen it before. But whatever the reason, whether for his own sake or for Tang Shijiu's, he had to find a way to break the spell. Otherwise, if Tang Shijiu went berserk again, the first one to die without a burial place would be him, Shen Yuntan.

So when Tang Shijiu woke up, the first thing she saw was Shen Yuntan, with sparse stubble and dark circles under his eyes.

"Yun Tan, so you care about me this much." After learning that his master and junior brothers were all safe, Tang Shijiu looked at the face that hadn't had a proper rest for three days and it would be a lie to say he wasn't moved.

Shen Yun smiled noncommittally. His concern was genuine, but the reason he hadn't slept for three days wasn't entirely out of concern. Tang Shijiu wasn't seriously injured; her unconsciousness was purely due to a mental breakdown caused by a qi deviation, nothing serious. However, it wasn't a good time to say anything. The best approach was to simply smile and remain silent, neither confirming nor denying anything. But as soon as he did that, a thought crossed his mind: "If it were her favorite spittoon, would I just tell her directly that I couldn't sleep because of her?"

The thought flashed through his mind, but Shen Yuntan's long eyebrows furrowed, and he thought to himself: This is my true way of handling things; whether she likes it or not is hard to change. Even if I cater to her liking this time, I can't cater to her forever.

Tang Shijiu, being careless and oblivious, paid no attention to such subtle changes. He then noticed the bright red bloodstains on the man's arm and was filled with righteous indignation: "Who beat you up like this! Aren't you very skilled in martial arts? How could you be injured like this?"—completely forgetting that it was his own doing.

Shen Yun's eyes darted around, and he blurted out a probing question: "If I said I was Tianxiu..."

"I'll kill him!" she replied without hesitation.

Shen Yuntan's brows relaxed, and he smiled: "I was just teasing you, it wasn't him."

Tang Shijiu slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "I knew it was that bastard, murderous psychopath Sang Tianshu again! Damn it, he even dared to touch you. If I see him again, I'll definitely cripple that scoundrel!!"—Completely unaware that she had already crippled Tianshu by half.

"It's just a minor injury, it's not worth getting so angry."

Tang Shijiu bit her red lips and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth: "It's not okay if it's you who gets hurt."

"Why?" someone asked, their mischievousness kicking in, deliberately pressing him harder.

"Because it would break my heart!" The legendary scene of the woman blushing and turning red in the face did not occur. Tang Shijiu spoke without blushing or skipping a beat, as if she were talking about the most normal thing, without the slightest bit of shyness of a young girl.

"Pfft!" Shen Yun was almost startled by her straightforwardness. She hesitated and said, "Nineteen, your enthusiasm makes me feel embarrassed. Aren't you shy?"

Tang Shijiu was completely bewildered. She simply felt heartache; the scar on Shen Yuntan's arm hurt more than if she were touching her own skin. Heartache? What was there to hide? As for embarrassment or shame, those concepts didn't seem to exist in Tang Shijiu's dictionary. Heartache wasn't like love or marriage—questions that required careful consideration and weighing of options. This was a direct feeling; there was nothing she couldn't express.

Shen Yun then realized that Tang Shijiu's previous awkwardness was entirely due to her uncertainty about her own feelings, rather than the shyness and timidity of a young girl.

Recalling Tang Shijiu's earlier loud confession, "Spittoon, I like you, I love you," Shen Yuntan felt frustrated. Tang Shijiu's confession was indeed directed at the spittoon, not at Shen Yuntan himself.

Now look what's happened; my rival is myself, and I can't even fight back.

"Nineteen, do you love me?" He couldn't give up after all. He grabbed Tang Nineteen's wrist and pulled her into his arms, staring into her eyes.

His sudden attack startled Nineteen, her legs gave way, and she collapsed into his arms. Shen Yuntan seized the opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist, holding her warm, delicate body tightly close to his side. He breathed softly into her ear, his voice low and husky, trembling slightly: "Nineteen, do you love me?"

He doesn't deny that it was a scheme, a self-deceptive act, using this despicable method to tempt her into saying "I love you."

As long as she says it, Shen Yuntan is willing to offer his whole life to her.

Shen Yuntan gently combed her black hair, his long, clean fingers stroking her scalp, a tingling sensation spreading through him. His breath was gentle yet hot, brushing against her skin, making her feel as if she were burning up. Shen Yuntan shamelessly took her small, delicate earlobe into his mouth, gently licking and kissing it, asking again in a voice only she could hear, "Nineteen, do you love me?"

A strange feeling instantly overwhelmed Tang Shijiu, his mind went blank, unable to think, and he could only hold Shen Yuntan tightly, breathing softly because of his ambiguous actions.

"Spittoon...don't do this..." Nineteen's breathing was unsteady, and the words she spoke were sweet and cloying, so sweet that they made him dizzy and almost unable to control himself.

"Yun Tan, Shen Yun Tan," he whispered, correcting her as he couldn't resist kissing her delicate neck.

He couldn't tell whether it was a scheme or something else; he just wanted to hold her like this, be close to her, and protect her for the rest of his life. If it were any other woman, Shen Yuntan wouldn't show her any pity. However, the person in his arms was Tang Shijiu, and he had to be extremely careful, afraid of hurting her, both physically and emotionally.

He can endure for her and protect her, provided that she loves him.

Shen Yuntan is not Tang Yu; he is not that noble, willing to give everything for someone who doesn't love him. He won't die without Tang Shijiu, but he knows deeply that no other woman will ever bring him such joy or inspire such devotion.

Tang Shijiu desperately tried to regain his composure, recalling the question Shen Yuntan had asked so earnestly, and opened his mouth to answer, "I..."

Before she could utter a second word, Shen Yuntan suddenly flipped her over and pinned her down on the table, accurately kissing her lips.

Shen Yuntan had kissed her once, a light, fleeting kiss.

Well, Tianxiu once forcibly kissed her at their wedding, but it was just their lips touching; apart from a toothache, she didn't feel anything.

This was the first time Tang Shijiu had been kissed so roughly, with such possessive passion. She should have pushed him away and slapped him hard. But she couldn't; besides panting and struggling in vain, she could do nothing.

To be honest, she didn't dislike being kissed like that by Shen Yuntan.

But why did she feel a sense of impending break during such a passionate and wild kiss?

After a long pause, Shen Yuntan finally allowed them to speak and catch their breath: "Nineteen, will you marry me?"

Huh!? He was just asking if I loved him, and now it's all about marriage! If I let him kiss me a little longer, should I ask, "Nineteen, are you willing to have my babies!?" This jerk, things are moving way too fast!

Still reeling from the shock of what had just happened, Tang Shijiu was completely taken aback by the question: "This..." She hadn't even decided whether she loved him or not, and now she was already considering marrying him?! Could it be that if she didn't get married soon, she'd become a spinster with no one wanting her?

In just a moment, Shen Yuntan gently released his hand, his expression suddenly becoming distant: "It's not fully light yet, you should rest a little longer."

What's going on?! Tang Shijiu was completely bewildered by this hot-and-cold attitude. It's said that the old lady in charge of the kitchen at Xiaoyao Manor used to be like this for a while, warm and friendly one moment and cursing the next. According to the woodcutter, every woman goes through this phase at a certain age, and it's best to stay as far away as possible and avoid her altogether. But Shen Yuntan is only in his twenties, and… he's a man! Could it be that men go through this phase earlier than women?

"Hey. I said..." Tang Shijiu hurriedly stopped him, "What exactly... happened these past few days? Who did this to you with the injury on your hand?"

Shen Yun walked to the door, hesitated for a long time, and finally decided not to tell her the truth: "Tomorrow, I'll tell you in detail tomorrow." — Tomorrow, I'll think of a complete lie to coax you.

He was already so distressed just from seeing a minor injury on his arm; if she knew how badly she had injured his shoulders and back, she'd probably be filled with remorse. And if she knew he'd personally killed Tang Yu… wouldn't she want to commit suicide to atone for her sins?!

In any case, lies are still necessary, and nonsense is still inevitable.

Shen Yuntan smiled bitterly to himself. Perhaps he owed Tang Shijiu something in his past life. Even in this state, he still thought about how to keep her from getting hurt, even though... they might not be a good match for each other.