Ветер и дым

Глава 23

"Reporting to Uncle, it's twenty."

Do you have a family?

"Not yet married."

Tang Qiefang smoothed her sleeves, looked up at him, and asked, "What's wrong? Didn't you meet your sweetheart?"

Yue Shenlan hesitated for a moment, then said, "...Yes."

Chapter Forty-Six

"I asked around today, and your father has found you many marriage proposals, but you're not satisfied with any of them. Your standards are indeed high. What kind of girl do you actually prefer?"

Yue Shenlan looked somewhat embarrassed. "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle. This junior—"

"You like men, don't you?" Tang Qiefang asked abruptly.

Yue Shenlan's expression froze on her face. Tang Qiefang's gaze was firm and sharp, like a blade. Under the light, her lips were bright red and tempting, seemingly bloodthirsty and soul-stealing. A chill ran through Yue Shenlan's heart. She froze for a moment and then said, "Yes."

Tang Qiefang's pupils contracted involuntarily, and her face turned frosty. "From now on, you don't need to go to Tingshui Pavilion anymore."

Yue Shenlan trembled. "Although I like men, I dare not have any improper thoughts about the head of the family."

"Is that so?" Tang Qiefang thought of the way he looked at Tang Congrong, so infatuated and lingering, and gave a cold laugh. "The patriarch despises homosexuality. You should appear in front of him less often from now on." She paused, then couldn't help but add, "Your father only has one son, do you want the Yue family to be without an heir?"

"Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring, I know that," Yue Shenlan replied softly. "But... whether one likes men or women is not something one can control... Uncle should understand this better than I do..."

Tang Qiefang raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

“A man as gentle and refined as the Patriarch, possessing both masculine clarity and feminine grace, who wouldn’t like him? I dare not make any advances towards the Patriarch, I only hope to catch a glimpse of him, to hear him speak a few more words…” Yue Shenlan’s face was sorrowful, “Since Uncle is displeased, I will naturally never go to Tingshui Pavilion again—”

He suddenly stopped, his collar gripped by Tang Qiefang, who said, word by word, "What did you say?"

From the moment Yue Shenlan first saw Tang Congrong, she was overcome with emotion. Now, hearing that she could never see Tang Congrong again, a wave of sorrow washed over her. "You have already taken the head of the family as your own possession. Someone as insignificant as me can naturally never touch you again—"

"Smack."

A slap landed hard on Yue Shenlan's face.

Tang Qiefang's eyes were frighteningly gloomy.

He always used poison, and had never personally laid a hand on anyone before. Now, he was furious, his pupils shrinking to slits. "Say it again."

Blood trickled from Yue Shenlan's lips. Tang Qiefang's murderous aura was like a knife, chilling and intimidating. Knowing he was no match for her, he suddenly burst into laughter, "Look at his eyes, as if he's the only person in the world. Others might not see it, but do you think I can't—"

A sudden chill ran across his chest, penetrating his limbs. Tang Qiefang's palm pressed against his chest, her eyebrows and eyes devoid of any expression, her pupils like a cat's or a snake's, icy cold.

The moon, deep blue, softly collapsed.

A gust of wind passed by, and the lights flickered.

Tang Qiefang's red lips were as red as blood.

Something was gently scratching at his chest; he didn't want to hear this person continue.

There was a venomous snake lurking in his heart.

Today, Yue Shenlan suddenly stepped on his tail, and the snake's head turned around and bit him hard, striking his flesh squarely.

Tang Qiefang's forehead was covered in a cold sweat.

No, that's all Yue Shenlan's nonsense. He likes men, so he assumes all men in the world like men. Yes, how could Tang Qiefang like men? Tang Qiefang likes women.

Chapter Forty-Seven

—A voice echoed softly in my heart, but why was it that when I was holding the top courtesan in the brothel, I was thinking of Tang Congrong?

Why do you feel your heart flutter when you see the blush on his face?

Why do you feel unbearable pain when you see him injured or indifferent?

And that time when you couldn't help wanting to kiss his face, was it really due to the poison of Tianxiang?

It seems so unbelievable that two men could be together. But if the object of her affections was Tang Congrong, and she smelled the faint fragrance of lotus flowers on him, just like that year, and held him in her arms, and when she woke up and opened her eyes, she saw his gentle face—such an image was so overwhelming that it made Tang Qiefang tremble all over.

The candles in the Listening Pavilion had been extinguished, and Tang Congrong had already gone to bed.

When she heard the noise, Tang Qiefang had already pushed open the door and walked in.

He was soaking wet, his long hair clung to his body like black seaweed, and his ornate clothes were still dripping with water.

"Qiefang?" Tang Congrong wondered if she was dreaming. "You came here through the water?"

Tang Qiefang remained silent, gazing at him from a distance of about ten feet.

His dark eyes were deep and devoid of any light.

"I destroyed Moon Deep Blue."

Tang Qiefang gave a blank smile and sat down on the ground.

Tang Congrong was startled. "What happened?"

"Nothing much happened, I accidentally hurt him." Tang Qiefang sat languidly, her face pale, her lips bright red, looking like a bewitching beauty in the night, tragically alluring. "Calm... I—"

He couldn't continue speaking there, and suddenly stood up.

"Qiefang!" Tang Congrong said sternly, "Tell me what happened!"