Chapter 14: Leaving Me Two Carp (4) Fingers intertwined.

She had deliberately not embraced the quilt, hoping to avoid him. She had never imagined that Lu Guanque would actually say such a thing. If she had known this, she would not have hesitated so much, thus avoiding pushing herself to the brink of a precipice, unable to advance or retreat.

Seeing the helplessness on her face, Lu Guanque loosened his grip on her wrist.

"I heard something strange the other day." His voice was low, like a snake gliding across the water. "It's quite interesting. Do you want to hear it?"

Meng Xuanli was lying in a brocade quilt, with a layer of black mist in front of his eyes. It felt like there was a charcoal brazier under his body, and the joints between his bones were burning. How could he hear a word?

By the time she regained consciousness, Lu Guanque had already quietly gotten on the bed.

He was dressed in a plain white shirt, leaning against his side, not lying down, but his voice was hooked: "Why are you silent? Don't you want to listen?"

"I want to listen, please tell me, my lord."

Let's postpone it as long as possible. Meng Xuanli thought that the prince was also sympathetic to her thin skin, so he found an excuse to tell a strange story so that she would not be so nervous.

The bed was extremely quiet, with only the sound of each other breathing.

Meng Xuanli's face was scorching hot, like she was in a steamer, her skin and flesh almost cooked through. She pricked up her ears, waiting for something strange to happen, but no sound came. "My Lord, are you sleepy?" Her voice was as thin as a needle.

How could Lu Guanque be sleepy? His eyes were glued to her face, circling around her without stopping. Her pajamas tonight were layered, as if she was deliberately guarding him, or deliberately trying to make him retreat.

"Not sleepy."

Lu Guanque's lips curled up, his smile cold and sinister. "It's just that this story is a bit creepy. I'm afraid that after hearing it, Ah Li will have nightmares in the middle of the night and be frightened."

Nightmare...

What a coincidence.

Meng Xuanli calmed down. If she dreamed of the man in black again tonight, she would have an excuse.

"I'm not afraid." Meng Xuanli poked his head out from under the quilt, his voice much gentler, "Go ahead, my Lord."

The smile on Lu Guanque's lips deepened. He raised his hand and flicked it. The blue tent in the sky after the rain fell heavily, blocking out the soft light outside.

It was dark all around, with a few rays of moonlight filtering in, bluish-white, cold, and floating like the white mist exhaled by the wronged souls in Liao Zhai, quietly entwining between the two of them.

Lu Guanque took advantage of the situation and opened the quilt, lying beside her. He looked at her tentatively and spoke softly -

"There was a man named Xie in Longmen County who was frivolous and dissolute, with bad behavior. When he was thirty, his wife died, leaving behind two sons and a daughter who cried day and night. Xie was fed up with this and wanted to remarry, so he had to temporarily hire an old woman to take care of the children."

The heat suddenly hit Meng Xuanli, and he tensed up, not knowing where to put his hands.

Lu Guanque noticed this and gently patted the back of her hand through the quilt. He continued, "One day, Xie was strolling along a mountain path. Suddenly, he saw a woman approaching from behind. She was very beautiful, about twenty years old."

"When Xie saw that no one was around, he suddenly had evil thoughts and dragged her into the valley, intending to force himself on her. The woman struggled in fear, but she was too weak to resist and was ultimately defiled by him."

Hearing this, Meng Xuanli felt a wave of bitterness in her heart. She turned sideways, facing Lu Guanque, and asked softly, "What happened next?"

"Later... the woman suddenly changed her attitude and said she would marry him, but she couldn't let anyone else in her family know about it. Xie was overjoyed and felt like he had found a treasure. He hurriedly took the woman home."

"After returning home, Xie immediately dismissed the old woman, cleaned the inner chambers, and welcomed the young woman into his home. The woman was diligent and careful, managing the household chores, sewing and washing for the children, and was very attentive. Xie was deeply attached to this woman, staying with her all day long, never seeing anyone else again."

Meng Xuanli felt deeply sorry for the woman after hearing this. She could have found a perfect husband and lived a peaceful life, but she had never imagined that she would encounter such a thief who not only abducted her but also imprisoned her in his home, without ever seeing the light of day.

It is indeed a beast.

Lu Guanque narrowed his eyes, carefully observing her slightly furrowed brows, and slowly spoke, "A few months passed like this. Xie had to go out for some mundane business, so he locked the door and left. When he returned, he found the main hall door closed. He called for a long time, but no one responded."

"No response? Where did the woman go?" Meng Xuanli wondered, feeling that this was truly a strange thing.

"Ali, guess what?" Lu Guanque's voice was sticky, like spider silk soaked in honey, wrapping around him.

Meng Xuanli's face flushed as he pondered, "I guess... this woman must have quietly returned home, or... perhaps she met a kindhearted person who rescued her from the infernal pit."

Lu Guanque's face was calm, but the words he uttered were as cold as ice in an ice cellar: "Xie was puzzled and pushed the door open. Seeing that the house was empty, he went to the inner room. As soon as he stepped over the threshold-"

Lu Guanque paused deliberately, his breath suddenly cold. "A fishy wind blew in my face, and a vicious wolf rushed in through the door. With a snap of its sharp white teeth, it bit off Xie's throat."

“Xie was killed before he could even call for help.”[1]

The word "evil wolf" pierced his ears like an icicle. Meng Xuanli clenched his fists and muttered in a muffled voice, "Serves him right, serves him right... He deserves to die."

Serves you right?!

Her voice was gentle, but it sounded like a poisoned silver needle to Lu Guanque's ears. Her warmth reached his palm, scalding him into a trance, unable to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and where he was.

Lu Guanque had related this "strange incident" to gauge Meng Xuanli's attitude towards the "robbery." He fully expected her to turn pale with fear, tremble in fear, and even throw herself into his arms for protection.

Unexpectedly, what Meng Xuanli said was as cold as a sharp blade in the twelfth lunar month, which cut through his expectations.

He laughed, not even daring to think deeply...

If she knew in the future that she was no different from Xie, would she also sharpen her claws and pounce on him, biting his throat like that woman?

Lu Guanque frowned again and again, and that inexplicable anger was like rotten cotton wool, blocking his heart and unable to be pulled out.

"...Prince?" Meng Xuanli heard him remain silent, thinking he was thinking of the wolf, so he asked comfortingly, "Are you okay?"

Lu Guanque looked at her bewildered expression, and the nameless anger in his heart suddenly surged three feet higher. He suddenly exerted force and stretched out his hands to pull her into his arms.

"What would happen if Ali was that woman?" His voice poured into my ear. Beneath the gentleness and helplessness, it was as cold as winter ice. Listening carefully, it seemed to be destroying something.

Meng Xuanli pushed him away, paused, and spoke softly with a hint of ruthlessness: "If it were me, I would do the same as that woman and kill... kill that man, that's all."

kill?

She actually wanted to kill him?

Lu Guanque's Adam's apple rolled as he suppressed the rage in his heart that threatened to burst through his throat. He was so angry that he forced a smile: "I didn't expect that Ah Li was so hard-hearted."

"Who taught that Mr. Xie to treat people like this? Not only did he ruin someone's life, but he also called it 'love'..."

"What if... then Xie didn't use force?" Lu Guanque's voice was tense, like a fully drawn bowstring.

"It's not forced," Meng Xuanli thought seriously, only now realizing that he was holding his hand. He said in a sultry voice, "It also requires mutual affection."

Two hearts are happy...

Like lightning splitting the chaos in the sky, he suddenly understood. As long as Meng Xuanli was willing to be attracted to him, then it wouldn't count as force. If that was the case, then his despicable tactics could be written off.

By then, he will be a new him, and she will be a new her.

They can be entangled together for generations.

right.

Even if the bones rot and the soul decays, they will not separate.

Thinking of this, Lu Guanque loosened his grip, his eyes flickering with a thousand words. He sighed softly, swallowing back the words in his heart: "Yes, it requires mutual affection."

Meng Xuanli's ears were tinged with sweat, and his palms were covered with sweat. He asked in confusion, "Why is the prince asking me this?"

"I just want to hear what's in your heart."

"I never thought it would be exactly the same as what I thought."

Meng Xuanli's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he quickly turned around, trying to distance himself, saying, "So that's how it is."

The two of them were silent for a while. Lu Guanque also turned around and said in a voice as light as autumn morning frost: "Rest."

After hearing this, Meng Xuanli couldn't help tossing and turning.

What's wrong with him?

He was just happily telling the strange story, but in the blink of an eye, he felt like autumn grass hit by frost, exhausted.

Could it be that the prince is afraid of the vicious wolves in the forest?

etc.

Why does the prince's "rest" sound so familiar?

It seems like I've heard it somewhere before...

Forget it, forget it, let’s take a rest, we have important things to do tomorrow.

Meng Xuanli bit her lips lightly and gently shrank into the depths of the quilt.

The quilt was rolled away by her unconsciously, and Lu Guanque immediately felt his body go cold, and the warmth in his heart that had not yet dissipated also quietly sank.

*

The next morning, Meng Xuanli woke up very early. She felt her fingertips against her side, only to find it cold and empty. She felt a little relieved and whispered, "Chenbi, I'd like some tea."

Squeak——

Chen Bi pushed the door open and walked in, holding a teacup. He lifted the curtain, squatted down and said softly, "This is the tea that the prince made himself. He said that the young lady had palpitations and was frightened last night, so he came here to calm her down."

Meng Xuanli staggered to her feet from under the brocade quilt. She nearly choked when she heard the word "Young Madam." She gathered herself before asking, "Where is the Young Master now?"

"I'm waiting for the young lady in the flower hall."

Meng Xuanli handed the tea over and hurriedly lifted the quilt to get up. Suddenly, he thought of something and paused. He said softly, "Please bring another quilt later."

Chen Bi pursed her lips and smiled, then busied herself with helping her wash and dress.

Meng Xuanli's eyes were covered with a thin silk scarf. With the careful support of Chen Bi, she walked gracefully to the flower hall.

The hall seemed deserted. Meng Xuanli held Chen Bi's arm tightly, followed her steps, and carefully sat down. After her blindness, her hearing became clearer, and she could hear Lu Guanque picking up the spoon and scooping up the soup.

"It's ham, bamboo shoots and tofu soup, which you always like to eat." Before she finished speaking, the fresh and fragrant aroma floated into Meng Xuanli's nose. She held the edge of the table, slightly startled.

How did he know that this was the soup made by the Duke's Mansion chef that he loved the most...

Meng Xuanli was wondering when he heard him say, "There's no one around, I'll feed you."

Lu Guanque stood up and sat beside her, blowing gently on the soup a few times.

Meng Xuanli bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth and didn't respond. Ever since she became blind, Chen Bi had meticulously taken care of her daily life. Now that Lu Guanque was acting like this, she felt a little uncomfortable.

"Are you afraid that I will poison you?" Lu Guanque laughed.

"No, I'm just afraid of tiring the prince." Meng Xuanli spoke the truth.

"Not tired, open your mouth."

Hearing his tone that left no room for argument, Meng Xuanli could only slightly open her red lips.

In a moment, the ham and bamboo shoots wrapped in tofu entered her mouth. The taste was delicious and smooth, swirling back and forth on the tip of her tongue, causing her to blurt out, "Who made this?"

Meng Xuanli's tone was filled with unconcealable surprise.

"I did it."

"The prince actually knows this?" Meng Xuanli was even more surprised than when she first heard about the substitutionary marriage.

"Um."

Hearing his firm and steady tone, Meng Xuanli swallowed, figuring that he was not lying.

"My Lord, let me drink it myself."

Lu Guanque smiled slightly, took her hand, and placed the bowl in her palm: "Drink slowly, it's still a little hot."

"Since you like it, I will make it for you every day."

Meng Xuanli was concentrating on savoring the soup in his cup. When he heard his words, he was momentarily dazed and blurted out, "Thank you, Lu Guanque."

"What did you call me?"

"Ah... I was impolite, Young Master." Meng Xuanli almost bit his tongue when he said this.

"It's not impolite. Call me that from now on." Lu Guanque paused, then added, "If you call me something else, others will notice."

Clues?

Any clues?

The soup in the cup was almost gone. Meng Xuanli shook his head and said, "It's better to call him Prince. It will be more respectful this way."

Lu Guanque's eyes were deep. After finishing his meal in silence, he said calmly, "Get up."

"I want another bowl." Meng Xuanli was not full.

Lu Guanque paused, then took the small cup reluctantly and served her another bowl.

"Thanks."

The two of them had breakfast until almost noon before officially going out.

Inside the sedan, Meng Xuanli reclined on a soft, woven gold rug. She was half asleep when she heard Lu Guanque calling her, "Wake up, we've arrived."

Meng Xuanli straightened up immediately: "I didn't sleep."

"Um."

Lu Guanque got out of the car first, then turned around and carried her down with a cold expression. His warm breath brushed against her lips. Meng Xuanli leaned back slightly, only to hear Lu Guanque's deep voice say, "This place is full of mixed crowds. Hold my hand tightly and don't let go. Do you understand?"

Meng Xuanli remembered the experience before and was still frightened. He nodded and said, "I won't let go."

"That's great."

Hearing this, Lu Guanque's mood improved. At first, he just held her hand, but gradually, they intertwined their fingers. Seeing that Meng Xuanli did not dodge, he took her hand and calmly walked into the medicine shop.

The doctor was not in the room, only a young pharmacist in blue was manning the counter. Upon seeing the two men come in, he hurried forward and said, "You two look so familiar. What medicine would you like to get?"

"My wife has been suffering from an eye disease recently. I heard that the doctor in your clinic has the ability to restore eyesight. Could you please come and examine her?"

Lu Guanque and Meng Xuanli were both dressed in ordinary clothes today. In the eyes of others, they were just an ordinary newlywed couple.

"Of course I can. Please sit in the inner room for a while. I will go and invite you."

Meng Xuanli nodded. Just as she entered and hadn't sat down yet, she heard a woman outside the curtain say sadly, "Second Miss, I'm glad to see you at last."

Their fingers intertwined, Meng Xuanli's voice trembled slightly: "You are..."

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References

[1] This is a rewrite of Pu Songling’s Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio: The Li Family. The original ending and theme are different. The rewrite is quoted here to meet the needs of the plot.

Thank you little angel for coming to see me [laughing][kiss][kiss]