Chapter 17: Spring Returns to Two Pearls (3) Don’t bite the tip of my tongue. …

The next day, the morning light began to shine and the overnight rain had just stopped.

The courtyard was damp, still carrying a chill of spring, but the inner room was filled with warmth and fragrance, like the silent spreading of falling petals in spring.

Meng Xuanli's eyelashes trembled slightly, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Lu Guanque's face close at hand. His face was as pale as paper, and even his lips were devoid of color.

Meng Xuanli's eyes rolled around, thinking that his illness had not yet subsided. He tentatively touched his lip with his fingertips and then touched his forehead.

Just as she was about to leave, Lu Guanque suddenly grabbed her wrist. He slowly opened his eyes and took her into his arms.

A warm breath hit her face. Meng Xuanli looked up into his eyes and whispered, "Last night... your heart disease relapsed. It was quite frightening."

Lu Guanque's eyes slid down her trembling eyelashes, landing on the ointment and red marks on her neck. He pretended to be worried: "Did I do this too?"

Meng Xuanli frowned slightly and pointed at several places with his fingertips: "Here, here, and the earlobe, these are all... the Prince's 'masterpieces'."

Lu Guanque looked increasingly apologetic, his chin rubbing against the top of her head: "It's my fault. I let you see something you shouldn't have seen."

"Are you still afraid now?"

The man's breath enveloped her tightly. Meng Xuanli's eyelashes trembled, and she held her breath and buried her head in his chest. She said unhappily, "Compared to the first time I saw you, I wasn't scared last night."

"First time seeing me? What do you mean?" Lu Guanque relaxed slightly, lowered his eyes and stared, then suddenly realized, "Your eyes...are healed?"

"Yeah." Meng Xuanli raised the corner of his lips slightly, "We met once in Xuzhou."

Seeing that he seemed bewildered, Meng Xuanli whispered, "That night, I went back to the old house to get some old things. I ran into you covered in blood, lying in the snow on the back mountain. I bravely saved you."

"Oh?" Lu Guanque smiled and asked her to elaborate. "What happened next?"

"Later... I unbuttoned your coat and hastily treated the wound." Meng Xuanli paused, blushing slightly as he explained, "I was young and ignorant at the time, and didn't know any medical skills, so I could only rely on my instincts to save you."

"I didn't mean to offend the prince."

Lu Guanque pursed his lips, seemingly unconvinced. "Really? But I vaguely remember that girl helping me onto the couch, and then she was dragged away right after."

"I didn't drag you away." Meng Xuanli looked embarrassed. "I was worried your enemies might follow their trail, so I kept calculating and pondering at the gate. Only after I was sure that no one but me could enter did I dare to leave."

"I wanted to find you, sir, to treat the prince again, but when I went to the courtyard again, you were gone."

Seeing him lost in reminiscence, Meng Xuanli pursed her lips and said, "You were unconscious at the time, so it's normal that you can't remember. Besides, I only remembered it last night."

Don't remember?

How could he not remember?

Since leaving Xuzhou, his illness has slightly improved. He looks for her every day and misses her breath lingering on him every day.

That scent, like the scent of fine wine, seemed to linger in his heart once it was opened. When he couldn't find her, he would replay the tragic scene of that day, lying in the snow, waiting for her to run towards him like she did that night...

Thinking of this, Lu Guanque wished he could turn into a piece of stone that was insensible and indestructible, allowing her to hold it in her palm, caress it, and play with it forever.

"So, Ali was the one who saved me from this difficult time." Lu Guanque's eyes darkened, and his words were filled with meaning. "How can I repay such a great favor?"

"What does Ali want?"

Meng Xuanli was choked by his grip and couldn't push him away. He could only mutter, "I'm not saying this to seek any reward..."

"But I hope you can live well."

"It's best to live longer."

These words were like a key, suddenly unlocking a mechanism somewhere in Lu Guanque's heart. His heart was in turmoil, and joy was surging. He wanted to crush her delicate heart in his arms.

His throat moved slightly, fearing he was hallucinating, and he pressed on, "What did you say? Your voice was too low, I couldn't hear it clearly."

Meng Xuanli was helpless: "How can I hear clearly when the prince is holding me so tightly?"

Lu Guanque immediately let go, his eyes like water, staring at her face from top to bottom: "Say it again, okay?"

Meng Xuanli was startled by his eager reaction and blinked, wondering if he had said anything too radical. As a patient, wasn't the most important thing for him to stay alive?

Besides, if he is alive and well, she won't have to be a widow, nor will she have to experience the pain of being homeless and dependent on others.

If he could live longer, she might be able to enjoy a leisurely and comfortable life in the second half of her life.

Seeing his earnestness, Meng Xuanli had no choice but to comply with his wishes and smiled: "I said, I don't want anything. I just hope that the prince's heart disease will heal quickly and that he will live a long life."

In the hazy morning light, Lu Guanque's lips moved against Meng Xuanli's.

She said this not to express her "love" for him, nor to express her need for his love. She just had a selfish desire to seek a peaceful and comfortable life.

The silk sash around his waist was suddenly ripped open, and Meng Xuanli pressed her bare hands against his slender waist, which was taut, as if he was holding back and gathering strength. Meng Xuanli suddenly sensed danger and subconsciously brought his knees together: "Don't..."

Before she could finish her words, he had completely captured her tongue. Her long black hair lay disheveled on the pillow as the man in front of her covered her with his fierce attack, their breaths entwined, sucking her until her muscles and bones softened, like a winter spring, slowly flowing hot soup.

"Um... Lu Guanque... are you sick again?"

"Don't bite...don't bite the tip of my tongue!"

"pain……"

Meng Xuanli stammered and sobbed, squeezing out two tears.

Hearing the word "pain", Lu Guanque suddenly came back to his senses and found that her tears were stinging his eyes.

He held his breath, brushed away the stray hair on her cheek, and said carefully: "I'm sorry... I didn't know I couldn't bite... I won't bite again..."

Meng Xuanli glared at him, only to find his eyes were like spider webs caught in the rain, sticky and wet. She covered her lips with one hand, a bitter expression on her face: "Don't you know you can't bite?"

"You've never been close to anyone?"

Lu Guanque nodded.

Meng Xuanli's lips twitched slightly, half believing and half doubting: "How is this possible? I read in a book that all of you young masters have..."

Before she finished speaking, Lu Guanque removed her hand, dipped his fingertips in some of the moisturizing water at the corner of her lips, and applied it to her slightly swollen lips: "I don't know about others, but I don't have any."

"Then it won't hurt anymore."

Meng Xuanli was drenched in sweat and was in shock beyond words.

She usually thought Lu Guanque was a dignified and serious gentleman from an aristocratic family, and definitely not a frivolous and dissolute person. But his current behavior completely overturned her perception.

How could he be like this?

How did he know that he would like this...?

Stunned, Lu Guanque leaned over and nuzzled her nose, breathing slightly faster: "Ali, you know so much, why don't you teach me?"

Meng Xuanli's throat moved slightly, and he raised his hands, stroked his cheeks, and gently kissed him.

sky!

What's wrong with her?

How could I be bewitched by him?

This shouldn't be the case...

Meng Xuanli's thoughts were in a mess. She pushed him away, lifted the curtain, and hurried to the dressing table.

*

Ever since that night, Meng Xuanli had been intent on discovering Lu Guanque's past. Initially, he'd assumed it was a vendetta within the martial arts world, but he'd never imagined it was the vengeance of the remnants of the former Gaoyang King.

Later, Lu Guanque returned to the Eastern Capital and was bedridden for three years until he was able to get up in the past two years.

Thinking of this, Meng Xuanli felt pity and felt that he was even more miserable than himself.

Now that her eye disease had healed and she had nothing to do, she secretly made up her mind: from today on, she would study medical classics carefully, even if she had to read them a hundred times, she would eradicate this chronic disease in his heart.

Thinking of this, Meng Xuanli suddenly picked up the teacup, raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. His voice was cold and clear: "Chenbi, go buy some medical books according to this list as soon as possible. I must read all these volumes within this month."

Chen Bi was surprised to find that Meng Xuanli seemed like a different person since that night. He was no longer as silent as before, but instead had a bit of vitality between his brows.

"Chenbi, go quickly!"

"Yes, yes, I'll do it right away."

Chen Bi hurried out and ran into Lu Guanque and Uncle De who were walking by.

"What's the rush?" Lu Guanque asked.

"Greetings, Master." Chen Bi smiled softly and raised the list in his hand, "The young lady sent me to buy some books."

Lu Guanque's heart moved slightly and he walked into the room.

"Ali, look at what this is?" Lu Guanque gestured to Uncle De and placed the zither on the table.

Meng Xuanli approached the sound, gently stroking the zither with his fingertips, and exclaimed in admiration, "Uncle De, where did you find such a fine zither?"

Uncle De, adjusting the pegs, replied with a smile, "How could this old servant possess such skill? The Young Master heard that the Young Madam was interested in learning the qin, so he sent this old servant to search all over the shops for this instrument."

Meng Xuanli's eyes moved as he glanced at Lu Guanque who was sitting idly beside him. Seeing the smile on his lips, he couldn't help but smile.

Uncle De observed the two men's expressions and spoke to himself, "At first, the shop owner said this zither would be difficult to make. I was already discouraged, but then I ran into an expert. He saw the prince's requirements and immediately understood them, agreeing generously. Now, as soon as he found the best wood to make it, he sent me to pick up the zither."

Uncle De turned around and asked with a smile, "Young Madam, why don't you try playing a song?"

Meng Xuanli half-hid her beautiful face with a round fan and whispered, "Wait a little while, I still can't do it right now."

Lu Guanque gave Uncle De a look, and he understood and bowed to take his leave.

Suddenly, there were only two people facing each other in the room.

Lu Guanque smiled and poured tea: "Have a cup and let me explain in detail."

Meng Xuanli was confused and didn't know what he was going to say, so he took a sip as he was told and waited for his words.

"You and I have both been feeling better these days. So I've been thinking about going to Danqing Tower in a couple of days to listen to some music. This will both enlighten you and help you relax."

"I can go and listen, but if I want to learn, I'd better figure it out on my own." Meng Xuanli drank another half cup.

Lu Guanque raised his eyebrows slightly: "I have a ready-made master here, why do you still want to grope around on your own?"

"I'm afraid of tiring the prince." Meng Xuanli smiled embarrassedly.

"Teaching Ali isn't tiring."

The two were talking and laughing when Huo Yuan suddenly rushed in, panting: "Greetings to the Crown Prince, Crown Princess!"

"What's the matter?" Lu Guanque raised his eyes.

Huo Yuan's eyes flickered, and he calmed his voice. He bowed and said, "The person who drugged and murdered the Crown Prince's Consort has been captured."

Lu Guanque remained expressionless, as if he had anticipated this, but his gaze fell on Meng Xuanli. She suddenly stood up, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "Who is it?"

Huo Yuan's throat rolled and his voice dropped. "It's... the actor Su Zixu."

The author has something to say:

----------------------

【Small Theater】

Interview with Lu Guanque, the champion of this year's "Pretending to be Gentle to Seduce Ali's Heart": How do you feel now?

Surface: Average.

In my heart: I was in such a good mood that I could even laugh if someone slapped me on the street.

Posted in advance ~ I will catch bugs later [OK]