Chapter 107 The money bag even wanted to bend down and kiss her.

The words "Keep pushing" entered Cui Ying's ears. Regardless of Xiao Qiyu's true intentions, she treated them all as a provocation. As a result, her temper flared up, and her trembling fingertips suddenly tightened, pinching hard on his rising and falling Adam's apple.

The bright moon hung high above the willow branches, shining brightly into the narrow, dark alley. The two young bodies were so close that, if one did not see the tense atmosphere, one would think they were having a secret rendezvous.

Cui Ying could clearly feel the hardness of the bone under her fingertip, and the warmth as it rolled as she swallowed.

She used all her strength; her nails nearly dug into his skin, the blood flowing beneath her skin like a babbling brook, the vibrant life force of the young man surging and pulsating at her fingertips.

Xiao Qiyu's face gradually changed from pale white to flushed red, and then to a slightly purplish-red.

But he didn't pull her away.

He even tilted his head back slightly, exposing more of his vulnerable neck to her, and his free hand inadvertently wrapped around her lower back.

The hand that was covering Cui Ying's hand was calmly and gently stroking and caressing her delicate skin, feeling the veins that bulged out as she exerted force.

He lowered his eyes, watching her fierce expression as she struck with deadly force. Her already round almond-shaped eyes stared intently, unblinking, while her long, curled eyelashes trembled slightly, like the wings of a bird.

They're quite cute.

Xiao Qiyu was completely absorbed in watching.

He even wanted to bend down and kiss her.

The moonlight grew brighter and brighter, transforming from the warm luster of jade into a stark white, like salt frost.

Cui Ying watched helplessly as his subordinate's skin grew increasingly red, showing signs of bleeding; the color stood out starkly against his pale skin.

Her breath hitched, and she finally realized what she had done. She retreated as if fleeing, forcefully shaking off her hand.

"Xiao Qiyu, you've gone mad!"

All of Cui Ying's strength was drained away in that instant. Her back pressed against the cold, rough brick wall, her pupils trembling as she stared at the horrifying finger marks on his neck. Utterly devastated, she cried out, "Why didn't you push me away! Are you an idiot! Do you know I almost...?"

Cui Ying slid to the ground, burying her face in her knees. She could hardly accept that she had almost strangled Xiao Qiyu to death, and even more so that she could not accept how she could have had the urge to kill in a moment. In her life, Cui Ying had only hit people, never killed them. She thought she would never have such evil thoughts in her life. How could she... how could she do this?

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Xiao Qiyu licked his lips, his voice low and hoarse, with a hint of blood in his words, and said calmly, "Cui Ying, people don't die that easily."

"Shut up! Don't say that word to me!" Cui Ying felt a sudden pain in her heart.

In the quiet alley, a young man's sigh, tinged with laughter, slowly echoed.

Xiao Qiyu strode over to Cui Ying, bent down, reached out, and slowly ran his fingers through the top of her thick hair. Then, with extreme gentleness and cruelty, he lifted her hair bun.

Cui Ying's face was thus forced to be tilted high.

She blinked, and her murderous intent surged up again.

But remembering that he had almost strangled the guy to death just now, he barely managed to suppress it again.

Under the moonlight, their eyes met.

The finger marks on Xiao Qiyu's neck were burning hot, his eyes were deep and dark, and he stared fixedly at Cui Ying's red and watery eyes. The silence in the alley was amplified, leaving only the intertwined, uneven breathing of the two of them.

"I won't let you use all your strength to pinch here, so you can see firsthand what it feels like to truly hold someone's life in your hands. If you are ever trapped by someone with ill intentions in the future, with your strength, you won't even be able to make them frown."

His hand released her hair, but then grasped hers again, guiding it to gently trace the fresh finger marks around his neck. His voice was distinctly low and husky, yet more captivating than usual, carrying a bewitching calmness.

"Remember the force you applied this time, and you'll know what to do next time, understand?"

Cui Ying neither nodded nor shook her head. Looking into those unfathomable black eyes, her heart suddenly began to pound wildly. Overwhelmed by a myriad of emotions, she couldn't tell whether she was angry, fearful, or something else entirely.

"And another thing," Xiao Qiyu looked into her eyes, his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and said slowly, "Death is no big deal. When you're in dire straits, it's just a matter of killing or being killed. No one can control your temperament. You're always rushing into dangerous places. If you really encounter danger, what kind of skill is it to beat someone up?"

He smiled, a rare toothy grin, his white skin gleaming: "Killing people is what matters."

"What if..." Cui Ying frowned silently, and asked sincerely, "What if I'm the one who gets killed?"

Xiao Qiyu's eyebrows twitched suddenly, and he said decisively, "Impossible."

Cui Ying: "Why?"

In the silence, Xiao Qiyu lowered his head and met the girl's eyes, which were reflecting the moonlight. He smiled very lightly, but his tone was extremely firm: "Don't worry, you will never die."

"Why?" Cui Ying asked the same question.

Xiao Qiyu's gaze was calm, and he replied without hesitation: "Because I don't want to be a widower."

He paused, then continued, "So, I'll take care of everything for you before you encounter any danger that could kill you."

Cui Ying almost laughed out of anger.

What a pretentious statement.

They kill her all the time, but when it comes to themselves, they just "clean things up"—it's utterly shameless.

Cui Ying ignored him and remained silent in a sullen mood.

Xiao Qiyu said no more, grabbed her hand and tried to pull her up.

Cui Ying stood halfway up the stairs, but then let out a muffled groan. Instead of continuing to stand up straight, she curled up, her brows furrowed tightly, and her face contorted in pain.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Qiyu asked, his expression turning serious as he looked at her anxiously.

Cui Ying bit her lip and remained silent, her ears burning uncontrollably.

Xiao Qiyu glanced at her face, which was gradually turning red and flushed, and asked, "Where does it hurt?"

Cui Ying looked up at him and glared: "Shut up!"

She then lowered her head and muttered softly, "Strange, it was already much better, how come it suddenly..."

A soft snort came from above, followed by an annoying voice: "You'll feel better if you eat more spicy food."

Cui Ying glared at him again: "Don't talk like that, it's easy for you to say that!"

He even knew what she ate when she sneaked out; he had indeed been following her for a long time!

It's probably true that you become like those you associate with; after spending so much time with this madman Xiao Qiyu, Cui Ying is no longer surprised by things like being followed.

Xiao Qiyu turned around, lifted his robe, and squatted down in front of her, his broad back facing her. Without waiting for her reply, he said, "Get on."

Cui Ying looked at his back and hesitated for a moment. It wasn't that she was embarrassed; they had already reached this point, only a ghost would make her feel embarrassed.

She was just thinking that if she climbed on top of him and let him carry her, her legs would have to be spread apart and straddle his waist, which would definitely pull...

Sensing only her momentary hesitation, Xiao Qiyu instantly understood.

He didn't give her any more time to hesitate. He stood up and faced her, put his arm under her knees, wrapped his other arm around her back, and with a little effort, lifted her up steadily in his arms.

Suddenly suspended in mid-air, Cui Ying let out a soft cry and instinctively wrapped her arms around Xiao Qiyu's neck.

The boy's fresh scent of soap wafted towards her, and her body pressed tightly against his firm chest. She could clearly feel the shape of his chest muscles and his burning body temperature beneath his clothes.

For the first time ever, Cui Ying stopped having wild thoughts and felt incredibly safe.

She didn't loosen her grip on Xiao Qiyu's neck; instead, she found a more comfortable position and hooked her arm around it.

The night was quiet, with sparse stars dotting the sky. The boy's profile was bathed in a soft glow, and the sharpness between his brows was quietly concealed by the night. A gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of willow branches blew by, softly stirring the two people's hair.

Xiao Qiyu walked very lightly, and the occasional barking of dogs only accentuated the tranquility of the moment.

Cui Ying leaned quietly against him, listening to his steady heartbeat and feeling his heartbeat gradually synchronize with her own breathing.

“Xiao Qiyu, I have a question for you,” Cui Ying suddenly said.

"Um."

"If war really breaks out, would you go to the battlefield?"

He didn't stop walking, and his voice came from above her head: "Why would you ask that?"

"You're a good fighter," Cui Ying said honestly. Thinking of his ease in suppressing bandits in southern Jiangxi, he knew that although he was young and impetuous, he was by no means a reckless general and valued strategy even more, which was actually beneficial to the overall situation.

Xiao Qiyu looked down at her, starlight shimmering in his eyes: "You want me to go?"

Cui Ying immediately shook her head, her hair lightly brushing against his chin, and blurted out, "I don't want to."

For some reason, she unconsciously pulled her arms around his neck tighter, her voice muffled: "Swords and spears have no eyes. You don't want to be a widower, and I don't want to be a widow either. As long as we're not divorced, you have to stay safe and sound for me."

Upon hearing the first part of the sentence, Xiao Qiyu's expression remained relatively gentle. However, upon hearing the words "divorce," Xiao Qiyu's expression immediately tightened, and a hint of suppressed melancholy flashed between his brows. He said indifferently, "Then you can put your mind at ease."

He gazed into the deep night, where the majestic palace gates disappeared into the darkness. His tone was devoid of emotion as he coldly said, "Such important matters are not my concern."

Whether he learned martial arts from a young age or entered officialdom, no matter how well he did, to his family, he was just someone to decorate their image. No one had high hopes for him, and no one wanted him to serve his country.

His grandmother loved him dearly and only wanted him to be happy for the rest of his life, preferably far away from swords and spears. She would rather he be a spoiled brat who didn't strive for anything.

Third Brother understands him, but at most he can only keep him under his nose; he can't stand seeing him put himself in the vortex of power.

Before he suppressed bandits in southern Jiangxi, no one even believed he had that ability.

Besides Cui Tuantuan in my arms.

Xiao Qiyu lowered his eyes and looked at the top of the girl's thick, black hair in his arms.

In this moment of tranquility unseen by anyone, his eyes softened.

...

Thanks to that spicy and delicious meal, Cui Ying's newly healed injury became serious again. She had to apply medicine morning and night without fail and rest at home for two more days before she was finally able to stop feeling uncomfortable.

Once the wound healed, he forgot the pain. As soon as he could move around freely, Cui Ying became bored and prepared a carriage to go to Luming Academy to give a lecture.

Given her current condition, it was naturally inconvenient for her to ride a horse and teach students to play polo as usual. She could only treat it as a way to relax, watch the students practice, and smell the fresh air of the mountain plants, which was much more comfortable than being cooped up in the Marquis's mansion.

While explaining equestrian techniques to the West Academy disciples at the training ground, Cui Ying happened to encounter East Academy disciples practicing at the other end. With a casual glance, she caught sight of a familiar figure—Yun Cheng.

No, we should call him Xiao Yuncheng now.

In the past, Cui Ying might have felt some curiosity and goodwill towards him, but after learning about his relationship with Xiao Qiyu, her feelings became complicated. Of course, she knew that Yun Cheng was innocent. After all, people cannot choose their own birth, and what can a child decide about the sins committed by the previous generation? But she could no longer face him with equanimity, at least she could no longer pretend to speak to him normally.

Cui Ying then looked away, pretending not to see him.

But in the blink of an eye, her gaze was suddenly drawn to something hanging from Yun Cheng's waist—an ordinary-looking purse, except that the stitching was exceptionally fine.

It was exactly the same as the purse she had lost the day before.

Cui Ying's heart skipped a beat, and she almost doubted her eyes.

Her purse was clearly stolen by a pickpocket in the courtyard when she was taking the chicken-selling girl home, so how did it end up on Yun Cheng?

Is it just a coincidence, or are the patterns simply similar?

Cui Ying frowned, hesitating whether to go forward and ask, when the bell rang and Yun Cheng dispersed with the other students, his slender figure disappearing into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

Cui Ying scratched the back of her head suspiciously, unwilling to think about it any further, and turned to attend to other things.

...

As evening fell, a magnificent sunset painted the sky, and smoke rose from the dining hall of Luming Academy as students went to eat in small groups.

Cui Ying descended the mountain and had just boarded the carriage to return home when the curtain was lifted again. A tall figure bent down and entered, carrying with him the crisp scent of the evening breeze. His beautiful features were even more exquisite and picturesque under the brilliant sunset.

Cui Ying was stunned: "Xiao Qiyu? What are you doing here?"

He came to Luming Academy today too? When did he arrive?

Xiao Qiyu did not answer immediately, but glanced at her face indifferently before tossing something onto Cui Ying's lap.

Is this yours?

Cui Ying looked down and saw the familiar stitch pattern. It was none other than the purse she had lost!

"Where did you come from?" she asked instinctively, her tone becoming cheerful as she picked up the purse and examined it.

Xiao Qiyu's eyes darkened: "It was taken back from Xiao Yuncheng."

Cui Ying's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately looked up.

“I remember seeing the exact same thing on you, and I don’t think it’s such a coincidence.” Xiao Qiyu said calmly, looking into her eyes. “Indeed.”

Cui Ying spoke urgently, subconsciously explaining, "It is indeed mine, but I really didn't give it to him. It was stolen by a pickpocket when I was helping someone a few days ago. I don't know how it ended up with him! I was startled when I saw it at the academy today, but I thought it was just a coincidence, so I didn't think much of it!"

Xiao Qiyu listened quietly, then sat down next to Cui Ying and said calmly, "What are you panicking about?"

Cui Ying wanted nothing more than to slap him across the face, and roared inwardly, "I want to know what I'm panicking about!"

She just couldn't control herself.

She couldn't help but want to explain, to prove, and to tell him that she had always been on his side.

"Anyway, I have no connection with him whatsoever, I haven't said a single word to him!" Cui Ying continued to explain helplessly, her cheeks flushed red, and it seemed as if wisps of heat were rising from her head.

Xiao Qiyu hummed in agreement, looking at her with an expression that could even be described as innocent: "I believe you."

Cui Ying: "..."

It feels so much like a scumbag who goes out and fools around, gets caught red-handed by his wife, and is then unconditionally trusted by her.

The carriage began to move slowly, the wheels making a regular sound.

Cui Ying clutched the money pouch she had lost but had now recovered, but her heart was still heavy with worry.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly leaned closer and whispered tentatively, "You're not angry?"

"No," Xiao Qiyu answered crisply, his eyes closed as he rested, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly with each breath.

But Cui Ying felt something was off.

They arrived at the Marquis's residence in silence, the inexplicable oppressive atmosphere still lingering.

Hot water had already been prepared, and Xiao Qiyu went to take a bath first.

Cui Ying sidled up to Xiao Qiyu, who was undressing, and asked again, "Are you really not angry?"

Xiao Qiyu didn't stop what he was doing, only glancing at her sideways, and said in a flat tone, "No."

Cui Ying breathed a sigh of relief.

Maybe he's changed his ways? Maybe he's matured and isn't the vengeful, repressed person he used to be? Everyone has a chance to change, and she should give him one too.

Cui Ying felt relieved and, after he finished washing, he went to take a bath without a care in the world.

Once the steam in the room dissipated, a faint medicinal fragrance filled the swaying curtains. Soft embroidered shoes were neatly arranged beside the bed. A snow-white arm hung down to the side of the bed, weakly fiddling with the gold embroidery on the quilt. The fingertips were flushed and slightly spasming, as if enduring some irresistible force.

"Xiao Qiyu..."

A soft sob rose in her throat, and Cui Ying bit her lower lip, her lips turning a deep, glistening red from the sharpness of her teeth: "You really...aren't you angry?"

The ointment was smooth and creamy, and Xiao Qiyu slowly pushed his middle finger in: "No."

Cui Ying was on the verge of tears: "Then why... do I feel so uncomfortable..."

The coolness of the ointment and the hardness of her knuckles made her feel like she was dying.

Xiao Qiyu said "Oh," but without stopping, he asked in return, "Where do you feel unwell?"

Cui Ying's whole body was flushed and hot, and she complained in a pitiful voice, "My bones are too hard..."

And the force was much stronger than usual. Was this guy really not deliberately getting revenge on her?

Before she could finish speaking, she felt the unbearable foreign object being suddenly removed.

The sudden emptiness made her tremble slightly.

A very soft laugh sounded from above.

"If you think it's too hard, then get a softer one."

Xiao Qiyu lowered his head, his loose hair hanging down to his chest. He brought his thin lips close to the medicine box, stuck out his long tongue, and licked a thick piece of ointment with the tip of his tongue.

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Author's note: (Exhausted)