Chapter 23 Forced Kiss 2 This expression pleased Xiao Qiyu.

The kiss was fierce yet immature, devoid of any rhyme or reason, and devoid of any tenderness or affection. It was nothing more than dry, biting and nibbling, more like a deliberate attempt to disgust the other person than a forced kiss.

Their breaths mingled, their hot breaths mingled, and the mandarin ducks on the tent roof seemed to come alive with their love, frolicking in the water.

Cui Ying froze, her pupils fixed on that unbelievable moment, her eyes reflecting Xiao Qiyu's dark, wicked, narrow eyes.

She tried to push him away, but her hands were already restrained by Xiao Qiyu without her noticing. She tried to kick him, but her legs were also firmly held down by Xiao Qiyu.

"Mmm!"

Cui Ying made a loud noise, her bright red almond-shaped eyes wide open, trying to intimidate Xiao Qiyu with her imposing manner.

But clearly, it's useless.

Xiao Qiyu raised an eyebrow, looking defiantly into her eyes, then his thin lips moved down to capture her lower lip and bit it hard.

Cui Ying was like a cat that had fallen into water, her hair standing on end. Although she couldn't move, every inch of her body expressed disgust and resistance, and her eyes were filled with a deep despair of being disgusted and helpless.

Xiao Qiyu was pleased with this expression.

An unprecedented, unfamiliar desire was awakened deep within his body, mixed with a vile vengeful urge, and his blood boiled.

The next moment, he deepened the kiss.

It's just a competition of who's more disgusting; it's the same as whoever it is.

Xiao Qiyu scoffed inwardly.

A powerful masculine aura pressed down, overwhelming and leaving no escape.

Cui Ying's breathing became labored, her heart raced, and she felt a tingling sensation in the back of her head.

Xiao Qiyu had almost no experience in this area. Even if he deepened the bite, he only increased the intensity of the bite and was unaware that there was such a thing as sticking out the tongue.

If she were a girl with even a modicum of common sense, she would only be laughed at by him for being foolish.

But Cui Ying had no experience at all.

Although she used to dress as a man and frequent brothels, what she did most often there was to hire a dozen or twenty pretty girls, then blindfold them and play the role of Pigsy bumping into a heavenly wedding all night, never having witnessed how people kissed.

Indeed, Xiao Qiyu's clumsy kissing skills were enough to make her dizzy and disoriented.

After an unknown amount of time, the faint sound of howling wind came from outside the window, as if a night rain was about to fall. The strong summer heat was mixed with the sweet fragrance of mimosa flowers, and the chirping of insects and the croaking of frogs.

Xiao Qiyu released Cui Ying, and two rapid breaths filled the tent in an instant.

"Smack!"

The slap was crisp and clear, and the resulting fragrance wafted over Xiao Qiyu's face.

Cui Ying's palms were burning red, her face was so red it looked like it was about to bleed, and even her snow-white neck was stained with large patches of scorching red. Her black hair was already disheveled from the struggle, and wisps of smoke seemed to be rising from the top of her head.

Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared intently at Xiao Qiyu. Her already full lips became even more swollen and moist, and the bite marks on her lower lip were clear and obvious, drawing attention.

"Xiao Qiyu, are you insane?" Cui Ying, with the bite mark on her lip, spoke slowly and deliberately, her hair hanging down her neck trembling with her breath.

Xiao Qiyu's chest heaved, his Adam's apple bobbing. He raised his hand, his fingertips touching the burning, hot finger marks on his cheek. His light, airy tone was filled with a mad, all-or-nothing rage: "You just want to disgust me, right? Then let's all disgust each other together. No one can escape."

He raised his eyes, his deep gaze like that of a venomous snake, fixed on her moist lips, damp and cold:

"How is it? Is it delicious?"

Cui Ying's mind went blank, and she was so angry she wanted to scream.

She stammered countless "you you you you..." before finally blurting out, "How dare you!"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Xiao Qiyu said arrogantly, while secretly suppressing his ears which were turning red and hot. He spoke in a relaxed and carefree tone, "We kissed each other on our wedding night."

Cui Ying gasped for breath, recalling the kiss on their wedding night, and the glistening silver thread that had clung to their lips, along with the sticky, wet feeling and tingling pain on her lips now…

She couldn't hold it in and vomited under the bed.

Xiao Qiyu said coolly, "Oh, feeling unwell? Feeling nauseous? You can't stand it? This isn't the time for you to shove your feet in my mouth?"

Cui Ying wiped her mouth, her eyes wide with anger: "Get out of here!"

Xiao Qiyu scoffed and actually got out of bed.

Cui Ying lowered her head and continued to vomit.

She had been gagging for most of the day, barely managing to force out bile. Not hearing any movement, she assumed Xiao Qiyu had really left, but when she looked up—

That wretched fellow not only didn't leave, but went behind the screen to bathe and change clothes. Now, he walked out of the screen, looking refreshed, and lay comfortably on the floor.

Cui Ying's anger, which had not yet subsided, flared up even more fiercely. She clenched her fists and slammed them against the pillow: "You won't leave, huh? Fine, if you won't leave, I will!"

She got out of bed, put on her shoes, and walked towards the door without looking back.

But when Cui Ying actually opened the door and saw the small kitchen under construction in the courtyard, he suddenly thought: No, the kitchen is almost finished, so why is it that the "tree" I planted is ultimately being shaded by Xiao Qiyu?

No, we have to go back!

But she was also full of resentment, which was stuck in her chest like a stone, unable to get out or in, and it was making her feel suffocated.

Cui Ying clenched her fist, turned around and went back to her room. She kicked Xiao Qiyu, cursing, "Why can you sleep after making me so angry? You're not allowed to sleep! Get up!"

Xiao Qiyu slowly opened her eyes, the lingering blush on her fair face, and suddenly said, "Shall I get up and continue kissing you?"

Cui Ying was about to kick him a second time, but upon hearing this, she immediately withdrew her foot in terror: "Sleep, sleep, keep sleeping, shut your mouth tightly, and don't say another word to me."

Xiao Qiyu snorted and closed his eyes again.

Cui Ying could hardly suppress the nausea. She felt like she still had Xiao Qiyu's saliva in her mouth, so she went to pour herself a full cup of tea and rinsed her mouth frantically, crying as she did so: "Ah! It's so disgusting!"

"Father, Mother! I'm not clean anymore!"

...

Since that day, the two seemed to have reached some strange consensus.

Cui Ying packed up the bedding, clearly indicating that she was "sweeping Xiao Qiyu out."

Xiao Qiyu stopped heading towards Qiyun Pavilion and went straight to the front study upon returning to the mansion, without taking a single step into the back courtyard.

After four or five days, even a fool could see that the young couple had a falling out.

Madam Wang observed this but remained calm. Instead, she summoned Cui Jin to inquire about Cui Ying's specific preferences and sent someone to Zhuque Gate to instruct Xiao Qiyu to return home early that day. After making these arrangements, Madam Wang ordered the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous meal and instructed her head maid to go to Qiyun Pavilion to invite the young mistress to dine there.

Cui Ying hadn't argued with Xiao Qiyu for several days and was feeling bored out of her mind. Upon receiving the invitation, she immediately set off.

Inside the Bodhi Hall, the table was laden with delicacies, and the spicy aroma wafted outside, causing even the passing magpies to sneeze.

Cui Ying stared at the dazzling array of dishes, speechless, and murmured, "Stuffed meat with chili peppers, roasted rabbit with chili peppers, stir-fried eel with chili peppers... Grandmother, am I seeing things? Did you prepare all of this?"

Wang pulled her to sit beside her and said softly, "How does my little one feel? Is it to your liking?"

Cui Ying nodded vigorously.

Yes, that's perfect!

Even if she were in the Duke's mansion, she would never be able to eat all of these dishes. Even if she did eat them, her mother would still force her to drink three large bowls of mung bean and bitter melon soup to cool her down, fearing that the heat would affect her heart and cause sores all over her body.

Hearing Cui Ying's words, Madam Wang smiled and held her hand, saying, "These dishes are all warming. We can eat them occasionally, but eating too much will harm our health. The reason why Grandmother prepared such a meal and invited you over is twofold: firstly, your small kitchen will not be finished for a few more days, and secondly... Grandmother heard that you and Qilang have not been doing well lately, and he has not returned to his room to stay overnight for several days. Is this true?"

Upon hearing Xiao Qiyu's name, Cui Ying's expression immediately became unnatural, and she reluctantly nodded.

Madam Wang said with deep remorse, “Good child, Grandmother knows that Qilang has a bad temper and a stubborn nature. Among all the young men in the capital, there is no one more difficult to deal with than him. Marrying him has made you suffer. But as the old saying goes, harmony in the family brings prosperity. You and he are about the same age and are both young and hot-blooded. It is inevitable that you will quarrel. But life is still long. It is not a good thing to stay at a standstill and ignore each other.”

"I'll call him over in a bit and give him a good scolding in front of you. I'll make him personally offer you a toast and apologize. For your grandmother's sake, please forgive him this once, okay?"

Upon hearing that Xiao Qiyu was coming, Cui Ying's face immediately scrunched up, thinking to herself that there is indeed no such thing as a free lunch, nor free breakfast or dinner.

Seeing how much effort Grandma Wang had put in, she couldn't just leave, so she reluctantly nodded.

Madam Wang was immediately delighted and said to her three daughters-in-law who were sitting beside her, "You all see, from now on, if anyone in the capital says that our Third Sister is willful, I will definitely cut out their tongue. When it comes to being understanding, I'm afraid the whole capital combined can't compare to our Third Sister."

Qin smiled insincerely and remained silent, her gaze fixed only on her mother-in-law, ignoring her two sisters-in-law.

Zhang looked at Cui Ying with a gentle smile, but her gaze was distant, as if she could see her former good friend Kong Shi in her youth through Cui Ying.

After a few days of rest, Xue regained her usual lively and talkative nature, but when her gaze swept over Qin, her eyes always seemed to be filled with poison.

At this moment, a maidservant lifted the curtain and entered, curtsied and reported, "Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince has arrived."

Wang nodded: "Let him in."

A moment later, a steady and powerful footstep came from outside. A slender, fair hand lifted the curtain embroidered with the image of Guanyin saving the world, and a long leg stepped in, exuding an air of grandeur.

"Please sit down, we've been waiting for you," Wang said with a smile.

Xiao Qiyu was taken aback by the scene inside the room.

He rode quickly, thinking his grandmother had something important to discuss with him, but the first thing he saw was Cui Ying's face.

As always, the girl wore no makeup; her skin was fair and clear, her hair was as black as clouds, pearl hairpins swayed by her ears, and a fresh begonia was pinned to her temple, its petals delicate and its stamens slender.

After that chaotic night, Xiao Qiyu thought he had completely had enough of Cui Ying, to the point that he would want to die if he even looked at Cui Ying.

But after a few days apart, the first thing he felt was not annoyance.

It was the crabapple blossom at her temple...

It's kind of nice.

Cui Ying held a grudge and deliberately avoided looking at Xiao Qiyu.

But feeling the piercing gaze on her face, she couldn't suppress her competitive spirit and glared back.

What are you looking at!

Successfully disgusted her once, that's impressive!

Their eyes met, and Xiao Qiyu could tell from Cui Ying's expression what she was thinking. He then turned his gaze away and refused to look at her again, his face as cold as ice.

Wang saw the turbulent undercurrents between the two, coughed, and looked at Qin.

Qin understood and smiled at Xiao Qiyu, "What are you standing there for, Qilang? Hurry up and sit down. It's rare for the old lady to get the two of you together for a meal, so don't do anything to spoil the mood."

Since Xiao Qiyu personally apologized to Madam Qin, Madam Qin's resentment towards her nephew has largely subsided. Moreover, Xiao Qiyu had been orphaned at around seven years old, and Madam Qin already felt pity for him. No matter how ugly things got, Xiao Qiyu was still her own child in her eyes. As an elder, why should she hold a grudge against a child?

Urged on, Xiao Qiyu sat down next to Qin Shi, separated from Cui Ying by her grandmother and two aunts.

In order to let the two children sit together, Madam Wang deliberately did not set up separate seats, and ordered people to bring out a sandalwood round table with five dragons holding a jade plate. Now, seeing her grandson deliberately sitting far away, Madam Wang said with a stern face: "You come here and sit next to your wife."

Xiao Qiyu frowned almost imperceptibly, clearly unwilling, but he could not disobey his grandmother's command, so he stood up and sat down next to Cui Ying.

As soon as he sat down, Cui Ying leaned towards her grandmother, moving much further away from him.

The atmosphere was subtle.

Wang: "Everyone's here, let's start eating."

Although it was said that they started eating, only Cui Ying was actually enjoying the food.

The grandmother, needless to say, was used to a vegetarian diet and Buddhist chanting for many years; she had long since given up spicy food and even oily food. Both Qin and Zhang were people with mild palates, and looking at the table full of dishes, they simply couldn't bring themselves to eat. Xue could manage a couple of bites, but after the third bite, she needed tea to stop the spiciness; she didn't eat much, but drank her fill of water.

Xiao Qiyu didn't even lift his chopsticks.

He rushed over from the Vermilion Bird Gate without even changing his clothes. His crimson armor robe reflected his jade-like face, which should have made him look spirited. However, his pupils were naturally much deeper than those of ordinary people, and his thick black eyelashes further obscured the light in his eyes, giving rise to a gloomy aura between his eyebrows.

If it were an ordinary person, sitting next to such a stern and unsmiling young demon, the timid would be too afraid to breathe, while the bold would feel the urge to run away.

But Cui Ying was not afraid at all.

Eat and drink as you please, savoring every bite of chili pepper and rice.

What Xiao Qiyu? Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he wouldn't be able to affect her appetite.

Wang personally served food to Cui Ying, then glanced at Xiao Qiyu with a sharp look, saying, "Don't just sit there, serve your wife some food."

Xiao Qiyu remained silent for a moment before finally picking up his chopsticks.

His fingers were beautiful, but due to years of martial arts training, the joints were slightly deformed, which only added to his ruggedness.

Cui Ying silently raised her eyes and glanced at the chopsticks in Xiao Qiyu's hand. Seeing that they were clean, she finally felt relieved.

She never wanted to have her mouth touched by Xiao Qiyu again in her life.

The chopsticks skipped over the delicious dishes on the table and went straight to a piece of ginger used for seasoning, placing it into Cui Ying's bowl.

Cui Ying hates eating ginger the most.

Wang Shi couldn't stand it any longer. Her aged brows furrowed, and she said in an unhappy voice, "Seventh Brother, are you being ridiculous?"

Xiao Qiyu remained expressionless and said in a serious tone, "Grandmother, you may not know this, but ginger has the function of relieving exterior symptoms and dispelling dampness. It can alleviate the summer heat and dampness and is most suitable for health preservation."

Cui Ying sneered inwardly.

Alright, a new round has begun, huh? This time, she won't lose to him!

Before Wang could speak again, Cui Ying smiled and said, "Grandmother, Seventh Brother is only thinking of my health. This is his good intention, how can I refuse?"

When she smiles, her eyebrows always curve upwards, and the bright and beautiful begonias at her temples cannot overshadow her stunning looks. With her bright eyes and white teeth, she is captivating.

Mrs. Wang nodded with satisfaction: "Our youngest son is the most sensible one."

"Besides, Qilang works hard every day, so even if he's serving food, it should be me serving him."

Cui Ying picked up her chopsticks and pretended to be troubled as she looked at many dishes. Finally, her chopsticks landed on a dish of braised sea cucumber with scallions, but instead of picking up the sea cucumber, she picked up a piece of scallion without thinking.

If she remembered correctly, Xiao Qiyu hated scallions the most.

Without a second thought, Cui Ying threw the scallions into Xiao Qiyu's bowl.

This is just the beginning.

After Cui Ying finished one section, she moved on to the second, then the third, the fourth...

Before long, Xiao Qiyu's bowl was piled high with scallions, seemingly reaching for the sky.

Xiao Qiyu's face was dark, and his eyes were fixed on the "Onion Mountain," making his already gloomy expression even more unpleasant.

Cui Ying's almond-shaped eyes were clear, and she blinked brightly at him: "Seventh Brother, scallions are good for the appetite and digestion, and they are the best for the body. Since ancient times, food supplements have been better than medicine supplements. Eating this bowl of scallions is better than taking ten kinds of medicine."

Xiao Qiyu slowly turned his face and stared at Cui Ying.

Cui Ying met his gaze, her eyes filled with tenderness. She added more to the "scallion mountain" by picking up the last piece of scallion from the bottom of the plate and putting it into her bowl. She said gently, "You must understand my good intentions and finish this bowl without leaving a single bite."

In her mind, Xiao Qiyu would be furious and leave without looking back.

She can then quietly appreciate the beautiful scene of a cornered dog jumping over the wall.

However, after waiting for a long time, the expected scene did not appear.

Xiao Qiyu stopped looking at her, and instead, with a cold face, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of scallion, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and swallowed it patiently.

As Cui Ying's smile gradually froze, Xiao Qiyu swallowed the second bite, then the third...

He appeared completely calm and unperturbed, showing no signs of discomfort.

Cui Ying stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered as to what exactly was wrong.

Did she remember it wrong?

It wasn't actually scallions, but garlic? Star anise? Cabbage?

Cui Ying couldn't understand it.

Under her resentful gaze, Xiao Qiyu finished the whole bowl of scallions, and his eyes were faintly red when he swallowed the last bite.

The next moment, Xiao Qiyu seemed to be struck by lightning, his whole body convulsed, and he bent over and vomited.

She looked exactly like Cui Ying after he forcibly kissed her and she vomited.

Wang was both amused and exasperated. She quickly ordered a maid to bring strong tea to her grandson and said earnestly, "Alright, stop pretending. Do you feel good about offending your own daughter-in-law? Quickly apologize. Our Third Madam is the most considerate and understanding. She won't hold a grudge against you."

Xiao Qiyu drank the whole cup of strong tea to suppress the nausea and vomiting in his stomach. He looked at Cui Ying, his eyes red and moist, his gaze dark and cold.

"I was wrong." Xiao Qiyu clenched his teeth and squeezed out the three words one by one.

Madam Wang coughed and said, "Explain clearly what you did wrong, how you did it, and whether you will make the same mistake again."

Having avenged his great enemy and with his grandmother's support, Cui Ying was beaming with pride, thinking that it was finally his turn to hold his head high.

Meeting Cui Ying's triumphant smile, Xiao Qiyu continued, "I shouldn't have pressed you down on the bed and kissed you."

"Especially since they kissed for so long."

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Author's Note: (Paws trembling)