Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Jinjiang First Release

Chapter 78

Su Li felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave. Although the spring weather was not very cold, she was shivering.

Her almond-shaped eyes were hazy as she looked at the elegant and calm man in front of her. She felt that he was like a bright moon hanging in the sky, out of place in the simple country kitchen.

Cui Jue doesn't belong here.

He should be sitting high in the government, he should be living in a beautiful building, instead of insisting on being entangled with her until death.

Is the emperor's favor a reward or a punishment?

Su Li didn’t know, she just felt powerless and helpless, and was speechless for a moment.

Mrs. Hu came over, looked at the two of them looking at each other, and jokingly said, "So you two are old acquaintances?"

Cui Jue was very good at disguising himself in front of others. He said politely, "More than that..."

Su Li suddenly looked up and stared at him helplessly.

Cui Jue looked directly into the girl's sharp, slightly warning gaze and said slowly, "If I hadn't been separated from Sanniang, the child might have grown up like Yuan Ge'er."

When Su Li heard "Yuan Ge'er" from his mouth, her palms were filled with sweat. She finally understood that Cui Jue had been watching her for a long time, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not escape from his clutches.

Mrs. Hu felt something was wrong when she heard such ambiguous words, and thought it was a romantic debt.

Before Mrs. Hu could ask any more questions, Su Li mustered up the courage to step forward and grabbed Cui Jue's wrist.

She pulled him hard, but he didn't move at all.

The man was tall and strong, as majestic as a mountain. Since he was determined not to move, how could he be shaken by a girl who was so weak as to not even tie a chicken?

Su Li was at her wit's end and could only squeeze out a few words through her teeth: "Young Master Lao, please move aside and follow me back to my room. I have something to tell you."

Su Li didn't want Cui Jue to get angry in public and implicate others.

You know, when the emperor is angry, millions of people will die.

She was afraid of bringing disaster to some of her friends in the courtyard.

Fortunately, Cui Jue just struggled and let her pull him back into the room.

The moment Su Li bolted the door, Cui Jue came over with the swiftness of a lion or tiger, and pressed her against the wall.

There was no light in the room, and the light was dim. A ray of moonlight leaked in through the window, illuminating countless floating embers.

Su Li's shoulders were grabbed and she turned around. A boiling man's body was engulfed behind her.

Su Li's shoulders hit Cui Jue's broad chest heavily. She could feel Cui Jue's black hair falling like a waterfall as he leaned over, and could sense his boiling breath spraying on her earlobes. The heat was so clear and intense that it made her whole body tremble in panic.

Cui Jue took Su Li's slender waist into his arms, tightening it inch by inch, like a snake twisting around, pressing her tightly into his embrace.

The cloth attached to Su Li's back was flattened by the man who leaned over. The rough cloth rubbed against her jade-like skin, bringing a sweaty heat and itchiness.

The doors and windows of the room were tightly closed, the room was hot and humid, no bright light could seep in, and the atmosphere in the narrow house was stuffy, making one feel as if the world was cramped and breathing was suppressed.

Su Li only felt like a butterfly entangled in spider silk.

Her wings had been entangled in spider silk as thin as copper wire, twisting them into pieces and unable to fly anymore.

Su Li was so hot that she could hardly breathe. Her lips were slightly open, and she was like a silver fish that had been roughly thrown onto the riverbank, her cheeks flaring in despair.

But Cui Jue had no intention of letting her off at all.

The man's slender finger bones meandered along her plump chest, along her muscular and bony shoulders and neck, and stroked all the way up.

Until he pinched the girl's delicate chin.

Su Li's slender and graceful figure was completely held in Cui Jue's hands. She was held hostage and could not move at all.

The girl's eyes were wide open and her brows were furrowed. She was so frightened that she didn't even dare to move, but she couldn't shout loudly for fear of hurting others.

It was Su Li who invited the wolf into the house, and it was Su Li who pulled Cui Jue into the house, so no one else could be blamed.

Until Cui Jue looked at her with his enchanting and unruly phoenix eyes, the man's black hair was half tilted, and the pleasant fragrance came over, filling Su Li's mouth and nose, making her almost suffocate.

"Su Li...we haven't seen each other for three years."

Su Li's lips and teeth were pried open by the strong finger bones.

The root of her tongue pressed against the man's fingertips, which were slightly calloused. Cui Jue only stayed there for a moment, and soon he pried her jaw open, forced her to tilt her head, and kissed him deeply.

Cui Jue pressed his cool, thin lips against her cherry lips.

Cui Jue's tongue tip probed into the girl's soft lips and cavity, and took all the saliva that Su Li couldn't control into his mouth.

He kissed her, licked her tongue, and then rubbed it softly and smoothly, intending to devour Su Li.

He deliberately kissed Su Li hard every time she wanted to breathe, and when Su Li couldn't bear it anymore, he let go of her lips and gave her a way out.

Repeating this process made the kiss long and deep.

Su Li should have been out of breath, or her knees should have gone weak and she should have knelt down.

But she held on to her body and accepted every strong kiss from Cui Jue. Su Li was so willful and uninhibited, forcing herself to face the difficulties, as if she was deliberately fighting against the powerful in a silent contest.

It was not until the hair on Su Li's forehead was wet with fine, dense sweat that Cui Jue kindly let her go.

Cui Jue lowered his head and gently kissed the top of her head. He spoke softly and strangely, "Su Li, I thought you were dead."

"For the past three years, I've dreamed of you every night. I dreamed of you saying your body hurt, that the fire was burning, that you were scared, and that you were waiting for me..."

"I'm trapped in a nightmare and can't get out. Every time I do, I blame Chixia for not running faster and my deployment for not being more meticulous."

"I don't believe in gods or Buddhas, but I have prayed to God for you. Even if it shortens my life by ten or twenty years, and there is no afterlife or next life, I still hope you can live again."

"But you're not dead." He didn't know what he was thinking about, and smiled lightly. His cold eyes turned colder in an instant, as if Cui Jue's heart could also harden a little. "You just abandoned me and hid me alone in the countryside. Su Li, you have no heart, do you really think you are so cruel..."

Su Li listened to Cui Jue's questioning, and she could hear his resentment, unwillingness, fear... and even pity.

Su Li knew that the situation was not good and she shouldn't confront him head-on. She explained in a low voice: "The situation was a bit urgent at the time. I was indeed seriously injured and almost died on the battlefield. It was Lin Yin who saved me."

Su Li was afraid of angering Cui Jue, so she didn't say it. The most important reason why she didn't dare to go back to him was that she was afraid of being locked up by him again.

But Cui Jue is not stupid. It can be said that he forces himself to stay awake.

He held Su Li tightly in his arms, his cool fingers falling on the back of her neck intentionally or unintentionally, again and again, teasingly, as if coaxing a child, gently stroking and coaxing.

Cui Jue's words were cold and indifferent. He said, "Su Li, you are lying to me."

His tone was firm, and he was well aware of Su Li's nature.

Su Li was trapped in her own web. She looked at the bright moonlight in despair and helplessness. She bit her lower lip tightly, using the pain to wake herself up again.

Su Li: "I know that the eldest son is forgiving. After I passed away, he has always been kind to my grandmother and Qiu Gui. I am very grateful..."

Before she could give more reasons or excuses, Cui Jue kissed her again. He licked and bit her lips persistently, deliberately using force to cause a slight pain.

Until Su Li frowned slightly, Cui Jue whispered to her softly amid the sticky sound of water: "Su Li, I can forgive the past and not hold you accountable for running away secretly, but you must come back to the palace with me."

It doesn't matter if she doesn't love him, as long as she is willing to stay by his side.

Cui Jue will treat her well and give her all the best things.

Cui Jue has already abandoned his dignity and made concessions.

He hoped she would accept these gifts.

But when Su Li thought of the dark disputes among the noble families and the hypocritical children of the noble families, she felt resistance. She did not want to be trapped in a cage. She resisted loudly: "Master, I'm sorry, I can't obey your order."

Cui Jue lowered his eyes, seemingly dissatisfied.

He stared into the intense emotion in her eyes, waiting for her to fight back at the top of her lungs.

Su Li suppressed her fear and confided to Cui Jue, "My dear, I don't like being trapped behind high walls, nor do I want to socialize with those noble ladies all day long, pretending to be nice to them. I live a good life in the city, and I only want to live here in the future..."

She thought of many people and many things, and she wanted to argue for her point. She didn't expect Cui Jue to understand.

She thought of the autumn when she would go to the mountains to see the red leaves of the sumac; she thought of the summer when she would tie the fruits and melons with hemp ropes and throw them into the well to cool overnight, and then cut the melons to cool down.

She thought about how she didn't have to follow those palace rules and could run freely in the countryside, letting the hems of her skirts and clothes get stuck with cockleburs, pine needles, and weeds...

Su Li's almond-shaped eyes were burning with hope and vitality, but they were extinguished in an instant.

Su Li and Cui Jue hugged each other in this dim residence.

They are so close, yet so far.

Su Li deliberately looked at Cui Jue's eyes, which were as dark and deep as an ancient well. She didn't know how much he could understand. She only knew that she had to fight and find a way to survive for herself.

Su Li was almost furious. She twisted her body away from Cui Jue's strong arms.

She crouched before him and looked him in the eye bravely.

Su Li no longer ran away. She stared directly at the ghost, facing the dark night, and said to Cui Jue with gritted teeth: "If you force me, maybe one day I will run away... If I can't escape, I will die!"

"Cui Jue, I can change my appearance thousands and tens of thousands of times. I can cut and scratch this face. You know I can endure pain very well. You know I am fearless!"

Just as she was about to touch the sharp hairpin in her black hair, Cui Jue quickly grabbed her wrist.

With a snap.

Su Li's hands were crossed on top of her head, and were shackled by Cui Jue's powerful jaws, trapped on top of her head.

He seemed to be angered by Su Li's harsh words. The man's chest heaved violently, and his eyes were filled with thundering rage.

"Su Li, you're crazy!"

Cui Jue was furious, but he forced himself to endure it.

Su Li saw the corners of Cui Jue's narrow eyes turned red due to anger. He was as silent as a mountain, revealing a thrilling coldness and viciousness.

Su Li didn't know why, but she suddenly smiled. "If you recognized me through my ears and my body shape, I can also hurt myself, hurt myself, and destroy myself! Cui Jue, I have thousands of ways to escape from your grasp. You may not be able to control me."

"If you want me to die, you can do it in a thousand ways. You are no match for me. But if you want me to live, it will be very difficult..."

"Cui Jue, you know my carrier bird died in your hands a long time ago."

As soon as Su Li said this, Cui Jue almost instantly thought of the birdcage with flames shooting up into the sky.

His sanity collapsed, his thoughts were confused, and for the first time he felt regret.

Cui Jue didn't know what the blazing fire represented, but he seemed to have lost a lot.

He wanted the tit to live, but he couldn't let the tit go.

Then he could only get Su Li's body, and he could only watch her die again...

This was something Cui Jue didn't want to do.

But this is the fate that Su Li must face.

Su Li thought of that rainy night long, long ago.

She and Cui Jue were both immersed in the pouring rain, and the mountains were filled with Cui family soldiers who were well-armed.

Her family was protected in the yard, and she was the only one standing in the rain-drenched courtyard, fighting against Cui Jue, the ferocious and evil ghost.

She was sparring with Cui Jue, with a raging fire burning beside her.

The birds in the bamboo grove died alone, and the crisp sound of plucking the bamboo strips could be heard.

Thunder roars!

The rain extinguished the vitality in the bamboo cage and also extinguished Cui Jue's anger.

Su Li still remembers that scene.

Cui Jue's long black hair was wet by the rain. He was obviously furious, but for the first time he suppressed his murderous intent.

He looked down at her, as if he couldn't bear it, as if he felt pity for her.

He stretched out his hand towards her, and his jade-like fingertips gently touched Su Li's brow, trying to stroke her cheek.

At that moment, Su Li realized one thing...

She found it absurd, funny and amusing.

She realized that Cui Jue fell in love with her!

That's why Su Li reached out to Cui Jue, grabbed Cui Jue's hand, begged him in a gentle voice, and showed weakness to him.

She hoped Cui Jue could give her another chance to live.

Because Su Li knew that Cui Jue was afraid, he would never be able to kill her.

The only person who can kill Su Li is herself!

Su Li's smile was charming. She sympathized with Cui Jue and felt sorry for him.

She looked up at Cui Jue with a sharp gaze.

She said to him: "Cui Jue, you are afraid, you are terrified, you know you can't control me..."

"Cui Jue, admit it, you've already lost."

Su Li's words were like a loud bell, ringing in Cui Jue's heart.

Her words were vicious, cruel, ruthless and sinister, like a thin sharp blade, peeling off the skin, pulling out the tendons, removing the gallbladder and cutting out the heart, wanting to tear apart his God-given skin, leaving him riddled with holes, making him vile and unbearable.

Cui Jue did not let go of Su Li's slender waist. He still held her wrist, exerting force with his palm to show his presence, or perhaps to vent his dissatisfaction.

Cui Jue's pupils were dark and gloomy. He stared at her intently, as if he wanted to see through her soul and pierce her heart.

Cui Jue didn't understand, and he really wanted to ask, "Su Li, why is being with me a dead end? Why don't you try to find a way out? Why can't you try with me again? Why am I the only one you repeatedly reject?"

"Su Li, why must we both perish together? Why must things have come to this?"

Cui Jue finally learned to endure Su Li's humiliation.

His jaw was tense, and the suppressed veins bulged and trembled beneath the thin skin.

The corners of Cui Jue's eyes flushed and he clenched his back teeth.

He held Su Li's face and stroked her plump ears and round shoulders.

Cui Jue seemed to have lost all his dignity. All his trump cards, all his plans, all his deployments were useless in front of Su Li.

It turned out that he was helpless and powerless... He was begging Su Li to change her mind.

Cui Jue hugged Su Li a little higher. He tried to add a touch of tenderness and leeway to the conflict between them. He admitted that he was afraid.

"Su Li, in all these times of being so close together, ask yourself, have you never felt a single heartbeat, even just once?"

Su Li seemed to have not expected that Cui Jue would suddenly ask such a strange question.

Cui Jue held her soft buttocks, her back against the cold door panel, her shoulders hunched, looking down at him condescendingly.

With the dim and sparse moonlight, Su Li could clearly see Cui Jue's appearance in the darkness.

Cui Jue has always been able to plan and strategize, has always been confident in his plans, has always been a graceful figure, and has always been dignified.

He has always looked down upon others and acted high and mighty.

But now Cui Jue’s eyes were red and his thin lips were tightly pursed.

At this moment, Su Li seemed to realize that he was waiting for her judgment.

The choice is hers.

Su Li looked at him calmly.

Until Su Li understood the soft feelings in Cui Jue's eyes.

Cui Jue stared at her calmly and stubbornly.

He let her look at him and ridicule him. The veins on the back of his hands bulged, and his phoenix eyes seemed...about to break.

Su Li lowered her head inexplicably, her forehead touching Cui Jue's, their breaths intertwined.

She fell into Cui Jue's calm and peaceful dark eyes, and in a trance, she thought of a night many years ago.

That day, there were swords and sabers everywhere, and mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Su Li's leg bone was stabbed and she was sweating all over from the pain.

In order to seek a chance of survival, she called out Cui Jue's name rashly and helplessly.

She smiled at him, she fell from the cliff, she thought she would finally be free.

The wind was so strong that day, and the sky and the earth were so vast.

She opened her arms and soared in the air like a bird.

Su Li thought she was going to die.

But when she opened her eyes, she saw Cui Jue jumping down.

The man's robe fluttered and his black hair flew. He was born charming and beautiful, not like an ordinary mortal. He was like a god or a ghost. He stubbornly crushed Su Li's moon, put his arms around her waist, and forcefully squeezed into her sweet dream.

Su Li was held tightly in Cui Jue's arms, and the back of her head was pressed against her shoulders by that warm and broad hand.

She smelled the strong fragrance of orchid and her heart beat involuntarily.

She felt Cui Jue's desire for life and his madness.

She was at a loss as to what to do, the pain in her legs gradually seeping into her heart and lungs.

For countless nights, Su Li dreamed of Cui Jue many times.

Su Li was distracted once, although it was very subtle and weak, like a petal falling into a spring pond, causing only a few ripples.

But she vaguely remembered that moment, and remembered that she also cared about Cui Jue.

Su Li tried her best to restrain herself.

But she admitted that she had been... moved.

"Yes." Su Li seemed to have accepted her fate. She closed her eyes and murmured softly, "Cui Jue, I have."

She did like Cui Jue.

Cui Jue was slightly startled when he heard this. The anger that was rising in his heart slowly dissipated in this dreamlike murmur.

The wound finally stopped hurting and the bleeding stopped.

Cui Jue was rarely quiet, and he remained silent.

Finally, the man seemed to be trying to negotiate with Su Li. He asked her softly, "Su Li, if I don't restrain you and don't force you to enter the palace... can you stop running away?"

Su Li looked at Cui Jue, and at this moment, she suddenly realized that both she and Cui Jue were injured.

None of them benefited.

Su Li felt very tired. She didn't know what she was thinking about, but she felt like laughing.

After a long time, Su Li nodded helplessly under Cui Jue's calm gaze.

She responded softly: "...Okay."