Chapter Seventy-Eight

Faced with her lover's question, Zhou Yanqing didn't know how to answer. After struggling for a long time, she finally said, "It shouldn't be like this."

"And what about when you helped me?"

"I'm willing."

Their eyes met, and they could both sense the complex emotions in each other's hearts.

"I'm willing too." Si Yanmo lowered her head and kissed his shoulder, one kiss after another as if to comfort him.

It's strange, she's never done anything like this before, yet she's so adept at comforting Zhou Yanqing, and every move she makes makes him feel comfortable.

But Zhou Yanqing still pushed her away, "What I want is not your kind of willing submission. Amo, you know that."

"At a time like this, are you still dwelling on these things? If I never liked you, were you going to torture yourself to death?"

Si Yanmo really didn't understand why he had to torture himself like this, why he had to have an answer before he was willing to do this.

When life and death are at stake, shouldn't survival be the most important thing?

Zhou Yanqing was stunned by her question. Her lips opened and closed, unsure of what to say. She asked pleadingly, "No, you won't, right?"

She won't dislike herself forever...

He felt uncertain about his own abilities and just hoped that Si Yanmo could give him a good answer, even if it was a lie.

The puppy was clearly in terrible pain, yet its pitiful appearance caught Si Yanmo's eye, and she simply couldn't bring herself to say "never."

There are so many possibilities when it comes to relationships in this world, but when it comes to her Zhou Yanqing... she doesn't have the confidence to say she won't like him.

He's too good to himself, and too good to himself.

Logically speaking, she shouldn't dislike it, but she's an idiot; she doesn't know the answer.

"I..." she began, but when she met the glistening tears in his eyes, she blurted out, almost as if possessed, "No, I won't. But now, at least let me help you. If you don't survive, how will you see that day?"

Hearing this, Zhou Yanqing was overjoyed, and his hands instantly gained strength as he pulled the person into his arms.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." He took her hand and helped her explore that need.

"Just use your hands, don't force yourself."

The lotus flowers in the pond in the courtyard bloom, dripping the accumulated dew into the pond. The fragrance of the lotus flowers instantly fills the entire pond, causing the koi carp to leap and dart through the holes between the petals and leaves, again and again, until they stir up a pool of water.

The carp successfully leaped over the Dragon Gate, and the heat in the room finally dissipated.

Zhou Yanqing asked someone to bring a plate of water to help Si Yanmo wash her hands.

Those originally fair hands were now flushed red, revealing a touch of pink.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this." He untied the red cloth binding Si Yanmo, pulled her into his arms, and kissed the top of her head.

"What's wrong with that? I can't always enjoy it all by myself." Si Yanmo naturally leaned into his arms, and the scene from earlier slowly became clearer in her mind, her face gradually turning red.

She had never seen a puppy's tail before, and she was actually too scared to look just now. But when she realized she couldn't hold it all in one hand, she instantly remembered what the musician sisters had told her at Hechun Tower:

The thicker and bigger a puppy's tail, the better. It means the puppy is healthy and energetic, and will be happy together in the future.

She was too young to understand them then, and now that she had actually seen it herself, she was both shocked and ashamed.

If what they said is true, then when she slept in the same bed with Zhou Yanqing before, the thing that hurt her leg must not have been Zhou Yanqing's leg!

Thinking about what she had said back then, Si Yanmo wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

She wanted to escape Zhou Yanqing's embrace, but when things had progressed halfway, the effects of the drug kicked in, and Zhou Yanqing helped her.

Now her legs are weak and she can't run away.

Zhou Yanqing seemed to notice her embarrassment, hooked her finger around his, and asked knowingly, "What's wrong?"

Seeing this man's feigned innocence, Si Yanmo was furious and punched him in the chest, "Still pretending!"

The man propped his head up with one hand and turned to look at her, his hair disheveled and falling across his forehead. A slight smile played on his thin lips. "Oh no, we've been found out."

As expected, he was a bad person. Si Yanmo pushed him away, turned around, lay on the bed, covered her head with the blanket, and looked like she would never talk to him again.

How could Zhou Yanqing possibly allow that?

He pulled the person into his arms through the blanket and gently shook them. When the other person still ignored him, he could only laugh and beg for mercy, "Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore."

He lifted a corner of the blanket. "You'll have trouble breathing, okay?"

Under the covers, the girl's cheeks were flushed, and a few stray hairs hid the reproach in her eyes, making her look even more adorable.

"You call me a puppy? I think you're a little fox, cute and seductive."

He reached out and brushed the stray hairs away from Si Yanmo's head, his eyes filled with affection. "You haven't eaten anything just now, are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat when we get back?"

Si Yanmo turned her head away haughtily and said, "Who wants to eat your cooking?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than her stomach rumbled at the most inopportune moment, making her blush instantly.

Zhou Yanqing lowered her head and chuckled, "Alright, alright, it's not what you wanted to eat, I insisted on making it for you."

As he spoke, he stood up and draped a red gauze robe over his body, the silhouette of his back barely visible, causing Si Yanmo to unconsciously swallow hard.

How did she become like this?

Si Yanmo quickly covered herself with the blanket, trying not to look at him.

In the past, she wouldn't have any reaction to Zhou Yanqing's figure, but now, just looking at his clothes makes her heart beat so fast.

It must be the effect of Ye Sheng Ge!

That despicable Ye Shengge!

Zhou Yanqing had her back to her and didn't notice her embarrassment. When she turned around, she found that the person had covered herself with the blanket again and smiled helplessly.

"Why are you covered up again?" He leaned down and kissed her forehead through the blanket. "If you like, then stay covered up. If you're tired, you can sleep a little longer. I'll be back soon."

After nearly a day of fussing, the light outside turned a dark red. When Zhou Yanqing opened the door, she felt that the courtyard was full of life. She picked up a small stone and threw it into the pond, creating ripples.

Chen Wu, who was standing guard outside, saw the man's upturned lips and knew that he would finally no longer have to see his master's gloomy face.

Thank you, Your Highness! May Your Highness and His Highness live a long and happy life together!

He thought he needed to go to the Digu Temple to ask for a talisman for the two of them.

——

As time went by, Zhou Yanqing stopped using the red cloth to restrain Si Yanmo, and would even occasionally take her for a stroll in the courtyard.

The two sat by the pond, chatting about recent events in the court.

"When Wei Jingzhong stepped down, a lot of good things were found when his house was searched. Guess what I found?" Zhou Yanqing said mysteriously, playing with Si Yanmo's bell in his hand.

Si Yanmo raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

“The ancestral zither of the Tan family.”

"I thought it would end up in Tan Muhe's hands." That was something she hadn't anticipated. "So, what do you plan to do?"

“Return it to its rightful owner. But it doesn’t matter whether you give it back or not, a life for a life, Tan Muhe…” At this point, Zhou Yanqing’s hand holding the bell paused, and the bell, which had been jingling, instantly stopped moving, even the tassels.

Si Yanmo frowned. "Does it have to be this way? You know he's not the one in the wrong."

“I know it’s no use. I can protect him for a while, but not forever. This matter has already been exposed. People who should know and people who shouldn’t know know. Sooner or later it will reach His Majesty’s ears, and at that time he will still not escape death.”

Si Yanmo fell silent, looking at the koi in the pond that kept jumping and trying to leap onto the lotus leaves, the flame in her heart still seemingly not extinguished.

"You know, this fish is so stupid. It jumps up and can't get down, it'll die."

Seeing her suddenly change the subject, Zhou Yanqing was a little confused, but still followed her gaze and looked over, "I heard that fish have very short memories, maybe they have forgotten what they are doing."

"How could I forget? If I had forgotten, I wouldn't have done it again."

Sensing her underlying meaning, Zhou Yanqing sighed and placed the bell on the table. "You still want to help him?"

“It’s not just about helping him.” Si Yanmo turned to look at him. “Yanqing, I also died at his hands.”

She had never called her by her name so intimately before.

"What...did you call me?" Zhou Yanqing's breath hitched.

Knowing he would do this again, Si Yanmo turned her head away, pretending nothing had happened, "If you don't like it, don't call me that next time."

"No!" Zhou Yanqing quickly ran to the other side, leaned down and looked at her pitifully, "I like it, how could I not like it? Call me that more often, okay?"

"You like it... but I still feel awkward about it." The woman arrogantly looked away.

"It won't feel awkward if you call me that a lot." This time, Zhou Yanqing simply gently pinched her chin, turned her head, forced her to look at him, and coaxed, "Say it again, okay?"

At that moment, his eyes were filled with deep affection, sparkling and alluring, making it impossible for Si Yanmo to refuse his request.

She quickly slapped his hand away while she still had a sliver of reason left, saying, "We're talking about serious matters!"

Zhou Yanqing knew when to stop and sat back down. "Alright, alright, let's get down to business."

“I have no objection if you want to help him, but like I said before, it’s too dangerous.” He coaxed her gently, trying to dissuade her from the idea.

“It’s precisely because it’s dangerous that no one dares to do it, so someone has to do it.” Si Yanmo pointed to the koi in the pond. “You see, other fish don’t jump up. Maybe they know that if they jump up and can’t get down, they’ll be sunburned to death. But if no fish ever jumps up, then no fish will ever know what’s on the lotus leaf, or how to get down.”

She reached for Zhou Yanqing's hand, her eyes pleading, "It's not like we'll fail just because we go. Everyone before thought that human sacrifice couldn't be abolished, that it must be a very difficult thing. But we did it, and we know it's simple. So, who says that helping him will put me in danger?"

Zhou Yanqing remained silent for a long time after hearing this, then held her hand, his fingers unconsciously tightening. "That's a bottomless pit."

“But he’s human, and humans are bound to have weaknesses. Maybe he’s just a lucky idiot?” Si Yanmo winked playfully, trying to ease his worries.