Chapter 69: Childhood Sweethearts IF Route (Part 4)
Xiao Xu's inexplicable smile caused an uproar among Yun Sheng's girlfriends.
Some say Xiao Xu is looking at them and smiling, some say they might be mistaken, and others say the woman Xiao Xu admires must be among them.
Yun Sheng listened to her sisters' conversation and couldn't help but feel troubled.
Just as Xiao Xu said, her parents searched the entire capital and would never consider him as her husband, and the same was true for her. Her sisters had guessed about all the women around them, but none of them would even consider her.
She liked Xiao Xu, and Xiao Xu liked her too.
They were clearly in love, but no one knew about it, and they received no blessings.
This feeling grew stronger as she spent more and more time with Xiao Xu.
She suddenly began to understand what Xiao Xu was anxious about.
Now, she's starting to get a little anxious.
After several unsuccessful attempts to hint at her arrival, Yun Sheng finally gave up on the idea of letting her sisters guess that she had come here.
"Sheng Sheng, would you like to go to Tingfeng Pavilion for a short while after the banquet?"
"No, I have to go back home because of something at home."
"Okay then, let's meet again next time."
As the banquet drew to a close, guests began to leave one after another.
Yun Sheng bid farewell to her sisters and lingered for a while, pretending to be nonchalant, before heading towards the side gate of the Li residence after the others had left.
The side gate was secluded, and walking along the path, one could only hear the sound of her footsteps, each one quicker than the last.
Before long, they saw the carriage bearing the insignia of the Prince Zhao's residence in front of the side gate.
Her eyes lit up, and she lifted her skirt and stepped out the door in a few steps.
She had just lifted her leg to get into the carriage when a hand reached out from inside and lifted the curtain.
Before Yun Sheng could even see clearly what was in front of her, a hand had already reached through the curtain and grasped her wrist.
Knowing who was inside, Yun Sheng wasn't frightened and lunged forward following the pulling force from inside.
Xiao Xu would naturally catch her safely in the carriage.
Yun Sheng's vision blurred, and sure enough, she was thrown into a familiar, warm embrace.
Xiao Xu's kiss landed as urgently as ever, his arms firmly holding her body, not allowing her to escape or break free even slightly.
But in reality, Yun Sheng had no intention of struggling at all.
Throughout the banquet, her mood had been somewhat downcast due to those wild thoughts, but now that she was embracing him, those negative emotions immediately dissipated.
After the kiss ended, Yun Sheng was about to sweetly lean her head on his shoulder and snuggle with him quietly for a few more moments.
Her head had barely tilted to the side when Xiao Xu grabbed her chin and straightened it.
"Why didn't you come to find me?"
Yun Sheng was taken aback, then felt guilty.
"...I couldn't leave for a while."
Actually, it was because she was so engrossed in listening to her sisters' chatter about who Xiao Xu's favorite woman was.
Because no one had guessed that she would come here, she waited and waited, thinking that she should be next. But when the topic finally ended, the banquet was about to end.
She and Xiao Xu had initially agreed that halfway through the banquet, they would admire the flowers together in a pavilion on the other side of the Li family garden, then briefly separate and return to their respective seats, and leave together after the banquet ended.
Because Yun Sheng broke their promise, they naturally couldn't admire the peach blossoms together.
Yun Sheng said, "Were you waiting for me there the whole time?"
Xiao Xu gave her a faint look.
He waited until the banquet ended, and even until his attendant told him that Yun Sheng had gone towards the side door, before he frowned and hurried over, full of dissatisfaction.
Therefore, he did not arrive in the carriage much earlier than Yun Sheng.
Yun Sheng hugged him and skillfully sat on his lap: "Brother, I didn't mean to, don't be angry."
Xiao Xu kept his lips pressed together and did not answer. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist as she sat up, allowing her to sit steadily on him.
Yun Sheng freed one hand and poked his arm.
Unlike usual, it was rock hard the moment she touched it.
"I really didn't mean it. I apologize and want to make it up to you, okay?"
Xiao Xu gave her another look, as if signaling her to continue.
Yun Sheng thought for a moment, then nudged his arm before saying, "There are peach blossoms to admire at Shuiyun Pavilion later. Shall I go with you?"
Xiao Xu supported her waist and swayed slightly as they changed positions.
"That's where we were going to go anyway."
That seems to be true.
Yun Sheng said, "After we enjoy the flowers, let's go to the market together."
"Aren't you afraid of being seen?"
Yun Sheng frowned: "Xiao Changyu, if you keep being sarcastic, I won't go with you. You clearly really want to go."
Xiao Xu chuckled and patted her bottom.
Who exactly wants to go?
He laughed and said, "He lost his patience after only a couple of coaxing words."
"I'm bad at comforting people. You said you'd be the one comforting me from now on."
Yun Sheng finally got her wish and leaned her head on his shoulder, her body pressed against his, her fingers still reluctant to leave as she continued to poke at his arm.
Xiao Xu grabbed her hand: "Who said you can't coax me? You always manage to make me happy in just a few words."
Yun Sheng broke free: "You were being sarcastic just now."
"Now it's all right."
Yun Sheng felt Xiao Xu lower his head and kiss her hair.
Her gaze fell on the red marks on Xiao Xu's neck, and she reached out to touch them: "Why are you wearing this today? Do you know that it's showing here?"
The pulse seemed to throb heavily where her soft fingertips touched.
Xiao Xu tilted his head slightly, exposing his neck, letting her fingertips roam there, and said calmly, "You kissed me yesterday, but I didn't notice. I only found out after I went out today."
Yun Sheng snorted: "Liar, didn't you look in the mirror when you went back yesterday?"
Xiao Xu's answer was reasonable and well-founded: "You know that there are no bronze mirrors in my bedroom."
"Don't talk nonsense. I have never seen what your bedroom in the Prince Zhao's mansion looks like."
"It's almost identical to the villa, so you won't feel like a stranger when you move in."
Xiao Xu was referring to the villa he bought when he came of age. It was a place where only Xiao Xu's trusted servants stayed, and even the Prince Zhao and his wife had never been there. Naturally, it became a place where he and Yun Sheng would often meet in private.
Xiao Xu didn't touch the bed in Yun Sheng's boudoir, but they had slept on that bed together many times.
Their first intimate contact, other than kissing, was on that bed.
Yun Sheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Actually, there is one more thing we can do."
"What is it?"
The carriage then began to sway and wobble, heading towards Shuiyunjian in the south of the city.
As dawn broke, the bright spring sunlight streamed into the carriage through a corner of the curtain that was lifted by the wind, casting shimmering spots of light on the heads and shoulders of the two people nestled together.
Yun Sheng's gradually lowered voice was almost drowned out by the sound of the wheels rolling.
"After we've finished browsing the market, we can go to your villa."
After he finished speaking, Xiao Xu did not speak immediately, as if he had not heard him.
But his arms around her tightened noticeably for a moment, which meant he had heard her.
But receiving no response, Yun Sheng impatiently raised her head from in front of him.
The moment I met his dark eyes, his face loomed large and loomed close before me.
Xiao Xu kissed her: "Sheng Sheng, what does this mean? Don't you need to go back earlier today?"
Yun Sheng tilted her head back and let him kiss her for a while before saying, "Yes, we can go back later."
"My parents went to a banquet today and will be home late. My brother took my sister-in-law to a temple on the outskirts of the city. They might even stay there for the night."
So no one was home. She had already made arrangements before leaving the manor this morning, and no one would know when she returned later.
Yun Sheng looked at Xiao Xu for a moment, and just like he usually did to her, she reached out and pinched his cheek: "Why don't you seem very happy? Then let's not go?"
Xiao Xu grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and removed her misbehaving hands from his face.
How could I not be happy? The longer I can spend with you, the happier I will be.
Yun Sheng could easily see the obvious disappointment that Xiao Xu was making of her.
He was naturally still bothered by their clandestine relationship.
Sure enough, he immediately followed up with, "If I could stay with you forever, I could be happy forever."
Yun Sheng lowered her eyes and smirked secretly from an angle where Xiao Xu couldn't see her.
She already had a plan in mind, but she didn't intend to tell him so soon.
She plans to start tomorrow by subtly or overtly revealing to her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law that she has someone she likes.
If they suddenly found out, they would definitely find it hard to accept. But by proceeding gradually and subtly, she appealed to their emotions and reasoned with them. Once they truly understood Xiao Xu's goodness and knew the feelings between them, how could they not accept the marriage?
She would give him a surprise once the matter was completely resolved.
As Yun Sheng imagined that scene, the smile on her lips became even more irrepressible.
Xiao Xu glanced down at her. She thought he wouldn't see it, but he had seen her little expression clearly. He didn't know what she was thinking, but he didn't expose her.
He had his own plans in mind; he was going crazy if he waited any longer.
He wanted to marry her, to be her husband.
He didn't want to sit idly by and wait for death, nor did he want to proceed gradually.
He plans to make a grand declaration of his intention to marry Yun Sheng starting tomorrow, without involving Yun Sheng, so that she won't be blamed by her family.
He had admired Yun Sheng for a long time, and he wanted to ask her family for their approval of the marriage. As long as he didn't give up, there would always be a chance to succeed, and what he was best at was seizing opportunities.
The carriage suddenly stopped, interrupting their thoughts.
Their eyes met unexpectedly, and they both glanced away briefly, as if trying to conceal their gaze.
The strange atmosphere remained unbroken as everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts.
After getting off the carriage, everything returned to normal, and Yun Sheng followed Xiao Xu into Shuiyun Pavilion.
They embraced in the private room, admiring the flowers and whispering sweet nothings.
In a place where no one can disturb them, tender feelings can always spread infinitely.
After admiring the flowers, they went to the market.
Indeed, Yun Sheng thought so. She liked such lively places and the dazzling array of novelties in the market.
Yun Sheng secretly hooked her finger around Xiao Xu's in the crowded street, but he immediately grabbed it tightly and they didn't separate for even a moment until they finished shopping.
In the evening, they went to Xiao Xu's villa for dinner.
It has been some time since my last visit.
“Every time I come here, I want to say, your villa is so beautiful.”
Xiao Xu nodded lightly: "We did put some effort into having someone design it specifically."
The two were having a meal, and a pot of not-too-strong peach blossom wine was on the table.
Yun Sheng paused in pouring the wine, then gave him a disgruntled look: "You're really not modest. In the past, when I said this, you would have said, 'Do you like it? It's for you.'"
She had drunk a little wine, her face was slightly flushed, and she raised her chin slightly, imitating Xiao Xu's usual way of speaking.
Xiao Xu was charmed by her cuteness and couldn't help but get up from his seat, saying, "No need to see this off."
Yun Sheng watched as he sat down next to her, his hand was taken, and their breaths and body temperatures were close together.
Xiao Xu kissed her without warning; whenever they were together, they kissed frequently.
Yun Sheng was suddenly kissed and stared at him in bewilderment.
Xiao Xu said, "These things will be yours after we get married."
Yun Sheng's heart skipped a beat. She pursed her lips, which had been kissed, and unconsciously scratched his palm with her fingers: "Then I'll have to hurry up."
"What?"
This time, Xiao Xu truly didn't hear her whisper.
Yun Sheng smiled and withdrew her hand, filling their glasses with wine: "It's nothing, I just said drink up, this wine is really delicious."
Xiao Xu glanced at her silently, but didn't ask any further questions. He took the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
He thought he should hurry up; he really couldn't wait any longer.
Today was a rare opportunity for them to spend a relatively long time together, but as evening approached, it was time to part ways.
Xiao Xu's carriage stopped at the corner about a mile from the Yun family mansion.
Yun Sheng lowered her head and played with Xiao Xu's large hand one last time before letting go: "Then I'm leaving."
"Hmm." Xiao Xu's low, short voice sounded from behind, his emotions unreadable.
Yun Sheng didn't look at him, afraid that if she looked at him any longer, she would be even more reluctant to leave. She got up, bowed, and quickly walked out of the carriage.
This road is never lit on ordinary days, so the Yun family's carriages do not travel on it, and there are no other pedestrians on the road after nightfall.
Yun Sheng walked slowly towards her home.
One step, two steps.
She was counting her steps with her head down when she suddenly noticed something strange in her ears.
She stopped walking, and the strange thing stopped too.
After a while, Yun Sheng turned around and saw Xiao Xu following a few steps behind her.
His tall figure was shrouded in the night, upright and majestic. Although he blocked the moonlight that would light her way home, he brought her a strange sense of security, and her heart was filled with joy.
Yun Sheng smiled and asked, "Why did you get off the car?"
"I'll take you back."
"Should we secretly follow behind and deliver it?"
Xiao Xu seemed to be increasingly averse to the word "sneaky" these days. He strode forward, closing the distance of several steps in just a few, and then stood beside her.
A night breeze blew, ruffling their sleeves together and gently caressing them.
Xiao Xu took her hand: "Let's go, I'll see you off."
"It's just a few steps, I can go back by myself."
As Yun Sheng said this, she took a very small step forward, moving forward extremely slowly.
Xiao Xu followed her footsteps, moving forward at a snail's pace, and said in a low, slow voice, "I can't bear to part with you, I want to stay with you a little longer."
Yun Sheng's cheeks were slightly flushed, and the scent of the peach blossom wine they had just drunk in the villa seemed to linger in her breath, making her head feel dizzy, as if she were becoming even more intoxicated.
Xiao Xu's large hand enveloped her, holding her in his palm, his fingers unable to resist gently pinching her fingertips from time to time.
But even the slowest steps will eventually come to an end.
The gates of the Yun residence were right in front of them. Xiao Xu stopped and said, "We're here."
He said this, but didn't let go.
Yun Sheng remained motionless.
Xiao Xu said, "Go back quickly."
Yun Sheng glanced down at their still clasped hands. She hadn't struggled yet, but she could already foresee that if she made the slightest move, he would immediately tighten his grip.
As expected, Yun Sheng looked up and moved her arm slightly.
Xiao Xu immediately grabbed her tightly.
Yun Sheng chuckled softly, not pulling her hand away, but taking a step closer to him: "Brother, give me a kiss before you go."
Xiao Xu swallowed hard, but a hint of satisfaction and eagerness was clearly visible in the darkness in his eyes.
He hummed in agreement and took her hand, heading towards a side alley.
Yun Sheng pulled him back to where he was: "Right here."
"Here?"
Yun Sheng blinked: "Brother, there's no one here, hurry up."
She closed her eyes and raised her small face. The moonlight illuminated her beautiful features, and the girl waited with an expectant smile for the man she admired to give her a gentle kiss.
Xiao Xu's breathing deepened, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and lowered his head to kiss her.
Yun Sheng responded to him lightly, but she still remembered that this was in front of her house, so she didn't let the kiss continue.
She stepped back and whispered, "Alright, now it's really time to go back, brother, I'm leaving."
Just as he was about to leave, Xiao Xu pulled him back.
"I haven't kissed enough yet, let's kiss again."
It seems that every parting is always so sticky and complicated, going back and forth.
One person was leaving, and the other was reluctant to part; it would take quite a while before they could truly say goodbye.
Yun Sheng's heart skipped a beat. She quickly glanced around and said, "Alright then, let's kiss again, and then we'll kiss in the alley."
Xiao Xu didn't give her a chance to take a step. He cupped her face in one hand and lowered his head again, saying, "Don't waste time. It's right here. Didn't you say there was no one here?"
Yun Sheng was caught off guard when his tongue probed into her lips and teeth.
She didn't have time to think much; all that remained in her mind was his words, "Don't waste your time."
Yun Sheng wrapped her arms around Xiao Xu's waist in response to his kiss.
Meanwhile, inside the Yun family mansion, a tall figure walked briskly along a path with several attendants.
Upon arriving at the gate, Yun Cheng instructed the servants to open the mansion gate.
The heavy mansion gates creaked open abruptly, startling the two lovers who were deeply in love.
"ah!"
A soft gasp.
Yun Cheng stood inside the threshold of the mansion gate, while the other two stood outside, their eyes meeting directly.
Yun Cheng could also clearly see that the eldest son of the Zhaowang family was still on his younger sister's waist.
"…………"
To make matters worse, just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, the sound of a carriage approaching came from not far away.
Before the carriage even stopped, the curtain had already been lifted.
Upon returning to his residence, Yun Hong was about to ask a servant, "Has Yi An come out yet? He..."
Before he could finish his question, he looked up and saw the same scene that made his heart stop.
The scene became extremely awkward.
Yun Sheng was so stunned by the blankness in her mind that she forgot to get out of Xiao Xu's arms.
Until her father and brother rushed in front of them.
Yun Sheng's breath hitched, and to no avail, she took a large step back to the side, distancing herself from Xiao Xu.
Xiao Xu was also taken aback, but he was much calmer and more composed than Yun Sheng.
Yun Sheng's retreat still made him feel a little down, and he felt a pang of sadness.
But the next moment, Yun Sheng raised her head again, took a side step, and stood back next to Xiao Xu.
"Father, brother, I'm back."
Yun Cheng's eyes were practically spitting fire: "What are you doing here? Stay away from my little sister!"
Unbeknownst to Yun Sheng, at yesterday's morning court session, Xiao Xucai and Yun Cheng faced off and debated a political matter for nearly an hour.
Although Yun Hong hadn't argued with anyone in the Prince Zhao's residence recently, he still had a dark expression on his face.
He tried his best to breathe calmly and called out to Yun Sheng, "Nannan, come here quickly, come to Daddy."
As Yun Sheng hesitated to take a step, Xiao Xu stepped forward first, bowed slightly, and said, "Greetings, Lords Yun."
Yun Cheng hummed.
Who was polite to him?
Xiao Xu did not pay attention to Yun Cheng's hostility.
He had rehearsed these words in his mind several times, but he never thought he would say them in such a situation.
He felt the tension he had anticipated, but he still straightened his posture, his expression serious, and his tone solemn: "I have admired Sheng Sheng for a long time. Ever since I understood the relationship between men and women, she has been the only one in my heart. This is true now, and it will be true in the future. I want to marry her, and I hope that you two Lords Yun will grant my request."
Yun Sheng had naturally heard Xiao Xu say he loved her, but this was the first time she had heard him so serious in front of her family.
Even though it was Xiao Xu she was proposing to, she became nervous, her gaze darting around before finally settling on her father and brothers, looking at them with a hint of anticipation.
"You're dreaming!"
Yun Cheng immediately rebuked him without any mercy.
"..." Xiao Xu tightened his lips and held back.
"The court disputes and my desire to marry are two separate matters. The court discussions are for the sake of the country, and each party has its own reasons. My proposal at this moment is for the sake of one person for life. I admire Sheng Sheng, and my heart is pure. I earnestly hope that Lord Yun will not misjudge my personal feelings because of official business. I am willing to spend the rest of my life as a witness to Sheng Sheng's lifelong happiness. I humbly request that you two grant my request."
Yun Hong was so angry at these words that he choked and couldn't say a word for a moment.
Yun Sheng nervously twisted her fingers, and taking advantage of the brief moment of hesitation, she finally couldn't help but speak: "Father, brother, actually Changyu and I have been together for a long time, and I also feel for him..."
"Nannan." Yun Cheng's brow twitched as he interrupted the second half of the sentence, which was sure to make him faint.
Aside from her relationship with Xiao Xu, Yun Sheng wasn't usually a rebellious or willful girl, but she still mustered up the courage to whisper the rest of the sentence.
"I have long admired him as well."
Her voice was soft, but the surroundings were even quieter, and her words reached the ears of everyone present very clearly.
After a long while, Yun Hong let out a long breath: "Nannan, come here, come back to the manor with me."
Yun Sheng's heart sank, and she pouted, almost crying.
Just as she was about to look up and take one last look at Xiao Xu.
Yun Hong acted first, his face full of hostility, and said to Xiao Xu in an unfriendly tone, "And you, come in too."
Yun Sheng was taken aback, and her eyes lit up instantly.
She turned to look at Xiao Xu.
He smiled slightly and bowed, saying, "Yes, Father-in-law."
Yun Hong was about to get angry.
"I apologize, I mean, yes, Lord Yun, I apologize for bothering you."
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Sorry I'm late again today. Sending out red envelopes!
I'll be giving out red envelopes to anyone who leaves a comment on this chapter until tomorrow's update!
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