Seeking shelter from the rain (repair)
"But...isn't it going to rain soon?" At this critical moment, Lin Xu really didn't want to go crazy with him.
Large patches of dark clouds had already drifted overhead, and the surroundings quickly became gloomy.
While she was still hesitating, Dou Yanxun stepped forward and grabbed her arm.
However, he spoke very bluntly: "Your plan is too simple; the Fifth Prince won't believe it."
Lin Xu was still stunned, but seeing that he was unusually persistent and even admitted that he had already seen everything clearly, she could no longer hold back and frowned, saying:
"Since you've already seen through it all, it's fine if you don't help me and Zhen'er, but why do you still have to make sarcastic remarks..."
Before she could finish speaking, Dou Yanxun untied the reins from the tree trunk and released the horse he had ridden there.
Seeing her face full of anger, he remained expressionless, turned around without even looking at her expression, stretched out his arms, and lifted her onto the horse.
Dou Yanxun looked up at the carriage and saw Zhu Ling standing in front of it, looking completely dumbfounded.
He remained calm and composed, saying, "My wife and I are going for a drive. You two take Miss San home first."
Aside from riding a horse in Hecheng when she was young, Lin Xu hadn't ridden one for many years, let alone been suddenly lifted up and put on a horse. She was immediately terrified and turned pale. The horse beneath her, seeing that it was a stranger, also became restless and immediately raised its head and neighed.
While she was still in a panic, Dou Yanxun stepped into the stirrup, nimbly mounted the horse, tightened the reins, and then pulled her into his arms.
Looking at the horse beneath her, still shaken, she was filled with remorse. She blamed herself for being too hasty in helping Dou Zhen today, forgetting that Dou Yanxun was a cunning and vengeful man.
Lin Xu cursed Dou Yanxun in her heart, when she suddenly heard his breath behind her, warm and close to her ear.
"Hold on tight."
Before she could finish speaking, a warm and strong hand gripped her waist. The next moment, before she could react, Dou Yanxun had already pulled the reins and spurred his horse forward at full speed.
The wind suddenly howled and exploded in her ears, and the world seemed to turn upside down.
Lin Xu had never been able to ride a horse since she was a child. None of her several handsome cousins in Hecheng had been able to teach her, and she hadn't touched a horse for many years. Now, she was caught off guard and leaned forward unexpectedly.
"save--"
Seeing that she was about to sway forward, Lin Xu turned pale with fright and immediately cried out for help. But the strong wind rushed into her throat through her open mouth, silencing the rest of her cry.
The hand around her waist tightened, preventing her from falling too quickly.
Just as she was wondering what to do, she caught a glimpse of the man behind her who seemed quite calm and composed, with an inappropriate smile playing on his lips.
It was as if teasing her made him feel great.
Dou Yanxun controlled the horse with only one hand, yet his posture was as steady as a rock, and his galloping exuded an irresistible arrogance. This was clearly different from his usual lazy demeanor.
"What are you afraid of?"
His deep voice, carrying the chill of the wind, reached her ears.
Before Lin Xu could answer, he heard him say, half-speaking and half-laughing:
"My lady, are you perhaps afraid that I would harm you?"
The two men galloped across the meadow at full speed, their pace undiminished. Passersby who were walking slowly heard the sound of hooves and quickly moved aside to the sides.
Lin Xu finally adjusted to the strong wind in her ears and struggled to grip the edge of the saddle. Just as she adjusted her posture, the person behind her almost forcefully grabbed her hand back into his palm.
Hold my hand tightly.
How can this person be so domineering? It's one thing to bully her, but he even has to control where she holds her hand?
Lin Xu said "Oh," but had no other choice but to hold tightly the hands that were wrapped around her waist.
The sky darkened instantly, with swirling, towering clouds pressing down like mountains. Large raindrops began to fall in an instant.
They had already traveled quite a distance, and their horses were even running faster and faster. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"
Before she could finish speaking, large raindrops began to fall with the strong wind, splashing water all over the ground and quickly soaking their clothes and hair.
Dou Yanxun did not answer, but simply hugged her tighter.
Lin Xu thought about it again. Since they were hurrying through the streets of Mujing City under the watchful eyes of everyone, Dou Yanxun wouldn't really harm her. And Zhu Ling and the others would return to their residence first and wait for her safely at home. It seemed that her safety wouldn't be truly threatened.
The anxiety that had been hanging over me gradually subsided.
The two sped along for a while longer, watching the street scenes flash by. The scenery gradually changed from the clear streams and willows in the suburbs to the bustling streets of the inner city.
After Lin Xu got married, she rarely left the house. Even when she went out on weekdays, she usually rode in a sedan chair or carriage, so riding a horse was a rare thing for her. She gradually lost her initial fear and instead found everything she saw new and interesting.
Soon, a bridge appeared in the distance. Pedestrians on the bridge were all walking with umbrellas, but the two of them were soaked to the bone and raced along the rain-soaked cobblestone road.
The rain showed no signs of letting up. She had thought that Dou Yanxun would stop once they reached the inner city, but to her surprise, he tightened the reins and, with just a slight effort, turned the horse around.
They continued heading out of the city. After a short while, they arrived at an open space. Before them lay a magnificent sight: the river surging and the blue waters lapping against the shore.
He actually brought her to the banks of the Weilong River.
Lin Xu couldn't help but feel puzzled again. Why did he bring her to the riverbank in the pouring rain?
...You can't possibly have murderous intentions and want to throw her into the river to feed the fish, can you?
The more she thought about it, the more frightened and uneasy she became. Just as she was getting anxious, she heard his soft chuckle behind her.
Lin Xu turned around and looked at him.
The rain was pouring down, soaking his clothes completely. A few strands of his thick, black hair clung to his forehead, and drops of water slid down his chin. He looked utterly disheveled, a far cry from his usual carefree and unruly demeanor.
Not far behind him, amidst the mist, stood a low-lying teahouse.
The slightly dilapidated wooden door was half-open, with a few small pine trees planted in front of it to welcome guests, and a faded, worn banner hanging at the entrance, which served as a simple decoration.
Dou Yanxun didn't care about his appearance at all. He simply released her waist, casually wiped the moisture from his brow, and said lightly, "We've arrived."
Lin Xu spoke up irritably:
"My husband rode for so long in the torrential rain, just to bring me to the riverbank for tea?"
Seeing his consistently indifferent expression, she couldn't help but feel a little angry.
They had just passed through the city's most bustling areas, lined with taverns and teahouses, offering plenty of shelter from the rain. Why would they choose to drink tea and seek refuge from the rain on this desolate, rain-soaked riverbank?
Dou Yanxun had already dismounted. He casually flicked away the hem of his robe, which was soaked and stuck to his body, without even lifting his eyelids.
"Of course not."
He looked up and reached out, effortlessly lifting her down with one arm. Once Lin Xu was on her feet, he strode into the simple teahouse.
The dense raindrops pounded on the ground, blurring the sky and earth.
Dou Yanxun left behind only a calm remark, which was instantly washed away by the rain.
"I rode for so long just to scare you."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xu was both angry and annoyed, but he also understood that he had been the one to scheme against him first. Upon closer examination, he realized that he was in the wrong, so he could only stomp his feet in frustration and then let it go.
She jogged after him and pushed open the door to enter the teahouse.
But once inside, you'll find that the store is quite different from its simple exterior.
This riverside teahouse wasn't large, with dim lighting and simple furnishings—just a few chairs and benches—but it was impeccably clean. The surroundings were almost spotless, and the air was filled with a rich aroma of tea, mixed with the scent of damp bamboo and wood.
And amidst the restless sound of the rain, this scent surprisingly soothed the mind.
The shopkeeper behind the counter was clearly quite old, with gray hair but still very energetic. Seeing the two of them sit down, he smiled kindly and quickly instructed the waiter to bring over two clean towels so they could dry off the rain.
Dou Yanxun seemed to be a regular here. He exchanged a glance with the shopkeeper, and in no time, a quick-witted waiter brought over two bowls of hot tea with a smile.
"It's cold and rainy outside, so our ginger sprout black tea is the best way to warm you up. Please enjoy it, gentlemen."
Lin Xu slowly withdrew her gaze from the busy old shopkeeper behind the counter, and said softly:
"This shopkeeper looks very kind; I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."
Dou Yanxun blew on the hot tea and took a big gulp before he had a chance to raise an eyebrow at her.
Through the misty air, a trace of rain still lingered in her eyes, adding a touch of gentle grace.
“Not only this shop owner, but everyone in this little teahouse used to be my employees.”
No wonder she felt this place was different from others the moment she entered.
She looked again at the hunched-over manager, who was clearly the same kind and elderly steward she had met once before at the Muchun Pavilion next to the martial arts field.
Mu Chun Lou was originally registered under the name of a separate residence, and before he entered officialdom, it had always been personally managed by Dou Yanxun. Later, he went to the Ministry of Works, and it would be inappropriate for him to continue doing business on the surface. Lin Xu only went to visit once, and Bai Shi casually took it away, and it became her property from then on.
All she knew was that Bai had replaced several of the old people at Muchunlou under the pretext of poor performance, making it easier for her to take them over for herself. She didn't know that Dou Yanxun had secretly placed those people here long ago.
"So this teahouse..."
She asked tentatively.
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