kiss back
And so, as the bright sunlight streamed in, the familiar image in her mind gradually overlapped with the face before her eyes.
"lady."
Seeing that she was stunned and did not answer, Dou Yanxun's eyes softened a little more, and he tightened his arms around her.
"My lady, your husband is here."
Lin Xu could no longer restrain herself; her trembling fingertips reached forward, tracing a path towards his cheek. But when she touched the bright red bloodstain on his lips, she finally broke down in tears:
"Dou Yanxun, what's wrong with you? Are you dead? Am I dreaming...?"
She has already gone through too much these past few days, and her heart cannot bear any more blows.
Seeing that she cried even harder upon seeing him, the person holding her smiled helplessly, turned around, picked her up in his arms, and mounted the horse he had ridden on the way there.
Lin Xu's feet left the ground, and before she could struggle, she fell backward, but she instinctively grabbed the reins. In an instant, a strong chest pressed against her from behind. Dou Yanxun held her hands, placed the reins on the horse's back into her palms, and then placed his warm palms on her hands.
"Does the lady ride a horse in her sleep?"
Before he finished speaking, Dou Yanxun pulled on the reins, and in an instant, the horse beneath him reared up and neighed, then galloped away, its hooves light and quick, splashing up the muddy water accumulated on the roadside.
The cool evening breeze after the rain whistled in his ears as he held her tightly in his arms. Listening to her heartbeat, Lin Xu turned his head in disbelief, only then gradually calming down.
The evening breeze, the night view, her hands clasped in mine, our chests pressed tightly together behind me…
Everything was so clear and real.
"you--"
She couldn't help but turn back to look at him.
Looking at that handsome face, as always, and at those eyes that had tormented her and filled her with longing, the worry and anxiety in her heart could no longer be contained, and transformed into a tenderness that she could not hide in her eyes.
She desperately wanted to ask him when he had planned all of this, why he had kept it from her, what had happened during this time, and whether he had been in danger...
But there was so much to say that I didn't know where to begin.
But in the next instant, all her words were silenced by his soft lips as he pounced on her.
After a long time apart, his kissing skills became even more rapid, leaving her no room for maneuver.
Going against the wind, their lips met, and she could barely breathe. Lin Xu closed her eyes, feeling his warm breath on her neck, and for a moment she felt as if a heavy weight that had been hanging in the air had finally been lifted from her heart.
She felt surprisingly at ease.
She raised her arms and hugged him tightly, closed her eyes, and kissed him back earnestly.
In response to the almost unbearable longing and concern she had felt these past few days, in response to his care and protection, in response to the unchanging smile on his lips, as always.
She had never imagined that if she were to lose him one day, she would be so heartbroken. She had never known.
Although she never wanted to admit it, his pity, care, and constant companionship had long since made it impossible for her to extricate herself from his affections.
Now that she has "lost and found" it, she never wants to lose it again.
Lin Xu cast aside all her hesitation and doubt and kissed him passionately and without restraint.
Dou Yanxun paused slightly.
The city gates were wide open, and only the sound of the wind and the whistling of horses' hooves on the stone path could be heard. He lowered his head and held the person in his arms even tighter. It was as if he wanted to melt her into his own blood, yet it was also full of tenderness and pity, wanting to seal all the unease and worry in her heart between their lips.
"Lifelike".
In her dazed state, she could only hear him softly calling her name.
"...It's wonderful to be alive and able to see you again."
.
The autumn of the seventeenth year of Yuanzhen arrived later than usual.
At the end of September of that year, the case of the local gentry in Laining caused a sensation. An investigation revealed that local gentry Zheng Fancang and Zheng Jiangran had bribed officials and colluded with bandits; over the past ten years, they had embezzled relief funds, altered case files, and cheated their superiors. Later, they turned against each other due to personal gain and originally intended to assassinate the current county magistrate, but ultimately both died in the struggle.
Following this case, the entire county of Laining was thoroughly investigated, implicating dozens of people and shocking the court and the public. This case is known in history as the "Autumn Hiding Case".
During his tenure as county magistrate, Dou Yanxun solved a major case, risking his life for his outstanding achievements, which earned him high praise from Emperor Su. Less than a month after the case was solved, he was promoted to the rank of fifth-grade imperial inspector and ordered to go to the capital at a later date.
In just a few short months in Laining, Dou Yanxun rose from an obscure official who had only entered the court through family connections to a pivotal figure in the imperial court. Not only did he now hold imperial authority, but he was also able to travel extensively throughout Dayu and shoulder the responsibility of a temporary imperial envoy.
From then on, no one dared to treat him with disrespect.
Lin Xu, along with Dou Yanxun, moved his entire family back to Mujing.
However, this time, looking at the familiar gate of the Dou family, Lin Xu still felt a sense of unfamiliarity that had been long forgotten.
When they left, a light drizzle hung in the air, and only a few loyal servants saw them off. But upon their return, even under the bright autumn sun, the gate and porch were filled with faces eager to welcome them back. Lin Xu watched all this quietly, a cold smile creeping onto his face.
It had been a long time since we last saw Bai, but she seemed to have aged several years.
Lin Xu looked at the figure standing in front of the hanging flower gate and for a moment couldn't recognize him.
Dou Yanxun was granted an official title and returned to the capital in glory. Naturally, everyone in the Dou family dressed in finery and dared not be negligent.
Bai was dressed in the most magnificent attire today, wearing a deep purple embroidered jacket with intricate phoenix and dragon patterns woven with gold thread. She wore a headband and had a gold phoenix hairpin with a jade pendant inserted in her hair.
However, his temples had turned noticeably whiter, and his eyes were filled with a pale blue weariness. Even with a layer of powder on his face, he could not hide his fatigue.
Seeing them arrive, Madam Bai stretched out her hand from afar, her smile as warm as a spring breeze: "You've finally returned. You must be exhausted from your long journey, my son."
Bai looked at Dou Yanxun and called him affectionately, as if all these years, the two had always been an inseparable mother and son who had never had any misunderstandings.
Dou Yanxun lowered his eyes slightly, but showed no expression upon hearing this. He simply smiled, cupped his hands to Dou Huaisheng beside Bai Shi, and said "Father." Then he took a deep look at Bai Shi and nodded, saying, "I've kept you waiting."
Several people stood beside Bai Shi. Dou Yanxun had been summoned to the capital, so naturally no one dared to be negligent. It was clear that Aunt Guo, along with her fifth daughter Dou Chu, Aunt Zhen who had been ill for a long time, and even Dou Yanzhou, dressed in a light blue straight robe, had all dressed neatly and had come specifically to greet them.
Dou Yanxun only called out "Father" and not "Mother." Bai's eyes narrowed, but she wasn't angry. She withdrew her outstretched hand and instead spoke softly to Lin Xu:
“Laining is remote, you must have suffered a lot. Look at you, you’ve lost so much weight, it’s really pitiful.”
Lin Xu was already used to Bai Shi's usual coldness towards her, so this sudden show of concern made her feel somewhat uneasy. She glanced at the lines around Bai Shi's eyes and returned the greeting with neither servility nor arrogance:
"Thank you for your concern, Mother. Your daughter-in-law is doing well."
Upon hearing this, Bai's smile remained unchanged, but her fingers unconsciously twitched inside her sleeve. For some reason, she felt that Lin Xu seemed to have intentionally or unintentionally emphasized the words "all well".
Several months ago, when the two of them first arrived in Laining, news of their encounter with bandits had naturally spread. At that time, Madam Bai had worried for several nights, unable to sleep. Until the bandit hideout was completely wiped out, and no further evidence could be found…
She had felt countless times regret and remorse for not eliminating Lin Xu back then. Now, this calamity had arisen, and he had even traveled all the way from Laining back to Mujing…
Bai took a deep breath.
Meanwhile, Dou Huaisheng, who hadn't seen Dou Yanxun for a long time, couldn't help but feel quite emotional. He patted Dou Yanxun on the shoulder and said loudly:
"You did a good job in Laining. Just be more careful in the future and never take any more risks."
Dou Yanzhou, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up, smiling at Dou Yanxun:
"Indeed, Second Brother, you've always been bold, but this was far too reckless. Luckily, you were fortunate this time. Otherwise, if those tigers had really bitten you and wouldn't let go, how would Father and I have saved you?"
Lin Xu looked past Aunt Guo, who was fussing over him, and looked at Dou Yanzhou.
Dou Yanzhou must have had a tough time lately.
The harsh autumn sunlight fell on Dou Yanzhou's shoulders, illuminating the half-inch of silver embroidery on his body—a piece of the finest craftsmanship. His usually smug face was now much more reserved; his eyes and brows remained gentle, yet a hint of desolate chill lingered beneath.
It is said that not long after Feng Daizhu fell ill, Dou Yanzhou took two concubines: An Chan, who had previously served Bai Shi, and Mu Wenjun, the illegitimate daughter of Mu Zhicheng, the prefect of Wuzhou.
Dou Yanzhou and Dou Yanxun received their transfer orders and promotions at almost the same time.
Dou Yanxun was appointed to Laining, while Dou Yanzhou was promoted to Assistant Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau. Both were excellent positions, but in just a few months, Dou Yanxun returned to the capital in high spirits, while Dou Yanzhou was deeply mired in the gloom of his career setback.
Yu Shi, who once served as the Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau, was accused by the Censorate in the middle of the year. Now, the evidence of his corruption has been presented to the Emperor. All of Yu Shi's close associates have been implicated.
Dou Yanzhou, the current Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau, is one of the most prominent figures among them.
Although Dou Yanzhou's words were meant as a joke, they seemed rather deliberate. Dou Yanxun lowered his eyes and didn't reply, but simply patted Dou Yanzhou's shoulder casually and greeted him softly, "Big Brother."
This lukewarm attitude made it seem as if no matter how barbed Dou Yanzhou's words were, they couldn't leave a ripple in Dou Yanxun's heart.
The coldness in Dou Yanzhou's eyes deepened even further.
Since they had just returned from Laining and were exhausted from the journey, Madam Bai had instructed the steward of the mansion to prepare lunch in a side hall of the front hall early in the morning.
Fuzhen respectfully led the group forward. Lin Xu walked along the corridor, looking at the scene inside the mansion that she hadn't seen for several months. Although it was still lush and verdant as before, upon closer inspection, a new batch of flowers and plants had been planted, making it quite different. She couldn't help but feel a few sighs.
Dou Yanxun followed closely behind Dou Huaisheng, followed by a group of stewards and servants. Looking through the corridor, the father and son, though not quite the same size, wore similar colors and, walking in the sunlight, bore a striking resemblance.
In the past, the person who always walked beside Dou Huaisheng and talked with him about politics was always the eldest son of the family, Dou Yanzhou.
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