68 Chapter Sixty-Eight
"Madam, have you hit me enough? Would you like one more time?"
Chapter Sixty-Eight
In the dim cave, he slowly sat up, his broad back shielding him from most of the wind and rain. His angular face was half shrouded in darkness and half bathed in the light of day.
Liu Qingqing froze, then jumped up and shuffled back a couple of times, gripping the steep, hard rock wall of the cave with both hands, her face full of tension, as if afraid of what he might do.
Xie Lang chuckled softly, his deep, hoarse voice sounding ghostly and eerie in the pitch-black cave, sending chills down her spine!
He rose and took a step forward. The dim firelight reflected on his face, making his pupils shine as bright as day, connecting with the reddened corners of his eyes. Up close, she could even see a few strands of hair clinging to his cheek and the reddened handprint beneath them, as well as his wet, sticky gaze—like a seductive ghost crawling out of the abyss of a demonic sea!
Liu Qingqing had never seen him like this before, and as if she had a premonition, she felt that something was wrong!
She leaned back further, but behind her was a stone wall, its sharp protrusions pressing against her back. Sweat beaded on her forehead from the pain, yet she dared not move forward an inch!
She reached over his shoulder, estimating her chances of reaching the cave entrance. But below the stone platform lay a verdant expanse; who knew how deep it was? A single misstep could lead to a fatal fall.
She had just begun to enjoy her freedom and didn't want to die.
My mind was a complete mess, boiling like molten iron.
But her childlike actions could not escape Xie Lang's notice. He laughed again, and when he saw her looking at him in alarm, he felt a surge of pleasure!
Xie Lang subtly blocked her escape route to the right, restraining himself from touching her, yet remaining only a step away from her.
"My lady hasn't answered me yet, are we not doing well?"
The question that had been troubling Xie Lang for months finally found an outlet. He gazed into her eyes and asked, "Why are you leaving?"
These words caused Liu Qingqing to freeze instantly. For the first time since their reunion, she looked directly into his eyes, her gaze filled with disbelief. She had thought Xie Lang would be angry, resentful that she had caused him trouble and brought shame to the Marquis's mansion; she never expected him to ask such a question so casually!
This was a phrase he kept repeating even before he left.
Are they not doing well?
A single sentence hooked her like a long hook, crossing the river of time and casting her back to the time when she was still in the Marquis's mansion.
For a moment, I was at a loss for words and didn't know what to say.
It seems that as soon as she returns to the Marquis's residence, before anyone else can say anything, she already feels inferior to him in her heart.
"not good."
She shook her head, her gaze passing over him and looking into the distance, as if there lay her past self, neglected by him, weeping in the dead of night.
"We were just husband and wife in name only, with no love between us. It's best for us to part amicably. Although I don't know why you won't accept the divorce papers, we've come to this point and there's no turning back."
"Is that so?"
He murmured.
A couple in name only?
He remained good-natured and didn't urge her, but his deep, hooked gaze wouldn't let her go.
Liu Qingqing was also angered. What was he doing?!
What's wrong with these people? Even though she's kept her distance and no longer in their way, they still won't let her go!
"But I think we're doing just fine."
Xie Lang's throat was sore, so he spoke very slowly, sometimes only able to breathe.
It was like talking to a brick wall; she was casting pearls before swine. It was unclear what answer he was so stubbornly trying to get from her.
The pent-up dissatisfaction and grievances finally burst forth from the shallowly healed wounds.
Tears streamed down her face.
"But I asked you if you loved me before I left!"
Liu Qingqing was trembling with anger. He never expected that he would turn around and accuse Liu Qingqing so confidently, as if he had been abandoned!
"You said back then—'Do you really have to love me?' You said that back then, and now what are you putting on this act?"
Liu Qingqing looked at him sarcastically, "Now that no one is watching, who does Lord Xie want to watch the show with?"
He almost blurted out whether he wanted to help the esteemed Regent's wife with this mess, "Lord Xie is truly selfless and righteous."
But she still wanted to save face for herself, at least not to say that she was a pathetic person who didn't even want her mother.
Xie Lang kept watching her, just as he had during those days in the Marquis's mansion.
She sometimes wondered if Xie Lang had also been indifferent and detached, watching her pain and breakdown from the sidelines.
She wanted to say that she had loved him so much back then, and wholeheartedly wanted to live a good life with him. But what about him? How did he treat her sincerity?
"You think you can come and go as you please? You're not treating me like an object."
The sarcasm and biting sarcasm in his words were unmistakable to Liu Qingqing, who disliked her own words. She swallowed the rest of her speech, turned her head away from him, and refused to say anything more.
Seeing that Xie Lang still seemed unwilling to give up, Liu Qingqing feigned defeat, "Isn't this better now?"
Xie Lang's gaze was filled with doubt, mixed with many emotions that she couldn't understand.
"Why does Madam want to give me away?"
Seeing Liu Qingqing looking at him with a puzzled expression, he gently wiped away the tears that were about to fall with his fingertips. "I heard everything behind the bamboo grove that day. Madam asked your sister—whether she wanted to come into the manor to accompany the master?"
"Why would I need her to keep me company?" he scoffed.
When I talk more, it flows more smoothly, but my voice is not as deep and pleasant as before, as if etched with blood and tears.
At this point, there's no need to hide anything anymore.
Liu Qingqing had no more tears left and said nonchalantly, "Doesn't the master prefer her?"
"When did I say I liked her more?"
For a moment, Liu Qingqing's thoughts drifted back to that day, that cold, rainy day, when she trembled all over, her body cold and her heart even colder.
You said I am gentle and refined, but inferior to Qingying.
It doesn't matter anymore, but bringing it up again still causes a sudden pang of pain in my heart.
"Liu Qingying is cunning, vain, and adept at scheming against others. If you want to enter the Prince's mansion and compete with the concubines, your gentle and refined nature is naturally inferior to her cunning and treacherous schemes."
Liu Qingqing: "?"
As if understanding her confusion, Xie Lang took a step forward and, taking advantage of her momentary daze, pulled her into his arms, holding her gently. "You probably didn't hear the whole thing that day. Liu Xu wanted Liu Qingying to marry into a higher social class, and he set his sights on the Regent's Palace. I naturally flattered him... and helped him achieve his goal."
Unfortunately, no one understood him when he secretly belittled Liu Qingying.
If he had known better, he wouldn't have used Liu Xu's strength against him; he would have just crushed Liu Xu to death to vent his anger on his wife.
She pressed her ear against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.
I was in a daze, I never expected it to be like this.
If he had told her earlier, she would have readily agreed, even if it was just to play along.
But he didn't. He treated her hot and cold, leaving her anxious and uneasy in every dark night.
After learning the truth that had saddened her, Liu Qingqing was not happy.
She snapped out of her daze, braced herself against his chest, and pushed him away.
Xie Lang was surprised.
He thought that if he explained things clearly, she would come back to him.
But it seems... that's not the case.
"I hate how you always act so nonchalant."
Liu Qingqing murmured.
He paused slightly, then said, "Xie Lang, we've already talked things out today, so let's call it quits. You go on with your great career, and I'll live my own little life."
"Perhaps when we meet again in a few years, when we both have children, we will smile at each other."
Let's just forget about it.
They even smiled at each other?
His anger was so intense that it made Xie Lang laugh.
What if I don't want to let it go?
Xie Lang suddenly grabbed her chin and, before she could react, pried open her teeth with the tip of his tongue. Her tongue went numb and she couldn't help but swallow. Just as she was about to struggle, he promptly released her.
*Smack*
Liu Qingqing raised her hand and slapped him again, her eyes red-rimmed, "What exactly do you take me for!"
Xie Lang tilted his head and remained motionless for a long time, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips with his fingertip. "What you just swallowed was a Gu worm that I found in the Southern Frontier, named Holy Snow."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqing's eyes widened, and in her anger, she wanted to hit him again, but he had been feeding her Gu worms indiscriminately!
He grabbed her wrist and she couldn't move, so she could only listen to him continue, "Your cousin is no good person. Doesn't he know that the fake death medicine he secretly gave you is extremely harmful to your body? This Gu worm can consume all the remaining toxins."
He seemed to have no more concealment of his cruel and ruthless true self in front of her, and snorted, "If only I had shot him dead with an arrow when he tried to abduct you."
Xie Lang had truly revealed his true colors! He no longer concealed anything from her.
She acted as if she had never known him.
"The offspring Gu, which is compatible with Shengxue, is already in my womb. If one day you wish to kill me, then boil snow grass with morning dew and drink it for seven consecutive days. After Shengxue dies, the offspring Gu will rush into my meridians until I die and my spirit dissipates. Is this the way to appease Madam?"
Liu Qingqing was shocked: "...Why are you doing this?"
There were still traces of blood on the corners of his lips, reflecting off his reddened eyes, and that demonic feeling rose up again.
He smiled at her as gently as ever, tucking her disheveled hair behind her ear after hitting him. "I told you, Qingqing, that in the Xie family, there is only widowhood."
While she was still stunned, he took her hand and pressed it against his cheek. "Have you hit me enough, Madam? Would you like to hit me one more time?"
The sticky, wet feeling climbed up her back again, and Liu Qingqing looked at him in disbelief.
He wouldn't let her go, pulling her closer by the waist. He tilted his head and pressed it against her palm, saying, "My life is in your hands, Madam. Are you satisfied now?"
Liu Qingqing was dumbfounded!
It's as if I've never known him before!
After uttering these earth-shattering words, he fell silent! Yet his eyes remained fixed on her.
His rough fingertips caressed the inside of her wrist, where the flesh was extremely ticklish. The tickling sensation was like hooks piercing her muscles; she tried to pull away, but he was incredibly domineering and wouldn't let go.
She had never seen this side of him before.
The Xie Lang she remembered was always cold and aloof. Had he been possessed?!
Xie Lang seemed to know what she was thinking, his deep gaze fixed on her, and he slightly raised his lips.
He touched her fingertips with his other hand, and then a brocade pouch was stuffed into her hand. She looked puzzled, she didn't want his things, and was about to return them when she heard him say quietly, "This is what my mother asked me to bring to you."
Liu Qingqing froze, and when she looked up at him again, she seemed to pause involuntarily.
Xie Lang lowered his gaze and swept it over her trembling fingertips, his eyes darkening.
Just when she thought he would relentlessly pursue her, he let go of her hand, saying, "Take a break. Someone will come tomorrow morning."
After saying that, he turned and went outside the cave, disappearing from her sight in a flash.
Liu Qingqing's heart was pounding from his strange behavior, but thankfully he left. Her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground, only managing to stay upright by bracing herself with her hands.
Whether it's the Gu worms or Xie Lang's abnormal behavior, it's all quite frightening!
She raised her hands to her throat, trying to vomit, but her stomach was empty and she couldn't vomit anything!
The thought of having Gu worms inside her made her tremble.
Even if the Gu worm is good, it's still a worm!
How much time had passed, Xie Lang returned through the rain, his footsteps echoing with the sound of water, a sound that seemed to startle him. She looked up abruptly and saw that the sky outside was already dark, the dark, lightless sky appearing like a cloak draped over his shoulders. He looked at her calmly, as if he weren't the one who had just gone mad!
The sight of Liu Qingqing pressed against the stone wall, too afraid to move, stung Xie Lang's eyes. Xie Lang frowned, his lips moved but he said nothing.
She was terrified of him, yet her heart felt like it was being pierced by needles.
He silently added firewood to the dying fire, and when the fire was blazing, he brazenly twisted the neck of the struggling, crowing pheasant in front of Liu Qingqing, plucked its feathers, and used a knife to cut through its skin and remove its bloody internal organs.
His movements were relaxed and graceful; if you didn't see the blood on his hands, he would indeed appear as elegant as ever.
After placing the pheasant on the fire, Xie Lang took out a handkerchief and expressionlessly wiped the blood off his fingers.
As Liu Qingqing watched, she wondered if Xie Lang was like this when he was handling cases or on official business. He killed living beings with such clean and efficient efficiency that it was as if the King of Hell had been reincarnated.
"Were you frightened?"
Liu Qingqing shook her head, not frightened by him. She didn't mind chatting with him for a while, as long as he didn't go crazy.
“After leaving the capital, we would catch live animals and roast them along the way,” she said.
Xie Lang paused in wiping his fingers and looked at her.
But Liu Qingqing shrugged nonchalantly and continued to recall, "Back then, we were afraid you would come and capture me, so we walked in the mountains. Even when we were tired and hungry, we didn't dare to go into the city. Gradually, we learned these things."
Lin Mei started doing it, but as she grew bolder, she gradually started doing it too. Of course, she was also scared and cried several times before she got over that mental hurdle.
Every time she killed a living being, she would pray. It has to be said, she was quite hypocritical back then. Even with a guilty conscience, she couldn't stop herself from eating people's flesh.
Thinking this, a self-deprecating and sarcastic expression appeared in his eyes.
Her words and her expression pierced his heart like sharp swords.
"Am I that bad in your eyes?" he asked.
Liu Qingqing did not speak.
Silence speaks louder than words.
The firelight split his face in two, one half bright and the other half dark.
He laughed silently, but tears welled up in his eyes. He wiped his face without a care.
Liu Qingqing hadn't seen clearly because she was looking down, but when she looked up, she saw that his hand had just left her cheek. Her gaze couldn't help but sweep over the spot where she had just been hit; it was still red.
Liu Qingqing: ...
I can't help but think that she's quite accomplished, managing to defeat even a high-ranking official of the second rank in the imperial court.
In a short while, she had almost completely digested the shock Xie Lang had brought her, and she began to drift off into her own thoughts, wondering when Lin Mei and Fu Xiuzhu would realize she was missing. Lin Mei would definitely try to find her and save her.
Xie Lang was incredibly perceptive and naturally realized that her mind wasn't on him.
Her fingers tightened as she shook the pheasant; once… he was the only one in her eyes…
On their first meeting after their marriage, she thought he had done something wrong, and mustered up her courage to ask him if he wanted to take a concubine. Her eyes were crystal clear, as if she would burst into tears if he nodded.
But that possessive look in her eyes was gone.
Xie Lang suppressed the bitterness surging in his chest.
He still doesn't know what love is, but he...
The plump roasted chicken, licked clean by the flames, released fragrant juices that crackled as it fell into the fire, drawing the attention of both men.
Xie Lang snapped out of his daze, tore apart the plump, juicy chicken legs and wings, placed them on a bed of bright green broad leaves washed clean by the rain, and put them in front of her.
"Eat it while it's hot."
Liu Qingqing glanced at him in surprise. Since he was no longer acting crazy, she dared not provoke him any further.
Xie Lang didn't know why she was surprised, but he felt sad. He turned around and went back to the stone wall to rest.
Perhaps because his wound had been soaked in water, and he had just hunted chickens in the rain, he felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Seeing this, Liu Qingqing remained silent. After hesitating for a while, she thanked him in a low voice before picking up the chicken leg and eating it in small bites.
She wouldn't do anything so high and mighty; she needed to eat her fill before she could escape.
Whether it's escaping from these deep mountains, or... staying by his side.
She lowered her eyes, lost in thought, and soon finished a chicken leg and a chicken wing. She never mistreats herself now.
But she wasn't an ungrateful person, so she deliberately left him a leg and a wing.
She got up and placed the green leaves beside him; whether he ate them or not was up to him.
He seemed to be asleep, and Liu Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief. When she turned around, she didn't see his trembling eyelashes.
Back in her original spot, the farthest part of the cave from him, she couldn't help but think of other things.
He seemed deeply troubled by why she risked her life to leave the capital, but she didn't want to reveal that she had already learned the secret of her noble princess mother in the underground passage.
Let her pitifully save some face for herself for now.
No one knew that she already knew, as if that made her seem less pathetic.
She's a pitiful person who doesn't even want her mother...
Her mother didn't want her, and her father and brothers treated her badly, as if it were only natural. If others knew, they would definitely think there was something wrong with her and that she was unlikable.
As she pondered, perhaps the warmth in her abdomen made her drowsy, and despite her efforts to stay awake, she eventually closed her eyes.
Liu Qingqing fell asleep, but the feeling of being coiled and wrapped by the giant python in her drifting dreams washed over her again. She remembered the chance encounter she had when she fled to Yingcheng.
I groaned twice, twisting my body in my dream trying to escape, and I actually managed to get away. The suffocating feeling of being strangled finally subsided a little.
When I woke up the next day, my consciousness had just returned when I felt pain all over my body and I couldn't help but groan softly.
She opened her eyes, and the high-hanging golden nanmu beams came into view. The last vestiges of sleep were instantly dispelled by the fright. He was holding her, his cheek pressed against her shoulder, his muscular thighs against hers. Their bodies were pressed tightly together.
She then remembered that she must have been rescued by Xie Lang's men.
But why does she have no recollection of it at all?
After calming down for a while, I couldn't help but think to myself, falling off a cliff, even if someone cushioned the fall, would still hurt so much!
His warm breath brushed against her neck and behind her ear, tickling her so much that she couldn't help but flinch.
She frowned and glanced at him sideways.
What's wrong with this person? They seem like a complete stranger.
Now that I'm awake, there's no need for me to stay any longer.
This precious Phoebe zhennan wood, more expensive than gold, must have been from the Regent's Palace villa.
The mere mention of the Regent's name made her feel as if she were being pricked by needles. Compared to Xie Lang, she was even more unwilling to have any connection with anyone from the Regent's Palace.
I lifted the covers and saw that I was wearing clean nightgown.
Xie Lang was fast asleep and didn't react even when she moved several times.
She quietly slipped past him and got off the bed, and sure enough, there was a new outer garment placed on the other side of the screen. She picked it up and measured it; it must have been prepared for her.
After changing my clothes, I gently pushed open the door.
The detached courtyard and its bedroom were magnificent, and even the door was very high. She was careful not to make a sound, for fear of waking him.
Although he saved her, she was also frightened by him and fell off the cliff. Not to mention, she didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore.
Those Gu worms alone are terrifying enough!
Outside was a courtyard, similar to Jialan Garden. This courtyard was quite large, with a lake, trees, and a covered bridge; it looked very beautiful. She looked around from under the eaves; there was no one around, presumably because Xie Lang disliked being served.
That made it easier for her to leave.
Thinking this, she hurried away, noticing that it was already past noon and Lin Mei must be anxious.
As soon as she stepped out of the hanging flower gate, a row of men in black brocade robes appeared from all directions and knelt neatly on one knee before her, saying, "Greetings, Madam!"
Liu Qingqing: "..."
This sight made her take a step back.
"Good morning, Madam. Would you like some mutton soup noodles or plain noodles? The doctor examined you and said that since you were frightened, it's best to eat something easy to digest. Your diet will return to normal in a couple of days."
The speaker was Xie Wu, but he was quite different from his past honest and straightforward self; he seemed more reserved and emotionless.
Liu Qingqing appreciated the gesture but did not intend to stay at the villa any longer. She wanted to ask Xie Wu if he knew how Granny Li and the others were doing and whether they were doing well.
Just as he started to speak, "Zhao Pansheng..."
Xie Wu suddenly looked up, and within a few breaths his eyes seemed to be filled with tears.
Suddenly, a dull thud behind her interrupted her. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Xie Lang had pushed open the palace door and was striding towards her. Liu Qingqing's gaze fell on his bare feet, then slowly moved to his pale, jade-like face. His expression remained as noble and composed as ever, but his steps quickened, until he abruptly stopped in front of her.
[Author's Note]
Next chapter preview:
Xie Lang chuckled softly; he wasn't dead yet.
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