Chapter 181 Extra Chapter 1 (Lu Zhaoxing & Pei Yuanzheng)
The weather in June can change in an instant. Just a moment ago, the sky was clear and blue, but in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, dark clouds swept across the entire sky, and large raindrops pelted down.
Lu Zhaoxing had just returned to her own residence from the palace. Her skirt and shoulders were soaked by the slanting raindrops, and she felt a chill.
Lu Zhaoxing asked her maid to prepare some hot water. She took off her damp clothes and took a comfortable hot bath. After bathing, Lu Zhaoxing changed into a moon-white soft satin undergarment, sat on the soft couch by the window, and slowly wiped her wet hair with a plain towel.
Lu Zhaoxing's jet-black hair, like seaweed, was still damp, clinging to her neck in strands that made her skin appear even whiter.
The wind outside the window carried the scent of rain, making the window frame creak. Lu Zhaoxing frowned and got up to close the window, but as soon as he reached the window and his gaze swept across the courtyard, he suddenly stopped.
In the rain, a tall figure stood still. His robes were soaked through and clung to his body, with raindrops rolling down his hair.
Lu Zhaoxing's heart skipped a beat, and the hand holding the towel froze slightly. When did Pei Yuanzheng arrive? How long had he been standing in the rain?
Before Lu Zhaoxing could think it through, she hurriedly put on a pink cloak, picked up an oil-paper umbrella, and quickly pushed open the door and went out.
Raindrops pattered against the umbrella, making a dull sound. The stone slabs underfoot were slippery, and Lu Zhaoxing walked rather quickly, her skirt sweeping through the puddles and splashing water.
"Pei Yuanzheng." Lu Zhaoxing called out, stopping in front of Pei Yuanzheng. She raised the oil-paper umbrella high, just enough to shield Pei Yuanzheng's head from the rain.
Lu Zhaoxing opened her lips, but the words that were about to come out turned into a soft sigh. She didn't know what to say to Pei Yuanzheng.
From the moment Lu Zhaoxing stepped out of the room, Pei Yuanzheng's gaze was fixed on her, his eyes burning with passion.
Pei Yuanzheng was now soaked to the bone, and the cold seeped from every inch of his skin, but he felt as if there was a fire burning in his heart, making the blood in his whole body boil.
Pei Yuanzheng raised his hand, and his icy hand gently touched Lu Zhaoxing's cheek. His hand was so cold that Lu Zhaoxing's body trembled slightly.
“Zhaoxing,” Pei Yuanzheng’s voice was terribly hoarse, every word he uttered trembling, “I…I still have a chance, right?”
Lu Zhaoxing lowered her eyes, avoiding Pei Yuanzheng's burning gaze. She could clearly feel the icy temperature from Pei Yuanzheng's fingertips and hear the humility and pleading in his tone.
Lu Zhaoxing felt as if something had gently stung his heart, causing a slight, subtle pain. "Let's go inside and talk."
“Okay.” Pei Yuanzheng responded almost without thinking. He followed Lu Zhaoxing into the bedchamber, and just as he was about to reach out and pull her into his arms, he suddenly stopped.
Pei Yuanzheng looked down at his soaked robes, the cool moisture dripping down his hem. He subtly withdrew his hand and clenched it into a fist.
With a shift in his gaze, Pei Yuanzheng's eyes fell on Lu Zhaoxing. Her hair was still damp, with water droplets dripping from the ends. Pei Yuanzheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he turned around to pick up a clean towel from the table next to him. He then slowly walked behind Lu Zhaoxing.
Pei Yuanzheng raised his hand and gently wiped Lu Zhaoxing's hair with a towel, removing the remaining water droplets. Lu Zhaoxing was stunned for a moment, but did not move, letting Pei Yuanzheng wipe her hair.
Only after the last strand of hair was dried did Lu Zhaoxing gently push Pei Yuanzheng away and turn to walk towards the wardrobe next to her.
Pei Yuanzheng was stunned by Lu Zhaoxing's gentle push. His hand froze in mid-air, and he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his heart.
Is Zhao Xing...is she unwilling to let me get close to her? Is there really no chance after all?
Pei Yuanzheng stared blankly at Lu Zhaoxing's retreating figure, the light in his eyes gradually dimming. But in an instant, he remembered that she had just asked him to dry her hair. So... did he... actually still have a chance?
Countless thoughts churned in Pei Yuanzheng's mind, making him feel agitated. Just as Pei Yuanzheng was lost in thought, Lu Zhaoxing walked over with a brand new set of clothes and handed it to Pei Yuanzheng.
"You should change into these first, so you don't catch a cold later."
Lu Zhaoxing's gentle words reached his ears, and Pei Yuanzheng's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, that sour feeling washing over him once again.
Pei Yuanzheng subconsciously reached out to catch it, but his hand just touched the fabric and then suddenly pulled back, hanging in mid-air.
Pei Yuanzheng pursed his lips, turned his head slightly away, and said awkwardly, "I won't wear Shen Minghe's clothes."
Lu Zhaoxing frowned, looked at Pei Yuanzheng, and said helplessly, "Pei Yuanzheng, what nonsense are you talking about? These clothes are still new; my husband has never worn them before."
"New?" Pei Yuanzheng's eyes lit up, his brows relaxed instantly, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved into a smile.
Then, could this be something Lu Zhaoxing specially prepared for him? But the next second, Pei Yuanzheng remembered the word "husband" in the second half of Lu Zhaoxing's sentence, and he suddenly felt a pain in his heart.
Seeing Pei Yuanzheng standing there motionless, Lu Zhaoxing couldn't help but ask, "Pei Yuanzheng, are you going to put it on or not?"
"Wear it, I'll wear it." Pei Yuanzheng came to his senses and quickly reached out to take the clothes. He couldn't wait to take off his already soaked robe. The outer garment slipped down, revealing the equally soaked inner garment underneath.
"Go behind the screen in the inner room to change," Lu Zhaoxing said hastily upon seeing this.
Pei Yuanzheng paused in his movements, looked up at Lu Zhaoxing, and saw that Lu Zhaoxing's earlobes were already slightly flushed. Pei Yuanzheng's lips unconsciously curled into a smile, "No, I'll change here."
As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Yuanzheng decisively took off his wet clothes. Lu Zhaoxing glanced at him casually, and when her gaze fell on Pei Yuanzheng's upper body, she froze.
Pei Yuanzheng's broad chest was crisscrossed with countless scars, some shallow, some deep, some new, some old, a sight that was shocking to behold.
Lu Zhaoxing's breath hitched, and her heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an invisible hand. She suddenly remembered the horrific scene of Pei Yuanzheng being shot and killed that day.
Lu Zhaoxing quickly turned around, lowered her eyes, and her long eyelashes trembled violently, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes. Pei Yuanzheng took in Lu Zhaoxing's reaction and sighed softly in his heart.
Only the rustling of clothes and the pattering rain outside the window remained in the bedchamber.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com