Chapter 11. Stepping out of this temple, forget everything that needs to be forgotten...
Chapter 11
Unable to withstand the effects of the medicine, Shen Suining knelt on the ground, supporting herself with her hands as she gasped for breath, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead onto the ground.
He Hansheng, who had intended to chase after Zhu Wuyan, quickly came over to support her upon seeing this.
"You've been drugged?" He Hansheng saw her face flushed and her brows furrowed. Just as he was about to carry her away, he suddenly realized that something was wrong with his own body.
“It seems I was too late again,” Shen Suining closed her eyes, pointing tremblingly at the still-flickering campfire. “I should have reminded you to put out this fire first.”
She spent most of her energy controlling the effects of the drug and stopped trying to disguise her voice. The unbearable effects of the drug changed the tone of her voice, making it sound particularly charming.
He Hansheng remained silent.
He released Shen Suining and sat cross-legged to the side to regulate his internal energy, trying to use his internal strength to counteract the effects of the medicine. However, the medicine was too strong. As soon as He Hansheng circulated his energy, he instantly felt his dantian heat up and his whole body became hot. Even his breath was hot. A strong and unfamiliar desire gradually eroded his brain.
The firelight flickered in front of the Guanyin statue, and in the dim light, the two people's breathing grew heavier and heavier.
"Could you put out this fire first?" Shen Suining couldn't help but ask. The medicine entered her body through the smoke from the fire, and if it wasn't extinguished soon, she would only inhale more and more.
He Hansheng was still adjusting his breathing when he heard this, and subconsciously asked, "Why don't you destroy it?"
"..." The two fell silent, then simultaneously raised their hands and used their inner strength to push open the door, attempting to let the outside wind in to extinguish the fire.
A cold wind howled in, barely cooling the body down, but the fluctuating gusts were not enough to extinguish the fire; instead, they made it burn even more fiercely.
Left with no other choice, the two of them closed the door at the same time.
"Hey," Shen Suining tried her best to maintain her composure, even though her body was already being consumed by the effects of the drug. She still managed to ask in a hoarse voice, clinging to a sliver of hope, "Do you... have any ideas?"
"..." He Hansheng took a deep breath, "If you can't solve it, what can I do?"
Shen Suining closed her eyes in despair, never expecting that her lifelong reputation would be ruined by something like this.
“Well… it’s not entirely impossible…” Shen Suining spoke slowly, seemingly finding it difficult to say. Although she liked to do some seemingly absurd and romantic things in her daily life, it was all for the sake of the mission. In addition, she was a little playful by nature and had never really done anything out of line.
Now that she's alone in a room with another man under these circumstances, Shen Suining is in deep trouble. She chased Zhu Wuyan all the way here and knows that there are no houses within a hundred miles. The only way to cure this drug is to find the person in front of her.
He Hansheng understood this as well and was speechless for a moment.
Each of them struggled to maintain their composure, their bodies driven by desire, clinging to the last vestiges of clarity.
The wind was howling outside, and the sky was getting dark.
Shen Suining said "Hey," and spoke again: "Although we've only met a few times, I guess you're at least a gentleman and don't want to take advantage of the situation. But in the current situation, stubbornly holding on isn't a solution..."
"..." He Hansheng closed his eyes, seemingly in resignation, "As long as you don't mind."
"Why should I care? We're in the same boat! Of course, getting rid of the drug's effects is the most important thing!"
Shen Suining was optimistic; this was the only way forward right now, otherwise they would both be finished today.
"Then... I'm sorry to offend you." He Hansheng stood up, spread the fox fur cloak he was wearing on the ground, stepped forward, picked up Shen Suining around the waist, and placed her on the fox fur cloak.
"I only have one request." Shen Suining hugged He Hansheng's neck, her mask reflecting the firelight, revealing her true face without any disguise.
Even though she was forced into this situation, Shen Suining did not want her true appearance to be exposed to the other party without reservation.
Her burning body trembled slightly as Shen Suining gritted her teeth and said, "...Could you close your eyes and cover them up?"
"Okay." He Hansheng closed his eyes.
Shen Suining took a deep breath, reached out and untied her belt, tied it tightly around He Hansheng's eyes, then took off her mask and threw it in the corner.
After being deprived of his sight, his other senses were magnified instantly, and everything around him was gradually eroding He Hansheng's last shred of rationality.
In the darkness, Shen Suining sat in He Hansheng's lap. The girl's arms gently wrapped around his neck, and her soft lips touched his, exploring impatiently and slightly clumsily.
In an instant, the building collapsed, and its foundation crumbled.
It was like lighting a raging fire in a pile of dry grass; the fire instantly intensified, engulfing everything around it, intertwining and entwining, and then devouring it all completely.
The wind howled across the rooftop, drowning out the heavy, rapid breathing under the eaves. The Guanyin statue, covered in dust and cobwebs, stood solemnly to the side, watching this enchanting and absurd scene under the firelight with gentle and calm gaze.
Inexperienced and reckless.
Entangled, anxious.
Tender and deep.
One wave of mountains has not yet subsided, but another peak rises; the surging waves twist and turn, a breathtaking spectacle.
After a long time, the calmed blue sea and the high mountains and plains were finally seen.
Shen Suining lay on the sweat-soaked fox fur coat, and after a long while, she finally propped up her soft and sore body and pulled up the clothes that had been half-fallen off her shoulders.
She looked at He Hansheng, who was already dressed and sitting in the corner. His eyes were still covered, reflecting the orange firelight. He was quiet and gentle like a god. The scratches and red marks on his neck were proof of being desecrated.
Shen Suining picked up the mask from the corner and put it back on. "This was a mutual decision, I won't take it to heart, and you don't need to worry about it either."
He Hansheng paused for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice, "Okay."
"Why do you look so aggrieved?" Shen Suining asked, somewhat displeased.
Although it was a last resort, after facing reality, she tried her best to engage in and enjoy the whole process. After all, He Hansheng had a good appearance and a decent figure, so Shen Suining didn't feel like she was losing out. She just thought that the other party would also feel even a little bit of pleasure in the process, so that at least they could feel more comfortable with each other.
He Hansheng's attitude instantly made Shen Suining feel as if she was the only one enjoying it, while the other party was only doing it out of necessity due to the circumstances.
"Don't misunderstand, I don't feel wronged," He Hansheng said, taking off the blindfold and clutching it in his palm. After a long pause, he asked, "Could you... tell me your name?"
This question caught Shen Suining somewhat off guard, and she immediately became interested. "What? You wouldn't have forgotten me just because of such a small, mutually beneficial thing?"
“…Never mind if you don’t want to talk about it.” He Hansheng felt a lump in his throat, and his temper flared up, so he didn’t bother to say anything more.
Shen Suining laughed, suddenly finding that this person was somewhat adorable when he wasn't confrontational with her.
However, with Sheng Qingge's example still fresh in everyone's mind, Shen Suining turned her face to look at the Guanyin statue that looked down on all living beings from above, and said indifferently: "Let me give you a piece of advice: once you leave this temple, forget everything that needs to be forgotten. It will be better for both of us."
He Hansheng fell silent, and the previously enchanting atmosphere was inexplicably tinged with sadness.
A fleeting dream, like a mirage, is not worth lingering over. But perhaps because the warmth of the past was still vivid in his mind, and the lingering warmth of their exchange still remained, a sense of pity inexplicably arose in the usually carefree Shen Suining's heart.
“…Never mind,” Shen Suining realized something was wrong and staggered to her feet, one foot already out of the temple gate. “If fate allows, I will tell you my name when we meet again.”
...
Six months later.
The lotus pond at Shuyu Villa is mostly in bloom, with red flowers and green leaves complementing each other. Dragonflies play among the fish, and frogs croak, creating a vibrant scene.
Shen Suining sat on a big tree by the pond, her face covered with a lotus leaf, her dangling feet gently swaying, as if she were asleep, unaware of the footsteps coming from below.
A moment later, the high-hanging sun shone down, and Shen Suining was awakened by the heat. With her eyes closed, she irritably pulled off the lotus leaf fan on her face, "It's so hot. When will summer ever end?"
The people under the tree couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Shen Suining hurriedly sat up, and after seeing who it was, she muttered with lingering fear, "Father is scaring me on purpose again."
Shen Yan laughed out loud, leaped up the tree and sat down next to Shen Suining. Seeing his daughter's cheeks flushed red, he couldn't help but laugh: "You spoiled little girl."
"It's only early summer, and you're already so afraid of the heat. What will you be like later?" Despite his words of disdain, Shen Yan snatched the lotus leaf from Shen Suining's hand and started fanning her.
Shen Suining looked up and thought seriously, "Then I'll ask Sister Miao to make me a huge banana leaf fan so that Father can carry it around and fan me every day."
"You really dare to think that way."
“Of course, I remember clearly that Father slapped Mother like that,” Shen Suining reached out and poked Shen Yan’s shoulder. “If you’re biased, you’re the most annoying old man in the world.”
Shen Yan laughed, but his hands continued moving.
Before long, Madam Shuyu came over and saw the father and daughter hanging neatly on the tree. She couldn't help but scold them, "You spoil her the most, making Aning more and more spineless."
Upon seeing his wife arrive, Shen Yan immediately jumped down from the tree and walked to her side, smiling, "Isn't it the same for you, Madam?" As he spoke, he held the lotus leaf up to Madam Shuyu's head, "It's too sunny, let's shade her."
Shen Suining: "..."
Shen Yan and Lady Shuyu had been married for many years and their relationship had always been very stable. Even after Shen Yan married into the family and was required to change his surname to Shen and abandon his clan temple, he did not care at all. He stayed with Shuyu day and night and their love remained as strong as ever.
Seeing her parents' deep affection, Shen Suining couldn't help but get goosebumps and jumped down from the tree to leave.
"Stop." Madam Shuyu called out to Shen Suining, her tone quite displeased.
The Shen family was a family with a strict mother and a kind father. Shen Suining dared to joke and play around with her father, Shen Yan, but dared not disobey Madam Shuyu in the slightest. Usually, as soon as Madam Shuyu opened her mouth, Shen Suining would automatically be suppressed by her bloodline.
After standing still, Shen Suining said helplessly, "You two are an old married couple, why do you insist on leaving me here to watch you two being affectionate?"
“If you find your parents’ love bothersome, you should find a husband sooner rather than later, so that your father and I won’t have to worry about you every day.”
“Isn’t my eldest brother still single?” Shen Suining got a headache whenever this was mentioned, so she could only use her eldest brother as a shield. “If you feel that your lives are lacking in romance, you should hurry up and call your eldest brother back so that he can give you a few grandchildren soon, so that you won’t have any free time.”
"Do you think your mother is nagging?" Madam Shuyu's face darkened. "Of course I'll care about your elder brother. He's much more mature than you when it comes to matters of the heart, so I don't need to nag him every day. But you, you keep saying you like this person or that person, but I haven't seen you take any initiative. It seems like all your liking is just talk. You've been with us longer than your elder brother, but you haven't learned any of your parents' good qualities."
Madam Shuyu's words were a bit harsh, and Shen Suining was immediately displeased.
“Ningning, your mother is also worried about you,” Shen Yan quickly stepped in to smooth things over when he saw the atmosphere was not right. “You are born with dull senses and no pain. If there is no one by your side to help you, your parents will always worry about you and fear that you will be harmed without your knowledge.”
"Isn't there still phoenix feathers?"
“Feng Yu is the head of a hall, and she’s already too busy with her own affairs to be with you every day. Even if Feng Yu were to give up her duties in the hall, she would still have her own life. You are fearless and alone, but do you expect Feng Yu to revolve around you for the rest of her life?”
Madam Shuyu launched into a tirade before Shen Yan could finish, thoroughly enraging Shen Suining. She turned and left, ignoring Shen Yan's shouts.
Seeing his daughter storm off and his wife's face darken, Shen Yan couldn't help but sigh, "You mean well, you were just trying to be kind to her, but you had to say things that upset her and made yourself angry too."
Madam Shuyu was already furious, and upon hearing this, she immediately unleashed her anger on Shen Yan: "It's all because you spoiled her! Now she doesn't even listen to me and dares to talk back!"
"Yes, Madam, please don't be angry. It's all my fault. I will definitely give her a good scolding later."
Madam Shuyu glared at him. "You're going to scold her? I'll be thankful if she doesn't make you look like a grandson!"
Shen Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"why are you laughing?"
“You’re just all talk and no action,” Shen Yan said, picking a fresh lotus leaf from the pond and using one hand to shade his wife from the sun while fanning her with the other. “When Ningning came back from Suzhou before the New Year, you knew she had been wronged. You scolded her for being careless, but then you ordered the execution of the beast who plotted against Ningning and threw his body to the wolves.”
Madam Shuyu snorted coldly, "That brat Zhu Wuyan used some underhanded tricks and broke the rules of the martial world. Feeding him to the wolves would be too good for him!"
"But Ningning also said that she's easygoing and doesn't feel wronged at all, right?"
"She's just being stubborn and putting on airs, and you actually believed her?" Madam Shuyu said irritably. "It's only because she's easygoing. If she hadn't acted like nothing happened after she came back, I would have killed that brat when he came to see Ningning a few months ago!"
"Ayu." Shen Yan stopped, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.
After a moment, he finally looked up at the lotus flowers blooming brightly in the distance, his gaze clouded over. "That child... after all, is the son of an old friend."
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