Chapter 74 Dark and Alluring
Waves crashed against the rocks, leaving dark watermarks.
Gu Yun Shen arrived at the seaside, his expression showing a hint of bewilderment.
This was a place he had never set foot in before; it was unfamiliar, yet exciting.
The round pearl is hidden inside the oyster meat and is difficult to spot without careful observation; it requires patiently peeling it open little by little.
Curiosity and unfamiliarity compelled him to gently touch it, opening the slightly parted shell with a clumsy yet tender touch.
When removing the beads, you can't use force; if you touch them even slightly, they will involuntarily retract, trembling as they swallow/spit out the clear liquid.
The soft, tender flesh inside, seeing the light for the first time, seemed shy and instinctively tried to hide back, but Gu Yun Shen caught it.
A voice deep inside him whispered that what he wanted was there, so he tentatively touched it with his lips. It was soft, slightly damp, and felt wonderful.
After a long and arduous journey, he finally received his reward. He enjoyed the feeling, sticking out the tip of his tongue, careful not to use too much force, and gently savoring the sweetness.
After replenishing his sugar levels, he became completely absorbed in the novel environment, unable to tear himself away, while the hungry man showed a satisfied expression.
It's addictive; he doesn't want to quit.
He took it in his mouth, his soft tongue plunging deep inside.
A gentle breeze caressed the fine waves, which crashed against the shore with a soft sigh.
As Gu Yunshen walked for a long time, the pearl he held in his mouth began to shrink uncontrollably, and it seemed to tremble, splashing out ripples, some of which landed on his face, leaving the area around him wet.
At the same time, a gentle force pulled him back from the beach and wiped his cheek with a soft cloth.
It wasn't a long time, but it was enough to make one's mind go blank. Yu Wenxue lay flat on the bed, her blush spreading from her toes to her ears, her whole body feeling as if she had collapsed into mud.
After wiping his face clean, she pushed his chest away, stared at him with wide eyes, and saw the emotion in Gu Yun Shen's eyes was one of being moved.
She tried to get out of bed to deal with the strange sensation beneath her, but her legs were sore and weak that she almost lost her footing and was pulled back down.
Finally, she was held and given a bath to wash away the strange dampness. The ordeal lasted until late at night, and she was so sleepy that she almost closed her eyes.
She twisted her body in embarrassment, turned over to face the wall and "reflect on her mistakes," closed her eyes, but in her mind was Gu Yun Shen's eyes reddening with emotion.
He returned soon after.
His lips were stained a bewitching red, slightly different from before, adding a touch of innocence, as if he hadn't just gone mad.
Yu Wenxue slightly closed her legs and pulled the blanket over herself to give him some space.
Although I'm very sleepy, I can still manage.
Gu Yun Shen's hand moved to her leg, massaging it with just the right amount of pressure. "Please don't mention other men in front of me, okay?"
"When did I..." Yu Wenxue stopped speaking before he could finish, bringing up what she had said about Lu Qingsheng.
Gu Yun Shen waited quietly for her answer.
Yu Wenxue threaded her fingers through his and intertwined them with his: "My point is, insects don't taste good." It has nothing to do with Lu Qingsheng.
"Hmm, I won't eat." Gu Yun Shen pressed against her back, his slender fingers running through her hair, and placed a light kiss on her back.
"Go to sleep," he said.
"...Sleeping again?" Yu Wenxue couldn't help but be suspicious this time.
If last time she wasn't ready, then after the previous intimate transition, she was completely able to accept being with him. On the contrary, Gu Yun Shen's repeated seduction and rejection, could it be that he has some kind of psychological barrier?
A strong desire flickered in Gu Yunshen's eyes as he smiled and said, "Although I know you love me, I also have to take responsibility for you."
"..."
Yu Wenxue felt a pang of embarrassment, as if she'd been seen through, and gave a few dry laughs: "Oh~"
She guessed what he was worried about and knew his caution, but she had inquired with Lin Qingwan and learned that it was impossible for her to conceive in her current physical condition, after all... she had almost died before coming here.
Although she had already cursed the system to the core in her heart, she was happy to be able to live this much longer.
"I never thought about what kind of person I would be with in the future."
She didn't know how long she would live, and dared not show too much emotion to the people around her. She didn't even think about taking the stray cats she fed home.
She was afraid of leaving before them.
Gu Yun Shen didn't say anything, but he held her even tighter.
Yu Wenxue spoke softly, as if afraid he might hear her clearly, yet also afraid he might not, and leaned close to his right ear to continue saying, "Thank you."
"Thank you for your unconditional love..."
No matter how long she lives, having experienced a deeply unforgettable relationship is always something to be grateful for. Even if one day her illness becomes incurable, at least she won't have any regrets.
As she spoke, her breathing gradually calmed down.
After she fell asleep, Gu Yun Shen stared at her for a long time, then habitually touched her heartbeat.
This was something he did every day. After confirming that everything was correct, he hugged her waist, kissed the corner of her mouth, and slowly closed his eyes.
*
With a gentle breeze and bright sunshine, the air is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, and the weather is gradually cooling down in early autumn.
"My lord, it's just ahead."
"The weather has been mild this year with plenty of rain, and the harvest is good." The steward introduced the recent situation of the estate while leading the way, glancing back every now and then.
Gu Rongting's gaze wasn't on the nearly ripe ears of wheat; he pointed at the busy farm women and asked, "Why are only women doing the work?"
The housekeeper's eyes darted around, but he took out his prepared speech and said without changing his expression, "These peasant women are usually widows from the surrounding villages. Hiring them to work is like teaching them how to fish, giving them a skill to support their families."
Gu Rongting noticed an injury on one of the women's wrists, frowned, and then gave some instructions to his trusted aide.
The steward was filled with apprehension. He used women because their wages were lower than men's, allowing him to skim off the top. If the Marquis discovered that he had been embezzling money all these years, his position as steward would be in jeopardy...
Thinking of this, he mustered his courage and said, "My lord, the third madam's courtyard is just ahead."
Gu Rongting was completely unfamiliar with this title and repeated, "Third Madam?"
"That's your cousin's widow, Madam Luo, who's recuperating at the estate."
After listening to the steward's rambling for a long time, Gu Rongting still couldn't remember who this Luo was. Out of consideration for his cousin, he sent someone to deliver some tonics and money to her.
Seeing that Gu Rongting had no intention of taking Luo Yun out, the steward was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. After thinking for a long time, he carefully chose his words and said, "My lord, since you're already here, why don't you go and see the Third Madam?"
Gu Rongting: "My widowed sister-in-law lives here, so it's inconvenient for me to visit her."
The butler remained silent, but his eyes inadvertently met those of Luo Yun, who was hiding not far away.
Luo Yun bit her lip and tiptoed towards this side.
Even while living in the manor, she did not change her love of beauty. She wore silk and satin, adorned with a gold hairpin, and even the lip rouge on her lips was the most fashionable color at the time.
"This steward is utterly useless. He took so many bribes from me, yet he couldn't even fool Gu Rongting." Luo Yun straightened her skirt, which was splattered with mud, and said indignantly, "If I can't return to the Gu family while he has amnesia, am I supposed to stay in this poor, remote place for the rest of my life?"
Seeing this, the maid beside her quickly advised, "Third Madam, the Marquis made it clear from the beginning that you are not allowed to return to the Marquis's residence..."
"Shut up!" Luo Yun slapped her, her delicate face twisted into a terrifying grimace. "I must go back to this Marquis's mansion!"
With everything hanging in the balance, she wiped off her lipstick, ignored the maid's advice, and went to meet him, pretending to fall at Gu Rongting's feet.
Gu Rongting subconsciously took a step back and asked in confusion, "Who are you?"
Luo Yun had taken medication beforehand to make herself appear weak, and, feigning tears, clutched her chest, saying, "It hurts, it hurts so much..."
Gu Rongting's expression was complicated.
After thinking for a while, I still softened.
*
Yu Wenxue has been engrossed in reading lately and won't go out no matter who comes to visit her.
She gave the book about ancient methods of treating amnesia that she had given to Lin Qingwan last time, and bought a few more simple and easy-to-understand books from the bookstore to study diligently.
I took careful notes while learning.
However, she overlooked one problem: the brush used here was not a modern ballpoint pen, and it was easy to leave ink stains on her face if she was not careful.
So when Fang Zixuan came in, she saw Yu Wenxue with a face covered in graffiti.
Fang Zixuan held a bamboo basket tightly in her arms, placed it on the ground mysteriously, and raised her chin: "I'm leaving, this is my farewell gift to you."
Both the tone of voice and the movements were very much like a...
A proud white goose.
Yu Wenxue, realizing that the original book's description of Fang Zixuan's gentle and tender nature differed, chuckled and said, "Thank you. So what did you give me?"
Fang Zixuan pressed down on her hand as she opened the bamboo basket, and snorted softly: "The servants in your mansion are all like wooden blocks. They can only answer one out of ten questions. No one dares to answer, so I had to bring them over myself in the end."
"Thank me first, then open it."
Yu Wenxue's eyelids twitched: "...Thank you."
"That's more like it." Fang Zixuan was extremely satisfied, and happily moved the lid off a little bit, revealing a glimpse of white.
Yu Wenxue squatted down and pressed down on the bamboo basket. "Why does it feel like it's moving?"
"Of course it will move!" Fang Zixuan moved the lid a little more, and a lot of white feathers suddenly popped out.
The big white goose raised its proud head, flapped its wings, and honked.
Yu Wenxue recalled the pain of being chased and twisted by geese when she was a child, and was so frightened that she sat on the ground, watching the big white goose wander around the study as if it were free.
Fang Zixuan hadn't expected the goose to be so lively; it ran all the way into the yard, leaving behind a trail of goose feathers.
After catching the large white goose, Yu Wenxue slowly emerged from the house, revealing half of her body: "This goose looks quite glossy..."
Its attack power is just too strong.
Fang Zixuan tied the goose to the tree, clapped her hands, and whispered, "Are you coming to the countryside with me or not?"
Yu Wenxue shook her head at the big white goose.
She can live with chickens and ducks, but she's afraid of geese.
"I was just asking casually, I didn't mean to invite you!"
Yu Wenxue echoed, "Yes, I know."
Fang Zixuan was speechless: "I only asked you because I felt sorry for you! Besides being good-looking, having some money, and looking healthy, what else is good about your husband?"
Yu Wenxue winked and smiled: "You've mentioned all the qualities I like, that's enough."
"Anyway, he's not a good person, you'll regret it sooner or later... Why not look at my second cousin? He has a lot of land, he can work hard, and my second aunt is a good person, she won't torment her daughter-in-law."
In Fang Zixuan's eyes, her brother was always excellent in every way, and she actually started comparing the two of them.
“My cousin is twenty-two years old, a few years older than you, but he is honest and straightforward, and knows how to care for people, unlike that living devil, who always has a cold face.”
This was the first time Yu Wenxue had heard of someone introducing her to a blind date, and she asked with great interest, "So?"
Fang Zixuan: "So, do you want to wait until he dies and become my second sister-in-law?"
At this moment, Gu Yun Shen, known as the "Living Yama" and cursed to die young, stopped at the gate of the courtyard.
After Fang Zixuan left, Yu Wenxue sat on the swing, staring blankly at the large white goose tied up under the tree.
Just as she was pondering whether to stew or roast the goose, darkness enveloped her, blocking her view.
Yu Wenxue swung her feet leisurely, her long, thick eyelashes fluttering slightly, and asked with a smile, "Is the grape trellis ready?"
The grape trellis is the location of the final mission and the key to helping Gu Rongting regain his memories.
This time, she hoped to get Gu Rongting to kiss Lin Qingwan without relying on external forces.
Gu Yunshen wiped the ink off her face with his fingertips and replied, "Yes, besides the grape trellis, there is also a moon-viewing platform."
His fingertips were cool, and the places he touched trembled for no reason. Yu Wenxue stared at him, and unconsciously slowed down the speed of her swing.
All was quiet except for the creaking sound of the swing wearing down.
The wind gently rustled through her hair, and Gu Yun Shen suddenly leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.
There was no lingering passion, just a light, airy feeling, yet it was more captivating than a deep kiss.
"Tell me you like me." Gu Yun Shen pulled her into his arms.
Author's Note: This guy is getting anxious. [Dog head with rose in hand]
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