Chapter 60 Lying
The ink-wash cloud-like dress fell from her snow-white shoulders and nestled in her arms.
A mass of ink could not conceal the jade-like whiteness.
A thin rope tethered her slender, long neck to her round, full breasts.
Her slender figure was partially obscured by the screen.
She untangled her rain-soaked long hair, revealing a waterfall of black strands that cascaded down, the deep black contrasting beautifully with the white.
It is the ultimate in captivating beauty.
Chu Yu realized that black suited her well too.
The darker the ink, the more it accentuated her pure whiteness.
She wanted people to dirty her.
Yu Wanyin simply hung her soaked outer shirt to dry by the stove, while her slightly damp petticoat was left half-undone to dry.
For some reason, she always felt that the room was too big, empty and quiet.
It's frightening.
Therefore, she did not take off her entire skirt.
She kept one of the items hanging on her body.
But in reality, it doesn't serve any purpose of concealment at all.
On the contrary, its elusive appearance only intensifies the allure and captivates the soul.
Yu Wanyin sat by the stove and took a sip of ginger tea to warm herself up.
Then they took off their soaked shoes and socks and gathered around the fire to warm themselves.
The dense sound of rain outside pattered on the branches and leaves of the trees, crisp and fine, enveloping the entire bamboo house under a curtain of water and rain.
Isolated from the world.
Yu Wanyin gently gathered her clothes and leaned against the chaise longue. Whether it was the sound of rain lulling her to sleep or some other reason, drowsiness quickly overwhelmed her.
It gradually swallowed her consciousness.
Her hand, which had been gathering her clothes, fell to her sides and rested on the edge of the tatami mat.
She was soaking wet, looking completely vulnerable and ready to be picked.
The sound of a man's footsteps echoed inside the room as he walked step by step toward the unconscious person.
But in fact, Yu Wanyin could hear the sound.
She felt as if she were trapped in a dream. She could clearly sense what was happening around her, but she just couldn't wake up.
She could even sense that someone had stopped beside her bed.
That sinister, dark, and venomous gaze slowly dissected her.
The familiar eerie feeling made her involuntarily shrink back.
Even being looked at like that made her feel weak all over.
Chu Yu stood beside her, his gaze slowly tracing her face and figure.
Then I sat down.
Those cool fingers gently touched her temples and ears.
She brushed aside the rain-dampened strands of hair, her warm fingertips gently gliding over them.
A tender, gentle caress.
From the cheeks to the jawline, neck and shoulders, and down.
It's as if they're observing their beloved child, wondering if he's been hurt during the time they've been away.
It seems not.
Not only that, but it doesn't.
It is also more even and softer than usual.
Chu Yu's hand stopped at the waistline, slowly sliding down to weigh it.
The area touched by my fingertips began to turn red.
His complexion was also better than before.
With a gentle touch, the person trapped in the dream unconsciously let out a soft groan.
Her voice was so melodious it could melt your heart.
Chu Yu felt he should be happy.
But I just can't feel happy right now.
Yao Yao seems to be more sensitive than before.
Chu Yu looked calmly at the person in front of him, wondering if she would still allow him to touch her like this if she were awake.
Chu Yu didn't want to gamble, nor did he want to see her avoid or resist him upon their long-awaited reunion.
He only wanted to touch her whenever he could.
After all, they were once a lawfully wedded couple, weren't they?
Chu Yu helped her up, letting her lean against him, and took off her half-damp clothes and skirt, leaving them to dry.
He held a clean, soft handkerchief, dampened with warm water, and gently wiped away the wet rainwater from her body.
Chu Yu looked at it.
This piece of clothing doesn't seem to be hers anymore.
It's new.
However, after being away for so long, it's normal to have a new set of clothes.
What's unusual is that Yao Yao's size seems to be different from before.
He took a deep breath from her hair, inhaling the fragrance of lily of the valley.
I didn't smell any other men.
Yu Wanyin slept more and more restlessly, as if someone had pulled her into their arms. She was barely covered up, her body pressed against his smooth, cool clothes, and she could feel his warm breath on her skin. Her body was being wiped by that hand.
Then he draped a mink cloak over her shoulders.
The velvet of the cloak felt incredibly soft and comfortable against my skin.
His movements were gentle, making it easy for people to lower their guard, and he was very much like a real person.
Yu Wanyin had just relaxed in a daze.
Then she heard that extremely familiar voice ring out in her ear like a ghost, "Has someone touched this place?"
Yu Wanyin shivered.
But he never woke up.
Chu Yu saw her tremble slightly, so he gently pinched her and coaxed her, "Don't be afraid."
Yu Wanyin's body, which had just warmed up, suddenly felt a familiar chill.
The more he said "Don't be afraid," the more frightening it became.
Chu Yu whispered in her ear, "So why are you avoiding me?"
"Does Yao Yao not miss me?"
Yu Wanyin's breathing became more and more rapid, and she subconsciously buried her head in the crook of his neck.
Chu Yu didn't let her avoid it, and took the opportunity to kiss her earlobe, nibbling and rubbing it, "You don't miss me because you're afraid of me."
"Is Yao Yao thinking about someone else?"
Yu Wanyin's tailbone went numb from the bite, and Chu Yu took the opportunity to bite her shoulder as punishment.
With a little bit of force, the bite made the person groan softly.
Yu Wanyin felt as if she were being crushed and kneaded into his bones and blood, her whole body enveloped in a cool and gentle warmth, the slight pain in her shoulder indicating his dissatisfaction.
"There are two small snow lions on that jade pendant."
“Yaoyao, tell me, who gave it to you?”
"If it's not important, I'll take it."
"If it's important, Yao Yao can come to me and tell me who he is."
The eerie yet melodious voice kept swirling and echoing in my mind.
Yu Wanyin suddenly woke up from her dream.
The rhythmic sound of spring rain pattering through the trees and leaves still lingers in my ears, along with the rising steam from the hearth.
The surroundings were completely silent, as if no one had ever been there.
Yu Wanyin lay quietly on the chaise longue, her nerves taut, looking around to make sure there was no one there.
Everything that had just happened seemed like a dream, as if she were possessed.
Yu Wanyin thought to herself that she probably had too many husbands.
The inability to balance everything caused her to develop inner demons.
Just as she was about to get up, she suddenly realized that her clothes had been dried and she was wearing them again!
She took off her wet socks, which had dried completely, and they reappeared on her feet.
Yu Wanyin stared at it for a while.
In a daze, the sensation of having my ankle pinched by slender fingers and gently rubbed against the dry, warm socks I was wearing returned.
Yu Wanyin got goosebumps all over her body.
In her haste, she sat up abruptly and quickly looked around.
But the room remained quiet and peaceful.
It was as if nowhere was where he had been, yet everywhere was marked by his presence.
Yu Wanyin walked through the entire house and around the screen.
They searched inside and out, but still couldn't find Chu Yu.
Turning around, I was startled to see the jade pendant on the table!
And below the jade pendant are two small snow lions.
And indeed, they have vanished without a trace.
Yu Wanyin felt a chill run down her spine in an instant!
She picked up the jade pendant, ran to the bronze mirror, and opened her collar.
Sure enough, I saw the dark red mark that was imbued with a tender feeling.
This shows that everything in a dream is real.
On the way down the mountain late at night, Qin Yuan looked at the jade pendant that Yu Wanyin had suddenly found and was very surprised. "I couldn't find it no matter how hard I looked before."
"We found it in the time it takes to avoid a rainstorm; it came without any effort at all."
Qin Yuan handed her the jade pendant, "Where did the little snow lion that was hanging from the bottom go?"
When Yu Wanyin heard this mentioned again, her heart skipped a beat. "Maybe it fell off."
Qin Yuan nodded and said, "This bamboo house is really novel."
“I think it’s made of bamboo. The yard is also full of bamboo that was moved over. Do you remember when we came down the mountain a while ago, did you see this house?”
Yu Wanyin listened absentmindedly.
A few days ago, this bamboo house didn't exist at all.
She now knows perfectly well who built this bamboo house.
This is the inescapable trap he laid for her.
“I saw it,” Yu Wanyin said in a low voice, “but I didn’t pay attention to it at the time.”
Qin Yuan agreed; how could such a house appear out of thin air?
Yu Wanyin hung the jade pendant on her waist.
Throughout the journey, she felt as if someone was quietly watching her from the depths of the dense forest.
Yu Wanyin took a deep breath.
She couldn't run away from it; she still had to make things clear with Chu Yu.
She knew in her heart that whether or not she looked for Chu Yu had nothing to do with Xue Shi.
This excuse was merely Chu Yu's way of expressing his dissatisfaction with her aloofness and wanting to test whether there was someone else around her.
In fact, Chu Yu knew she was here and would always try to get close to her.
His search for the jade pendant was a trap designed to lure her into getting closer to him.
Taking those two little snow lions is also an option.
If she doesn't go, he'll only realize that the little snow lion might not have been sent by an important person.
But he would also get angry because she avoided him.
Chu Yu will always find another way to lure her out step by step.
This exposed her desire to escape, forcing her to confront him.
Yu Wanyin had some understanding of her two husbands.
Rong Si's approach was proactive and forceful, a direct and forceful one.
His intricate and complex thoughts left her with no way to escape or avoid them.
What they have in common is that they are both persistent and annoying.
They get angry if you don't let them pester them.
Back at the inn, Yu Wanyin sat there for a while before writing a note and asking Qin Yuan to deliver it to the Prefect of Ganning.
Qin Yuan didn't know why Yu Wanyin suddenly wanted to contact the Prefect of Ganning, but she still sent the invitation over as instructed.
Inside the prefectural governor's residence, Prefect Gan Ning was looking at the chips in his hand with a worried expression.
I sometimes think of the soldier who died tragically at the city gate a few days ago.
It seems that the Marquis of Chu is not one to be easily manipulated, but he also doesn't want to just hand over the city for nothing and gain nothing in return.
The Prefect of Ganning stroked his beard as he flipped through documents.
A servant came in and presented the letter that had just been received. "Prefect, a young lady has sent a letter."
"What young lady? Coming here to cause trouble at a time like this." Prefect Gan Ning waved his hand impatiently, "Get out."
The servant paused for a moment before explaining, "This young lady says she is an old acquaintance of the Marquis of Chu and can negotiate a good deal with him on behalf of the prefect."
Upon hearing this, the Prefect of Ganning County perked up his ears.
"An old acquaintance?" He looked at the servant suspiciously before tentatively reaching out to take the letter. "Is it a real old acquaintance or a fake one? Could it be a fraudster trying to swindle people?"
The servant offered him a suggestion: "If the prefect has any doubts, he can inform the Marquis of Chu during the next discussion."
"It's just a matter of passing on a message. If it turns out to be true, great; if not, we won't suffer any loss."
Upon hearing this, Prefect Gan Ning felt that there was some truth to it.
He added this sentence to the invitation to Chu Yu for the next meeting, but unexpectedly, Chu Yu entered the city the next day.
The prefect of Ganning County dared not delay any longer and hurriedly sent someone to invite Yu Wanyin.
The prefect's carriage stopped at the entrance of the inn, and the prefect's personal guards came to pick them up.
The surrounding people couldn't help but stop and look.
Before leaving, Yu Wanyin told Qin Yuan to pack their luggage and park their carriage outside.
Qin Yuan helped Yu Wanyin into the carriage.
Occasionally, one might overhear people outside discussing, "What's the background of this young lady?"
"Yes, and the prefect's personal guards were even sent to receive her and meet the Marquis of Chu."
Qin Yuan was also somewhat doubtful, "Madam, do you really have a way to help Prefect Gan Ning negotiate?"
Yu Wanyin rested her forehead on her hand and leaned against the side. "No."
Qin Yuan was stunned for a moment, "Then in a little while..."
Yu Wanyin gave a soft "hmm" and said lazily, "It's not important."
She was just using it as an excuse to meet Chu Yu with the prefect.
We can't exactly go to Chu Yu's camp.
Then she can forget about ever coming out again.
She must meet Chu Yu in a place where she has absolutely no connection with him.
In places he cannot fully control.
It's easier to run away if negotiations break down.
When the carriage stopped at the prefect's residence, someone greeted her at the gate and led her inside.
Yu Wanyin entered the mansion, took off her veiled hat, and handed it to Qin Yuan to keep safe.
He was led to the flower hall to meet the prefect.
When the prefect saw Yu Wanyin arrive, he quickly went to greet her.
He smiled obsequiously, “I received a letter from the young lady not long ago and took it very seriously. Today, I specially invited the young lady to my meeting with the Marquis of Chu.”
The prefect asked curiously, "What is the relationship between the young lady and the Marquis of Chu?"
Yu Wanyin simply replied, "I cannot disclose that."
The prefect was busy welcoming them, but didn't ask any further questions.
Regardless of identity, as long as it works, that's fine. "To be honest, I've been worried about Gan Ning's future for a while now."
The Prefect of Ganning sat down and began to tell Yu Wanyin his demands.
Yu Wanyin didn't listen carefully; she just sat quietly to the side, pondering what she wanted to say.
After about half an hour, Prefect Gan Ning finished his official speech and instructed, "I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you, young lady, to discuss things properly with Marquis Chu. I have already prepared many benefits for you."
Yu Wanyin snapped out of her daze and replied, "Thank you for your trouble."
Just as the servant came in from outside, his gaze lingered on Yu Wanyin for a moment before he reported, "Lord Chu has arrived."
Prefect Gan Ning hurriedly put down his teacup, "Hey, they're here, they're here."
He then went out to meet Chu Yu.
Yu Wanyin gently tightened her handkerchief with her fingers.
There was a moment of silence outside, even the voice of the prefect disappeared into the distance.
She could hear her heartbeat getting faster and faster, pulling her thoughts down with each beat in the spring sunshine after the rain.
The brief silence felt like an eternity.
By the time the clamor of voices returned, Yu Wanyin's palms were already damp with cold sweat.
She heard a flurry of footsteps coming from the courtyard.
I walked step by step toward where she was.
It was like an invisible pressure, slowly closing in on her.
Then, the elegant figure she had only seen in her dreams for months reappeared in the depths of her peripheral vision.
Yu Wanyin didn't dare to look up for a moment, leaning against the table and chair, gently scraping the foam off the teacup in her hand.
To conceal her nervousness at that moment.
The Prefect of Ganning wanted to say something, but he subtly sensed the unusual atmosphere between the two.
Before he could speak, Chu Yu directly ordered, "Please excuse us."
"Very well, very well." The prefect turned and led everyone out.
After the commotion, there was a suffocating silence.
The doors were all closed, and the two of them were alone in the small room.
Chu Yu walked slowly toward her, each step feeling like a blow to her heart. "Those two little snow lions, are they important to you?"
Yu Wanyin put down the teacup.
She steadied herself, stood up, and looked at him. "Couldn't it be that I came because I wanted to see you?"
Chu Yu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he suddenly smiled, "If you want to see me, why did you come here, Yao Yao?"
He walked up to her, his fingers naturally hooking around her hand, holding it in his palm, his fingertips slowly and gently kneading it. "If you really want to see me, from that day on, you'll get in my car and come home with me."
He paused for a moment, saying, "They wouldn't go to such lengths to choose a place where they could keep an eye on me from every angle just to see me."
Yu Wanyin heard that familiar, eerie voice in her ear, and her fingers were sore from being squeezed so tightly, but she couldn't ask him to stop.
Chu Yu's voice remained gentle, "Who gave you those little snow lions?"
Asking the snow lions for help at this moment would be like adding fuel to the fire.
Once she took him, Chu Yu followed the trail to Rong Si and discovered that she had remarried three days after his accident, which could no longer be kept secret.
She could still distinguish between what was important and what was not.
“I met an old woman while traveling among the people, and she gave it to me,” Yu Wanyin said, feigning calmness. “If you like it, you can take it.”
Chu Yu stared intently at her. "Tell the truth, Yao Yao."
"This jade pendant is very important to you. Would you hang it on just because someone gave it to you?"
Yu Wanyin took a deep breath and looked at him, "You're allowed to take it all, don't you trust me?"
As her bright, clear eyes met his gaze, Chu Yu's somewhat gloomy eyes darkened. He ran his fingers along her temples and earlobes, then down her neck. "Then why are you avoiding me?"
Yu Wanyin felt uneasy at the close proximity. "I want to go home."
Chu Yu lifted her chin, his gaze lingering on her lips. "Let's just go home."
“No, not going back to your home,” Yu Wanyin tilted her head slightly, avoiding the somewhat possessive kiss, “I want to go back to Shanshan.”
Chu Yu missed his target, but he wasn't in a hurry and stepped forward again.
Yu Wanyin pushed him away, creating distance between them. "You knew my older sister was coming to pick me up, and you said that jade pendant was very important to me, but you still kept the letter hidden."
Chu Yu paused, his dark desires laid bare by her, "Back then we were still husband and wife."
“If we’re husband and wife, does that mean I can’t go home anymore? Does that mean I can’t go anywhere else? I want to follow you forever…” Yu Wanyin’s words suddenly stopped, and her voice weakened a bit, “following behind you.”
"If that's the case, I don't really want to be married to anyone."
It wasn't that she had to beg anyone to get married.
She knew they were good to her, and she tried her best to repay their kindness.
She helped Chu Yu move the capital at the Prime Minister's residence, and she also helped Rong Si consider the future at the bandit stronghold. She asked herself if she had a clear conscience.
But one thing at a time.
Chu Yu's eyes darkened at her words about not wanting to be husband and wife, but he didn't detect anything amiss. "But I've already given it to you."
Yu Wanyin said in a low voice, "That's because you had no choice but to give it to me."
"Is it just because of this?" Chu Yu searched her eyes for any unusual expression, "and not because of... anyone else?"
Yu Wanyin did not answer the question directly. "If it's not because of that, then tell me, would you be willing to let me go now?"
Chu Yu thought about it seriously, "No."
Even after being separated by life and death, Chu Yu couldn't let her go.
Yu Wanyin sighed, still unable to meet his gaze for long. "Although I've been avoiding you, I'm genuinely worried about you if something happens to you."
"Later I heard that you were still alive, still the Marquis of Chu, and that everything was fine, as if you didn't need me to do anything."
"I only wanted to see you today and make things clear with you."
“It’s not because of anyone else,” Chu Yu took another step closer to her, “even after Yao Yao explained things to me, you still want to dump me?”
His sudden closeness, tinged with a somewhat sinister possessive aura, made Yu Wanyin feel uneasy. "You have your own things to do, I don't want to interfere with you..."
Chu Yu's voice was gentle and deep, "I don't think you're interfering with me."
"I don't think I can only choose one between my husband and Shanshan."
"If you want to come back to Shanshan with me," Yu Wanyin couldn't quite understand, "are you going to give up everything you have now?"
She is someone who dislikes owing favors to others, and always wants to repay those she owes.
She hadn't initially thought about bringing anyone home, simply because she felt they all had their own paths. Since she didn't want to sacrifice herself for them and lock herself in someone's backyard, she didn't expect them to sacrifice their future for her.
Chu Yu stared intently at her. "Then are you going to give up on me?"
Yu Wanyin braced her lower back against the table and chair behind her.
Chu Yu's shadow fell on her again, staring intently at her slightly parted lips, "Yaoyao, I miss you so much."
She thought frantically, "But you're avoiding me, which makes me very sad."
I'm so sad I want to die.
He also wanted many people to die.
Everyone who stood in their way wanted to be killed.
He has killed many people on this road.
"Since there's no one else around, we only have each other. Why don't you want me?"
"You can have Shanshan, and you can have me."
Yu Wanyin keenly sensed the danger, and cold fingers wrapped around her.
Chu Yu said slowly and deliberately, "Unless Yao Yao is lying, and you have someone else you can bring home."
Yu Wanyin suddenly fell silent.
Chu Yu took in her reaction.
Almost simultaneously, some noise came from outside. A servant hurriedly reported to the prefect in the next house, "My lord, the Nanlong Rong army has arrived at the south of the city!"
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