Chapter 24 You've tamed me. Shameless bad man...
Ignoring his labored, bellows-like breathing, Gu Shanyue leaned lazily against him.
"I like it, it's really fun." Her frankness is endearing.
Qi Baitong's eyes were filled with a smile, more radiant than the flowers blooming in the forest. He helped Gu Shanyue lean against him, making her more comfortable.
Gu Shanyue moved leisurely, letting his limbs float in the water.
Qi Baitong couldn't help but lower her head and gently brush her cheek against her wet hair.
The trembling, aching emotion in his chest was like a fledgling bird running wild, filling him with tenderness and joy that left him at a loss for words.
But beneath the joy lies a sense of dread, a feeling that one could slip and fall at any moment.
He was like someone on a steel cable atop a precipice, reaching out to touch the breeze of the sky, humbly stealing a beautiful opportunity that didn't belong to him.
Once discovered, he will fall heavily to the ground.
Even so, he was still greedily reluctant to let go, even for just a moment longer.
"It's so stuffy in the water, let's go up." Gu Shanyue fanned his face with his hand.
The water temperature was just right and comfortable at first, but after all that fuss, she felt hot from the inside out, and the steaming hot spring became a burden.
Upon hearing this, Qi Baitong immediately carried her ashore.
As soon as you emerge from the water, a gentle breeze blows through the forest, bringing a refreshing coolness.
Gu Shanyue, nestled in his arms, casually waved her arm, and her little legs, hanging in his crook, swayed like a tiny flower budding in the wind.
Qi Baitong couldn't help himself, he really couldn't resist, and lowered his head to bury his face in her shoulder, rubbing it gently back and forth.
Gu Shanyue didn't have so many complicated thoughts. She felt comfortable and in a good mood. When she saw Qi Baitong coming over, she casually rubbed his head.
"What are you doing, acting like a puppy?"
Qi Baitong remained motionless until the hand that had been rubbing his head was removed. Only then did he raise his face, curving his lips into a shy smile.
People used to call him a dog, but he always ignored them.
But Gu Shanyue was different; when she spoke like that, he would take it as a compliment.
Qi Baitong carried Gu Shanyue and sat down on a large rock, the two of them huddled together, soaking wet.
Gu Shanyue toyed with the dripping ends of her hair and yawned.
Moonlight streamed down, and a gentle breeze rustled through the woods. Qi Baitong, who had been gazing longingly at Gu Shanyue, quickly realized that this wouldn't do.
Their clothes and hair were wet, and the outer garments they had taken off on the ground were also damp and dirty with mud. How could he give such things to Gu Shanyue to wear? But the autumn wind was cold, and he was afraid that it would hurt Gu Shanyue.
“Miss…” Qi Baitong opened his mouth, but another thought rose in his mind. He hesitated, prompting Gu Shanyue to glance at him. “Hmm?”
"May I call you A-Yue?" he asked softly, as if afraid of disturbing the dream before him.
"sure."
Gu Shanyue agreed. Her senior sister also called her Ayue, and she liked it when others called her that.
Qi Baitong's heart beat faster as she uttered the name that had lingered on her tongue countless times.
“Ah Yue”.
"Um."
"Wait a minute, I'll go gather some firewood and start a fire, okay?"
He was clearly going to do something important, but he used a pleading tone, and even had a hint of guilt in his eyes, feeling guilty about his slightly disheveled situation at this moment.
He felt he should give Gu Shanyue everything better.
"Go."
Gu Shanyue responded quickly as always. The evening breeze was cool, and being an outsider, she knew it was time to avoid the wind.
With an indescribable sense of guilt, Qi Baitong picked up the clothes from the ground, turned them over so that the clean side was placed on the stone, and then let Gu Shanyue sit down.
"Then I'll go."
Gu Shanyue casually replied, "Hmm."
Qi Baitong took a few steps, then turned back. It didn't seem like she was going to gather firewood; it was more like a farewell scene where she would never return.
Gu Shanyue didn't know what was wrong with him, and waved her hand, saying, "Go quickly."
Qi Baitong pursed her lips: "I'll be right back."
Gu Shanyue: "Oh."
As Qi Baitong left, almost disappearing into the distance, Gu Shanyue looked at his back and suddenly smiled.
I never noticed before, this guy is kind of silly, but kind of funny.
He said very quickly, really very quickly. While Gu Shanyue's hair was still dripping wet, he had already returned carrying a large pile of firewood, busy as a spinning top.
At the foot of Gushan Yue, a pile of firewood was quickly built, and the wood was lit to start a fire. The hot spring was damp, and the small flames rose and went out.
Without saying a word, Qi Baitong started the fire again. If he had just moved a little further into the forest, he wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble.
But when he turned around, Gu Shanyue was sitting obediently on the stone he had laid out, stretching her toes towards the hot spring and intently splashing water.
A gentle look unconsciously appeared in Qi Baitong's eyes. He turned back and continued to work hard to start a fire. After several attempts, he finally succeeded in lighting the firewood and starting a fire.
The fire crackled and sparks flew across the night sky like tiny fireworks.
Attracted, Gu Shanyue turned around. Her smooth face was flushed by the firelight, and her long, loose hair was steaming. She looked as if she were floating in the clouds, glancing at him from afar.
Qi Baitong's restless heart began to pound and beat like a drum again.
He raised his hand to his chest and realized that his breathing was also a little fast.
He seemed to lose control whenever he encountered Gu Shanyue.
"Why are you standing so far away?" Gu Shanyue asked, looking at him.
Qi Baitong opened her mouth, her voice slightly hoarse, and said, "Sit for a while, I'll go buy some clean clothes."
"Clothes?" Gu Shanyue pointed to the palace dress on the ground. "Isn't it over there?"
She always lived a very careless life, as if she had just dropped something on the ground, picked it up, shook it out, and continued wearing it.
But Qi Baitong, who was always obedient, had his own ideas this time. He shook his head and said firmly, "I will go and buy clean clothes and come back quickly."
"Fine, whatever you say."
Gu Shanyue remained lazy. Since he insisted on doing chores, she didn't have to do anything and would even have clean clothes to wear, so why not?
Qi Baitong casually grabbed a piece of inner clothing and put it on, then looked back every few steps before flying away at an extremely fast speed.
Gu Shanyue sat by the fire, resting her chin on her hand, staring blankly at the menacing flames, lost in thought.
After a while, a gurgling sound began.
She was hungry.
Gu Shanyue sat up, looked around, and was about to think about what to eat when he suddenly noticed a clump of broad green leaves on the firewood next to the fire, with a handful of clean red crabapples on the leaves.
She sat back down, picked up the fruit, took a bite, and found it sweet with a hint of sourness in the aftertaste—quite delicious.
Gu Shanyue ate one after another, and when she was eating the third one, there was a commotion in the forest.
"Ah Yue!"
Gu Shanyue looked up with a crabapple in her mouth. Qi Baitong was walking from the darkness toward the firelight, his figure tall and slender, exuding a chilling aura.
When he reached Gu Shanyue, his face was illuminated by the firelight. He was slightly out of breath, but had a bright smile on his face.
"You're back."
Gu Shanyue's eyes fell on the food box in his hand, and Qi Baitong immediately said, "I went to buy your favorite pastries and side dishes on the way. Change your clothes first, and I will set out the food."
"I want to eat first," Gu Shanyue said.
Qi Baitong glanced at her long, wet hair clinging to her body and her half-dry clothes. He pursed his lips, but in the end, he said nothing. He silently laid out the food and pastries, ladled out the soup, and brought it to her, adding, "Be careful, it's hot."
Gu Shanyue refused the soup and focused on eating. Qi Baitong then served her food while adding firewood to the fire, making it burn brighter and brighter.
Why is it getting hotter and hotter?
Gu Shanyue looked up from her rice bowl and realized that the flames in front of her had jumped much higher.
She looked at Qi Baitong, who put down the firewood in her hand and asked her, "Have you eaten? It must be uncomfortable wearing wet clothes, do you want to change them?"
Gu Shanyue felt it for a moment, then shook her head: "Not full."
However, the clothes were indeed uncomfortable; the front was dried out by the heat, while the back remained wet and stuck to my back, creating a strange sensation.
Qi Baitong didn't say anything; she herself had overlooked this feeling.
"Why don't you change your clothes first, and then continue eating? The soup can be drunk after it cools down a bit."
Qi Baitong quickly took out clothes from the package. The style was simple and should be easy to wear.
Gu Shanyue agreed: "Okay."
She put down her chopsticks, got up, and took off her half-dry clothes without any warning.
Qi Baitong's pupils dilated, she silently took a breath, and abruptly turned her face away, her neck snapping with a "crack".
"you……"
"What?"
Gu Shanyue spoke naturally as she took the clothes from his hands and put them on. The fabric was soft and comfortable, and she felt very at ease wearing them.
"The clothes you picked are nice," Gu Shanyue praised.
Qi Baitong had her back to her, her ears were red, and she gave a soft "hmm".
A rustling sound arose, and Gu Shanyue said again, "This undergarment is very good. It has no embroidery, so it's convenient to use it even for wiping swords."
Qi Baitong remained silent, her ears turning even redder.
After a while, he said, "I will prepare a cloth for you to wipe the sword, so you don't need to use... clothes to wipe it."
Gu Shanyue, dressed casually, replied, "That's true, with you here."
Long ago, when my senior sister was still alive, she would always carry two sword-wiping cloths with her. After each fight, the two of them would squat on a tree, each with a branch, and slowly wipe their swords in the wind.
Later, she took Li Yuheng everywhere, neglecting herself and also taking care of a child, living an increasingly carefree life.
Even when wiping a sword, all he did was cut the cleanest, softest piece of cloth from his entire body.
Even after Li Yuheng returned to the palace, she wandered the world alone. Her habits from the past ten years were hard to break, and she still often forgot to take care of herself.
The sudden appearance of the white paulownia tree always reminded her of the past.
When Qi Baitong heard that there was no more movement, she turned around, her face calm, but her ears were red.
Gu Shanyue glanced at him: "Why are you blushing?"
They're already so intimate, why are they blushing over changing clothes?
Qi Baitong picked up the clothes that Gu Shanyue had carelessly tossed aside and put them away without saying a word, seemingly avoiding her.
Gu Shanyue found it strange that she was being portrayed as a flirtatious playboy, while he seemed like a pitiful and honest man.
"Who was sucking so enthusiastically just now, and we couldn't even kick them away? Now you're shy and can't even say anything?"
Before he could finish speaking, Qi Baitong's hand trembled, and he knocked over a bowl of soup.
His eyelashes trembled, he was in a panic, his face was burning hot, and he didn't dare to look at Gu Shanyue even once.
This person is really interesting.
Gu Shanyue didn't understand. No wonder people say that men are different in bed and out of bed; this really is a big change.
He's capable of anything in bed, but off the bed he's like an innocent young man.
Gu Shanyue chuckled, amused by her own words.
Qi Baitong panicked even more at her laughter. She was serving her another bowl of soup when her hand trembled, and the soup spilled all over herself.
He stared blankly at his hands, while Gu Shanyue made no attempt to hide his laughter.
Qi Baitong lifted his eyelashes and saw her laughing heartily. Then he remembered that the laughter was because of him. A thousand thoughts scattered in his mind, leaving only a sweet feeling like a clear mountain stream spreading out. The corners of his mouth also turned up.
She was so happy that it didn't matter if he looked like a clown.
After laughing, Gu Shanyue picked up her rice bowl, glanced at the inexplicably reserved Qi Baitong, and looked him up and down before asking, "Why aren't you changing your clothes?"
Qi Baitong was still wearing the undergarment he wore when he came out of the water, with an outer garment tightly wrapped around him. He looked uncomfortable, and it was hard to believe how he had managed to keep quiet until now.
"I'm fine."
Gu Shanyue clicked her tongue: "Disobeying again?"
“...Be obedient.”
Qi Baitong originally wanted to find a secluded place to change her clothes, but Gu Shanyue tapped the edge of the food box with her finger.
"Where to? Change here."
Qi Baitong pursed her lips and remained silent: "..."
As Gu Shanyue ate his meal and drank his soup, Qi Baitong, who was standing in front of him, took off his clothes, revealing his young and vigorous body. Unfortunately, his body was covered with many new and old scars, which made people turn their heads.
Qi Baitong acted quickly, removing her upper body clothes, changing into a long robe, and then changing into pants, so at least she wasn't naked in front of Gu Shanyue.
Gu Shanyue was very easy to talk to, and even so, he watched with great interest.
When Qi Baitong was changing his clothes, he didn't look at Gu Shanyue at all. But when he turned around after changing, Gu Shanyue was indeed staring at him with great interest.
"Ah Yue, I... am not good-looking."
Qi Baitong's voice was low, and her eyelashes were slightly lowered.
He always remembered the word "ugly" from Gu Shanyue. He knew he was taking advantage of her vulnerability, but even so, he hoped to give her the best of everything so that Gu Shanyue would smile when she thought about it in the future, instead of remembering those ugly scars that made her feel disgusted.
“I think it looks great,” Gu Shanyue replied naturally.
Qi Baitong looked up in surprise, her hair swaying in the breeze.
As the wind rose, Gu Shanyue looked at him with a smile and beckoned him: "Come here and dry my hair."
Qi Baitong clenched and unclenched her fists, her heart inexplicably softening.
"good."
He readily agreed, walked over, knelt down on one knee, and began to comb Gu Shanyue's long hair back and forth. He then used a clean cloth to gently rub a clump of hair dry.
The night was hazy and indistinct, and he could only see half of her profile, which looked as smooth and lustrous as jade in the moonlight.
The white tung tree felt a burning sensation in its heart, as if something was taking deep root, bringing both the pain and the pleasure of growth.
He felt happy once again.
After Gu Shanyue finished eating, his hair had been carefully dried by Qi Baitong.
"Shall I tie up your hair?" Qi Baitong asked tentatively.
"Okay." Gu Shanyue looked around, trying to find a hair tie to take out.
Qi Baitong reached into her bosom and took out her usual hair ribbon.
"How did it end up here?" Gu Shanyue asked in surprise.
Qi Baitong didn't answer, but slowly combed her long hair with her fingers and skillfully tied it into a high ponytail.
The hairband wrapped around her long hair, which swirled and brushed past her fingers like a fish, and she reluctantly tugged at it with her fingertips.
"Alright." Qi Baitong withdrew her hand.
Gu Shanyue shook her head, the ends of her hair brushing against his chest.
Where she couldn't see, Qi Baitong's eyes followed the ends of her hair.
I'm sleepy.
As Gu Shanyue spoke, she looked around, seemingly looking for a place to lie down.
Qi Baitong understood what she meant: "Aren't you going home tonight?"
Although the hot spring was warm, there wasn't even a bed. Gu Shanyue didn't care, but Qi Baitong did.
"It's so late, it'll be too much trouble to go back. Just sleep if you're tired," Gu Shanyue said casually, as she always did, using the ground as her seat.
Qi Baitong glanced at the humid place and did not stop Gu Shanyue, only saying, "If you want to sleep here, then I will go and bring back a bed."
Gu Shanyue: "..."
“Okay, then you go.” Gu Shanyue raised her chin and said.
Unexpectedly, Qi Baitong actually turned to leave, but Gu Shanyue called out to him again: "Come back."
Qi Baitong obediently stood back and quietly looked at her.
"Fine, let's go back then."
Gu Shanyue thought about how Li Yuheng always waited for her when she didn't go back the previous times, and Qi Baitong in front of her still had to busy herself with carrying the bed, so she might as well go back.
A smile flashed in Qi Baitong's eyes. He knelt down in front of Gu Shanyue, lowered his head, picked up her shoes, and helped her put them on one by one.
Gu Shanyue tilted her head to look at his movements: "You seem to have changed a bit?"
On the surface, there seems to be no change, but in subtle ways, the Qi Baitong before tonight is quite different from the Qi Baitong now.
If it were before, he wouldn't have knelt down to hold her ankles and put her shoes on, nor would he have called her A-Yue.
Qi Baitong put both of her shoes on, gently put them down, brushed the dust off her skirt with his palm, and then raised his eyes, his pupils as dark and bright as a lamp in a dark room.
"Perhaps, you have tamed me."
“…Hmm?” Gu Shanyue didn’t understand.
How could this be? Could it be that what the emperor said was true, and that this thing could really tame a person? But why doesn't she feel anything?
Seeing Qi Baitong's devoutly looking up, Gu Shanyue felt a surge of relief. If that were the case, it would be fortunate that Qi Baitong had been tamed; she would never want to be tamed by anyone.
She hated the word.
“I don’t want to tame you,” Gu Shanyue said.
Qi Baitong's bright eyes dimmed, and he lowered his gaze, saying softly, "I know."
He was someone who shouldn't have broken in, but now that things have come to this, how could he forget everything that had happened?
"It's good that you know."
Gu Shanyue's words seemed heartless, but just by looking into her eyes, Qi Baitong couldn't blame her at all.
He's just a thief who steals treasures; what warmth can he possibly expect from such despicable acts?
As long as he can stay by her side, see her, and take care of her, that's enough.
The two returned to the Crown Prince's residence under cover of night.
Just as Gu Shanyue had expected, as soon as she stepped into the courtyard, the person in the main room looked at her; it was Li Yuheng.
He was still wearing the black robe he wore at the palace banquet, with a golden crown on his head, exuding an air of refined elegance, yet his eyes held a hint of coldness.
"elder sister……"
He spoke, and when he met Gu Shanyue's eyes, all his dark emotions vanished, and he returned to the boy who had once been by her side.
Gu Shanyue glanced at his black robe, said nothing, and simply sat down, parting the hem of his robe.
Li Yuheng sat down next to her, leaning over the table and looking at her: "Are you angry with me, sister?"
"It's not that bad. I've seen plenty of these despicable tactics. What's the big deal?" Gu Shanyue said calmly.
Li Yuheng frowned slightly and gently grasped her hand: "I'm sorry, I really didn't know things would turn out like that. Sister, are you alright?"
"What can a mere cup of medicinal wine do to me?" Gu Shanyue finally showed some tolerance towards Li Yuheng. She didn't want to speculate about him, so she patted his hand and said, "It's late, you should go back and rest."
A smile appeared on Li Yuheng's face: "I'm not tired, I'm just afraid you'll be unhappy."
Gu Shanyue would not say that she was happy in order to comfort him.
She said calmly, "I won't go to this kind of event again next time."
“Fine, I won’t go then,” Li Yuheng coaxed. “It’s all my fault.”
Gu Shanyue remained noncommittal, his expression indifferent.
"Sister, are you hungry? I've had some food prepared. You..." Li Yuheng was about to call for someone when Gu Shanyue stopped him, "I've already eaten."
"Have you eaten?" Li Yuheng turned his gaze to Qi Baitong, who was standing quietly to the side, a dark light flashing in his eyes.
Who did you eat with? Was it this bodyguard again?
"Is there anything else? Go back after you're done talking, I'm sleepy." Gu Shanyue bluntly told him to leave.
Li Yuheng knew that Gu Shanyue was always like this, and his eyes flickered slightly: "There is indeed something else. Yu Jingshu asked you to come over. Is this bothering you?"
“Her?” Gu Shanyue scoffed as she recalled the situation. “You people from Shengjing really do share the same style.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Yuheng realized what she meant, and his fair face instantly turned red with anger: "How dare she lay a hand on you?"
"What wouldn't she dare to do? Even the emperor uses this trick." Gu Shanyue's tone was mocking, and she didn't have a good impression of these people.
“Then you…” Li Yuheng looked him up and down, from his hair to his shoes, his face showing annoyance and anger, “What are you doing…”
"You think I'd fall for that?" Gu Shanyue smirked. "If a cup of medicinal wine could make me obey, I would have been killed by my enemies in my dreams long ago."
Li Yuheng was slightly relieved, but when his gaze fell on her clothes, he asked suspiciously, "Did you change your clothes?"
Gu Shanyue said unhappily, "Those palace dresses have rows of buttons that restrict people, making it difficult to even raise your arms. Can't we change them?"
That's true. Li Yuheng thought of Gu Shanyue's personality. She was always fearless in scaling walls and roofs and didn't like wearing tight-fitting clothes. She preferred loose robes.
It's normal to change it.
“It’s my fault for insisting you enter the palace, which has caused all this trouble,” Li Yuheng stood up, bowed to her, and said solemnly, “Sister, I apologize to you.”
"No need, there won't be a next time." Gu Shanyue lifted his arm, refusing his courtesy.
"That Yu Jingshu is utterly despicable. I thought she was a refined and elegant lady from a noble family, but I never expected her to dare lay a hand on you. How shameless! I will definitely..."
Before Li Yuheng could finish his words of disgust, Gu Shanyue interrupted him: "And what about the emperor?"
Li Yuheng was taken aback: "What?"
“Isn’t the emperor just as shameless? Why don’t you deal with him?” Gu Shanyue’s eyes were so clear that they almost made people feel ashamed.
Li Yuheng was speechless.
Gu Shanyue concluded: "If we're talking about shamelessness, the emperor is even worse."
Yu Jingshu, a woman confined to the inner quarters, has limited means to do things. But if the emperor wants to do something, there are countless ways, yet she chose this particular method. What is this if not shamelessness?
Such treasonous words could only have been heard from Gu Shanyue.
Li Yuheng neither echoed nor refuted, but sighed, "Sister..."
Gu Shanyue raised her hand: "There's no need to say anything else. I know you want to curry favor with the emperor and wait to take his throne."
Gu Shanyue was always so blunt, so blunt that it was embarrassing.
The room was quiet, the lamp wick crackled, and the long, burning wick drooped into the oil, dimming the candlelight.
Li Yuheng gently held one of her fingers and said in a soft voice, "Sister, don't hate me."
Gu Shanyue looked up at him, and Li Yuheng smiled at her, his sharp canine teeth sticking out from his lips.
His features didn't resemble his senior sister's, but his face, nose, and lips were similar. In the dim candlelight, he lowered his eyes and smiled, vaguely resembling an old friend.
Senior sister, senior sister...
Gu Shanyue silently thought to herself that she could forgive the person in front of her countless times just for the sake of the word "senior sister".
"I won't hate you."
Li Yuheng's eyes suddenly lit up, and his smile blossomed joyfully, yet with a touch of natural pride, as if the child knew that adults would always unconditionally forgive him, and therefore, as long as he made a fuss, he could receive endless tolerance.
"Sister, you are so kind."
"Alright, let's go back," Gu Shanyue said, pulling her hand away from his grasp. "I'm really sleepy."
"Okay, I won't bother you anymore."
Li Yuheng smiled, looking every bit the gentle young master.
Gu Shanyue sat quietly, looking at him, and seeing his smile, she smiled slightly in return.
The moment he stepped out, Li Yuheng caught a glimpse of the style of her hair tie, and his warm, spring-like smile instantly turned icy.
That's not the style she would use.
"Lord Qi, my sister is going to bed. It's time for you to come out." Li Yuheng's voice rang out, his emotions unreadable.
Qi Baitong looked away from the smile on Gu Shanyue's lips. She hadn't glanced at Li Yuheng once since he came in.
Beside the hot spring, her hand had rested on his shoulder and touched his face; now it was being held in the hand of another man.
Even as Li Yuheng called him, Gu Shanyue's gaze remained fixed on the door and on Li Yuheng.
Qi Baitong remained silent, like a statue forged from cold iron, and said coldly, "Yes."
He slowly walked out, the door closed, and Li Yuheng said in a light voice, "Sleep well, sister."
Inside the room, Gu Shanyue hummed in response.
Outside, Li Yuheng stared at Qi Baitong with a gloomy expression and said, "Come with me."
The two walked quite a distance from the courtyard. Li Yuheng remained silent, as did Qi Baitong, until they reached the lakeside, where Li Yuheng stopped.
"Did you touch my sister's hair?"
So that's what it was for.
Women and men tie their hair differently, and the Imperial Guards have their own unique way of tying their hair, which is difficult to loosen no matter how much they move.
It's not surprising that Li Yuheng was accompanied by imperial guards.
"yes."
He not only touched her, but he also washed and styled Gu Shanyue's hair, and his face was once nestled against Gu Shanyue's wet, long hair...
What are you laughing at?
Li Yuheng stared intently at his face and was surprised to find that this usually cold and expressionless man was smiling. He instantly flew into a rage.
Qi Baitong lowered his face, composed himself: "This subordinate dares not."
"Who told you to touch me? You're just a lowly bodyguard, how dare you push your luck and defy your superiors!" Li Yuheng's words were full of disgust and contempt.
He didn't believe that Gu Shanyue would treat a bodyguard differently; in this world, Gu Shanyue only cared about him.
He was the only one with any sentimental attachment to this heartless man.
This bodyguard must have tricked the naive Gu Shanyue into getting close to her.
Qi Baitong listened numbly; this wasn't the first time Li Yuheng had said these words.
He seemed unmoved. Li Yuheng narrowed his eyes: "It seems that Lord Qi is arrogant. In that case, why not go into the Crown Prince's prison again and let me see how tough Lord Qi Bai really is?"
Qi Baitong's tone remained completely flat: "This subordinate dares not."
He was never afraid of punishment or physical suffering.
At this moment, the angrier Li Yuheng looked, the less bitter and aggrieved Qi Baitong felt.
Gu Shanyue was not only the sister he affectionately referred to, but also A-Yue who had once been in his arms.
Li Yuheng was jealous of him.
This thought brought him a sense of satisfaction.
Li Yuheng stared intently at him, while Qi Baitong simply lowered his head and stood calmly with his eyes closed.
How could Gu Shanyue possibly find such a boring person pleasing to the eye?
She hated the imperial city, and she would never like a law-abiding secret guard in the imperial city.
Li Yuheng easily convinced himself, his eyes filled with contempt: "If you continue to cause trouble in the future, you won't be able to bear the consequences."
Qi Baitong simply replied, "Yes."
Li Yuheng did not punish Qi Baitong, which made Gu Shanyue unhappy, and he did not want to break his promise to her again.
Even if this kid gets lucky, once this matter is over, he will naturally deal with Qi Baitong properly.
Li Yuheng arrogantly turned and left.
The lacquered white tung tree stood quietly by the lake for a long, long time.
He was pondering a question: compared to Li Yuheng, he was completely different in every aspect, including appearance, temperament, status, and martial prowess.
If that's the case, why would Gu Shanyue think he resembles Li Yuheng?
He noticed that Gu Shanyue often looked at Li Yuheng and watched him smile.
Qi Baitong raised his hand and touched his lips, recalling their first meeting when Gu Shanyue had also touched his lips and even stared blankly at his canine teeth.
The white-lacquered tung bared its teeth, its fingers tracing the sharp ends of the tiger's fangs.
That must be it.
A gentle breeze rippled across the lake. Qi Baitong gazed at his swaying reflection in the water, and the reflection smiled at him, revealing its canine teeth.
Gu Shanyue discovered something: Qi Baitong seemed to be possessed by an evil spirit lately.
Every morning, Qi Baitong would comb her hair and put on her boots, and prepare her washing utensils. Whenever she looked at him, he would smile, showing his teeth.
After dinner, they practiced swordsmanship. Qi Baitong sparred with her, and he would smile whenever their eyes met.
During the meal, Qi Baitong served her food and added rice, and Gu Shanyue would still smile whenever she looked up.
Although Gu Shanyue quite liked seeing him smile, his demeanor made people feel uneasy.
On the roof of the opera house, Gu Shanyue listened to the opera with his eyes closed. Suddenly, there was a commotion beside him, and Qi Baitong's voice rang out.
"Ah Yue, I'm back from getting the wine."
"Um."
Gu Shanyue closed her eyes, reached out her hand, and Qi Baitong grasped her wrist with one hand, placing the wine gourd into her hand.
Gu Shanyue withdrew her hand, used her thumb to remove the stopper, and poured it directly into her mouth.
A milky aroma wafts out, and the taste is rich, sweet, and mellow—clearly warm milk.
Gu Shanyue opened her eyes and saw a wine gourd in front of her, but it was filled with warm milk.
Gu Shanyue: "..."
"Where's the wine?"
“A-Yue,” Qi Baitong knelt down in front of her, his posture extremely docile, and took out a wine gourd, opened it and handed it to her, “The wine is here.”
Gu Shanyue leaned closer and sniffed it suspiciously; it was indeed the wine shop she often drank from.
She took the gourd and drank a couple of sips. With two identical gourds in her hands, she asked curiously, "Why put the milk in the gourd?"
“Even if they look the same, they taste different,” Qi Baitong said.
Gu Shanyue: "Nonsense."
Qi Baitong sighed softly, "A-Yue, aren't your eyes uncomfortable because you always keep them closed?"
Gu Shanyue understood. She had kept her eyes closed, so he deliberately used an identical wine gourd to make her open her eyes.
This person has a rather complicated mind.
"Then why are you always smiling?" Gu Shanyue asked directly.
Qi Baitong was slightly taken aback, not expecting that Gu Shanyue would notice his change so quickly.
What did she mean by that? Was she closing her eyes because she didn't want to see him smile?
Four words suddenly came to Qi Baitong's mind: "Imitating others without understanding their true nature."
Was he also so ridiculous in Gu Shanyue's eyes?
"I..." Qi Baitong's eyes flickered, and after a long while, he met her questioning gaze. "I remember last time you were drunk, you always made me laugh. I thought you liked it."
"It seems that's true."
She was probably missing her senior sister at the time, and she was also drunk and confused, so she forced him to laugh. She didn't expect him to still remember this incident.
Gu Shanyue chuckled: "It's good to smile more, but you don't have to smile all the time. Doesn't your face get stiff?"
Qi Baitong touched her face: "Stiff."
"Why are you being so silly?"
Gu Shanyue laughed heartily, raised her hand and rubbed his face. His facial features were hard and cold, and his skin was only a thin layer, so no matter how much she rubbed and kneaded him, it wouldn't look strange.
Qi Baitong lowered her hand, her eyes softened, and she even leaned forward a little to make it easier for her to massage.
Seeing that his face was red from being rubbed, but he was still smiling, Gu Shanyue poked his cheek: "Alright, you don't have to smile when you don't want to. Smile when you're happy."
Qi Baitong's eyes curved into a smile, as gentle as spring water: "Now is the time to be happy."
"……All right."
Gu Shanyue tilted her head back and drank the wine. It choked her as it went down, causing a faint blush to rise on her face.
Looking up, Gu Shanyue saw Qi Baitong staring intently at her. She handed him the wine gourd and asked, "Want some too?"
Qi Baitong glanced at the damp gourd opening, his ears turning slightly red. He shook his head: "I won't drink it."
The man, sharp as a leopard, had a calm face and even appeared cold and fierce when he wasn't smiling. But in front of her, he always looked away from her and blushed easily.
Gu Shanyue found it amusing and deliberately teased him, "Really not going to drink?"
Qi Baitong paused for a moment, then shook her head: "You drink it."
Gu Shanyue was unusual; he rarely refused her, and even if he did, he would compromise if she persisted.
What's going on today?
"Why aren't you drinking? Did you drug this wine too?" Gu Shanyue teased him.
Qi Baitong's expression changed, and his voice turned cold: "Why would I drug you? I would rather drug myself than drug you."
"Why are you still angry? I was just teasing you." Gu Shanyue laughed, gently scratching his chin like she was playing with a cat or dog.
Qi Baitong's expression softened, and she moved forward a little more: "I won't be angry with you."
"You really have no temper, which isn't good. Bullies love to take advantage of people like you."
Gu Shanyue withdrew his hand, speaking with an air of authority, but what tyrant would dare to bully the people of the Imperial City Guard?
Qi Baitong chuckled and followed up with, "What should you do if you're bullied?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Shanyue patted his chest and said matter-of-factly, "Looking for me? You hide behind me and see who can get past my Immaculate Sword."
Qi Baitong felt a pang of tenderness, but then a thought arose in her mind: what if the person who bullied her was Li Yuheng? Would she also draw her sword in retaliation?
His smile faded, and he didn't presume to ask the question.
It was a clear autumn day with a bright blue sky. Since it was just the two of them, why say anything that would spoil the mood?
"Thank you very much, A-Yue and Wu-Gou," Qi Baitong said with a smile.
Gu Shanyue waved his hand: "No problem, no problem."
A gentle breeze caressed her face, and she lay back down, drinking as she looked at Qi Baitong's smiling little tiger teeth, the melodious singing in her ears the kind her senior sister liked.
Gu Shanyue swayed her head along with the lyrics, and Qi Baitong suddenly stopped laughing.
He listened intently: "Is the person singing in the opera house Nanxing?"
Gu Shanyue praised, "Good hearing."
Qi Baitong: "I can't forget it."
How could he possibly forget the day Nanxing fell into Gu Shanyue's arms and said some nonsensical things?
After a while, Qi Baitong asked, "You like his... voice?"
“I guess so, he has a bright voice,” Gu Shanyue said, then suddenly thought of Yu Jingshu’s medicine. “I gave him an aphrodisiac last time, and I regretted it afterwards, afraid that it would hurt his voice. But it seems that it’s fine now.”
She said it casually, but Qi Baitong sat up straight instantly, her eyes sharp as ice.
"Give him... an aphrodisiac?"
He asked the question slowly and deliberately, as if gritting his teeth.
“Yes, I want to test the medicine’s effects. Since Yu Jingshu prepared it for me, I’ll just use it.” Gu Shanyue said matter-of-factly, without feeling that she had done anything wrong.
"After he took the medicine, did he..." Qi Baitong interrupted hurriedly, but then paused.
Gu Shanyue asked, "Is there anything?"
"...To pester you?"
Qi Baitong pursed her lips, her lowered eyelids concealing the murderous intent in her eyes.
"With his thin arms and legs, he would fall over with a push, and he would be even weaker after being drugged. How could he possibly hold me back?"
Gu Shanyue snorted lightly, showing great disdain.
It didn't seem like she had any feelings for Nanxing, but Qi Baitong could still hear the words "falls over with a push" and "soft and weak" echoing in her ears...
His jaw tightened, and he muttered under his breath, "Shameless."
Gu Shanyue: "Hmm?"
“I’m talking about him,” Qi Baitong said, slightly flustered, but her tone turned fierce when she mentioned Nanxing, “He’s utterly dissolute. Who knows how many lovers he has? You must be very careful of this kind of man, lest they touch even a corner of your clothes.”
"Which one?" Gu Shanyue didn't understand why he suddenly got anxious.
"The kind of guy who just sticks to you and won't let go once he's on you, who knows how many girls he's slept with before, using his looks to please people, how can he be worthy of staying by your side?"
As Qi Baitong spoke, his eyes were filled with a cold glint.
Gu Shanyue thought for a moment, then suddenly looked at Qi Baitong: "But last time at the hot spring, you also held my hand and wouldn't let go."
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