Chapter 46 Having tasted the sweetness, Xiao Heng felt a satisfaction he had never experienced before…
At lunchtime, they simply chose a nearby restaurant for a quick meal.
Xiao Heng ordered some of her favorite dishes, and the dishes were served shortly afterward.
As everyone sat down, some strange noises suddenly came from the next table, and Gu Xi turned her head to look curiously.
Lu Xiao took a deep breath and grimaced, yelling, "Ouch!"
Although Lu Yong's actions and expressions were not as exaggerated, he still looked troubled.
Gu Xi couldn't help but ask, "What happened to them?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao gave her a resentful look.
Gu Xi immediately realized, was it because she went out last night that they were punished?
She glared at Xiao Heng and asked, "Did you hit them?"
Xiao Heng remained noncommittal, only continuing to put food into her bowl.
"Why?" Gu Xi asked, adopting an accusatory tone.
Xiao Heng paused, glancing indifferently at Lu Xiao and Lu Yong. The two immediately understood and stood up, saying, "We have made a mistake, and we should accept the punishment!"
Gu Xi immediately deflated and said, "I'm sorry, I won't run around like that again."
“Yes, it’s not too late to realize you were wrong now,” Xiao Heng said matter-of-factly.
Gu Xi gave him a disgruntled look.
After Lu Xiao and Lu Yong were ordered to sit down, another series of painful gasps followed.
She lowered her head and ate silently, feeling guilty.
That night, Gu Xi arrived at the inn and secretly wrote down a prescription for them, instructing them to apply the medicine accordingly.
A few days later, they finally arrived at their next destination.
As soon as they stepped off the carriage, several people came up to greet them. They were dressed in fine clothes, but they were very respectful to Xiao Heng.
Their identities on this trip were those of a pharmaceutical merchant couple, which shouldn't have been their behavior.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with them, Xiao Heng led them to a rather elegant courtyard, which would be their accommodation for the night.
Nighttime, inside the side room.
"Ah Heng, how many days are we going to stay here?"
She found the scenery here beautiful and thought she would like to take a stroll around when she had some free time.
"One or two days."
Gu Xi sat on the bed, gazing longingly at Xiao Heng, who was gently stroking her cold hand with his burning palm.
These past few days, he seems to have learned about her habit of having cold hands and feet during her period. He keeps her hands in his bosom at all times, and he warms her hands and feet before she goes to sleep. She feels sweet inside every day now.
What should I do? She seems to like him more.
"Aheng..."
"Hmm?" Xiao Heng raised an eyebrow in satisfaction as he watched Gu Xi's fair hands gradually become rosy and warm.
"Um... um..." Gu Xi stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.
She actually wanted to tell him that her period of faithfulness had ended and that he could... but she was too shy to say it.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Heng looked up at her.
“It’s nothing…” Gu Xi shook her head.
Xiao Heng looked up at Gu Xi's slightly flushed cheeks, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times. He then pulled her down to lie on his back and said in a hoarse voice, "Sleep!"
After Gu Xi lay down, resting her head on Xiao Heng's arm and preparing to fall asleep, his voice suddenly came through with a tremor in his chest: "Gu Xi, when will your period end?"
Gu Xi thought for a moment and said, "The day before yesterday."
"Then we'll wait..." Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Heng suddenly realized something.
He pulled Gu Xi away from his embrace, his gaze fixed on her, deep and burning, like a hunter lurking and staring at its prey, watching Gu Xi without moving, as if he were about to tear her apart and devour her at any moment.
His gaze was so intense that Gu Xi couldn't handle it and shyly tried to lower her head.
He didn't give her a chance, and kissed her by the back of her neck with one hand.
The red candles flickered, making a crackling sound.
The two people inside the tent intertwined their fingers and called each other's names over and over again.
"Gu Xi, you are mine..."
Xiao Heng felt a sense of satisfaction he had never experienced before; at this moment, he finally possessed her completely.
"Aheng...Aheng..."
Ah Heng, I really like you.
Do you like me too?
Do you like me too?
Tell me quickly, you like me too, right?
Gu Xi gradually became immersed in it...
Xiao Heng looked at Gu Xi, who was sleeping soundly in his arms, and gently kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes, his eyes filled with an intense tenderness.
The next day, Gu Xi woke up a little later than usual. She glanced around the room and found that Xiao Heng was no longer there, and breakfast was left on the table.
As she recalled last night, a blush crept onto her face.
She quickly tidied herself up, opened the door, and saw Lu Xiao and Lu Yong standing guard not far ahead. She asked, "Where's Aheng? Do you know where he went?"
“Reporting to the young mistress, the young master is receiving guests in the front courtyard,” Lu Yong replied.
"Oh..." Gu Xi suddenly remembered something and asked, "Have your injuries healed?"
Seemingly surprised that Gu Xi would suddenly show concern for them, Lu Yong paused for a moment before replying, "I'm much better now, thank you for your concern, Madam!"
"Yes," Gu Xi nodded, smiling with relief, "That's good then."
Back in her room, Gu Xi ate breakfast listlessly, as if the food didn't taste good without him.
After having breakfast, Gu Xi waited for a long time, but Xiao Heng still hadn't returned, so she decided to go to the front yard to look for him.
From afar, she could see Xiao Heng sitting in the main seat of the front hall, with two men sitting on either side of him. The three of them seemed to be talking about something.
She waited hidden behind a pillar in the corridor, not wanting to disturb him.
About 15 minutes later, the two men finally got up to say goodbye. Only then did Gu Xi get a clear look at them; they seemed to be the people who had greeted them yesterday.
After everyone left the front yard, Gu Xi suddenly stood up, crossed the courtyard, and headed straight for the main hall.
Her steps quickened, her soft-soled embroidered shoes making soft rustling sounds on the blue bricks, and her face beamed with undisguised joy.
Xiao Heng had already heard her footsteps and was standing in front of the main seat with his arms outstretched, waiting there.
Gu Xi stepped over the threshold, then suddenly threw herself into his arms, looking up and sweetly calling out, "Aheng..."
Xiao Heng looked at her with doting eyes, and after he sat down, he pulled Gu Xi onto his lap.
He lowered his head to find her lips, touching them lightly like a feather, before releasing her after a moment.
Gu Xi was slightly out of breath when she suddenly remembered the two people she had just seen and asked, "Aheng, who were those two people?"
Xiao Heng paused, his eyes flashing slightly, and said, "He's a local wealthy businessman."
Gu Xi had a gut feeling that it wasn't him; judging from his attire, he seemed more like someone with a career in government. But since he didn't want to talk about it, she didn't ask.
"Aheng, are you done with your work today? I want to go to the market. Can you come with me?" Gu Xi asked tentatively, her eyes filled with anticipation.
“Okay,” Xiao Heng replied.
The streets were filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares.
Xiao Heng led Gu Xi along the road, with Lu Xiao and Zhu Yin following behind.
She looked left and right, seemingly full of curiosity about everything, no longer as reserved as she was in the palace, showing the demeanor of a young girl.
She walked up to a jewelry stall, picked up a jade hairpin, held it up to her head, and asked with a smile, "Aheng, do you think this hairpin is pretty?"
Xiao Heng ran his fingertips through her wind-blown hair and said, "Beautiful."
"Aheng, would you buy it and give it to me?" She wanted a hairpin that he had given her.
The jade hairpin perfectly matches his name.
Xiao Heng paused for a moment before realizing that since entering the palace, apart from the zither and the sheet music, he had rarely given her anything.
He forgot that she was in the prime of her life, so how could she not like these things that women love?
He turned to the stall owner and said, "Wrap all of these up."
The stall owner was overjoyed upon hearing this and was about to agree.
Gu Xi quickly stopped her, saying, "No, I only want this one. I only like this one."
"Then we'll take this one."
The group strolled around casually for a while. Gu Xi didn't buy anything except the hairpin, while Lu Xiao bought a lot of food. Xiao Heng watched from the side without stopping him, seemingly used to Lu Xiao's behavior.
Gu Xi felt that the relationship between Xiao Heng and Lu Xiao was not like that of a typical master and servant, but rather more like that between her and Zhu Yin.
The next day, the group continued their journey, only resting briefly at taverns and inns for more than ten days without stopping.
Despite the bumpy ride in the carriage, Gu Xi didn't feel tired at all. On the contrary, Xiao Heng, after that day, became addicted to the pleasure and pestered her to do "that" every day.
Several times she was half asleep when he woke her up, and when she saw his patient expression, she couldn't bring herself to get angry.
She had been enjoying herself for the past two days, but now she was afraid as soon as she arrived at the inn, and even had the idea of sleeping in a separate room from him.
Gu Xi was lost in thought when the car suddenly jolted, lifting a corner of the curtain and allowing her to inadvertently glimpse the scene outside the window.
She quietly lifted the carriage curtain, and the sight that came into view made her pause slightly.
The bustling scene outside the car window was no longer as vibrant as before, but rather desolate. The open spaces along the roadside were crowded with ragged refugees, huddled on tattered straw mats, and children were begging barefoot in the streets.
Nearby, several men in short clothes were leaning against a pillar, staring intently at the tavern's exit, looking as if they were about to catch someone and rob them.
Gu Xi lowered the tightly clenched carriage curtain and asked, "Why are there so many refugees outside?" She looked up at Xiao Heng, her voice trembling.
Xiao Heng held her in his arms and comforted her for a while, then said, "Do you remember what I told you last time about those small countries that were seized by Qi? Many of the people from those small countries who were expelled have now come to Sheng Kingdom."
At first, local officials didn't pay much attention and didn't deliberately drive them away. Later, as more and more people gathered, they gradually reported the incident to the imperial court, but by then it was already out of control.
"There are not only refugees here now, but also many bandits. Someone will meet us later. Once we arrive at the villa, you can settle in comfortably. Be careful these next few days and don't go out unless necessary."
Gu Xi nodded seriously.
The carriage continued its journey for a while when suddenly, the weak cries of a child could be heard outside the window, along with the sobbing voice of a woman comforting her child: "My child, hang in there a little longer, it'll be our turn soon. The doctor will examine you, and you'll get better..."
Gu Xi felt a pang of anxiety and couldn't help but lift the bed curtains again, her gaze following the mother and child until it finally landed on the makeshift thatched shed behind them.
She saw a familiar figure in a blue robe bending down to feed medicine to a child, surrounded by several women holding infants.
"Aheng! Stop the car! Stop the car!"
"It's my senior brother! I see my senior brother!" Gu Xixin was both anxious and happy.
Just as she was about to lift the entire carriage curtain, Xiao Heng suddenly raised his hand and pressed down on her wrist, ordering the driver with a firm tone: "Continue on, no need to stop!"
"Aheng, I need to stop the car!" Gu Xi turned to look at Xiao Heng and shouted anxiously.
"Listen to me, you can't park here!" There are too many homeless people here; it would be too dangerous to get out of the car rashly.
Xiao Heng continued to explain, "It's getting late now. How about I accompany you to meet your senior brother in a couple of days after I've finished my business?"
"But....."
"obedient!"
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Author's Note: *crying emoji* I didn't complete this week's rankings, I'm doomed! [laughing and crying emoji]
Please, reviewers, have mercy! [laughing and crying emoji]
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