Chapter 94 She didn't believe it. "What happened?!"...
After their meal, the two strolled around Gu Xi's courtyard and then sat on a bench in the pavilion.
The two sat side by side, Gu Xi resting her head on Xiao Heng's shoulder, her hands wrapped in his palms.
She gazed into the distance, hesitated for a moment, and then told Xiao Heng the story of Chu Linyun, Su Jinzhao, and the late emperor.
She hadn't told Xiao Heng before that the woman killed by the Empress Dowager was her aunt.
Xiao Heng was deeply shaken after hearing this.
It turns out that his father and mother had killed the Su family's daughter. Although Su Jinhe wasn't particularly warm towards him, she didn't seem to harbor any resentment either.
I suppose it's because of her concern.
His admiration for her grew even stronger.
Gu Xi suddenly broke free from his grasp, turned and hugged him, her voice muffled: "Aheng..."
"I am here......"
"If anything happens between us in the future, we must not deceive each other, but face it together, okay?"
We must not end up like our master and aunt, regretting it for the rest of our lives.
"Okay." Xiao Heng replied, resting his chin on her hair, holding her tightly with one hand and covering the back of her head with the other, letting her face press against his chest.
Gu Xi felt the trembling in his chest and snuggled against him affectionately.
That night, Gu Xi and Xiao Heng stayed at the Gu family home.
She planned to move back to the palace after the festival was over.
He was burdened with state affairs, and it was always inconvenient for him to summon ministers at the Gu family residence. He was also always busy at night and had to rush back to the palace early in the morning. She didn't want him to be too tired.
While she went to take a bath, Xiao Heng stayed alone in her room.
He had been living here for several months, his heart constantly on edge, leaving him no time to think about anything else. Only today did he finally take a thorough look at Gu Xi's courtyard, inside and out, and now he was examining her boudoir.
This is where she grew up.
His gaze settled on the guqin by the window. He slowly walked to the guqin table, his fingertips tracing the surface of the instrument, his fingertips gently caressing it.
Upon closer inspection, although there are traces left by years of use, the body of the instrument is still as smooth as solidified cream, with a uniform color, showing that the owner of the instrument cherishes it very much.
I wonder if this is the same zither she used when she first learned to play it as a child?
He could imagine how diligently she practiced as a child, and how radiant her smile was when she was praised.
Suddenly, the image of her innocent and charming childhood flashed into his mind, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curled up. But a moment later, as if he had suddenly thought of something, the smile froze instantly, his eyes darkened, and his aura turned cold.
As soon as Gu Xi entered the room, she saw Xiao Heng standing alone by the window, staring at the guqin on the table, seemingly lost in thought, looking quite unhappy.
Everything was fine just now, wasn't it?
She frowned at him, glanced at him, and walked past him, not intending to pay him any attention.
Xiao Heng suddenly reached out and hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her forward and lifting her off the ground with his palm around her lower back.
Gu Xi was startled when her feet suddenly left the ground, and instinctively grabbed his shoulders with both hands.
Before he could recover from his shock, he was carried to the bedside and straddled on his lap.
Xiao Heng's hands were on her back, staring at her intently, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Gu Xi glared angrily, wondering what had suddenly gotten into him.
She turned her head to the side, not intending to ask at all; take it or leave it!
Seeing her like that, Xiao Heng was even more furious. He moved his palm to her waist and pulled her tightly against him. Finally, he gave her waist a light pinch, which carried a hint of punishment.
Gu Xi's eyelashes trembled slightly. She turned her head and continued to glare at him, but with a hint of coquettishness in her eyes. Her nose was slightly upturned, and she said angrily, "What's wrong with me?!"
Xiao Heng's heart fluttered at her appearance, his eyes darkened, and he asked in a low, husky voice, "Did you learn the zither with Xiao Che?"
Gu Xi was taken aback, shook her head, and then nodded.
Yes or no?
Gu Xi thought for a moment: "He learned it first, and then..."
"So you spent your days playing the zither and flute together after that?" Xiao Heng interrupted her, his eyes darkening as he recalled the tacit understanding between the two when they played together.
During that year, Xiao Che came almost every day, which gives you an idea of what it was like before.
The thought of the two of them spending every day together over the past ten years, with Xiao Che by her side at every moment of her growth, made his chest tighten.
Xiao Heng's voice was unreadable, but Gu Xi could clearly sense a hint of gritted teeth and an intense, unyielding sourness.
She nodded very slightly, looked up at him, and didn't dare to say anything.
"What else did you do with him when you were little? Hmm?" He pulled her closer to him by the waist.
Gu Xixiao murmured softly, "It's nothing..."
Xiao Heng clearly didn't believe it. Given Xiao Che's feelings for her, how could there be nothing?
He continued, his face dark, "Holded hands?"
Gu Xi hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a blush.
When she was little, she loved to stick close to Xiao Che because he would always bring her all sorts of delicious food from the palace, food she had never tried before.
He would also bring her many new and interesting things, such as the small bracelet made of colorful snail shells, and the tassels that now hang on her violin.
Brother Che treats her so well!
That's not like him!
Xiao Heng's arms around her waist tightened suddenly, a dangerous glint in his eyes: "Anything else?"
Gu Xi shook her head like a rattle drum, but her eyelashes kept fluttering.
Can I say that?
Back then, they often played wedding ceremony games. When she insisted on being the bride, Xiao Che would be the groom.
He would also give her something as a betrothal gift each time, and she treasured those things very much.
When I think back on these things, I just think they're just kids playing around, and I don't see anything wrong with them. In fact, I find them quite amusing.
Now, however, he dares not let the person in front of him know at all, because this person is extremely jealous!
Xiao Heng saw through her guilty conscience at a glance. He narrowed his phoenix eyes and loosened his grip, coaxing her, "Tell me, I'm not angry."
Gu Xi's eyes widened, and she asked uncertainly, "Really?" Her voice rose slightly.
Xiao Heng gently raised his index finger and tapped her waist repeatedly, his tone unusually gentle: "Really."
Gu Xi looked into his unfathomable eyes, where his deliberate gentleness was like a medicine coated in sugar. She pouted and said, "No, that's all."
She didn't believe it.
If you speak out, you'll be the one who suffers!
Xiao Heng's eyes darkened, his gaze clearly seeing through her lie, yet he didn't expose it. He changed the subject, his eyes half-smiling as he said, "Has I ever told you how you should address him normally?"
Gu Xi said defiantly, "I can call you whatever I want!" She glanced at his less-than-pleasant expression and still added, "He'll be sad..."
"So you're just going to ignore me when I'm heartbroken?"
She turned her head to the side, pouted slightly, and muttered, "I can't care about that anymore... um..."
Gu Xi's lips were suddenly sealed, and her eyes widened in surprise.
He reached out and held the back of her neck, his burning lips capturing hers. His tongue pried open her teeth, chasing and entwining with her soft lips and tongue, teasing her inch by inch. Her fair neck flushed crimson, and the temperature on her back began to rise.
He was lost in her intoxicating fragrance, his eyes as dark as ink, until he looked up and saw her flushed face, and then he suddenly released her lips.
He let out a indulgent yet helpless laugh, his deep voice whispering against her lips, "Take a breath." Then he covered her lips again.
Why has it reverted to such an awkward and inexperienced state?
We must teach them from the beginning.
Gu Xi endured his increasingly deep kisses. The heat emanating from his body made her gradually weaken. In the heat of passion, she let out a soft moan. Helplessly, she shifted her body, wanting to escape yet also wanting to stay close.
Xiao Heng froze, abruptly stopping, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at her, his low, hoarse voice taut: "Don't move."
Gu Xi was slightly out of breath, looking at him innocently with her eyes wide open. Her lips were rosy from being kissed, and her spring-like appearance was both pitiful and extremely alluring. Xiao Heng was so captivated by her that he couldn't take his eyes off her.
He suddenly grabbed her waist, turned her around, and pinned her down. His lips brushed against her earlobe, sending a shiver through her. Then, he whispered in her ear, "Now, do you still care?" His voice held a dangerous glint in it.
Gu Xi was pinned down by him and couldn't move. She struggled twice but couldn't break free, so she simply opened her mouth and bit his shoulder hard. Xiao Heng felt the pain and loosened his grip slightly, then looked up at her.
Gu Xi met his gaze warily and pointed to the soft couch beside the bed: "You sleep there!"
She didn't want him to get into her bed; he was already used to sleeping on that soft couch anyway.
She doesn't feel sorry for him at all now!
Xiao Heng looked at her flustered appearance, let out a low chuckle, got off her and lay down beside her.
Gu Xi suddenly sat up, leaning her back against the bed beam, supporting herself with her hands on the bed, and bending her knees as if to kick the person off.
Xiao Heng saw through her little scheme at a glance, stretched out his long arm, hooked her waist, and pulled her into his embrace: "Sleep." His voice was hoarse, and his eyes were still red.
Gu Xi struggled fiercely, kicking her legs wildly, her hands unconsciously tracing patterns across his chest. Even through the thin nightgown, he could feel the slight coolness emanating from her fingertips.
His arms tightened slightly, which only made her snuggle even closer into his embrace.
She nestled in his arms like a restless kitten, and Xiao Heng didn't stop her, letting her fuss as she pleased. He just tensed up, closed his eyes, and suppressed his surging desire.
After an unknown amount of time, perhaps exhausted from all the commotion, the person in my arms gradually calmed down, her breathing became long and even, and her delicate eyelashes drooped down like two fans, quietly resting under her eyelids.
He removed his hands from his chest and sighed, "Finally, they've settled down."
He gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, lowered his head to kiss her forehead, and whispered in her ear, "Gu Xi, from now on, let me be by your side every day, okay?"
*
After the winter solstice, the two moved back to the palace.
After being tricked back by Xiao Heng last time, she was coaxed into entering Kunning Palace by him again the next day, and then the news of the Empress's return to the palace spread like wildfire.
However, she only stayed in the palace for two days before returning to the Gu family, and she is still quite unaccustomed to living in Kunning Palace this time.
Her belongings had already been moved from Weiyang Palace, but Xiao Heng still arranged for people to clean Weiyang Palace every day to maintain its original appearance.
That day, Gu Xi was playing with the children, Zhu Yin and Hua Yue, when a eunuch suddenly rushed in to report: "Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! The Emperor and the Sixth Prince are fighting!"
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Author's note: There should be one or two more chapters left to finish. Thank you for your hard work following along! [laughing and crying emojis] I feel a little bad about it.
I feel like the male lead didn't get much angst. Shouldn't there be more of him pursuing his wife? I plan to go back and watch the rest of the series after it's finished, haha.
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