Chapter 46 If you won't say it after a passionate kiss, I'll kiss you until you do. ...
Marry him?
Lou Yanxu was somewhat dazed. It had been more than half a year since then. There were too many entanglements between them, and it was hard to tell whether it was love or hate. Perhaps it was both, but if even a trace of hatred remained in their hearts, they could not stay together for life.
"I don't want to." She watched the autumn wind rustle the leaves, a chill washing over her, her gaze turning cold. "But there are some things I must do."
She wanted to sever this relationship herself; if she was going to hate, she should hate to the extreme. Leaving any lingering attachment would only torment her.
Finally, she reminded Yunbing, "Don't go looking for trouble with him; you can't beat him."
Xu Congjing had struggled his way up from nothing, and even someone like Grand Tutor Meng only tried to win him over rather than suppress him, which showed how terrifying his status was. Even if she resented and hated him, she had to admit this fact, so she didn't want Yun Bing to get involved.
But Yun Bingwei is her only relative, how could she just abandon him? She only promised, "I will support whatever you want to do, but if he dares to hurt you, I will risk my life to get back at him!"
Lou Yanxu had no doubt, but her future was fraught with danger and uncertainty. Only with the support of the Lou family could she charge forward without regard for anything. Her expression was solemn as she gripped Yun Bing's shoulders and said seriously, "Yun Bing, if anything really happens to me one day, don't seek revenge for me. Just live well and protect the Lou family."
These words, which sounded like she was making her final arrangements, made it seem as if she was about to risk her life. Lou Yunbing felt a sharp pain in his forehead and his brows furrowed deeply. "Sister, are you hiding something from me?"
She remained silent, loosening her grip on his shoulder joint by joint, before turning to attend to Lu Hengzhi.
She was told that he had to leave due to an emergency, and she was unable to explain the situation to him. She slumped against the wall, feeling utterly exhausted.
When the ten-day break came again, I did not see Lu Hengzhi again.
A new pastry shop opened in the city, and it was packed with people on opening day. Everyone said the taste was irresistible. Lou Yan had some free time, so she went with Qing Rui to join in the fun.
The shop had been open for five or six days, and it was fairly crowded with people coming and going. The aroma of crispy pastries wafted through the air even before one entered, making them incredibly tempting. Qingrui's eyes lit up, and she drooled. Lou Yanxu chuckled and tapped her forehead, urging her to go and choose some.
After strolling around, a colorful array of pastries came into view, and the rich aroma of fruit and fresh floral fragrances collided at the tip of the nose, lingering in the air for a long time.
Qingrui came running over with a basket full of various items, a smile spreading across her lips. "Second Mistress, let's take these."
Lou Yanxu glanced at it briefly and laughed at her silly, puffed-up head, "You didn't choose this for me, you chose it for yourself, didn't you?"
Qingrui was slightly embarrassed, but smiled and replied, "These are all your favorite foods."
"Then let's choose a few more."
Lou Yanxu also likes sweets, but she gets tired of them easily and usually only eats a few pieces before stopping. Qingrui, on the other hand, can eat a hundred or so pieces in one go. Seeing her in such a good mood, I didn't want to spoil the fun.
Turning around again, I saw a woman gracefully walking in through the doorway. She was dressed in a light blue brocade dress with a beautiful face and delicate eyebrows, her eyes as clear as autumn water.
"Mrs. Meng, you're here again." The shopkeeper greeted her familiarly, took out two bags of fresh flour from the counter and handed them over, and asked someone to give her two boxes of pastries as a bonus, "Everything is prepared for you."
Lou Yanxu had long heard that the flour in this shop was homemade, which made the pastries exceptionally soft, so many people came specifically to buy it. She glanced at Meng Lingshang and met her gaze, feeling a sudden discomfort. She hadn't known why this person was so hostile towards her until their embrace at the Jiaozhou city gate, when she realized it was because of Xu Congjing.
She had no intention of competing with him for his affections, so she turned and went elsewhere.
Meng Lingshang also withdrew her gaze and replied with a smile, "Yes, Madam Xu loves my rose milk pastry. I'll make some more today and send them over."
The shopkeeper grinned so wide his small eyes bulged into his flesh, and taking advantage of the commotion, he teased, "Is it possible that Second Madam and Minister Xu are getting married soon?"
"You're joking." Her voice was sweet, but her gaze inadvertently swept over the corner before her smile faded and she stepped onto the stool.
Lou Yan and Xu Xu overheard this. Meng Lingshang was favored by Madam Xu, so she must have a good chance. However, what Xu Congjing thought was unknown.
Suddenly, she remembered someone. Sheng Jin was once incredibly famous for her engagement to Xu Congjing, but on their wedding day, she was caught in bed with another man, and then kidnapped on her way back home. Her whereabouts are still unknown. Vanishing overnight is both rare and common; with the passage of time, probably few people remember this young lady now.
With a whole host of thoughts swirling in her mind, Lou Yanxu had little energy left and hurriedly paid the bill before leaving.
That evening, Xu Congjing invited her to admire the moon by the lotus pond.
A gentle night breeze caressed the water's surface, casting dappled shadows of the moon. A few lotus blossoms remained unfaded, and occasionally a few fireflies lingered. Wisps of night mist rose, making everything appear hazy and indistinct.
Lou Yanxu stretched out her hand, and two fireflies danced around her palm. They would swirl around her hand, only to slip away again, repeating this several times until they lost their spark. Xu Congjing leaned closer, his hand larger and faster, and with a quick movement, a faint light shone through his fingers before he turned and transferred it into her palm.
She peered through her fingers, the flickering light casting a half-light on her face. Xu Congjing's gaze followed her intently, and he chuckled to himself.
She suddenly looked up, meeting his enchanting, ambiguous eyes, his gaze sparkling. It was as if she had returned to the year she came of age, when the two of them drank together under the moon, their eyes blurred with intoxication, their gazes meeting, and a sudden surge of deep affection welled up in their hearts, leading to their first kiss as their hearts first opened to love.
Xu Congjing's Adam's apple bobbed. He leaned over, his thumb resting on her earlobe, and gently stroked the corner of her eye. Their noses touched, their breaths mingling, and the two of them lost in thought.
In a daze, as if recalling the passionate moments of the past, Lou Yanxu's heart pounded rapidly, but a sense of panic welled up inside her. Just as their lips touched, she stood up and staggered back. He chased after her, took her hand in the pavilion, pinned her against the eaves pillar, and kissed her without giving her a chance to resist.
Her lips were icy and cold, yet her breath grew increasingly hot. She felt dizzy and weak in the legs, and could only grip the eaves pillars behind her with her hands. Her lips and teeth intertwined, and the surge of heat almost overwhelmed her senses.
But just as he was about to deepen the kiss, she suddenly snapped back to reality.
no!
She had ulterior motives; how could she be seduced by him? He was no longer the brother Zizheng who loved her dearly; he was Xu Congjing, who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
Yes, he is Xu Congjing.
Lou Yanxu's mind flashed with a sense of struggle. She tried to push him away by bracing her hands against her chest, but to no avail. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and bite down, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth.
Xu Congjing winced in pain, her lips parted, and lingering desire remained in her eyes. She turned and left, her steps quickening.
He caught up with her, and even in his haste, he still asked softly, "What's wrong? Did I make you angry?"
"No."
She wasn't angry, just a little flustered and afraid. Someone she had deeply loved once had occupied her entire heart, so she could only tell herself over and over again that she wanted revenge, that she wanted him to suffer the consequences, and that she absolutely couldn't let herself fall for her again.
That's right, it's all pretense nowadays.
In just a few days, Xu Congjing will taste the bitterness of betrayal.
As she pondered, her heart calmed down, and she slowed her pace. He sensed the change and insisted she stop, bending down to tease her, "If you don't tell me, I'll kiss you until you do."
Now that they were in the bustling city, with its dazzling lights and crowds, she was furious at his indecent behavior. She pinched her waist and yelled, "You shameless scoundrel!"
Xu Congjing smiled and took her hand, "If it pleases you, then whatever you want is fine."
Lou Yanxu was deep in thought, forcing a smile. She then noticed a small stall selling rose-flavored milk pastries and suddenly had the idea to buy two, handing one to him.
Seeing him take a bite and chew, she asked casually, "Is this tastier or is her cooking tastier?"
"Who did it?" he mumbled, and she glanced at him sideways. "Don't you know who you ate?"
Xu Congjing was startled, vaguely realizing that "danger" was approaching. Staring at the rose milk pastry, his mind raced, and he remembered seeing it in his mother's room earlier that day. Then he realized that Meng Lingshang had been running around the Xu residence these days.
He asked blankly, "Are you talking about that Meng Erniangzi?"
The scalding hot cheese he hadn't finished chewing was now unbearably hot; swallowing it or spitting it out, keeping it in his mouth was a grave sin. In a flash, he swallowed it whole and hastily explained...
"I've never eaten it before."
"I don't like sweets."
"Do you think I don't know whether you like sweets or not? I won't say anything if you eat them." I've never heard him mention disliking sweets when we eat together, so I just think this lie is really clumsy.
Actually, she didn't care about anything; she just wanted to have some fun, and her embarrassed appearance achieved her goal.
But Xu Congjing took it seriously and dared not be perfunctory. He wanted to reveal all his secrets. "I ate them earlier because I didn't want to spoil your fun. I really have never eaten pastries made by other people."
Lou Yanxu didn't want to talk about the past anymore, so she just said "Oh" and didn't say anything more. She walked around, stopping and eating. Xu Congjing didn't understand her intentions and scratched his head, not knowing what to do.
I finally saw her pick up a pair of clay figurines, looking at them from left to right, reluctant to put them down, but not buying them. After she left, I quietly paid for them and took them.
He gave a thumbs-up three times, repeating their secret words as usual, "If this makes you unhappy, you can hit me or yell at me, don't hold a grudge."
Lou Yanxu stared blankly, a bitter feeling rising in her heart. He was utterly despicable, constantly whipping her heart with memories of the past, each blow drawing blood.
But if she really forgave him, how could she face herself?
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