Chapter 112 Confessing My Love for You
The two walked up the path behind the mountain. The morning mist had not completely dissipated, and the dew on the grass dampened their trouser legs. The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.
After walking for about half an incense stick's time, Xu Zhiheng stopped and stepped aside.
Ahead lay a wide cliff, with several clumps of wild chrysanthemums growing along its edge. A gust of wind blew, and delicate petals drifted gently down.
Looking into the distance, you can see the rolling green mountains, with the stream at their foot like a thin belt. The expansive view makes your heart feel open and bright.
Lin Yao had just stood still, and before she could even admire the scenery before her, Xu Zhiheng turned around and stared directly at her face.
His earlier excitement had faded, replaced by a serious look in his eyes: "Ayao, you've been avoiding me lately."
It's not a question, it's a statement of certainty.
Lin Yao's heart skipped a beat, her eyes darting around, but she stubbornly said, "No, you're overthinking it. Everyone's been busy settling in these days, I just haven't had a chance to talk to you."
“It’s not that I didn’t have time, it’s that I deliberately avoided you.” Xu Zhiheng took half a step forward, not letting her get away, and added a touch of grievance to his tone, “A few days ago at the village gate, I wanted to explain to you, but you didn’t listen. Later, when I went to the west end to find you, you either said you were helping Su Niang or that you had to accompany Xiaomi. You didn’t even have time to say a word to me alone.”
His gaze was fixed on her profile as he asked, word by word, "Is it because of Bai Li? Why are you so concerned about my relationship with him?"
This question hit Lin Yao where it hurt. Xu Zhiheng was better off not mentioning it, because it only made her angry.
Lin Yao lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze, and remained silent for a long while before saying in a muffled voice, "I don't know."
She's been feeling very confused lately and doesn't want to talk to him, so she's followed her own wishes and has had less contact with him.
Xu Zhiheng sensed the evasiveness in her words.
He moved closer, leaned down slightly, and said with unprecedented seriousness in his voice, "Ayao, it makes me very sad that you're avoiding me."
Lin Yao's eyelashes trembled.
“In the past two years on the front lines, not a single day has passed without me thinking of you.” Xu Zhiheng’s voice was soft, carried away by the mountain breeze. “Every time after a battle, lying in my tent, I would wonder if you were doing well in the valley, and if you were in any danger. Later, when I heard that Meng Yong intended to occupy Jiangnan, I became even more worried and immediately volunteered to return to defend Jiangnan.”
“Bai Li is not a woman. He came with me to investigate secrets, and he usually has to dress as a woman to avoid being recognized. In front of so many people, I cannot reveal his identity casually.” Xu Zhiheng looked at her steadily and said seriously, “I have never had any inappropriate relationship with any woman, but with you, I have repeatedly been unable to control my desire to get closer to you.”
Lin Yao suddenly raised her head, her eyes wide open, her face filled with shock.
She opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but felt as if her tongue was tied in knots, managing only a few incoherent words: "What...what did you say? Bai Li is...a man? And you...me? How...how could this be..."
Her ears turned bright red, and her cheeks flushed slightly. Her eyes were filled with panic, like a little rabbit whose ears had been grabbed, completely lacking her usual sharpness.
Seeing her like this, Xu Zhiheng's heart softened completely. "I didn't lie to you. If you don't believe me about Bai Li, I'll have him tell you himself later."
He knew his words had been too sudden and startled her, so he quickly softened his tone and spoke gently: "When I said I missed you, it was absolutely true. A-Yao, the reason I came to see you today is to tell you that I love you, and I've loved you for two years."
I love you.
When those four words reached her ears, Lin Yao felt a buzzing in her head, as if someone had thrown a smoke bomb at her. She couldn't hear a word of what Xu Zhiheng said afterward.
She stood frozen in place, like a startled fawn.
Xu Zhiheng's face was right in front of her, his eyes serious yet a little apprehensive, but Lin Yao's mind went blank.
The first thought that came to mind was: run!
Although the idea was pathetic, Lin Yao did it anyway.
"I understand," she said, then turned around abruptly and rushed down the mountain, leaving Xu Zhiheng alone on the cliff edge.
A gust of wind blew by, making Xu Zhiheng's long black hair flutter wildly. Whether it was because his heart was cold or because he was really frozen, he couldn't help but shiver.
Lin Yao stumbled and fell all the way back to the cabin.
The room was quiet. Su Niang and Wang Xiaoyu must have gone to the kitchen to help Jin Yu and Mantang make breakfast, so no one saw her in this disheveled state.
Lin Yao slammed the door shut behind her, her back pressed tightly against the door panel, her hands supporting her knees as she gasped for breath, her chest heaving violently.
It took her a while to calm down before she slowly straightened up, raised her hand to touch her face, which was so hot it felt like she could fry an egg on it, and even her ears were still burning.
My heart was pounding like a rabbit, flustered and confused, yet also filled with an undeniable joy.
Xu Zhiheng's words were like sweet sugar water, sweetening her heart and making her unable to help but smile. But she only smiled halfway before remembering that she had just abandoned him and run away without even a proper response. She gently patted her cheek: "Lin Yao, Lin Yao, how could you be so spineless!"
Lin Yao poured herself a cup of cold tea, and only after drinking it did she manage to calm her wildly beating heart.
She couldn't help but think of her past life.
She lived to her twenties in modern times and never even experienced a proper romantic encounter; she was definitely a lifelong single.
To be fair, Xu Zhiheng was already very handsome, with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and a high nose. Now, after two years of training on the battlefield, he has shed his youthful air and gained a more sharp aura. Just standing there, he makes people feel at ease.
As Lin Yao sat in the chair, she suddenly remembered the first time she met him, his meticulous and calculating manner, and his gentle and kind demeanor towards the orphans. One memory after another appeared in her mind like a slow-motion replay.
She may have already fallen for him.
Just then, Su Niang's voice came from outside the door: "A Yao? Are you in the room? Breakfast is almost ready. Jin Yu and Man Tang's porridge smells pretty good. Why don't you come out and try some?"
Lin Yao straightened her wrinkled clothes, touched her burning cheeks, and tried to make her voice sound normal: "I understand, I'll be right there!"
As soon as she opened the door, she saw Xu Zhiheng standing under a tree not far away, staring straight at her, as if he had been waiting for a while.
Lin Yao paused, instinctively wanting to retreat back into the house, but Xu Zhiheng had already walked over quickly.
He didn't get too close, standing two steps away, scratching his head, and after hesitating for a while, he finally said, "You were running so fast, you didn't fall, did you?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yao was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
I thought he would ask more questions or be disappointed, but I didn't expect this clueless guy to only care whether she had fallen or not.
The panic and anxiety that had been building up inside me dissipated with the wind, and I felt completely relaxed.
She turned around and twirled lightly in place: "Look, you're all clean and tidy, you didn't fall. But you, how long have you been standing here?"
Seeing her smile, Xu Zhiheng finally felt relieved and chuckled along, his ears turning slightly red. "Not long," he said, handing her the wildflowers he had hidden behind his back.
This carefully arranged bunch of wildflowers includes yellow wild chrysanthemums, pale purple wildflowers, and a few unidentified white wildflowers, giving it a charmingly rustic feel.
Xu Zhiheng held up the flower, his eyes sparkling like starlight, looking at her expectantly: "I picked it from the cliff edge just now, thinking you might like it."
Looking into the undisguised affection in his eyes, Lin Yao felt as if the rabbit that had been running wild in her heart had found its home, jumping gently and feeling warm and cozy.
She reached out and carefully took the bouquet of flowers, then lowered her head to gently sniff it, the delicate fragrance lingering around her nose.
“It smells wonderful,” she looked up at him, a bright smile curving her lips. “I’ll go back and find a bottle to put it in, otherwise it’ll be a waste if it dries up.”
Xu Zhiheng looked at her and smiled, then smiled back, his voice becoming lighter: "Okay, I'll wait for you."
He paused, took half a step forward, his eyes earnest yet gentle, and added, "I've been waiting for you."
Lin Yao understood what he meant, looked up into his eyes, and smiled even more brightly: "Okay."
Before the two even reached the kitchen door, they heard Jin Yu and Mantang's laughter.
Pushing open the door, they saw steam rising from the stove. Jin Yu was stirring porridge with a spoon, while Mantang set out bowls and chopsticks. When they came in, the two exchanged a glance, their eyes blatantly teasing, which they couldn't hide until Lin Yao blushed.
"General, Lady Lin, breakfast is just ready!" Jin Yu quickly ladled out two bowls of porridge and handed them to them. Her eyes swept between the two of them as she teased, "This porridge is thick. Lady Lin, please try it. If it's not sweet enough, I'll go get some sugar."
After saying that, he pretended to be annoyed and patted his head, "Look at my head, now everything you two eat tastes sweet."
Xu Zhiheng's ears turned red for once, and he glared at Jin Yu: "What are you talking about? Go eat!"
Wang Xiaoyu and Su Niang stood to the side, looking completely bewildered.
Going back a few quarters of an hour, Jin Yu and Man Tang were kept by Xu Zhiheng to cook porridge, but they were not about to miss this grand show.
After Wang Xiaoyu and Su Niang arrived, the two of them took turns disappearing for a while. When they returned, they whispered to each other for a while and then both revealed sly smiles.
Lin Yao's cheeks flushed from Jin Yu's teasing. She quickly took the bowl of porridge and greeted Su Niang and Wang Xiaoyu, "Sit down, sit down. The porridge is still warm. It won't taste good if it gets cold." As she spoke, she pulled Wang Xiaoyu to sit beside her, deliberately avoiding Jin Yu's teasing gaze, and lowered her head to sip the porridge.
Seeing her embarrassment, Xu Zhiheng quickly smoothed things over and handed Su Niang a pair of chopsticks: "Try this sweet potato, it was dug from the back mountain, it's very sweet."
Just as they were enjoying their meal, the kitchen door was pushed open, and Bai Li walked in.
He changed back into his white clothes, his long hair loosely tied up, and held a letter in his hand.
Upon seeing him, Su Niang recalled her actions from the past few days and reflexively frowned, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "Why are you here?"
Bai Li had no time to pay attention to Su Niang's indifference. He walked straight to Xu Zhiheng's side, his expression much more serious than usual: "I just received an urgent message from the old general. The war in the north is critical. He ordered us to set off in three days, leading our elite troops on a rapid march to provide support."
Xu Zhiheng quickly read the letter, folded it, and put it in his pocket. He then looked at everyone and said, "The matter is urgent. Bai Li and I need to start taking stock of our manpower and military equipment today. Jin Yu and Man Tang, you two come with me to the training ground and compile a list of the elite troops."
"Yes!" Jin Yu and Mantang immediately stood up, their previous playful smiles gone, replaced by serious expressions.
Xu Zhiheng's gaze fell on Lin Yao, his eyes filled with apology and reluctance. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Lin Yao suppressed her disappointment and smiled at him, "Don't worry, business is more important."
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