Chapter 48 You are my troublesome matter
Ever since Li Minghua frankly admitted to feeling jealous that day in the pavilion, Tang Xiaoning felt like she was floating on clouds, seeing everything through a sweet filter.
Even when Zhou Wenyuan came to visit again, bringing a bunch of supposedly calming and nerve-soothing tonics, she accepted them with a pleasant expression and even gave him a rare good look.
Even though she turned around and gave all the things to the servants.
Now, all she can think about is her suddenly enlightened "blockhead".
Li Minghua appeared calm on the surface, but inside he was experiencing a turbulent storm.
That unfamiliar, intense, possessive emotion, like a long-sealed volcano, once it finds a crack, surges forth, searching for an outlet to erupt.
She became more silent, more focused when practicing swordsmanship, even with an almost self-destructive intensity.
Only when facing Tang Xiaoning would his cold and hard aura melt away, and his eyes would reveal a tenderness and struggle that he himself was unaware of.
That evening, the sky was as dark as if splashed with ink, with thick, dark clouds pressing down and rumbling thunder rolling deep within the clouds.
Like the low growl of a trapped beast, it brews a torrential summer rain.
The air was sticky, carrying an earthy smell and a sense of impending storm.
Tang Xiaoning nestled on the soft couch in the warm pavilion, absentmindedly fiddling with the pair of lustrous pearl earrings her cousin had given her.
The cool touch of the pearl did nothing to quell the anxiety in her heart.
Her gaze frequently drifted to the darkening sky outside the window, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.
"It's going to rain heavily, why hasn't Minghua come back yet?"
She only said she was going to the blacksmith's shop in the west of the city to check out the newly made sword blades this afternoon, and it's been almost two hours since she left..."
Xiao Cui, who was standing to the side, poured a cup of warm tea and handed it to her, gently comforting her: "Miss, don't worry. Miss Li's martial arts are so high, she can't do anything to you in ordinary matters."
Perhaps the blacksmith's shop was busy, or perhaps something had held him back.
No sooner had he finished speaking than hurried footsteps came from outside. Uncle Fu lifted the curtain and entered, his expression rather strange, carefully carrying a small, rough earthenware wine jar in his hand.
"Miss, Miss Li is back... but..."
"Just what?" Tang Xiaoning's heart tightened suddenly. She immediately put down her earring, stood up, and her skirt swayed slightly.
"Miss Li... seems to have had some wine; her steps were unsteady, and she went straight back to her own courtyard. This old servant noticed... her complexion was very strange,"
Uncle Fu lowered his voice and gently placed the wine jar on the table: "This old servant didn't dare to ask any more questions. This was brought back by A-Gui, the servant who accompanied Miss Li. He said that Miss Li bought it at the 'Xinghuachun' tavern opposite the blacksmith's shop... a very good brand of strong liquor."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Cui covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes wide open.
Uncle Fu's brow furrowed even more, clearly worried about this unusual behavior.
drink wine?
Tang Xiaoning was stunned, her heart sinking.
Minghua is drinking?
Minghua, who was usually so self-disciplined that she was almost strict, and who only allowed her to taste a small cup of the sweet plum wine brewed in the mansion, and who herself never drank alcohol, actually took the initiative to buy wine to drink.
Or is it the strongest kind of liquor?
Did he drink until his complexion turned pale and his steps became unsteady?
A strong sense of unease, mixed with a sharp pang of heartache, instantly gripped her, more suffocating than the oppressive dark clouds outside the window.
"I'm going to check on her!" Tang Xiaoning blurted out, not bothering to put on an outer robe or care about her manners, and rushed out of the warm pavilion, lifting her skirt.
Xiao Cui exclaimed anxiously, "Oh!" and quickly grabbed a cloak to chase after him.
As soon as you step into the secluded courtyard where Li Minghua lives, a strong smell of alcohol hits you, pungent and irritating, mixed with the humid and stuffy air, making you feel slightly dizzy.
The courtyard gate was ajar. Tang Xiaoning pushed it open, and the sight that came into view made her gasp.
Li Minghua sat alone on the cold stone bench in the center of the courtyard, his back to her.
His back remained ramrod straight, like a javelin that would rather break than bend.
But the taut, almost stiff shoulder line revealed an indescribable sense of profound loneliness as dusk settled in.
On the stone table, the unsealed coarse pottery wine jar stood crookedly, its mouth wide open, from which the strong aroma of wine wafted out.
Half of the wine in the jar had already disappeared.
"Minghua?" Tang Xiaoning suppressed her shock, tiptoed, and cautiously approached, her voice trembling slightly.
The evening breeze ruffled the hem of her skirt, and the impending rain and strong smell of alcohol mingled in the air, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
Li Minghua's body trembled almost imperceptibly, as if he had been pulled back from some chaotic world by that familiar voice.
She turned her head somewhat slowly.
The light was dim, but it was enough for Tang Xiaoning to see her clearly.
That face, usually so cool and aloof, was now flushed with an unnatural, deep blush that spread all the way to her ears and neck.
Her eyes, usually as clear and bright as stars, were now veiled in a misty haze, glistening with tears. Her gaze was unfocused yet intense, fixed intently on Tang Xiaoning's face with an almost greedy intensity.
That gaze was no longer the usual restrained and subtle one, but scorching and burning, carrying a straightforward power that seemed to devour one, making Tang Xiaoning's heart tremble violently.
"Xiaoning..." Li Minghua's voice was terribly hoarse.
Every syllable was shrouded in the heavy smell of alcohol, drifting yet striking Tang Xiaoning's heart with exceptional clarity: "You've come."
There was a hint of... a long-awaited hoarseness in his tone.
"You... how could you drink so much?" Tang Xiaoning quickly walked to her side, the strong smell of alcohol making her nose sting.
She reached out, wanting to touch Li Minghua's burning cheeks, but hesitated and stopped in mid-air. In the end, she only gently placed her hand on the cold stone table, her fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure of her worry.
"Is something bothering you? Or... are you feeling unwell? Please tell me?" Her voice was filled with anxious heartache.
Li Minghua did not answer her barrage of questions.
She simply tilted her graceful neck back, lifted the heavy wine jar, and took another big gulp.
The spicy, knife-like liquid slid down her throat, causing her to furrow her brow in pain and let out a suppressed groan, but she stubbornly swallowed it down.
The wine jar fell heavily back onto the stone table with a dull thud.
Her gaze remained fixed on Tang Xiaoning's face, as if if she looked away for even a moment, the person who stirred her emotions would vanish into thin air.
“Troublesome things…” she repeated Tang Xiaoning’s words in a low voice, her tongue seemingly stiff.
Suddenly, she tugged at the corners of her mouth, revealing a smile that was a mixture of deep intoxication and profound bitterness.
The smile that appeared on her usually cold face was particularly breathtaking: "Yes."
"What is it? Tell me quickly! No matter how big the problem is, I'll help you... Let's figure something out together!" Tang Xiaoning was so anxious that she almost stomped her feet.
Her body unconsciously moved closer to her, wanting to grab her hand, but the scorching heat emanating from her body forced her fingertips to curl up.
"You." Li Minghua abruptly interrupted her, his gaze intense, uttering a single word with crystal clarity.
A simple syllable, yet it struck Tang Xiaoning's heart with tremendous force.
Tang Xiaoning was completely stunned. Her cherry lips parted slightly as she repeated incredulously, "...Me?"
“Yes, you.” Li Minghua suddenly stood up, leaning on the stone table.
The intoxication caused her to lose her usual precise control over her body, and her steps became noticeably unsteady and she staggered.
Instead of retreating to regain her footing, she used the momentum to take a sudden step forward and close the distance.
The sudden closeness caught Tang Xiaoning off guard, and they were almost touching noses.
The scalding heat of his breath, carrying the strong, spicy smell of alcohol, sprayed all over Tang Xiaoning's sensitive cheeks and neck, sending a slight shiver down her spine.
Li Minghua lowered his head slightly, his hazy yet intense gaze fixed on Tang Xiaoning's face, which flushed red instantly. Their breaths intertwined intimately in the air.
“Tang Xiaoning—” Her voice was low and hoarse, each word seemingly squeezed out with difficulty from her burning chest, “You are the biggest worry.”
Tang Xiaoning was flustered by her sudden accusation and the sudden closeness, to the point where they could hear each other's breath.
Her mind went blank, and she instinctively wanted to take a step back.
But as soon as he moved his foot even half an inch, his wrist was gripped tightly by a hot, strong hand with calluses.
The force was astonishing, like an iron hoop, carrying an undeniable dominance. Her knuckles turned slightly white from the force, instantly depriving her of any chance of escape.
"I..." Tang Xiaoning's heart pounded wildly in her chest, the sound of the beating drums seemed to be booming in her ears.
She was forced to meet Li Minghua's gaze. Those eyes, which were usually cold and aloof, now shone with an aggressive light, dangerous like the eyes of a beast locking onto its prey in the dark, yet radiating a dazzling and captivating magic.
The shock left her tongue tied, her voice barely audible: "I...I...how did I bother you?"
She could clearly feel Li Minghua's rapid, hot breath brushing against her lips, carrying a strong smell of alcohol that made her cheeks burn.
Li Minghua stared intently at her, his eyes as deep and dark as a dark night sky brewing a destructive storm, with suppressed emotions surging wildly within them.
“You’re always in front of me…” Her voice was terribly hoarse, each word seemed to be squeezed out from a burned throat, carrying a heart-wrenching accusation, and her body moved closer with each word.
"Your smile... is so beautiful..." Her gaze greedily traced Tang Xiaoning's eyebrows, eyes, and lips, as if she wanted to imprint this unforgettable image into the depths of her soul.
Tang Xiaoning could even feel her heart beating just as violently inside her chest.
"His voice... is so pleasant..." Li Minghua's aura completely enveloped her, and his intense presence made it difficult for Tang Xiaoning to breathe.
“Diverting my attention…disturbing my mind…” With each broken word she uttered, her scalding breath drew closer to Tang Xiaoning, almost burning her.
"Your cousin gave you something...you were happy to accept it..." Li Minghua's voice was filled with a deep sense of grievance and bitterness that he himself was unaware of, his eyes stubbornly fixed on Tang Xiaoning.
“Zhou Wenyuan…revolves around you…you’re impatient…but you’ve gotten used to it…” Her words began to ramble and become illogical, but her strong possessiveness and unease were like the sultry air before the rain.
Tang Xiaoning was completely stunned, her mind going completely blank.
These words… these words filled with an intense, almost manic possessiveness and deep unease, could they really have come from the mouth of Li Minghua, who was calm, reserved, sparing with words, and always kept his emotions buried deep inside?!
Alcohol shattered the dam of reason she had carefully built over many years.
It allowed her to release those surging emotions that were buried deep in her heart, emotions that she herself might not even be clearly aware of, or emotions that she had been desperately suppressing, without reservation.
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