Chapter 27
When Zhuang Xing heard her ask that question, he immediately sensed that the meaning had changed. He frowned deeply and didn't bother to explain. "This is none of your business. Stop asking."
Fu'er was very dissatisfied, as Zhuang Xing always gave her the cold shoulder whenever he saw her.
It was as if they owed him money.
He snorted coldly, turned around, and left.
Zhuang Xing wasn't deaf; he heard it clearly. "Who are you humming about?"
Fu'er, no longer wanting to tolerate him, turned to the side and replied, "Whoever agrees, I'll huff at them."
Zhuang Xing was so angry that he gritted his teeth and said, "You..."
The guest Ning Shiyu was entertaining in his study was none other than Lin Yi, the guard he had sent out to find his younger brother.
"Your Highness, I am incompetent and have failed to find the young master and Miss Min."
After this happened several times, Ning Shiyu got used to it. "This matter has nothing to do with you. You have already done your best."
"After traveling for many days, go down and have a good rest."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will take my leave now."
After leaving Linyi, Mu Li noticed that Ning Shiyu was in low spirits.
He asked proactively, "Master, the clues have run dry here. Should we continue searching for the young master?"
Ning Shiyu emerged from behind the desk, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked out into the courtyard through the half-open window.
With a blank expression, he looked away and picked up the fish food, feeding Hong'er in the blue and white porcelain fish bowl.
"Did Fu'er move to the study?"
This pot of koi had always been kept in Ning Shiyu's bedroom, but a few days ago, Fu'er took it upon herself to move it to his study.
When Mu Li heard him suddenly ask about the koi, he replied truthfully, "The young lady said you were very busy in the study."
"Hong'er can cleanse your eyes."
"Even my subordinates couldn't stop him."
A gentle light slowly welled up in Ning Shiyu's eyes, which had just been filled with confusion and sorrow.
He said indulgently, "She can arrange the things in the room however she wants."
"Do not obstruct me in the future."
Mu Li knew that this was the result of speaking out.
He nodded in agreement.
In fact, Ning Shiyu was not alone; he had a younger brother.
His name was Ning Shixun, and he was six years younger than Ning Shiyu.
When he was very young, the eldest princess sent him away from Chang'an.
Master Daoyi, the former abbot of Huangjue Temple, claimed that his younger son and eldest son Ning Shiyu were incompatible after performing physiognomy on the two brothers.
Before Ning Shiyu turned eighteen, the two brothers could not live under the same roof.
Both sides are precious to the princess and General Ning, so how could they bear to part with either of them? They simply didn't believe it.
Unexpectedly, less than half a year after the birth of the young master, Ning Shiyu, who was usually healthy, fell seriously ill.
The imperial physicians in the palace tried several times but could not cure the patient.
They even consulted well-known folk doctors, but the effect was still minimal.
The princess and her husband finally panicked and had no choice but to reluctantly send the young prince back to the Ning family's ancestral home in Lingyang.
Others were also worried, so the princess sent her trusted maid Minrong to take care of her personally.
When the young master was two years old, Minrong took him out of the manor to play, and then the two of them completely lost contact.
The princess was greatly shocked. After General Ning sent people to investigate, he learned that they had been targeted by villains who were after their finances.
During the robbery, the maid Min-yong and two guards died on the spot while protecting the young master.
Even though General Ning sent many people to search, they still found nothing.
After the death of the eldest princess and General Ning, Ning Shiyu came to Lingyang to continue the search.
He wouldn't let go of any information, no matter how small.
But more than ten years have passed, and it's been as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
Ning Shiyu pondered for a moment and said, "Let's put this matter aside for now."
"Has Fu'er returned?"
Mu Li replied, "I just heard her voice; she must have returned."
"Should I send someone to summon her here?"
Ning Shiyu put down the fish food, washed his hands, and strode out of the study.
"No need, I'll go see what she's doing in her room."
Granny Yu no longer dares to assign Fu'er any chores.
Whenever she had free time, Fu'er would go back to her little room and start making incense.
He hummed an off-key tune, "Brother, sister," and kept humming it.
So engrossed in their work, they didn't even hear the door being pushed open.
Until a broad, muscular chest pressed against my back, and both my hands were grabbed, "Where did you hear these lewd songs?"
Fu'er was so frightened that she almost dropped the tool in her hand.
"It's not a dirty song. My mother used to sing it all the time."
Then he chuckled and said, "That's why I called you Brother A-Yu when I came to the Ning residence."
"You even yelled at me and wouldn't let me call you that."
Ning Shiyu chuckled and turned Fu'er to face him, "Silly girl, the little songs are all about your lover."
How old were you back then?
He brushed the stray hairs from her face and lowered his head to kiss her forehead.
Fu'er not only liked the scent of agarwood on him, but also liked his closeness to her. She buried her head in his chest and said, "I know that the first time I saw you, I wanted you to be my lover."
Ning Shiyu pulled the person into his arms, kissed him passionately, and then chuckled, "I know you've been thinking about me for a long time."
Fu'er smiled sweetly again and kissed Ning Shiyu's chin one last time. "I've often heard you say that being prepared in case of emergency is the best way to gain the upper hand."
"I've been preparing for over ten years, and I've finally succeeded."
Her eyes crinkled into crescents, and her gaze was fixed on him.
His smile had a touch of playfulness, yet also a hint of naivety.
This completely melted Ning Shiyu's lonely and restless heart.
He lowered his head and bit the corner of her mouth, his breath somewhat restrained. "You could say that being close to the water gives you an advantage."
After saying that, he kissed Fu'er's red lips, initially just gently caressing them, like eating each other's favorite candy.
Later, unable to contain their emotions, as their breaths mingled, Ning Shiyu picked up Fu'er and placed her on the incense-making table.
Fu'er gasped for breath and groaned softly, "Young Master, it hurts."
Ning Shiyu gently kissed her red lips and whispered, "Call me Brother Yu."
Fu'er's voice was broken by his kisses, "Brother Ayu, no...it's daytime, we can't..."
Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Xiang'er's clear voice, "Fu'er, why are you locking the door in broad daylight? Open it quickly."
Fu'er panicked and immediately tried to go downstairs.
But Ning Shiyu held her tightly in his arms, his kisses lingering on Fu'er's neck as he softly coaxed, "Good Fu'er..."
The last few words were spoken while her earlobe was being held in her mouth.
Without giving Fu'er a chance to refuse, he picked her up and carried her into the inner room.
Xiang'er called out a few times from outside, but Fu'er didn't come to open the door.
Pressing against the door, I heard a noise coming from inside.
Her cheeks flushed red, as if she had thought of something.
But then he realized that Fu'er was the only one in the courtyard, so he immediately denied it and was about to push her away again.
She was stopped by Granny Yu, who had already arrived in the courtyard, who said, "Xiang'er, go to the accounting office. Uncle Hong wants to see you."
Xiang'er then left.
After the two people in the room quieted down, it took Fu'er a long time to regain her senses.
She was furious and started punching him wildly.
"Promise me you'll keep this a secret from the people of Wenxuan Pavilion."
"That's good, Xiang'er knows too."
Ning Shiyu was not angry at all. Instead, his eyes were filled with tenderness as he took her small fist and kissed it.
He hugged Fu'er and comforted her, saying, "It's alright if you know."
"It can't be hidden sooner or later."
Fu'er asked in bewilderment, "Aren't you afraid that Yunyou will be sad if she finds out?"
Ning Shiyu held Fu'er's hands in his large palms and replied decisively, "Others are none of my business."
"I just want you to be happy every day."
Are you happy following me without any official status or recognition?
Fu'er hugged his waist and nestled against his chest, "It's not like I'm nameless or unrecognized. You can just give me this house later."
After speaking, he didn't forget to look at Ning Shiyu's expression.
Ning Shiyu had no idea what he was thinking and teased him, "Silly boy, your brother Ayu has plenty of houses, can't you think a little further ahead?"
Fu'er was relieved to hear that he had agreed and finally got the answer she wanted. She said happily, "I just want the house."
Will you give it to me?
Ning Shi played with Fu'er's soft little hands, kneading them for a while before leaning down to kiss them, saying, "Wherever I am, you will be there."
What's the point of giving it or not?
“It has meaning. Give it to me, and it will be my house.”
"When you return to Chang'an in the future, I will take care of you so you can rest assured."
Ning Shiyu's gaze suddenly darkened. Hearing that Fu'er was unwilling to return to Chang'an with him, he felt a sudden emptiness in his heart.
"You don't want to come back to Chang'an with me?"
Fu'er instinctively wanted to nod, but seeing his expression, she changed her mind and said, "With my status, going back to Chang'an with you would only make me a laughing stock. It's better for me to stay in Lingyang."
Ning Shiyu held her shoulders with both hands, his tone serious, "Who would dare to laugh at the people I bring back?"
"No matter what happens in the future, wherever I am, you will be there too."
Ning Shiyu abruptly ended the topic, and Fu'er sighed, "It's all my fault for talking too much."
This made Ning Shiyu wary.
If the question is brought up repeatedly, he will definitely become suspicious, given his mindset.
However, judging from his tone, it's basically done.
As for the fact that Fu'er would be wherever he was, she wouldn't believe it.
Her cousin and her sister both said that you should never believe what a man says in bed.
She knows her own limitations.
Ning Shiyu only lusted after her body.
She was also attracted to Ning Shiyu's body, and even more so to his house.
In this matter, she did not suffer a loss.
He might get tired of himself before he even gets back to Chang'an.
When he decides to send her away, she must have this house.
Pleasure on the couch is a physically demanding activity.
Fu'er was preoccupied with wanting a house. She didn't pay attention to what Ning Shiyu whispered in her ear, and because she was too tired, she drifted off to sleep.
"Fu'er, don't sleep yet..."
Hearing the soft, even breathing of Fu'er in his arms, Ning Shiyu felt refreshed and content, and couldn't bear to wake her.
He hugged her even tighter.
Thinking about his recent loss of control, Ning Shiyu couldn't even believe it himself.
He, who had always been a man of few desires, didn't have his first woman until he was twenty.
This is considered quite virtuous among the sons of noble families.
In the past, if others were to say that a man was slightly unhappy, he would be completely absorbed in the pleasures of women.
He would only despise a man like that.
In his mind, a good man from a noble family should be like his father, invincible on the battlefield and untouchable in the court.
If his father had any regrets, it was that he trusted those around him too much, which led to his betrayal.
Or perhaps, like his uncle, he endured hardships for the sake of responsibility and took on the heavy burden of the Northwest Army once again.
As for himself, he did not waste everything that his noble status brought him.
He navigated the business world with the Cui family, helped his uncle establish a foothold in the Northwest, and secretly made arrangements in the imperial court.
Even at home, they were thinking about how to make their plans more perfect.
Only when he was alone with Fu'er could he relax and be his true self.
He didn't know when he had developed feelings for Fu'er.
That day, his uncle casually remarked, "Fu'er is getting old. Should we let her marry someone else? Or should we keep her by our side?"
It was only then that he suddenly realized that Fu'er might one day leave him, following her parents' arrangements, and leave her completely.
He absolutely could not bear the thought of marrying someone else.
From that moment on, he made up his mind to keep Fu'er by his side.
Even if Fu'er's mother doesn't agree, he will find a way to make her agree.
I never expected that Fu'er would become his woman in this way in the end.
Call it despicable or shameless, but only when he holds someone in his arms does he feel at ease.
As a child, he had imagined that his sweetheart would be a woman like his mother, dignified and gentle.
Who would have thought she would be such a simple-minded and silly girl?
When Fu'er was little, she often said that she wanted to eat his pastries every day for the rest of her life.
A faint smile appeared in Ning Shiyu's eyes, and a sense of destiny arose in his heart.
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