Chapter 62 Insomnia: Xiao Qiyu is going crazy with worry.
The long night was still, and the bright moon hung in the sky.
Only a few insects chirped inside Qiyun Pavilion, fireflies flitted around the windows, and dew condensed, adorning the plants and windows along the corridor.
The moonlight streamed into the room. The warm tea on the table had long since cooled. Magnolia blossoms bloomed quietly on the screen, which was half-transparent in the moonlight. In a daze, one could almost see the delicate silhouette of a young girl bathing during the day, her slender waist like a willow, her hair loose, and the air filled with the damp warmth of the steam.
All was silent.
Xiao Qiyu lay on the floor, unable to fall asleep no matter what he did.
He opened and closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of Cui Ying wearing that pearl-embroidered dress during the day.
He could even clearly recall every detail of that beaded necklace: its full curves, the dangling tassels, the garnets adorning it…
He couldn't help but think, what if it could actually be worn by Cui Ying—
Thinking of this, Xiao Qiyu's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. A strange heat surged from his dantian and quickly spread to his limbs and bones, completely out of place with the chill of the dewy night.
He shook his head vigorously, forced his eyes closed, and cleared his mind.
But the more he forced himself not to think about it, the clearer his thoughts became.
He could almost hear the sound of pearls falling to the ground, like raindrops hitting a silver plate.
During the day, upon realizing what she was holding, Cui Ying blushed to her neck. In her panic, her fingers loosened, and the entire string of pearls fell to the ground with a loud clatter.
She quickly bent down to pick it up, and in her panic, she felt a tingling sensation on her scalp. She looked up and glared at Xiao Qiyu: "What are you looking at?"
Beneath her face, her originally snow-white neck was tinged with a rosy blush, and the neckline of her moon-white nightgown was loose, revealing her even more delicate skin beneath the soft fabric.
The warmth of her fingertips still lingered on Xiao Qiyu's hands, as well as the damp and warm floral scent that emanated from her when she was close.
Threads upon threads, intertwined and never ceasing.
"Who looked?" he asked coldly, turning his face away defiantly. "I didn't look at you."
"You're not allowed to even think about it!" Cui Ying shouted fiercely.
"Who was thinking about it? What were they thinking? You're just being delusional." He was even more disdainful.
Right now.
Xiao Qiyu was going crazy with worry.
He tried every method to dispel the vile and obscene thoughts in his mind, but the more he suppressed them, the more vivid the images became, especially Cui Ying's undulating curves hidden under her clothes.
Xiao Qiyu had never realized before that Cui Ying's body was so attractive to him.
He even suspected that there might still be some aphrodisiac incense in the incense burner, otherwise why would he be experiencing such unprecedented torment?
The night is long.
Helpless, Xiao Qiyu had no choice but to get up and meditate to try to disperse the nameless wildfire that was swirling around his dantian to another place.
A night breeze slipped through the windowpane, and the room was filled with shimmering moonlight.
The young man's black hair was loose, and a layer of burning red appeared on his cold jade-like skin. His eyes were closed and his brows were furrowed. He was handsome and aloof, like a banished immortal.
At that moment, behind the bed curtains that he had deliberately ignored, a faint sigh suddenly came from the girl.
Cui Ying was dreaming about something, and unconsciously murmured softly. Her voice in her sleep was as soft as honey, and the lingering sound seemed to be imbued with her fragrance, lingering in the room for a long time.
A bead of hot sweat slid down Xiao Qiyu's temple.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and cold, yet seemingly burning with sparks, staring straight at the bed.
The moonlight, like stars, floated slowly in the dim room, and the curtains swayed in the wind.
A small, soft, white hand dangled over the edge of the bed, its fingertips, coated with vibrant balsam juice, almost touching the ground.
Xiao Qiyu looked at that hand.
A burning desire was growing rampant somewhere in his body, and an unstoppable impulse was about to burst out of his body.
He had never felt so clearly at this moment the change in his attitude towards Cui Ying.
When did it start?
Was it the night the aphrodisiac was used, or even earlier?
None of that matters anymore.
Xiao Qiyu only knew that in the past, when he saw Cui Ying's hand hanging off the bed, he would only want to help her put her hand back in so that she wouldn't catch a cold.
Now, looking at that snow-white, soft, warm, and fragrant hand, only one thought filled his mind—
I want to lick it.
...
The Mid-Autumn Festival is fast approaching, and the whole city is filled with blooming osmanthus flowers. Even the osmanthus trees outside Qiyun Pavilion are covered with pale yellow buds, and a faint sweet fragrance drifts in when the wind blows.
Cuijin returned just before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
She must be doing well at home. She's gained a little weight since she left. She brought Cui Ying a lot of homegrown fruits and wild game, and even picked a bunch of refreshing wild chrysanthemums for her on her way back.
Cui Ying placed the mountain chrysanthemums into the blue-and-white porcelain vase on the crescent table by the window, divided the melons and fruits into small portions, and sent them to each room with her maid. Then, she took Cui Jin's hand, and the two of them sat on the chaise longue by the window and talked.
"Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. Why don't you come back after the festival? It would be so nice for the whole family to have a meal together," Cui Ying asked with concern.
Cui Jin shook her head and smiled, "I've been gone for too long. I couldn't wait to come back and serve you, Miss. If I stay at home any longer, even if I'm physically there, my soul will fly to your side. How can I stay here?"
Cui Ying then asked about her parents' situation and whether they were lacking anything. Cui Jin answered in detail and then asked Cui Ying how she was doing and whether she was living comfortably.
As the mistress and servant were talking, Xiao Shu and Xiao Wan arrived together. Their carriages and luggage were all packed, and the two sisters were going back to Luming Academy to study that afternoon. They had come to say goodbye to Cui Ying.
Xiao Shu entered the room with a mournful face and immediately collapsed onto the bed, wailing, saying things like, "I don't want to go to school! I don't want to go to school!" or "This damn summer vacation went by so fast! I didn't even realize it!" Her mind and body were immersed in great sorrow. Cui Jin brought her the pastries she usually liked, but she had no appetite for them.
Cui Ying offered a few words of advice, but seeing that Xiao Wan wouldn't listen, he told her to take it easy. He grabbed a handful of bright red jujubes and stuffed them into Xiao Wan's hand, then looked at her face and said, "After this illness, I think you've lost a lot of weight. Don't you really need to recuperate for a while before returning to the academy?"
Xiao Wan's face was pale, making her features even more beautiful and charming. Upon hearing this, she gently shook her head and smiled softly. "It's alright. When I return to the academy, I can still chat and laugh with my classmates. Lying at home all day makes me feel unwell, and my illness is getting worse. Besides, the Mid-Autumn Festival is in two days, and there will be two days off then, so I will have to go back home again."
Cui Ying nodded, reached out and gently pinched Xiao Shu's thigh, and laughed, "Did you hear that? In less than two days, it will be Mid-Autumn Festival, and then there will be a day off. We can go home again."
"But after those two days, we still have to go back to the academy." Xiao Shu was on the verge of tears, so she could only vent her frustration by randomly punching the pillow. Her whole body felt like it was covered in itchy hairs, and she was extremely uncomfortable.
Cui Ying popped a sour jujube into her mouth and comforted her, "Then think about it from afar. By this time next year, you'll be able to leave the academy and escape this sea of suffering."
Xiao Shu chewed on the crisp, sweet sour jujubes, and then stopped for a moment, belatedly saying, "Thinking about it this way, it seems to have gone by quite quickly. I feel like the Mid-Autumn Festival just ended, and now it's already here again in the blink of an eye."
Cui Ying: "That's it, it's only been a year, it's gone very quickly."
As Cui Ying spoke, she suddenly thought of her two-year "divorce agreement" with Xiao Qiyu.
When that day actually comes, will it be just like the blink of an eye?
As Cui Ying pondered this, she popped a sour jujube into her mouth. The sweet and sour taste lingered on her tongue, creating a wonderful sensation.
In the blink of an eye, the sun began to set.
Cui Ying accompanied Xiao Shu and Xiao Wan to the Bodhi Hall to bid farewell to the old lady, and then saw them off onto the carriage. After watching the carriage disappear at the end of the long street, Cui Ying and Cui Jin returned to their room.
Inside Qiyun Pavilion, as dusk falls, the pond beneath the paulownia trees ripples, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.
Cui Ying, carrying the little orange cat, walked briskly into the room, humming a little tune.
The kitten meowed softly in her arms. She looked down and smiled, thinking of finding some food to feed the little guy. When she looked up, she saw Xiao Qiyu standing in front of the window.
He turned slightly to the side, dressed in a light brocade robe with wrist guards and cuffs. His tall figure blocked most of the setting sun. His slender fingers reached out to the blue and white porcelain vase, as if he were fiddling with the wild chrysanthemums she had just placed there that morning.
“There are wild jujubes on the table, brought back by Cuijin. I think they’re quite delicious. You should try them,” Cui Ying said casually, stroking the kitten’s fur.
"No need." Xiao Qiyu turned to look at her, his phoenix eyes slightly stern, as if he wanted to say something to her, but when he saw the fluffy cat she was holding, he paused slightly and asked her, "Isn't this Xiao Liu's cat?"
Cui Ying lowered her head and scratched the kitten's chin with her fingertips, making it purr contentedly. Her tone was gentle: "Yes, it's Xiao Liu's cat, but Xiao Liu saw that I liked it, so she entrusted it to me and asked me to give it a new name. What new name should I give it?"
As if understanding, the little orange cat snuggled even deeper into Cui Ying's embrace, finding a more comfortable and soft spot, and even glanced at Xiao Qiyu with its round cat eyes.
Xiao Qiyu watched as the cat almost buried itself in her chest, his eyes darkening slightly. A strange, inexplicable displeasure arose in his heart. He glanced at the cat and said disdainfully, "It has a pointed snout and monkey-like face, just like a big rat stealing oil. Why don't we just call it Rat?"
Cui Ying quickly covered the little orange cat's ears, her almond-shaped eyes wide as she glared at Xiao Qiyu: "What mouse? You're the mouse! We're girls!"
She lowered her head and affectionately nuzzled the kitten's forehead with the tip of her nose. Her voice suddenly changed, becoming soft and gentle, as if she were comforting it: "Isn't that right? What kind of family would give such a cute little girl such an awful name? That's too much, isn't it?"
The little orange cat seemed genuinely wronged and seeking comfort, so it stuck out its long, barbed tongue and began licking Cui Ying's chin and neck repeatedly.
Cui Ying's skin itched from being licked, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
As Xiao Qiyu listened to her laughter and looked at the slightly reddened skin on her neck from being licked, his eyes were filled with dark clouds, so dark they seemed to drip with water, and his breath felt like it was touched by burning sparks, suddenly becoming much hotter.
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Author's Note: [doge] Being stubborn is fun for a moment.
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