Chapter 30 Loving You
The sky outside the window was still as dark as ink, and Chen Yanyun slowly opened his eyes in the darkness.
The dim candlelight blurred his vision, and he could only vaguely see a familiar slender figure standing behind the gauze curtain. The hem of her dress looked exactly like the light blue ruqun that Gu Jinchao often wore. A warm feeling welled up in his heart, and his throat moved unconsciously, wanting to call out the name of the person who took care of him at his bedside every day.
Before he could even speak, the gauze curtain was suddenly pulled open from the outside, letting in the cool morning breeze.
"Third Master, is there anything you need?" A maid's clear voice rang out as she walked slowly to the bedside, carrying a bowl of freshly warmed medicine.
Chen Yanyun was taken aback when he saw the maid's unfamiliar face. The warmth in his eyes vanished instantly, leaving only confusion.
He blinked, then laboriously turned his head to look outside the tent—at this time on ordinary days, Gu Jinchao would have been sitting on the low stool by the bed, holding a handkerchief, wiping the thin layer of sweat from his forehead as he woke up, and softly asking him, "Father, are you feeling any better today?"
Why is someone else here today?
He frowned, his pale fingers unconsciously squeezing the brocade quilt beneath him.
Was she too tired from taking care of him for days and went to rest?
Or... did she fall ill from his illness, having stayed in his room every day?
The thought had barely crossed Chen Yanyun's mind when his heart tightened, his breathing quickened, and his voice became hoarse from illness: "Where is the Seventh Young Mistress? Why isn't she here today?"
The maid paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing her eyes, before regaining her respectful expression and replying softly, "Reporting to Third Master, the Seventh Young Mistress... went to Suzhou with the Seventh Young Master early this morning. It is said that the Seventh Young Master is on official business, and the Seventh Young Mistress was worried that he would be alone on the road, so she went along. The Old Madam said that you are ill and she didn't want to distract you, so she didn't tell you."
"Went to Suzhou?" Chen Yanyun repeated these words, his mind buzzing as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer.
He gazed at the lotus pattern embroidered on the tent ceiling, but the gentle image of Gu Jinchao feeding him porridge, wiping his hands, and the weariness hidden in her eyes kept flashing before his eyes.
She clearly said just a few days ago that "father will be able to get out of bed and walk around after a few more days of proper care," so why did she suddenly go to Suzhou with Xuanqing?
"Third Master, would you like to take your medicine first?"
The maidservant timidly took a step closer and gently brought the warm medicine bowl to Chen Yanyun's face, with a faint white steam rising from the rim of the bowl.
Seeing Chen Yanyun's gloomy face, she moved even more gently, afraid of provoking his anger.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yanyun suddenly raised his hand, his anger still lingering from his illness, and slapped the medicine bowl away!
The celadon bowl crashed to the ground with a loud bang, splashing dark brown medicinal liquid all over the ground. The liquid meandered along the cracks in the blue bricks, and the dregs and fragments of the medicine were scattered all over the ground.
Fortunately, the medicine was still warm and not too hot, so it didn't splash on the maid. But the sudden movement still startled her, causing her to tremble all over. The handkerchief in her hand fell to the ground, and she staggered back two steps, collapsing heavily onto the cold blue bricks. Her voice was trembling with sobs as she cried out, "Third Master..."
Chen Yanyun didn't even glance at her; his pale face was filled with anger, and his chest heaved violently with rapid breathing.
The maid's words, "The Seventh Young Mistress went to Suzhou with the Seventh Young Master," were still ringing in his ears. Now, recalling Gu Jinchao's usual presence by his bedside, a surge of anger, as if he'd been tricked, instantly coursed through his body—Chen Xuanqing! Well done!
He wasn't acting on orders at all.
It was clear that they had already guessed that he was fully recovered and were afraid that he would keep Jinzhao around any longer, so they deliberately used the pretext of a business trip to take him far away!
These days he pretended to be sick and weak, and had Jinzhao take care of him every day. He originally wanted to slowly figure out his chaotic dream, but he never expected that he would be tricked by his son!
"Get out!" Chen Yanyun gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with anger.
Looking at the mess of medicine bowls on the ground, and remembering that Gu Jinchao might have already left the capital with Chen Xuanqing, his anger intensified, suppressing even his post-illness weakness, leaving only a heart full of resentment.
The maid scrambled to her feet, not daring to utter another word. She hurriedly picked up the handkerchief from the ground, lowered her head, and quickly retreated, forgetting to even close the door properly.
Chen Yanyun was the only one left in the tent. He leaned against the headboard, his back supported by a thick brocade pillow, but he still couldn't hide the fierce aura emanating from him.
The anger from overturning the medicine bowl hadn't subsided, and a hint of urgency appeared in his eyes. His fingers repeatedly rubbed the brocade quilt, as if he were considering something important.
After a long silence, he looked out the window and said in a deep voice, "Chen Li."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a dark figure slipped in through the window, moving so lightly it was almost silent.
"Third Master!" He knelt on one knee, head bowed, awaiting orders, his tone respectful yet tinged with wariness—he had already heard the commotion inside the tent and knew that his master was uneasy at the moment.
Chen Yanyun's complexion was extremely poor, his pale lips pressed into a straight line, and his voice, hoarse from illness, carried an undeniable authority: "How is the person I asked you to find doing now?"
“Third Master…” Chen Li paused, glanced quickly at Chen Yanyun’s expression, and then cautiously replied, “I have found Master Kong’s whereabouts. He stayed at Puji Temple in the west of the city last month and is currently traveling south. Based on his itinerary, I should be able to find him within a month.”
“I can’t wait any longer…” Chen Yanyun interrupted him, his voice low and muttering, as if he were forcing himself to calm down. “Seven days, Chen Li, within seven days, you must bring Master Liaokong to me.”
Chen Li suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes—Master Liaokong was a famous hermit in the martial arts world, whose whereabouts were unpredictable. In the past, it would take at least a month to find him, so the seven-day deadline was really tight.
But seeing the determination in Chen Yanyun's eyes, he didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately lowered his head to reply, "Yes!"
Chen Yanyun nodded slightly, gradually loosening the grip on the edge of the bed with his fingertips.
Seeing that he would not say anything more, Chen Li got up and quietly left, and the tent returned to silence.
*
As dawn broke and a thin layer of morning mist still clung to the outside of the carriage, Gu Jinchao was half-helped and half-pulled into the carriage by Chen Xuanqing.
Her eyelids were as heavy as if they were made of lead, and she still had a sleepy yawn on the corner of her mouth. Her hair was casually hanging down her cheeks, and she looked drowsy. She hadn't even had time to fasten her cloak.
"You must have had a hard night, my wife. Get some sleep in the carriage." Chen Xuanqing's voice was low and hoarse in the early morning, yet exceptionally tender and gentle.
Instead of riding a horse outside as he usually does, he lifted the curtain and climbed into the carriage, pulling Gu Jinchao closer to him so that her head could rest gently on his shoulder.
The carriage was covered with thick brocade cushions and had a heater, which dispelled the chill of the morning.
Gu Jinchao leaned on Chen Xuanqing's shoulder, clearly feeling his warmth and the faint scent of ink on his clothes. His drowsy state instantly intensified.
She gave a muffled "hmm," her eyelids closed completely, her breathing gradually became steady, and her long eyelashes drooped under her eyes like two small fans.
Chen Xuanqing looked down at the person leaning on his shoulder, his eyes filled with tenderness.
He gently tucked a strand of hair that was falling beside her cheek behind her ear. His fingertips accidentally touched her warm cheek. Gu Jinchao seemed to be disturbed. She moved her head slightly, snuggled closer to him, and found a more comfortable position to continue sleeping.
The carriage moved slowly, making a slight noise, but it did not wake the sleeping Gu Jinchao.
Chen Xuanqing remained seated, trying to keep her shoulders steady, afraid that any movement would disturb her good sleep.
He gazed at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, watching the trees and fields passing by along the roadside, feeling a sense of peace and security.
The morning light outside the carriage grew brighter and brighter, streaming in through the gaps in the curtains and falling on the two figures leaning against each other, spreading out a warm glow.
Having slept well, Gu Jinchao's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.
Her eyes, still somewhat dazed from waking from a sweet dream, met Chen Xuanqing's handsome face, which was right in front of her.
The morning light shone through the gap in the carriage curtain onto his brow bone, making the gentleness in the corners of his eyes glow with warmth. Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks instantly flushed.
Even though they were already husband and wife in name and in fact, every time Gu Jinchao saw him up close like this, her heart would still flutter as if they had just met for the first time, and she would even unconsciously soften her breathing.
Why are you staring at me like that?
Chen Xuanqing looked at her stunned expression and chuckled softly, his voice full of indulgence. He even gently scratched her chin with his fingertips, like teasing a docile kitten.
Upon hearing this, Gu Jinchao's cheeks turned even redder, and even the tips of her ears were tinged with a rouge-like pink. She hurriedly tried to look away, but Chen Xuanqing gently pressed down on the back of her neck.
His palm, warm to the touch, rested on her flushed cheek, his fingertips gently caressing her delicate skin. The next second, a soft kiss landed on her cheek.
The kiss was soft and gentle, like a feather brushing against you, or like touching a freshly baked soft-boiled egg, carrying with it the faint scent of ink from his body, instantly throwing Gu Jinzhao's heartbeat off track.
She nestled obediently in his arms, too weak to even lift her hand to push him away.
She could only feel his kisses, one, two, three... repeatedly landing on her cheeks, eyebrows, and nose, each one light and careful, yet full of undisguised affection.
The touch of the kiss on his cheek was still warm, but Chen Xuanqing seemed to feel it wasn't enough. His lips slowly moved down and gently landed on Gu Jinchao's lips.
At first, it was just a light touch, his soft lips pressed against hers, with a hint of probing. Seeing that she had her eyes closed and did not resist, he gradually increased the pressure, and began to caress her gently, holding her lips between his teeth, tender yet with a hint of urgency.
Gu Jinchao's breathing became completely disordered.
Before she could recover, his tongue had already gently pried open her lips and teeth, probing into her mouth, licking and lingering repeatedly, as if he wanted to take all her breath into his embrace, not even wanting to let go of her saliva.
The air inside the carriage gradually became scorching hot, leaving only the intertwined breathing of the two people, mixed with the faint sound of wheels outside the window, which was particularly alluring.
Immediately afterwards, Chen Xuanqing's hands began to wander, slowly moving upwards along her waist, his fingertips tracing the delicate skin beneath her clothes, bringing a shiver down her spine.
Gu Jinchao snapped back to reality, realizing his increasingly excessive actions. She quickly reached out and pressed down on his wrist, her voice trembling slightly with panic: "Ugh... Husband, no!"
She was no match for Chen Xuanqing's strength; he gently grasped her hand and pressed it to her side.
Seeing the surging affection in his eyes and her own heart racing uncontrollably, Gu Jinchao felt both ashamed and anxious. She could only turn her head away from his kiss, her cheeks burning hot: "This...this is still in the carriage, and there are servants outside..."
Chen Xuanqing paused, his forehead pressed against hers, his hot breath falling on her neck, his eyes filled with lingering passion.
He looked at her reddened eyes and slightly swollen lips, his Adam's apple bobbed, and finally slowly let go of her, but still held her tightly in his arms, his voice low and hoarse: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
The light bite on her neck had a slightly itchy sensation. Before Gu Jinzhao could recover, she heard Chen Xuanqing whisper in her ear, his voice filled with an unprecedented solemnity: "Jinzhao, I really, really love you..."
A warm breath brushed against her ear, and Gu Jinchao's cheeks flushed crimson. She buried her face in Chen Xuanqing's chest, her voice as soft as a feather, yet each word clear: "My husband, I love you too..."
"Stay with me forever, never separate, okay?" Chen Xuanqing tightened his arms, holding her even closer, as if afraid she would disappear in the next second, his tone hiding a hint of barely perceptible urgency.
Gu Jinchao was slightly taken aback by his question, and then felt a little strange—they were husband and wife, bound together for life, so how could they be "separated"?
She raised her hand and gently patted Chen Xuanqing's back, her tone resolute: "Of course, I am your wife for life, and we will always be together and never separate."
Hearing this promise, Chen Xuanqing's body did not relax.
He looked down at the soft hair of the person in his arms, his fingertips gently stroking her hair, and a hint of trepidation gradually crept into the tenderness in his eyes.
Gu Jinchao noticed his silence, looked up and met his complicated gaze, and asked softly, "Husband, what's wrong? Is something on your mind?"
Chen Xuanqing quickly composed himself, lowered his head and placed a light kiss on her forehead, smiling to cover it up: "It's nothing, it just feels like a dream to be able to hold you like this."
He quietly suppressed his anxiety and hugged Gu Jinchao tightly again—no matter what changes the future might bring, he would protect her and never let anyone take her away from him.
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