Chapter 93 The delicate green willow leaf was placed in his mouth, and he sipped it slowly…
Meng Lingyao was too lazy to argue with him. She got up and straightened her clothes. "Then we should go too."
Pei Xu nodded, responding with an "Mm," but didn't move. Instead, he took two steps closer. The room wasn't large to begin with, and his movement almost completely blocked out the remaining sunset light filtering in from the window, increasing the sense of oppression.
Meng Lingyao sensed something was wrong and instinctively backed away, her waist hitting the cold, hard wooden table edge, leaving her with no way out.
An invisible danger hung in the air, but she forced herself to remain calm and took the initiative, saying, "You've been working hard these past few days, and you probably didn't sleep well last night either. Why don't you go back and rest early?"
"Where should I rest?" he asked casually, but his gaze was deep and unwavering, sliding down her slightly furrowed brow and lingering on her slightly pink earlobes and neck.
Meng Lingyao was speechless.
With his status, why would he worry about not having a place to stay? Not to mention the Pei family's properties in Jinling, he could certainly stay at any of the city's inns. At the very least, he only needed to let the prefect know, and he would probably be invited to stay at his residence that very night.
But reason told her that she absolutely could not say that at this moment.
She reached out and tugged at his sleeve, saying softly, "If Lord Pei doesn't mind, I have a few humble rooms in the small courtyard I've set up in Jinling."
Pei Xu reached out and easily grasped her slender wrist. His fingertips gently caressed the delicate skin of her wrist, sending a shiver down his spine. "Wouldn't this be too much of a bother? It would be inconvenient for Miss to manage... her small household in Jinling City."
His voice was deep, and he emphasized the word "small family" with great meaning.
Meng Lingyao's heart skipped a beat; he had indeed overheard her.
He continued unhurriedly, "In Jinling, a land of exquisite beauty, Miss Meng is like a fish in water. She's adept at making money and has countless friends. Today she's grinding incense and blending dew for Miss Xie, tomorrow she'll be boating on the Qinhuai River with Mr. Wang… How carefree and leisurely she is!" He paused, his gaze lingering on her face, "I wonder… how much you still remember Pu Liu from the capital?"
The two scars on his arm seemed to be stirred by his words, a strange tingling and itching rising beneath his skin, like countless insects gnawing at him. Perhaps only by completely crushing her and integrating her into his very bones could this surging greed be quelled.
Hearing him compare his handsome face to a "willow," Meng Lingyao almost burst out laughing. She rubbed her forehead in distress, a shallow dimple forming between her brows. "My energy is limited. I've already exhausted myself raising one at the Jingguan Courtyard in the capital. How can I possibly have the energy to raise another one?"
"Oh?" Pei Xu suddenly moved closer, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, stirring up tiny particles. "Since that one in Jingguan Courtyard is so tactless, why don't you abandon him, Miss, and choose another one who is gentle, understanding, and considerate?"
Meng Lingyao raised her hand, her fingertips lightly touching his shoulder, her brows furrowing slightly. "Young Master, are you implying that you are recommending yourself?"
Pei Xu tightened his arms, pulling her into his embrace, and asked in a low voice, "What does Miss think?"
Meng Lingyao tapped his shoulder lightly with her fingertips, feigning contemplation, "Such an important matter requires careful consideration. I also need to see... what your abilities are, young master?"
Before he could finish speaking, Pei Xu had already leaned down and pressed down on him. With long-suppressed emotions surging within him, they lingered and entwined, conquering and plundering.
One hand gripped the back of her neck tightly, allowing no room for retreat, while the other hand held her waist, his knuckles almost sinking into the soft flesh of her side.
The force between their lips and teeth was sometimes like a storm, a grinding punishment, and sometimes it turned into a sucking and licking, like a feather scratching her palate, arousing waves of dizzying numbness.
As their lips and tongues intertwined, his unique, refreshing scent mingled, creating a dizzying allure.
She initially tried to stay conscious, but soon succumbed to his forceful advances, her consciousness fading, and she could only cling helplessly to his clothes, her fingertips curling up.
It's generally true that smart people learn quickly. Last time in the carriage, Meng Lingyao felt that she could hold her own against him, or even have a slight advantage. But this time, she was no match for him at all.
After a long while, when he noticed her trembling as if she were about to suffocate, he stepped back a little, their foreheads touching, their breaths mingling.
Meng Lingyao was panting heavily, her eyelashes were wet, and her cheeks were flushed as if she were drunk.
During the struggle, her clothes had already come undone, revealing a small patch of tender green fabric, like a newly sprouting spring bud, which made her skin under her collarbone appear even more fair and delicate, appearing and disappearing with her heavy breathing.
Pei Xu's gaze shifted downwards, lingering on the exposed, tender green. His Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably, his fingertips tracing the edge of her smooth, creamy skin. "Yaoyao, what's embroidered here?"
The sky was nearing dusk, and twilight was settling in. A sliver of the setting sun shone through the window into the room, and the faint sounds of the street noise drifted in. Although she had touched his most intimate spot during the Dragon Boat Festival, her face was still flushed red.
She loved fine clothes, and since the fabrics from Jiangnan were so diverse and exquisite, she was like a mouse that had fallen into a rice jar, buying all sorts of fabrics.
One of the brocades had a very unique color, but the material was too soft. It would inevitably look too flimsy as an outer garment, but it would be perfect for other uses.
Seeing that she didn't answer for a long time, Pei Xu held her sensitive earlobe in his mouth and asked again.
Meng Lingyao closed her eyes briefly, her voice barely audible, "It's... willow leaves."
The next instant, he put that emerald green willow leaf into his mouth and ground it finely.
Meng Lingyao trembled uncontrollably, feeling as if she had melted into a pool of spring water, being kneaded into various shapes by him, or like a swaying willow catkin, drifting aimlessly.
Those who can offer themselves as a bedmate must indeed possess some extraordinary qualities.
As the last ray of light faded on the horizon and the room fell into complete darkness, the sound of Manager Qian calling for the door to be closed came from downstairs. Pei Xu finally relented.
Meng Lingyao, panting, nestled in his arms, letting him straighten her clothes. She secretly wondered if, if she hadn't retained some rationality, she would have suspected that he had planned this with the Xie sisters, as they always had such a tacit understanding.
"Smack—"
Without any hesitation, she slapped Pei Xu's hand, "You're wrong!"
Pei Xu stared solemnly at the pieces of sash in his hand, as if investigating some rare mystery. After a moment, he sighed, took Meng Lingyao's hand in his, and kissed her fingertips. "Please enlighten me, Yaoyao."
"You, Shaoqing, are so learned and knowledgeable, yet you can't even dress yourself?"
Pei Xu paused for a moment, then had to admit that he had indeed never been familiar with women's clothing.
Meng Lingyao gave a soft hum, her fingers flying across the paper as she quickly tied each section of the sash in its proper place. Pei Xu watched, observing each detail flawlessly.
As she stood up, she glanced discreetly at the hem of Pei Xu's robe.
With the two of them so close, she had already noticed the changes in Pei Xu's body, but since he didn't say anything, she pretended not to know. If she paid attention, she didn't know when she would be able to have dinner today.
There was still half a cup of tea left on the table, which Meng Lingyao picked up casually.
Pei Xu stopped her, "It's too cold."
Meng Lingyao chuckled, "I don't know why, but I haven't even been able to have a sip of hot tea."
Pei Xu lowered his eyes, "It was my fault for being impolite."
His gaze swept across the private room. The teapot sat on the stove in the corner of the room, unattended for a long time, with only a faint ember remaining.
He strode over and did something, and the flames gradually grew larger, licking the bottom of the furnace bit by bit.
The orange-red firelight reflected on his face, highlighting his deep-set brow bones and the even longer shadows of his long eyelashes, casting a fine shading on his face and making his features appear much softer, giving him a somewhat sophisticated and capable look.
Meng Lingyao couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Once the tea was boiled, she was finally able to drink a cup of hot tea. Holding the teacup, she settled accounts with Pei Xu, "...Jingqiu is only fifteen years old, and she just had her coming-of-age ceremony at the beginning of the year. What does she know? It's one thing for her to be a little outspoken, but you actually believed it? As for the fragrant dew, it was a thank-you gift I gave her when she first came to Jinling, after she helped me a lot. The story of her taking a night stroll on the Qinhuai River is even more absurd..."
Pei Xu slowly said, "A night stroll along the Qinhuai River is a pretense; climbing Xiuyai Mountain together is the real purpose."
Meng Lingyao choked for a moment, then explained, "I wanted to get information from him. Cui Jiu is very close to him, so he's bound to reveal some things."
It turns out he knew that the person on the mountain was Wang Li, yet he pretended to be ignorant of who he was, referring to him as "this young master."
Pei Xu did not question her thoughts, but simply stated, "He has feelings for you."
Meng Lingyao raised an eyebrow. "Is that so strange?"
After thinking for a moment, she briefly recounted the entanglement between Wang Li and Cui Qingyin, along with her speculations, and concluded: "...It's strange, I never understood why Miss Cui was targeting me at every turn. Later, I heard from various sources—"
"It turns out that the Cui family had intended to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family, and the wife they chose for Shaoqing was this Miss Cui Jiu."
She drawled, "In that case, it must be thanks to Shaoqing that I have suffered this undeserved misfortune again."
Pei Xu looked up and saw the girl in front of him with her chin slightly raised and a half-smile on her lips.
"..."
The difference between offense and defense is nothing more than this.
He pondered for a long time before finally finding a distant memory in a corner.
His aunt had indeed come to his door to mention this matter, but he hadn't taken it to heart at the time and had casually retorted with a remark. He never expected that this would happen again.
He picked up the teapot, poured in half a cup, and presented it to Meng Lingyao with both hands. "This matter was just idle talk among the elders, but it was all because of my poor handling of the situation that Yaoyao suffered."
Meng Lingyao glanced at him, took the teacup, and considered the matter closed. "Go and tell Manager Qian that we should go back."
Pei Xu nodded, turned around and went downstairs.
Downstairs, Manager Qian was working on his abacus. Seeing Pei Xu come down, he quickly put down his work and went to greet him, bowing respectfully. "Lord Pei, are you going back to your residence?"
"Hmm." Pei Xu nodded slightly. "Sorry to bother you."
"No, no! You flatter me, sir," Manager Qian said repeatedly, his attitude respectful but not overly humble. He felt that he was Miss's man, and no matter how noble Pei Shaoqing was, he could not lose his integrity.
A thought flashed through my mind: why didn't the young lady come downstairs with me? But I assumed she had something important to attend to or it was inconvenient for her to appear in public, so I didn't ask any further questions.
Pei Xu said no more, only nodded slightly, and stood by the door to wait.
A short while later, Meng Lingyao appeared at the corner of the stairs. She didn't head towards the main entrance, but waved to Pei Xu, signaling him to leave with her through the side door. Pei Xu understood, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips before he quickly composed himself and silently followed.
The two walked through a secluded corridor, pushed open a side door, and were immediately enveloped in the heavy twilight and cool autumn breeze. The lanterns on both sides of the street lit up one after another, spreading a dim yellow glow.
By the time they returned to the small courtyard Meng Lingyao had purchased in Jinling, it was already completely dark. Cang Dian, who was guarding the door, hurriedly greeted them with a lantern. Seeing that Meng Lingyao had returned with Pei Xu, he breathed a sigh of relief, "Miss, Lord Pei, it's good that you two are back."
As Meng Lingyao walked inside, she casually asked, "Has Xiaoshan returned yet?"
Cang Dian shook his head, "Miss, Xiao Shan has not returned yet."
Meng Lingyao paused, subconsciously turning her head to look at Pei Xu beside her. Their eyes met in mid-air, and both caught a hint of surprise in each other's eyes—escorting Xie Jingqiu back to the manor should not have been delayed for so long, no matter what.
Pei Xu's eyes darkened slightly, and he instructed the guards, "Go to the Xie residence immediately and ask if Miss Xie has arrived home safely."
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Author's note: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! [purple sugar emoji]
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