Misunderstand
The two, a head apart, stood side by side under the plum tree, a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman, creating an exceptionally fresh and bright scene.
Yan Ji's actions were incredibly intimate, their breaths filled with tenderness. Xie Lingxi reacted instinctively upon hearing this, slapping away his mischievous hand, her face flushing red from the touch.
It is even more beautiful than plum blossoms.
The wound on her back had clearly healed, but it was now throbbing slightly again. Xie Lingxi subconsciously leaned against a tree beside her, and the coolness seeping from the snow suddenly seeped into her skin, spreading through her blood and into her internal organs.
She was breathing heavily, trying to calm the heat on her face, "...Watch your words."
Seeing that she no longer addressed him as "Your Highness," Yan Ji felt a surge of secret joy. He smiled naturally and said gently, "I still prefer the way Lingxi calls me 'Your Majesty.'"
These days he's been adrift in a dream world, and finally he's figured out something else—
Besides achieving fame and success, he naturally needed a confidante. After much thought, Xie Lingxi was the one who suited his heart best.
It was truly a visionary decision to marry her in a past life.
A few days ago, on the carriage, he tested Xie Lingxi, still harboring a trace of resentment in his heart. He hated Xie Lingxi for being so ruthless in harming him, and he also hated himself for being so wise in his life, yet falling for a woman's trick.
But now he suddenly realized that it was this intelligent and beautiful woman who was worthy of him!
He has crippled Xie Lingxi's wings and killed her family and friends. Is he afraid of repeating the same mistakes?
So he patiently brought up the topic from that day again, expressing his feelings: "As long as you are willing to come to my side, I will forgive the things of the past life. When I ascend the throne, you will naturally be the rightful Empress."
Xie Lingxi never expected him to persist like this. Frustrated and feeling like she was going to vomit blood, she said listlessly, "What empress? I don't want to be one."
They ransacked her Xie family home, searched her belongings, and imprisoned her father and brothers. Before she could even settle accounts with Yan Ji, this man instead approached her with feigned affection and spouted nonsense.
Yan Ji is going increasingly mad, and there's no one around to remind him?
"unless--"
Xie Lingxi suddenly softened her posture, raised her eyes to look at Yan Ji, her expression was one of deep sorrow and pitifulness, "If Your Highness releases my father and brothers and restores the Xie family's century-old reputation, I will agree to Your Highness's request."
Yan Ji naturally wouldn't agree.
He was not angry, and explained, "This matter is not without justification. Lord Xie has made a mistake and should be punished. How can I bend the law for personal gain?"
It sounds so true.
Xie Lingxi asked him, "Since we are all souls from another world, I have naturally taken care of everything and eliminated any hidden dangers. How could Your Highness still find out that my father and brothers embezzled from my residence? Now that you say they made a mistake, what was their mistake?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Ji looked at her with pity. The woman in front of him leaned against the plum branch, looking as frail as a willow in the wind, as if a gust of wind could blow her away, or if heavy snow would weigh her down and make her unable to move.
He sighed, "Lingxi, Lingxi, you are still so naive. Which family that can stand for a hundred years does not have some shameful stains in its home?"
He suddenly grabbed Xie Lingxi's wrists and stared intently into her eyes. "Do you really think your family is that clean?"
"..."
Xie Lingxi fell silent.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sky filled with flying snow.
Seeing her so suddenly devastated, like a beautiful lotus flower withering overnight, completely at the mercy of others.
Yan Ji casually glanced at the blurry figure approaching, wrapped his arms around Xie Lingxi's waist, gently pressed her head into his chest, and coaxed, "It's alright, it's alright."
The figure strode through the snow, looking around, and finally spotted two people nestled together under the plum tree—
The tallest figure was the Prince of Jin, who shocked the court and the public. He held the girl in his arms extremely tightly, with only a corner of her light-colored clothing showing...
Liu Xu saw clearly the hem of the girl's dress that was peeking out; it was clearly the pattern he had personally drawn for his wife. His heart pounded with fear, and the umbrella and the hand warmer in his hand crashed to the snow with a "thud."
At this moment, Yan Ji suddenly looked up, met his gaze, and revealed a look of determination.
Liu Xu forced a smile, but felt it was too cold. His lips were so dry and cracked that they were in excruciating pain, and he couldn't even manage a smile.
He closed his eyes, stood in the wind and snow, and staggered away.
Hearing the noise, Xie Lingxi pushed Yan Ji away. "What was that sound?"
Yan Ji smiled and stepped aside to shield Xie Lingxi from an umbrella and a bronze stove carved into the snow. He gently placed his hand on Xie Lingxi's shoulder. "It's nothing."
...
Liu Xu has been avoiding her these days.
As the year draws to a close, she went out early this morning with a basket to pick some winter vegetables to make soup. As soon as she stepped into the front door, she saw Liu Xu standing by the door like a door god, staring at her without a smile or a word.
She took Liu Xu's hand, about to speak to him, when he suddenly pulled his forearm away and walked away with a stern face.
Xie Lingxi: "..."
If she didn't know Liu Xu's character well, she would have suspected that Liu Xu married her with some ulterior motives—now that the Xie family has lost power, he doesn't even bother to pretend anymore and ignores her.
What exactly happened?
Xie Lingxi was puzzled, so he went back to the kitchen, opened the pot, leisurely washed the vegetables and stewed the soup. As soon as it was cooked, everyone sat around the stone table in the courtyard to eat.
Seeing that Chuntao and Chuliu had both made new clothes, Liuzhi also used her monthly allowance to buy a new pair of boots.
Xie Lingxi remembered the sachet she had secretly embroidered for Liu Xu a few nights ago. Now that it was finished, she was about to take it out when she suddenly heard Liu Xu say, "Why don't you make new clothes?"
His tone was icy, as if it contained the three inches of ice in the river.
"Um?"
Liu Xu fell silent.
After a while, he put down his chopsticks, glanced at Xie Lingxi with a gloomy expression, and walked steadily into the study, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Xie Lingxi: "?"
What's with this outburst?
As the sun began to set, she ordered her servants to put away their things before following Liu Xu to the study door. Unconsciously, she plucked a needle from a pine tree, which pricked her fingertip, causing a sharp pain. Her gaze shifted from blankness to worry. She knocked on the door. "Xu, what's wrong?"
There was no response from inside the house; it was as if the person was dead.
Xie Lingxi said again, "If you don't speak, I'll come in."
Seeing that he hadn't responded, Xie Lingxi pushed open the door and went in. As soon as she stepped across the threshold, her husband shoved her against the wall. Liu Xu held her wrists tightly, leaving red marks through her sleeves.
Xie Lingxi felt a sharp pain, as if Liu Xu was about to crack her bones. She tried to struggle, but the man in front of her had a deep look in his eyes and gripped her even tighter.
"what you do?"
Liu Xu still looked like a dead man, with his eyelids drooping. With his other hand, he hooked the sachet hanging from Xie Lingxi's waist, held it up in front of the two of them, and asked, "Why don't you make new clothes?"
"I'll do whatever I want."
Time and again, they can't speak properly.
Xie Lingxi was also strong-willed. When she saw Liu Xu holding the sachet and about to press it against her face, she struggled to no avail. So she looked directly into his eyes, at the thick black ink spreading around him, and said, "What did this sachet do to you that you had to take it out to vent your anger?"
This sachet is not the same as the other sachet; it refers to Xie Lingxi herself.
She felt a little wronged. Ever since that day at the princess's banquet, her once gentle and kind husband had become like this. She also wondered if it was because of troubles in court, or if someone had slandered or defamed him that day.
This applies not only to Liu Xu, but also to the Xie family.
In an instant, memories of her past life flooded her mind. The tender affection before marriage and the cold indifference after marriage seemed to be playing out again. Thinking of this, a trace of pain flashed quickly in Xie Lingxi's eyes, but she still did not give up and said, "Say something."
"You're usually so eloquent, but now you can't utter a single word?"
Xie Lingxi wondered again: Was he unable to speak, or unwilling to talk to her? If it was the latter, why was this person treating her like this? She was a living, breathing human being too.
The wall was cold. She couldn't help but tremble. Her hand was gripped and she couldn't move. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she was about to speak when suddenly everything went dark in front of her. Sunlight, a table, potted plants, willow branches...
They have vanished without a trace.
The hands that had been holding her were suddenly released—Liu Xu had disappeared. The man maliciously drew all the curtains in the study, blocking out the boundless cold wind and the light from the outside.
Xie Lingxi had a bad feeling, thinking that after Yan Ji, Liu Xu had also gone mad. Without thinking twice, she groped along the wall and ran away, but the next moment Liu Xu grabbed her finger gently.
I don't know whose hands were sweaty, but when we clasped hands, the slippery touch reminded me of a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
Xie Lingxi's voice trembled: "A-Xu?"
Her response was a lingering, passionate kiss.
Suddenly, the young man approached her, grasping her chin with one hand and intertwining his fingers with hers with the other. His lips pressed easily against hers, and his smooth tongue nimbly swept across her palate, causing Xie Lingxi to tremble.
Liu Xu charged in, his movements forceful and aggressive, leaving her breathless. She tried to push him away with her only remaining hand, but he didn't budge. With each exchange of words, another plunder ensued.
After a long while, Xie Lingxi almost lost her balance and was about to fall when Liu Xu caught her. In her dazed state, she heard him say, "Why don't you make new clothes? Wearing this outfit every day, along with the sachet, are you reminiscing about that day?"
What day? What sachet? What clothes?
She kept thinking about it over and over again, and then she felt her waist loosen. Liu Xu had untied her belt, so she stopped him and said, "What are you doing!"
This time, there was a genuine sense of fear.
Whether Liu Xu is insane or not is still unknown, but if he is allowed to act recklessly, people will die.
Xie Lingxi spoke gently, her voice full of reassurance, "Let's talk this out. Why are you tearing my clothes?"
To everyone's surprise, upon hearing this, Liu Xu, who had initially restrained himself somewhat, immediately pulled down her outer robe, causing the jeweled ornaments adorning the fabric to fall to the ground with a clatter.
Xie Lingxi felt a chill on her body. Little did she know that in Liu Xu's eyes, she had been stripped down to her inner garments, her slender neck hidden beneath the fabric, revealing an alluring jade-white hue. He said softly, "This is what it means to strip someone of their clothes."
Isn't this how you speak seriously?
Xie Lingxi sighed inwardly, then said aloud, "Alright. So, Ah Xu, what do you want to do? What is it about my clothes and sachet that you don't like? Just point it out."
Liu Xu let out a low gasp.
Xie Lingxi usually wore a plain face and mostly dark-colored clothes, which were more elegant than vibrant. This light red dress perfectly complemented her fair skin, making her every smile and frown very vivid.
It's beautiful.
He suddenly recalled the scene of Xie Lingxi and Yan Ji embracing that day, and his expression changed from warm to cold:
Is she wearing this unusual outfit to see Yan Ji? Their relationship is quite special; were they lovers in a past life, or even husband and wife, and is she trying to rekindle their old flame?
The jade pendant he gave me is gone, replaced by this sachet.
Liu Xu coldly tossed the sachet aside, slipped his hand under Xie Lingxi's clothes, and leaned down to sniff. It was still the familiar orchid scent, and the touch stirred ripples in her eyes. Xie Lingxi, who was blind, had tears welling up in her eyes and could only silently endure it. Then she heard someone say, "I don't like it, I really don't like it."
I don't like her talking to Yan Ji, and I don't like her touching Yan Ji.
He made Xie Lingxi tremble, "...I don't like it, I don't like it, so I won't wear it, good brother...please forgive me."
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