Chapter 31: The Rainy Night Kiss Erupts.
Zhu Qing pushed open the door and entered the room, quickly bolting it shut. Feeling uneasy, she pushed the table against the door. Seeing the window wide open and raindrops pelting in, she hurried forward and locked it.
The doors and windows were tightly shut, cutting off the cold rain from outside; only occasional bursts of thunder rolled down from the horizon.
Zhu Qing stopped and realized that in the short time she had run there, she was soaked through with rain. She felt wet and sticky against her body. She wasn't cold, but she felt very uncomfortable.
Zhu Qing grabbed the hem of her clothes and wrung it out forcefully, causing water droplets to drip down in strings.
She searched the entire room but found no clothes to change into. Zhu Qing had no choice but to make do and lay down on the couch.
She suddenly blamed herself for being impulsive. Perhaps if she had pretended not to know anything and spoken properly to Feng Huaihe, she could have awakened his rationality and then moved to Jinyang with her family as planned, and everything would have been fine.
But the thought of that disgusting kiss from yesterday evening made Zhu Qing lose her temper.
Suddenly, a knocking sound came into the house.
Zhu Qing sat up with a jolt, staring intently at the closed door of the room.
"Zhu Qing," Feng Huaihe's call came through the sound of rain, "Get up, eat, and take your medicine. I promise I won't touch you or do anything."
Zhu Qing's breathing quickened, her heart pounding with tension, and she dared not speak.
“I’ll count to three. If you don’t open the door, I’ll come in myself,” Feng Huaihe said coldly. “Once I come in myself, it won’t be as simple as just eating and drinking medicine.”
Zhu Qing was so frightened that she didn't know how to react, and sat on the edge of the bed trembling uncontrollably.
The muffled thud suddenly stopped, and all that could be heard was the torrential sound of rain pouring down from the sky.
Zhu Qing waited for a while before slowly moving towards the door, wanting to see if he had left yet.
She was just a few steps away from the door when suddenly, with a loud 'bang,' the door opened wide. Zhu Qing's eyes widened in shock. The previously locked door was now wide open, and a cold wind carrying rain lashed in, hitting her face. Zhu Qing wiped her eyes and saw Feng Huaihe standing in the stormy night. The trees behind him were bent and swaying in the wind and rain. He grinned menacingly at her, saying, "Qingqing, how can you not eat or take your medicine?"
Zhu Qing was startled and ran towards the window to escape, but a pair of large hands reached out from behind her even faster, wrapped around her waist and pulled her back forcefully. She fell into Feng Huaihe's arms, which were soaked by the cold rain.
"Let me go, you lunatic, you pervert, ugh..."
Before she could finish speaking, Feng Huaihe slammed her against the wall and kissed her lips.
A kiss colder than yesterday evening, a kiss carrying the chill of rain.
Zhu Qing shivered.
Feeling him prying at her with his tongue, Zhu Qing gritted her teeth and tried to push him away by pushing against his chest with both hands. Feng Huaihe became impatient with the push, grabbed her hands, raised them above her head and pressed them down, and pried at her even more brazenly.
My tongue rolled around the white teeth but couldn't pry them open.
Zhu Qing whimpered softly, struggling with her hands and feet, but only received more forceful control and kisses in return.
Unable to pry her open, Feng Huaihe slightly loosened his grip on her lips, pressing his lips against hers and coaxing her with breathless breath: "Open up, okay? I'll let you go home tomorrow."
"No I..."
As soon as Zhu Qing opened her mouth, he barged in. Only when she felt his wet, slippery tongue rolling around inside her mouth did she belatedly realize that she had fallen for his trick!
Their tongues touched, and the sticky sensation sent chills down Zhu Qing's spine. She felt ashamed, angry, and scared. She struggled desperately but couldn't break free, so she tried to kick him.
But Feng Huaihe also took the opportunity to stretch out one leg and insert it between her legs, then suddenly thrust upwards, so that Zhu Qing was sitting on one of his thighs in a very shameful position.
The sudden turn of events left Zhu Qing stunned. In that moment of blankness, Feng Huaihe bit her tongue.
"Hiss!" Zhu Qing cried out in pain, unable to move, and could only curse, "You pervert, let me go!"
Feng Huaihe tried to keep his voice gentle: "I'll let you go, but you have to promise to eat and take your medicine."
Zhu Qing had no choice but to quickly get rid of the dreadful Feng Huaihe, and said with a mournful face, "I'll eat it!"
Feng Huaihe looked down and saw that her eyes were red with fright, and her lips were red and moist, pink and plump, from being kissed.
His thin lips were covered with a cool liquid, which he gently wiped away with his finger.
The slow, gentle brushing against her lips made Zhu Qing freeze, staring at him warily and uncomfortably. He reached up and ruffled her hair, saying, "I'll get the food and find you some dry clothes."
As he spoke, Feng Huaihe reached out and picked her up, placing her on the couch. "Wait here, don't run around, and don't lock the door."
He acted as if nothing had happened, as if what happened between him and Zhu Qing was perfectly normal.
As Zhu Qing watched Feng Huaihe walk away, she felt a slight tingling and numbness in her lips and tongue.
She touched her lips with her finger and belatedly realized that her first kiss in both her lives had been stolen by that perverted Feng Huaihe.
Zhu Qing felt a little regretful, but not sad. She didn't have any attachment to people from the past; she was more afraid.
She was afraid of the feeling of being held on Feng Huaihe's lap, her hands pinned down, unable to move at all, and completely crushed by him.
She is a living, breathing person, and the most terrifying thing is that she cannot control her own body.
Zhu Qing was in a state of confusion. On one hand, she wanted to go home and reunite with her brothers and sisters-in-law, and on the other hand, she wondered how she could leave this place.
She shouldn't have followed Feng Huaihe into the Secretariat. Thinking back now, Feng Huaihe was calm and composed, speaking casually, carrying a stack of books, and asked her to come over as if it were just a business conversation. How could she have imagined that he was making such a bad plan?
Zhu Qing was so terrified that her teeth chattered. She had to leave by tomorrow morning at the latest, otherwise, if she stayed any longer, even more terrible things that were beyond her control would happen.
Tonight I forcefully kissed her, what about tomorrow night?
She'll crawl out, even if she has to!
Just as he was lost in thought, Feng Huaihe returned with the food and medicine bowl.
He walked over slowly and laid out the food one by one. He was soaked by the rain, and his black hair was wet and stuck to his temples, but he was calm and composed, and there was no trace of dishevelment in his appearance.
A light pink dress was still draped over Feng Huaihe's arm. He took it off and handed it to Zhu Qing: "Change your clothes and come over for dinner and your medicine. If it's bitter, I've prepared some preserved plums for you."
Zhu Qing took the clothes and looked at him without saying a word.
Feng Huaihe turned around knowingly, "I'll be right outside. Call me anytime you're ready."
Zhu Qing spat at his retreating figure and changed out of her wet clothes.
After changing into dry clothes, she felt much more comfortable and refreshed. Feng Huaihe seized the opportunity and pushed the door open to enter. Seeing that she had already changed but hadn't called him, he wasn't annoyed. He calmly sat down at the table, glanced at her, and said, "Come here."
Zhu Qing didn't want to move.
But seeing his increasingly somber gaze, Zhu Qing lost her backbone and slowly crawled over at a snail's pace to find the furthest spot to sit down.
But a table is so small that no matter how far you sit, you're only an arm's length away.
Feng Huaihe easily served her food, filling the small bowl to the brim.
Zhu Qing thought of the slippery feeling on her tongue, and looking at the full bowl of rice and dishes, she felt inexplicably nauseous.
"Yesterday I saw you rush to the kitchen and fill your bowl to the brim. What, are you looking at me without any appetite now? Or...?" Feng Huaihe stared at her and said, "Do you want me to feed you?"
Zhu Qing always felt that the "hello" he said was not a simple "hello".
Reluctantly, she picked up the long chopsticks and, under the pressure of Feng Huaihe's gaze, slowly ate half a bowl of rice and then drank the medicine.
After putting down the medicine bowl, Zhu Qing turned her head away and refused to eat the preserved plum that Feng Huaihe offered.
Her mind was filled with the image of him forcibly kissing her, and Zhu Qing didn't want to see him at all.
She said coldly, "When are you going to let me out?"
"Wait a little longer, it will be soon."
As Feng Huaihe spoke, he looked at Zhu Qing's fair profile and rounded chin, which appeared beautiful and lovely in the warm candlelight, especially her bun hairstyle.
He couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke it.
It's a small, round, black thing that tickles when poked in the palm of your hand.
In her previous life, Zhu Qing had never tied her hair up like this; clearly, this was a hairstyle only the Zhu Qing of the moon would wear.
Feng Huaihe couldn't understand how she had come to this place from the moon.
But one day he suddenly remembered that in his previous life, when he was sorting through Zhu Qing's belongings after her death, he found Zhu Qing's strategist's notes.
She recorded many imaginative things on it.
It was an extremely civilized world where women could freely marry. There was also a carriage that could take only three or four hours to travel from Chang'an to Luoyang. In the sweltering summer, women could wear only a light blouse. However, that world also seemed less civilized, as there were always some people who had not kept up with the times who would instruct them on their clothing. Although the preference for men was not as severe as it is today, it was still prevalent, and many women were similarly affected.
Feng Huaihe thought back to the dream Zhu Qing had told him about, and realized that Zhu Qing was not happy on the moon either.
He was certain that what Zhu Qing recorded in her notes was her world.
However, Feng Huaihe forgot many things in his previous life. On his deathbed, even Zhu Qing's appearance disappeared from his memory, including this matter, which he had long forgotten due to old age.
Looking back now, even though she doesn't understand why, Feng Huaihe firmly believes from those notes that she and Zhu Qing must have something in common, or even be the same person. It's just that the distortion of time has twisted their positions and memories out of place.
They are the same person, both the Zhu Qing he wants. Perhaps they have different pasts and different empathies, but they are both the person he is looking for.
As Feng Huaihe pondered this, he silently cleared away the dishes and left.
Zhu Qing went to lock and lock the doors and windows again, only to find that the door lock was broken and drooping pitifully.
It's unknown what kind of powerful bones lie beneath Feng Huaihe's refined appearance, that he possesses such great strength.
The way he drew his bow last time was just as skillful and powerful, without a trace of the gentleness of a scholar.
Zhu Qing used a table to block the door, then slumped onto the couch, wearily thinking about what had just happened.
How can I get out of here?
A gentleman uses words, not fists. Perhaps you should first discuss it with Feng Huaihe, try to persuade him, and then formally submit your resignation. That way, it might work.
If that doesn't work, then resort to violence.
Zhu Qing pondered in a daze, then drifted off to sleep.
She had a very long dream.
In her dream, she was also sixteen years old, studying under Feng Huaihe. They were inseparable, and even after Chang'an fell, they continued to accompany each other in the war-torn, collapsed city, enduring great suffering.
The year Huang Chao died in Shandong, it was a snowy winter night. Zhu Qing had already lost all his family members, the people were suffering, and the war showed no signs of abating.
Looking at the hellish world on earth, a cruel era where men, women, and children alike could end up on the dinner table, Zhu Qingguanxue was moved and asked her husband, "What do you think is true peace and prosperity?"
The gentleman and she stood under the corridor of the secretary's office, looking up at the white clouds flying all over the sky. "I think that when women are not ashamed of menstruation and not proud of giving birth, it is a peaceful and prosperous world."
Zhu Qing turned to look at him, puzzled: "Now that war is raging and people are devouring each other, why is the prosperous era you speak of equal? Shouldn't it be..."
The man's gaze was colder than the falling snowflakes: "Look at the current situation. When we are old and gray, the war and chaos will not stop. So why not embrace a fantasy of a prosperous era, so that we can keep living? Since it is a fantasy, it must conjure up the most magnificent era, and believe that day will come."
Zhu Qing was stunned.
This one sentence stunned her entire life.
She didn't know what kind of era the ultimate golden age her husband spoke of would be, but she often saw it in her dreams. The era in which the girl with the same name as her lived was civilized enough, but it still didn't reach the point of 'not taking pride in having children'.
Having witnessed firsthand the torment that girl suffered, and upon hearing her husband's words, Zhu Qing secretly resolved to create the peaceful and prosperous world they all desired. She wanted no war, and she wanted equality as well.
Zhu Qing regarded this as her lifelong belief.
After witnessing her husband of six years pour out the sweet flower soup she had cooked without any expression, she resolutely left her job and met Zhang Yin, who healed her, and married him.
What followed was a tragedy.
Zhu Qing was shot to death by a hail of arrows under the corridor where she and her husband had watched the snow together. All the love, hate and ideals in her life were reduced to the sentence, "Zhang Yin is my lover, and my husband is my faith."
The dream was frozen on the scene of her being pierced by a hail of arrows. Zhu Qing suddenly woke up, sat up, and gasped for breath.
The room was dark and silent; she could only hear her own breathing.
It took Zhu Qing a long time to calm down.
But the dream didn't fade away; instead, it flooded into her mind as a memory.
Zhu Qing was stunned for a moment, then realized that this was not a simple dream, but a flood of memories belonging to Zhu Qing.
She had previously felt that Zhu Qing had lost some memories, such as what her relationship with Feng Huaihe was like, and some of her preferences; she had no memory of any of them.
But tonight they returned in a massive wave.
Zhu Qing's heart suddenly started beating faster. Why was that?
Moreover, it seems to be her past life...
How she entered the cycle of reincarnation, how she was born in the 21st century, and how she was pulled back to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period by Feng Huaihe's lingering regret—all of these played clearly frame by frame in her mind.
She shared the same feelings as Zhu Qing: the sweet flower soup she had been making for years was thrown away, the suspicion, doubt, and defensiveness of the people who had been with her after the fall of Chang'an, and the helplessness of not being able to enter the same world even after giving everything.
Zhu Qing's gaze gradually darkened.
She is Zhu Qing.
She returned, pulled back by Feng Huaihe's lingering resentment, back to herself a thousand years ago.
But the time span is too long, and the river of history is long, and she is already very different from the person she used to be.
For example, although she admired her relationship with Zhang Yin, she did not love him; although she was amazed by Feng Huaihe's talent, she did not regard him as a believer.
Instead, he harbored resentment towards Feng Huaihe's suspicions.
But Feng Huaihe, because of his lingering regrets, was reborn.
Therefore, Feng Huaihe's only two goals in this life are related to her: one is to make amends to her, and the other is to possess her exclusively.
It's unimaginable how much bitterness and regret Feng Huaihe must have felt in his past life to be able to reverse time and space on his own, and even bring her, his descendant from thousands of years ago, back.
The person he hated most was probably Zhang Yin. No wonder he carried Zhang Yin's portrait with him every day; he probably thought about how to kill Zhang Yin every day.
Zhu Qing felt a chill run down his spine.
Having experienced hatred and obsession across two lifetimes, how will Feng Huaihe escape?
-
Zhu Qing spent the entire night thinking of a way to get rid of Feng Huaihe.
This method will definitely make Feng Huaihe let her go back!
She couldn't help but fantasize that after Feng Huaihe let her go home, the first thing she would do was to let everyone know she was safe, without mentioning any of the grudges between her and Feng Huaihe. The second thing she would do was pack her bags and move to Jinyang as quickly as possible, never wanting to see Feng Huaihe again.
She was so excited that she couldn't wait to go find Feng Huaihe.
Early in the morning, before the sky was fully bright, Zhu Qing couldn't wait to get up, wash and comb her hair, and then tied it into a simple bun with a hairband.
She thought she was early enough, but when she got outside, she found that Feng Huaihe was even earlier; he was no longer in the Secretariat.
Zhu Qing was extremely anxious. When she went out, Bao Fu was not there. A new group of people had been guarding the courtyard. These people wore curved swords and looked more valiant than the previous warriors.
Zhu Qing didn't dare to force her way in, so she asked the person closest to her, "Where is the Party Secretary?"
The man stared curiously at the little bun on her head: "The head secretary went out before dawn, saying he had a business deal to make."
Zhu Qing immediately tensed up.
Feng Huaihe has no dealings with the Feng family and would never help them with business unless there's something profitable to be gained. What profit could he possibly be willing to make now?
Zhu Qing thought of her third brother, Zhu Feichuan, almost instantly.
She was anxious, but it was no use. She slunk back to the head secretary's courtyard, but she didn't want to go to any other room. She just squatted on the stone platform in the courtyard, anxiously waiting for Feng Huaihe to return.
It wasn't until dusk that Zhu Qing finally heard footsteps. Almost simultaneously, she jumped up and went to meet him. When she saw his lips, she remembered the passionate kiss from the previous night…
Zhu Qing hurriedly took a small step back. "I have something to tell you."
Feng Huaihe took in her retreating movement without saying a word, and went to fetch water to water the forsythia.
Zhu Qing followed him at a respectful distance, saying, "I already know why you did this."
Feng Huaihe was scooping water to water the forsythia. Today he was wearing a light blue robe, which blended in with the surrounding flowers, trees and grass, making him look like a tall and slender green bamboo.
Feng Huaihe remained silent, watching the water in the ladle wet the soil. Some soil couldn't withstand the pressure and collapsed, while others absorbed the water well, becoming fluffy and rising high.
He couldn't help but think that water was truly a powerful force, capable of creating all things and destroying them. He also wished to do the same, to firmly control Zhu Qing's life and death in his own hands.
At that time, in order to survive, she would have no choice but to act coquettishly and beg for love in his palm, and would never leave him.
"Feng Huaihe!" Zhu Qing couldn't help but call out, "I know you're deliberately ignoring me, is that fun?"
Feng Huaihe finally glanced at her sideways and said, "I've warmed up the porridge. Let's eat first."
"I have something to tell you," Zhu Qing repeated firmly.
Feng Huaihe glanced at her secretly, and after a moment, he threw the water ladle back into the bucket and strode towards the secretary's office.
Zhu Qing gritted her teeth and followed.
She walked under the corridor, and the horrifying memory of being shot and killed there came over her. Even though she couldn't empathize with her past self from a thousand years ago, she couldn't suppress the reaction in her body, and her limbs suddenly became stiff and cold.
To avoid arousing Feng Huaihe's suspicion, Zhu Qing gritted her teeth, forcibly suppressed the sorrow in her heart, and struggled to catch up with Feng Huaihe.
Inside the secretary's office, Feng Huaihe had already walked behind the screen.
Behind that thin gauze screen embroidered with the Four Gentlemen (plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum) was his living quarters.
As soon as Zhu Qing walked around, he smelled the unique scent of his territory. There was only a bed, a wooden clothes rack, and a mirror, nothing else.
His simplicity is just like his personality.
He lifted his robe and sat down in front of the bronze mirror, loosened his hair crown, and let his black hair cascade down like a waterfall. He picked up a wooden comb and gestured to Zhu Qing: "Help me tie my hair up."
Zhu Qing didn't move.
When she was Feng Huaihe's student, she would offer to help him tie his hair when he was sick and weak or extremely busy.
But he never agreed.
Seeing that she didn't move, Feng Huaihe frowned slightly. "What's wrong?"
Zhu Qing stood calmly by the screen, looking at him intently with her almond-shaped eyes. "I already know why you did all this."
Feng Huaihe laughed like an ignorant child: "Really? What for?"
"Last night in the dark room, I saw the wooden puppet you carved."
The smile on his face vanished instantly. His eyes, fixed on her, were like the overcast sky outside the window, threatening to unleash a torrential downpour.
Zhu Qing immediately tensed up and forced a smile, saying, "The puppet's face looks just like mine."
Feng Huaihe has been reborn, and his obsession in this life is Zhu Qing.
So as long as he tells him that he is not Zhu Qing, the current deadlock can be broken.
Zhu Qing said earnestly, "I have also learned about your past from her memories."
She took a deep breath, trying to control herself from being affected by the painful memories, striving to appear as an outsider. "I know you did this to me because of Yingchunhua, but I am not her. You yourself have been reborn, so you can certainly accept and understand the matter of time travel. I am not from here, but..."
"They are lunar people."
Feng Huaihe interrupted her: "So what?"
Zhu Qing: "?" Are there people on the moon?
Feng Huaihe got up and walked towards Zhu Qing. She quickly retreated, but her retreat was blocked by the screen of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums. Feng Huaihe pressed closer and said, "You are acting very unfamiliar, like an outsider."
Trapped in the cramped space between the screen and his embrace, Zhu Qing's limbs stiffened.
He reached out his finger and gently stroked the features of Zhu Qing's eyebrows and eyes: "You are her." How deep his cunning and how rich his wisdom were! He could see that she came from the moon, and he could also see that she had been to that highly civilized world, and that her soul had long been corrupted. She was no longer the female student she once was.
“Even though so much time has passed between you, I recognized you at a glance. I had my suspicions from the first time you brought the inkstone. When you made the egg drop soup, I became even more certain, and I searched through books and found clues.”
When his cool fingers gently touched her eyebrows, Zhu Qing instantly felt a sense of weightlessness, as if she had traveled back in time. The pain of being pierced by arrows seemed to return clearly to her. Even though it was not an emotion that should belong to her, she couldn't help but clutch the hem of her skirt tightly.
His breathing became rapid and heavy, and he stared at the madman in front of him with a mixture of hatred and vigilance.
“But I’m different from her. Your thoughts should be reserved for her whole self, without any other interference. So, please let me out,” Zhu Qing tried to suppress her inappropriate emotions and reason with him.
The madman suddenly cupped her face in his hands, lowered his head, and tried to kiss her forehead.
Zhu Qing shouted angrily, "Don't touch me!"
Feng Huaihe paused, looked into her eyes and said stubbornly, "As long as you are her, that's enough."
He could sense their similarities, accept their differences, and desire to possess her entirely.
Zhu Qing remained silent, merely staring coldly at him. He grew anxious and said hastily, "What difference or similarity? To me, you're just Zhu Qing who's been to a more civilized world. You're both Zhu Qing, so what's the difference?"
"It's different everywhere!"
Zhu Qing glared angrily and shouted, "Zhu Qing was born with a loving family, but I have nothing! She lived in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, where men, women, young and old could all sit at the table, while I live in a civilized society that abides by the law. She was married and loved Zhang Yin, while I have never been in a relationship. Our backgrounds, lives, and experiences are all different. Tell me, where do we have anything in common?"
Zhu Qingyue's heart pounded as she spoke, "Are you going to let me go or not?!"
"I won't let go."
A thunderclap rolled down from the horizon, its roar echoing along with his voice: "People change. I'll just assume you've changed after going to the civilized society you speak of. No matter what you become, I'm going to have you."
"But I am not her!"
"If you really weren't her, you wouldn't be telling me all this! I know your intentions; you just want me to believe you're not her, to deceive and coax me so you can let me go?"
Feng Huaihe gritted his teeth: "I'm telling you, don't even think about it! Even if you are Li Qing, Wang Qing, or Feng Qing, even if you've been to the moon or the sun, even if it's a thousand or two thousand years later, as long as I can find you, I will never let go, even if it means my death."
"Feng Huaihe!"
"Don't even mention a thousand years of history, even if it's ten thousand years, ten million years of history, even if your civilization collapses and you and everything else turns into ruins, I will still self-immolate, turn into ashes and disappear with you, and then reunite in the quantum realm of the universe, continuing our entanglement..."
"Pervert..." Zhu Qing had never heard such a statement even in novels and TV dramas. "You're not even good enough to be described as a pervert..."
“Yes, I’ve been pretending and restraining all along,” Feng Huaihe stared at her pink lips. “I dream about you every night, and when I wake up, the ground beneath me is a mess.”
Zhu Qing shuddered in horror.
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the madness between his brows in a fleeting moment. Zhu Qing's heart clenched, and she hurriedly pulled out the resignation letter she had written the night before, slapping it across his face with her paw: "Anyway, I'm quitting, so you have to let me go!"
Feng Huaihe picked up the letter and glanced at it. He read it in the blink of an eye, displaying his ability to read ten lines at a glance. He sneered, "Now you finally know everything. I no longer need to pretend or restrain myself."
As soon as he finished speaking, the summer downpour, following the thunder and lightning, arrived as expected, crashing down on the earth.
The open window rattled back and forth in the wind, and the wind and rain poured into the room. Zhu Qing saw Feng Huaihe smiling sinisterly as he tore the resignation letter to shreds in his hand.
He then reached out his hand to her.
"You madman!"
Zhu Qing shouted and then ran towards the door as if fleeing. The bookshelf was knocked over in her excited run and fell to the ground with a thud.
She tripped over a book that had fallen off the bookshelf and fell face-first to the ground. Zhu Qing nervously closed her eyes, bracing herself for her nose to bleed. Suddenly, a pair of large hands reached out from behind, pulled her into a tight embrace, and carried her to a nearby desk.
'Splash—'
The books, pens, ink, and official documents were all swept away by Feng Huaihe and rolled to the ground.
Zhu Qing screamed, and before she could react, he slammed her onto the airborne desk. "Let me go..."
She closed her eyes in fear.
But she didn't know that girls with their eyes closed are the most lovable, because they can't see the expression on the man's face when he's on top of them. He can then freely release his suppressed desires and evil thoughts, even if all he sees in his eyes is a vicious rage that wants to devour her whole.
Feng Huaihe bent down and kissed her trembling lips, which were filled with fear.
It's soft, small, and very warm.
He couldn't resist licking it.
The person beneath him trembled and opened his misty eyes with a shaky effort.
Having tasted it, he felt it was too little, not enough at all, and wanted more. Feng Huaihe pressed against her teeth, trying to penetrate deeper.
Zhu Qing held her ground tightly, but she was no match for the man. She felt he was about to pry her open, and in her nervousness, she simply opened her mouth and took a big bite.
He thought Zhu Qing would flinch in pain and let go, but instead, he became even more audacious, barging in with a bloody, rusty smell. He fiercely stirred and savagely devoured Zhu Qing, who felt her tongue go numb and painful from being sucked.
She could barely hear the rain outside; her vision and ears were filled with a buzzing sound.
Finally, Feng Huaihe let go of her.
Zhu Qing thought she had escaped a calamity, but then she saw him reach out, pick up a purple bamboo wolf-hair brush lying to the side, and gently lift her clothes.
A bamboo leaf-shaped collarbone appeared before his eyes. Feng Huaihe swept the four-leaf clover birthmark on it with a clean brush, and a strong itching sensation immediately came from his skin.
Zhu Qing's lower back suddenly clenched, as if she had discovered that this was the legendary spot...
A threatening voice came from above: "Either you stay here for the rest of your life, or I'll find a way to protect the government even if Chang'an falls. At worst, you can join Huang Chao and be called a traitor. Once Huang Chao is defeated in Shandong, I'll bring Emperor Zhaozong of Tang back to assist him."
He has memories of his previous life. After Huang Chao's defeat in Shandong, Emperor Xizong of Tang would return to Chang'an, but by then he would be seriously ill. After his death, his younger brother, Emperor Xizong of Tang, would ascend the throne.
After Emperor Xizong of Tang, there was one last Emperor Ai of Tang.
When Emperor Ai of Tang also died at the hands of a powerful warlord, the Tang Dynasty, which had been struggling to stay afloat, completely collapsed.
No matter how the regime in the Central Plains changed, he was able to protect Zhu Qing. If he hadn't let her leave in his previous life, the events in the Sixteen Prefectures wouldn't have involved her.
Zhu Qing snorted coldly, "You're dreaming! When Huang Chao fled Chang'an, he set it on fire. Later, when Zhu Wen massacred aristocratic families and eunuchs and left Chang'an, he set it on fire again. Do you think you can protect this government in a city like Chang'an?"
Feng Huaihe tossed aside the wolf-hair brush, pulled the trembling Zhu Qing up from the table, made her sit on the edge of the table, and placed his hands on either side of her body, gently pulling her into his arms.
"So what? I have my own way. Think about what you want to choose first. I've given you a second option. Either you obediently come with me, and I'll take you and your family to Jinyang with me, so you won't suffer the pain of separation. I can protect you, and I can protect them too."
Perhaps because of his frail body, he suddenly realized that she was very small and could be completely hidden by his large male body. From behind, there was no trace of her.
Feng Huaihe poked her bun with his finger. "In your civilized society, is this how everyone ties their hair up?"
Zhu Qing swatted away his hoof with her paw, protected her little dumpling, and glared at him angrily.
"It hasn't been broken apart, what's there to be nervous about?" Feng Huaihe chuckled. "Think about it, which path do you want to take?"
"I'm not leaving. I'm going out to take them away from here!" Zhu Qingjian said firmly.
Feng Huaihe leaned back in his soft chair, looking at her with amusement, and said gently, "Alright, go ahead and see if you can step out of my chief secretary's courtyard without my permission."
"You!" Zhu Qing jumped off the table, her cheeks flushed with anger. "What exactly do you want?"
"Didn't I say it was a choice between two options?"
Feng Huaihe looked at her with a slight smile, his gaze deep and subtly aggressive as he swept his eyes across her lips.
Zhu Qing saw through it and quickly covered her mouth, saying in a muffled voice, "Forced love is never sweet!"
"As long as I can eat this melon, I don't care if it's sweet or not."
Feng Huaihe got up and walked out of the secretary's room. As soon as the door opened, a torrential downpour poured down outside. He seemed to remember something, and turned back to look at Zhu Qing through the rain, warning, "I will give you ten days to think it over. During these ten days, I will not touch you. I hope that after ten days, you can give me the answer you want."
Zhu Qing's eyes seemed to spit fire: "I'll find a way out, you can forget about it!"
Feng Huaihe chuckled, but the smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a gloomy expression on his handsome face. "Fine, go ahead and try to get out. Your eldest and second brothers are in my hands now, and your third brother is following the trade route I've laid out for him. If you're comfortable with them, you can run away if you want."
After saying this, Feng Huaihe casually tied up his loose hair, picked up the umbrella hanging on the wall, and left in the rain.
Enraged, Zhu Qing grabbed the wolf-hair brush from the table, about to throw it at his back, when she suddenly noticed the bow she had thrown away hanging on the wall.
He retrieved it.
Zhu Qing timidly put down her pen. Her mouth felt numb, and she could almost hear the greasy sound of someone's tongue swirling around in her ears. She spat twice in discomfort, wishing she could cut off someone's tongue.
-
A summer downpour lasted all night.
The rain poured down on the Secretary's courtyard. When Zhu Qing woke up the next day, he saw that the sky after the rain was clear and blue, the blue brick floor of the Secretary's courtyard was cleaned by the rain, and a thin layer of leaves that had been knocked down by the rain had piled up on the ground.
With a 'swish, swish' sound, the sound of sweeping came from outside. Zhu Qing dressed neatly, washed up, and went out of the room, only to find Tian Jiuzhu sweeping the floor.
Who is Tian Jiuzhu? Why is she sweeping the floor for her?
Zhu Qing was initially puzzled, then her first thought was to hide herself immediately. Before she could even move, Tian Jiuzhu spotted her. "Zhu Qing?"
Zhu Qing froze for a moment, then smiled and waved to her, feigning nonchalance: "Good morning, what a coincidence, what are you doing here...hehe."
It was an open secret within the shogunate that Feng Huaihe was preventing people from entering.
Tian Jiuzhu said calmly, "Secretary Zhang made me a judge and sent me here to take care of people. I didn't expect it to be you."
Zhu Qing was stunned for a moment, then muttered to himself, "He's too good at handling things. You're a judge, yet you're taking care of a mere secretary like me..."
It terrified her. Moreover, in her society, Tian Jiuzhu was a cold-hearted, strong woman, someone she had always admired but could never reach... This... this...
Zhu Qing was a little afraid to look at her.
"Aren't you angry?" Tian Jiuzhu asked.
"What are you angry about?"
"The judge's position was originally yours..."
Zhu Qing waved her hand, "What's the big deal? Besides, Eunuch Tian is probably just saying it. You're his goddaughter, so he'll definitely give it to you."
Although this position may seem prestigious, it's essentially just another job, and it's just as tough, so there's nothing to be angry about.
"I don't need to be taken care of, you, you should rest..." Zhu Qing looked at Tian Jiuzhu, and when she thought about how she was Tian Lingzi's goddaughter, it felt strange that she was sweeping the floor here and saying she would take care of her.
Tian Jiuzhu shook her head and continued sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground: "I have done all my duties as a judge. There is nothing else to do and I can't stay idle. Sweeping the floor is nothing. Besides, the chief secretary said that he is going to move out of the shogunate. I will clean this place up so that he can move it directly when he comes later."
Zhu Qing immediately became alert: "Moving away? Where is he going to move to?"
He wouldn't want to move her to Jinyang right now, would he? She hasn't even agreed yet!
"I don't know either, but he came back soon. You can ask him again."
Tian Jiuzhu looked at the suspicious red mark on Zhu Qing's lips with a probing gaze, pondered for a moment, but ultimately asked nothing and focused on sweeping the fallen leaves.
She always knew the rule of doing things without asking too many questions.
As long as she could satisfy Feng Huaihe, he had promised to help her break free from Tian Lingzi's control. As for the matter between Feng Huaihe and Zhu Qing, knowing more about it would do her no good.
After sweeping up the fallen leaves, Tian Jiuzhu went to the manager's office, picked up the bookshelf that had collapsed the day before, and put the books back one by one.
She picked up the books and documents that had been swept to the ground and put them back on the desk, her eyes not glancing anywhere, and she showed no intention of peeking at the secrets of those documents.
The desk, which had been swept clean and empty, was now filled with things, and Tian Jiuzhu smiled with a sense of accomplishment.
Zhu Qing, who had just lain down at this desk last night, stood to one side, unable to smile.
She awkwardly tried to leave, but as soon as she turned around, she saw Feng Huaihe coming in from outside the courtyard.
He was followed by about a dozen servants.
The moment he spotted Zhu Qing, his gaze was fixed on her, making her freeze in place.
Feng Huaihe approached her and said, "Is there anything you need to take? Take it, and I'll help you move out."
"Where to move to?"
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