Chapter 23: Interlocking Fingers (Two in One) “How about Madam take the initiative…
Suddenly, his fingertips felt empty, and the handkerchief was already grasped in the other person's palm. Shen Wenji was stunned for only a moment, then instinctively reached out to grab it.
The handkerchief did not move at all, but her hand, in a panic, covered the back of Xie Yunqing's hand.
Their fingertips touched, and the warm touch was like an electric shock. She moved her hand away in panic, and a deep dark light flashed in Xie Yunqing's eyes.
Stroking the fingertips that still felt a strange tingling sensation, Shen Wenji's eyebrows arched. He glared at Xie Yunqing accusingly and asked, "What are you crazy about? Give me back my handkerchief now."
Xie Yunqing ignored him, instead lowering his eyes to examine the handkerchief in his hand. On the soft pink silk handkerchief, two lifelike mandarin ducks nestled intimately together. Each feather was embroidered with delicate silk thread, each stitch imbued with tender affection.
He suddenly clenched his five fingers together, tightly grasping the handkerchief that carried someone else's affection. His fist clenched tighter and tighter, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he wanted to crush it in his palm.
His face remained calm, as tranquil as the deep sea, yet beneath it lay a raging storm, powerful enough to devour everything. His voice was incoherent, "Who gave you this handkerchief?"
"It wasn't given to me by someone else." Shen Wenji was puzzled by his question and retorted, "Couldn't I have embroidered it myself?"
The dark and deep eyes suddenly became darker, as if they were frozen for ten thousand years.
He raised his eyes, locking them on her coldly, and the corners of his lips curled up in an ambiguous, almost self-deprecating arc: "Oh? I never thought Wen Ji had such exquisite embroidery skills. We have known each other for many years, but I have never seen you give me a handkerchief..."
His voice paused, then lowered, with a hint of tentativeness: "This handkerchief... is it for me?"
Shen Wenji: “???”
She frowned and said, "It's not for you, give it back to me."
The smile that Xie Yunqing was trying to maintain on the corner of his mouth completely froze and quickly disappeared, and his thin lips were pursed into a cold and hard straight line.
The last bit of self-deceiving excuse was also shattered, depression and jealousy instantly wrapped around the whole body, swallowing up all the warmth.
He leaned in closer, his eyes level with Shen Wenji's, his deep eyes staring at her without blinking, his voice seductive and alluring: "Tell me who you plan to give it to, and I will return it to you."
It seems that if I don’t give him an answer today, I won’t be able to leave.
Shen Wenji didn't want to tell him about the disappearance of the second senior sister. If he was involved, the future would be uncertain and his life would be in danger. She was also afraid that he would be so smart that he could guess the true relationship between her and the Hehuan Sect.
To be honest, it is absolutely impossible to tell.
So, she lowered her eyes, avoiding his scorching gaze. Her long eyelashes trembled nervously as she tentatively weaved a lie: "I was planning to give it to you. It's just that I'm not satisfied with the color combination..."
Her voice gradually lowered, a little embarrassed: "Wait until I figure out the most satisfactory look, then I will give it to you personally."
The moment the words fell, Xie Yunqing's whole body froze.
The shadows that had been swirling in his eyes faded away like the tide, leaving only surprise and uncontrollable joy. His tightly clenched hands suddenly loosened, and before he could even grasp the handkerchief, the soft handkerchief fell to the ground like a feather.
Shen Wenji raised her eyes at the right time, her clear and gentle eyes reflecting his figure. She lowered her voice very softly, with a soft coaxing tone: "So, can you return the handkerchief to me first? Otherwise, there will be no surprise."
The soft feather fell on Xie Yunqing's hot heart.
He didn't dare look into Shen Wenji's eyes again. He felt a surge of heat rushing to his head. His ears were so red that blood was almost dripping out, and even his neck was spreading a charming pink.
Did Shen Wenji say he wanted to give it to him? He shouldn't be hallucinating.
Is this... a confession of love to him? Can you just give a mandarin duck away to anyone? !!!
His pale pink Adam's apple rolled with difficulty, and he bent down almost in a panic, quickly picked up the handkerchief on the ground, and handed it back to her.
His voice was hoarse and deep like never before, with a barely perceptible tremor. "Will it be the same... mandarin duck pattern next time?"
"Yes, yes, yes! I promise to make you an identical one." Shen Wenji noticed that something was wrong with him and asked tentatively: "Why? You don't like mandarin ducks? Then I can change it for you. How about a majestic falcon?"
"No! No need to change..." Xie Yunqing's breathing stagnated and his eyelids trembled, fearing that she would go back on her word.
He raised his eyes, suppressing the throbbing in his chest that was about to burst out. His eyes were dark but mixed with tiny twinkling stars. His jawline was tightened, and he looked at Shen Wenji silently and solemnly.
After a long while, he spoke in a hoarse and gentle voice: "I am very happy that you gave me the mandarin duck."
Shen Wenji blinked her confused eyes, feeling the alcohol rising from her body. The feeling of being tipsy confused her head, and her intuition told her that something was wrong with the atmosphere.
But fortunately, the handkerchief was already in hand, and Xie Yunqing had no intention of continuing to pester her.
She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a bright and dazzling smile blooming on her face. A second before leaving, she turned to look at Xie Yunqing: "Next time we meet, I'll give it to you."
The last bit of the clear and gentle sound disappeared in the soft moonlight.
The air was filled with Shen Wenji’s lingering warmth, mixed with her cool fragrance.
The bright moonlight seeped in through the window lattice and tightly enveloped Xie Yunqing. The moonlight seeped into his heart, filling it up bit by bit, occupying his wildly beating heart inch by inch.
Between breaths, the sound of the heartbeat like a drum is about to burst out.
Xie Yunqing silently watched Shen Wenji's leaving figure until he could no longer see any trace of him, then he slowly half-knelt down.
He lowered his head, raised his slightly trembling hands, and slowly covered his burning cheeks. He closed his eyes, and his mind was filled with Shen Wenji's every move, lingering. He carefully recalled Shen Wenji's every frown and smile, and his ears turned red.
In the hazy moonlight, the burning red ears became more conspicuous, as if telling some indescribable secret emotions.
Xie Yunqing rolled his dry Adam's apple and used great willpower to restrain the surging emotions.
After a long while, he took a deep breath, stood up, and regained his usual stern demeanor. After leaving the west wing, he immediately ordered Wu Feng to: first, check Shen Wenji's whereabouts, and second, check Yan Xu's background.
Afterwards, he returned to his room and took out a dark-patterned brocade robe from the secret cabinet and put it on.
Just as I put on my inner clothes, the door was pushed open with a creak.
Xie Yunqing thought it was Wu Feng reporting back, so without turning his head, he raised his eyebrows slightly, and a hint of ridicule appeared at the corner of his mouth: "The intelligence network is really fast today? So quickly..."
Before he finished speaking, a completely different aura made him instantly alert.
He quickly fastened his belt, turned around and swung out his hidden weapon, a sharp cold light shooting straight at the door. At the same time, his sharp eyes locked onto the newcomer.
"It's you?" Xie Yunqing frowned and spoke in a cold voice.
Opposite is a young woman with three-dimensional and deep features, and a striking and beautiful style.
She was wearing a familiar outfit: a lotus-red tube top with a navy purple dress, but she was not wearing a jacket, leaving her snow-white shoulders, neck and collarbone exposed to the air, looking charming.
The woman dodged Xie Yunqing's hidden weapon with a deft movement. She raised her eyebrows slightly, her voice soft as if soaked in aged wine, brushing past his ear: "Xie Lang, why are you so irritable? Didn't even having a beautiful woman in my arms cool your temper today? How about... let me help you?"
"I told you not to call me Xie Lang." Xie Yunqing turned his back and quickly put on his dark robe, wrapping every inch of his skin tightly. His voice was icy, "We're not that familiar. Su Tengyue, you're not welcome here. Get out."
"We run Zuihualou together, but we're not familiar with each other?" Su Tengyue chuckled and walked closer. "You never look happy every time you see me... Don't I look good in this outfit today?"
She deliberately spun around, her skirt flying. "I looked for this specifically because of what the beautiful girl in your arms was wearing. Just for the similar style of clothes, I'd kill for it... No, I searched several stores before I found something like it."
Her eyes flickered: "Tell me, who looks better in it, me or her?"
Hearing her mention Shen Wenji, Xie Yunqing turned around abruptly, staring at her with gloomy eyes, and warned her coldly: "How you mess around is your business, just don't interfere in my business."
"What? Can't I even mention it?" Su Tengyue raised an eyebrow, but her smile turned cold: "Xie Yunqing, are you serious this time? Do you like her?"
Xie Yunqing didn't say anything, but looked at her coldly and said, "Second Master, this has nothing to do with you, right?"
"I thought you were always paying attention to Master Ji because you liked men, so you ignored me." Su Tengyue pressed on, her voice filled with resentment. "And now, you like other women, and you don't even want to look at me? What's wrong with me?"
From her words, Xie Yunqing keenly grasped the key point: she did not realize that Shen Wenji and the girl in his arms today were the same person.
He calmed down a bit and said coldly, "Whether it's a man or a woman, I'm not interested. You don't have to waste your time on me."
"However," he changed the subject, "you're right about one thing. I do have my eye on Master Ji. So, I advise you not to give her the wrong attention. Otherwise..." He took a step closer, a strong sense of oppression sweeping over him: "You will bear the consequences at your own risk."
After saying this, he avoided Su Tengyue and walked quickly towards the door. He paused at the door and left a final warning: "Zuihualou belongs to you half, so you can keep this room if you want. Don't follow me after I leave."
Su Tengyue's eyes were shrouded in gloom. She stared coldly at Xie Yunqing's leaving figure, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
The serving maid stumbled over and handed her a moon-white jacket of the same style. Her voice trembled, "Saint, we have been searching for a long time before we found it. Please punish me, Saint."
Her delicate fingers picked up the dress and slowly put it on. She looked at herself in the mirror and muttered to herself, "They're exactly the same. What's the difference?"
The maid cautiously glanced up and said flatteringly, "The Saint is unrivaled in her beauty. No one can match her. It's that Master Xie who doesn't appreciate it. The Saint doesn't need to be obsessed with him. Aren't all the good men in the world easily obtained by the Saint with just a flick of her finger?"
"Yes, he is special. But I, Su Tengyue, have never failed to get what I want." Su Tengyue raised her hand and stroked the fabric of her clothes, whispering, "If I really can't get it, then I will destroy it."
Her cold gaze fell on the maid, and she smiled and said, "How can you comment on my affairs?"
The maidservant was instantly panicked and kowtowed and begged for mercy.
Su Tengyue only felt a clamor in her ears. She gently raised her hand. Blood splattered everywhere. The maid's eyes widened. Before she could even scream, she died.
She lowered her eyes, looking at the glaring scarlet on her dress, and sighed with regret: "Oh. So Xie Lang doesn't like it because it's stained with dirty blood."
She spoke innocently, as if discussing a soiled toy. "It's all the fault of the people who gave me the clothes. They didn't check them properly."
She clapped her hands lightly, and several dark shadows shrouded in demonic energy appeared silently in the room.
She deliberately made her voice sweet, but the order she issued was icy cold: "Kill those who know about this. Leave no one alive."
-
Xie Yunqing had just walked a short distance when he ran into Wu Feng, who was reporting back. He grabbed him and quickly walked away from the area where Su Tengyue was.
Wu Feng looked at him trying to avoid him and guessed, "What's going on? Is the Second In Command pestering you again?"
The second-in-command, Su Tengyue, is the Saint of the Demon Clan. When Xie Yunqing, as the owner of Zuihua Tower, cooperated with the Demon Clan to gather information, one of the Demon Clan's requirements was to let the Saint monitor his every move.
This saintly lady happened to be very interested in his Zuihualou, and she agreed that she would not have to follow Xie Yunqing around day and night to supervise him, but she had to invest in Zuihualou and leave the night business to her.
Gradually, under her management, Zuihualou became a famous brothel at night. Although Xie Yunqing was unhappy, he had no reason to stop Su Tengyue.
This second-in-command was giving him quite a headache. Xie Yunqing rubbed his swollen temples, raised his eyes and asked Xiang Wufeng, "Let's not talk about her for now. What are the results of your investigation?"
"I found out that Jiang Xuemian, the young master of the Hehuan Sect, was captured by the demons and is meeting at the Wuyou Inn on the banks of the Wangchuan River. Perhaps Shen Wenji went to rescue her?"
"Worry-free Inn?" Xie Yunqing narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "It seems that the demons are playing a big game, actually involving so many people."
Wu Feng said lazily, "It just so happens that the demon tribe has also invited you to the Worry-Free Inn today. Go find her on your own. I won't interfere with you two young lovers."
Hearing the words "young couple", Xie Yunqing's mouth curled up uncontrollably.
He suppressed a smile, cleared his throat, and pretended to be indifferent: "Don't be poor. If you want to be lazy, then be lazy. What excuses do you have? Well, I'll go by myself."
Wu Fengru felt as if he had been pardoned. He smiled and bowed: "Okay, I wish you and sister-in-law a long and happy life together." After that, he slipped away.
Xie Yunqing looked at his excited back, shook his head helplessly and laughed, then packed up everything and flew to the Wuyou River.
-
After Shen Wenji came out of Zuihua Tower, he followed the trace of the flare and found Yan Xu.
Yan Xu handed her the intelligence and said, "I found out that the demons are holding a banquet at the Wuyou Inn today, inviting many partners to discuss important matters. I previously sent an invitation to the Hehuan Sect but it was rejected, so I resorted to this desperate measure."
"It seems that the Hehuan Sect has no choice but to go to this Hongmen Banquet." Shen Wenji's eyes were solemn.
Yan Xu nodded and continued, "Your mother, Shen Qingli, just came out of seclusion. When she heard that the other party was asking for the sacred object of the Hehuan Sect, she took a few outer disciples with her and went to the Wangyou River to keep the appointment without saying a word."
"Mother is so quick? How long has she been gone? We should hurry up and catch up with her." Shen Wenji frowned.
"She specifically told me by name that you can't go, and she ordered me to stop you." Yan Xu's voice was filled with helplessness, and he smiled bitterly, "But I don't think I can stop you."
"If you know, just get out of the way and don't block the road." Shen Wenji's eyes were bright, and she drove the magic weapon, flying out like an arrow from a bow.
When she arrived at the Wuyou Inn, the people from the Hehuan Sect were about to go in. The guards at the door were asking who the Hehuan Sect had brought with them so that they could give them identity bracelets one by one.
Mother Shen Qingli stood with her hands behind her back, her cold eyes sweeping over the men's clothing on Shen Wenji. She turned a deaf ear to her calls and looked away indifferently. Her voice clearly penetrated the night: "There are only six people from the Hehuan Sect on this trip, all of them are women. If anyone claims to be from the Hehuan Sect..."
She paused deliberately, and her cold eyes swept across Shen Wenji vaguely, "No one is allowed to put it in."
Hearing this, Shen Wenji's heart trembled.
She understood that her mother wanted to block her out in order to protect the next successor of the Hehuan Sect. But Shen Wenji was not someone who would sit still and wait for death. She did not need anyone to protect her; she could also become a hero who saved the Hehuan Sect.
She had decided to enter the Worry-Free Inn. Even though her mother had blocked the door she had used to enter through the Hehuan Sect, she could find another way to get in.
Her beautiful eyes looked around, she was looking for someone who could bring her in. Her eyes paused on the man in black clothes not far away. It turned out to be the familiar owner of Zuihua Tower. It would probably be easier to start with him.
Shen Wenji stepped forward and stopped the broad-shouldered, long-legged man in black. She smiled ingratiatingly and said softly, "Master, are you going to the Worry-Free Inn? Can we go together?"
In the dim night, the slanting light from the house stretched the two people's shadows very long.
Xie Yunqing's pupils dilated slightly. He didn't expect Shen Wenji to come to him on his own initiative.
I felt jealous for no reason, thinking about how she ran away from Xie Yunqing, and how she was so obsessed with the owner of Zuihua Tower.
He suppressed his resentment and said in surprise, "You call me the host? You know me?"
Shen Wenji: “???”
That's right, they had only met twice, so it was understandable that the boss didn't remember her.
She introduced herself with a shy face, "Although I have only met you twice, I have long admired you. I wonder if I could be your female companion and accompany you to this Worry-Free Inn."
"Female companion?" Xie Yunqing raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren't you wearing men's clothes? Are you a man or a woman?"
"The clothes I'm wearing are just for disguise." Shen Wenji smiled, "I'll change into women's clothes in a while. I'm a girl, so you can rest assured."
She spoke nicely on the surface, but in fact she was secretly complaining: the lust that people talk about does not seem to be nonsense, and they actually care so much about whether she is a man or a woman.
Xie Yunqing's thin lips under the black and gold mask curled up slightly, and his eyes were deep and dark, as if he wanted to suck the person in front of him deeply.
Finally, this little liar admitted it himself.
He drooped his eyelids lazily and said nonchalantly, "Okay, I'll wait for you for a quarter of an hour."
Shen Wenji's clear and bright eyes flashed with stars, and she smiled and said, "Just half a cup of tea! I'll be quick."
Xie Yunqing held the long sword and nodded slowly.
Shen Wenji was overjoyed. Fortunately, she had put the blue-purple dress her mother had given her into a storage ring and carried it with her. Otherwise, she would not have been able to find a formal dress for a while.
She moved swiftly, and changed her clothes in a few minutes. She slowly walked behind the man in black clothes and called softly, "Master, I'm done. Shall we set off now?"
Xie Yunqing turned around when he heard the sound, and when his eyes fell on Shen Wenji, his breathing stopped for half a second.
The wind blew under the eaves, lifting a corner of her skirt. The blue-purple dress seemed to have crushed the stars, and the flowing luster scattered with the wind. The dark patterns of the cassia flowers embroidered with gold thread flickered under the light, and were even more dazzling than the moonlight on the eaves.
Xie Yunqing's hand holding the sword paused slightly, and he looked at her without blinking. His eyes, which were usually dark and cold, seemed to be filled with sparks at this moment, but when Shen Wenji looked over, he quickly lowered his eyelashes to hide the surging emotions in his eyes.
This close look was even more stunning than the last glimpse from afar on the Xianyuan Bridge. The woman on the bridge that day was also her.
Xie Yunqing couldn't help but sigh inwardly. How many things had this little liar deceived him?
But it doesn't matter, he will write down every detail and settle the accounts with her later.
His Adam's apple rolled slightly, and he spoke in a hoarse voice, his tone unmistakable: "It looks great. This dress suits you very well."
Light and shadow passed through his eyes, which seemed to hold a pool of deep water, carrying some inexplicable meaning. His gaze paused for a moment on Shen Wenji's face, and he stretched out a hand towards her.
Shen Wenji was slightly stunned, a little confused: "Master, this is...?"
"Since she's your female companion," he said in a low voice with unquestionable strength, "you have to act like one." His fingertips moved slightly in the air, with a silent urging.
Shen Wenji understood and gently placed a soft, small, jade-white hand into his large, warm palm.
The fingers are tightly clasped together, fitting perfectly.
His eyes unconsciously fell on the clasped hands, and his heart beat faster.
The night wind picked up again, causing the lights under the eaves to sway slowly, hiding the barely noticeable redness on the tip of Xie Yunqing's ear in the flickering light and shadow.
It wasn't until Shen Wenji called him the landlord again and asked him if this was okay that he withdrew his gaze and murmured "hmm" in his throat. His tone was flat but with a slight hesitation. His other hand drooped, and his fingertips unconsciously stroked the jade pendant at his waist.
The two of them walked hand in hand until they came in front of the guard at the door.
The guard glanced at the two of them and asked them to show their invitation letters as a routine matter.
Xie Yunqing was reluctant to let go of Shen Wenji's hand, so he had to take out the invitation letter from his chest with one hand and handed it to the guard.
After the guard opened it, his attitude instantly became respectful. He raised his eyes cautiously, quickly taking in the stunning woman nestled against the host's side, and tentatively asked, "Forgive me, sir, but only your name is written on this invitation. I wonder who this young lady is..." His gaze flickered to the two people's clasped hands.
Xie Yunqing spoke slowly, his voice coming through the mask with a natural sense of strength: "She is my wife."
Husband, Madam? Shen Wenji froze. The host was really bold. He arranged such a blatant identity for her. If she did something inappropriate later, wouldn’t it implicate him?
Alarm bells rang in her heart, and she subconsciously turned her head to look at the man in black clothes beside her. Taking advantage of the cover of his wide sleeves, her fingertips scratched his clasped palms in panic.
The man immediately noticed the large hand covering theirs and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He tilted his head slightly, a glance from behind his mask, his voice deliberately low and gentle, "Don't be afraid, Madam. We can all get in."
Xie Yunqing raised his eyes to look at the guard and asked, "Do you doubt our identity?"
The guard was sweating profusely. He couldn't afford to offend such a big shot. If he made him unhappy, his life might be in danger.
He was just about to apologize profusely and let the two in.
But then the man in black clothes spoke again: "Madam, why don't we prove it to him?"
The guard looked up suddenly: "???"
He wanted to say that it was not necessary, but when he met the man's cold and threatening gaze, he swallowed all the words back into his stomach.
Well, he doesn’t understand the world of big shots.
Shen Wenji's heartbeat suddenly soared to his throat, and an ominous premonition swept through his body.
She stared blankly at his mask, which was so close to her. Her throat tightened, and her voice trembled slightly. "How do you prove it?"
The man's chuckle was muffled in the mask, carrying a kind of magnetism that made one's heart tremble.
He leaned forward slightly, leaning close to her ear, his hot breath almost penetrating the mask, and every word he spoke was crystal clear, with an irresistible teasing: "How about, Madam, give me a kiss?"
-----------------------
The author has something to say: Xiao Xie (disguised version): Madam~Madam~Madam~
Susu was stunned: The host is indeed a pervert, he can call someone "madam" without batting an eyelid. Forget it, I personally asked for this status, so I can only accept it.
Xiao Xie (doing whatever he wants by relying on his status): Madam, give me a kiss [dog head holding a rose]
Thank you all for your support! Love you all!!! [Red Heart][Red Heart][Red Heart] The next update will still be at midnight every day [Let me check it out] Please comment and give me some nutrition solution. If I have more motivation, I might get more updates [Dog head holding a rose]
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