Jiang Chuting stared at him silently for a moment before speaking, "I don't need your escort, get out of the way."
"I won't allow it." Pei Jing emphasized, her beautiful face filled with coldness as she aggressively questioned, "Knowing I was about to leave, why did you go out so late at night? Why didn't you stay and keep me company? Are you really in such a hurry?"
His unreasonable behavior left Jiang Chuting speechless for a moment before she patiently said, "I have a promise to keep, and I cannot break it. Besides, I have been with you all this time."
Hearing him say this, Pei Jing became even more agitated, gripping his shoulders tightly with both hands. "I don't want just these days, I want everything, I want all of your time to belong to me!"
Jiang Chuting tried to reason with him: "Xiao Jiu, you need to know that no one belongs to only one person, even if I am your master."
Pei Jing tightened his grip, speaking in a deep voice, each word distinct: "How do you know you can't?"
Jiang Chuting was slightly taken aback.
Pei Jing stared intently into his eyes, and said slowly, "If I want it, you will. Don't you understand?"
Rain dripped outside, and inside, silence fell suddenly.
Pei Jing was right; if he wanted to, there was nothing he couldn't do. Jiang Chuting's expression softened slightly. She changed the subject and asked him, "Was it on purpose that I slept until now?"
No matter how hard he worked the night before or how late he rested, he couldn't possibly sleep soundly for a whole day. Pei Jing probably figured out his routine for going down the mountain, so he burned calming incense for several days in a row. He tampered with it last night without suspecting anything, and thus fell for it due to a moment of carelessness.
Pei Jing's eyes reddened, and he made no attempt to hide it, readily admitting, "So what if I did it on purpose? Look at your impatient face, who are you going to see? That kid from last time? Am I right?" He wanted to endure it, to continue pretending to be obedient, but this person's behavior was unbearable! Since it was useless, he might as well admit it directly and let him see his true self. Even if he was afraid of him, it was better than treating him like a fleeting cloud that would vanish without leaving a trace in his life.
No matter how arrogant and willful he was before, Jiang Chuting had never been truly angry. But at this moment, she could not tolerate it, and her tone became much colder: "I've said before that I don't need to tell you when I go out or who I meet. Get out of my way."
Seeing his cold expression, Pei Jing twitched the corner of his mouth, a mocking glint in his stubborn dark eyes, and said, "No? What? You want to fight me just to see him?"
Jiang Chuting's hand holding the sword twitched slightly, and he said coldly, "Little Jiu, do you really intend to do this to me?"
Pei Jing glanced down at his subtle movement and felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart. A glint of tears flashed in her reddened eyes as she looked back at him and raised her voice slightly: "So, if I continue to stop you, you will draw your sword against me?"
Jiang Chuting's action was merely subconscious; given Pei Jing's status, he couldn't possibly draw his sword against him. Caught off guard, Pei Jing's hand, which had been gripping his shoulder, suddenly cupped his face. Jiang Chuting's eyes widened, and before he could speak, his lips felt a warmth.
He actually kissed me.
Pei Jing's breathing quickened as he captured Jiang Chuting's lips in his mouth, kissing him passionately and forcefully. Jiang Chuting felt as if something had exploded in his mind; he was so shocked that it took him a moment to react before he used his inner strength to push him away. But then he felt a sharp pain on his lips as Pei Jing had bitten him hard, drawing blood and leaving a metallic taste.
Pei Jing staggered back two steps and chuckled softly.
Jiang Chuting asked incredulously, "Xiao Jiu, do you know what you're doing?"
Pei Jing gazed at the bright red mark on his lips, his eyes burning and unrestrained, the temperature of his gaze almost setting him ablaze. As if his mood had suddenly improved, Pei Jing smiled and said, "Kissing you? Of course I knew. Are you surprised? There's much more I want to do for you than just this."
The two were fifteen years apart in age, and Jiang Chuting had always treated Pei Jing as a junior. Pei Jing interpreted his intimate behavior as a disciple's dependence on his master. When Pei Jing almost kissed him on the face, Jiang Chuting simply thought that he was indeed mischievous and was just teasing him for fun.
But he didn't expect that Pei Jing actually had such thoughts.
Jiang Chuting was inwardly turbulent, stunned and speechless. Pei Jing observed his expression for a long while before speaking, "So, Master, you want me to watch you go to see other men? Do you know how I feel? How can I not be angry?" As he spoke, he slowly approached, and Jiang Chuting immediately took two steps back. This blatantly obvious estrangement froze Pei Jing in place, his already forced composure turning dark again.
Jiang Chuting calmed down a bit and said to him, "Xiao Jiu, I am your master."
Pei Jing scoffed, "You are my master, but who says a disciple can't like his master?"
Jiang Chuting still couldn't accept it, stating unequivocally: "This is immoral."
"Incestuous?" Pei Jing's laughter grew louder, tilting his head and sneer, "I didn't realize you were so rigid! But so what if it's incestuous? I'm going to make you both my teacher and my bedmate. Who dares to say a word against it?!"
His blatant expression made Jiang Chuting's face turn slightly pale, her lips pursed, and she turned her head away, remaining silent.
Pei Jing gazed at his cool profile, her heart softening. She slowly approached, her tone changing, now tinged with a pleading voice, "Master, please don't go. Don't leave me. I love you, I really love you..."
Just as Pei Jing approached and reached out to hug him, Jiang Chuting struck him twice with lightning speed.
Pei Jing was instantly paralyzed with shock and anger. "You actually struck my acupoint?! Let me go!"
Jiang Chuting's gaze was clear and cold as he solemnly said to him, "Xiao Jiu, you are my disciple. I have no romantic feelings for you, nor for the person I am about to meet. The reason I am in a hurry to go down the mountain is to keep my promise. I am meeting him only to investigate a very important matter. You do not need to be angry."
Of the long speech, Pei Jing only heard the part about "I have no romantic feelings for you." He glared at him fiercely, gritting his teeth, "Untie my acupoints, do you hear me!"
Jiang Chuting sighed and instructed him, "My method of acupuncture is special and they can't undo it. You will be able to move in a quarter of an hour. Don't try to break through your acupoints on your own, otherwise, you will be in great danger."
Pei Jing's breathing quickened. "I won't let you leave!"
Jiang Chuting seemed not to hear him, and with a swift movement, he bypassed him. Pei Jing was unable to move. He caught a glimpse of Jiang Chuting's figure already out of the room and said coldly, "Fine! If you want to keep your word, then go. I'll wait for you. But if you don't return by the time my patience runs out, I don't know what will happen in the Nine Heavens. You'd better figure it out yourself!"
Jiang Chuting hesitated slightly before quickening her pace and leaving.
His sudden appearance startled the disciples guarding the mountain gate, who bowed to him and asked, "Junior Uncle, are you going down the mountain so late?"
"Hmm." Jiang Chuting nodded without saying much. The rain was light but not light either. A disciple saw that he didn't have an umbrella and was about to hand it to him, but in the blink of an eye, he was already gone.
When Jiang Chuting arrived at the foot of the mountain, his hair and clothes were completely soaked by the rain. It was already late at night, and the city gates were closed. Even though he was anxious, he could only find an inn and wait until the next morning to head to the neighboring city.
When he arrived at the Lovesick Abode, he spotted a figure in purple leaning against the steps by the entrance. Lin Zhi was staring blankly at something, motionless, as if in a daze.
A sudden surge of emotion welled up in Jiang Chuting's heart. He gathered his strength and flew over, calling out, "Lin Zhi."
Upon hearing his voice, Lin Zhi didn't even look up. He tightly gripped the red string in his hand, stood up, and strode inside. Jiang Chuting had expected him to be angry, so he wasn't surprised. He caught up with him and explained, "Lin Zhi, I was delayed by something. I didn't mean to be late."
Lin Zhi kept walking inside, angrily saying, "Yes, you have something to do that you're in, and that's understandable. I don't know your identity, I don't know where you live, I don't have any news about you at all. I'm worried and disappointed that you're not coming, but there's nothing I can do but wait anxiously, from dawn till dusk, and from dusk till dawn again!"
But if you really knew my identity, knew where I lived, I'm afraid it wouldn't be worry and disappointment, but hatred. Jiang Chuting grabbed his wrist and stepped forward to block him, "It was my fault, I apologize to you."
Lin Zhi stared at him, but when she saw that his hair was half dry, her expression suddenly changed. She touched his clothes, which were all wet, and hurriedly asked, "Did you get caught in the rain?" But the rain stopped late last night. Could it be that he came over under the cover of night?
Jiang Chuting glanced down at himself, not particularly concerned, and said, "I got caught in the rain, but it's nothing." He had left in a hurry without taking a change of clothes, and had been sitting at the inn until dawn before rushing over, so he had no time to pay attention to these things.
In an instant, Lin Zhi's anger vanished, and she even felt a little annoyed that she had gone too far. Just as she was about to say a few soft words, her eyes suddenly fell on the wound on Chu Ran's lips and the faint bloodstains. Her eyes narrowed sharply, and her voice became uncontrollably deep as she tentatively asked, "Chu Ran, how did you get your mouth injured?"
"This..." Jiang Chuting was taken aback by his question before smiling and saying, "I accidentally bit myself."
Could he really have bitten himself into such a wound? Lin Zhi had doubts, but refrained from pressing him further. Instead, she took his hand and led him inside, saying, "I'll have someone prepare some hot water for you. Go take a bath first, so you don't get sick."
His expression softened considerably, and Jiang Chuting breathed a slight sigh of relief. Although she felt that her body wasn't that fragile and that she could just change her clothes at most, she still nodded in agreement, accepting his kindness and smiling as she said, "Okay."
After Jiang Chuting finished bathing, he put on the clothes Lin Zhi had prepared for him, which fit him perfectly. They went to the flower hall, where Lin Zhi knelt by a wooden table, resting her chin on her hand, waiting for him. On the table were cups, dishes, and wine.
Lin Zhi followed his gaze without blinking. When he walked over and sat down opposite him, his dark eyes stared straight at him. He patted the wine jar and said, "How about we drink together?"
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