Chapter 90: The alcohol is strong enough to make her take the initiative, but it's still not as good as you…
Ah Qi seemed quite pleased with her stunned expression.
Instead of backing away, he moved even closer, his warm breath brushing against her cold earlobe, adding in an almost murmured yet crystal-clear tone, "Scared? Don't worry, evil deeds last a thousand years."
These words, which sound both comforting and threatening, are more chilling than direct intimidation.
He looked into the clear fear in her eyes, and his usual roguish smile reappeared on his lips, but this time, there was no smile in the depths of his eyes.
After speaking, as if he had made some kind of confirmation, he slowly straightened up and turned his gaze back to Princess Sude, who was kneeling on the ground.
Throughout the entire process, he remained calm and composed, as if the thrilling conversation he had just had was nothing more than a casual whisper.
His gaze fell on Princess Sude's deathly pale face, cold and sharp.
The flat surface of the dagger replaced his hand, gently patting the princess's cheek; the cold touch sent a shiver through her body.
“Alright, Your Highness,” Ah Qi began, his voice not loud, yet carrying an undeniable authority, “our time is short. Now, I will ask, and you will answer. If there is a single falsehood or hesitation…” He paused, the blade of his dagger slightly turning, a cold glint flashing in the candlelight, “you know the consequences.”
Princess Sude was in tears and could only nod frantically.
“Prince Arslen has many enemies. I know those in the open, such as King Nur, Prince Gesang, and General [name omitted].” Aqi spoke steadily and clearly. “Tell me, who else is lurking in the shadows, like venomous snakes, wanting to kill him?”
Princess Sude was terrified by the coldness in his words and the subtle pressure on her neck. Almost instinctively, she blurted out, "It's...it's King Kerhan! He's always harbored resentment towards His Highness, and...he's opposed the Prince in many things! If...if someone really wanted to poison him, it would be him! He's...the only one I know..."
Ah Qi looked at her quietly, his eyes deep, as if judging the truthfulness of her words.
This brief silence only added to Sude's psychological pressure. After a few moments, he continued, "Did the prince exhibit any unusual behavior or emotions in the period before his death?"
Princess Sude's lips trembled, her eyes frantically scanning the dangerous man before her. He was so close, close enough to see the shadow cast by his long eyelashes and feel the chilling aura emanating from him. This stirred a strange, absurd thrill within her, amidst her fear.
“He…he seems so troubled lately,” she finally broke down in tears, fidgeting restlessly…sometimes he’d stay in his tent for long periods, not allowing anyone to disturb him. But…but why, I don’t know, I really don’t know!”
"When was the last time you saw him?" Ah Qi's questions followed one after another.
"On the morning of the day he died, I went to pay my respects as usual..."
"What did he say? What did he do?" Ah Qi pressed, his eyes fixed on her.
“He didn’t say anything!” Sud shook his head vigorously. “His Highness was very silent at the time, and his face looked very bad. I just gave him my usual greetings. He… he didn’t even look at me. He just waved his hand and told me to leave.”
After hearing this, Ah Qi stopped looking at her, but his suppression remained effective.
His gaze began to sweep across the magnificent tent, eventually settling on a table next to it covered with documents and files.
While continuing to suppress Su De with his aura, he stretched out his free left hand and quickly and methodically began to examine the papers.
His movements were not rough; they even carried a peculiar elegance as his slender fingers traced across the yellowed pages.
Suddenly, he stopped. His fingertips pressed against a document written in both Northern Di script and Xia script. It was a copy of a document prepared to be sent to Xia.
Su De followed his gaze and timidly explained, "This...this is some articles that His Highness the Prince has recently been studying Xia culture and personally...personally translated. He said...he said he would attach them to the official documents as a sign of goodwill. Is...is there a problem?"
Ah Qi did not answer immediately; the candlelight illuminated his deep-set eyes and brows.
His slender fingers moved slowly across the paper, his gaze sweeping over each line of ink as if examining a sand table.
The tent was so quiet that the faint crackling of the lamp wick could be heard. His focused and meticulous manner was completely different from his usual sharp and assertive self.
Fangru watched his focused profile and a question crossed her mind: why would a Northern Di warrior who was used to wielding swords be so familiar with the Xia Kingdom's script?
Suddenly, his fingertips paused lightly on a certain word, and a knowing glint flashed in his eyes. “This translation,” he slowly raised his eyes, his voice low and firm, “perfectly matches the structure of the ‘Weaving Loom Picture’.”
"The Loom Diagram?" Fangru was slightly taken aback. "How do you know about the palindrome brocade pattern of women from the previous dynasty in the Central Plains?"
Ah Qi turned his head to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips: "What, in your eyes, am I just a boorish man who doesn't know any finesse?" Before she could answer, he lowered his voice and said, "There are people in the Northern Di army who are skilled in this. I've interrogated a few of them in the past."
This explanation was reasonable. Although Fangru was somewhat surprised, the current situation was urgent and she did not have time to think about it in detail.
His fingertips moved across the lines, his voice growing deeper: "Look at these words, each stroke forming a sentence, yet concealing hidden meanings." His slender fingers lightly touched a name, "'Qituo,' the most common name on the grasslands, yet it's embedded in this chronicle of Jiangnan's customs and products." His fingertips slid to another place, "And here, 'The Lone Wolf Horse Ranch by the Blackwater River.' The Northern Di place name shouldn't have appeared in the original text at all."
He looked up at her, his eyes flashing with the sharp light of a falcon locking onto its target: "What we're looking for isn't some high-ranking official, but this address and this person named 'Qi Tuo.' The prince left his message in this way before he was murdered."
With the clues clear, the murderous intent that had just subsided in Ah Qi's eyes rekindled.
With a slight flick of his wrist, the blade of the dagger was once again aimed at Princess Sude's vulnerable neck, clearly indicating that he had no intention of keeping this potential whistleblower alive.
"Wait!" Fangru exclaimed in a low voice.
Seeing Princess Sude completely collapsed from extreme fear, tears streaming down her face, and seeing the pure fear of death in her eyes, her heart finally gave way to a feeling of pity.
"She...she has promised not to tell anyone, and we have obtained clues, so why...why must we take her life?" Her voice carried a hint of pleading.
Princess Sude, as if grasping at a last straw, desperately pleaded in a low voice, "I promise! I swear! I won't say anything! I didn't see anything! I don't know who you are! Please, let me go!"
She tilted her head back, tears streaming down her face, deliberately highlighting the graceful lines of her neck and the collarbone faintly visible beneath her clothes. Her eyes were no longer filled with pure fear, but rather a mixture of vulnerability, pleading, and even a hint of provocation. She stared intently at Ah Qi, her voice growing softer and softer, "As long as... as long as you're willing to let me go, I... Su De is willing to do anything for you... anything at all..." She tried to use this primal trait to evoke even the slightest bit of pity or tenderness in this man.
Fangru saw Su De's blatant seduction and felt a strong sense of disgust, but at the same time, an indescribable tension gripped her. She was somewhat concerned about A Qi's reaction.
Ah Qi took in Su De's attitude and a cold, undisguised mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
He was clearly uninterested in, and even annoyed by, such a low-level tactic.
He scrutinized Su De, then glanced at Fang Ru beside him, whose brows were slightly furrowed. He remained silent for a moment, a silence that seemed to weigh a ton. Finally, with a flick of his wrist, the dagger was neatly sheathed.
“Remember your promise.” His voice was as cold as ice. “If even the slightest thing about what happened today is leaked, I will return to take your life, no matter where you are in the world.”
He didn't look at the limp Su De again, turned around, and very naturally reached out his hand, not to grab her wrist, but to directly grasp Fang Ru's slightly cold hand.
His palms were broad and warm, and his strength was firm and unyielding.
"Let's go," he whispered, taking her hand, and just as they had come, they slipped silently and swiftly out of the camp filled with luxury and fear.
The cool air outside the tent rushed in, slightly dispelling the stuffiness inside.
Fangru held his hand tightly and followed his steps, clearly feeling the warmth and strength from his palm.
She looked up at his tall and wary back as he walked ahead, recalling his calm and sharp interrogation in the tent, his keen wisdom when he discovered the coded message, his seemingly cold but ultimately merciful decision, and that stubborn declaration that chilled and terrified her... A complex and indescribable feeling quietly grew in her heart.
"Lower your head." His deep voice rang in my ears, leaving no room for argument.
Fang instinctively bent down, and saw a flash of silver light. Ah Qi's dagger struck a patrolling soldier precisely on the back of the neck. The man didn't even have time to make a sound before collapsing to the ground.
Ah Qi caught the falling body with one hand and gently placed it on the ground. The whole process was smooth and effortless, without any unnecessary movements.
"Let's go." He gripped her wrist again, his strength firm yet unyielding.
Fangru stared blankly at his nimble figure, his chilling declaration from inside the tent still echoing in her ears.
This man is unpredictable in every way; he can be astute enough to decipher coded messages, yet he can also coldly utter the words, "I'll drag you down with me even if I die."
Only when they were completely away from the royal tent area and had slipped into a poplar forest did Ah Qi slow down. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on his sharply defined profile.
"Are you scared?" he suddenly asked, his voice unusually clear in the silent forest.
Fangru pursed her lips, not answering, but her fingertips trembled slightly.
He stopped and turned to gaze at her.
In the moonlight, his gaze was sharp as a knife, as if it could see through to the deepest fear in her heart. "Not afraid of those soldiers," he said in a low voice, "but afraid of me?"
Fang instinctively stepped back, but he grabbed her wrist.
“It’s good to be afraid.” He chuckled softly, a dark flame surging in his eyes. “Remember this feeling. Remember every word I’ve said—it’s true.”
He leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against her ear: "If I don't survive, I'll take your life first. My people, even if they die, are not for anyone else to touch."
These words, spoken softly, sent a chill down Fangru's spine.
She tried to break free, but he held her even tighter.
“Don’t worry,” he suddenly smirked, a smile almost maniacal, “I’ll live to be a hundred, and you’ll be safe and sound. After all…”
His fingertips gently brushed her cheek, with a chilling tenderness: "I can't bear to lose such an interesting cushion so easily."
Fangru gazed at his face, which was so close to hers, and saw a stubborn light gleaming in his deep eyes.
At that moment, she finally understood that every word this man said was not a joke; he was truly insane.
"Let's go." He straightened up, still holding her hand tightly, his grip leaving no room for refusal. "It's almost dawn."
His hands were warm, but they could no longer make Fangru feel at ease.
Looking at their clasped hands, she felt a chill creeping up her spine.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Ah Qi had already learned that Qi Tuo was working as a stable boy at the Lone Wolf Horse Ranch on the banks of the Blackwater River.
After a quick packing, the two set off for the Blackwater River.
They stopped to rest at a fork in the road when the sun was high in the sky.
Ah Qi settled Fang Ru under the shade of a tree, then turned and walked down another path.
Fangru watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but stand up and ask, "Where are you going?"
He didn't stop walking, only turning back to give her a teasing look: "What, you miss me after just one minute apart?"
"I was afraid you'd run away and there would be no one to lead the way!" Fangru stomped her foot angrily, only to see him disappear into the tall grass.
About an incense stick later, just as Fangru began to feel uneasy, Aqi's figure reappeared at the end of the wilderness.
He was holding something wrapped in a large leaf, and as he approached, a rich milky aroma wafted towards him.
"Here you go." He handed her the packet of leaves, his tone still calm, but a few burrs clung to the hem of his robe, and his sleeve was torn by thorns.
Fangru took it in a daze and discovered that it was a rare milk shortbread from the grasslands.
This cake is made by repeatedly pounding fresh mare's milk and then baking it over a slow fire under a stone slab. It is usually only made during tribal festivals.
She suddenly remembered that the other day when she passed by a nomadic tribe, she had only glanced at the woman making milk crisps a few times.
Underneath the leaf wrapping was a handful of fresh jujubes, their bright red fruit still glistening with dew.
This wild jujube tree only grows near distant sand dunes, and its branches are covered with sharp thorns.
“You…” She looked up as if to say something, but saw that he had already turned his back and was casually adjusting the saddle.
"Wait." He mounted his horse, his tone still cold and hard. "I'll go scout ahead."
Fangru held the warm milk shortbread in her hands, watching his departing figure on horseback, and suddenly couldn't help but smile.
This seemingly cold man, who had searched the wilderness for food for her, insisted on putting on an indifferent act.
Just then, her gaze inadvertently swept across the intersection and suddenly fixed on a familiar figure.
The man leading the horse and talking to the merchants had a profile that looked exactly like her fifth husband, General Yan De of the Xia Kingdom.
Yen Teh has severe leg injuries and will need to rely on a wheelchair for the rest of his life. How could he possibly be standing here unharmed?
Fangru was shocked and instinctively tried to avoid it.
At that moment, the man turned around as if sensing something, and in the instant their eyes met, a clear look of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Fangru?"
He actually recognized her?
In this life, here, they are clearly meeting for the first time. How could Yan De know her?
Before she could react, Yan De strode forward and grabbed her wrist, saying, "This is not the place to talk."
He led her into an abandoned mud house by the roadside. The moment the wooden door closed, in the dim light, he spoke urgently: "I was reborn, on the day of the Xuanji Banquet."
Fangru stood there, stunned, looking at the deep affection surging in his eyes, and recalled the details she had deliberately ignored in her fifth life. He would always gaze at her back when she turned around, and would always silently hand her a hand warmer when she was cold. Beneath those seemingly distant gestures lay so many unspoken words.
"Fangru, in this life I will protect you." Yan De took a step forward, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Do you know that in my previous life I regretted it every day..." His gaze fell on his now healthy legs, and then he looked up and gazed deeply into her eyes. "I regretted why I deliberately kept my distance from you because of these legs."
Fangru stared blankly at Yan De, the burning light in his eyes making her feel helpless.
“I always think I’m not good enough for you…” Yan De said with a bitter smile, “A general who once fought on the battlefield suddenly has to rely on a wheelchair to even walk to your side…” His voice lowered, filled with unbearable pain.
But then his eyes lit up again: "This life is different. My leg is healed, and nothing can stop me from protecting you." He stepped forward eagerly and took her hand. "I infiltrated the Northern Barbarians to take you away. No matter what national righteousness is, it's not as important as you."
Fangru gently withdrew her hand and took a step back. He still didn't understand that her distancing herself from him was never because of her legs.
"How did your leg get...?"
“With my memories from my previous life, I found a divine healer ahead of time.” Yan De’s tone was tinged with pride. “In this life, I can finally stand before you with dignity. Fangru, come with me, let’s go now.”
"No," Fangru shook her head. "My affairs shouldn't involve you anymore."
“It’s not a burden!” Yan De grabbed her wrist urgently again. “I failed to protect you in my past life, and I will never let you face danger alone again in this life. I’m already trying to get an audience with the Great Khan of the Northern Barbarians. As long as I can persuade him to stop the war, we can…”
"Where is Zhou Ling?" Fangru suddenly interrupted him, her brows furrowing slightly. "I haven't seen him for several days since I saw him kill Zhou Muchen in the border town. Based on my experience from previous lives, he should have caught up with us by now."
This question caused Yan De's expression to change slightly. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of clashing weapons suddenly came from outside the door.
A guard staggered in: "General, someone is trying to force their way in!"
Before he could finish speaking, the wooden door was kicked open.
Standing against the light, Ah Qi held a blood-dripping dagger in his hand and Yan De's trusted aide with his other hand, his gaze sweeping across the room like icy coldness.
"Change the player." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.
Yan De immediately shielded Fang Ru behind him: "Don't even think about it!"
Seeing this, Fangru hurriedly broke free from Yande's hand: "My affairs are none of your business!" She quickly walked towards Aqi, "Release him, I'll go with you."
Ah Qi stared at Yan De, slowly released the hostage, and in the instant the other party fled, he pulled Fang Ru behind him.
“Let’s go.” He leaned down and whispered in her ear.
Ah Qi only slowed down after walking quite a distance.
He released his hold on her and gently lifted her chin instead:
Who was that person just now?
Fangru turned her face away, avoiding his overly sharp gaze: "An old friend."
“An old friend?” Ah Qi’s fingertips remained on her chin, gently caressing it, but his eyes gradually turned cold. “An ‘old friend’ who could mobilize guards within the Northern Di territory and was even wearing the boots of a Xia general…” He paused, his voice carrying an all-knowing understanding, “is it General Yan De?”
Fangru's heart tightened; she hadn't expected him to be so familiar with the Xia Kingdom's military system.
"You've climbed the social ladder." Ah Qi slowly withdrew his hand, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm. "With the Xia Kingdom's general protecting you and investigating the truth for you, you naturally don't need an old and ugly desperado like me."
He took a half step back, his gaze scrutinizing her face, as if trying to find a flaw in her eyes. "Just now inside, when he grabbed your wrist, you didn't immediately pull away." His voice deepened. "If I hadn't barged in, were you planning to go with him?"
"I didn't..." Fangru tried to explain, but he interrupted her.
"No?" A cold smile played on Ah Qi's lips. "Or... do you choose to come with me, a desperate fugitive, because you can't bear to let General Yan take risks? After all..." His eyes darkened. "Someone once said that my worthless life deserves to die."
Fangru felt a jolt at his words, but she still stubbornly raised her chin: "So what if I am? You've always been a reckless madman, am I wrong?"
Ah Qi's eyes suddenly turned cold, as if he had been deeply wounded by those words.
He stared at her intently for a long time, so long that Fangru could almost hear her own heartbeat.
"Good, very good." He suddenly chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Since I'm such a madman, why do you still follow me?"
Having said that, he turned and strode away, his clothes fluttering in the twilight, carrying a sense of resolute determination.
"A-Qi!" Fangru hurriedly chased after him, grabbing his sleeve. "Where are you going?"
Without turning his head, his voice was as cold as ice: "Didn't you say I deserved to die? Then why are you still following me? Wouldn't it be better to go find your General Yan?"
"I'm going to follow you!" Fangru stubbornly gripped his sleeve. "You promised to help me find out the truth, are you trying to go back on your word?"
She gritted her teeth inwardly. This man, though despicable, was the only one who could help her find out the prince's cause of death and stop the war. If she let him leave now, the two countries would surely go to war.
"Go back on your word?" He sneered, finally stopping and turning back to look at her. "In your eyes, I'm nothing but a madman whose life is worthless. What credibility do I have left?"
Even so, he slowed his pace imperceptibly, letting her tug at his sleeve and follow behind.
The two walked one after the other in the deepening twilight until the moon rose, when they finally found an abandoned shepherd's hut.
Ah Qi went straight into the inner room, and surprisingly, instead of clinging to Fang Ru as usual, he found a corner and lay down by himself.
Fangru paced back and forth in the outer room, listening to the silence inside, and finally couldn't resist lifting the curtain to go in.
"What are you angry about?" she asked softly in the darkness.
"Angry?" Ah Qi's back was to her, his voice muffled. "Does my worthless life deserve to be angry?"
"You're clearly angry." Fangru groped her way to his side and squatted down. "Just because I said you have a worthless life?"
Aqi suddenly sat up, looking directly into her eyes in the moonlight: "In your heart, am I never as good as General Yan? He is the one you should entrust your life to, while I... am just a pawn that can be discarded at any time?"
"What does this have to do with him?" Fangru was taken aback by the seriousness in his eyes.
"How can it be alright?" He moved closer to her, his warm breath brushing against her cheek. "If he appeared right now and said he wanted to take you away, would you go with him without hesitation?"
"You..." Fangru stood up angrily, "Incomprehensible! If I wanted to go with him, I wouldn't have chosen you!"
“Yes, I’m being unreasonable.” He lay back down, turning his back to her. “Anyway, my life is worthless. Think whatever you want.”
Fangru stood there watching his stubborn back, and suddenly felt that this decisive man was like a sulking child.
She deliberately stomped heavily as she walked over and lightly kicked his boots.
“Hey,” she leaned down with a mocking tone, “you wouldn’t happen to be…jealous, would you? Just because I saw Yan De?”
Ah Qi's body visibly stiffened, but he deliberately replied in an even colder voice, "Jealous? Do I deserve it?"
"I think you're just jealous." Fangru sat down next to him and deliberately leaned close to his ear. "I never thought that Ah Qi, who kills without blinking an eye, could act like a spoiled young lady and throw a tantrum."
These words clearly stung him.
He sat up abruptly, stared at her with a gloomy look for a moment, but said nothing and simply lay back down.
The days that followed flowed slowly in a subtle tension.
On the morning of the first day, Fangru packed her bags, only to find Aqi still sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard, slowly wiping his dagger.
"There are soldiers setting up a roadblock ahead." He didn't even look up. "Wait two days before you leave."
Fangru looked towards the official road in the distance and saw caravans passing by leisurely, without any signs of being stopped or inspected.
Just as she was about to speak, Ah Qi suddenly got up and quickly went out the door.
Late the next night, all was quiet.
Fangru heard a slight noise coming from the courtyard gate. She quietly pushed open a crack in the window and saw Aqi leaning alone by the well, holding a wine flask and drinking heartily.
The moonlight, like water, outlined the graceful lines of his neck as he tilted his head back. The wine slid down his chin, following the rise and fall of his Adam's apple, and slowly seeped into his slightly open robe.
He seemed to sense something and suddenly turned to look at her window.
Fangru hurriedly retreated into the shadows, but felt as if his burning gaze had pierced through the thin paper of a window.
On the evening of the third day, the setting sun dyed the sky a crimson hue.
Fangru finally stopped him just as he was about to leave again.
"When exactly do we set off?" Her voice was filled with suppressed anxiety.
Ah Qi stopped and casually fiddled with the tassel of the knife at his waist.
"What's the rush?" He looked up, his gaze sweeping over her face. "I heard things have been a bit unsettled at Lone Wolf Horse Ranch lately."
"You're clearly deliberately stalling for time." Fangru clenched her sleeves. "If we're late, Qi might escape, or the two countries might go to war..."
"So what?" He suddenly took a step closer, his breath reeking of alcohol. "In your heart, these things are nothing compared to..." His words trailed off, but the undercurrent in his eyes said it all.
Fangru stood there, stunned, looking at his tightly pursed lips, and suddenly understood the reason for his unusual behavior these days.
The moonlight was exceptionally bright that night.
Fangru listened to the sound of the door next door opening and closing, and when the familiar footsteps stopped in the courtyard, she finally pushed the door open and went out.
Ah Qi was tilting his head back and chugging wine when he saw her come out, and his hand holding the wine flask paused slightly.
"Drinking so much," Fangru approached slowly, "are you planning to get drunk and die here?"
He chuckled, the wine flask twirling between his fingers: "Anyway, I have this worthless life..."
Before she could finish speaking, Fangru had already taken a half step forward, her fingertips lightly touching his wrist holding the bag. The instant their skin touched, it was as if a spark had fallen into a haystack, and both of them trembled.
His palms were hot with the smell of alcohol, while her fingertips were slightly cool. The interplay of hot and cold made the air seem to freeze.
Before he could react, she took the wine pouch and her fingertips brushed against his fingertips.
When she looked up, her long eyelashes cast a soft shadow under her eyes. She tilted her head back and took a small sip from where he had just drunk from.
The spicy liquor slid down her throat, but a few drops spilled from the corners of her lips, slowly sliding down her fair and delicate neck, shimmering with a lustrous sheen in the moonlight.
"Strong enough." She tossed the wine flask back to him, her eyes sparkling as her fingertips lightly brushed against the back of his hand. "But... it's still not as good as yours."
Ah Qi paused as he caught the wine sac, his Adam's apple bobbing noticeably.
He looked down at her, his deep eyes filled with moonlight, yet concealing a turbulent undercurrent, as if trying to draw her in.
The next moment, he suddenly stepped forward, his warm breath instantly enveloping her.
His left hand gripped the back of her neck, his fingertips calloused, gently wiping away the wine stains remaining on the corner of her lips. The force was light, yet it carried an inescapable control, causing her heart to suddenly race.
"Do you know what you're doing?" His voice was lower than usual, hoarse with the smell of alcohol, and it brushed against her ear, making her fingertips go numb.
"Of course I know." Fang Ru didn't back down; instead, she took a half-step closer, her chest almost touching his arm.
With her right hand, she gently hooked the tie on his shirt, her fingertips lightly caressing the plain ribbon. "I'm seducing a... bastard who's deliberately delaying his trip."
His breathing suddenly quickened, his warm breath brushing against her cheek, carrying the heat of alcohol.
She could clearly feel the rise and fall of his chest, and see the barely suppressed desire in his eyes, a desire like a caged beast that had long since broken free of its chains, yet was still trying to restrain itself.
"Just to find Qituo?" His thumb was still on the corner of her lips, the pressure unconsciously increasing, as if confirming something.
Fangru tilted her head slightly, her lips almost touching his earlobe, her voice as soft as a breeze, yet carrying a seductive ticklishness: "What do you think? Maybe I'm just... getting impatient."
The night breeze suddenly became hot, carrying the unique scent of grass from the grassland, and mingling with the intertwined breaths of the two.
The faint scent of orchids emanating from her mingled with the smell of alcohol on him, creating a dizzying sweetness.
Ah Qi's hand slowly moved down, sliding from the back of her neck to Yao. Through the thin fabric, his fingertips could clearly feel her delicate nipples. The temperature of his palm was astonishingly hot, as if it wanted to penetrate the fabric and brand into her skin.
"You'll regret this." His voice was even hoarseer, with a barely perceptible tremor at the end—a final warning, and also a final act of restraint.
Fangru smiled, took the initiative to stand on tiptoe, and kissed his slightly cool lips.
The moment their lips touched, he froze, then took the initiative, pulling her firmly into his arms.
"Then let me regret it." Her voice was buried in his kiss, sweet with a sense of desperation.
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