Chapter 26 Stars and Frost, How Many Times Have Old Friends Returned (Part Two) "Now...not yet..."
In the quiet afternoon, only birdsong and insect chirps could be heard. However, this tranquility was abruptly shattered by the rapid, chaotic sound of horses' hooves!
"Whoa—!" Accompanied by the neighing of a horse and a rough shout, a burly man with a fierce face and a curved knife at his waist glared at the figure huddled beside a haystack. "Hey! You little wench over there! Get over here! Do you know which village around here has any strangers staying?! Tell me now!"
Ye Yixiang's heart sank suddenly, and a huge fear gripped her instantly! Were they pursuers? Were they here to capture her? She dared not think further and turned to run back to the small house where Yan Qing had settled her along the familiar path.
But he hadn't run more than a few steps when he was suddenly lifted up by a strong force. In a dizzying moment, he was roughly pressed onto a hard, cold saddle, and his stomach churned violently.
She hadn't run more than a few steps when a mocking laugh came from behind her. Then, an irresistible force gripped her arm, and in a dizzying moment, she was roughly lifted up and slammed onto a hard, cold saddle, reeking of sweat and the stench of horse manure, like a piece of merchandise. Her stomach churned, and she felt so nauseous she almost vomited, but fear held her back.
"Hey! Boss, look at this blind little wench, so fair-skinned and tender, and she still wants to run away!" The man who kidnapped her let out a lewd and triumphant laugh, his rough fingers even lightly touching her cheek.
Another, slightly calmer voice snapped, "Tiger! Don't cause any trouble! We've been ordered to find an extremely important person, and we can't afford to fail! Once we've completed our mission, you can do whatever you want with women!"
Ye Yixiang trembled with fear at this blatant conversation. They were looking for someone important? Was it her?
She dared not utter a sound, only letting out weak, helpless sobs as she struggled desperately, but the man mercilessly bound her wrists and ankles with rough hemp rope, the intense friction causing a burning pain.
Immediately afterwards, a tattered rag, smelling of sweat and mildew and originally intended for wiping something, was forcibly stuffed into her mouth, silencing any possible cries for help, leaving only silent tears of despair streaming down her face.
Just when she thought she was doomed, they seemed to decide to take her back to their temporary lodging before questioning her, and turned their horses around and headed towards the village.
Just as I reached the old banyan tree at the village entrance, I bumped into a figure carrying a medicine bag, hurrying back from town.
When he saw Ye Yixiang, who was tied to a horse, her mouth stuffed with rags, trembling like a frightened fawn, his originally gentle and clear eyes instantly turned icy, and the aura emanating from her suddenly became chilling and intimidating.
"Let her go!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a cold, hard quality, like metal striking stone, and an unquestionable authority. It clearly reached the ears of every bandit, causing them to instinctively rein in their horses.
Ignoring the gleaming swords and spears, Yan Qing walked forward resolutely step by step.
His gaze remained fixed on Ye Yixiang, carrying a reassuring power. He walked straight to the front of the horse, gently brushed aside the man's hand that was trying to stop him. The movement seemed gentle, but it contained a skillful force, causing the man to grimace and release his grip.
He carefully removed the rag from her mouth and threw it on the ground, his actions filled with barely suppressed anger, as if he were throwing away something extremely filthy.
Then, he lowered his head and focused quickly untied the ropes binding her hands and feet. When his fingertips touched the red marks on her wrists, he trembled almost imperceptibly, and a terrifying storm surged deep in his eyes.
He turned around, shielding her behind him, and faced the cavalrymen who were clearly not to be trifled with. His tone carried a threat that was completely different from his usual gentleness: "Since you have come looking for me, you must know who I am. This young lady is my wife. Anyone who dares to lay a finger on her will face the consequences."
The knights, who had initially appeared aggressive, suddenly became suspicious and uncertain upon seeing Yan Qing's face. Their attitude then became exceptionally respectful, with the leader even bowing deeply: "So...so it's you! We were blind! Since you are your wife, then you are the future...uh, we would never dare to offend you! Your face is so similar to...to Your Highness's. Your Highness will surely be delighted to see you. We beg you to put in a good word for us before the Emperor."
Yan Qing ignored their flattery, turned around, looked deeply at her still-shaken state, held her cold, trembling hand tightly in his large hand, and solemnly promised, "Wait for me to come back."
This wait lasted for more than a month.
Then, instead of Yan Qing, she was met by Lu Qingyuan, who was leading troops searching the village for some kind of evidence. At that moment, her eyes had just regained their clarity, and her vision was still somewhat blurry. The purse on Lu Qingyuan's person exuded a scent that she knew all too well, a scent uniquely belonging to Yan Qing.
That was a herbal fragrance she specially prepared for him to calm his nerves and dispel the cold.
She excitedly chased after him, asking if it was Yan Qing.
He simply and gently pulled her into his arms, enveloping her in his warm embrace, and softly asked, "How could it not be? Was my wife waiting for me here?"
Her thoughts were like a tangled ball of yarn, and countless details that she had previously overlooked now came to light.
Back in the room, Chu Huaili closed the door tightly, shutting out the outside world. He stood by the candlelight, his back to her, and silently undressed himself, piece by piece.
Outer robe, inner garment... Finally, his strong upper body was exposed in the dim, flickering candlelight.
Ye Yixiang's heart leaped into her throat. She approached step by step, her gaze almost greedy yet filled with fear as she carefully examined the dense, crisscrossing old scars on his back.
Most of those are marks left on the battlefield, deep enough to see the bone, from swords, spears, and arrows, bearing witness to countless life-and-death battles.
However, among these gruesome wounds, she finally found several seemingly non-fatal, yet exceptionally deep, old scars that ran across her entire broad back! The location, the shape... perfectly matched the location of the wound she had bandaged for him on that rainy night in Ouhua Village, as she remembered it!
In an instant, it was like a thunderclap exploding in my mind, and all the fog was instantly cleaved away!
Tears welled up in her eyes and could no longer be held back. Like pearls from a broken string, they rolled down her cheeks, one drop at a time, and fell onto the clean floor beneath her feet.
I see... I see!
Why did he hesitate and waver for a moment when she first asked Lu Qingyuan to call her by her nickname "Arao"?
Why, after marriage, did Lu Qingyuan always insist on wearing his undergarments during their intimate moments, claiming that he "didn't want you to see his old wounds and worry"? In reality... he probably didn't have those familiar, uniquely Yan Qing scars on his back at all!
Why? She repeatedly asked if he remembered the promise they made to each other under the old banyan tree in Ouhua Village, and he always smiled gently, brushing it off with a kiss or other topics...
She did have her doubts, but each time, Lu Qingyuan cleverly resolved them with his meticulous gentleness and seemingly reasonable explanations.
Hearing suppressed sobs behind him, Chu Huaili stiffened slightly and was about to turn around.
But then I felt a tightening around my waist.
A pair of cool, yet resolute arms wrapped tightly around his lean waist from behind. Then, cold, wet tears fell onto his scarred back, sending a shiver down his spine.
He stopped moving.
Behind her came her voice, choked with sobs, almost broken, filled with endless regret and heartache: "I'm sorry... Yan Qing... I should have... I should have recognized you sooner..."
Back when he so carefully kept that jade pendant that belonged to "Yan Qing" close to his body; back when he occasionally revealed the same aura as the boy deep in his memory; she should have guessed that the seemingly cold and ruthless man in front of her was the husband she had pledged her life to in that peaceful little mountain village!
Chu Huaili's large hand slowly covered her trembling, cold little hand wrapped around his waist, gently holding it, his voice low and hoarse: "It's getting late, A'Rao...you should rest early."
"Don't go..." She pressed her cheek tightly against his warm back, tears soaking his skin, her voice hoarse from crying, "I finally... finally found you... don't leave me again..."
She could feel the stiffness in his body and his heavy, restrained breathing.
“Not now… not yet, A-Rao.” His voice held an almost painful restraint. “I haven’t yet… formally married you, or brought you into my family in a grand and glorious manner.”
"But I've been your wife for a long time!" She raised her tear-filled face and retorted urgently, her arms tightening around him as if afraid he would disappear again. "In Lotus Blossom Village, before I could see, it was you... it was you who sewed our wedding dresses by hand, and we bowed to heaven and earth under the banyan tree with the marriage rope tied around us! I, Ye Yixiang, have only ever recognized you, Yan Qing, as my husband in this life!"
Her words were like the last straw, breaking all his reason and restraint.
Chu Huaili whirled around, his movements so swift they created a gust of wind. He pulled her tightly into his arms, the force so great it felt as if he wanted to crush her, embedding her into his very bones. His chin rested deeply on the top of her fragrant hair, his voice low and trembling, filled with endless lingering fear and the relief of regaining what he had lost:
"It's my fault... I should have come to find you sooner..." He closed his eyes and hugged her tighter. "It's not your fault, A'Rao... I was too late... I made you suffer so much and wait so long..."
Ye Yixiang's tears still soaked his clothes, but the warmth she had felt after losing him suddenly froze. She jolted awake, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head by the cold reality—she was no longer the A'rao who waited for his return in Lotus Blossom Village.
She is Lu Qingyuan's widow.
She was his rightful...eldest sister-in-law.
This realization was like a poisoned dagger, piercing deep into my heart.
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