Chapter 67 The Wildness of a Young Body
The cargo ship docked at a makeshift pier.
The thugs lined up on both sides, and the guards urged people to disembark. Yuezhi helped Pei Heng, and they staggered down the gangplank with the crowd.
The damp, salty sea breeze was replaced by the earthy scent wafting from the depths of the dense forest. Looking up, towering trees blocked out the sun, and in the darkness, only a glimmer of light could be seen on the flat ground in the distance.
Surrounded by the sea, this is an island.
The guards on the island were not temporary replacements. They wore uniforms, carried weapons, and had sharp eyes. They had a clear division of labor, reprimanding and driving away newcomers. They were orderly and no longer unruly bandits, but rather private soldiers kept by the state.
Men and women were roughly separated, the women's cries intertwined with the men's silent fear.
Yuezhi felt the arm draped over her shoulder grow heavier.
She turned her head to look at Pei Heng. His head was lowered, his loose black hair covering most of his face. His breathing was difficult due to his "serious injury," and he was putting most of his weight on her.
Even through his coarse cloth clothes, she could still feel the clear outline of his arms—thick, strong, and full of power—not the physique of someone who was seriously injured.
Even though she knew he was faking it, the occasional touch of her palm on the dried blood scabs seeping from his back still made her heart tighten.
The barely noticeable resentment between them was overshadowed by their current uncertainty about life and death and the unclear future, leaving only a helpless reliance on each other for survival, and the hand supporting him became more steady.
A man who seemed to be the head of the guards walked over, his critical gaze sweeping across the crowd. He paused when he saw her and Pei Heng on her body.
Yuezhi's heart was in her throat.
Before the leader could even ask any questions, the ship's guards preemptively whispered something in his ear, such as "This man is usable."
The leader looked at them carefully a few more times. Perhaps he was reluctant to leave Yue Zhi's outstanding appearance, or perhaps he was interested in Pei Heng's abilities. He then signaled his men to take the two of them out separately.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Yuezhi, and his name is Zhang Heng."
"Aren't they siblings? Why don't they have the same surname?"
“It’s the same surname, I also have the surname Zhang.” Yuezhi remained expressionless, timidly avoiding the other person’s deliberately scrutinizing gaze.
The leader stroked his mustache, asked no further questions, and ordered his men to take them away.
Crossing the noisy open space of the dock, Yuezhi saw the men who had passed the screening being pushed and shoved toward rows of low thatched huts on the hillside, while many more men with no skills were being viciously driven by private soldiers to the opposite side of the woods, to a huge, communal shack that resembled a livestock pen, filled with a foul smell and people crammed together.
The women's situation chilled her to the bone; their faces were numb, they were ordered around by guards, and they were divided into different classes based on their looks.
The young and beautiful ones were selected and taken to the depths of the woods alone, while the older ones were sent to work in the vegetable gardens and by the water. The ordinary ones were locked up and became objects that the men on the island could buy or give as gifts.
If anyone disobeys, the guards will physically assault them, and screams and cries will only result in more brutal treatment.
Yuezhi felt a chill run down her spine as she watched, and instinctively clenched Pei Heng's clothes.
Finally, they were led to a thatched hut. When they opened the door, a damp, musty, and dusty smell hit them.
The space inside was cramped, containing only a wooden bed covered with a thin blanket, a crooked table, two stools, and nothing else.
"From now on, you'll live here. Don't wander off, or you might not even know how you died." The guard said this and turned to leave.
Yuezhi helped Pei Heng sit on the edge of the bed and looked around their temporary shelter.
Fortunately, it's the transition between spring and summer, so the weather isn't cold. A thin blanket is enough. The sea is windy, but the slope where the thatched house is located is covered with tall trees, which block most of the wind, so the wind blowing to the front of the house is very weak.
The two were relatively safe, and no one came to urge them to work. It was fortunate that Pei Heng was a talented person, or perhaps... because of her face?
She had just seen the direction in which those attractive women were led, and there was a faint light in the woods. She guessed that it must be the residence of the private army leader, and those women were also considered as gifts, but they only circulated among the upper class of the island.
If she hadn't run into Pei Heng on the ship and staged that scene, she might already be...
Coming to her senses, she turned and glanced at Pei Heng.
His clothes were tattered, his arms were resting on his knees, his breathing was heavy, and his loose long hair fell from his shoulders, obscuring his expression.
She had already wiped the blood off his body. While in the cabin, she had given him the hemostatic and heart-saving pills she carried with her, so the bleeding was no longer so severe.
Seeing his wounds exposed to the air, which looked horrifying, Yuezhi could only tear off a large piece of her inner skirt, remove his tattered clothes, and use the skirt's fabric to simply bandage him.
While she was busy, Pei Heng, who had been silent with his head down, suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse.
"Sister, do you still hate me?"
Yuezhi bit her lip slightly, thinking: I've already said before that I've forgotten about it. It's neither love nor hate... Besides, what time is it now? It's not even certain whether we can leave this island alive. Why is he still thinking about these things?
"The past is the past. I don't care or hate it anymore. You shouldn't dwell on it either." The voice was helpless.
She stood before him, her dark hair framed by his brow. The young man raised his deep phoenix eyes, his gaze fixed precisely on her waist—the place where he had clung to her and touched her so intimately in the cabin.
His blood and bones once dwelt there, and now, they are stained with his blood as well.
His eyes were deep, and his palm, which was resting on his knee, twitched slightly. He was about to reach out and hug her waist, but Yuezhi seemed to sense the unease. She quickly tied a knot in his bandage, took a few steps back, and walked to the center of the room.
As night fell, she felt somewhat lost and disoriented.
He whispered, "You should lie down and sleep. I'm not very sleepy, I'll just sit here for a while."
Having sat on the boat for a long time, she was now sleepy and tired. Feeling the gaze from the young man next to her who refused to lie down, she didn't want to get too close to him, but the more she cared about his gaze, the more suffocated she felt.
Unable to resist, I got up, pushed open the door, and went out into the yard to breathe some fresh air and calm myself down.
I took a deep breath of the salty sea breeze, and carried on the wind were sounds from the large dormitory on the other side of the forest. The men, seeing that a new woman had arrived at the dock, began to indulge in vulgar fantasies, mixed with wild laughter that was hard to bear.
Yuezhi quickly retreated back into the house and closed the door tightly.
Still unsettled, she looked at Pei Heng, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed. He was silent, his back straightened a little, and his phoenix eyes were quietly looking at her from under his bangs. The gaze that had made her feel uncomfortable just now made her feel more at ease than anything else.
The island is a brutal world of survival of the fittest, and this small, simple thatched hut, along with Pei Heng, is the only barrier that can give her a sense of security.
After thinking for a moment, she took a stool to the bedside, placed her palm on his chest, and made him lie down.
"You lie down and rest for a while. The guard said he would find a doctor for you. He should be here soon."
With minimal effort, her slender, soft fingertips easily pinned the robust young man down on the bed. He lay down, his gaze following her downwards.
Eyes accustomed to the darkness followed her face to her slender neck, then to the fullness of her breasts brimming with maternal love. Her outer garments had been removed, leaving her only in a moon-white undergarment, with her bodice and skirt barely visible beneath…
Pei Heng held his breath and turned his face away.
The long night was silent, but the arrival of the doctor broke the silence in the thatched hut.
The doctor examined Pei Heng's injuries, carefully looking at his bones and the calluses on his palms. Even if he wasn't a skilled martial artist, he must have had years of experience wielding weapons, and these old injuries were irrefutable proof.
After confirming that the person was indeed in need, the doctor gave a wink to the private soldier accompanying him, who then presented four sets of clean cloth clothes with both hands.
Yuezhi gratefully accepted the clothes, but thought to herself: This island has a complete supply of food and clothing and is well-managed, yet it has become a no-man's land that the imperial court cannot control. No wonder Pei Heng disguised himself and came here to find out the truth.
The doctor cleaned Pei Heng's wound, applied medicine, and re-bandaged it. The crude hemostatic medicine caused Pei Heng to grit his teeth in pain when it came into contact with the wound, and fine beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead.
Yuezhi watched from the side, unable to tell whether he was truly in pain or faking it, and her heart pounded with his emotions.
After treating the wound, the doctor and his men left.
As the sea began to lighten with the first light of dawn, all was quiet except for the faint sounds of the tide and the wind in the forest.
After a sleepless night, and confirming that no one else would come, exhaustion overwhelmed Yuezhi. She sat on the edge of the bed, so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. Looking at Pei Heng, who was sitting on the bed, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, she was torn by her inner turmoil.
So sleepy... but she can't go to bed. Pei Heng is the best at being unreasonable, and she can't repeat the same mistake...
Finally, Yuezhi took a deep breath, picked up two sets of her own clean clothes, and said softly, "You're badly injured, so rest well. I'll go find a place to change. It'll be dawn soon."
With that, she got up and walked towards the door.
She had only taken a couple of steps when she heard the sound of someone getting out of bed right behind her, which startled her so much that she hurriedly quickened her pace.
Just as her hand was about to touch the door latch, a warm, large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind. The force wasn't strong, but it made it difficult for her to break free.
Yuezhi's body stiffened, and her heart skipped a beat.
"Where are you going?" The young man's voice was low and hoarse from injury and exhaustion, the roughness rubbing against her eardrums, and a tingling, itchy sensation spread through her head.
"Let go..." Yuezhi tried to break free, the heat on her wrist making her panic. "I have my own place to go, I don't need you to tell me what to do."
“It’s cold outside, and it’s not safe.” Pei Heng didn’t let go. He took a step forward, his tall figure bringing a strong sense of oppression, enveloping Yue Zhi in his shadow.
The voice was firm: "I'm leaving. You sleep in the bed."
"You're injured like this, why are you still trying to be strong!"
Yuezhi was both anxious and angry. She turned around and glared at him, only to meet his unfathomable eyes. His beautiful eyes were staring at her, filled with complex emotions that she couldn't understand.
“I’m a man,” he said in a low, stubborn voice. “You sleep in the bed.”
“What’s wrong with men? Men are human too. They need to rest when they’re injured!” Yuezhi felt awkward and heartbroken. Her tone sharpened for a moment, then quickly fell. “Aheng, we have no relationship now… You don’t need to take care of me. Take care of yourself first.”
She tried hard to shake off his hand, but he held on even tighter, and the two of them began to struggle silently at the doorway.
During the movement, Yuezhi's elbow accidentally bumped into his injury, and she immediately heard a muffled groan. Turning around, she saw his brows furrowed and his expression pained, which frightened her so much that she didn't even dare to struggle. She sighed helplessly.
"What exactly do you want? We're over now, you don't need to do this..."
“Whether it’s related or not isn’t up to you to decide.” Pei Heng stared at her, his eyes dark. “Let’s not dwell on the past. Here, I’m still your brother, and you have to listen to me.”
"You...!" Yue Zhi gritted her teeth in frustration, but since she had recognized this relationship herself, she couldn't refute it.
After a brief standoff, she released her strength, and Pei Heng picked up his two pieces of clothing and went out.
It was cool outside, and Yuezhi subconsciously followed him out. She saw him go to the drafty woodshed next door, open the door, and go inside.
She hurried after them and peered through the torn window paper into the sparsely furnished room, which contained only dry haystacks.
"Aheng!" Yuezhi felt a mix of emotions.
A rustling sound came from the woodshed; it was the sound of him lying down in the haystack, enduring the pain. Then came his tired but undeniable voice, "Go back to sleep."
The cool breeze blew through her thin clothes, cooling down her bittersweet and burning heart.
She knew Pei Heng's stubbornness and obstinacy all too well, and there was no point in saying anything more, so she could only silently retreat back into the room and close the door from the inside.
The room still smelled of his medicine and blood. She changed into clean clothes and lay down on the bed. She could even feel his body temperature soaking into the mattress on her back, warm and comforting.
What is he really thinking?
He said he wouldn't bother her anymore, but he still gave her extra care, even neglecting his own injuries.
Yuezhi closed her eyes, unable to resist asking a question, yet she felt that her daughter didn't even understand her own feelings. She didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore, yet she saved him, cared for him, and relied on him...
Compared to rational discernment, there seems to be a more instinctive and primal understanding deep down: even without love, Pei Heng is still someone he can trust and rely on in times of danger.
My mind is filled with unresolved thoughts.
Through the thin stone wall, she could almost hear the gradually calming breathing from the woodshed next door, rising and falling in her ears along with the distant sound of the waves.
The sound came from afar, rising and falling, soothing Yuezhi's chaotic mind, and she quickly fell asleep.
*
Two years ago, in the summer, the emperor suddenly fell seriously ill with poisoning. For some reason, the news leaked out. Since then, the Sixth Prince of Lizhou has had more interactions with people from all walks of life.
Pei Heng had always been wary of his ambitious sixth uncle. After his health improved, he sent people to secretly observe the situation in Lizhou. It wasn't until this spring, when he received clues about the missing persons case and the unusual merchant ship provided by Liang Zhang, that he decided to come in person to find out what the sixth prince was planning.
He and his guards disguised themselves as refugees seeking a living at various docks, successfully blending into the boatmen's crew. They stayed for more than ten days before finally being able to board a ship.
"I didn't expect you to be on the ship too..."
After waking up, their lunch consisted of yellow rice cakes and a dish of pickled vegetables. However, neither of them was focused on the food; instead, they exchanged information.
"That night, I was drugged on my way to Honey Fruit Restaurant, and when I woke up I was on the ship." Yuezhi thought back with lingering fear, "Could it be that all those missing people were kidnapped and brought to this island?"
“That’s possible,” Pei Heng pondered. “Their purpose in arresting so many people must be more than just a simple one.”
"They also have private soldiers." Yuezhi panicked. Keeping private soldiers was a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. She lowered her voice, "What if they find out your identity... You too, with so many civil and military officials in the court, why did you come here personally for such a dangerous matter?"
"Sixth Uncle is shrewd. If this major threat isn't eliminated, my position won't be secure." Pei Heng quickly brushed aside the topic, only stating that he had come here personally to see her.
They met, sat down in front of him, and expressed their concern for him, as if they had never had any grudges against each other...
Pei Heng secretly enjoyed this illusion.
He was "injured" and unable to go out, but the supplies on the island were not free. Pei Heng could not work for the time being, so the burden of their living needs fell on Yue Zhi alone.
She found a job sewing clothes, which didn't earn much, but she could exchange it for some food and seafood. Some people on the island also grew vegetables, most of which were supplied to private soldiers and the chief living in the center of the island. The rest were sold at the market, where they were very expensive.
For the next two days, Yuezhi stayed home making clothes, delivering them to people's homes, and going to the mountains to collect firewood, observe the routes of the private soldiers patrolling the island, and look for any suspicious locations.
The island was far more heavily guarded than she had imagined. Her area of movement was limited, and every shallow spot where a small boat could be moored was guarded by private soldiers armed with weapons.
When their leader is away, they become lax in their actions, but the vast ocean is a natural prison, and the people on the island have almost no chance of escaping.
Most of the men on the island were laborers, and it was unclear what they did, but they always had whip marks on their bodies and numb eyes; some earned slightly better treatment because of their skills; and many others were grouped with private soldiers, watching for anyone who wanted to escape. Once they saw a lone woman in their sight, their eyes would stick to her like sticky worms.
Even though Yuezhi wore coarse cloth clothes and her hair was tied up with vines, it couldn't hide her beautiful face.
On two separate occasions, on my way back from gathering firewood, several men followed me from a distance, making lewd and offensive remarks.
"Oh, a new young lady? With such delicate skin, why are you gathering firewood? Come and chat with us brothers..."
"I heard that you have a seriously injured younger brother in your house? He's about to die, why bother with him? Why not move into my house and let you taste some good food."
On an unnamed island without legal oversight, no one will care if they do whatever they want.
Yuezhi turned pale with fright, clutched the firewood in her arms, and staggered home. She closed the rough fence gate, but they still lingered outside like persistent leeches until Pei Heng came out of the house. Only when they saw the young man's extraordinary physique did they leave reluctantly.
After that, she reduced the number of times she went out, and even if she had to go out, she would rush home before dusk.
By the third day, Pei Heng's injuries were almost completely healed. His robust physique stretched his coarse cloth clothes tightly, and his coarse cloth hairband tied his ponytail at the back of his head. His deliberately long bangs covered most of his face, giving him a sinister and unapproachable appearance.
Others may not know his stunning looks, but Yuezhi remembers them clearly. Every time she looks into his deep eyes through his hair, she feels that he is coy and alluring, like a woman holding a pipa and half-hiding her face.
Gradually, I became too embarrassed to look at him anymore and often avoided him.
In the afternoon, she sat in the room and wrung out the silk clothes she had come in, intending to make them into a change of underpants and a bellyband, and use the extra fabric to make a few handkerchiefs to wipe away sweat.
Hearing the sounds of dishes being washed coming from the open-air kitchen, she knew that no one would come in for the time being. She quickly unbuttoned her top, took off her wet undergarment, and measured the size on the soft cloth, preparing to cut it according to the pattern.
Afraid of being discovered in her embarrassment, her heart pounded. She carefully folded the fabric and scratched it with her fingernails, completely unaware that a thin crack had silently appeared in the door behind her.
After roughly gesturing and preparing to put the undergarment back on, she felt a slight cool breeze blowing from behind.
Turning around, my peripheral vision inadvertently swept across the crack in the door, where a familiar hem of clothing was quietly resting.
Yuezhi's heart sank, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she hurriedly pulled up her clothes and tied the belt, her voice trembling slightly with embarrassment: "Aheng, are you outside?"
There was a moment of silence outside the door, then the young man's slightly flustered voice came: "No, I just came to tell you that the water tank behind the house is empty, and I need to go to the well to fetch water."
Yuezhi was still somewhat doubtful, her face flushed, and she hesitantly replied, "Oh."
Outside the door, Pei Heng turned around, pressed his back against the rough earthen wall, tilted his head back, and covered his mouth and nose with one hand.
The image of that snow-white back, the delicate straps of her bodice draped loosely around her waist, and her profile, made even more voluptuous and soft by breastfeeding… all flashed through his mind, stirring his already restless heart to a boiling point, an intense heat he could not contain.
A hot liquid flowed uncontrollably from his nasal cavity, and he hurriedly raised his hand to wipe it, his fingertips stained with bright red blood.
"Damn it..." the young man cursed under his breath, his voice trembling with embarrassment.
Hearing Yuezhi push the stool away and get up inside, he hurriedly grabbed the wooden bucket from the kitchen and left without looking back. His knees hit the fence wall, and he rushed out of the yard only to close it again, completely panicked.
Yuezhi opened the door and saw only the young man's retreating figure disappearing around the corner outside.
She frowned in confusion, her gaze sweeping across the yard before suddenly stopping—on the muddy ground by the door, two or three drops of still-dry, glaringly bright red blood had splattered.
At first, she suspected that his wound had reopened, but she quickly realized that there had been no bumps or knocks just now, so how could the wound have been touched? It was clearly... Her face turned red again, both annoyed and ashamed.
He saw it.
No wonder it ran so fast.
Even if he didn't run away, and she tried her best to hit him to vent her anger, she couldn't hurt him. If she did, the wound would really reopen.
After thinking it over, she realized that she was the one who had suffered a loss. Angrily, she kicked the dirt to cover the few red spots, pretending that nothing had happened.
Her chest felt terribly swollen, and the damp, cold sensation against her skin reminded her that she needed to quickly make a clean change of her undergarment, otherwise, with her clothes soaked through, she wouldn't be able to face anyone tomorrow.
She went back inside to sew a bellyband. She had previously thought that she didn't have enough breast milk to feed her two children, but now that the children weren't around, she realized how uncomfortable it was to have engorgement.
While she was busy with her work, footsteps came from outside. Pei Heng had gone to the well to fetch water and brought it back to fill the water vat for the two of them to use daily.
He recovered from his injury and gradually became able to work again.
She didn't have to do heavy work like cleaning and fetching water, and she took care of greasy work like cooking and washing dishes. Yuezhi focused on making clothes to exchange for food, and the two of them each did their own job.
As long as we don't mention those occasional offensive little incidents, life is relatively peaceful.
That night, Yuezhi's breasts were throbbing with pain, and she was awakened by the wetness on her chest after only a short nap.
It was late at night, and even the ghostly noises from the dormitory had subsided. Yuezhi listened intently for a long time, but when she heard no movement from the woodshed next door, she quietly sat up.
She opened her clothes, took off her already soaked bellyband, squeezed it out herself, and wiped herself with the bellyband. By the time the swelling in her chest had eased a little, the bellyband was completely soaked.
She wanted to hide it, but felt the smell was too strong, so she decided to wash it quickly and hang it to dry.
All around was quiet. Yuezhi slipped out of the house like a thief and headed towards the water vat behind the house.
The island was quiet at night, with only the chirping of insects and the sound of distant waves. The night wind blew away the clouds, and the bright moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns.
As Yuezhi turned past the woodshed and approached the water vat, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
There are people there!
In front of the stone wall, the young man stood with his back to her, shirtless, wiping his battered body with a damp cotton cloth. He had obviously taken advantage of the night to get up and clean himself.
The moonlight outlined his broad back, narrow waist, and smooth muscle lines. When he raised his arm, the muscles from his shoulder to his shoulder blade tightened, revealing the wildness of his young body. Water droplets slid down his spine and disappeared into his loosely tied waistband, sparking the imagination.
Compared to the body I remembered feeling by touch, his physique seemed more solid, full of mature strength, and every inch of his muscles exuded a silent attraction.
Yuezhi's breath caught in her throat, her heart began to pound uncontrollably, and her cheeks quickly heated up.
Realizing she had been staring at him for too long, she quickly backed away, trying to escape back into the house before he noticed.
Unfortunately, he accidentally stepped on a small pebble, and the subtle scraping sound reached the ears of the young man with his keen senses, causing him to stop wiping his feet instantly.
Pei Heng turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping over them.
"who?"
Their eyes met, and Yuezhi was so frightened that she immediately turned to run away, not even noticing that the thing she was holding in her hand fell to the ground in her panic.
She ran two steps, and as the night breeze brushed against her empty palms, she suddenly remembered—her undergarment was gone!
Startled, Pei Heng turned around and saw his gaze fall on the soft piece of cloth on the ground.
He walked over with his clothes still damp.
He bent down and picked it up.
The small, intimate garment that belonged to her fell into his large palm. Yuezhi was so ashamed that she almost fainted. She wished she could disappear into a crack in the wall, but she had no choice but to grit her teeth, step forward, and reach out to snatch it back: "Give it back to me!"
Pei Heng did not comply with her wishes and raised his arm to dodge.
The fabric at my fingertips is soft, slightly damp and cool, with a subtle, irresistible milky scent.
The pink bib was clearly visible in the moonlight. His gaze fell on the patches of milk stains, some dark and some light, some dry and some wet, and he paused.
He couldn't be by her side, and he didn't know how she had breastfed two children with her gentle and voluptuous body. Only at this moment, this unique scent of hers savagely pried open his primal desires.
His throat tightened, and his blood rushed through his veins, mixed with the unforgettable memories of the first pleasure he had experienced in his youth. He looked up at Yuezhi, whose face was as red as dripping blood in the dappled moonlight, and felt that her gentle face was as beautiful as a flower and as beautiful as the moon, with a breathtaking beauty.
"I..." His voice was hoarse, and he instinctively clutched the small piece of pink fabric, blurting out, "I'll wash it for you..."
"No need!" Yuezhi was extremely embarrassed. She snatched the bodice back from his hand, crumpled it into a ball, and stuffed it into her sleeve, wary of his gaze as if she were fending off a flood or a ferocious beast.
Her ears turned bright red, and she dared not look at him again. She turned and ran, her slender figure quickly disappearing into the dimly lit doorway of the thatched hut.
Pei Heng stood frozen in place, motionless for a long time, the soft, damp touch and faint milky scent still lingering in his palm.
He hesitated, then raised his hand to his lips and licked it.
It's sweet.
The night breeze blew on his burning skin, but it couldn't dispel the heat burning in his heart.
I won't be able to sleep tonight.
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