Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Hunting and Being Hunted
Just after midnight, a slight noise suddenly came from outside the window.
In the darkness, Nan Xu, who was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed, slowly opened her eyes.
By the dim light of the lantern in the corridor, she saw a nimble figure climbing into the house.
The crimson bed curtains blocked most of the view, but Nan Xu still recognized Duan Wenpei at a glance.
He gently closed the window and placed a few green plum blossoms covered with night dew in his arms into the porcelain vase in the corner of the wall.
The refreshing fragrance of plum blossoms filled the air, dispelling her remaining sleepiness. Nan Xu pursed her lips, her fingertips silently stroking the bow and arrow at her side.
Duan Wenpei stood up, looked around, adjusted the position of the plum branch a few times, and then stood up and walked towards the bed.
Nan Xu slowly raised the bow and arrow in his hand and aimed it forward. Seeing that he was only a few steps away, he unexpectedly paused and turned to walk towards the desk.
The desk was empty, with no paper left on it like the previous two days.
Duan Wenpei didn't know what he was thinking. He stroked the edge of the table and sat down in deep thought.
There was no moon in winter, and the window blocked out the already faint candlelight outside. Nan Xu's arms were sore from holding them up, and all he could see were hazy shadows.
With her archery skills, she couldn't hit the target at this distance.
Nan Xu's fingertips brushed against the raised patterns on the bow. Perhaps because the room was too dim, a thin layer of sweat formed on her palms...
Not only did her hands ache, but her eyes also felt sore and swollen, and her heart felt even more suffocated. Duan Wenpei was a skilled martial artist. Could it be that he had already noticed something was wrong inside the bed curtains? Was he deliberately teasing her by not rushing in?
This idea was pondered over and over in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more certain it became. The more I thought about it, the more jealous and dissatisfied I felt in my heart, and the more irritated I became.
How outrageous!
The surging anger rushed left and right in her chest, and the excited and hesitant eyes were gradually burned out by anger. Finally, after she silently counted the last number, her fingers suddenly loosened, and the arrow flew out from the gap in the bed curtain.
With two "puffs", the muffled sound of an arrow piercing clothes was heard in the quiet house. The shadow in the armchair was knocked to the ground by inertia. In the dim vision, the arrow tail could be seen shaking slightly.
Was this a shot?!
Nan Xu looked at the bow in his hand in disbelief, his mind going blank.
No! No! Impossible!
She knew her archery skills, and because she knew it was impossible to hurt him, she dared to use it to vent her anger.
Duan Wenpei is so skilled that it would be difficult for him to even get a scratch on his skin, let alone hit the target. How could he be hit so easily?
Thinking of this, Nan Xu called out his name several times in a trembling voice, but no one paid any attention to her. The dark shadow lying on the ground did not move.
Nan Xu panicked, clutching the bow in her hand, got out of bed, took the lamp and went to check.
In the light of the candle, there was no human figure in front of the desk. The arrow was just stuck in a pile of quilts. Nan Xu looked at the soft couch by the window, and sure enough, it was empty.
Where's Duan Wenpei?!
She turned around suddenly, but there was no one there.
Just as she was about to turn around to continue checking, a pair of strong arms suddenly reached out from behind and tightly wrapped around her waist.
Nan Xu's body stiffened, and she was about to turn around to block, but her back was immediately pressed against a warm and wide "wall". She struggled subconsciously, but the person behind her held her tightly and held her tightly, and placed a hot and wet kiss on her neck, slowly climbing up, and finally the warmth touched her earlobe.
His hot breath hit her, making half of her body numb. "Want to murder your husband? Huh?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he bit her equally hot earlobe as if punishing her.
When the flesh of her ear touched the dampness/heat, Nan Xu's breathing suddenly became rapid, and she hummed twice impatiently like a cat.
Duan Wenpei understood what was going on, and while her body was numb, he snatched the bow and extinguished the candle.
The touch of her body was infinitely magnified. When the slightly cool hair wrapped around her fingertips, she finally broke down and hooked his black hair tightly with her backhand.
Like a silent invitation, Duan Wenpei picked her up sideways and slowly walked into the depths of the bed curtains.
The breaths were entangled, the figures were rising and falling, but at the critical moment, Duan Wenpei suddenly withdrew and stopped moving.
Like a fish suddenly approaching the water, she gasped for breath and opened her eyelids to look ahead with some confusion.
Everything in front of her was dark, and within her reach was his firm and strong skin. She suppressed the desire in her heart, raised her little finger, and slowly slid down.
Duan Wenpei grabbed her rebellious hand and whispered hoarsely to her, "Kiss me and I'll give it to you."
His voice seemed to be mixed with honey, sweet and greasy, but making people want to soak in it.
The tingling sensation along with the emptiness flowed through her blood vessels. Her body had reached its limit. She no longer cared about anything else, hooked her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips.
Her feathery eyelashes trembled lightly across his eyelids, and he responded enthusiastically, holding her tenderly and sinking down.
When she was on the verge of extremity, Nan Xu vaguely remembered that she seemed to be ready to kill him to vent her anger...
*
Nan Xu slept very soundly that night and didn't even have a dream.
When I woke up again, the sun was already at its zenith.
She raised her arms lazily to block the glaring sunlight, turned over and wanted to take a nap, but found that there was someone on the other side of the bed.
The memories of last night suddenly flooded into her mind, and she covered her eyes and turned back silently, her back to the person behind her.
"Why haven't you left yet?" As soon as she said this, she realized her voice was hoarse. She shrank into the quilt in shame.
The person behind her was not going to let her go.
Pulling her out of the covers, he turned her body, tangled his fingers in a lock of her hair, and laughed so hard that his chest shook. "Where are you going? Hmm? Will the Madam bear with it?"
He emphasized the word "willing to give up", which made one feel weak and powerless when hearing it.
Last night was indeed... Nan Xu still closed her eyes, unwilling to look at him, but her hands, placed under the quilt, tightly grasped the pajamas she had changed into at some point. She felt as if she was a little different, as if, as if... she was not as determined as before... and could not withstand his teasing...
Seeing that she still didn't look at him, Duan Wenpei smiled and leaned over to kiss her eyes, but Nan Xu dodged him halfway.
She held his chest, her words tinged with sternness, "Don't you think it's beneath your dignity to do this?"
"I don't think so." He played with her hair and stroked her closed eyes with interest. "A Xu, why don't you dare look at me?"
"I don't have the habit of looking at other people's husbands." Nan Xu tilted her neck back and the person in front of her leaned forward, holding her hand.
When they retreated to the edge of the bed, with nowhere to retreat, Duan Wenpeifang grabbed her slender waist and held her in his arms, scratching her nose with amusement, "So, Madam is jealous."
"I didn't!"
Nan Xu placed her hands on his chest, her face sullen. She finally opened her eyes and looked at him. "You're despicable and shameless! You ignore your fiancée and come to my bed every night."
Duan Wenpei spread his legs so she could maintain her balance, and he rested his arms behind his head, calmly asking, "How is it despicable or shameless for me to have sex with my own wife?"
Nan Xu sneered, "The divorce papers have been signed, who is your wife?"
Duan Wenpei raised an eyebrow, picked up his outer garment from the ground, and took out a divorce agreement. He pointed to the handprint at the bottom and showed it to her. "I remember Ah Xu's husband was called Duan Wenpei, right? Why does it seem to be written here... Zhao Huaizhou? Ah Xu, look, is that your husband's name?"
Nan Xu stroked the three characters 'Zhao Huaizhou' that appeared alongside her own name, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled up, but quickly suppressed it, saying stubbornly, "How funny! Aren't Zhao Huaizhou and Duan Wenpei the same person? Humph! It's signed, it's signed. You even came here that day to say that marriage between men and women is irrelevant. Have you forgotten, Master?"
She turned her head away and tried to get off him using her hands and feet, but was held down firmly by the person in front of her.
He put away his playful expression, stared at her, and said seriously, "I also thought I could do as I said, and become strangers from now on, never seeing each other again."
"But I was awakened by the same nightmare every night - in the dream, you were standing outside the house with the divorce papers in your hand, smiling and telling me to divorce. I tried everything to keep you, but nothing could stop your determination. I had to drink calming soup before bed, hoping to stop dreaming and get a good night's sleep, but it was no use." He gently brushed away the strands of hair from her temples, his eyes unnaturally gentle. "Only then did I realize that you had long been in my heart and soul. Without you, I don't know what to do next. With you, I feel at peace."
The affection in his eyes was scorching hot, just like his hands that held her waist. His deep dark eyes were clear and bright, like a ray of morning light breaking through the darkness, shining on her brilliantly.
Nan Xu was stunned by what she heard. It took her a long time to find her voice. She stumbled back, "I don't believe... those words to deceive... people. Since you can't live without me, why... do you want to get engaged to Qin Hui?" As she said that, she clenched her fist and hit him. Although she knew it wouldn't hurt, she slowed down her strength.
Duan Wenpei took her fist with a dull look in his eyes, spread his fingers and clasped them together, explaining softly, "This is just a temporary solution. Qin Hui's uncle is General Chang Yi, stationed in the southwest. I want to use my wedding with Qin Hui to lure the Chang Yi army into Shu and control the Zhao family and King Yi."
Nan Xu struggled a few times but couldn't break free, so she let him go. "How did you know the Changyi Army would be used by you? Have you known this General Changyi for a long time?"
She had heard of General Chang Yi, but this general was stationed at the border all year round and seldom came to Beijing. Moreover, since he was Qin Hui's uncle, he was related to the Qin family, and the Qin family was a relative of the Zhao family. How could he collude with Duan Wenpei and turn against them?
She looked at him suspiciously, "Are you trying to trick me? You're really trying to keep me in check and create a good relationship with Qin Hui! After all, you're now the third son of the Zhao family. With General Changyi, your uncle, who commands a large military force, Zhao Mingcheng will have the opportunity to ascend to the throne one day. You'll be the one with the greatest hope of ruling the world."
As she spoke, Nan Xu's gaze couldn't help but focus. She shook off his hand, got up from the bed, and moved away from him.
"Duan Wenpei, you never give your all to others when you speak or do things. Whether you have feelings for me, or are heartless, or just want to take advantage of me... Anyway, seeing is believing, hearing is not. You and Qin Hui are about to get married. Last night... just treat it as the last time between you and me. From now on, you are not allowed to come over, and you are not allowed to send plum blossoms. I don't like green plums now, so... what are you doing..."
The remaining words were all lost in the tiny sobs that lingered between lips and teeth.
Nan Xu felt her body go limp and she fell uncontrollably into his warm arms.
Her heart trembled and she thought to herself: Oh no.
It’s not that he can’t live without her—it’s clearly that she can’t live without him anymore.
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The author has something to say: This chapter allows the couple to have some sweet time, and the next chapter will focus on the plot.
It’s almost there, the end is approaching in an accelerating pace.
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