Chapter Sixty-Eight
Perhaps because of the heat, the rain did not bring any relief from the heat; instead, it created a steamy atmosphere between the two of them, as if they had just taken a bath.
“Zhou… Zhou Yanqing…” Si Yanmo intended to push him away, but stopped when her hand touched his chest.
She could almost feel the man's tension and his strong heartbeat.
Is this contagious? Why does she feel her heart beating faster and faster?
“Amo…” Zhou Yanqing stroked her cheek, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, “You said before that we weren’t sober, but I think I’m very sober.”
Si Yanmo smiled, and the beauty mark under her eye twitched, making people want to get closer.
You don't seem to be sober right now.
"Do you have to be sober?" Zhou Yanqing tightened his grip on her waist. "No one can stay sober all the time, and there are some things you don't necessarily have to be sober about."
"None of us know the outcome of being unaware; it might not be a good one."
A hint of sadness appeared in the woman's eyes as she turned her head away and pushed him away.
“But I think you weren’t clear-headed when you wanted to help Tan Muhe. The outcome of that one seemed to be worse. Why were you so resolute with him, but hesitant with me?”
Zhou Yanqing buried his head in her neck and shoulders, greedily inhaling the jasmine scent emanating from her, his voice like a seductive siren.
Seeing him like this, Si Yanmo sighed, "It's different."
"What's different? You're nice to everyone, but you're so cold to me."
"What did I do?" Faced with the puppy's accusation, Si Yanmo was both amused and exasperated. "When have I ever been cold to you? If I were, you would have been kicked out by now."
"You only see Wenrou, you don't care about me at all."
"You're overthinking it. I don't have anyone in my heart."
"Who said that? You clearly have many people in your heart: your parents, your sister, that flower butterfly, and even Ning Qingzi and Tan Muhe. You would die for them."
“I’m not doing this for them…” Si Yanmo exhaled, not knowing how to explain her stubbornness, “I’m doing this for myself.”
Perhaps because of her previous honesty, she now speaks of her past life much more naturally.
“Zhou Yanqing, I’m not like you. I’ve really died once. I’m more afraid of losing the people around me than anyone else. I don’t want to die, and I don’t want anyone else to die.”
"But you always do things that lead you to your death."
Zhou Yanqing raised his head, his brows slightly furrowed, looking so aggrieved that she couldn't help but pat his head.
It's still very soft...
“I also think it’s strange that I’m like this, but I also feel that if it’s for the greater good, it’s worth it, just like you think it’s glorious to die on the battlefield. I don’t think every soldier is afraid of death, they probably all want to go home, but dying on the battlefield seems more acceptable than dying an ordinary death.”
"So you're not afraid to die for those people, but you're afraid to get close to me?"
The man took her hand and pressed it against his cheek. Her hand wasn't warm; it was cold, almost devoid of temperature, but not piercing, as if she didn't exist.
“Zhou Yanqing, you are different. You are the first person to join this new chapter of my life. You are not in my plans, nor in my past. I am afraid.”
"Afraid of me?"
“It’s not you, it’s…” Si Yanmo didn’t know how to continue.
Just then, a horse neighed, and the carriage came to a sudden stop.
The carriage came to a sudden stop, and Si Yanmo leaned forward abruptly due to inertia. Her lips brushed against the man's Adam's apple, carrying the faint fragrance of her hair.
Instantly, a blush spread from there to Zhou Yanqing's entire neck, even staining her ears.
Zhou Yanqing cleared his throat, feigning composure, to mask the burning desire that ran down his throat, but he didn't loosen his grip on the woman's hand.
"What's going on outside?" he said, lifting a corner of the carriage curtain and seeing a rather luxurious carriage opposite Yuqi.
But why does this coachman look so familiar?
“Isn’t this Brother Zihe’s carriage?” Si Yanmo turned around and gently pushed his hand away when she saw the carriage in front of her.
The curtain of the carriage opposite was lifted, and an oil-paper umbrella slowly opened, revealing a familiar face when it was raised.
This person has already interfered with his and Amo's relationship twice today!
Zhou Yanqing gritted his teeth inwardly, "Young Master Zhong, obstructing the royal procession in the street is a capital offense."
He originally didn't want to say these threatening words to Si Yanmo's friend, but this person had ruined his plans time and time again.
For a moment, Zhou Yanqing really wanted to drag him out and chop him up.
But Zhong Zihe did not react to these words.
In the past, Zhong Zihe would have run away as soon as he heard these words, but now there was no fear in his eyes, only sorrow.
"Please allow me to speak with the Princess for a few minutes, Your Highness."
His pitiful appearance left Zhou Yanqing with nowhere to vent his anger.
Si Yanmo rarely saw him with such an expression; perhaps the matter of Tan Muhe had been too much of a blow. She turned her head and gestured to Zhou Yanqing not to take it to heart, discussed a few words with him, and prepared to return to the Qin Prince's residence.
A light drizzle fell continuously, and mist rose from the distant mountain peaks, resembling wisps of smoke.
Outside the study of the Prince of Qin's residence, Wu Guan held up an umbrella for his master. "Your Highness, shall we go back to our rooms first?"
Zhou Yanqing didn't move, but asked, "What do you think those two were saying inside?"
Wu Guan sighed, thinking, "This Prince Qin is fearless, but after meeting the Princess Consort, he's become like a domesticated puppy."
Not only does he always obey his master, but now, seeing his wife chatting with another man in the room, he doesn't even dare to enter the room.
How did we fall to this level?
Before the two could even guess what strange scene was going on, a deafening cry came from inside the study.
"Little Mo'er, why am I so miserable? All those people from Qin are perverts! Why do all those grown men look so much like women? Waaah... What sins did I commit in my past life? Either I like someone, but they don't like me; or... he's a man... What a terrible thing!"
Zhong Zihe was crying so hard that snot and tears streamed down his face, with a glistening strand hanging precariously between his nose and mouth. Si Yanmo was a little disgusted and, afraid that he would smear his snot on her, quickly grabbed a handkerchief and handed it to him.
"You... wipe it first."
When Zhong Zihe saw the handkerchief she handed him, he realized his shame and sniffed.
This inhalation made Si Yanmo even more disgusted.
"Please, use a handkerchief!" She shoved the handkerchief into his hand, pouting and backing away slightly.
“You despise me…” Zhong Zihe finally saw the “fear” in her eyes, and felt even more aggrieved. He opened his mouth wide and burst into tears, his saliva even forming long strands in his mouth.
His snot was so sluggish it looked like it could fall into his mouth at any moment.
Si Yanmo finally couldn't hold back anymore and slapped the handkerchief on his face. "Stop crying!"
"Either you clean yourself up and talk to me, or you get out right now!"
Hearing his little sister's heartless words, Zhong Zihe reluctantly wiped his face haphazardly with a handkerchief.
Snot and tears mixed together, sticking to the woman's delicate pink handkerchief, making it almost unbearable to look at. He even wanted to return the handkerchief to Si Yanmo.
"No need, you can keep it!"
Si Yanmo quickly refused and hid a good distance away.
Seeing her disdain, Zhong Zihe could only clutch the handkerchief in his hand and say pitifully, "Why is my life so miserable? Did you ever tell my fortune about marriage back then? Am I destined to grow old alone?"
"This..." Si Yanmo chuckled, somewhat embarrassed.
"Really not?!" The man collapsed onto the table, crying even harder.
"...At least your career is going well!"
His destiny did not say anything about marriage, but it did say that if he went into business, he could become very wealthy, but there would be unexpected changes in his family; if he entered officialdom, he would rise rapidly in rank and avoid disasters.
This is also why Si Yanmo kept urging him to join the divination academy.
Unfortunately, Zhong Zihe's mind wasn't on this, and she couldn't persuade him even after a year of trying.
"What's the use of a good career path? I don't want to be like you, isn't it exhausting?"
Si Yanmo was taken aback by his question.
How could she not be tired? She did so much every day, yet it felt like she hadn't saved anyone. She seemed to have betrayed her original self.
The figure outside the door also felt a pang of anxiety following her silence.
Is she tired? If she is, will she leave?
Just then, a woman's voice came from inside the room: "I'm tired, but I'm not alone. It's okay to be tired when someone is with me."
His slightly amused voice blended into the raindrops, and he raised his hand to catch a drop, a slight smile playing on his lips.
——
It's midnight, and I, who just told Zhou Yanqing I needed to calm down, can't fall asleep again.
She forced herself to close her eyes, but the image of the man looking aggrieved during the day kept replaying in her mind's eye.
Those reddened eyes and clenched hands transformed into a flame in what should have been a cool, rainy night, causing the surrounding moisture to rise.
At this moment, even the pitter-patter of rain outside was irritating her.
Si Yanmo took several deep breaths, constantly telling herself that this was just the influence of Ye Shengge, and she couldn't be easily bewitched by it.
But sometimes that's how it is; the more she tries to suppress it, the more obvious the heat becomes, making her sweat profusely.
Unfortunately, Si Yanmo couldn't sleep without a blanket, and now that she had lifted the blanket, she not only couldn't sleep, but she also didn't get any coolness.
Furious, she reluctantly sat up, hurriedly put on her coat, grabbed an umbrella, and went out the door.
In the rainy night, it was already difficult to see the road ahead. She was walking too fast and bumped into a hard "pillar" head-on, causing the oil-paper umbrella to fall from her hand instantly.
Tonight was such a bad night!
She was already feeling unwell, and the rain made it even worse, her eyes welling up with tears.
Can't sleep?
At that moment, a voice that could soothe anyone's heart rang out.
She looked up and realized it wasn't Zhu Zi, but the man who kept her up at night.
However, upon seeing him for the first time, she was not angry; instead, she felt a joy at finally finding him.
She threw herself into the man's arms, tears streaming down her face.
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