Chapter 85 The Long Springtime - He held the brightest spring sunshine firmly in his palm...
When he closed the door just now, he saw that there were several marks on the door indicating that it was locked from the inside.
Only in an environment surrounded by wolves would one put multiple locks on the inside of their bedroom.
Jiang Yunjin glanced at the door separating the inner and outer rooms not far away. With his exceptional eyesight, he could clearly see the same lock marks on the door and the window.
His breathing hitched slightly, and he held her even tighter.
Cui Yiluo silently turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist, getting deeply intertwined with him, and felt Jiang Yunjin kiss the tip of her hair.
In fact, as she grew older and became more sensible, and with Jiang Yunjin's help, she regained the shops left by her birth mother, they couldn't gain much advantage over her.
She had long been used to this kind of life. Apart from Lilan, no one had ever cared about her, and she didn't need anyone else to care about her.
But the moment Jiang Yunjin hugged her from behind, after a moment's reaction, she realized that he was feeling sorry for her, and a bittersweet feeling mixed with grievance welled up in her heart, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.
But that's all in the past. Cui Yiluo eased the somewhat somber atmosphere by deliberately complaining, "It's not as hard as following your rules."
Jiang Yunjin chuckled and said, "It was my fault."
Cui Yiluo bit his Adam's apple and said righteously, "It's your fault."
A smile spread across Jiang Yunjin's eyes, as if he was enjoying her unbridled and coquettish behavior towards him.
He had called her Cui before, and she had always held a grudge. One day, she called him Jiang all day long before she finally stopped.
But isn't that what trusting and relying on someone is all about?
Jiang Yunjin knew that she didn't like to fuss over other people's trivial matters, nor did she care about others. The reason she cared about his past adherence to rules was because she cared about him.
"This is the courtyard where you've lived since you were a child?"
Cui Yiluo responded.
She thought she might never return to the Cui family mansion in her life, but now that she's back and sees the familiar yet unfamiliar bedroom furnishings, she can't help but feel a little dazed.
Jiang Yunjin did the same; from the moment he entered the courtyard, he secretly observed everything within his sight.
Her courtyard was not large, located in the northwest corner of the mansion. It was far away from the courtyards of Cui Qi and Yao Shi, as well as Cui Jun, just like her status—she was someone who was on the fringes of the Cui family.
The bedroom wasn't large, just big enough to fit the bed and other living items. However, it was kept clean and tidy. The decorations and carpets, though not expensive at first glance, reflected the owner's thoughtfulness and care.
Through the small window, one could glimpse a few flowering trees planted in the courtyard. They seemed to have been tended by her, for the trees looked quite old, but were now withered and decayed, clearly neglected for a long time. After she left Ningzhou, no one would bother with this place.
But even in this small courtyard, she lived earnestly, remaining as resilient as when he met her in the cave.
Cui Yiluo slightly raised her face, her eyes sparkling with lively light, and said with a mischievous smile, "You are the first man to enter my boudoir."
Zhao Jian is not considered a person.
Jiang Yunjin seemed to understand the deeper meaning, and a smile appeared on his face, but a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
Cui Yiluo was pulling him inside by the hand and didn't notice.
Because of the limited space in the room, the couch in the inner room was not very big. After Cui Yiluo pulled Jiang Yunjin to sit down, the couch seemed even smaller because of his tall stature.
Cui Yiluo glanced at the canopy bed, which was also not spacious and was almost half the size of the one in the mansion, and frowned.
"What's wrong?"
Cui Yiluo said, "The bed is too small; there's not enough room for you to sleep."
The tone was like a coquettish complaint.
Jiang Yunjin's eyes darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Is A'Luo going to kick me out?"
Cui Yiluo's face showed a hint of interest. "There are several guest rooms in the mansion."
"Okay." Jiang Yunjin nodded.
Cui Yiluo was just teasing him, but he agreed so quickly that she was stunned for a moment and didn't realize what he meant.
Then he continued, "Then A-Luo must remember to lock the doors and windows tonight."
Cui Yiluo then realized that he had already noticed the lock marks on the doors and windows. He had deliberately said that in order to cover up the past events in her memory.
Her bright eyes sparkled with laughter as Cui Yiluo traced a line on his chest with her finger. "Then aren't you afraid I'll stab you here, my husband?"
Jiang Yunjin's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, he chuckled softly, and couldn't help but lower his head to suck on her rosy lips.
His eyes darkened as he pressed down on her burning hand that was raging against his chest, kissing her and asking indistinctly, "You're willing to do this?"
Seeing that Cui Yiluo did not answer immediately and was actually thinking about the question seriously, Jiang Yunjin's lust turned into displeasure, and he bit down slightly, causing Cui Yiluo to gasp in surprise.
Seeing that his face was already ashen, Cui Yiluo quickly said, "I'm a little reluctant, I'm a little reluctant, okay?"
The fingers clasping her waist suddenly applied some technique and force, and her body went limp. She could only lean against him, and her chin was immediately pulled up, meeting his dark eyes, which were already radiating a dangerous aura.
"You're reluctant to part with it?"
He slowly repeated it, and an inexplicable sense of oppression washed over him.
Cui Yilu couldn't resist his finger techniques, so she stopped teasing him and pressed him against the wall behind the couch, pulling down his neck and kissing his thin lips.
He stepped forward and quickly said, "I can't bear to."
Jiang Yunjin chuckled softly, obediently lowered his head, and opened his thin lips to entwine with hers. Suddenly, only the soft sound of water could be heard in the bedroom, and all words were lost in the intertwined figures of the two.
-
Hearing that Lin Mama had been ordered to pack the luggage for the two carriages, even though it was just packing, it was clear that she was going to give it a good tidying up. The old servants in the mansion were even more apprehensive, especially the maids and servants who had served Yao Shi and had mistreated Cui Yiluo when doing things for Yao Shi.
It should be noted that Lin's mother was not the one who did the most for Yao's family, nor was she the one who treated Cui Yiluo the worst.
Therefore, during lunch, the waiting people dared not utter a sound. A few of the bolder ones tried to step forward to test the waters, but the people brought by Cui Yiluo blocked them completely, preventing them from getting any closer and leaving them no room to slip through.
Seeing that Cui Yiluo and the other girl had finished their meal and were talking intimately, he became even more anxious. The Grand Secretary, who had been cold-faced all morning and was rumored to be the most aloof and distant person, now had a faint smile on his face and acted indulgently towards the girl in their household who was never valued.
Seeing this, everyone felt that the situation was getting out of hand.
Just as they were waiting for Cui Yiluo to make her move and deal with them, they suddenly saw the Jiang family escorting the two away again.
The servants exchanged glances, all seeing confusion and nervousness in each other's eyes.
Cui Yiluo naturally knew what those servants were thinking, but she was in no hurry to deal with them. Fortunately, she was in control of the Cui family at the moment, and they couldn't cause any trouble.
The guillotine's lingering motion, seemingly about to fall, is more agonizing than a fatal blow.
She has more important things to do right now.
After having a meal and resting for a while, Lilan reported that several collateral relatives of the Cui family had come to visit.
Lilan sneered, "They never paid any attention to you before and always treated you with disrespect. Now that you've been back in Ningzhou for less than half a day, they've already rushed over in a panic. They're shameless."
Cui Yiluo didn't react much. "They didn't come for me, they just came for Jiang Yunjin's power."
Lilan frowned in disgust: "These people have always been like this over the years." She glanced at Jiang Yunjin, who was sitting on the couch reading a book, and lowered her voice: "What do you intend to do with them, Miss?"
Cui Yiluo didn't care that Jiang Yunjin heard this. She gave Lilan a reassuring look, then said in a normal voice, "Please invite them into the hall to wait."
Lilan asked in surprise, "Does the young lady want to see them?"
Cui Yilu smiled slyly at Lilan, "Of course not."
Lilan immediately understood and ordered someone to invite her. She also instructed her servants to treat the guests well, to serve fresh tea as soon as it was finished, and to tell them that the young lady was still resting and it was unknown when she would come out to see the guests. She told them to stay in the hall and not to leave.
While the members of the Cui clan were being held in the hall and forced to drink tea, Cui Yiluo and Jiang Yunjin had already boarded a carriage and quickly left through the back door.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Yunjin had clearly overheard her conversation with Lilan, and knew that she had tacitly allowed him to listen. He asked bluntly, "Are you just going to let them go like this?"
Cui Yiluo recalled the fates of Cheng Feng and Cui Qi, and compared to Jiang Yunjin's methods, what she did today did seem rather frivolous.
She explained, "Those people didn't do anything, so there's no need to worry about them."
They were just like everyone else, habitually ignoring her, and never laid a hand on her. Now that she had been away from the Cui family for a long time, she was too lazy to settle scores with the others, except for those overbearing servants from before.
Hearing her say that, Jiang Yunjin was clearly relieved and stopped bringing it up.
The carriage passed through Ningzhou City and headed out of the city towards the outskirts.
Spring sunshine is in full bloom outside the car, and forsythia is in full bloom all over the mountains. The pale yellow flowers are dotted among the purple and red flowers, making it the perfect time for a spring outing.
Cui Yiluo glanced at the man beside her. He was also looking out the window with a complicated expression. He seemed to be lost in thought as he looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery, as if he was being swept away by a wave of past memories.
He was particularly perceptive of Cui Yiluo's gaze, and quickly turned his eyes to meet hers.
Cui Yiluo didn't hesitate and asked him, "You came around this time back then, didn't you?"
“Hmm,” Jiang Yunjin said with a hint of self-deprecation, “but I didn’t pay attention to the scenery around me.”
Although he wanted to relax, the pressure from his parents and family was ever-present, weighing heavily on his mind.
In contrast to him, Cui Yiluo was so engrossed in the beautiful spring that she was abandoned by Yao in the wilderness.
Cui Yiluo took his hand and commanded in a spoiled tone, "Then my husband, come with me for a spring outing today."
Bathed in the spring sunshine outside the window, Yili's smile shone even brighter, as if it gathered all the essence of spring and could dispel all darkness.
The darkness in Jiang Yunjin's eyes dissipated, and he smiled, saying, "Alright."
The carriage first stopped outside a wide, flat area, surrounded by all kinds of flowering trees, where flowers were in full bloom, creating a dazzling display, with the pale yellow forsythia not being overlooked.
Cui Yiluo plucked a flower, just like when she was twelve years old.
But instead of tucking it behind her ear like she used to, she turned to face the man behind her.
"Lower your head."
A helpless smile flashed in Jiang Yunjin's eyes as he obediently lowered his head.
She smiled contentedly and said, "This is the second forsythia I've given you."
That withered flower is all in the past; this one is a new beginning.
A small, bright forsythia tucked behind the man's ear. His hair was jet black, and he was wearing a snow-white brocade robe today. But the forsythia tucked behind his ear did not look vulgar, nor did it diminish his heroic spirit. On the contrary, it brought a touch of brightness to the monotonous black and white, making his face even more handsome.
Cui Yiluo looked into his eyes, almost drowning in them.
Jiang Yunjin also looked at her without missing a beat.
Then, he lowered his head further and kissed her lips, their lips meeting in a passionate embrace.
At the age of fifteen, he missed the springtime in Ningzhou.
His later regret, remorse, and sorrow all vanished at this moment. Because at this moment, he held the brightest spring light firmly in his palm.
Author's Note: Today's sticky daily routine (1/1)
I didn't expect so many people to want to see the broken branch scene, but I haven't pre-ordered enough yet, so I need to save up some more. If you're interested, you can add it to your favorites first [doge emoji].
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