Chapter 34 Caught in the Act of Intimacy "His body is barely cold, and you actually..."
"Hiss!" Lin Zhi shuddered in pain as soon as Pei Lang reached out, which made Pei Lang feel bad too, so he quickly lightened the pressure on his hand.
"Bear with it, or it will get everywhere again before the medicine is fully applied."
Lin Zhi tilted her chin up and watched Pei Lang's slender fingers slide across the bruises on her neck. Even though it hurt a little, she endured it.
“Lu Jue really went all out, but don’t worry, he won’t be able to get out of bed for at least half a month after I kicked him.”
Only half a day had passed, and the bruises on Lin Zhi's neck had become even darker. Pei Lang put away the ointment and looked away, his eyes filled with surging emotions.
I just applied medicine to her wound. Although she was badly injured, the little girl was very well-behaved and pitiful, and didn't want to cause him any trouble.
She pressed her slender, white neck against his face, entrusting him with her most vulnerable part.
But her unwavering trust, like a child offering its neck for slaughter, stirred up his deepest, most despicable and secret desire for cruelty. Such a beautiful body, yet its beauty was ruined by that bastard Lu Jue.
He couldn't bear to see Lin Zhi suffer so much; the perfect balance between them was the ultimate happiness he desired.
"cousin?"
Hearing Lin Zhi call him, Pei Lang lowered his eyes, suppressing the dark glint in them, and smiled: "You must be exhausted today, get some rest."
Seeing Pei Lang get up to leave, Lin Zhi felt a surge of unease. She got up from the couch and chased after him barefoot, not even having time to put on her embroidered shoes.
Before she could even touch Pei Lang's clothes, the person who was about to leave seemed to sense something and turned around. Looking down, she saw her slender, pale feet on the dark ground and frowned in displeasure.
Without saying a word, he lifted her onto his arms and put her shoes on.
Lin Zhi wrapped her arms around Pei Lang's neck, feeling a little flustered, but still blushed and cooperated with his actions.
"If your mother notices the marks these next few days, don't panic. Just say it's a folk remedy from the doctor for a cold, and the marks are red from being pinched on your neck. The ointment I applied today is also of the highest quality, and it should fade considerably in less than three days."
"Now that such a major event has occurred in your household, it is not appropriate to cause them any more worry. Moreover, the Marquis's household is not an ordinary family. I can handle it on my own."
Pei Lang touched her slightly cold ankle, then held it to warm it up before looking up at her.
"Furthermore, after the proper funeral rites, people may come to pay their respects. As an unmarried young woman, it is not appropriate for you to show your face in public, since you do not yet have a formal status."
"I have already instructed the steward of the manor and my trusted subordinates, so you don't need to worry about these matters."
Lin Zhi nodded obediently; what Pei Lang said was indeed her concern. If her aunt were well, these things naturally wouldn't be her responsibility.
However, my aunt is struggling to take care of herself these days, let alone these trivial matters. But she is just a relative who is staying with us, so it would be difficult to answer if others asked.
"Thank you for considering Ah Zhi's feelings, cousin."
Hearing the faint voice beside him, Pei Lang chuckled, "Ah Zhi, is this how you thank me with words?"
Although he was calling her by the same name, Lin Zhi was deeply moved by Pei Lang's voice. Unlike Lu Jue's frivolousness, Pei Lang, even when he spoke with a smile, remained dignified and elegant, making her ears feel slightly numb.
Seeing that she remained motionless with her cheeks flushed, Pei Lang was not disappointed. He had only said it casually to tease her. Otherwise, if Lin Zhi had kept the memory of Lu Jue hitting her, she would probably have nightmares.
It was getting late, and Pei Lang had other important matters to attend to, so he lifted her off his lap to leave. But Lin Zhi quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, lightly kissed his cheek with her soft red lips, and tilted her head to look at him.
"Is this a satisfactory gift, cousin?"
Pei Lang's dark eyes darkened, and he pulled the person close to him, his eyes filled with aggression.
With her legs weak, Lin Zhi escorted him to the door, her hand still entwined with Pei Lang's fingers, reluctant to let go. "Then cousin, don't be so busy these days that you don't even have time to eat. The entire Pei family is counting on you now."
Pei Lang had no choice but to leave, and Lin Zhi couldn't keep pestering him forever. However, Lu Jue's words during the day still made her uneasy, fearing that he might have some other dirty tricks up his sleeve.
Seeing the worry between her brows, Pei Lang comforted her by pulling her into his arms and hugging her, then nuzzling his chin against the top of her head: "Don't worry, as long as you're okay, I'm okay too."
Listening to the steady, powerful heartbeat in her ear, Lin Zhi closed her eyes, cherishing this stolen moment of peace.
"Pei Lang! How dare you!"
Like a thunderclap from a clear sky, Lin Zhi was so frightened that she trembled all over, and then she heard her aunt's voice!
Lin Shaowan originally intended to come over and say a few words to her niece, but she didn't expect to see a scene that almost made her faint with anger as soon as she reached the courtyard gate!
Pei Lang felt the person in his arms shrink back, but he patted her back reassuringly as if nothing had happened, and then released her with his arms in a very natural way.
"You're shameless!"
With a sharp crack, Lin Zhi gasped in surprise, covering her mouth as she saw Pei Lang's face turn to the side after being slapped by his aunt!
Unlike the playful banter between the two of them, Lin Shaowan's slap landed squarely on her tall and handsome son's face, leaving a clear fingerprint.
"aunt!"
Lin Zhi turned pale and stepped forward to stop Lin Shaowan's hand, her mind blank, unsure of what to say.
Pei Lang merely raised his hand to wipe away the blood that had been spilled between his lips and teeth, his expression remaining as indifferent as ever, as if he were not the one who had been beaten.
Lin Zhi's eyes reddened, and she tried to explain with difficulty, but Lin Shaowan pulled her behind her: "Pei Lang, no matter how much you dislike me, I am still your mother in name, and Mingli is your own brother!"
"His body is barely cold, and you dare to harass and force yourself on his fiancée! Do you even deserve to be his elder brother?!"
Lin Shaowan was so angry that her breathing became rapid. When she saw the wound on Lin Zhi's neck, her anger rose even higher, confirming her suspicions.
"You even tried to force Azhi!"
"Even if Azhi doesn't become the young mistress of the Pei family, she will always be my niece, Lin Shaowan's niece! As long as I am still the mistress of the Pei family, don't even think about touching her!"
Lin Zhi was so anxious that tears streamed down her face. She opened her mouth to explain, but Pei Lang stopped her with a look.
"My mother is right. Today, I was out of my mind. It was this slap from my mother that brought me back to my senses."
"But there are still official duties in the palace to attend to, so I will leave first."
Lin Shaowan was even angrier by his impeccable apology, as if she had punched a cotton ball!
Seeing that her aunt was about to pursue the matter further, Lin Zhi hurriedly grabbed her: "Aunt! The injury on my neck wasn't caused by my older cousin, it's... a folk remedy for a cold that the doctor told me about."
"I pinched myself!"
Lin Shaowan stared intently at Lin Zhi, "Is that really so?"
Although Lin Zhi felt guilty, she could only nod: "My cousin was just too heartbroken... but Aunt, don't worry, there was nothing inappropriate between us!"
Lin Shaowan knew that Lin Zhi wouldn't be that kind of person, so she could only sigh deeply and pull the person into the house.
“Azhi, it’s not that your aunt is being harsh on you, it’s just that you’re still too naive. You only see Pei Lang’s handsome appearance and upright character, but do you really know what kind of person he is?”
"He's ruthless, treacherous, and merciless; he'll stop at nothing to achieve his goals! He can stir up trouble in the court and make even the old ministers wary and back down. Do you think he's a good person?"
Lin Zhi lowered her eyes and head, not daring to speak, but in her heart she secretly refuted what her aunt said. Pei Lang was clearly a very good person, but her aunt did not know how good he was.
Seeing her dejected, Lin Shaowan didn't want to upset her, so she gently took her hand and said, "Azhi, now that Mingli is gone, I'm afraid we, aunt and niece, are not destined to be mother-in-law and daughter-in-law."
"If you're willing, while your uncle still enjoys some imperial favor, how about your aunt finds you another good marriage?"
Feeling the warmth in her hand, Lin Zhi's heart sank: "...Aunt, now that my second cousin is gone, I only want to stay by your side and keep you company."
Lin Shaowan smiled bitterly and reached out to tuck her slightly disheveled hair behind her ear: "Azhi, the most important person in my life used to be Mingli, but now that my son is gone, what's the point of me living?"
“Even if your aunt is reluctant to part with you, you have seen your uncle’s condition now. We are heartbroken and devastated to lose a child in our old age. I’m afraid that before long, the Pei family will belong to Pei Lang. How long can I protect you?”
At this point, Lin Shaowan sighed deeply: "When I first entered the manor, the late Madam was pregnant with Pei Lang, but I never expected that she would pass away a few years later."
“At that time, Pei Lang was only seven years old and Ming Li was only six years old, but one day Pei Lang almost drowned Ming Li by holding him in the water! That silly child Ming Li thought his older brother was playing with him.”
"If the attending nanny hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid..."
Mentioning Pei Mingli, Lin Shaowan couldn't help but shed tears again, making Lin Zhi feel extremely sad, yet she couldn't believe it.
“Ah Zhi, your aunt can grant your requests on everything else, but not on this matter.”
"If the engagement and marriage take place within 100 days of the Mingli funeral, it will not break the rules. If you miss the deadline, even if you are not surnamed Pei, I am afraid that Pei Lang will use this to blackmail you into delaying the marriage for another three years!"
"Three years is a long time, and the variables are unpredictable. Can you understand your aunt's good intentions?"
With her hands tightly gripped, Lin Zhi stared at her aunt's bloodshot eyes, feeling somewhat helpless. She bit her lip but still struggled to speak, "Aunt, my cousin wouldn't..."
Disappointment flashed in Lin Shaowan's eyes. She threw away her hand and stood up: "Azhi, since ancient times, marriage has been a matter of parents' words and matchmakers' agreement. Since your aunt is your only elder, she will not disregard you."
"There's no need to discuss this anymore; you just need to wait and see."
Lin Zhi chased after him for a few steps, but Lin Shaowan had people guarding her outside the courtyard and not allowing her to leave.
"Miss, you should stay at home these days. If I find out who is neglecting their duties, they will not need to stay in the manor to serve you!"
"aunt!"
Lin Zhi called out urgently a few times, but only received Lin Shaowan's resolute back.
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Author's Note: Thank you all for your support and support! I'll be updating daily starting today! The initial update time is tentatively 8 PM. After it becomes a paid chapter, each chapter will be 6,000 words.
I hope everyone will like and share this post; it's my biggest encouragement! [Heart emoji]
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