Gu Qinghuai ignored this, glanced coldly at Mu Ruoyan, took out chopsticks from the chopstick holder, and silently began to eat his noodles.
Mu Ruoyan, however, seemed completely unconcerned. He leisurely picked up a piece of braised meat, put it in his mouth, and began to chew, with a smug look on his face that seemed to invite a beating.
The meal took place in this strangely suffocating atmosphere, with everyone harboring their own thoughts while trying their best to restrain themselves.
After finishing their meal, the three of them set off again.
As evening approached, Lin Xihe felt her strength gradually waning, her legs went weak, and she was utterly exhausted.
Mu Ruoyan noticed her condition and gently picked up Lin Xihe, who had been facing away from him, and made her sit sideways in front of him, adjusting her to a most comfortable position. Then he gently pulled her into his arms, indicating that she should rest assured.
Lin Xihe was too exhausted to refuse at this point, and besides, the two had already had many intimate encounters before, so pretending to refuse now would be meaningless.
However, she held the sword tightly in her hand, her heart pounding violently like a drum.
As their journey progressed, they arrived at increasingly remote places, the road ahead was shrouded in mist, and all around them were desolate wilderness, with no villages in sight and no towns behind.
Just then, Mu Ruoyan suddenly pulled on the reins and skillfully turned the horse around so that its head was facing the horse that Gu Qinghuai was riding.
Lin Xihe noticed something was wrong and quickly sat up straight, cautiously looking around at her surroundings.
Mu Ruoyan's hand remained gently on Lin Xihe's waist, his tone calm as usual, but he suddenly uttered, "Give him the sword."
"Wh...what?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Xihe was startled.
Mu Ruoyan's words seemed to have seen through her deepest secrets, which made her feel a strong sense of fear and her whole body tense up instantly.
"I don't like it when you lie." Mu Ruoyan's voice was still gentle, but to Lin Xihe, it seemed to carry an invisible sense of pressure.
Gu Qinghuai carefully made sure no one was following him along the way. At this moment, he and Mu Ruoyan were the only ones in the place.
His long-suppressed emotions finally erupted.
He could see the intensity in Mu Ruoyan's eyes as she looked at Lin Xihe, just as intense as his own. He also knew that Mu Ruoyan wouldn't easily hurt Lin Xihe, so he decisively said, "Let Xihe go."
Mu Ruoyan didn't even raise his head, but simply looked down at Lin Xihe in his arms.
"Qinghuai, wait a minute."
Lin Xihe hurriedly spoke up to stop her.
She had never witnessed the depth of Mu Ruoyan's martial arts skills and had no idea what to expect.
Especially Mu Ruoyan's confident and composed demeanor at this moment, which made her fear spread like a tide.
Lin Xihe asked timidly, "When did you find out?"
“Since that day, the pendant around your neck has gone missing. I sent people to inquire with those who practice Gu poison, and learned that some Gu poisons cause persistent high fever when the poison is neutralized,” Mu Ruoyan explained slowly, her tone chillingly calm.
"Then why have you endured it for so long?" Lin Xihe asked, puzzled.
“When you are well-behaved, I really can’t bear to see you like this. If you are willing to pretend you don’t know anything for one more day, I will indulge you for one more day.”
Mu Ruoyan looked serious, his eyes filled with deep affection, as if he and Lin Xihe were the only two people in the world at that moment, completely ignoring Gu Qinghuai's presence.
Gu Qinghuai's hands gripped the reins so tightly that his knuckles cracked under Mu Ruoyan's heartfelt confession.
If Lin Xihe weren't still in Mu Ruoyan's arms, and if acting rashly now might seriously injure her, Gu Qinghuai probably wouldn't have been willing to restrain his anger for even a moment longer.
Lin Xihe knew in her heart that the two people in front of her were already at each other's throats, and the situation was about to break out.
However, she was not confident enough to be certain that Gu Qinghuai would win this battle.
Now that she already knew the truth, she could only plead with Mu Ruoyan once more: "Mu Ruoyan, can you let us go?"
However, Lin Xihe ultimately did not receive the answer she longed for.
"It won't work when I'm alive."
Mu Ruo's tone was resolute. After speaking, she snatched the sword from Lin Xihe's hand and casually tossed it to Gu Qinghuai.
Immediately afterwards, Mu Ruoyan dismounted and then carried Lin Xihe down with him.
"Just stand here and don't move. I'll go fight him somewhere else, don't be afraid. If I win, I'll only cripple his hands and feet, and spare his life. I won't make you sad."
As Mu Ruoyan spoke, she slowly reached out and gently touched Lin Xihe's face, her eyes filled with a hint of longing and teasing: "If I die, don't laugh too loudly, or I'll be sad."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
